History
History
Written By David L. VerLee
Written 1993
Written 1993
General Background
The VerLee family has its roots in the Netherlands, and like many other families in America, and was part of a huge emigration from Europe that took place in the 1800's.
The times were not good in Europe in the early 1800's and therefore conditions were favorable for emigration. The economy was poor in general, and decreasing prices for farm products, especially grain, hit the farmers hard. In addition, the potato blight of 1845 in western Europe made this staple of the diet almost unavailable.
In the Netherlands, 13% of the population were on welfare in 1841, which steadily increased to 27% by 1850. Taxes and fees were high as well. Carpenters, for example, had to pay high license fees to stay in business. And if this were not enough, cholera epidemics in 1832 and 1848 resulted in the death of many and left the survivors disheartened.
Religious persecution also was prevalent in the Netherlands in the early 1800's. Many people felt the Dutch Reformed Church (the State Church) had become too liberal, and did not hold to the tenets of traditional Christianity, and so they left (seceded) from the church.
The seceders, who included such immigration leaders as Rev. H.P. Scholte and Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, were not free to worship in their own way; indeed they were threatened with loss of their jobs, jail terms, and high fines if they persisted in their present traditions. Van Raalte himself was jailed on at least two occasions, and was threatened that he would be killed if he continued to preach.
Emigration seemed to be the only solution to these laboring people. Meetings in Amsterdam and other cities in the Netherlands had been held for several years to discuss emigration. Three countries were considered as a destination for emigration--the Dutch East Indies (the present Indonesia), South Africa (Cape of Good Hope), and America. These three countries were candidates for immigration primarily because other Dutch people had previously settled there. America was finally decided upon as offering the best advantages of the three choices. One of the reasons given for choosing America was the glowing letters that had been written back home from the immigrants telling of the great prosperity there.
Dutch Leaders in Immigration
Rev. Albertus Van Raalte left Rotterdam on September 14, 1846, with 16 other men and their wives and children (approximately 100 people total) for America. At that point, no particular location in the US had been decided upon for settlement, and upon arriving in New York on November 17, 1846, the party went up the Hudson River by steamer to Albany, and from there to Buffalo by rail.
They then took a steamship from Buffalo to Detroit traversing Lakes Ontario and Erie. Van Raalte left the 100 people in Detroit while he explored further west for a favorable location. Before doing so, however, he found jobs for the men in Detroit working for a company that was in the process of building a steamship.
Van Raalte explored many areas, including several in western Michigan, and finally chose what is now the area of Holland, Michigan. Van Raalte stated, "I choose this region with such decision on account of its great variety, being assured that if the Holland emigration should develop into a power, we ought to remain together for mutual support, and ought to have this variety of labor and capital, especially for future growth."
When Van Raalte arrived in the Holland area, it was almost a complete wilderness, with only three white settlers. One of these settlers, the Rev. George N. Smith, heartily welcomed Van Raalte, and they spent a few days investigating the natural advantages offered to the prospective colonists. Van Raalte then returned to Detroit in January 1847, to collect his scattered band, including his own family. They traveled together to the western Michigan village of Allegan, where Van Raalte had been warmly received previously. After spending a few days there, some of the men bravely marched about 25 miles on to Black Lake (now Lake Macatawa) in what is now the Holland area.
Some of the acquaintances in Allegan went with them to Holland to show the new settlers how to make houses, make roads, and other work necessary to establish a colony. They lived in an old Indian church while construction of buildings was taking place. The first buildings erected were two log sheds 16 x 30 feet in size with roofs made of brush. These sheds were the first homes and afforded shelter for the women and children who came as soon as they could be provided for. These first buildings were later used as receiving barracks for newcomers long after the first settlers had built more comfortable houses for themselves.
The first winter (1846-47) was a difficult one for the new settlers, and included eight deaths. But there were two births, and the first marriage among these newcomers occurred during that first winter.
Subsequent arrivals from the Netherlands included a party of 15 on March 10, 1847, and nearly 100 immigrants who had gone first to St. Louis, Missouri, and then to Chicago. They then made the decision to go to the Holland settlement.
In the fall of 1847, a log church with a shingle roof, 35 x 60 feet in size, was constructed in Holland. This building was also used as the first school building, as well as for public meetings. A few years later, the First Reformed Church (which is still in use and is known as the Christian Reformed Pillar Church) in downtown Holland) was built.
A large number of immigrants died that first summer of 1847 from malaria and other diseases. Many children were orphaned, but almost all of them found homes with the other families. Van Raalte was said to be a pillar of strength to the new settlers during this time--offering counsel, aid, and emotional support where it was needed.
The VerLee Immigration
It was into this setting that the VerLee immigrants settled when they arrived in the Holland settlement in Michigan in June of 1847.
The VerLee genealogy in America has been traced back to Jacob VerLee who was born in 1775 in the Netherlands and died in 1849 in America. His son Pieter VerLee was among the immigrants was arriving here in 1847, and since he came initially without his family, he was first VerLee in America. Pieter's father Jacob, and Pieter's wife and three children came to the US in 1849, two years later.
Early in 1846, an investigative committee was appointed in the province of Zeeland, the Netherlands, to look into the possibility of emigrating to America. The committee met at the city of Goes, Zeeland, and inhabitants of Goes, Axel, Cazand, and Zuid Beveland, were invited to attend. The decision to emigrate was made, and an emigration committee consisting of Johannes Van de Luyster, J. Ver Horst, Willem Houtkamp, and John Steketee was appointed. They decided to travel in three vessels, two of which would leave from Antwerp under the direction of Johannes Van de Luyster, Mr. Van Niewdorp, Jan Steketee, Mr. Van Vorselen, and others. The third vessel, under the direction of Rev. C. van der Meulen of Ter Goes and Mr. Jan Carbort was to start from Rotterdam.
Pieter VerLee and his wife Jannecke along with their three children (Jannecke, Susannah, and Jacob) left Goes, Zeeland, the Netherlands, at 3:00 AM on April 6, 1847, on a barge type boat sailed by Captain Arnoud Narebout. The barge arrived in Antwerp, Belgium at about 1:00 PM later that day.
They were accompanied by the following persons who were also from Goes, Zeeland province: [1]
Johan (John) Frederick Van Anrooy and family
Johannes Hoofsteger (Hoogesteger?) and family
Willem Van de Luyster and family
Jan den Herder and family
Pieter Danne and family
Jannes van de Luyster and family
Five children of Jannes van de Luyster:
1. Jannes
2. Dena (later to become Mrs. Hendrik De Kruif)
3. Elizabeth (later to become Mrs. Cornelius De Putter)
4. Janna (later to become Mrs. Willem Benjaminse)
5. Maatje (later to become Mrs. Willem Leenhouts)
Their departure from Antwerp to New York was delayed because the ship Plato on which they had planned to sail, was found to be old and was condemned by the investigative committee as not being seaworthy.
Because the shipping company was at fault for not supplying a seaworthy ship, the committee demanded that the shipping company pay each traveler 1.5 Belgian francs per day for hotel expenses for the excess time spent. This demand was granted by the shipping company. This was probably an inadequate amount to cover their expenses, but it probably spurred on the owners in furnishing a better ship as quickly as possible.
A different ship, the Kroonprinz von Hanover" (Crown Prince from Hanover, Germany) was secured. The committee was satisfied with this ship. With Captain William Mennen in command, the ship raised anchor and left Antwerp on April 29, 1847, at 4 AM.
The passenger List[2] of the Kron Prins von Hanover listed 181 passengers, and included the following list of VerLees:
1. Pieter VerLee, 31 yr. old laborer from the Netherlands
2. Jenneke (Jeanette) VerLee, 26 yrs old, Pieter's wife
3. Jamekin (Janneke) VerLee, 5 yrs. old
4. Susannah VerLee, 3 yrs. old
5. Jacob VerLee, 1 yr. old
In addition, the following persons who had responsibilities on the ship, are recorded as being on board:
K. Schillman, cook
J.F. Van Anrooy, cook
Isaac Cappon, assistant
Tobius Potter, assistant
J. Kommers, assistant
According to later accounts of the trip, a physician named J.J.M.C. Van Nuys was also aboard the ship.
The ship passed Lilloo, Baarland, TerNeusen and anchored at Vlissingen, the Netherlands, on May 1. Two children had died up to this point. On May 3, they passed by the chalk cliffs of Albion, where they again anchored.
On May 4, anchor was raised and the ship again set sail, and later in the day the lights and a lighthouse of England came into view. That night the ship nearly collided with another vessel, but on passenger was quoted as saying "the Lord spared us."
The immigrants had brought their own provisions for the journey with copper kettles, pans and other utensils. During mealtime the people all remained below deck, with the two cooks preparing the meals and the assistants serving the food. When the food was all placed on the table, the cooks would also come downstairs and God's blessing on the meal was asked. Following the meal, a chapter from the Bible was read, a verse of a psalm was sung, and someone would give thanks. On Sundays, a sermon was preached by one of the two students, Jan Van de Luyster or Cornelius Van Malsen.
A number of misfortunes occurred during the crossing of the Atlantic. On Sunday evening, May 9, a young son of Willem Van de Luyster died, and was buried at sea the next day. The child was covered by a piece of a sail by the sailors forming a sack, and the sack was then filled with coal so that it would sink. At 10 o'clock AM the passengers gathered on the deck, and a few remarks were made by students Van de Luyster and Van Malsen. A prayer was offered and the little corpse was placed on a large plank by two sailors, who gently let it slip into the ocean where it suddenly disappeared.
On May 10, Abraham Zomer's wife, age 59, died. The next day the funeral took place in the same manner as that of the child the day before. But this funeral had a sad ending, because not enough coal was placed in the sack to sink the body, and when it was put in the water, it floated away standing erect. With tears in his eyes, the old man stared at the last remains of his wife.
On May 16, Mr. De Wit was thrown down because of the vessel rolling in rough seas, and resulted in a dislocation of his shoulder. Dr. Van Nuys was summoned, and he managed to relocate it in position. Another child, the youngest of Peter Daane, died on May 17 and was buried at sea the following day.
Finally, after many days at sea (one month after leaving Antwerp), the American coastline was sighted. The date was June 4, 1847. At 1 PM on June 5, the ship was in the harbor, and the harbor pilot came on board. The ship finally came to rest at the mouth of the Hudson river on June 6 at 4 AM, when anchor was cast. No mention is made of going through immigration proceedings. Presumably this was done at Castle Garden which was at the battery on the southern tip of Manhattan Island. Ellis Island was not used as a processing facility for immigrants until 1892.
Before the immigrants were allowed to go ashore, doctors came aboard and inquired of Captain Mennen whether any sick passengers were on the ship. "How could there be sick people on board this ship?" he asked. "These people do nothing but pray and sing psalms."
In New York, they met Rev. H.P. Scholte, who told them and their committee that they should not go to Michigan with Rev.Van Raalte because of the poor climate, and the lack of food there. Instead, they were told, that it would be better to go to Iowa with him because of the better quality of life. Apparently the passengers paid little heed to him, or at least finally decided to go to Michigan anyway.
The group left on June 7 by steamboat, traveling up the Hudson river to Albany, and arriving there the next day. In Albany the committee called on Dr. Isaac Wyckoff to get his opinion whether or not they should go to Michigan. Dr. Wyckoff gave the committee a letter from a Mr. van der Poel in Buffalo. Leaving the rest of the immigrants in Albany, the committee, composed of Mr. Steenwijk and Cornelius van Malsen, traveled on ahead of the group by train to Buffalo to confer with Mr. van der Poel and arrive at a decision.
While the immigrants were in Albany, another child died and was buried there. On June 11, the widow Mrs. Van Laare became seriously ill and died on the 12th. The canal boat on which the group was to travel on the Erie canal to Buffalo was delayed out of respect for the funeral, and the entire group attended services for her.
The 363 mile long Erie Canal, finished in 1825 and inspired by New York governor De Witt Clinton, had opened up the center of the country to immigrants. Moving goods as well as passengers became economically feasible because of this waterway. Because Lake Erie is 570 feet higher than the Hudson River, a series of 80 locks was built to raise and lower vessels. These locks are still used as part of the New York State barge system.
The travelers arrived in Buffalo on June 18 where they met the members of the committee who had previously arrived by train. The committee, aided by the counsel of Mr. van der Poel, had made the decision to go to Michigan, which greatly pleased the immigrants.
On June 19, the group left Buffalo by steamboat, traversing Lake Erie, Lake St Clair, Lake Huron, and most of Lake Michigan, finally arriving on June 26 at the mouth of Black Lake. The steamboat anchored in Lake Michigan while the baggage was hauled to shore in small boats. At that time, there was no navigable connection from Lake Michigan into Black Lake.
At the time of the immigrant's arrival, Indians suddenly made their appearance. On seeing the Indians, Dr. van Nuys, who had seen military service in the Netherlands, rushed to a trunk and took out a sword. He marched up and down the shore brandishing it so that the Indians could see him.
That night the people had to sleep among their boxes and other belongings under the open sky. The next morning, Sunday, June 27, they continued on the length of Black Lake (now Lake Macatawa) to what is now the city of Holland. When they stepped ashore, they looked about in astonishment because everywhere they looked, they saw nothing but woods, and asked disappointedly "Is this the stad (city) of Holland?"
Three small wooden sheds, which the Zeelanders had requested be built ahead of time, awaited them. Rev. Maarten A. Ypma and his party, who had arrived the day before, had occupied one of these sheds, but now they had to get out to make room for the new arrivals. But the people immediately constructed a kind of lean-to for Ypma and his group, so they all had a roof to protect them. That same afternoon, since it was a Sunday, Rev. Ypma preached a sermon outdoors for the whole group. After the sermon, everyone busied himself with bringing in the baggage into the sheds. When evening came, each person laid out a bed on the floor, and the next morning they were removed to give room inside the sheds.
The immigrants then had to set about the business of making a living and erecting permanent houses. The immigration in 1847 was quite large so that it was impossible for all to find lodging in the shed, and the newcomers erected shelter by setting hemlock branches against each other and covering them with bed sheets. But when it rained everything became wet and as a result there was much fever and sickness, and even death. Jannes van de Luyster's group apparently brought small pox into the colony which spread to the extent that many persons succumbed and were carried to their graves.
Food preparation at first was a formidable task. The women had no cook stoves, so the men stuck sticks cut from branches into the ground and fastened cross pieces to them on which the women could hang their pots. The chains they used for this purpose had been brought from the Netherlands. They also had an iron pan with a cover used for bread making. The pan was covered with hot ashes and fire, and in this manner the women baked their bread.
After a few days in the "stad" a flatboat arrived loaded with potatoes, flour, cornmeal, beans, and other food items. The people immediately ran to the boat and bought the food.
At first, the supply of food was meager. There was no beef or pork. The chief foods were Navy beans, soup made from the beans, and cornmeal bread baked in a pan made without cooking oil or grease. Some people had brought candles from the Netherlands, and used these to grease their baking pans. Van Anrooy wrote:
"But the Lord made us happy, gave us strength and courage, and we were content with what we had. And hence the woods echoed with the sound of prayer and thanksgiving, and with the singing of Psalms."[3]
The elderly Jannes van de Luyster, with the help of Rev. Van Raalte soon chose an area for the Zeelanders to settle. The location chosen is what is now the town of Zeeland, Michigan, about eight miles east of Holland. Since there were no roads connecting Zeeland and Holland, a small log house was constructed on the Black River, known as het Waterjuisje. Supplies were brought by flatboat (managed by Jan van de Luyster, Pieter van Dieke, Cornelius van Laren, and Pieter van Anrooy) from Holland to het Waterjuisje.
On one morning in the early days while on the river, several of the settlers noticed two animals struggling in the water up ahead. As they got closer, they saw that a dog had captured a deer. The settlers killed the deer with long sticks, dragged it onto the raft, and cut its throat. The deer was taken back to Holland where the people were grateful for the first meat they had to eat in the New World.
The Immigration of Jacob VerLee and his Daughter, Susannah
Pieter's father Jacob VerLee (1775-1849) emigrated two years later, sailing from Breskens, Netherlands, and traveling with his daughter Susannah (Pieter's sister) and her husband, Abram Naaije.
They sailed to Rotterdam, where they met others who would travel with them. There was a four day wait in Rotterdam while the ship was being loaded with freight and gin from Scheidam. They then sailed on the ship Leila (based in Baltimore) leaving on June 29 or 30, 1849. James Moerdyk's account of the trip[4] tells of the "contrary weather" that necessitated taking 3 days to cross the English channel. The total time at sea was 38 days. They arrived in New York on August 14, 1849, and the following day boarded a steamer for the trip up the Hudson River for Albany. Moerdyk states the steamer was so crowded that there was no place to sleep, and for the children beds were improvised on the floor. The immigrants had to constantly be on the lookout for thieves looking for a chance to rob them. But they arrived safely in Albany on August 16.
Their freight and baggage had to then be transferred to the canal boat on the Erie canal, and the party required three boats. The women of the group prepared a dinner of potatoes and fish with gravy on the dock, and "it was relished, since we had had no potatoes since leaving our native land."
The canal trip was difficult, and Moerdyk describes rough and cruel treatment by the boat crews. In addition, conditions were described as filthy, and one young boy from the town of Axel in the Netherlands died of cholera, and was hastily buried near the canal in a rough coffin.
After nine days on the Erie canal, they finally arrived at Buffalo, and were grateful to be on land again. Two more people died of cholera during the two-day wait in Buffalo.
They then boarded a steamer in Buffalo, and after 4 days and nights traversing Lakes Erie, St. Clair, Huron, and Michigan, arrived in Milwaukee on Friday at 11 PM. Moerdyk states that "the aged (Jacob) VerLee was taken sick, and four of us carried him on a stretcher to the home of Pieter Leenhouts who had lived there a year. The sufferer lived only two hours more." So Jacob VerLee died in Milwaukee and never made it to Michigan. Apparently, his son Pieter who preceded him to the New World never saw his father after leaving the Netherlands.
So without her father, Susannah and her husband Abram joined the rest of the travelers to travel across Lake Michigan. Before leaving Milwaukee, they had to transfer their baggage to a different pier to board a steamer for Grand Haven, Michigan.
Moerdyk states:
"the dray men asked a dollar a load for transfer to the other pier, which the Hollanders (at first) refused to pay. Later the dray men stated the charge was $1.25 a load. One of the travelers was quoted as saying,'We had bought tickets in New York, thinking these would carry us to our destination, with no extra charge for transfer of goods. We had no choice but to pay the $1.25 per load, and then (we) helped unload and transfer (our goods) to the steamboat.'"
"At Grand Haven, the captain, with a Dutch sailor as interpreter, came to collect the tickets. He told us they were not valid for this trip; that we had been defrauded by a New York agent, and must pay again. The amount was $90. Being a good man, the captain took pity on this swindled party and took a note for the amount signed by four of the responsible men of our company, which had to be paid him, unless we could recover the $90 from the New York agent."
Moerdyk goes on to write:
"On shore (in Grand Haven) we met quite a number of Hollanders residing there, among them F. Reigard and another from Biervliet. Our goods were left in the warehouse. It was Saturday, September 1, (and) Reigard took us to his home and on the next day Dominie Klijn preached for us and the other Hollanders. Mrs. Abraham Naaije (Susannah VerLee, Jacob's daughter) and her maid, present wife of F. Bakker of Holland, were attacked by cholera and had to stay in Grand Haven but soon recovered."
"On Monday morning we resumed our journey by a river steamboat up the Grand River to Grandville, where we arrived in the evening and remained until Tuesday, September 4, when ox-teams and wagons brought us to Zeeland. We had traveled (the entire distance) from Biervliet (in the Netherlands) to within 15 miles of our destination (entirely) by water! Grandville was then an insignificant settlement with a few scattered houses. Dominie H.G. Klijn had left Grand Haven with people who had come to take him to Graafschap. On Tuesday four of five ox-wagons were loaded. Our wives and children found seats among our goods."
"A more miserable journey I have never taken, for the road was through forest and we rode over stumps and trees and log bridges and through water, so that it was hard to keep our seats and not tumble off the cart. When halfway to Zeeland we met Dominie C. van der Meulen with a two-wheel oxcart. He was on his way to Grand Rapids to purchase provisions. He said to C. Nies, his ox-driver, 'We will return to Zeeland and load as many of the people on our cart as we can.' After traveling a couple of miles the cart broke down, and the minister ordered the cart placed at the side of the road and the driver to go to Zeeland with the oxen. He invited Mr. De Visser, who was ailing, to mount his horse, and Dominie and De Pree went ahead on foot to Zeeland to prepare lodging and food. We moved slowly for oxen are careful. With horses accidents would have been unavoidable."
"Between Grandville and Zeeland we came to a tavern where liquor was sold and some of our company drank a little too much. Among these was Matthew Naaije, (we don't know if he was related to Abram Naaije) brother-in-law of Jannes van de Luyster; he was excited and asked me to drink. I took a little, for we were getting discouraged by the long journey, our disappointments and hardships, and finally in landing here in this wilderness. We began to wonder how we could make our living here. It was a fearful sight of endless dense forests and giant trees. But, resigned, we rode on. At last we came to the farm of Willem van de Luyster; he and others met us with lanterns and led us to safety. At 11 PM, September 4, 1849, we reached Zeeland, our destination in the New World. We had been looking for houses and church spires, but saw only trees."
Thus Pieter never got to see his father in America, but Pieter's sister Susannah and her husband Abram did make it to Michigan and settled in Zeeland. Susannah and Abram never had children.
Instead of settling in Zeeland Michigan with the rest of the Zealanders, Pieter VerLee and Johannes van Anrooy found land about 1 mile south of Holland near what is now the village of Graafschap.[5] VerLee bought 120 acres there (on what is now the southwest corner of Washington and 40th street) in Holland from a Hendrik de Jonge who thereafter moved to Illinois. The price was purported to be $1.25 per acre.
Pieter VerLee and his friend Van Anrooy agreed to build a log house on the new land. (Later, a brick house was built on the site--see picture). VerLee and Van Anrooy had to walk to their property each day from Holland to work on construction of the house. They had found an Indian trail through the woods that served as a path to their land. One day while returning to Holland after a day working, they thought they would try to find a short cut rather than take the Indian trail that zig-zaged back and forth. But soon they found themselves lost in a swamp. Darkness came and they had lost all sense of direction. They called out and shouted but there was no answer. But they continued on, stumbling over fallen trees and branches, and finally late into the night, they arrived at the house of a recent settler. The settler allowed them to stay overnight, and the next day they set off, and decided from then on to stay on the Indian trail!
When the VerLee house was completed and along with it, a road to it wide enough for oxen to pass on it, the family moved to live in their new house. Van Anrooy and his family lived with the VerLees until they could build a second house for Van Anrooy.
Pieter VerLee purchased two cows that grazed in the woods nearby his house. One of the cows had a bell around its neck. Toward evening each day, if the bell could not be heard, VerLee and VanAnrooy went searching in the woods for the cows. One morning they went out searching for the cows because they had not come home the night before. The two men walked around in the woods and came upon a clearing and saw in the clearing a log house. VerLee exclaimed, "Johannes, I declare! There are some people living there! Go and ask them who they are." Van Anrooy replied, "Why don't you go see for yourself?" So VerLee went to the log house and as he approached it was startled to realize that it was his own house that he had not recognized!
Pieter's Life in America
Pieter was both a farmer and a carpenter. For many years he farmed the 120 acres he had purchased, and according to the minutes of the Fillmore Township clerk's records, Pieter was asked to submit plans for a township hall which were accepted. Then he was asked to build it which he did with the help of his son, Peter Jr. The building is still standing today.
Peter Brill of Zeeland related a story[6] about Pieter VerLee stating that Pieter once walked all the way to Chicago along the Lake Michigan shoreline (150 miles) where he bought an iron cook-stove. He built a raft and took the stove home on the raft, poling it along the Lake Michigan shoreline in shallow water. It was the first iron cook-stove in Holland, and at first all the neighbors brought their bread to be baked in the oven.
Faith in God and Christianity continued to play a major role in the lives of Pieter, Janneke, and their family. He and his family were among the first members of the Christian Reformed Church in Graaskapf, a small settlement just south of Holland.
Pieter and Jannecke had 10 children, three of whom (Jannecke, Susannah, and young Jacob) were born in the Netherlands and immigrated. Three died before maturity. The other seven all married and settled in the Holland, Zeeland, and Allendale area of Michigan. The picture shows all those who lived except Jacob, who apparently was absent for the picture which was taken about 1905.
Pieter and Jannecke VerLee celebrated their golden wedding anniversary on Nov. 23, 1891. Pieter died on March 21, 1895. Jannecke lived until Feb. 18, 1905 living on the same land they had bought over 50 years before where they had first settled.
Pieter and Janneke's farm south of Holland remained in the family long after their deaths. One of Pieter's sons, Abraham VerLee and his wife Hattie (Boven) lived in the farmhouse and took care of Janneke after Pieter died. Abraham and Hattie had only one child, Jennie, who married George Hofmeyer. George and Jennie lived in the house for many years. One of their sons, Hubert ("Hub") Hofmeyer, continued to live in it and run the farm until 1989. The house was torn down after that to make room for a shopping mall which now occupies the location. The last acreage was sold in 1989.
All the VerLees I have met or have read about have descended from Pieter and Janneke VerLee. If there are other VerLees in America, I would like to hear about it, and I can be reached by email at [email protected]. Any other pertinent information about the VerLees would also be welcome!
David L. VerLee
General References:
1. van Reken, Donald A Brief History of Holland, Michigan, 1983, Donald van Reken publications, Holland, Michigan, 49423.
2. Graafschap Christian Ref. Church records page 17, Rev A Kaizer.
Footnotes:
[1] Life and Times of Jannes Van De Luyster, by Dr. Henry Beets.
[2]from passenger lists 1846-1856, 929.3, Herrick Public Library, Holland, MI, Genealogical Society Records.
[3]Van Anrooy, Pieter, p.198
[4]Moredyke, James, Moerdyke's Memoirs, written by Henry D. Lucas.
[5]Netherlanders in America, page 107.
[6] from The Slenk Family Record, written by Mrs. Peter Slenk, June, 1969. Copy given to David Leo VerLee by Jean (Mrs. Edward) Nyland at the VerLee reunion at Cedar Springs, MI on 5-23-92.