Peterus Theodorus was born in Harderwijk at Vischmarkt 647^[1].

Sometime between 1862 and his marriage in 1866, he moved to Amsterdam.  He took a rented room at the home of  Cornelis Mulder and worked for him as a Carpenter^[5].  This is how he met his wife to be, Cornelis' daughter Geertruida. Peterus already had two aunts living in Amsterdam - Maria Sebilla and Elizabeth Petronella and Elizabeth Petronella had already married Philipus Mulder (Geertruida's uncle and brother of Cornelis), so this is how Peterus got to know the Mulder family.

Note:  Peterus is shown living in Harderwijk in the Bevolkingsregister of 1862-1870.

Peterus married Geertruida Philippina Paulina Mulder on 15 August 1866. His marriage was just 3 years after the death of his father, Antonius Roosen^[4].  Geertruida was 26 years of age and was working as a Seamstress^[3].  Geertruida’s parents were Cornelis Mulder and Maria Geertriuda van der Laan. Among the witnesses was her brother, Willem Hendrik Mulder (25 years old, Carpenter) and her uncle Philippus Mulder also a Carpenter.


From Peterus and Geertuida's marriage certificate

Their children's names were borrowed heavily from Peterus' and Geertruida's parents.

Geertruida was born at her parent's house on the Oostershe Kade (now Ostersekade) in the old east dockland area of Amsterdam.  A few years later, the family had moved to the Kadijk 152^[21,22].

During the first five years of their marriage Peterus and Geertruida had 4 children who all died very young.  Only one of these children lived for more than one year.  This must have been a very difficult time for them.  Their 7^th child, Dina Geertruida also died very young^[16].

The family had moved to Bloemstraat 86 in 1877^[19] by the time Dina Geertruida was born and were still there when his second son, Wilhelmus Johannes was born in 1879^[8].  They were at the same address in 1881 when Theodorus Wilhelmus Carolus was born^[9].

For a period around 1879-1880, his nephew, Johannes Antonius Alooisius Zikking (son of Aleida Bernarda Roosen and Wilhelmus Johannes Zikking, born 1863) was living with him^[17].

Later, he may also have operated a Carpenter's Workshop at the Korte Lijnbaansteeg 4^[15].

When his sons, Wilhelmus Johannes and Theodorus Wilhelmus Carolus were married in 1905 and 1907 respectively, Peterus Theodorus’ occupation was noted as a Shopkeeper in Amsterdam^[10,11].

Peterus Theodorus died in 1913 aged 70 years. His death certificate states his occupation as a Shopkeeper Selling Cigars^[13].

Perhaps he was selling cigars in 1905?  Was this the shop at Spuistraat 49 that his son, Wilhelmus took over in early 1915? This was when Wilhelmus changed occupations from a Tailor to operating a cigar shop.