Willempje Zegers Gorter

Willempje Van Den Heuvel was born in Barneveld, Gelderland, Netherlands in 1872. Her parents were Willem Van Den Heuvel and Geertje Kampert. Willempje (sometime spelled Willemtje) had at least 5 siblings: Aalt, Bear Dina, Johannes, Evert, and Wouter. Her mother died in 1885 when Willempje was 12 years old. Her father remarried in 1888. He died in 1903.

Willempje married Marinus Zegers in Putten in 1891. They had 12 children between 1892 and 1916. Her children (all born in the Netherlands)inculded: Fennetje, Geredina "Dina", Jacob "Jaap", Willem "Bill", Trijntje "Katherine", Wilhelmina, Evert "Ed", Gerard "Gerrit", Wilhelmina "Minnie", Marinus "Ray", Willem Jan "Johnnie", and Aalt "Allie." The family lived in Barneveld. Two (first Wilhelmina and Dina) died relatively young.

In 1920 Willempje immigrated to the US with her husband and 7 of her children. Three of their adult children(Fennetje, Jaap, Tryntje)stayed in the Netherlands. The Zegers family departed from Rotterdam on the ship “Noordam” and arrived on Ellis Island in New York on 7-29-1920. They settled near Brooten, Minnesota. Marinus died of heart problems on 9/16/1932.

On 11/21/1935 Willempje married Laurens Gorter, a retired farmer. He was born in Andyk, Holland about 1866 and immigrated to the US about 1886, settling in Iowa. Willempje and Laurens lived in Rock Valley, Iowa. She died of cancer on 3/3/1938. She was survived by 9 children and 7 step-children. Laurens died in April 1950 in Rock Valley.* Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jul 17 2021, 4:40:37 UTC