Wordless Wednesday - Hessel Wichers With His Skunk Hides

Thys Broersma Family Portrait

Thys Broersma was the first Broersma in the family to leave the Netherlands and come to the USA. He settled down, and married Gertrude Wichers, and lived the rest of his life in the USA. I recently was able to see a copy of this portrait for the first time. This photo was taken around 1950, of his an Gertrude's 6 kids.


Thys Broersma (1895-1978)
Gertrude (Wichers) Broersma (1901-1955)
Jeanette Broersma (born 1927)
Julian Broersma (1927-2003)
Marion Broersma (1931-1965)
Chester Broersma (1933-2004)
Delmar Broersma (born 1934)
Marcella Broersma (born 1938)

Such A Nerd...

Well, I think I might officially be a genealogy nerd, if I wasn't already.

I was searching some newspapers for anything I could find on the Broersmas. Yeah, that's kinda nerdy, but I wasn't searching newspapers in the US, I was searching Netherlands newspapers on this site: delpher.nl. I don't speak Dutch, or really read it either, so that makes it a little difficult. So that took the nerd factor up a notch.

Then I came across this mention of my great grandparents, Lawrence Broersma and Grace Wichers, and it was their marriage announcement.

This announcement was printed on 8 April 1926. They were married on 4 April, which was Easter Sunday. I was excited because I thought that this was a mention of their marriage in a Dutch newspaper. Turned out that was half right. This is from a newspaper that was printed in Dutch, but is actually published in Iowa. It's called "De Volksvriend". Since parts of Iowa have large Dutch populations, as a result from immigrations during the early 20th century, I guess there was enough people that spoke Dutch and got their news from this source.

So to recap - I was searching newspapers for genealogy info, on a Dutch website in the Netherlands, and looking at newspapers that are actually in the USA that are printed in Dutch. AND I was getting excited about it, cause I was finding some tidbits of info on some other family members from this same newspaper.

I am a nerd.

Mystery Monday - Unidentified Wichers

This is a picture that my grandma has. It should be from Kansas, and most likely of some Wichers children. There were no names on the back, and everyone I've asked can't figure out who these children are. I think possibly it is from the late teens, early 20s based on the car. The older girl sitting down could be my great grandma Grace Gertrude Wichers. If it's her, the other children may be a mixture of her brothers and sisters and cousins.

I just like the look of it, with the barn and the old car and the horse drawn buggy in the background. I just wish I could figure out who these kids are. And also the people in the background.

Four Generation Friday - 5 Generations!

I think four generation pictures are pretty cool, but this one is 20% better - It has five generations!


Marinus Wichers (1871-1962)
Martha (Wichers) Visser (1895-1980)
Bernice (Visser) VanDalen (b. 1924)
Alvin John VanDalen (b. 1942)
Alvin Scott VanDalen (b. 1961)

Lawrence and Grace Broersma's Anniversary

On Easter Sunday, 4 April 1926 at the Ireton Christian Reformed Church, Laas "Lawrence" Broersma and Grace Gertrude Wichers were married.


Grace wrote down some of their family story in a small notebook and here is what she had to say:

History of the Lawrence & Grace Broersma family

Apr. 4, 1926 Lawrence & Grace were married on Easter Sun. in the Ireton Chr. Ref. Church. Rev. Edw. van Farrowa was the Pastor. It was very cold and a lot of snow on the ground.


We lived in Ireton the first year then we moved out to the country for a while on the yard by a farmer. Then we moved on a farm by Maurice, Iowa and farmed with Grace's brother Garret Wichers for a while. We wanted to start farming on our own but the rent was so high in Sioux County, Iowa. So we rented a farm in Minnesota (1930), about 80 miles north. That farm was full of quack grass. We stayed there only one year. Then we rented a farm east of Ruthton. We stayed there a number of years. Those were hard years, the depression years. But the nice part was we were all in the same boat, so we had a lot in common.

But the winters were so bad, Lawrence couldn't stand it. The Pr. told Grace if you don't want to be a widow, we best move to a warmer climate. So in Oct. 1938 we had sale and went by train to the Yakima Valley in Wash. That was a good move for the whole family. Lawrence worked for fruit ranchers pruning trees in the winter. He got ony 25 cts an hour the first year. That wasn't much. By that time we had 8 children, but we could get all the fruit we could use or can, and also spuds. And we raised a good garden so we made out ok. We joined the Zillah Church and those people were so good to us. They had a fruit & veg. shower right away as soon as we were in our first home and spuds and apples. It was wonderful.

At that time we could go to town and buy quite a box of groceries for $5. We got to town once a week. Lawrence had steady work in the orchards and Grace was busy at home. We lived by Zillah for 3 years. In 1941 we moved to Lynden, WA in Oct. Here we lived in town one year, then moved out in the country, which was much better for the children. Lawrence worked for farmers and the older boys started to work in berries etc. In the fall the men would pick spuds. In the fall of 1943 we bought the old farm on the Central Road & Lunde Rd. That was a good place for the fam. We moved there in Feb. 1944. We lived there for about 14 years. The whole fam. worked together on that place. We all enjoy it there.

Then Pop went in the Duraclean business. Marv bought the farm an we moved to town. That was a hard move for the fam. We had 4 boys and 2 girls still home. By that time we had 12 children. Not easy to live in town after being on the farm so long.


We bought an old house on 1709 C St. in Lynden, Mr. Ben Hendricks borrow us the money for the down payment. Lloyd & Marv did a lot of work on the house to make it liveable. We enjoyed it there. The house was small but we made do. We were in the Duraclean cleaning business. By this time the fam. were mostly out doing their own thing, had their own jobs etc. but lived at home off & on. Some went to Mich. Some would travel back and forth.

Then in 1963 Lawrence was poisoned by some spot remover he used. He had a stroke and Dr. said we should go where we would have more sun shine. So back to Zillah in the fruit trees working out in the sun sure was the right thing. We also did the janitor work in the Zillah Chr. Ref. Church. Grace did housework for a couple different fam. that way we had money coming in in the bad weather too. By this time Ken was the only child home any more. All the others were married. Ken was in the 7th grade. It was Jan 1, 1964 when we moved back to Zillah. We stayed there 3 1/2 years. Ken was in high school, but the people that rented our house bought a house of their own. Then we moved back to Lynden June 2, 1967. Then we got the job as janitor of 3rd Chr. Ref. Ch. in Lynden.

We held that job 9 and 1/2 years. By that time Ken was also married. Then we did the cleaning in the senior center in Lynden. And finally decided we were old enough to retire. Now we sold our house to Copeland yards, but we can live here as long as we are able. In 1968 we sold the house on 1709 C St. and bought this house at 306 Liberty St. This was closer to church, and worked out much better. We move in here in Nov. 1968 and have been here since. We sold this house Aug of 1981, at least that is when the papers were signed. We enjoy it here. God has been very good to us all through the years. He was always near.

Annie Rosendale Turns 136

Antje van Rosendal, or in the American tongue Annie Rosendale, was born 136 years ago today, on 13 February 1876. She was born in the tiny town of Dispatch, Kansas to Beert Berends van Rosendal and Maartje Hessels de Jong. I recently was able to scan this photo of her when she was probably 12. It's with her mother and older sister Maggie. Just a couple years later Annie would be married to Marinus Wichers.

Happy 85th Birthday Lloyd Broersma!

Today my grandpa turns 85! He was born on 3 February 1927 in Ireton, Iowa. His full name is Lloyd Julian Broersma. In Dutch tradition the names of the children typically are after the grandparents. Usually the the first son's first name is after the paternal grandfather, with the second name after the father. The first daughter is named after the maternal grandmother, and so on. One time when I was visiting with my grandpa he told me that his first name Lloyd (starting with the letter L) is for his paternal grandmother Luitske, and his middle name Julian (starting with J) is for his paternal grandfather Jetze. When he was growing up they were a pretty poor family, and the women told Lloyd's mom (Grace Gertrude Wichers) that she couldn't name her son such a fancy name since they were poor. She didn't care.

Here's a picture I recently found of him from when he graduated from 8th grade.

The letter that started it all

89 years ago today, my Great Grandfather, Laas "Lawrence" Broersma, wrote a letter to a girl that he had never met. Her name was Grace Gertrude Wichers. The only connection he had with her was that his brother Thys was courting her sister Gertrude.


In the letter Lawrence introduces himself and hopes that Grace will write back. She does and they eventually get married. From that marriage they have 12 children. And in case you were wondering, Thys and Gertrude also were married.

Here is the full transcription of the letter, as best as I can make out the handwriting:

Ireton 26th Nov. 1922
Miss Grace Wichers = Downs, Kansas

Well I suppose you will be very much surprised to get a letter from somebody you've never heard of before, and I am sure you've never seen me either. But then that would not make any difference. I guess you like to know how I happen to know you. Well I'll tell you. It was a dark night once in the early spring this year, that my brother was cranking his Ford. I of course was wondering what was going on, but I found out that he went to Maurice to get somebody from the train. He came home late that night. The next Sunday he introduced me to miss Gertrude Wichers the one he got from the train as I said before. We are still very good friends. Of course my brother is a little better friend to her as you can imagine.

So you see that is the way that I happen to know you for she told me a lot about you. And while I know you I think you have the same right to know me also. Well I guess you almost know who I am now. My first name is Lawrence and my last is Broersma. I do not know if you ever will answer this letter, yet I'll be very much pleased if you would for the more friends a person has the less enemies he'll get. Garrett and Gertrude are making it fine. Gertrude is a true lady as you will know by this time. Now I will close this letter and see if I get the answer someday.

In doing so I call myself with greetings,
Lawrence Broersma
c/o R de Boer
Ireton (IA)

Happy 140th Birthday Marinus Wichers (1871-1962)

My Great Great Grandpa, Marinus Wichers, would be 140 years old if he was still alive today. In this picture, with his parents and siblings, he is in the back row on the left. On a side note, man can he grow a thick mustache. And the dude in the back row center (oldest brother Henry) kinda looks like Jamie Hyneman from Mythbusters. Again, probably because of the mustache.


My Great Grandma, Grace (Wichers) Broersma, wrote down all the birthdays of her relatives and grandchildren in a small notebook. There are also a few short family histories written down, and here is what she has to say about her dad, Marinus.

Marinus "Rene" Wichers was born Nov. 24, 1871. Died March 20, 1962. Annie (Rosendale) Wichers was born Feb. 13, 1876. Died Jan. 1, 1953. These were my parents. Grace G. Wichers-Broersma is writing this. Grandpa & Grandma Wichers (Henry & Gertrude) came to America in 1871 to Patterson, New Jersey. Grandpa & Grandma Wichers moved to Kansas when my father was 7 years old. They first lived in a dugout, then homesteaded a farm, and built a home. They had 2 sons when they left Holland. My father was born 2 months after they arrived in Patterson, NJ. He often told us that he was almost a man without a country. Grandpa H.J. Wichers was a baker in Holland, a very good one. When he came to Kansas he farmed near Dispatch Kansas.

For more info on Marinus, check out my info on World Connect on Rootsweb.com.

Grace Gertrude Wichers turns 106...

Today is another birthday. This one is my Great Grandma's: Grace Gertrude (Wichers) Broersma, born 16 Nov 1905. She was born in a very humble home in the side of a hill on a farm, in the area of Downs, Kansas. The type of home was called a dugout, very similar to what they might have had in the "Little House on the Prairie" books.

My family took a summer trip in 1988 and drove through Kansas. We took along a picture of the dugout we had hoping to find it. We stopped in at the Dispatch Christian Reformed Church, as I recall, and asked if anyone had seen this.

In the church there were a group of old ladies working on quilts, and we discovered that they were all related to us in some way. One of the ladies said "that's on my land!" So she took us to go see it.
As you can see it was pretty run down, but it was still cool to see. I hope to get back there one day and see if it is still there. I'm also going to see if I can find some green striped shorts and a "Shark Attax" shirt with holes and fake blood to try and recreate the moment.

80 years ago, Gertrude Dengerink Wichers died at 80

Geertruida "Gertrude" (Dengerink) Wichers died 80 years ago today, on 9 November 1931 in Dispatch, Smith County, Kansas. She was born in Zutphen, Gelderland, in The Netherlands on 14 June 1842. She was 80 years old when she died.


Here is a link to her memorial on FindAGrave.com

The Baptism of Derk Wijchers 361 years ago

The Wichers side in my family goes back pretty far, back into the 1600's in Gelderland, the Netherlands. The further back I go the harder it becomes to research, not only because of the lack of information, but also because of the older language used and more common spelling changes.

Derk Wijchers is the furthest baptism record I've found in my direct Wichers line. I do know the names of his parents from that record, and have also found some of his siblings. Derk is my 7 Great Grandfather, and here is a transcription of his baptism that is from genealogiedomein.nl:

Nederduits Gereformeerde Gemeente GELSELAAR
Doopboek 1640-1657
20.10.1650 DERRICK, sone van Wijchart Heuckinck ende Fenne Eeluijden. Testes Henric
Wolters, Herman Bennekinck, ende Elske Wolters.

Even harder than reading the transcription is reading the original. Words are faded and hard to read cause of the cursive. This is a photo of a copy of the original, not a scan, so the detail is not quite as sharp either. This photo of the copy is also from genealogiedomein.nl.



Through some of the other records I have found, I have started to piece together his family, but again it's a little difficult because the names are spelled different almost every time, especially for Derk's mother. Here is Derk's marriage record:

Nederduits Gereformeerde Gemeente GELSELAAR
Trouwboek 1676-1695
07.05.1682 Derck Wijchers S. van Wijchert Hoijckinck, ende Enneken Hendricksen d.
van Hendrick Nijen Esch. Cop. den 7 Maij

And here is Derk's parent's marriage:

Nederduits Gereformeerde Gemeente GELSELAAR
Trouwboek 1639-1657
27.04.1641 Wichaert Hoijckinck weduwer van zall. Aerne te Kleinhornte, ende Fenna dochter van Wolter ende Engele toe Nascheler.

Unfortunately images are not available for everything yet. Even if they are, it can become very time consuming to search through them. I'm glad someone took the time to transcribe these. Searching a PDF is much faster.

For more info on Derk Wijchers, check out my stuff on World Connect on Rootsweb.com.