Middle ages up to about 1900 AD
Already in 1333 AD the church of Gheast was named.
(see also "The church")
Till 1350 Westergeest is part of the grieternij
(predecessor of the municipally) Dantumadeel, to which
also Kollumerland belonged to. Later this area became
independent and was called Oostbroeksterland. To its
borders was "Colmerland". These two united
later on. In 1749, because of the introduction of a new
tax in the grieternij Kollumerland and Nieuwkruisland,
the tax per head of the family is determined. This gives
us a nice insight in the composition of the population of
Westergeest in those times. Of 106 families 14 are
considered to poor to pay taxes. The remaining 92 are
divided into poor, austere, common, reasonable and
well-to-do.
Description:
|
Determined taxes: |
|
1 poor widow
4 poor workers
11 austere workers
1 austere worker's wive
10 common workers
3 people with a small farm
3 austere farmers
20 common farmers
1 common farmer's wive (widow)
9 well-to-do farmers
1 well-to-to farmer's wive (widow)
1 inmate
2 carpenters
1 innkeeper's wive
1 innkeeper
2 cobbler
1 assistant
1 schoolmaster in austere state
1 cartwright
1 smith
1 woodsalesman
6 single men
1 well-to-do landlord
|
3
4-6
6-10
11-14
25
18-22
28-50
30
50-70
48
8
4-6
20
10
10
11
11
14
14
20
6-30
45
|
|
The number of inhabitants is 463.
In 1840 this amounts to 985 and in 1884 there are
1462 inhabitants.
From 1811 until 1816 Westergeest is an
independent municipality (with Oudwoude). This is
still seen in the cadastral name of the area.
|
|