Eagum ( nl, Aegum) is a small village in the

Dutch Dutch commonly refers to: * Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands * Dutch people () * Dutch language () Dutch may also refer to: Places * Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States * Pennsylvania Dutch Country People E ...

province of

Friesland Friesland (, ; official fry, Fryslân ), historically and traditionally known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the country's northern part. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of ...

. It is in the municipality of

Leeuwarden Leeuwarden (; fy, Ljouwert, longname=yes /; Stadsfries dialects, Town Frisian: ''Liwwadden''; Leeuwarder dialect: ''Leewarden'') is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in Fri ...

, about 10 km south of the city of

. Eagum had about 35 inhabitants (in January 2017),

History

The village was first mentioned in 1503 as "van agum", and means "settlement of Age (person)". Before the 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. Before 2014, Eagum was part of

Boarnsterhim Boarnsterhim (; nl, Boornsterhem ) was a municipality in the northern Netherlands. On 1 January 2014, the municipality was dissolved and its territory was split between four other municipalities: De Friese Meren, which was established that day, L ...

municipality and before 1984 it belonged to Idaarderadeel.

Fonda Family

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 The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-nominated and two-time Golden Globe- winning actor and director, and his daughter Jane Fonda (1937- ), two-time

-winning actress, writer, political activist, former fashion model and fitness guru. Famous actress Bridget Fonda is Peter's daughter.

References

Populated places in Friesland Leeuwarden {{Friesland-geo-stub