Tag: Vlagtwedde
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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…
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Toddler Years
Read More: Toddler YearsAs a toddler I lived in Vlagtwedde. My wife was also born there! I remember little from that period in my life. Grandfather Blokzyl lived with us after his wife died. This was the time when there were few, if any, old people homes where older people could live in peace. Opa went from family…
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Baby, Toddler, Child
Read More: Baby, Toddler, ChildMy body, which shall return to dust within the next 30 years [Herman returned to dust on twenty-seventh day of July, 2004, after enjoying thirteen years of retirement], was born on the eleventh day of January 1932. More than a body, a living system of flesh, blood and bones, was born. This body had a…
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boat, Canada, Christmas, church, emigration, family, God, organ, Rotterdam, school, ship, Vlagtwedde, Winschoten
The Emigration Leap
Read More: The Emigration LeapMom and Dad involved us older children in the deliberations about the future. We agreed that if we were to emigrate, it would not be Australia, New Zealand, South Africa or Brazil; the first two too far from Europe, the latter too different from us. The USA seemed too populous, too mighty and rich for…
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Our Place
Read More: Our PlaceCountry /province /region /town /hamlet /farmhouse In 1945 The Netherlands was a maligned country, reeling from five years of enemy occupation and a final brutal season known as the hunger winter. Infrastructure was largely neglected or destroyed, the economy was in tatters, poverty was widespread. Elation swept across the country from south to north, March…
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The van der Laan Family
Read More: The van der Laan FamilyI’ll write a little about Harm and his family. I was ten when the van der Laans moved from Zuidlaren to Vlagtwedde. Pa van der Laan was not healthy anymore. He often had pneumonia. They had a small vegetable farm in Zuidlaren and led busy lives. They grew all kinds of vegetables but especially beans…
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Family Life
Read More: Family LifeGenerally speaking, we were all healthy children. Sometimes we were in each other’s hair but we never had big fights. We never went out much. Martje often came to our house when I was home for a weekend. Later she said: I really loved that. She stayed with the school principal, so she lived close…
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Leaving Home
Read More: Leaving HomeBeekhuis Family ~ 1923 I left home when I was 16 [1921] to serve in a family with 6 children. It was good there. But I was happy when I could go home for a weekend. The people were nice, and I was like one of their own. But after 2 1/2 years I went…
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The Work Begins
Read More: The Work BeginsWhen I was eleven [1916 – now the oldest daughter], my mother suddenly became ill. Her lungs had torn because of lifting things which were too heavy. Mother needed complete bed rest, and I had to leave school to care for her, to cook meals and take care of the youngest children, Meindert and Tiet.…
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Notes
Read More: NotesNoted 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…