Fragment

Prologue
It was December 31, 1882, outside it was around 5 degrees, inside, in my house, the house of Jan Hendriks Papa , the wood stove was burning at full blast. I felt cold inside. At 60 years old I already felt old. I often think about the old days and my heart begins to cry. How happy I was with Jeltje . On May 31, 1851, we married. To the village we were already old, I was 28 and she 32, and it was considered strange for many, because she was four years older. Four children Jeltje gave me: two sons, Wieger and Hendrik and two daughters, Ettje and one we did not name as she died at birth. Jeltje died two days later in her maternity bed. Only Wieger is already married with a dear wife, Stijntje , already five years ago. They too had a hard time, their first son, Jan, only lived to be 10 months old. Fortunately, I now have a sweet granddaughter, Hiltje . She is now two years old. After 13 years of marriage, I did not think to ever remarry, but it happened. Then came Grietje , the spark struck, and she became pregnant with Hiltje. We quickly got married. Fortunately, her parents gave permission, because she was still very young, 21 and I was already 44. A big age difference, again the village could gossip. Fate struck again, Hiltje, our daughter was only 21 days old when she died. And that was not all, because my father, Hendrik, died in that same year, exactly, to the day, 15 years ago. A terrible end to the year 1867. My oldest brother, Feitze , also died that summer. A year of disaster. Grietje gave me four more children, two sons and two daughters: Hiltje, we called her Hiltje anyway, is the oldest, Grietje, the youngest and two sons, Jan and Feitze. Even though I was 53 when Grietje was born, in my heart I was young. Unfortunately, our children were not allowed to enjoy their mother for long, because at the age of 33 she died suddenly. Again, I was alone. Not really alone, because we were together, the seven of us. Quite a task, but it's no different. Still, I continue to feel lonely.
Fortunately, my wife's name continues to live on in my family. I remember well when I met Grietje: Wieger was 12 years old when he saw Stijntje for the first time; Stijntje, my wife's much younger sister. So, my daughter-in-law is also my sister-in-law. How strange things can happen. They liked each other immediately and love blossomed between them; 11 years later they got married. And now disasters are coming again: Hendrik and Ettje have decided to emigrate to America. They are still far too young, I think. Hendrik may be 25, well, but he is dragging his sister along, and she is only 21. Maybe I can change their minds with the help of their brothers and sisters, but I don't think so because they were very enthusiastic.
Actually, it is the fault of my brother-in-law, Wytse , who, together with his wife Maaike and their three children Sipke , Baukje , Hoeke on July 6, 1849, went with the ship 'Proteus' to America. The whole family of his wife, Maaike, emigrated on the same day. Her father, Hoeke Lammerts, even sold his house on June 17 of that year. And 20 years later, in 1869, Tjalling Wiegers , the brother of my brother-in-law, Wytse, 60 years, with his wife Maaike , 63 years, also emigrated to America. Tjalling did not enjoy it very much, he died after two years in America, I believe in Pella, Marion, Iowa. They did write letters to us saying that we should come, there are so many opportunities and that it is very cheap. But most of all that they can live their faith well and in freedom. All those letters were enough to make my two children, Hendrik and Ettje, decide to emigrate as well. Honestly, not just the letters, even if they stayed their future was not bright. Hendrik has a hard time finding work. They will not do crazy things because both are very serious. Their faith will help them do the right thing and stay on the right path. So many acquaintances left Bergum, the Allema's, Hoekstra’s.
Hendrik, Ettje, Hiltje Jan, Feitze and little Grietje enter the room. The little ones are allowed to stay up tonight. Wieger and Stijntje also enter, along with little Hiltje. There is no festive mood, for this will be the last New Year's Eve with the whole family. This is how it could have gone, that evening of December 31, 1882.
Jan Hendriks Papa was Dutch Reformed and a laborer by profession. From the Marriage Annexes of both his first and second marriage, it appears that they were poor, as a Certificate of Insolvency is attached for both marriages. Jan died on April 30, 1886, at the age of sixty-three in the afternoon at half past three in Bergum. The certificate states that he is the widower of Jeltje Wygers van de Kolk and of Grietje Jans Plantinga. Jan will not live to see that all his other children, except Wieger Jans, will also emigrate to America.
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