Adema

(I) The Ademas in my family seem to originate from one town: Arum, which is in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. I haven't been able to trace the line back as far as some of the other lines in my family because early on they were possibly Mennonite, and wouldn't be in the baptism records. Jacob Willems is the furthest person that I have traced. He was the son of a man named Willem, and was born sometime around 1750, probably in Arum or maybe Witmarsum. According to some correspondence I had with another person doing research, Jacob Willems died on 3 May 1795. He was married to Lijsbeth Hendriks on 12 March 1775 in Witmarsum. They had at least 3 children, and most likely more. A couple of them were baptized as adults, and were married and I was able to confirm the names of their parents on the marriage records.
1. Trijntje Jacobs Adema b: 23 FEB 1776 in Friesland, Netherlands
2. Sytze Jacobs Adema b: 11 MAR 1785 in Arum, Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
3. Jacob Jacobs Adema b: ABT 1794 in Arum, Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
In addition to these 3, someone else has found another child: Auwe (Ouwe) Adema Birth: 1 JUN 1788, but I haven't been able to confirm that one.

Here is the church in Arum, however if the Ademas were Mennonite then they wouldn't have gone here.

(II) Jacob Jacobs Adema was born around 1794 in Arum. He would live to be 75 an died on 14 March 1869. He was married to Johantje Sytses Kooistra on 5 November 1819. Together they gave birth to 11 children:
1. Doettje Jacobs Adema b: 20 NOV 1819 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
2. Lijsbeth Jacobs Adema b: 6 FEB 1821 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
3. Sytske Jacobs Adema b: 23 JUN 1823 in Arum, Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
4. Hendrikje Jacobs Adema b: 7 OCT 1825 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
5. Doetje Jacobs Adema b: 7 JAN 1828 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
6. Jacob Jacobs Adema b: 11 DEC 1829 in Franekeradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
7. Wytske Jacobs Adema b: 9 DEC 1830 in Achlum, Franekeradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
8. Sytse Jacobs Adema b: 5 JAN 1834 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
9. Oege Jacobs Adema b: 2 SEP 1835 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
10. Johannes Jacobs Adema b: 11 JAN 1837 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
11. Trijntje Jacobs Adema b: 14 JUL 1840 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands

(III) Sytse Jacobs Adema was born in 1834 in Arum according to his birth record:


On 5 May 1860 he married Hittje Hilbrands Brouwer. She passed away on 2 January 1877. Seven months later, on 2 August 1877, Sytse married a second wife named Trijntje Huizenga. Sytse lived to be 72 and died on 5 January 1906. He and his 2 wives would have a total of 17 children born, although not all survived. They were all most likely born in Arum. With his first wife Hittje he had:
1. Lijsbeth Sietzes Adema b: 19 MAR 1861 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
2. Klaaske Sietzes Adema b: 18 JUL 1862 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
3. Unnamed Adema b: 24 DEC 1863 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
4. Johantje Sietzes Adema b: 1 MAR 1865 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
5. Unnamed Adema b: 1 OCT 1866 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
6. Hilbrand Sietzes Adema b: 10 DEC 1867 in Arum, Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
7. Jacoba Sietzes Adema b: 13 FEB 1870 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
8. Jacob Sietzes Adema b: 27 MAY 1872 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
9. Jacob Sietzes Adema b: 13 MAR 1875 in Arum, Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands

With his second wife Trintje they had:
10. Ottje Sietzes Adema b: 26 JUN 1878 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
11. Wietske Sietzes Adema b: 28 SEP 1879 in Arum, Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
12. Hendrikje Sietzes Adema b: 25 JAN 1881 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
13. Hendrikje Sietzes Adema b: 12 MAR 1882 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
14. Pieter Sietzes Adema b: 24 AUG 1883 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
15. Johannes Sietzes Adema b: 6 AUG 1884 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
16. Siebe Sietzes Adema b: 19 AUG 1885 in Arum, Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands
17. Hendrikje Sietzes Adema b: 30 SEP 1886 in Wonseradeel, Friesland, Netherlands

(IV) Jacob Sietzes Adema was born in 1875, again in the town of Arum. When he was 14 he immigrated to the United States with his older sister Klaaske.


He would settle in Iowa and marry a dutch girl by the name of Sytske “Susan” Riemersma around 1899. They would eventually move to Lynden, Washington and live out the rest of their days there. Jacob died at age 70 on 21 March 1945. Together Jacob and Susan would have 9 children:
1. Akke “Agnes” Adema b: 1 FEB 1900 in Iowa
2. Sietse “Simon” Adema b: 22 MAR 1902 in Iowa
3. Henry J Adema b: 11 OCT 1903 in Iowa
4. Hattie “Harriet” Adema b: 21 APR 1905
5. Hilbrand “Hilbert” Adema b: 2 MAY 1907
6. Johanna Adriana Adema b: 4 MAY 1909
7. George Adema b: ca 1911
8. Jeanette Jacoba Adema b: 17 MAR 1913 in Carnes, Iowa, USA
9. Elizabeth Adema b: 31 MAR 1915

(V) Sietse “Simon” Adema was born in Iowa in 1902. He would be married to Grace van Hofwegen on 12 Dec 1923. I haven't been able to determine where they were married, but they were living in Minnesota when they started having kids. Later they would move to Lynden, Washington, and following that they would end up in southern California in the Artesia area.


Simon lived to be 86 and died on 2 June 1988. Together with his wife they had 5 children:
1. Ruth Adema b: 11 MAR 1924 in Worthington, MN
2. Jean Adema b: 22 OCT 1925 in Edgerton, Pipestone Co, MN
3. Donald Adrian Adema b: 4 FEB 1927
4. Duane Eugene Adema b: 15 MAR 1931
5. Lois June Adema b: 5 MAR 1940 in Los Angeles Co, CA