CREVELING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY, NJ Copyright (c) 1999 by Louis G. Creveling (creve@pinehurst.net) ************************************************************************ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ************************************************************************ This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Louis G. Creveling, creve@pinehurst.net Scanned by: Barbara Pierce, (Written permission given by author to Barbara Pierce) ============================================================================= EXCERPTS FROM: TITLE: CREVELING FAMILY HISTORY AND GENEALOGY AUTHOR: LOUIS G. CREVELING Herb Eaton Historical Publications Charlotte, NC 28205 Library of Congress Card Catalogue No. 88-82223 Copyrighted 1988 by Louis G. Creveling p.369 ============================================================================= FORWARD This effort to publish the Creveling family history has been a dedicated task of mine for over ten years. I have traveled the country in search of data on the family and many experiences have been rewarding, but there have been the failures as well. The data represents information as of 1 April 1988 when I put it into final form for publishing. Every Creveling known to me has been given a genealogical sequence number and that is the reference to find him or her in this book. I encourage each reader who may have information different from what is printed here to contact the author or his descendants and right the errors which I have put in through misinformation or lack of information. As a family tree is a growing thing, there will be more branches which I sincerely hope someone will add in future years and publish again so that following generations will have a more substantial base for learning about Crevelings and their part in this beloved country. Every Creveling I ever met is a relative and that has been most encouraging to me in pursuit of excellence in my genealogy. Please keep up interest on behalf of my children and their children and those of others in this growing tree in the forest of humanity. The author ============================================================================= REFERENCE: Louis G. Creveling Genealogical Number 5-2-7-1-3-2 Genealogical Number Example: 5-2-7-1-3-2 I am the SECOND child of the THIRD child of the FIRST child of the SEVENTH child of the SECOND child of the FIFTH child of Johannes and Christiana Creveling, who were the first known Crevelings in this country. I am of the SIXTH generation of their descendants. Any known descendant may trace back by going thru each number in reverse sequence to find his line from the original family. ============================================================================= CHAPTER: HISTORY, Pg 1-15 ============================================================================= (PAGE 1) CREVELINGS in America Family History The original two Crevelings, Johannes and his wife Chris- tiana, came here with at least four of their children and the others were most probably born here. Andrew 4 was reported to have been born in the Netherlands, 28 Feb 1743. The family was of the most hearty Dutch stock as eleven of their twelve children survived to get married and have children. The only premature death, that of Christiana, the seventh child, was an accident. She died in a fire. When one studies the life expectancy of people 250 years ago, it is remarkable that so many survived. Medical care was not developed so that when a person had an attack of appendicitis, he usually died. Pneumonia took its toll, as did typhoid fever and many of the childhood diseases. Infant mortality was rampant, surgery was very primitive and cleanliness in a sick room or following an injury was unheard of. Infection was deadly as was tetanus and many other ailments of humans. Vaccination to eliminate Smallpox had not been dis- covered until 1796. Many other preventatives which we now take as a matter of course were not even thought of to prevent childhood deaths. In spite of these hazards-if you call them that-the family of Johannes lived and prospered. As noted in the will and inventory of Johannes property he owned slaves. This practice was common in all the colonies before the Revolution, which I personally did not realize was so extensive. I have been quick to criticize the South because its citizens were keeping them long after the use of slaves was eliminated throughout the civilized world in early 19th century. This becomes sore significant as you examine the genealogy and discover many of Johannes descendants fought to keep the South as part of the union and elimination of slavery became quite an issue in that war. From this beginning have sprung a wealth of talented and industrious issue, of whom I can only record about 4,000. This approximates less than 1/2 of the possible descendants in America. The marriage of daughters of Crevelings usually results in name changes and unless effort to follow them is conscientiously done by some family member the trace of the descendants of the female members is lost. Two descendants, Andrew 4 and Jacob 10, were recorded as having served their country in the Revolutionary War. One other relative by marriage, John Olp, who married Mary Creveling, 1-1, was in the war as a private. Andrew was involved in the Battle of Monmouth, 28 June 1778, the same date his son, Samuel 4-4 was born. When General Washington was informed of this, he personally signed a furlough so Andrew could return home to visit his family and meet his newborn son. Ruth M. Minick 4-4-1-1-3-2 informed me of this fact and said someone among Samuel's descendants possessed this furlough. In all probability one Creveling served in the War of 1812, but no known descendant served in the Mexican War. Many served in the Civil War, all on the Union side. Several of these paid the supreme sacrifice. No known Crevelings or Creveling descendants--I use the term Crevelings to mean both--were in the Spanish-American War. In the First World War there were many. No known Creveling died in that war though one died after the war and was buried in a military cemetery in France. ============================================================================= (PAGE 2) A great number of Crevelings were in the service during World War II, Korean War and the Viet Nam War. In each of these at least one paid the supreme sacrifice. In civil service there were many Crevelings, two of whom were mayors of their respective residences. Others served in elective and appointive offices for the good of their fellow citizens. Crevelings have been members of the Christian faith and have served in many capacities in organized religious institu- tions. At least three of them were ordained to the ministry. The most prominent Creveling was one of questionable birth and he suffered much in public and private scorn in early childhood because of this. He overcame this difficulty or perhaps because of it rose to prominence in the financial and business world. Law has been a very popular profession for Crevelings and some became members of the bench. Medicine as a profession has called Crevelings and they have practiced in all parts of the United States. Crevelings originally settled in New Jersey, but in the course of history have spread to just about all of the states of the Union. At least two moved to Canada and settled there. As far as can be ascertained none every returned to reside in the country of their ancestry, though one did marry a Dane and now resides in Denmark. School teaching and school administration have been two of the most popular of vocations except for farming. The latter was the principal occupation of the early Crevelings though in the later years it is difficult to find one still making a living from the soil. My brother comes close as he studied agronomy in college and makes his living teaching and researching the soil and its properties as applied to horticulture and agriculture. You might think because of the crime rate and increasing lawlessness in the United States, there might be some criminals in such a large number of people. Other than motor vehicle offenses, there are only two known records of Crevelings in difficulty with the law which resulted in incarceration. Several were Prisoners of War of the Confederacy, two of whom died in prison during the Civil War. Many of the male members of the family have been members of Freemasonry. They have been prominent in all Masonic bodies, from the Blue Lodge thru the Scottish and York Rites to the Shrine. At least a few of their wives and daughters have joined the Order of the Eastern Star and other appendant bodies. One interesting aspect of the Creveling genealogy has been for several Crevelings to marry cousins. My grandfather and grandmother were both Crevelings though at least four times removed. I had believed this to be the only inter-marriage until I found at least four other cases of marital as well as family relationship. Of these only one was unfortunate to be terminated other than by death. In the search for family tree or genealogical information I have been assisted by many Crevelings. Support comes from Strange sources. One interesting contact came from a person in England. I had been stationed while in the United States Air Force at a base in England in East Suffolk County. ============================================================================= (PAGE 3) [PICTURE] Wesley Creveling 9-2-2-1 Mayor, Trenton, NJ, 1875-1877 ============================================================================= (PAGE 4) The county seat of this county is Ipswich. Mrs Betty Johnson of Ipswich on a trip through the eastern part of the US was attracted by an antique picture with a golf leaf frame which she purchased. Years later she took the picture out of the frame to have the frame restored. Behind the picture was an old portrait of Wesley Creveling 9-2-2-1. She then spent about a year attempting to find someone who had heard of the Crevelings and would be interested in this portrait. She asked many American servicemen and their families in East Suffolk if they knew of any. This was unsuccessful until she talked to the head of the English Speaking Union of East Suffolk, Mrs Adie Darling, the widow of the Vicar of several churches near Ipswich. When I was in England I attended these churches and Mrs Darling knew me quite well. After assistance from the American Air Force Base, Betty was able to contact me and the picture in this book of Wesley she provided. He was Mayor of Trenton, NJ, during the Centennial Celebration of 1876 and figured prominently in the festivities at that time. Trenton was the site of the famous battle of the Revolutionary War which George Washington won and aided in the turning of the tide to the American side. Shortly after that battle the Pastor of Greenwich Presbyterian Church was killed by the British. He had been closely associated with the family. Crevelings lived in the small boroughs and villages of Hunterdon and Warren Counties of New Jersey and frequently married into the same families. If you examine the genealogy you see recurring surnames: Apgar, Warne, Wandling and Smith. Though I seriously doubt the inter-relationship of many of the Smiths. However, at least one set of Creveling brothers married Smith sisters. From the similarity of names the marriage of pairs of siblings to other family pairs may have occurred many times. In one family there were triple marriages between two families. One difficulty I have had and this seems common with other Crevelings interested in genealogy is the lack of interest on the part of other relatives. Two Crevelings, now deceased, labored diligently for many years at great personal expense to collate material on the Creveling family. They were both frustrated at the impropriety or rudeness on the part of many Creveling descendants who ignored or did not answer letters inquiring about their heritage. This may have seemed unimportant or immaterial to them, but in future research of others it is essential to have records accurate and complete. One excellent source of genealogical information is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, who as a part of their church tenets, work and maintain the best genealogy records in the world. They are most generous and cooperative with anyone regardless of his or her religious faith in genealogical research. As a point of appreciation I have sent to the Utah Genealogy Library copies of the Creveling family tree as I have developed it over the years. As each copy is submitted I suggest the previous copies be destroyed as they are inaccurate and incomplete, but they do not accept my suggestions. They never destroy anything which adds a considerable amount to their collection. All are properly cataloged, microfilmed and referenced so any person doing family research can find what he will use. I have made contact with Crevelings who have seen and referred to my draft copies on file there and supplied me with valuable information on their immediate families. A number of the descendants of Henry Clay Creveling 10-1- 1-1 attended Culver Military Academy, a college preparatory military school in Indiana. Known Culver graduates who are ============================================================================= (PAGE 5) Creveling descendants: John Gay Henderson Reilly 10-1-1-1-3-1-1, class of 1913; John Gay Reilly, Jr 10-1-1-1-3-1-1-1; Philip Mitchell Reilly 1O-1-1-1-3-1-1-3; Ann (Reilly) Fahim 10-1-1-1-3- 1-1-3-1; Reilly Power Glore 10-1-1-1-3-1-3-1 and Beth (Reilly) Gilmore 10-1-1-1-3-1-1-3-2. Chad Edward Creveling SE-1, Robert Bryant Creveling 10-6-3-4-5-2-2 and I graduated from the U S Military Academy at West Point. We count a graduate of the U S Air Force Academy among our family. This was a girl, Carole Rae Miller 1-3-4-4-1-3-1-1, who was born surnamed Creveling but had her name changed through adoption, which makes it more unusual. One descendant, Frank Patterson Pursel, IV 4-6-8-8-3-2-1, graduated from the U S Naval Academy at Annapolis. With the proximity of Lafayette College, Easton, PA, to the early Creveling family residences, at least seven members attended that institution. Many Crevelings have attended and have been involved in colleges and universities. Family traits of the Crevelings have most fortunately included longevity. This shows in the fact that at the time of this history there are members existing from the 4th through the 10th generations with a good possibility there are of the 11th as well. Over a spread of seven generations you might normally expect 150 years, yet all are living at the same point in time. I am deeply indebted to fellow genealogists Karl F Creveling 4-8-9-2-1-4-3, Andrew D Creveling 4-6-7-6-4-1-1, Ellanora Creveling, spouse of 10-1-1-1-1-1-1, Gwendolyn (Creveling) Yockey 1-3-4-4-1-1, John W Creveling, Jr 5-2-7-1-4 (son of the originator of this family tree), Robert D Haack 10-1 1-1-1-2-1-A-2 , Gloria (Butts) Miserlian 10-8-5-3-6-1, Pauline H (Probasco) Rabinsky 10-9-5-7-1-1, Jo Ann (Coons) McQuade 6-5-2-1- 2-4-5-1, Berneta (Godard) O'Brien 9-5-1-2-6-1, Joyce (Riley) Maddy 6-5-2-8-7-1, Charlene (Smith) Hammett 6-5-5-1-1-4-1-4 and many others who have sent in information most helpful to this history. I include copies of two wills which are of interest from their position in the genealogy and also for particular format. The original Creveling, who could not write, left a beautiful document (a & b). Jacob 10, who was one of my ancestors, accumulated a considerable amount of property which he divided among his children and grandchildren. He was barely able to write because of infirmity or advanced age as reflected in his signature; however, someone transcribed his desires into a lovely, legible document (c & d). Gloria Miserlian submitted some documents of her ancestor which are fascinating (e) Perhaps they were prepared by her son-in-law, Philip B Bradley, spouse of 10-8-1, who was a very famous lawyer, judge and politician in early Iowa history. In handwriting skill, no descendant will surpass that of Alfred G Creveling 9-9-3, whose records in the First Presbyterian Church, Bloomsbury, NJ, are the loveliest I have seen in my research. One of the early anecdotes of Crevelings related to me came from John P Creveling, Jr, 9-3-1-2-2. Henry C Creveling 10- 1-1-1, who lived in Cincinnati and St Louis, became quite well- to-do in his later life. He remembered how he and his mother had suffered in Bloomsbury, NJ, in early life. This borough which has just about remained the same throughout this century in looks and population, was his birthplace as well as my father's. Sometime around the time of my father's birth in 1892 he drove through Bloomsbury in the fanciest carriage he could rent and thumbed his nose at the people who ostracized him and his mother during his early childhood. They had not changed in stature or wealth, but he most surely had-selling out his business and commercial holdings in St Louis and west for many millions of ============================================================================= (PAGE 6) [PICTURE] Diploma of Louis Creveling 5-2-7-1-3 Bloomsbury Grammar School 1906 [PICTURE] The author on Creveling Drive, St. Louis, MO ============================================================================= (PAGE 7) dollars about that time. Out of respect for his mother, Henry erected a large monument over her grave in the Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Stewartsville, NJ. Those curious about the western part of New Jersey may refer to a recent book, "One Town Around", written by Paul Hagaman, published in 1984 by his estate. This book contains a pictorial history of West Portal and vicinity around the turn of the century. West Portal was the site of the original home and farm of Johannes Creveling, the patriarch the family. The farm was the possession of my grandmother's father, Dr William Sloan Creveling 10-9-4, who is pictured in the book as well as his home. He was not born on the farm, but he did die there in 1911. Dr Creveling, one of 14 children, left the farm with its private cemetery to my father's brother, William Sloan Creveling 5-2-7-1- 1, his namesake. My uncle sold the property to Mr Hagaman during the depression and it still remains in that family. My uncle retained the title to the cemetery which contains the remains of Johannes , his wife and many other of the early Crevelings. As you review this book about western NJ you can see many places where Crevelings have lived. My father graduated from the Bloomsbury School in 1906 so in the picture of that school in 1905 in the book are many children in the schoolyard, one of whom I am positive is my father, though I could not identify him. My grandfather's home on the corner of Main and Center Streets in Bloomsbury is not pictured though the other three corners at that intersection are pictured in the book. The current residence of my grandfather's second wife, my step-grandmother, at the time of this book is there. She is the last link to the fourth generation still living. At the time of my mother's death in 1985 just six weeks short of her 89th birthday, I had the sad duty of informing her mother-in-law of mother's demise. My step- grandmother lost two daughters-in-law that year, both in their late 80's. How many people can die so late in life and have a living mother-in-law? She was the only mother-in-law both women ever had. The threads of this family are interlaced. The Rev Peter C Creveling 9-3-1-9, an Episcopal Priest, was the rector and minister to the family of the wife of my first cousin, William Sloan Creveling, Jr 5-2-7-1-1-3. He attended to and performed the burial service for Florence (Rea) Creveling's great- grandmother and the marriage ceremony for her grandmother. Ralph M Creveling 9-3-1-2-4, knew his uncle quite well and was most interested in the tie-in with another Creveling. In the process of writing this book, many items of interest have been uncovered. In Mount Vernon, OH, resided some of my closely related cousins. When I visited there, none was still living, however through conversation I learned that one was a local curiosity having had six fingers on one hand. There is a street in Saint Louis, MO, named Creveling and I heard also one in Cincinnati, OH, was so named, both for Henry Clay Creveling 10-1-1-1. In Cochranton, PA, there is a Creveling road named for the father of the Creveling who still resides on it. In Mount Morris, NY, there is also a Creveling Road, but I was unable to contact a Creveling resident who resided on that road as recently as 1980. I got the impetus to work on this book from a chance encounter in Pinehurst where I retired in 1976. Alfred C Gearhart, Jr 4-9-4-6-11, also chose this as a retirement home and lives only five houses from me. He rode by on his bicycle in the summer of 1978 shortly after moving here. He noticed the sign in my front yard informing my friends that the Crevelings resided ============================================================================= (PAGE 8) [PICTURE] Family Reunion, Greenwich Presbyterian Church, 24 May 1986 Hosted by the author [PICTURE] Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church, Stewartsville, NJ Founded in 1740, About the time Crevelings came to America ============================================================================= (PAGE 9) [PICTURE] Dr. William Sloan Creveling 10-9-4 ============================================================================= (PAGE 10) [PICTURE] Dr. William Sloan Creveling's 10-9-4 advise to his grandson and namesake William Sloan Creveling 5-2-7-1-1 ============================================================================= (PAGE 11) here. He said, "That is an unusual name." I commented that it was not too common and related a brief sketch on the family adding, "All Crevelings are related." He said that was strange as his grandmother was a Creveling. I examined the family tree left by my grandfather and did not have the Gearharts mentioned. His sister had done research on his family and from the two documents I pieced together the start of the genealogy which then was only about 15 pages. From that beginning I have now developed this book. In the course of preparing this book, I have discovered throughout the western part of New Jersey, principally Hunterdon and Warren Counties, contains many people who are related to me. If anyone whose roots are in those counties could go back through six or seven generations they may well find they belong to the descendants of Johannes and Christiana Creveling. I regret that I do not have the time or patience to assist those people with that task. I only hope that someone who lives in that area will do so. It is easy when the surname remains the same as with the male descendants. One can easily see that with half of the issue being daughters, the name quickly drops from the line and tracing becomes more difficult with each succeeding generation. I am deeply indebted to those whose interest in their roots have kept up the contacts and assisted in the development of the genealogy through the various name changes. One most interesting contact was in Iowa where many Crevelings have resided. The Carpenters, Samuel D and Frances (Creveling) 10-8, moved there 150 years ago and evidently persuaded other Crevelings to follow them. After Samuel's death, Frances married Ansel Briggs, the first elected Governor of Iowa, during his the time he was in office. Ha was a frequent guest at the residence of Loyal and Emma (Creveling) Godard 9-5-1-2 who lived in Jackson County, IA, as did the Carpenters. What a shame we cannot go back in history and find out how and why these apparently distant cousins became such good friends. In Iowa, Arnold B and Laura (O'Keefe) Creveling 4-6-7-6- 1-4, host annual reunions in Osceola, IA, the second Sunday of August. Ever since I discovered this event I have desired to attend, but have been unable. The idea is a good one and I hosted such a reunion 25 May 1986 at the Greenwich Presbyterian Church, Stewartsville, NJ. This church was significant in the early history of the Crevelings. It was founded about the time that Johannes settled in West Portal. In the church cemetery are many Crevelings and the pastor of that church for many years was the Rev William B Sloan who ministered to many Crevelings. My great-grandfather, Dr William Sloan Creveling 10-9-4, was named for him-the Pastor who baptized him. Unfortunately the church records of that period were lost. As Dr Creveling was one of 14 children his parents evidently ran out of family names for their increasing number of children. Creveling descendants hold a reunion in Bendertown, PA, each year. A great assistance to a genealogist is the tendancy of parents to use family names for their offspring. My brother is named for an ancestor on our mother's side. Richard Knight was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. His daughter, Anna (Knight) Gregory, my great-grandmother whom I knew reasonably well, was the last real Daughter of the American Revolution, dying 17 December 1943 when I was 18. She was 100 years of age at the time of her death. Her father, who went to war as a drummer boy with his father in 1776 at age nine, was 76 years old at the time of her birth. He was an interesting gentleman who was thrice married. All three of his wives were named Sarah. I have the good fortune to have a granddaughter ============================================================================= (PAGE 12) [PICTURE] John William Creveling 5-2-7-1 About 1880 Originator of this Family Genealogy ============================================================================= (PAGE 13) named Sarah. Richard Knight was too young to be placed on the official rolls of the Army until 1778 when he was eleven. He went with his father into the war because his father was a widower and had no one to raise his son while he served. Richard literally grew up in the Army and was such an intense patriot that he raised a company during the War of 1812 and led it as a Captain throughout that war. He was 45 at the time and well past the age at which most men volunteer for hazardous duty. I have been slightly curious as to my name's origin. In the research of my family, I found that my father's only first cousin, Mary Creveling Shannon 10-9-4-1, married John Edward Anderson. His father was Louis Anderson and as Bloomsbury was quite small they were close friends. As my father's cousin was named for her aunt, my grandmother, Mary Creveling 10-9-4-2, and my grandfather named my father's sister, Anna Shannon Creveling 5-2-7-1-2, after his brother-in-law, Albert Shannon, my father was named Louis just to keep equity in names. I was then named for my father as well as having my mother's maiden name as my middle name. Not to be outdone, my wife and I named our three children after relatives. Thus the tracing of families is made easier by this practice which is common. For this I am most grateful as it has helped me immeasurably. Family characteristics are theoretically inherited. I have an eye condition which I assume I have had since birth-- cyclophoria--which does not interfere with vision, but is tiring when I attempt to read for a length of time. I have asked many, many others if they have it, but no one else seems to be so inflicted. Perhaps it came from my mother's side. Things that show up in genealogies just cause more curiousity and develop into further genealogical studies. Perhaps with this family history I may have excited some other descendant to carry on with what I have published. Families continue whether others are interested. From the large number of genealogical publications there is interest. Let us hope it occurs in our family as well. Because of his worthwhile services to the colonies as a landed proprietor--the name of Johannes Creveling of Holland has been recorded by the National Society of Daughters of American Colonists, Oct 1970. The early Crevelings were closely associated with the Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church, Stewartsville, NJ, about two miles northwest of Bloomsbury, founded about the time Crevelings settled in America. Early Pastors were: John Roseborough 1760-63, Joseph Treat 1775-97, William B Sloan 1798- Oct 1834 and David H Junkin 24 Mar 1835-23 Apr 1851. Many Crevelings are buried in its cemetery. ============================================================================= (PAGE 14) [PICTURE] Grevelingen Estuary, The Netherlands Probable Origin of Creveling Name ============================================================================= (PAGE 15) Genesis of the family and the name Descended from Johannes and Christians Crivling, who were born in the Netherlands. They were married 6 Sep 1737 by Johannes Caspavius (Casprivis?) Everhartus, Minister, in Ban Maxcein, Wolverlingen, Friesland Province, the Netherlands. [It is now Wolvega.] That was their residence. They came to the this country on a ship named "De Boote Koe", in English-"The Spotted Cow" , and landed at Hoboken, NJ, about 1750. They changed their name to Creveling after settling in Hunterdon County, NJ, in the Musconetcong Valley near West Portal. The family may have moved from France ca 1320 to the Netherlands. A name of Joachin Cravelin appears on a monument in Basilea, France, south of Lyon was seen by Cyrus J Creveling 5-2-7-1- 5. John W Creveling 5-2-1-7 had the name of the original Creveling spelled as Crivling in a genealogy he started in 1931--reason unknown. (Some descendants have changed the name to Crevling or Crevelling) The name GREVELING*** From Karen J Creveling l-3-6-4-l-3-3-l of Washington State Part of the stream that divides the Netherlands--called also Graveling. The sea arm--that between the Southern Holland Isle of Overflakkee and North Brabant--is called "Volkark". It's called "Krammer" west of Overflakkee and the Zeeland Islands of Schouwen Duiveland and Philipsland. It gets the name Goeree and Schouwen Bieningen or Grevelingen sod runs out into the North Sea through the Brouwershavensche Gat (hole). Years ago this stream was navigable for reasonably deep going vessels and contains several sand banks and other sand bars and shallows called among which the most important are called the paaedeplatt-Diwars-in-der Wig de Springen, De Middelplaat, De Schaarven Renesse etc. Between the two last named the large apeon (navigable) water flows on these bars one finds mussells that provide a living for the people of Bruiniese. The water in the Grevelingen was carefully marked by large bouys to serve the shipping when the body of water was used for large vessels. Some people are of the opinion that the Grevelingen is composed of "Greve" (grave) and "Ingen" (fields) and this would mean "grave field" (Gravefelden) or Graveland, a stretch of land that drowns by storms and high tides-- became a stretch of salt water; however, because the Grevelingen appears in the oldest charts as a water and not a land, we are of the opinion that the name should actually be Greveling-Ee (the insulting [exasperating] long water) Griveland (insulting) which name it probably got because it was blocked by the sand bar Dwers-in-de-Wig; however, one can notice the destructions wrought by the sea here from the remains of the old borderline between Holland and Zeeland; this Sommebodyk, although at the moment situated on Flakker Island (Overflakkee) is part of Zeeland and some other villages on this island belong to the County of Putten. The stream called Bierningen used (in former days) to run the westward from Barnisse and separated Putten from Voorne. *** This is a translation from a Dutch geographical dictionary. From a friend who was born near the Grevelingen--the name "Grave" is "count" in Dutch, therefore the name connotes nobility. Possibly the origin of the name in antiquity may have had some other meaning than described above. According to Chris Van Oostendorp of Salt Lake City, born in Netherlands, the people named Greveling could have come from Gravelines, a town in Northern France, near Dunkirk, to Wolverlingen, which is in Belgium when it was part of the Netherlands, and brought into the Netherlands proper. She was commissioned by a Creveling descendant to investigate the origin of the Creveling family in Friesland and determine if possible the maiden name of Christiana Creveling, wife of the original Creveling. ============================================================================= =============================================================================