De Roos, Jan Willem 1816-1902 & (3) Akke Visser Family

DEROOS, VISSER, VELLINGA, SEFFINGA, KROL, VANDERWOUDE

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 9/13/2021 at 10:39:54

DeRoos, Jan Willem 1816-1902 and Akke Visser Family

This story was taken from the Sioux Center Centennial book of 1991 pages 292 and 293, and was submitted to the book by Tillie Vande Brake. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw and some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg, both of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

Jan Willem De Roos was born in Wommels Nederland Dec. 6. 1816. His father, Willem Lammerts De Roos was an innkeeper and barrel maker there. In 1842 Jan Willem was wholesaler of butter and cheese in Oosterlittens. His wife was Akke Baukes Seffinga. Their two baby girls both died.

Folkertje was Jan Willem’s second wife. Their first two daughters were named after their mother. Both died in infancy. Mintje and Dieuwke were born later. Their sons were Opeke Jan and Willem.

In 1861 Akke (Visser) and Jan Willem were married. She was born Oct. 30, 1835. Only the youngest daughter of Jan Willem and Akke was American born. That was Anna, April 16, 1874.

When J.W. (Jan Willem) arrived in America in 1873, his sons Oepke and Jan were in Orange City, Iowa. Jan was married to Kornelia Wynia. J.W. and Akke at that time had three children: Trijntje, Taekje and Klaas. The latter died very young shortly after their arrival in Orange City.

Son Willem married to Pietje, and two children were also with them on the journey; also daughter Dieuwke and husband and their one child, Fokje, who died at sea; also Mintje was one of the party.

The ocean trip was very difficult because of crowded conditions. The accommodations were for 300 people but 500 people were on board. Eight persons died before landing in America.

From the ocean the De Roos people continued their journey on open wagons through snow and cold. Because of the children they did not dare to go on to John and Kornelia Tjalling, because a child of Willem and Pietje became over chilled. The boy died soon after that.

All the families farmed in Iowa excepting Jan and Kornelia who farmed in South Dakota. September 1885 J.W. wrote, “Our household is not big any more. We are 4 and in the spring Taekje plans to marry with a son of Mulder, who came over to us fourteen years ago from St. Anna. We are getting older. My work doesn’t amount to much any more but we have a pleasant and peaceful life. Our cattle are now fenced in, no longer on a rope. The colony is blooming now, formerly afflicted. We are getting a minister. There are seven here that preach the truth; also three Catholic churches. For five years no crop failure. Many old debts paid. Land is expensive. Immigrants are now going to Minn. where prairie land can still be bought for $7 an acre. In Dakota prices are going up too. Like in the Netherlands, we have a fair here.

March 1892 — “We now live in town,” wrote J.W. “We had no money to buy a house in Sioux Center so we had our house moved from the farm to town. This we did with 20 horses and 4 wagons in 4 days with free help of children and neighbors. To pay for the ground where we set the house, we sold the barn, corn crib and granary which were still standing there.”

July, 1900, Jouke Mulder writes at the request of J.W. to say that Mother Akke, after several strokes, passed away on the 4th of May, 1901. Jouke and Taekje wrote, “Father (J.W.) has moved in with us. He is still pretty well. He walks from chair to couch, lays, sits, sleeps, reads, and smokes. Jouke would like to see Friesland again but at present that will not be possible.” Feb. 13, 1902 Oepke writes from Hull, “Father died Sunday 85 yrs old. He was mentally alert right to the end, Takeje Mother and Father received good care.”

Submitted to the book by Tillie Vande Brake

RESEARCH NOTES added by Wilma J. Vande Berg

Netherlands vital record found on www.wiewaswie.nl

BIRTH of Jan de Roos on 6 Dec 1816 at Wommels, Hennaarderadeel, Friesland, Netherlands to Willem Lammerts de Roos and Mintje Oepkes Vellinga.

MARRIAGE #1 Jan Willems de Roos born at Wommels age 24 years married Akke Bauke Seffinga born at Hennaard age 21 years, she was the daughter of Bauke Klazes Seffinga and Hinke Dirks Stellingwerf, they were married 22 May 1841 at Hennaarderadeel, Friesland.
(Jan and Akke Seffinga had two baby girls that died in the Netherlands)

MARRIAGE #2 Jan Willems de Roos born at Wommels age 29 years married Folkertje Jans Krol born at Sneek age 26 years, she was the daughter of Jan Gerrits Krol and Dieuwke Klazes de Vries, they were married on 15 Jan 1846 at Baarderadeel, Friesland.
(Folkertje Krol was the mother of Oepke and Jan de Roos who came to the USA before their father and steip mother’s family arrived in 1873.)

MARRIAGE #3 Jan Willems de Roos born at Wommels age 44 years married Akke Klazes Visser born at Berikum age 25 years, she was the daughter of Klaas Watzes Visser and Trijntje Pieters van der Woude, They were married on 26 Aug 1861 at Baarderadeel, Friesland.

DEATH of Jan W. DE Roos 1816-1902

From the Sioux Center Nieuwsblad of Feb 12, 1902
Translated from Dutch -
Sunday J. W. DeRoos died at the home of his son-in-law Jouke Mulder, he was 85 years of age. Funeral at the First Ger. Kerk (Reformed)

From the De Volksvriend (Orange City) paper of Feb 13, 1902 (in Sioux Center News page 8)
In Dutch – Translated:
This afternoon at five o'clock our beloved father Jan W. De Roos died, at the age of 85 years, 3 months and 3 days. On July 4, 1901, our mother had preceded him at death. Some three weeks before his death he complained of chest pains; this remained so until his end. His last desire was to unbound and be with Christ. He had his Redeemer fervent life and praise Him forever. This mends our sorrow. Neighbors and friends thank you for helping. Also named children and married children, J. Mulder Sioux Center, IA 9 Feb 1902.

DEATH of Akke Mrs. Jan W. De Roos 1835-1900

Sioux County Herald of July 11, 1900 Sioux Center News
In the death of Mrs. J. W. De Roos last Wednesday another pioneer passed from us. Family of the deceased came to this county with the early settlers and endured the privations of those days; she, was the mother of the Mesdames T: IH. Feekes, H. Remmerde and Jouke Mulder. Deceased was highly respected, and a host of friends gathered to attend the last sad rites on Friday afternoon; she was 64 years of age.

From an ancestry.com report by others (not verified by submitter)
Jan Willems De Roos born 6 Dec 1816 Wommels Frisland Neth. died 9 Feb 1902 Sioux Center IA.
3nd Wife was Akke Klazes Visser born 20 Oct 1835 Neth. Her parents were Klaas Watzes Visser and Trijntje Pieters Vander Woude. Married Aug 26, 1861 at Baarderdeel Friesland Neth. Their children were Trijnjte/Mintje 1861, Taekje 1866, Klaas 1870, and Anna 1874.
Jan’s other wives were:
#1 Akke Baukes Seffinga with whom he had two children- Meintje de Roos 1842-1844 and Bauke De Roos 1842-1844
#2 Folkertje Jans Krol with whom he had six children- Willem 1846-1921, Jan 1848-1901, Dieuwke 1850-1907, Oepke 1853-1934, and Klaas Jans 1858-1859.

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