I was inspired by Gertrude's stories of family history, and I wanted to find the place from whence those stories came. So I started searching. I spent a lot of time on genealogy websites tracing her ancestors (and her husband’s ancestors) back to the 1600’s. The records indicate that four of Gertrude’s ancestors and five of Tony’s ancestors immigrated to America.

Gertrude's Grandparents

• Albert Nederhoed immigrated in......... 1872
• Gritje (Maggie) Pool…………....….1872 or 1874
• Jan (John) Bouwer………………………...… 1882
• Jennigien Assink……………………………… 1883

Immigration evidence is largely gathered from early census information, which required Americans to state their country of origin, and when they immigrated. Often the dates are approximate. In the 1900 census, Gritje Pool indicated that she immigrated in 1872. In the 1910 census, the immigration year is marked as 1874. Despite the uncertainty, it is now possible to find direct evidence of the immigration of specific people. Ellis Island is digitizing its records and cataloging them for search. An increasing number of old passenger lists are now searchable as well. And an army of amateur sleuths is sorting through these records, and posting their discoveries online. I’ve been able to locate direct evidence of immigration (in the form of passenger lists) for four direct ancestors. Follow the links above for images and further details.

* It appears Jan Willem immigrated with his infant children (including Hermina, who later married Derk Geerts Boven) shortly after his wife’s death in Holland. He remarried within a year of arriving in Chicago, and by the next census he and Hermina were living in Missaukee County.

Jan (John) Bouwer was Gertrude’s maternal grandfather. He immigrated in 1882 shortly before his wife, Jennigan Assink, immigrated. The following information was taken from the ship’s registry:

• Arrival Date: 5 April 1882
• Age: 29
• Occupation: Laborer
• Origin: Germany
• Port of Departure: Antwerp, Belgium
• Port of Arrival: New York

Ship Description and Images. The SWITZERLAND was a 2,816 gross ton ship, built by Palmers Shipbuilding & Iron Co, Jarrow-on-Tyne in 1874 for the Red Star Line of Antwerp. Her details were – length 329.4ft x beam 38.6ft, straight stem, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 13 knots. There was accommodation for 70-1st and 800-3rd class passengers. Launched on January 17, 1874, she left Antwerp on her maiden voyage to New York on April 24, 1874. In October 1878 she made her first voyage from Antwerp to Philadelphia. Between 1878 and 1884 she sailed between Antwerp and New York or Philadelphia, and between 1884 and 1904 sailed from Antwerp to Philadelphia, except for one New York voyage in each of 1884, 1886, 1888 and 1901. In 1897 she was refitted to carry 3rd class only passengers and on October 26, 1904 commenced her last voyage from Philadelphia to Antwerp. In 1905 she was sold to Italian owners and renamed SANSONE and was scrapped in Italy in 1909.

Sources. Passenger List: www.ancestry.com; Ship Images: www.google.com; Ship Description: North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.2,p.851.

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Jennigan (Jennie) Assink was Gertrude’s maternal grandmother. She immigrated in 1883 shortly after her husband, Jan Bouwer, immigrated. The following information was taken from the ship’s registry:

• Arrival Date: 14 May 1883
• Age: 28
• Origin: ‘Netherlands’
• Port of Departure: Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Port of Arrival: New York

Ship Description and Images. The LEERDAM was a 2,796 gross ton ship, built by Nederlandsche Stoomboot Mij, Fijenoord (Rotterdam) in 1881. Her details were – length 322.1ft x beam 40ft, straight stem, one funnel, two masts, iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was accommodation for 44-1st and 392-3rd class passengers. Built as a speculation for the builders and launched on 28/4/1881 as the NEDERLAND, in the absence of purchasers she ran for them on the North Atlantic. However, in 1882 she was bought by the Holland America Line and renamed LEERDAM. Her first Rotterdam – New York voyage started on 16/9/1882 and her first Amsterdam – New York voyage on 13/3/1883. On 7/6/1884 she resumed Rotterdam – New York sailings and on 1/10/1887 resumed Amsterdam – New York service. Her last voyage on this route commenced on 19/3/1889 and on 16/12/1889 she was sunk in collision with the British steamer GAW-QUAN-SIN in the North Sea with no loss of life, while on voyage from Rotterdam to Buenos Aires.

Sources. Passenger List: www.ancestry.com and the Bentheimers International Society; Ship Image: www.google.com; Ship Description: North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.910.

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Derk Geerts Boven was Tony Boven’s paternal grandfather. (This makes him Gertrude’s grandfather-in-law.) He immigrated in 1882. Three years after arriving in America, he married Hermina Van Der Mey and they settled in Vogel Center, Michigan. The following information was taken from the ship’s registry:

• Arrival Date: 18 Apr 1882
• Age: 25
• Gender: Male
• Occupation: Farmer
• Origin: Netherlands
• Port of Departure: Rotterdam, Netherlands
• Port of Arrival: New York

Ship Description and Images. The P. CALAND was a 2,540 gross ton ship, built by Robert Napier & Sons, Glasgow in 1874 for the Holland America Line. Her details were – length 350.1ft x beam 38.1ft, clipper stem, one funnel, three masts (rigged for sail), iron construction, single screw and a speed of 10 knots. There was capacity for 50-1st and 600-3rd class passengers. Launched on 2/5/1874, she sailed from Rotterdam on 11/7/1874 on her maiden voyage to Plymouth and New York. On 14/7/1888 she started her first Amsterdam – New York sailing and on 24/5/1890 resumed Rotterdam – Boulogne – New York voyages. She collided with, and sank the British steamer GLAMORGAN in the English Channel on 15/4/1891 and on 15/7/1891 resumed Amsterdam – New York sailings. Her last voyage on this service commenced on 10/4/1897 and later the same year she went to the Italian owned Cosulich Line and was renamed RESSEL. In 1899 she became the French owned CARAMANIE and in March 1910 was scrapped at Marseilles.

Sources. Passenger List: www.ancestry.com; Ship Images: www.google.com; Ship Description: North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor, vol.3,p.909.

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Tonnis was Tony Boven’s maternal grandfather. (This makes him Gertrude’s grandfather-in-law.) Tonnis was married to Anje Mengers prior to immigrating to America, so it is possible that she made the journey with him… though I can’t find any evidence one way or the other. The following information was taken from the ship’s registry:

• Arrival Date: 15 May 1882
• Name on Passenger List: Theunis Dijkhuis
• Age: 30
• Gender: Male
• Occupation: Farmer
• Origin: Netherlands
• Purpose: Permanent Sojourn
• Port of Departure: Amsterdam, Netherlands
• Port of Arrival: New York
• Ship Name: Amsterdam
• Accommodations: Steerage

Ship Description and Images. The Amsterdam (one of multiple ships sharing this name) was launched on 17/12/1879 by A. McMillan & Son, Dumbarton for Holland America Line. Details: 2,949 gross tons, length 320.3ft x beam 39.1ft, one funnel, two masts, iron hull, single screw, speed 10 knots, accommodation for 46-1st and 648-3rd class passengers along with a crew of 57. She started her maiden voyage on 27/3/1880 when she sailed from Rotterdam for New York. On 29/4/1882 she commenced her first Amsterdam – New York voyage and on 30/7/1884 was wrecked on Sable Island, Nova Scotia with the loss of three lives.

Sources. Passenger List Information: www.ancestry.com; Ship Image: www.google.com; Ship Description: North Atlantic Seaway by N.R.P.Bonsor.

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