The families Scheppers and Estrix belonged to the most prosperous families of “Mechelen”. An uncle on the mother’s side, Jean-François-Xavier Estrix, who was raised to the peerage in 1818, died as the mayor of Mechelen..

Brewers and magistrates formed the Scheppers family. Father and grandfather Scheppers, both brewers, had their hands full with the management of their goods and they also moved in the political society.

 

The grandfather, Jules-Pierre-Joseph, (1730-1801) opened his house for secret masses, under the French Government, as well as sixty other families.

 

The grandmother, Jeanne-Marie-Thérèse Poullet, (1726-1809) came from a prosperous family that distinguished itself in the Belgian social and political life.

 

The father, Corneel Joseph, was alderman of Mechelen during the Dutch Government and he was also the only one of the college who could keep his function after the Belgian Revolution. For a while he occupied the post of province councilor and he also was continual deputy of the province of Antwerp.