A farm with a rich history
This story is partly derived from the 12th yearbook of the Twisca foundation (2008). The original text was written by Mr. N. Boelis from Twisk. The Twisca foundation collects historical information about Twisk. More about this can be found on the Twisca website.
The “Melchiorhoeve” was built for the Melchior family in 1897 by the local contractor Cornelis Bennemeer. Before there was a farm on the northeast corner of the yard. It must have been from around the 17th century. A number of beams from the old farm have been reused in the current Melchiorhoeve.
When Adolf Cornelis Melchior, born September 11, 1838 in Winkel, told his parents that he wanted to become a farmer they were not happy.
His father was a doctor in Winkel and it was tacitly assumed that the sons would follow the footsteps of father.
He was locked up in his room for punishment and had two weeks to think. But his decision was certain and out of boredom he started drawing.
Dorpsweg 48 from the image archive of Stichting Twisca ©
On April 26, 1866, Adolf Cornelis married Geertje Wit from Twisk. They went to live on a farm owned by the Wit family in Twisk, the current Dorpsweg 48. Geertje Wit’s parents lived next door on Dorpsweg 44. Adolf Cornelis and Geertje had 5 children. Adolf Cornelis dies on December 12, 1925 in Twisk and is buried there. Geertje Wit dies on 11 June 1933 in Winkel.
Their son Albert Hendrik Melchior married Geertje de Jong on April 29, 1902. They are going to live on the Dorpsweg 48 in Twisk. They have a son together, Adolf Cornelis (Dolf) born on 11 September 1912. Geertje de Jong died at a young age (27 September 1915). On 13 June 1917, Albert Hendrik married Maartje van Tiel. They had two daughters together.
As Dolf was unable to take over the farm, it seemed that there would be no more succession for the ‘Melchiorhoeve’.
Hendrik (Henk) Tuijtel lived with his parents in the small house next to the flour mill of Medemblik. His father was a miller there. Henk studied at the police school in Hilversum but also occasionally helped his father with the delivery of flour and feed for the animals. That’s how he came to Albert Melchior in Twisk. He was a healthy young man and made contact with the eldest daughter and got ‘dating’ with her. When, after a while, Henk had completed his studies, marriage was a logical step, but that meant that Geer, the eldest daughter, had to leave the farm to which she was very attached. One evening the word came out and she said to her father: “Father, I want to live and work on the farm”. Father Albert, sober as ever, said: “that’s OK and filled his pipe again”.
Henk and Geer got married in Twisk on 25 May 1942 and went to live on Dorpsweg 48. Dolf was given a room on the farm and assisted Henk and Geer with the work on the farm. He continued to live there until his death on November 12, 1992. Henk and Geer had three daughters.
Henk Tuijtel dies on March 18, 1982. Geer Tuijtel – Melchior goes to live in Twiskerland (old people’s home) in 2006 and has lived on the ‘Melchiorhoeve’ farm for 88 years, making her the last Melchior after 140 years. She died on August 1, 2009 in Midwoud.
None of the three daughters was planning to live on the Melchiorhoeve. The farm is no longer active for a long time. The function of the Melchiorhoeve is converted from agricultural to living. The Melchiorhoeve is put up for sale.
In 2016, Michael Deen and Gerda Veltman became the new owner of the Melchiorhoeve on Dorpsweg 48 in Twisk. After a thorough renovation of the farm, there is now a big house where we live in. Three apartments have been realized for holiday rental.
For more historical information about Twisk, please visit the Twisca website.
