The greatest disaster to ever strike Zevenhuizen occurred on Tuesday, June 11, 1833. The events of that day must have made an unforgettable impression on all family members in the wide area and have been passed down from father to son for generations.
This day began like any other. The sun warmed the ground, and a much-needed rain shower was expected. By mid-morning, the air became oppressive, and there were thunderstorms in the south and west of our country. Around 1 o’clock, there were thunderstorms here and there in the north. The wind, which had been northeast for days, suddenly shifted to the southwest and reached storm force at a quarter to two.
At that moment, flames leaped high from the marshes in many places. The sky was darkened by thick smoke, and ash rained down in Groningen and Drenthe. The entire marsh area surrounding De Wilp must have been smoldering on that 11th of June for a long time. Fires broke out in about fifty places around half past one. There were people who suddenly found themselves surrounded by fire from all sides. They sought refuge in the water in the canals.
Soon after, a massive sea of fire swept over an area of 2000 hectares, thinly populated. As a result, the disaster was limited to the burning of 66 houses, 5 ships, and 1 mill. However, the engulfing of 1,165,397 tons of old and new marsh that was in the fields paints a better picture of the disaster. Miraculously, there were only 4 deaths. It should be noted that the water in the canals saved many dozens of people. They remained in the water until the firestorm passed…
Countless individuals did their utmost to rescue victims and help extinguish the fires. Especially the young women of Leek must have distinguished themselves remarkably. Partly, the girls and young women were compelled to do so by the absence of men, and partly by the fact that Leek itself was seriously threatened, and the elders were busy gathering their belongings and fleeing.
The fire was halted at the Hoofddiep, between Jonkersvaart and Boerenstreek. North of Jonkersvaart, it continued to rage toward Leek and Tolbert. The dikes of the Molenkanaal north of Diepswal were breached early in the afternoon, causing the land between Diepswal and Tolbert to flood. This prevented the fire from reaching both villages.
Did Jannes Jan Snip and Lutgertje Hummel live in Zevenhuizen in June 1833? If so, did their house go up in flames, and was everyone unharmed?
We suspect that most of the Hummel homes were spared in this disaster. However, the consequences weighed heavily on the community. Five hundred people were homeless, and two thousand were without work. Fortunately, the relief efforts quickly got underway. Boats filled with clothes and food went to Leek. Horse-drawn wagons traveled from Assen to Leek. The Dutch people raised the enormous sum of 200,000 guilders for that time. Mr. Cornelis Reijntjes donated 47 acres of land to the municipality for the small amount of 1,050 guilders. With this, the workers could begin planting a forest. However, this Commission Forest (marked on the 1850 map) did not have a long life.
Source: W.T. Vleer; Het Drentse geslacht Hummel / Hummelen
