Derk Willem Huinink and Catharina Jentink were part of the second emigration wave in the nineteenth century. They emigrated from their Aalten home in 1869 together with their extended family. They settled in Town of Holland, Sheboygan County, WI.

Lives in the Netherlands

Derk Willem Huinink was born in Aalten on 9 March 1827 as the son of Jan Berend Huinink and Berendina Heesen. His parents had 7 children in total of whom 3 died as young adults.

Aalten market place

Derk Willem received a common-school education and afterward worked on his father's farm. At the age of 17, he was apprenticed to a weaver. In those days, farmers often had a loom in their farm to make some extra money in the winter.

On 28 May 1858, Derk Willem was married to Catharina Jentink. On the same day, his sister Janna Willemina Huinink was married to Jan Berend Schepers.

Derk Willem Huenink and Catharina Jentink. (Source: Mary Risseeuw)

Catharina Jentink was born in Aalten on 20 November 1834 as the daughter of Hendrik Jan Jentink and Dora Hendrika Lammers. She was one of 10 children.

Emigration

On 15 September 1869, the extended family emigrated from Aalten. Derk Wilem Huinink and Catharina Jentink were joined the following people:

• their 5 children Jan Berend, Dora Hendrika, Hendrik Jan, Christiaan and Berendina Gesiena
• his father Jan Berend Huinink (mother Berendina Heesen had died in 1848)
• his sister Janna Willemina Huinink and her husband Jan Berend Schepers
• his sister Dela Huinink and her husband Bernard Hunink (she later married Jan Willem Wieberdink) together with their children Jan Hendrik, Berendina Gesina, Gezina and Janna
• her parents Hendrik Jan Jentink and Dora Hendrika Lammers
  
  

  Gravestone of H.J. Jentink and D.H. Lammers
• her brother Gerrit Jan Jentink and his wife Frederika Lubbers and their two children Hendrik Jan and Aleida Johanna
• her sister Berendina Jentink and her husband Gerrit Jan Neerhof and their children Johanna Geertruid (who later married Garret Henry Debbink), Dora Hendrika and Roelof
• her sister Grada Jentink and her husband Derk Jan Neerhof and their children Dela Johanna, Jan Hendrik and Hendrik Jan
• her sister Hendrika Gesina Jentink, who would later marry Abraham Ernesse

Although the Aalten records list their emigration date as 15 September 1869, the biography of Derk W. Huenink mentions the family sailed from Rotterdam on 25 June 1869. Sometimes the municipality recorded the emigrations after the fact, so these dates might both be correct. Eleven days after leaving Rotterdam, the family arrived in Quebec. They travelled on to Sheboygan County, WI and arrived in Amsterdam on 25 July 1869.

Living in Sheboygan County

The following spring Derk Willem Huinink bought 72 acres of land on section 19 for which he paid $2,000. His name changed to Derk Willem Huenink. Four more children were born to Derk Willem and Catharina, so the entire family consisted of:

1. Jan Berend Huinink, born Aalten 20 May 1859
2. Dora Hendrika Huinink, born Aalten 12 June 1861, married John Lohuis, a farmer of the town of Holland
3. Hendrik Jan Huinink, born Aalten 15 October 1863, who became a cheesemaker in Cedar Grove, WI. On 3 May 1887, he married Jennie De Meester, born 15 November 1866.
   
   

   Hendrik Jan Huenink and Jennie De Meester. (Source: Mary Risseeuw)
4. Christiaan Huinink, born Aalten 22 April 1866, who became a veterinary surgeon in Cedar Grove, WI
5. Berendina Gesiena Huinink, born Aalten 22 April 1868, married Harry Scott
6. John W. Huenink, born WI 3 June 1871
7. Gerret J. Huenink, born WI 25 May 1875
8. Catharina W. Huenink, born WI 6 December 1876
9. Derk W. Huenink jr., born WI 30 July 1880.

The family attended the Presbyterian church. Derk Willem was active in this church and served as an Elder for over 19 years.

Derk Willem and Catharina on their 50th wedding anniversary. (Source: Mary Risseeuw)

Last week, my friend Mary Risseeuw from Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin and I gave a presentation at the International Congress for genealogical and heraldic Sciences in Maastricht. The title was "We're all fresh and healthy. Emigration from the Netherlands to the United States in the 19th century. The slides are now available online.

I've just added a Dutch genealogy store to the site. In this store, visitors can buy books, DVDs and prints about Dutch genealogy, history and culture. I've selected publications that I think would benefit somebody researching his Dutch roots. The store is powered by Amazon. This website receives a commission for all sales, enabling this website to remain free.

Different regions in the Netherlands have different customs. This applies to Dutch surnames as well as to many other traditions. Some areas use suffixes that are typical of that region.

Knowing about the suffixes in Dutch family names can help you in trying to find out in which province to look for your ancestors. More information about regional customs can also be found in the articles about the different provinces in the Geography section.

Marriage records are a part of the civil registration. Marriage records contain the following information:

• Name, age, profession and place of birth and residence of the bride and groom
• Names of their parents, and if they are still alive their professions and place of residence
• If any: names of previous spouses (either divorced or deceased)
• Name, age, profession and place of residence for 4 witnesses

The province of Limburg is situated in the south-east of the Netherlands. The province borders Germany to the east, Belgium to the south, Belgium and Noord-Brabant to the east and Noord-Brabant to the north.

The capital city of Limburg is Maastricht. Other larger towns are:

• Heerlen
• Sittard
• Venlo
• Geleen

The first larger emigration wave from the Netherlands took place in the seventeenth century. A new colony was established in the Americas, which was called the New Netherlands. After a rough start, this colony attracted emigrants from all over Europe.