Category: Memoirs
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The Depression Years: 1928-1939
Read More: The Depression Years: 1928-1939The depression began in 1928. By this time the oldest three had left school which was normal after finishing grade 7 and were helping on the farm. That was really needed because we couldn’t afford outside help anymore. When dad married on March 30, 1921, three years after the first world war everything was still…
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Traditions and Names
Read More: Traditions and NamesOur family had grown by then. I remember that the atmosphere in our home was good. The only exception revolved around names. Tradition was very important so my oldest brother, Adam, was named after Opa de Jong, Jaap after Opa Slingerland, Stiena (Christina) after Opoe de Jong, Jannigje after Opoe Slingerland, the third daughter, Geertje…
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Cheese Making
Read More: Cheese MakingAs I mentioned before we were a large family. When the war broke out, I was just 12 years old and there were 12 children already in our family. I believe the marriage was good, and as children we could get along quite well, apart from some minor rivalry that typically happens among children. Looking…
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A Typical School Day
Read More: A Typical School DayWhen we were in school a typical day was as follows: We got up shortly before our parents came back from milking and did some chores such as feeding chickens and rabbits, etc. Then we had breakfast with the whole family and then finished our chores, changed our clothes and were ready to catch the…
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Grade School Years: 1934-1941
Read More: Grade School Years: 1934-1941When I was six years old I started school on May 1, 1934. There were nine of us children in our family. The youngest was 1 ½ years old and my oldest brother was 12 and started grade 7. There were seven grades at that time so one of us was in every class except…
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The Slingerland Farm
Read More: The Slingerland FarmI don’t know when Opa and Oma married. It must have been around 1895. [March 15, 1895] They farmed in Berkenwoude on the Jacobshoeve. [Benedenkerkseweg, where the de Jong’s lived, is one leg of the road running between Stolwijk and Berkenwoude] We went there often when we went to school since it was not so…
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The Car Accident: 1932-1933
Read More: The Car Accident: 1932-1933The second thing I remember is when I was hit by a car when I was four years old. I believe it was on May 20, 1932. It was mid-afternoon and my dad was going milking, taking Geertje and me along. Henk was 2 ½ then, my sister Ju almost 1 year old and my…
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The First Few Years: 1928-1931
Read More: The First Few Years: 1928-1931I was born on April 9 in the year 1928, on an Easter Monday morning. Easter Monday is celebrated in the old country about the same as Sunday or Christmas day. I was born at home as was the custom then. My brother, Adam, who was the oldest at 6 years old would start school…
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Dutch
Read More: DutchMemoirs van Cor de Jong (1928-2025). We zijn dankbaar voor het venster in zijn wereld dat hij ons heeft nagelaten.
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Emigration
Read More: EmigrationIn 1892 their neighbour (and cousin) Arend Hassing and his wife had an auction and sold everything they had. With their five children they emigrated to Kalamazoo Michigan USA, on February 15, 1893. He became a celery farmer there. Later, the Hassing’s would write letters about their life in Kalamazoo and so, Berend (Ben) decided…