One of the many emigrants from Winterswijk was Garrit Hendrik MEERDINK. He emigrated when he was still a bachelor and settled in the United States. Here he was first married to Janna Hendrika NIJENHUIS and later to Janna Berendina LENSINK.

Garrit Hendrik MEERDINK was born in Winterswijk on 08 November 1824 as a son of Berend Jan MEERDINK and Janna Willemina KEVESKAMP.

In 1850, both Garrit Hendrik and his father Berend Jan emigrated to the United States. Garrit was living on the Rozenhuis farm in the hamlet of Ratum at that time. His father was living on the Hellekamp farm in Miste, another hamlet of Winterswijk. Although she's not listed in the Winterswijk emigration lists, his mother Janna Willemina must have emigrated too because a picture of her and three generations of her offspring still exists.

4 generations of Meerdink women.
The oldest woman is Janna Willemina Keveskamp, the mother of Garrit Hendrik.

Garrit Hendrik settled in Cedar Grove, WI where he married Janna Hendrika NIJENHUIS. Like her husband, she came from Winterswijk. She was born there on 30 June 1822 as a daughter of Jan Hendrik NIJENHUIS and Berendina RESINK.

From this first marriage:

1. Jan Hendrik MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI 22 July 1855.
2. Janna Wilhelmina MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI  28 January 1858
3. Berend Willem MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI 02 December 1859.
   

Janna Hendrika died in Cedar Grove on 02 November 1865 and was burried there. The following spring, Garrit Hendrik was remarried in Cedar Grove. On 05 May 1866 he exchanged his vows with Janna Berendina LENSINK. She was a native of Aalten, near Winterswijk, where she was born on 15 January 1847 as a daughter of Gerrit Willem LENSINK and Aaltjen SOERENS.

Wedding picture of Garrit Hendrik Meerdink and Janna Berendina Lensink

From the second marriage:

1. Garret W. MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 28-03-1867.
2. Hendrik Jan MEERDINK, born 27-01-1869, died 26-09-1870, buried Cedar Grove.
3. Hendrik Jan MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 11-01-1871.
4. Johannes MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 17-10-1873.
5. Arie MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 24-11-1876, died 1952, buried Cedar Grove. Married to Johanna, born 1881, died 1968, buried Cedar Grove.
6. Johanna MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 11-10-1877.
7. Evert MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 21-06-1881.
8. Janna H. MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 09-09-1884.
9. Mary MEERDINK, born Cedar Grove, WI, USA 23-06-1888.
   

Garrit Hendrik Meerdink died on 12 January 1911. Janna Berendina Lensink died on 17 December 1919. Both of them are burried in Cedar Grove, WI.