Jantje Dirks Roffel

From http://iagenweb.org/sioux/photos/pic_surnames.htm

Hendrik Pieters Westra & Jantje Derks (Roffel) Westra, my great-great-grandparents.

Hendrik was born to Pieter Minnes Westra & Ynske Hendriks van der Hoek on 25 December 1828 in Oenkerk, Friesland, NL and died 01 August 1916 in Orange City, Iowa. His occupations were sailor and farmer.

Jantje was born to Derk Hindriks Roffel & Jeltje Fokkes Wolters on 24 March 1827 in Zevenhuizen, Groningen, NL and died 20 August 1901 in Orange City, Iowa.

They married on 07 February 1859 in Friesland, NL and had seven children there:

Peter (1859-1955), Dirk (1862-), Ynskje/Ida (1864-), Jeltje (1866-), Minne/Mike (1868/70-1922), Akke/Agnes (1870-) and Aaltje (1871-).

The family, all but the eldest child Peter (my great-grandfather), emigrated from the Netherlands in 1881, departing from Rotterdam on the ship the Schiedam arriving in New York on 23 June 1881. They found their way to Orange City sometime before 1885 as Ynskje/Ida was married there to Martin Van Groningen on 20 February 1885. My great-grandfather, Peter and his family, briefly joined his parents in Orange City in 1889 before moving to Chicago and eventually to Minnesota. The 1900 Iowa Census Index (on this site) places Hendrik & Jantje Westra in Orange City.

Hendrik & Jantje Westra are buried (unmarked) at West Lawn Cemetery, Orange City.

The photograph was taken in Orange City, Iowa by Jelgerhuis & Co. Photographers on an unknown date and received by me from my cousin S. Westra.

Any additional photographs or information on this family would be greatly appreciated!

Contibutor: Daniel Doll (dolldaniel@hotmail.com)

The funeral was held this afternoon from the First Reformed Church and the remains were interred in the Orange City Cemetery.

Sioux County Herald - 21 August 1901