Noted by Stiny van der Laan de Jong

Rientje Stuit, born Feb, 27, 1891, seventh child of Albert Stuit (b. Oct, 24, 1851) and Tietje Berrelkamp (b. Jan.25, 1860) who married at age 27 and 18 resp. on November 8, 1878. They had 13 children:

1) Stientje, b, Dec, 12, 1878, married May 16, 1900 to: Hinderik Beekhuis (27) (these two are Stiny’s grandparents)

2) Berend (Ben), b. Aug.19, 1880, died July 12, 1959. (78) left Holland for America appr. 1902.

3) Trijntje, b. June 2,1883; died May 13,1958 (74 yrs.) leaves home at age 15 for a hired maid (live in) position in Nieuwolda

4) Elizabeth, b. Dec.23, 1884; died July 15, 1885

5) Pieter (Peter), b. Feb. 6,1887; died Dec 9, 1977 (90 yrs.) leaves for America on May 17, 1905 at age 18.

6) Elizabeth, b. March 27, 1889; died Jan. 13, 1912 (22 yrs. & 9 mos.) left home at age 14, in 1903, also to a live-in hired maid position. Returned home in 1910, because she was ill. After both her parents had died, she and her youngest sister Maria, then 10 years old, and her youngest brother Roelf, who was 8, moved to Slochteren to live with their sister Trijntje, then 28. She had a store then. It was there that Elizabeth died.

7) Rijntje, b. Feb. 27, 1891; died Dec. 22, 1908 (17 yrs. & 9 mos.) The first letter is hers; It was written in the summer. She either died that same year or the year following.

8) Ena, b. April 1, 1893; died July 29, 1967 (74 yrs. & 3 mos) She was married to Jan de Glint; lived and died in Groningen.

9) Jan (John), b. Feb. 9, 1895; leaves for America in 1911 to join his brothers Ben and Pieter. He has an unrequited love and roams about on his horse. He writes poetry and songs, set to music. He becomes ill when in the West and dies far from family and home on April 28, 1939 at age 44. His brothers Ben and Pieter receive word from the hospital where he was admitted and leave on the train to be with him. He dies before they arrive. He lies buried in Lodgepole, South Dakota.

10) Redmer, b. Feb. 6, 1897, died Dec.4, 1971 (74 yrs. & 9 mos.) leaves for America to join his brothers; date uncertain.

11) Siepko, b. March 13, 1899; died Sep.12, 1908 (9yrs. & 6 mos)

12) Maria (Mary), b. Apr. 13, 1901; died May 15, 1985, in South Dakota. In 1911 she moves to Slochteren, after both parents have died, to live with her sister Trijntje. In 1918 she moves to Vlagtwedde. In 1920, she and her brother Roelf also leave for America, to join their brothers Ben, Pieter, Jan and Redmer. Maria was 19, Roelf was 17.

13) Roelf (Ralph), b. May 30, 1903; died Oct. 21, 1976. (73 yrs. & 4 mos. In 1911 he too moves to Slochteren to live with sister Trijntje. In 1918 he moves to Winschoten. In 1920 he leaves with Maria for America.

ELIZABETH: Toward the end of 1908, the years the letters were written, Elizabeth is 18 yrs. old; she is “in service”. Her parents are ill, she is not at all well; her little brother Siepko died in September; her mother died in November; her younger sister Rijntje, died in December, just before Christmas. Two brothers have already left for America. Her eldest sister Stientje, is married and has young children of her own (Jan and Dina, Stiny’s mother). Her father will be with them for a little less than two years: he dies in 1910, at age 58. Her mother was 48 at her death. It seems probable that all of them died of lung and chest diseases (tuberculosis), for which there was no treatment. It was thought then that milk and eggs would be beneficial for healing. Rijntje was 17, in 1908; Ena was 15, Jan was 13, Redmer was 11, Siepko was 9, Maria was 7, Roelf was 5.