Maecken Labus

Maecken Labus, also recorded as Mayken Labis, Labus, Lapres, and Laber, was the wife of Jan Sol, whose name appears as Jan Sols, Soltz, and Solis. Haarlem Dutch Reformed Church baptismal records name the couple as parents of seven children baptized between 1590 and 1599. The supplied material proposes, but does not establish, that they may also have been the parents of George Soule.

Maecken Labus is recorded under several spellings, including Mayken Labis, Labus, Lapres, and Laber. She was the wife of Jan Sol, also called Jan Sols or Soltz in the supplied notes. Those notes state that Jan was consistently identified as “of Brussel” in the Haarlem baptismal records of their children.

A FreeREG index transcribes a marriage record for Maecken Labus and Jan Solis at London City, Broad Street, dated 30 August 1586. Separately, the supplied newsletter excerpt says that Jan apparently married Mayken Labis, Labus, Lapres, or Laber about 1589. The difference between the indexed 1586 record and the approximate 1589 marriage date has not been resolved in the supplied material.

Maecken and Jan are named as parents in the baptismal records of Haarlem’s Gereform Gemeente Kerk for seven known children. Geertrude was baptized on 25 February 1590, followed by Johannes on 6 October 1591, Sara on 5 September 1593, Maria on 28 March 1596, and Johanna on 19 March 1597. Pieter and Susanna were both baptized on 17 January 1599 and are described in the supplied notes as apparent twins.

Their eldest known son, Johannes Sol, was identified in the supplied notes by his 1591 baptism and by permissions in Haarlem and Leyden to marry in Leyden. The notes describe him as a printer in Leyden with one known publication. They further say that he died suddenly, probably while helping William Brewster with presswork connected with the Perth Assembly; this account is presented as probable rather than certain.

The supplied family material suggests that Maecken and Jan may have been the parents of George Soule, but does not prove the connection. The proposal rests partly on the possibility that Johannes had a younger brother who may have borne a Dutch form of the name George, as well as on later circumstances discussed in the newsletter excerpt. Maecken’s place in the supplied relationship path as George Soule’s mother should therefore be treated as an unverified family tradition or research hypothesis, not an established relationship.

No reliable life dates for Maecken are established by the supplied material. The year 1565 appears in the supplied record as a life-date entry, while the newsletter excerpt instead says that Jan Sol may have been born about 1565.

Historical context

The known baptisms took place in Haarlem’s Gereform Gemeente Kerk between 1590 and 1599. The supplied notes connect the family to Haarlem and describe Jan as being “of Brussel.” They also refer to Johannes Sol’s later work as a printer in Leyden.

Sources & research

Soule Kindred, newsletter document, “3. LEIDEN PRINTER, JOHANNES SOL” and “4. POSSIBLE PARENTS OF GEORGE SOULE: Jan and Mayken (Labis) Sol, of Haarlem,” pages 9–10: https://soulekindred.org/resources/Documents/Newsletters/PDF-Newsle...

FreeREG, transcription/indexed marriage record for “Maecken Labus” and “Jan Solis,” London City, Broad Street, 30 August 1586: https://www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5d5c01fdf493fd2badcd27d0/maecken-labus-jan-solis-marriage-london-city-broad-street-1586-08-30?locale=en

The supplied newsletter excerpt includes internal reference numbers 73 and 95, but no corresponding full citations were provided.