~ Attestation ~

A written "good behavior" attestation given to church members when they moved to another parish. Translation by Jan Trink in Holland, a member of WikiTree:

The church council of Nederduitsche reformed Parish of The Hague states that Dirk (Derk) Anton Laurens Jansz and Gerritje Prosman are members of the Reformed Church, and that no valid objections against the named brother and sister are received by him. ('him' meaning the council) The Church Council recommends that this brother and sister to the pastoral care of the bishops of the Reformed Church in Bella Yowa (N Am.) - probably misspelled Pella, Iowa with N Am. abbreviation of Noord Amerika (= North America) - The Hague, the 16th of June 1909. On behalf and by order of the Church Council, (A bunch of signatures, a seal and N.B. This attestation should be handed in as soon as possible). Address to: (address not entered)

At the bottom it looks like Gerritje Prosman signed her name and above that an X. the X was meant to be Dirk's but he could not sign as he was already in the USA at the time. Needing two signatures they just faked he was illiterate?
You know... It's a wonder or maybe a miracle family history can be found. Opa Jansz, Derk Anton Lorens Jansz, as his name is spelled out on his birth certificate, is spelled Dirk Anton Laurens, on this document. Sheesh! Over the years I've heard mom call him Dirik. In fact she wrote that on one of the photos, the first one on the top of the page, shows her spelling his name Dirik, many spellings; Derk, Dirk, Dirik and finally here in the states Dick.