Jensma, Lieuwe G. “Lou,” 1856 or 57-1935

JENSMA, WIERSMA, OLIVIER, DEGROOT, LAFOIRE, LAPORE, LAPOIRE

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/14/2021 at 11:09:04

Born: October 27, 1857
Died: September 17, 1935

From the Sioux County Index (Hull), September 27, 1935:

Obituary of Lew Jensma, Buried Here Last Friday

Lieuwe Gerlof Jensma was born on October 27, 1856, in Vrouwen Parochie, Vriesland, Netherlands, where his childhood and youth were spent and where his first wife and a three year old son were taken from him by death.

In 1888 he was married to Sietske De Groot. To this union seven children were born, four of whom are still living. In 1889 they immigrated to this country, settling near Pella, Iowa, where they resided approximately one year. From there they moved to Roseland, Illinois and from there to Prairie View, Kansas, where his second wife and three children were taken from him by death.

In 1900 he was married to Maggie La Poire. To this union one son was born. In 1910 they moved to Hull, Iowa. In 1912 his mind became afflicted and he had to be taken to the State Hospital at Cherokee, Iowa, for treatment. In 1914 he was taken to the County Home at Orange City where he spent the last years of his life.

He died September 17, 1935, at the age of 78 years and 11 months. He is survived by his wife and son Albert of Hull, Iowa; two married sons, Chas. and Pete of Prairie View, Kansas; two married daughters, Mrs. Albert Sprik and Mrs. Lou Van De Wege of Prairie View, Kansas. He is also survived by 18 grandchildren and one brother, John Jensma, in the Netherlands.

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A similar obituary (in Dutch) was published in De Volksvriend, September 26, 1935.

From the same issue of De Volksvriend, Hull news (in Dutch):

Lew Jensma died in the County Home at Orange City, where he had lived for many years, aged 97[sic] years and 11 months. The funeral took place in the 1st Reformed church, under direction of Rev. Douwstra and Rev. Jager. He leaves his second wife and a son from the second marriage, and 2 sons and 2 daughters from the first marriage, 18 grandchildren. The children from the first marriage live in Kansas and came here for the funeral, as did his brother-in-law from Kansas, and his brother-in-law Dick Lapoer from the Holland Home in Sheldon. There was a very small attendance in the church, I think not even thirty. That was very sad.

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate (informant Albert Jansma) has him as Lewis Jansma, born October 17, 1856 in Holland, father Lewis Jansma, don’t know mother’s name; a farmer; wife Maggie Jansma; died at the Sioux County Home at 6 a.m. September 17. 1935; cause, uremia, onset July 5, 1935; no underlying condition noted.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index lists him and his wife under the surname Jensma: Lieuwe Jensma, 1857-1953, and Maggie Jensma, 1868-1939, buried in Hope Cemetery, Hull. The Iowa Gravestones Photo Project has photos of their headstones, confirming the spelling Jensma and the birth year 1857 on his headstone.

His FindaGrave.com page has him as Lieuwe Gerlof “Lou” Jensma; born 27 Oct 1857 in Vrouwenparochie, Het Bildt Municipality, Friesland, Netherlands; spouse Maggie La Foire Jensma (1868-1939, married 1900). Five children listed: Charles Jensma (1890-1977), Pete Jensma (1891-1961), Wieda Jensma Sprik (1895-1979), Anna Jensma Vandewege (1898-1979), and Albert Jensma (1902-1997).

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index record for Lieuwe Jensma, parents Gerlof Cornelis Jensma and Antje Wiersma, born at Het Bildt 27 Oct 1856; a birth index record for Gerlof Jensma, born in Het Bildt on 16 Feb 1883 to Lieuwe Jensma and Grietje Olivier; and a death record index for a child of the same name, same parents, at age 7 weeks, on 27 Aug 1881. There is a marriage index record for groom Lieuwe Jensma, age 31, born in Vrouwenparochie, parents Gerlof Cornelis Jensma and Antje Wiersma; bride Sjoukje de Groot, age 32, born at Stiens, parents Pieter Pieters de Groot and Wytske Johannes Dijkstra; married at Het Bildt 26 April 1888.

The 1910 U.S. census for Lincoln Township, Sioux County shows Louis (53) and Maggie (41) Jansma, married 10 years, living with Maggie’s brothers John Lapore[?] (head of house) and Dirck Lapore[?]. Also living with them are two nephews of John: Peter (19), born in Illinois, and Albert (8), born in Kansas, presumably both Louis’s sons. Louis immigrated in 1890 and is naturalized; Maggie and her brothers immigrated in 1896. The men are working out as farm laborers.

The 1920 census has Lou Jansma (indexed in Ancestry.com as Junsma), age 66, married, immigrated 1890, naturalized in 1900, a resident of the Sioux County Home. The 1930 census has Lou Jansma (74) resident of the Sioux County Home, married, insane.