I wrote a book about the Wausaukee's Slaets and Debot families: 'AMERICA - Letters from Wausaukee to Antwerp 1887 - 1937'

When I was a little boy, my mother told me stories about our family, and her American uncle had a special place in them. Sometimes, I thought she was exaggerating! This could be because she had heard the stories from her parents and repeated them to me years later.

A few years ago, my aunt Josée showed me letters and pictures from our American family. They were sent to Belgium by my great-uncle Louis (Denis) Slaets and his wife Joanna (Jeannette) Wuyts and my great-granduncle Victor Debot, during the period from 1887 to 1937.

Wondering about all the people who wrote, appeared and came to life in these letters, I interviewed uncles and aunts and looked at the family tree made by my mother. I became more and more convinced that it was worth preserving the history told in these letters, not only for our family but also for others interested in the migration from the old to the new world in the late 19th century and the way of life of these American pioneers.

Writing this book I discovered that some of the stories that I had thought to be exaggerated, were actually true!

I wrote a book about the Wausaukee's Slaets and Debot families: 'AMERICA - Letters from Wausaukee to Antwerp 1887 - 1937'

When I was a little boy, my mother told me stories about our family, and her American uncle had a special place in them. Sometimes, I thought she was exaggerating! This could be because she had heard the stories from her parents and repeated them to me years later.

A few years ago, my aunt Josée showed me letters and pictures from our American family. They were sent to Belgium by my great-uncle Louis (Denis) Slaets and his wife Joanna (Jeannette) Wuyts and my great-granduncle Victor Debot, during the period from 1887 to 1937.

Wondering about all the people who wrote, appeared and came to life in these letters, I interviewed uncles and aunts and looked at the family tree made by my mother. I became more and more convinced that it was worth preserving the history told in these letters, not only for our family but also for others interested in the migration from the old to the new world in the late 19th century and the way of life of these American pioneers.

Writing this book I discovered that some of the stories that I had thought to be exaggerated, were actually true!