Hospers, Jan 1801 Father of Father of Sioux County

HOSPERS, MIDDELKOOP, RONSCHAR, DEGELDER

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg (email)
Date: 5/12/2022 at 12:54:39

Hospers, Jan 1801 - Father of Father of Sioux County - Henry Hospers.

Jan Hospers 1801 – 1888 and Hendrika Middelkoop 1808 1887 were the parents of Hendrik ‘Henry’ Hospers 1830 -1901. He was called the father of Sioux County IA as he was very instrumental in starting the Orange City Colony. See Henry’s Bios story at Sioux County Photos - People (iagenweb.org) Along with several pictures of his siblings and children.

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Iowa Journal of History & Politics Vol. 10 No. 3 (Jul. 1912), pp363-382 The text is in the public domain. Taken from - DIARY OF A JOURNEY FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO PELLA IOWA IN 1849

TRANSLATED FROM THE DUTCH BY JACOB VAN DER ZEE
[John Hospers, writer of the diary of which the following is a translation from the Dutch language, was born at Amsterdam, The Netherlands, on the 30th of August, 1801. He taught school from an early age until he emigrated with his family and scores of other Hollanders to the State of Iowa, where in the year 1847 several hundreds of his fellow-countrymen under the leadership of Rev. Henry Peter Scholte had established Pella in Marion County.

The reason which moved Hospers to seek American shores was later expressed by himself in a brief autobiography as follows:

"In all my positions the Lord had furnished me a liberal income and livelihood. . When I made busy to emigrate to America, everybody expressed surprise and asked why I should go, I who was so well-to- do and so generally esteemed.

"I had an income more than sufficient to enable my family to live in a respectable manner, but inasmuch as I laid most stress on the education and training of the youth, I could not bear to see the Bible kept out of the schools and education no longer Christian. And although God's Word had never been excluded from my school, and the instruction —however defective — had been presented in a Christian way so far as I could, since the inspector of my school, Haefkens, never personally forbade me, I knew nevertheless what his orders were, and therefore I preferred to remove to a free country where I could worship my God unhindered according to the dictates of my conscience.

"My desire to emigrate was increased also by social relations with true Christian people who were rare in that day. In the winter of 1848-1849 A. C. Kuyper, J. Maasdam, and myself united to act as a committee to promote a second exodus to North America. Kuyper had Rotterdam and vicinity; Maasdam took Utrecht and North Holland; and I had South Holland, North Brabant, and Gelderland."
Thanks are due to Mr. Nicholas Hospers of Pella, Iowa, for permission to read and use his father's autobiography and diary.— [Translator.]

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See a full copy of Jan Hospers’ diary, google search - DIARY OF A JOURNEY FROM THE NETHERLANDS TO PELLA IOWA IN 1849 It gives an every day vivid account of all that was encountered of the typical sailing vessel crossing the Atlantic at those times.

As the copy of his diary indicates, Jan Hospers journey to America in 1849 was wrought with much hardship. They lost two children at sea and one shortly after arriving in America. Two girls, Gertrude 1832-1849 and Cornelia 1834-1836 and a son Peter 1847-1849.

Several of their sons besides Henry, also came to Sioux County IA. They being William Hendrik 1844, and Cornelis Hospers 1854. Nickolaas Hospers born 1836 stayed and propagated in the Pella area, as well as J. De Gelder Hospers born 1838 who are mentioned in the Pella book ‘Suvenir History of Pella, pages 171 & 172. Also pictured and listed in that book page 172 is a daughter of the family Eva Hospers, Mrs. Dr. H. S. Baron See Hospers siblings’ pictures of those that were available on the page of Henry Hospers at - iagenweb.org/sioux/photos/pic_HospersHenry.htm

FAMILY OF JAN HOSPERS
According to a family report on ancestry.com (done by other than submitter)

Jan ‘John’ Hospers was born 30 August 1801 Amsterdam, Noord-Holland Netherlands to Hendrik Hospers 1761-1827 and Cornelia Roschar 1767-1804, married 23 Aug 1829 at Giessenlanden, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands to Hendrika Henrietta Middelkoop born Mar 1808 Hoogblokland Zuid-Holland, Netherlands and she died 3 Sep 1887 at Pella IA, She was the daughter of Klaas Gerrisz Middelkoop 1780-1863 and Maaijke de Gelder 1785-1808.

Children:
1. Hendrik ‘Henry’ Hospers 1830-1901
[See Below the Outline of his family story on this website.]
wife 1. Cornelia Welle 1827-1863 They had 6 children
Wife 2. Heintje Overkamp 1837-1907 They had 8 children

2. Maaike Hospers born 19 Mar 1832 Hoogblokland, Zuid Holland died 6 Jun 1849 at sea. See the diary of the Journey of Jan Hospers at…

3. Cornelia Geertrui ‘Keetje’ Hospers born 24 Jun 1833 Hoogbolkland Zuid Holland Netherlands died 5 Jul 1849 Albany, New York.

4. Pietronella Hendrika Hospers born 23 Sept 1834 Hoogblokland, Zuid Holland Netherlands died 17 Mar 1836 Hoogblokland, Zuid Holland Netherlands.

5. Nicolaas ‘Klaas’ Hospers born 4 May 1836 Hoogblokland, Zuid Holland Netherlands died 28 Sep 1915 Pella, IA His wife was Pieternella Gedder van Leeuwen 1848-1900, Three children listed born to them, Hendrika, Cornelia, and Jeannette.

6. Teunis De Gelder ‘Gelder’ Hospers born 22 Sep 1838 Hoogblokland, Zuid Holland Netherlands died 20 Wep 1928 at Pella IA. His wife was Johanna Margareta Wormhoudt 1851-1940. Six children listed born to them – John W., Arta, Henry, Hendrika, Anna, and Dr. Anthony.

7. Eva Engelina Hospers born 13 Apr 1841 Hoogblokland Zuid Holland died 3 oct 1928 Pella IA Her husband was Dr. Henderikus S. Baron 1852-1914. No children listed.

8. Willem Hendrik Hospers born 19 aug 1844 Hoogblokland, Zuid Holland Netherlands died 22 Aug 1909 Orange City IA. He married Maria Helena Korteweg 1855-1908. Seven children were listed born to them – Sija Anna, Jan Willem, Hendrika, Helena, Jacob, Maria, Willem.

9. Pieter Hendrik Hospers born 24 Feb 1847 Hoogblokland Zuid Holland Netherlands died 11 Jun 1849 at sea.

10. Cornelius Gerhardus ‘Neal’ Hospers born 13 Aup 1851 Pella IA died 12 Aug 1946 at Orange City IA. His wife was Petronelle’Nellie’ Hendrika Galman 1859-1939. Seven children were listed as born to them – Dr. John, cornelius, Henrietta, Helena, Nellie, Frank, and Carl.

Picture of Jan Hospers and Hendrika Middlekoop

Hendrik 'Henry' Hospers Family Outline
 

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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