Elizabeth was the last child of Hendrik Pauwels and Geertrudia Berghuis. She was born six weeks after the death of an older sister, also named Elizabeth, in Garsthuizen. Garsthuizen, Stedum and Westeremden comprised the municipality of Stedum. This municipality was a part of the district of Appingedam in the Province of Groningen and Garsthuizen was about 18 km (10 mi) northeast of the city of Groningen. In the year of Elizabeth