Arjen Gerardus van der Beek and his offspring
Jan Arjens | Gerardus Arjens | Ancestors of Arjen van der Beek
1.1.1.4 Arjen Gerardus van der Beek was born on 26-05-1840 in Jislum, son of Gerardus Pieters van der Beek (follow ancestors of Arjen van der Beek) and Akke Gaatses Tulp.Arjen died on 17-12-1891 in Rinsumageest, 51 years old.
Arjen married, 27 years old, on 21-05-1868 in Dantumadeel Tietje Jans Koolstra, 24 years old.
Tietje was born on 21-04-1844 in Rinsumageest, she was the daughter of Jan Wybrens Koolstra and Froukje Meinderts Adema. Tietje died on 06-08-1919 in Rinsumageest, 75 years old.
Children of Arjen and Tietje:
As you see above Arjen and Tietje lived at Vliet 82a in Rinsumageest.
The street Vliet you see below. Arjen and Tietje lived probably in the second to last house. They lived next door to Sybren Douma, who lived at No. 82 and that was my great-great-grandfather.
After Arjen died, Tietje went to live at Ens.
Arjen and Tietje had three children, but daughter Akke died very young, and the two sons both emigrated to America with their families. Arjen did not have a problem with that, he had already died before they emigrated. And Tietje only experienced the emigration of Jan and his family in 1900.
Thanks to messages in de Volksvriend, a Dutch-language newspaper that was published in Iowa, we know a lot about their adventures.
Hendrik Pieter Scholte, born 25-09-1805 in Amsterdam, died 25-08-1868 in Pella (Iowa), was one of the initiators of “de Afscheiding” of 1834. Because of his views, Rev. Scholte became isolated and decided to emigrate. In 1846 he founded a Christian Society for the Promotion of Land Relocation after he had gathered enough money from his followers to buy a fertile prairie region in Iowa. In 1847 he left with 850 followers and named their self-established settlement Pella. Scholte chose the names for all the streets, built his church, opened a bank and started a newspaper.
In Souvenir history of Pella, Iowa you can read the history of Pella.
And in Dutch Immigrants that followed Hendrik Peter Scholte in 1847 and settled in Pella, Iowa, USA you can read, among other things, who all went on the four ships in 1847: Bark Nagasaki, Frigate ship Maasstroom, Pieter Floris and Frigate Ship Catharina Jackson.
In April 1869, four people were appointed to travel from Pella, Iowa, to the northwest of that state to seek land for a new settlement. When the settlers arrived at the site of the current Orange City, they wanted to build a city there. The land they found was fertile and lay in Sioux County.
Money was needed to buy land there. Back in Pella an organization was set up with, among others, Henry Hospers (1830-1901). Shares were sold and the commission was authorized to purchase land. Then they traveled back to Sioux County and then thirty-eight pieces of land were bought. Street and avenues were explained and the city was then given the name Orange City. That was in 1870.
In the year 1871 the first companies and houses came into the city. In that year, a store was also built in Orange City by Henry Hospers and filled with food and other goods. The city had about fifty inhabitants in 1871.
In 1887, the electorate elected Hospers at the Iowa House of Representatives, where he served two terms. In 1895 he was elected senator of the state. The small town of North Orange in Sioux County (near Orange City), founded in 1872, was renamed Hospers in 1895 to the honor of Henry Hospers.
In Hospers there are now just under 700 people (2018). There also Jan and Elisabeth van der Beek lived and many relatives of them. Hospers is about 300 km. north-west of Pella.
1.1.1.4.1 Jan Arjens van der Beek was born on 04-06-1869 in Rinsumageest, son of Arjen Gerardus van der Beek (zie 1.1.1.4) and Tietje Jans Koolstra.Jan died on 04-03-1930, 60 years old.
Jan married, 24 years old, on 19-05-1894 in Dantumadeel Elisabeth de Kok, 22 years old.
Elisabeth was born on 25-02-1872 in Akkerwoude, daughter of Daniël Franzes de Kok and Sytske Jans Vijverda.
Elisabeth died on 09-12-1953 in Hospers, Sioux, Iowa (VS), 81 years old.
Jan and Elisabeth lived after they were married, in the mill house (next to the cafe, the mill house was demolished) at the Dr. Kijlstraweg in Molenend. Their daughter Sijtske was born there.
In 1896 they went to Jislum. Daughter Akke and son Arjen were born there.
In April 1900 they emigrated to Fair Oaks (about 90 km south of Chicago) in the state of Indiana in the US. There Sylvia was born in 1901 and Daniel in 1903.
A few years later (about 1910) they left for Hospers in Iowa, USA. For that they had to go to the North-West for about 700 km. Gerrit and Frank were born there.
The fact that they left for Hospers in Iowa probably has to do with the fact that a brother of Elisabeth de Kok, namely Jan de Kok (born on 16-11-1879 in Rinsumageest, died on 26-10-1944 in Brooten), with his wife Tetje de Bruin (born in Akkerwoude in 1881, died on 23 May 1963 in Brooten) and son Daniël (born in 1907) and mother Sijtske Vijverda (born on 23-05-1841 in Zwaagwesteinde, died on 08-06-1920 in Hospers, Iowa) went to America in July 1909, and to Hospers . The father of Elisabeth and Jan, Daniël de Kok, died on 23-12-1906.
If mother Sijtske did not go to the US she was left alone in Friesland, all her children emigrated to the US.
Her eldest daughter Elisabeth had left with her husband Jan van der Beek and children in 1900.
Her second daughter Franskje (Frances in the US) was married to Eise Gerbens (Ike in the US) Kingma, and they emigrated to De Motte in April 1902 in the state of Indiana in the U.S. The Motte is about 15 km. from Fair Oaks, where Jan and Elisabeth were first, so the sisters lived close together.
The parents of Eise and his three sisters also emigrated at the same time.
Son Frans de Kok (born 22-07-1875 in Akkerwoude), the eldest brother of Elisabeth and Franskje, and his wife Lijsbert Botes Schaafsma (born 03-04-1869 in Ferwerd), also emigrated to Iowa in 1909. They went to Primghar (which lies about 20 km east of Hospers). They had four children at that time: Frouwkje, Sytske (Sue), Trijntje and Daniël.
Elisabeth also had a half-brother Gerben de Kok and a half-sister Sjoukje de Kok. Gerben and Sjoukje were children of Daniël de Kok and Jeltje Klaver, the first wife of Daniel who died young.
Gerben de Kok also emigrated to Hospers in 1909, and in 1927 he moved with his family to Brooten.
And Sjoukje de Kok had emigrated before, probably in 1894 to De Motte in Indiana (where later her half-sisters Franske and Elisabeth also lived), with her husband Romke Sipkema.
Below you can see the data of the Jan van der Beek family from the census in Hospers in 1920.
Jan van der Beek was a farmer, Agnes worked in a department store and Arie (Ira) was a car mechanic. In the last line you can see that the mother of Elisabeth lived with them.
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The mother of Elisabeth and her brother Jan emigrated in 1909. They first went to live with another brother of Elisabeth, with Gerben. You can see that below in the data of the de Kok family from the census in Cheldartown in 1910.
Below you can see the data of the Jan de Kok family from the census in Bangor (Minnesota) in 1940.
Some messages from the Volksvriend.
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Children of Jan and Elisabeth:
Sytske died on 09-04-1917 in Iowa, 21 years old.
Sytske (Susie) was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
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Agnes died on 15-12-1984 in Bellflower, Los Angeles County, Californië, 87 years old.
Agnes married Benjamin Dewey Verhoef in 1922. Ben was born on 26-07-1898 in Iowa, his parents were born in Holland. Ben died on 19-02-1985 in Bellflower, Los Angeles County, Californië, 86 years old.
Akke (Agnes) was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
Below you can see a number of messages from the Volksvriend.
The first message shows that Agnes and Benjamin were already married in 1923. They then lived in Sanborn, in the same place as the parents of Benjamin Verhoef. Sanborn is close to Hospers. Mrs. John Goslinga is Sylvia van der Beek and mrs. Verhoef is Agnes van der Beek.
The third message shows that Ben Verhoef already had a car, which was still exceptional in 1925.
In 1927 Agnes and Ben apparently lived in Hollandale, and they had a daughter Betty Sue.
In 1930 they moved to Yakima in Washington, and they had a son Donald.
In 1941 they went back to Iowa, to Moville. But in 1942 they left for Denver. And in 1948 they lived in Bellflower, California.
Agnes van der Beek and Ben Verhoef
Below you can see the data of the Ben Verhoef family from the census in Boyden in 1930. Ben was apparently a car mechanic. He worked in his father’s farm before he married.
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Ira married Mabel Henriëtta Jansma of Hospers on 08-02-1923.
Mabel was born on 23-01-1900 in Hospers, she died on 02-02-1971 in Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota, 71 years old.
Arie (Ira) died on 22-02-1962 in Albert Lea, Freeborn County, Minnesota, 63 years old.
Arie and Mabel first live in Hospers. From 1927 they live in Hollandale, which is about 120 km. south of Minneapolis and 250 km. north-east of Hospers. Later they went to Albert Lea (Freeborn County, Minnesota), about 20 km. of Hollandale.
From 1924 Arie had a garage in Hollandale: “Hollandale Motor”. His sons Daryl and David took over after his retirement in 1959.
 Ira and his family at their house in Hollande |
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Arie and Mabel had five children: Iris (1924 -2010), Daryl John (1926 – 1996), David Alan (1930 – 1999), Philip (1934 – 2019) and Thomas (born 1943).
Below you see on the left Dave, Iris and Daryl. In the middle the four sons of Ira, from left to right: Phil, Tom, Dave (standing) and Daryl. And right daughter Iris with granddaughter Lauren from brother Dave.
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Still some messages from “De Volksvriend”.
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Mabel Jansma was born on 23-01-1900 in Hospers, but the grandparents of Mabel on father’s side were both born in the Netherlands.
Mabel was a daughter of Marinus Jansma and Johanna Hoffs.
Marinus was a son of Anne Joukes Jansma and Maaike van der Linden, both from the Netherlands.
Anne Joukes Jansma was born on 30-08-1835 in Gorredijk in Friesland, the Netherlands.
He was a son of Jouke Annes Jansma (born in 1808 in Lippenhuizen, Friesland, son of Anne Jans Jansma, farmer, and of Aukje Heines) and Geeske Molles de Jong ( born in 1801 in Gorredijk, daughter of Molle Minnes and of Hiltje Jans).
Jouke Annes Jansma married 16-12-1834 Geeske Molles de Jong in Gorredijk. Jouke then was a farmhand, but after they got married he became a shopkeeper. Probably in the shop of Geeske, because Geeske was previously married to Petrus Tjitzes van der Lei and together they had a shop in Gorredijk, but Petrus died on 20-09-1831.
When their son Anne was born in Gorredijk on 30-08-1835, father Jouke was also a shopkeeper. Also when their daughter Hiltje was born on 23-11-1837.
But on 25-04-1840, when a brother of mother Geeske passed away, father Jouke was a “cowmilker” in Lippenhuizen , that means that he had a small farm. And even when their daughter Aukje was born on 27-07-1841, father Jouke was a farmer in Lippenhuizen. Aukje died already after 3.5 months on 07-11-1841. Son Minne was born on 02-01-1843 in Lippenhuizen, and he died at the age of 1 year on 29-09-1844.
In 1844, Jouke borrowed 1,000 guilders from a person in Gorredijk, and his property was then used as collateral. This was described by a notary in a deed of bond.
Jouke had the following properties:
First: A house and inn number 23, De Haan called, cum annexis with yard, garden and piece of pasture situated in Lippenhuizen known in the Land Registry section B nommers 90 and 91 collectively large 99 rods and 70 cubic meters located next to east Haaye Swart, south and west the widow and inherit Pier Minnes Minnema and north the canal
Second: A piece of arable land located in Lippenhuizen known in the land register before section B nommer 79 large 2 bunders 15 rods and 10 cubits located next to east east Feye Piers Hemrika, south the widow and inherit de Jongh, west Hermanus Sterringa, and north Johannes Meints de Boer
Geeske Molles, aged 50, died on 11-08-1852. She then lived with her family in Lippenhuizen at number 103. Jouke was still a farmer.
In 1855 Jouke emigrated with his son Anne and daughter Hiltje to America, they left Rotterdam on 11-06-1855 and went to Pella in Iowa. Below you can see their names on the passenger list.
In Souvenir history of Pella, Iowa on page 87 you can see which people went to Pella from the Netherlands in 1855. There you see the names Jauke Jansma, Hiltje Jansma and Ane Jansma (enter “Jump to” 87 in the window and click on “Go”).
And on page 218 you can read which families went from Pella to Sioux County in 1870, including Ane Jansma.
Son Anne Joukes Jansma was born in Gorredijk on 30-08-1835. There he met Maaike van der Linden, who had already arrived in Pella with her parents in 1847. Anne married Maaike on 03-04-1860 and they went to live in Pella. Below you can see their names in the census in 1860. Anne was then apparently a farm worker.
In 1870 they went to Sioux, Iowa. Anne was a farmer. Anne and Maaike had 12 children: Jacob, Elizabeth, John, Jacob, Marinus, Grace, Heiltje, Maria, Minnie, Leonard, Frederick and Annie.
Marinus was born on 17-09-1866 in Pella. He married Johanna Hoffs on 30-12-1891 in Newkirk and they had five children, including Mabel Jansma.
In 1900 Anne Jansma lived with son Fred and daughter Minnie in Orange City, Sioux, Iowa. He was then “farmlord”. That can be seen in the census of 1900.
His wife Maaike died in Newkirk on 05-05-1895 and the other children did not live at home anymore. Anne died on 05-02-1901 and was buried in Newkirk, Sioux, Iowa.
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 The grave of Marinus Jansma and his wife Johanna Hoffs Left the grave of Maaike van der Linden and of Anne Jansma |
Maaike van der Linden was born on 16-08-1840 in ‘s Gravendeel (near Dordrecht) in South Holland, the Netherlands.
She was a daughter of Jan van der Linden (born 26-04-1811 in Dubbeldam near Dordrecht, son of Willem van der Linden and Maaike Kleinjan) and Lijpje Moret (born 31-05-1813 in ‘s Gravendeel, daughter of Leendert Moret and Maria Snijders).
Jan van der Linden and Lijpje Moret married on 05-02-1834 in ‘s Gravendeel. Jan was a painter.
Census 1860 in Pella, Maaike was already married
They had a daughter Maaike on 22-01-1835 (died on 02-08-1835), a son Willem on 19-03-1836 (died on 27-04-1840), a son Leendert on 06-01-1838, daughter Maaike on 16-08-1840 (the mother of Mabel Jansma), a son Willem on 14-06-1843 and a son Marinus on 02-11-1845 (young deceased). These children were born in ‘s Gravendeel.
In 1847 they emigrated to America. And there they had four more children: Marinus (1849), Maria (1851), Antje (1855) and Cornelia (1858).
In America, Jan was first a painter (at the census in 1850), but later he was a farmer (at the census in 1860, see below).
They left on 11-04-1847 with 239 passengers from Rotterdam with the ship Nagasaki , arriving on 10-06-1847.
They settled in Pella, with the group of Rev. Hendrik Scholten. See Dutch Immigrants that followed Hendrik Peter Scholte in 1847 and settled in Pella, Iowa, USA .
Liepje Moret died on 10-01-1895 in Pella (see the obituary below), and Jan van der Linden died in the same year on 11-10-1895 in Pella.
Obituary notice from the grandmother of Mabel Jansma
1 Iris Marien Van Beek, born on 23-09-1924 in Hospers. Iris died on 18-09-2010 in Albert Lea, Minnesota, aged 85.
Iris married Veryl Leed on 23-03-1947 in Hollandale. Veryl was born 07-12-1921 in Estherville, Iowa. Veryl died on 30-12-2002 in Hollandale.
Veryl and Iris had one of the largest farms (about 3000 acres) in Hollandale. Their two sons Daryl and Dean took over the farm but are now retired.
2 Daryl John Van Beek, born on 14-12-1926 in Hospers. Daryl died on 21-08-1996 in Albert Lea, aged 69. He married Fisher.
3 David Alan Van Beek, born on 02-12-1930 in Albert Lea. David died on 12-05-1999 in Hollandale, aged 68.
Divid married Marilyn Edna Tostenson on 24-07-1952 in Hollandale. Marilyn was born on 08-05-1931 in Hollandale. Marilyn died on 07-04-2006 in Monicello, aged 74.
David was called Dave. David and his brother Daryl took over their father’s shop when they left the service, Daryl in the Navy and David in the Army. They converted the shop into a machine shop and made tools for farmers and road builders.
You can see Dave working in the workshop below, left. Dave loved Harley Davidson motorcycles. When he died in 1999 at the age of 68 he had a new, his 27th Harley. You can see it below, on the right. He and his father were also fans of Buick, a car made in the USA.
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Dave and Marilyn had three sons: Michael Thomas (Mike), Douglas Rue and Keith Alan.
In 2019 Mike and Belinda came to the Netherlands with mother-in-law Helen because Mike had discovered his roots through this site. He wanted to see where his grandfather was born, which was in Jislum.
A meeting with relatives was then organized in Birdaard and Jislum. Below you see a photo of the people who were there, in front of the farm in Jislum where Gerardus van der Beek lived. All surviving children of Gerardus were present.Mike had discovered this site, and wrote the following email on January 16, 2019 after my response:
Dear Rienk,
I’m so excited to have your response – THANK YOU !! so much for all the work you must have done to compile all that information on your web site – I suspect it must have taken years !
Not really sure where to begin…..but as I mentioned, I am Jan Arjen Van Der Beek from Hospers Iowa’s great grandson,…….. I’m 56 years old now, married 28 yrs and have two daughters. We live in Monticello MN – a town just West of Minneapolis / St. Paul in Minnesota.
Some things I know that could be of interest for you…….
When Arjen and Elizabeth started out in the US they were in Fair Oaks Indiana…….I suspect with family related to the DeKok’s … but not sure of that. They, and the children were made US citizens in 1907 at Rensselear ( county seat near Fair Oaks )
At some point after that they moved to Hospers….I suspect after communication with other emigrants there as Hospers / Sioux County IA is a very Dutch area and they likely knew others from Friesland that had moved there. My dad always said that Jan – (John) as he went by in the US, had worked for the rail road – but I have little to substantiate that – other than that one of his son’s – Daniel ( named after Elizabeth’s father ) was killed in an accident while working for the railroad. This happened when he was very young like 17 or 18 yrs old. If you google Hospers IA cemetery you can navigate to pictures of all their gravestones and I have found some obit info there and on “find a grave” another web site that can be helpful. John and Elizabeth also lost a daughter – Susie at around 20 – 22 yrs old. Other children they had included Frank – I met as a VERY young child – He had heart problems and died in Mexico after getting off a plane – his doctors had told him not to fly but he had won a trip selling seed corn ( his business ) and went anyway – his wife was named Francis. Gerrit … & Agnes who married Ben Ver Hoef …she was born in the NL and was one of the oldest… I met her at like 11 – 12 yrs old at a family reunion in Hospers at John Gossilga’s farm. She and Ben had come from Belleflower CA ( suburb of LA ) for a visit and we traveled there to see them – Ben and Ag also visited Arjen’s ( Ira as he was called here – more on that later ) wife Mabel once, & I saw them again then. John Gosslinga had married Sylvia ( another sister of Arjen’s who was born in Fair Oaks) he farmed in Hospers too. Sylvia is also buried in Hospers – her obit lead me to the Fair Oaks info. She died young – That happens to people in our family way to often! …and then he re-married a woman named Ann – I visited both of them several times growing up. My dad and his brothers were Paul bearers at Sylvia’s funeral and the local paper listed their names as Vander Beek 😊 My dad always used to say his dad would travel to Indianapolis to see the 500 mile race every year and stay with “family” in northern Indiana on the way – but I have not found any tombstone pics on line of Vander Beek’s there …maybe DeKoks ?My dad also claimed that Jan Arjen had dropped the er from from Vander when they came to the States – but I don’t believe this – I think Arjen / Ira did this when they moved to Hollandale MN, the town I grew up in. Jan’s tomb stone says Vander too – interesting not Van Der… ? and the obit using that name for my dad & his brothers makes me think that was the case.
Ira / Arjen married Mable Jansma ( her family had been here longer but originally came from Gorredijk) in Hospers & had one child – Iris and then moved to Hollandale – ( very Southern MN – center of the state just north of Albert Lea ) and had four more children – Daryl – My dad David, Phillip and Thomas. Phil and Tom survive to this day…. Phil at like 83-84 yrs old and Tom @ 75. Hollandale is a small Dutch community planned and developed by a man named William Payne around 1915-1920. The whole town – churches – (5 of them – I grew up in the Reformed Church as well, but am now Catholic like my wife’s family) stores, schools, Bank, homes, everything all planned and developed at one time to attract Dutch farmers to move there from the NL and buy 20 acre farms …. Over the years much consolidation has happened – but it is still a farming community. Hollandale was about 300 people when I grew up and almost completely Dutch people. The surrounding land had all been a marsh and shallow lake / s which were tiled and drained for farming vegetables like onions celery asparagus potatoes carrots cabbage etc etc….. I can remember many green houses when I was a very young boy. My aunt Iris was married to a man named Veryl Reed who became one of the biggest farmers – prox 3000 acres – his 2 sons are now retired and I’m not sure who farms their land – it is likely rented out. The farming has changed much since I was a kid. The land was and still is incredible – deep peat land …. as I kid I worked for a tiling company some & we would dig down 15-20 ft for pumping stations and find nothing but more peat ……
My grandfather – Arjen / Ira died in 1962 of brain cancer – he had built and operated a Standard oil gas station – selling gas tires and working on cars – they were quite successful and had a nice home. He took vacations to go fishing in Ely MN at White Iron lake and my dad used to talk about how he would trade other station owners tires for gas on the way up or back when they were rationed during WW 2 . My dad and his brother Daryl took over his shop after they returned from the service – Daryl in Navy and my dad in the Army. They developed the shop more into a machine shop and built custom made equipment for the vegetable farmers as well as land tiling equipment. My dad had a good life – he LOVED Harley Davidson motorcycles – when he died in 1999 at 68 yrs he had a new one…..his 27th Harley. Both he and his dad were also Buick fans – a car brand here in the US.
Can I ask some ?’s
What town do you live in ?
Are you aware of family cemeteries / grave stones in Jislum ? as I would like to visit them at some point.
Do you farm as well ?
Do you know what my GG Jan did for a living in the NL ? or why he decided to come to US ?
Any Idea’s about why they changed the name ? the Vander / Van Der ? is it a language thing maybe ?
All the repeat names are wonderful are they not 😊…. the Arjen’s Daniel on the Jansma side – my aunt Iris after her dad and second name Maurien after multiple Mauranius’ in the Jansma family. I am Mike after Mike Veldman – close friend of my parents.
So sad about all the lost children / short lives…and yet some long ones too …….
I think of Jan Arjen’s mother – 3 children …one dies at 2 yrs – one leaves for the US – then the other also after she passed – my dad told me someone from that Brooten area came mysteriously to his dad’s funeral….we have not had any contact with that part of the family …but your site has me wondering – that town is less than couple hrs from my home – may have to go looking one day……. She must have been a tough woman to watch her children leave for good – I can’t imagine doing that……..My wife and I were in NL in 1991 – Amsterdam, Utrecht and train ride from Amsterdam into Germany – so far that’s the closest we have got to Friesland – but hoping to get there and see all the towns I’ve been reading about on your site – we have been also to England and to Germany twice ( my wife has German heritage )
Please ask me anything you wish – I’m happy to share what I can remember – I’ll try to get my bother Doug to help you too – he has more genealogy he could possibly share with you……
Prayers and blessings for you and your family – Your new friend and relative 😊
Mike
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4 Philip Van Beek, born on 20-09-1934 in Albert Lea. David died on 04-04-2019 in Albert Lea, aged 84 years.
Philip married Carol Vanderhorst. They had four children: Becky, Linda, Cindy and Jeff.
5 Thomas Van Beek
She died on 24-12-1956 in Sheldon, and she is buried in Hospers.
John Goslinga was born on 21-07-1900 in Newkirk, Iowa and he died on 10-03-1990 in Orange City.
Sylvia was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
Sylvia and John had a farm in Sheldon. They hed seven children: Stewart, born 11-09-1922 in Sheldon; Elizabeth, born in may 1928, passed away 19-02-1936; Clara; John, born 1935; Erwin born 1938; Sylvia born 05-07-1940; Betty born 23-12-1942.
click here for the obituary of Sylvia.
Below on the right a picture which is taken after Sylvia had passed away. John Goslinga is on the right.
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5 Daniël Vanderbeek, born in 1903. Daniël died on 02-19-1919 in Hospers, Iowa, 16 years old.
Daniel worked at the railways and died in an accident.
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6 Gerrit Vanderbeek, born on 04-07-1910 in Hospers. Gerrit died in may 1976 in Los Angeles, 65 years old.
Below you see on the left a picture from Gerrit and his wife Alice.
Further on the right the data of the family Gerrit van der Beek from the census in Bellflower in 1940. They lived before in Hospers. Gerrit was a milker at a farm. He had married Alice and he had a stepson Lule.
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Frank died in february 1972 in New Jersey, 60 years old. His wife Frances died in 1975.
Frank was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
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1.1.1.4.3 Gerardus Arjens van der Beek was born on 13-11-1873 in Rinsumageest, he was a son of Arjen Gerardus van der Beek (zie 1.1.1.4) and Tietje Jans Koolstra.Gerardus died on 13-12-1951 in Brooten, Minnesota, 78 years old.
Gerardus married, 25 years old, on 20-05-1899 in Dantumadeel Trijntje Tuininga, 21 years old. Trijntje was born on 02-05-1878 in Rinsumageest, she was a daughter of Jacob Siedzes Tuinenga and Antje Philips Scheffer.
Trijntje died on 26-01-1947 in Brooten, Minnesota, 68 years old.
Gerardus and Trijntje first lived in Rinsumageest, there they had 7 children.
Gerardus and Trijntje emigrated to the US in 1921 (in ancestry.com it is Gradus Arie Vanderbeek)
They first went to Sioux City, Iowa , and in 1943 to Minnesota .
They lived on a farm between New London and Belgrade until 1996, after which they moved to Raymond.
Gerardus was still in the Netherlands in 1950.Gerardus and his family lived in three places in Rinsumageest: When they got married they lived with Sieds and Froukje (the parents of Trijntje)
in the sexton’s house near the church, at the Juckemaweg 3; they only had a room with box bed at their disposal.
Then they lived on Thomas Sjolles Siniaweg 35, and then on Tjaardaweg 29. From there they went to America.Below are two maps of Minnesota. The first with Minneapolis and Willmar. The second map is a detailed map in the vicinity of Willmar.
Children of Gerardus and Trijntje:
Antje married, 23 years old, on 05-01-1926 Peter Tensen, 23 years old.
Peter was born on 06-01-1902 in Orange City/Iowa (USA). Peter died on 01-07-1990 in Willmar, Minnesota, 88 years old.
Antje was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
Ann and Peter had three children: Ira Clarence Tensen and Trina May Tensen and Arie Tensen, born on 09-04-1936.
Arie has a boat company in Raymond.
Anna lived her last years in Raymond, a small town (668 inhabitants in 1990) near Brooten (also a small town where they first lived)
and New London (that’s a bigger place).
Ann had 32 grandchildren and 52 great-grandchildren in 1992.
In 1982 a reunion was organized in Rinsumageest for residents and former residents. Reijse Pijper helped to organize this reunion.
He got the address of Ann from her family and sent her an invitation.
Ann replied:
“We can’t come, we are both 80 and not in good health, we wish you a good reunion.”
Then Ann and Reitse continued to write with each other, about 4 times a year.
In 1990 Reitse was in America to visit a cousin of his wife. When Ann heard that she wrote:
“If you come back to the United States, you would want to visit us if you can find us.” .
Reitse did that, when she turned 90 in 1992 he went there. A newspaper article was also published about that in Minnesota, see below.
You see Reitse and Ann at the picture. Below you see Ann at the photo.
Ann was in Rinsumageest in 1921 in love with Fedde Braaksma. She did not want to come to America with her parents, they had to drag her into the car. Later on Ann’s girlfriend Meltsje Pranger married Fedde, but that was not a
success because Fedde was drinking much. So Ann is happy that she did not marry Fedde.
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Arie married, 28 years old, on 01-04-1936 in Brooten, Minnesota Johanna Hendrika te Brake, 26 years old.
Johanna was born on 01-04-1910 in Aalten, she was a daughter of Jan Berend (John Bernard) te Brake and Wilhelmina ter Haar.
Johanna died on 13-02-1997 in Brooten, Minnesota, 86 years old.
Arie lived with his family in the neighborhood of Brooten, Minnesota.
Arie and Johanna had four children, they were all born in Glenwood: Gradus, Ruth Joanne, Esther and John Wayne.
Ruth is married to John Voogd and Gradus married Luella Ruth Hoogeveen.Below you can see the data of the Arie van der Beek family from the census in 1940.
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Tietje died on 27-07-1982 in Volga, Iowa, 73 years old. Tietje married Randall Ford Borden. Randall was born in 1900.
Tilly was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
Tilly and Randall lived in Volga, Iowa.
Here you can see the data of the family from the census in Volga in 1940.
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Jake married, 24 years old, on 13-06-1935 Myrtle Kathryn Takken, 24 years old.
Myrtle was born on 27-11-1910 in Ottawa, USA; she is a daughter of Peter E. Takken and Jeanette Vliem.
Myrtle died on 13-01-2011 in Brooten, Minnesota, 100 years old.
Jake and Myrtle had a daughter Jennette Kathleen, born on 31-03-1936.
Jake was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
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John died on 15-08-1989 in Paynesville, Minnesota, 74 years old.
John married on 03-02-1939 in Brooten, Minnesota, Catherine Janet Jansen. Catherine was born on 22-08-1918 in Paynesville, Minnesota. She was een daughter of Gerrit Jansen and Wilhelmina Schelhaas. Catherine died on 31-01-2012 in Watkins, Minnesota, 93 years old.
John was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
The left picture below is from the Vanderbeek family in 1965.The right picture is from the Vanderbeek family in 1970.
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John and Catherine had ten children: Gerrit John Vanderbeek , born on 22-08-1939 in Brooten. Gerrit died on 09-02-2016 in Willmar.
Wilhelmina Catherine Vanderbeek , born on 18-04-1941 in Brooten. Wilhelmina died on 15-06-1999 in Wilmar, Minnesota, aged 58 years.
Joanne Marie Vanderbeek , born on 09-09-1948 in Glenwood, Minnesota. Joanne died on 14-10-1965 in Cyrus, Minnesota, aged 17 years. Joanne died due to an accident on the farm.
Besides Gerrit, Wilhelmina and Joanne there were (are) seven children.
Click here for the further details of John and Catherine and their descendants.
Sam married, 24 years old, on 20-06-1941 in Brooten, Minnesota Abelina (Evelyn) Zijlstra, 21 years old.
Abelina was born on 06-10-1919 in Columbia, Minnesota; she is een daughter of Hendrik Zijlstra and Aebeltje Piers Poortinga.
Abelina died in 2002, 81 or 82 years old.
Sam was a second cousin of my father Jan van der Beek.
Sam and Evelyn lived in 1992 and in 2006 in Raymond, in the same place as Ann (the oldest sister of Sam).
Reitse Pijper from Rinsumageest visited them there in 1992, when Ann turned 90, and in 2006 when Sam turned 90.
My uncle Jelle Rekker and Aunt Jith van der Beek also visited Sam.
On the left picture below you see Sam and Evelyn in 1992. You also see Sam with his three daughters Elaine, Brenda and Tanetta.
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