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Ritske Aukes Sipma was born on August 1, 1808 in Bornwird, the son of Auke Sipkes Sipma and Yttje Ritskes Reitsma. He married Antje Sjoerds de Vries in the municipality of Westdongeradeel on May 5, 1838. Antje was born on June 10, 1810 in Sijbrandahuis and was a daughter of Sjoerd Durks (Dirks) de Vries and Fokeltje Sjierks (Sierks) Baarsma.
The Sipma family was blessed with 8 children, all born in Bornwird. The eldest child was Sjoerd, born on April 13, 1838. He was born before Ritske and Antje married in May 1838, but at their wedding was acknowledged as their lawful child. Then followed Ytje, born on July 13, 1839 and Fokeltje, born on October 17, 1840. Son Sjoerd died on June 27, 1841 at the age of 3 years and 2 months in Bornwird.
Sorrow was overshadowed by joy when on August 6, 1842 another son was born who carried the name Sjoerd Richard. (The birth records of Westdongeradeel only mention the name Sjoerd. I'd assume the Richard, not a Dutch or Frisian name, was the name he used in the U.S.A.). Following Sjoerd Richard were Auke born on November 24, 1843; Hiltje born April 12, 1846; Sipke born August 16, 1849; and Ritske born February 18, 1853.
Ritske Aukes Sipma was a market gardener and farmhand. Ritske and his family also left Friesland, we're not sure of the reason they left. Perhaps the departure in 1847 of his brother Sjoerd and sister Hiltje played a large role in this and undoubtedly the many letters that went back and forth became added reasons for leaving. In the many passenger lists we cannot find the exact date on whichRitske Aukes Sipma with his wife and 7 children left Friesland. I've accepted that this was in the 1853-1855 period. They too, like the previously mentioned family members, went to Pella, Iowa.
In Pella the family was once more blessed with the birth of a daughter, born on January 23, 1856 who received the name Aukje.
We know that they did not remain in Pella, but left in the direction of Orange City where a second settlement had been founded. Ritske's brother Sjoerd and his family had also settled there.
Antje Sjoerds de Vries died on August 17, 1882 in Orange City and Ritske Aukes Sipma died there on February 20, 1897. They were both buried there in the West Lawn cemetery.
What happened to their 8 children?
We start with daughter Ytje Ritskes Sipma. In America Ytje was called Isabelle. She married Samuel Cope McAdow (McAdoo) on January 16 in Knoxville, Marion County, Iowa with. Samuel Cope was born on October 16, 1821 in Jackson, Madison county, Tennessee. He was the son of Stewart Finley McAdow and Harriet Mater. Samuel was previously married to Mary Abigail Chew on September 18, 1847 in Rockville, Parke county, Indiana. Mary Chew was born on November 28, 1828 in Tennessee and died on May 27, 1857 in Pella. She was the daughter of Andrew Chew and Harriet Cox. From the first marriage of Samuel Cope and Mary Chew 6 children had been born. They were Nora, Harriet, Margaret, Laura, Rosella and John. From Samuel Cope's second marriage to Isabelle Sipma 11 children were born. These are in order of birth: Mary Elizabeth, William Calvin, Franklin Pierce, Marie, Samuel F. Seymoure (Morrie), Richard, Lilly May, Clyde Raymond, David Huber and Anna Belle.
On June 9, 1889 3 of the children lost their lives by drowning in the Des Moines river: Seymoure (Morrie), Richard and one child from Samuel Cope's first marriage.
Samuel Cope McAdow died on August 1, 1906 and his second wife Isabelle Sipma died on February 7, 1931 both in Runnells, Polk county, Iowa. They were both buried in the Lowman cemetery in Runnells.
Then follows daughter Fokeltje Ritskes Sipma. In America Fokeltje was called Florence. She married on October 16, 1860 in Pella Jacob Jan Koolbeck. Jacob was born on January 12, 1836 in Delft (the Netherlands). He came with his parents and 2 siblings (Aagje and Richard) to Pella in 1849. They sailed aboard the ship Franzilea from the harbor of Rotterdam to New York. Religious freedom was their main reason for emigrating. Jacob Jan was a son of Jan Jacobs Koolbeck and Aagje (Aagie) van der Gaauw.
The spouses Jacob Jan (John) Koolbeck and Florence Sipma had 8 children: (in order of birth) Aagje (Aggie), Richard, John J., Annie, Ilina (Dena), Heltje (Lillian), Jacob Jan, and Florence.
Jacob Jan Koolbeck owned a well-run farm. He died on March 8, 1908 in Hospers, Sioux county, Iowa. Florence Sipma Koolbeck also died there on February 16, 1919. They are both buried in the Hospers Presbyterian Memorial Cemetery.
After this comes Sjoerd Richard Sipma. Sjoerd Richard married on April 21, 1873 in Orange City with Mary (Maria) M. Verheul. Mary (Maria) M. was born on July26, 1856 in Pella and was a daughter of Martin Krijn Verheul and Jane Kloosterman. Martin Krijn Verheul came with his family in 1847 to America from Cherbourg, France on the ship Philadelphia.
Sjoerd Richard, who lived in Pella, served in the 33rd Regiment, Volunteer Infantry, Company G. Sjoerd Richard volunteered before he had reached the required age, but his father had given him permission and had signed the enlistment papers. He served 3 years until the war ended. According to the papers he had blue eyes and light blond hair. His sense of duty to his new homeland was great, something he prided himself in. He came to several places in the south such as Little Rock and New Orleans. Mostly they traveled on foot in those days. During this period he was wounded several time, for which he demanded compensation from the government. His rifle has been preserved in the library at Alton where he was a respected member. From the government he received his own piece of land where he started his family and farmed. In 1879 he moved to Alton, Sioux county to better himself.
The family had 8 children: Richard, Jennie (Jane), Martin, Anna (Annie), Johanna (Hannah), Flora, Sipke (Sip) and Mabel.
Mary, Sjoerd Richard's wife, was an excellent accordion player who regularly played at picnics and camp fires.
Sjoerd Richard Sipma was a member of the Reformed church at Newkirk and, many years later, the Reformed church at Alton. He died on October 28, 1932 in Alton at the age of 90. His wife (Maria) M. Verheul died some years later on May 11, 1948 in the Grossman Hospital in Orange City. Both are buried in the Veteran Nassau Township Cemetery in Alton.
On his 90th birthday his daughter Jennie recited the following poem to her father. We want to share this with you, even though it is in English. The meaning is clear and gives all honor to her beloved father.
To my distinguished father,
Who is a Civil war vet;
He has seen ninety summers
And we´re glad he´s with us yet,
Although he is not as robust
As he once used to be,
He still can step her off,
Like one of Twenty-three.
His children eight in number,
Five daughters and three sons,
All wish him happy birthday
And many more to come!
And even tho we´re scattered
And thousand miles apart,
This day of days reminds us
That we´re closer to your heart.
And as we journey onward,
Let´s all have this in view;
To follow in Dad´s footsteps
And may we prove as true;
For the God of all creation,
Who is always at our side,
May He ever guide and keep us,
And we in His love abide."
Next follows Auke Ritskes Sipma, about whom we discovered next to nothing. We only know that he was also called Ollie. If he married or when he died is unknown.
After Auke we continue the series of children with Hiltje (Lilly) Ritskes Sipma. Hiltje married Johannes van der Haak on March 23, 1874 in Sioux county in the house of her brother-in-law Jacob Koolbeck (likely the wedding was in Hospers) on January 18, 1839. Johannes was a son of Temme van der Haak and Johanna Maria Hiekamp (Heikamp). The family of Johannes van der Haak was blessed with 7 children, in order: Hiltje, Antje, Elizabeth, Lawrence, Johanna Maria, Ritske (Richard) and Johannes (John).
Johannes van der Haak died in 1917 and his wife Hiltje (Lilly) Ritskes Sipma died in 1931. They are both buried in the West Lawn Cemetery, Orange City
In various American sources there's talk about an unknown child born in 1848. The truth about that child has not been ascertained. There's also talk about a child of Ritske Aukes Sipma and Antje Sjoerds de Vries that died on the voyage to America. This child must have died in 1853, but no information can be found in the passenger lists.
Next follow 2 children of which we know the names, but what happened to them is a puzzle. About Sipke Ritskes Sipma I only know that he died in 1870 in Iowa. Whether he married and had children remains unknown. About son Ritske Ritskes Sipma also called Richard I know nothing further. It's possible that he is the child that died on the voyage to America, but this we cannot say with certainty.
Last in the row comes Aukje Ritskes Sipma, better known as Ollie. Likely the previously named brother Auke, who was also called Ollie, died at a young age and daughter Aukje also received this nickname. She married Jan Eelkes Sterkenburg on February 25, 1874 in Pella. In an earlier variation his grandfather Sybe Jacobs registered the name as Starkenburg in 1811 in Oudwoude, Kollumerland. Jan was born on January 14, 1838 in Oudwoude, Kollumerland, and was a son of Eelke Sybes Sterkenburg and Riemke Wessels Rosendal. Jan left Marum, Groningen in 1869 as a farmer in search of luck or a better life in America.
The Sterkenburg family was blessed with 11 children (other sources name 8). The children were Ouke, Reimke, Wessel, Richard, Eelke, Sipke, Sjoerd, Annie, Siebe, Jan and Maaike. The sources that list 8 children name them: Richard, Eli Ed, Sipke, Sjoerd Stewart, Wesley, Annie, Minnie and Ather.
Jan Eelkes Sterkenburg died on April 16, 1928 in Orange City; Aukje (Ollie) Ritskes Sipma died there on November 9 1935. They were buried in the West Lawn cemetery.
In this article we also come to Sipke Aukes Sipma. Sipke was an older brother of Hiltje Aukes Sipma (see Article 3), Sjoerd Aukes Sipma (see Article 7) and Ritske Aukes Sipma (see above).
Sipke was also born in Bornwird on August 16, 1798. He was the eldest son of Auke Sipkes Sipma and Yttje Ritskes Reitsma. Beside the 4 children that emigrated to the U.S.A. Auke and Yttje had 3 daughters who remained true to Friesland. They were Grietje, Jeltje and IJtje.
Sipke, probably influenced by the many letters that went to and fro, decided at an advanced age to go to America. The positive news from the states probably won the "old man" over. Reuniting with family was one of the many reasons to emigrate. For Sipke it was not a difficult choice to make; his parents had died and he only had to look after himself. In 1867 at the age of 70 Sipke Aukes Sipma left to go to America. He was single. It did not promise to be a succesful journey for him. The name of the ship on which he voyaged remains unknown but according to the book Landverhuizers (people who moved from one country to another) he died during the voyage. It's not known what he died from, though tuberculosis or lack of strength may have been the cause. He would not see Pella or his family in America and was probably buried at sea. That is all that is known about Sipke Aukes Sipma.
Two other items are worth mentioning:
Jennie Sipma, daughter of Sjoerd Richard Sipma and Mary M. Verheul, was born on May 13, 1876 in Alton. Jennie died on July 8, 1979 in Orange City. On November 12, 1895 she married John William Stronks, who was born on January 10, 1857 in Minnesota and died on May 25, 1941 in Alton. Jennie Sipma reached the very old age of 103 years and 55 days. They were both buried in the Nassau township cemetery in Alton. Jennie is the oldest person in this series of Greetings from America.
It is also interesting to know that Auke Aukes Viersen, son of Auke Heerkes Viersen and Hendrika Flootman Roelofsz (article 3) married Mary Elizabeth McAdow, daughter of Samuel Cope McAdow and Isabelle (Ytje) Sipma on February 21, 1889 in Lake Prairie Township. "The Frisian blood creeps towards each other, even in America."
This article wouldn't exist without the help of the following people, the first from the Netherlands and the others from the USA: Hans van der Woude, Wilma Vande Berg, Rob Rinde, Albert Geurink, Marvin Knock, and Linda Ziemann.
If you have corrections or additions I would like to hear them
Kor Postma
van Aernsmastraat 14
9104 HG Damwoude
Tel: 0511 - 422640