(I) Wijchert Hoijckink is the furthest person in the Wichers line that I have been able to trace. I estimate that he was born sometime around 1620, or quite possible earlier because I think he may have had a previous marriage to the one I know of. His wife (or possible 2nd wife) was Fenne Wolters. He was married to her on 27 April 1641 in Gelselaar. Here is a transcription of the record of their marriage, from Genealogie in de Achterhoek. It appears to say that he was a widower.
27.04.1641 Wichaert Hoijckinck weduwer van zall. Aerne te Kleinhornte, ende Fenna dochter van Wolter ende Engele toe Nascheler.
From what I can piece together, they appear to have had at least 4 children that were baptized in Gelselaar:
1. Rutger Wijchers bapt: 1 SEP 1644 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
2. Engle Wijchers bapt: 16 MAY 1647 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
3. Derck Wijchers bapt: 20 OCT 1650 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
4. Engeltien Wijchers bapt: 20 SEP 1657 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
(II) Derck Wijchers was baptized on 20 October 1650. Here is a picture (not a scan) of the original text where his baptism is mentioned. It's kinda hard to read, so here is also the transription for comparison. My main reason for showing this is also for comparison with the names of Derck's parents, particularly his mother's name which is different from above. Just one little thing that makes it confusing and hard to research.
20.10.1650 DERRICK, sone van Wijchart Heuckinck ende Fenne Eeluijden. Testes Henric Wolters, Herman Bennekinck, ende Elske Wolters
He was married to Enneken Hendricksen on 7 May 1682 in Gelselaar also. This is the transcription of that marriage:
07.05.1682 Derck Wijchers S. van Wijchert Hoijckinck, ende Enneken Hendricksen d.
van Hendrick Nijen Esch. Cop. den 7 Maij
They had at least 7 children that were baptized in Gelselaar:
1. Esseltien Wijchers bapt: 30 SEP 1683 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
2. Wolter Wijchers bapt: 11 JAN 1685 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
3. Fenneken Wijchers bapt: 16 OCT 1687 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
4. Esseltien Wijchers bapt: 20 OCT 1689 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
5. Hendrik Wijchers bapt: 14 JAN 1693 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
6. Aerntien Wijchers bapt: 29 MAR 1700 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
7. Wichert Derksen Wijchers bapt: 10 MAY 1705 in Gelselaar, Gelderland, Netherlands
(III) This is where I start to feel a little more comfortable with my information, mainly because other researchers have come to the same conclusion. That doesn't mean that there are still some name questions I have. Wichert Derksen Wijchers was born in 1705. He would later marry Roelofken Koeslag Marsman on 29 April 1742 in Lochem, which is also in Gelderland. Here is the transcription of their marriage, but also a note of explanation on what happened to the original text.
29.04.1742 Wijchert Derxen j.m. soon van Derck Wijchers van hier, met *(Roelefken) Coeslag j.d. van *(wijlen Hendrick) Coeslag onder Lochem.
Cop. tot Lochem *(den 29 april, att. van Lochem.)
Concerning the transcriptie:
Over the period 1695-1759 in the register, supposedly in second half of the eighteenth century, in a derogatory grapheme modifications and/or additional data has been introduced. In this transcriptie those passages have been seen with an asterisk * and after this sign underlines the text concerned between round hooks () reflected. For example: 29.04.1742 Wijchert Derxen j.m. soon van Derck Wijchers of here, with * (Roelefken) Coeslag j.d. of * (late Hendrick) Coeslag under Lochem. COP. to Lochem. * (pine 29 April, att. of Lochem.)
Every registration is litterally transcribed in its whole. On behalf of. the overzichtelijkheid extra vóór every registration has been placed a numerical date.
Wichert and Roelofken had lots of children, 12 is how many I could find and it's hard to imagine them having much more.
1. Anneken Wichers bapt: 20 OCT 1743 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
2. Hendrik Wichers bapt: 17 FEB 1745 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
3. Derk Wichers bapt: 16 MAR 1749 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
4. Roelofken Wichers bapt: 31 MAR 1751 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
5. Hendrikus Wichers bapt: 4 MAR 1753 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
6. Aeltjen Wichers bapt: 23 JUN 1754 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
7. Essele Wichers bapt: 21 SEP 1755 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
8. Janna Wichers bapt: 8 APR 1757 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
9. Jan Wichers bapt: 25 JUN 1758 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
10. Fenneken Wichers bapt: 14 DEC 1760 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
11. Janna Wichers bapt:: 11 MAR 1763 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
12. Lammert Wichers bapt: 22 DEC 1764 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
The tower of the giant church in Lochem
(IV) The name Klijn Koeslag keeps showing up in these few generations and I'm not sure if that was part of the names or if it means something else. It might be a reference to Wicher's mother Roelofkjen, who has Koeslag in her name. Even though the names are not consistent, the pieces seem to fit together, so I'm pretty sure that the info is correct. Jan Wichers was baptized on 25 June 1758. Here's a look at that record:
25.06.1758 JAN, s. van Wichert Kl. Koeslag en Roelofken Marsmans, ehel. (Schependomb)
He was married to Derksken Beltman on 8 Jan 1786 on Lochem.
08.01.1786 Geprocl. 08.01/15.01/22.01.1786 Jan Klijn Koeslag, zoon Wiggert Klijn Koeslag
in Nettelhorst en Derksken Beltman, dogter van Hendrik Beltman in Ampsen
Jan died at the age of 78 on 6 February 1837, still living in Lochem. I have only been able to find record of 3 children that they had:
1. Jenneken Wichers b: 26 FEB 1788 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
2. Roelof Wichers b: 26 MAR 1790 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
3. Hendrik Wichers b: 4 AUG 1792 in Lochem, Gelderland, Netherlands
(V) Hendrik Wichers was born on 4 August 1792. Here is where the names start to become more consistant.
05.08.1792 HENDRIK, geb. d. 4 aug. vader Jan Wichers op den Pros - moeder Derksken Beltman
Hendrik was married twice. First to Harmina Kapelle on 4 September 1821 in Lochem. She died on 14 April 1828, and after that Hendrik married second Maria Scheuter on 9 May 1829 in Gorssel. Hendrik was a carpenter and lived to be 78 and died on 18 January 1871 in Harfsen. He had a total of 11 children born, although not all of them lived. Here are his children with Harmina:
1. Willemina Aleida Wichers b: 10 OCT 1821 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
2. Hendrika Wichers b: 25 NOV 1823 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
3. Derk Jan Wichers b: 19 APR 1825 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
4. Willemken Wichers b: 25 JUN 1826 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
5. Lambertus Wichers b: 18 JAN 1828 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
And with Maria he had:
6. Harmanus Wichers b: 12 JAN 1830 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
7. Aaltjen Wichers b: 1 JUL 1832 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
8. Hendrik Jan “Henry” Wichers b: 18 MAR 1835 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
9. Lambertus Wichers b: 12 MAR 1837 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
10. Gerrit Jan Wichers b: 26 AUG 1839 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
11. Gerrit Jan Wichers b: 30 SEP 1842 in Harfsen, Gorssel, Gelderland, Netherlands
(VI) Hendrik Jan "Henry" Wichers was the immigrant ancestor in my Wichers line. He was born in Gorssel in 1835 and would marry Geertruida "Gertrude" Dengerink on 1 May 1867 in Zutphen. One source of mine says that they owned a bakery in Zutphen. They would have 2 boys born in the Netherlands and then went to America in 1871. They lived first in Patterson, NJ, where Hendrik Jan worked for the railroad until he hurt his left arm and was let go. He was injured by a beam in the railroad workshop. The beam was dropped off a hoist and landed on his shoulders, and he was slightly crippled for the rest of his life. They had 2 more boys born in Patterson, then they came across by train to Solomon, Kansas, and then a two wheeled cart to the area of Downs, Kansas around 1875 to 1878 with their team of oxen Buck and Bright. Supposedly, there is or used to be a piece of the yoke they used in a museum down in that area. They homesteaded 2 miles from Dispatch, Kansas. While they were there they had 2 girls, bringing the total to 6.
Another tidbit of info that has been passed down was that Geerdrude Dengerink came from a little more upper class family, and didn't take well the the hard work of the homestead life in Kansas. Apparently she faked being sick a lot. Hendrik Jan lived to be 81, and died on 8 April 1916. My notes say that he died in Dover, Delaware. I haven't confirmed that and don't know what he was doing there, but he is buried with his wife in the Dispatch Cemetery in Kansas. Their children are:
1. Hendrik Jan “Henry” Wichers b: 4 MAR 1868 in Zutphen, Gelderland, Netherlands
2. Jan Hendrick “John” Wichers b: 15 JUN 1869 in Zutphen, Gelderland, Netherlands
3. Marinus “Rene” Wichers b: 24 NOV 1871 in Patterson, Passaic Co, NJ
4. Bernardus Anthony “Ben” Wichers b: 23 MAR 1875 in Patterson, Passaic Co, NJ
5. Gertrude B. “Gertie” Wichers b: 20 JAN 1878 in Patterson, Passaic Co, NJ
6. Grace Wichers b: 16 AUG 1882 in Dispatch, Smith Co, KS
(VII) Marinus "Rene" Wichers was born in 1871. He was the first of any of my direct line to be born in the United States. His family moved to Kansas when he was young. On a nearby farm a man named Beert Berends van Rosendal was killed in an accident hauling hay. 2 years later, in order to save the farm, Marinus married his daughter Annie Rosendale. Marinus was 18 and she was only 14. They were married on 18 August 1890. Here is their wedding picture.
They would have 11 children born to them in Kansas, and would eventually move to Lynden, Washington. Marinus would live to be 90, and since he was married and had children at a young age, he would live to see a few of his great great grandchildren. He died on 20 March 1962. Here is a picture of their family taken around 1917, before their last daughter was born.
Marinus and Annie's children are:
1. Henry John Wichers b: 24 NOV 1891 in Jewell Co, KS
2. Henry John Wichers b: 21 APR 1893 in Jewell Co, KS
3. Martha Wichers b: 5 FEB 1895 in Jewell Co, KS
4. Benjamin Wichers b: 26 OCT 1896 in Jewell Co, KS
5. Garrett Wichers b: 11 APR 1899 in Jewell Co, KS
6. Gertrude Wichers b: 16 FEB 1901 in Jewell Co, KS
7. Hessel Wichers b: 28 DEC 1902 in Jewell Co, KS
8. Grace Gertrude Wichers b: 16 NOV 1905 in Dispatch, Smith Co, KS
9. John Bernard Wichers b: 6 APR 1909 in Jewell Co, KS
10. Andrew Martin Wichers b: 10 NOV 1913 in Smith Co, KS
11. Henrietta Marie Wichers b: 10 OCT 1921 in Smith Co, KS
