Eagum (Dutch: Aegum) is a small village in the Dutch province of Friesland. It is in the municipality of Leeuwarden, about 10 km south of the city of Leeuwarden.

Aegum
Eagum
Village
The church tower of Eagum
The church tower of Eagum
Flag of Aegum
Coat of arms of Aegum
Location in the former Boarnsterhim municipality
Location in the former Boarnsterhim municipality
Aegum is located in Friesland
Aegum
Aegum
Location in the Netherlands
Aegum is located in Netherlands
Aegum
Aegum
Aegum (Netherlands)
Coordinates: 53°7′51″N 5°49′40″E / 53.13083°N 5.82778°E / 53.13083; 5.82778
CountryNetherlands Netherlands
ProvinceFriesland Friesland
MunicipalityLeeuwarden Leeuwarden
Area
 • Total1.72 km2 (0.66 sq mi)
Elevation0.2 m (0.7 ft)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total35
 • Density20/km2 (53/sq mi)
Postal code
9006[1]
Dialing code058

Eagum had about 35 inhabitants (in January 2017),[3]

History edit

The village was first mentioned in 1503 as "van agum", and means "settlement of Age (person)".[4] Before the Wargaastermeer [nl] was poldered in 1633, it was mainly a fishing village. The original village church was demolished in 1776. Its successor was torn down in 1856, however the tower has remained standing. In 1840, it was home to 49 people.[5]

Before 2014, Eagum was part of Boarnsterhim municipality and before 1984 it belonged to Idaarderadeel.[5]

Fonda Family edit

One claim to fame is that Eagum, in the 17th century also spelled Agum, is the place of origin of the Fonda family in the United States. In 1642, Jellis Douwese Fonda (1614–1659), an innkeeper in Aegum, married Hester Jansz in Diemen, near Amsterdam. Six weeks later, their son Douw Jellise Fonda was born in Aegum, soon followed by daughter Annetje and another named Geertie. In 1642, the Fonda family emigrated to the Dutch colony of New Netherland (New York), and settled in the Hudson River valley, near Fort Orange (Albany), in a hamlet called Rennselaerwyck (Troy). Jellis became a blacksmith and brandy distiller, and Hester gave birth to three more children, Sarah, Abraham, and Saertje. Jellis Fonda died in 1659, only 45 years old. His widow soon remarried. Among Jellis Fonda's best known descendants are American actor Henry Jaynes Fonda (1905–1982), an American Academy Award-winning film and stage actor, his son Peter Fonda (1940-2019), two-time Academy Award-nominated and two-time Golden Globe- winning actor and director, and his daughter Jane Fonda (1937- ), two-time Academy Award-winning actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model and fitness guru. Famous actress Bridget Fonda is Peter's daughter.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2021". Central Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  2. ^ "Postcodetool for 9006DC". Actueel Hoogtebestand Nederland (in Dutch). Het Waterschapshuis. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  3. ^ Kerncijfers wijken en buurten 2017 - CBS Statline
  4. ^ "Eagum - (geografische naam)". Etymologiebank (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Eagum" (in Dutch). Retrieved 30 March 2022.