Fennema, John 1829-1895 & Grietje Wiersma Family

FENNEMA, FOKKEMA, WIERSMA, HOEKSTRA, VANMAASSEN

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 3/27/2025 at 15:11:42

Fennema, John 1829-1895 & Grietje Wiersma Family

This biography of the John Fennema family was composed by Wilma J. Vande Berg of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. The narrative was made from various sources including records from the web site www.iagenweb.org/sioux ; family reports and vitals collected from ancestry.com records and ancestry’s public member trees, Find A Grave index and various local archives, books and publications.

Disclaimer: Names, dates and places may very from one source to another, but have been stated in this biography as presented in the source. Family data taken from ancestry.com public member trees is subject to the submitter of data to ancestry.com and was not 100% verified by this submitter. Information was cross checked from sources where possible.
FAMILY RESEARCH:

Jan Fennema born 1829 died 1895 buried in Nassau Township cemetery at Alton IA as listed in the Sioux County cemetery index.

From an ancestry.com report Jan Fennema born 7 Mar 1829 Neth. died 23 Oct 1895 Nassau Tsp. Sioux County IA. His wife was Grietje Wiersma 1842-1921, they were married 13 Apr 1867 Kollumerland Friesland Neth.

There is a bit of confusion here as the marriage record in the Netherlands is for Jan FOKKEMA age 38 born Oostdongeradeel Friesland married to Grietje Wiersma born at Kollum 24 years, he was the son of Jouke Kornelis Fokkema 1794-1872 and Dieuke Jans Hoekstra 1801-1889, married Apr 13, 1867 at Kollumerland Friesland Neth.

Grietje Wiersma was born 16 Sep 1842 Kollum, Kollumerland, Friesland Netherlands. Her parents were Willem Lykeles Wiersma 1820 – 1871 and Johanna Harmina Van Maassen 1820-1893.

Immigration lists by Robert Swieringa of immigrants from Holland lists J. Fokkema left Holland in 1867. Soon after he must have changed is last name to Fennema.

1870 census of Sioux County IA lists John Fennema age 40 born Holland lived in Holland Tsp. Sioux County, a farmer, lived at Twp 95 Range 43. Wife Giega (Grietje) age 35 born Holland.

All indications are the Jan Fennema and Jan Fokkema are one and the same man, as 1967 he immigrated as Fokkema and 1870 he is in the census as Fennema. In the Pella Souvenir Book and the book Sioux County History book by Charles Dyke, he is listed as one of the settlers that came to Sioux County in 1870.

1880 Census of Nassau Tsp. Sioux county IA, John Fennema age 50 born abt 1830 Holland Wife Grietje Fennema, age 36, living with them was a niece Grietje Wiersma age 1.

1885 Iowa State census list Jan Fennema 55 and wife Grietje age 42 living in Tsp 94, Rage 44, section 4 , E 1/2 SW

1895 census of Nassau Tsp John Fennema born 1829. Grietje 1842, Gertje 1879 born Sioux county (niece), Henry 1885, Sioux County IA.

After John Fennema died in 1895 Later his wife married as noted Jun 6, 1903 Alton Democrat. John Muyskens of Alton and Mrs. Grietje Fennema of west of town were married.

Children (foster child)
1. Henry John Fennema (born Wiersma) born 3 Feb 1885 Orange City IA died 18 Nov 1950 Alton Sioux Iowa. He was the biological son of Jan Willems Wiersma 1848-1922 and Anneke Jacobs Grenzenberg. 1847-1885.
Obituary of Henry Fennema: Henry John Fennema, for many years Nassau Township clerk and township assessor, died at the age of 65 Friday November 17 after an illness of several years. Mr. Fennema also served for a number of years as a member of the local school board and was president of the board when compelled to resign on account of ill health. He was active in church work here and served for many years as Elder and Sunday School Teacher in the Reformed Church.
Mr. Fennema was born February 3, 1885 at Orange City, son of the late pioneers, Mr. & Mrs. John Wiersma. His mother died when he was an infant of two months and he was taken into the home of his aunt and uncle, the late Mr. & Mrs. John Fennema, who had no children of their own and reared him as their own son. He grew up on the farm and lived in this vicinity all his life. June 1, 1911 he was married to Martha Muyskens, who preceded him in death May 1 of this year.
Two children were born to them, John of Alton and William of Ledyard, Iowa, who survive him, together with six grandchildren, four sisters, and six brothers.
The sisters are Mrs. T. Hollander and Mrs. W. J. Brouwer of Hull; Mrs. William Meyer of Verper, Wisconsin and Mrs. Herman Wobbema of Orange City; the brothers: Peter, George, Dewey, Samuel and Pierre Wiersma, all of Orange City, and Gerrit Wiersma of Sheldon.
The Fennema family farmed west of town but moved to Alton after their sons were grown. For some years, Mr. Fennema assisted in the Allen Furniture Store and later at Smit Produce.
Funeral services were held Monday in charge of Reverend H. Wesselink in the Reformed Church in Alton with internment in Nassau Township Cemetery. Many friends were present in tribute to the memory of one who was loved and esteemed by all and who served his community and church. faithfully.

OBITUARY of Jan ‘John’ Fennema (Fokkema) 1829-1895
De Volksvriend of Oct 31, 1895 Translated:
On Saturday, 23 Oct, it besieged the Lord, after a long suffering, to take away from our side our beloved husband and the children caring foster father Jan Fennema, at the age of 66 years and more than 7 months, after a marriage of more than 28 years. He was born March 7, 1829 in Friesland, Netherlands. Heavy is this loss for us, But since we need not mourn like those who raise no hope. Since he has left us with the certainty that his departure was peaceful, we hope to resign ourselves to the will of the Lord, wherefore His doing is majesty and lordship, and we have the joy of reuniting with each other where there will be no more differences. On behalf of the family, G. Fennema geb. Wiersma. TO the neighbors and friends thank you very much for their help and participation. The Hope and Pella's Weekblad, Alton IA 30 Oct 1895.
Another article in Dutch Translated:
Saturday Elderly J. Fennema has exchanged the temporary for the one-time eternal. . Mr. Fennema is one of the first to come here. The procession the other day, on the occasion of our twenty-fifth anniversary, he also took part with his wife, as was the first woman to arrive here. Mr. Fennema has served the church in Alton served as an elder for many years and was held in high esteem. He was a quiet man in the country, who adorned his good profession with a godly walk. On Monday his remains were buried in Alton.

OBITUARY of Grietje Wiersma Fennema, Mrs. John Muyskens 1843-1921
From the Alton Democrat, February 12, 1921: MRS. J. MUYSKENS PASSES BEYOND
Mrs. J. Muyskens passed away at; her home in Alton on Monday morning, February 7th, at the age of 77 years, four months and 20 days. She was born in the Netherlands on September 15, 1843, and when 24 years old came to the United States, living first at Pella. In the year I866 she was married to J. Fennema who preceded her to the Great Beyond in 1895 and on June 2. 1902, was married to J. Muyskens.
Rev. J. P. DeJong conducted the funeral service from the First Reformed church at Alton of which she had long been a member and a Sunday school teacher, on Thursday, February 10th. Mrs. Muyskens was ever a hard worker in and for the church. Interment took place at Nassau Township cemetery. Mr. Muyskens was unable to attend the funeral, the shock being a hard one to bear, but he is nicely recovering from the illness which has kept him to his bed for the past several weeks. Mrs. Muyskens’ only brother J. Wiersma, of Orange City, also was unable to come on account of illness.
She was the first Holland woman to come to Sioux County, having accompanied the men who surveyed the land here as cook in 1869, keeping up their courage with her splendid eatables. Not having children of her own, Mrs. Muyskens brought to manhood Henry J. Fennema who was a babe of eight weeks when she took charge of him, and also brought up Mr. Fennema’s sister, Mrs. M. Schilt of Doon. She came with her husband to settle in Sioux County in [1870 or 1876, year is blurred].
Mrs. Muyskens was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Wiersma who resided in Friesland, the Netherlands. Her sudden passing after an illness of only four and one-half days was a heavy blow to those who knew her fine personality and generous nature well. The husband and children have the sincerest sympathy of friends and the community in the loss of this splendid wife and mother, beloved by all who knew her.
Among those present from away were J. DeGroot, P. Brouwer, W. Brouwer, T. Hollander, J. Wiersma, A. Roggen, all of Hull, Mrs. J. Wiersma and children of Orange City and the M. Schut family of Doon, besides a host of others whose names it would be impossible to chronicle here, so great was the number who came to attend the services.
Pallbearers at the funeral were the six sons, the five Muyskens boys and Henry Fennema. The Rev. Arie Muyskens came from Harbor Beach, Mich., and Dr. William Muyskens from his home in Detroit. Miss Marie of Annville, Ky., and the Rev. John of Red Rock, N.J., were unable to [come].
[Final paragraph fuzzed out, but appears to be the names of Mr. Muyskens’ surviving children; see his obituary.]

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RESEARCH NOTES for Grietje Wiersma Fennema (Mrs. John Muyskes) 1842-1921
The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Muyskens, Grietje Fennema, b. 1843, d. 1921, Mother, Nassau Township Cemetery, Alton IA.
Her death certificate has Mrs. Griettze Muyskens, wife of P.[sic] Muyskens; born Sept. 15, 1842 in the Netherlands; parents Wm Wiersma and Griettze Wiesma [Wiersma]; died at 9 a.m. February 7, 1921; cause, uraemia, duration 2 days; contributory cause, acute nephritis, duration 5 days.
Her FindaGrave.com page has Grietjie Wiersma Muyskens, born 16 Sep 1842 in Friesland, Netherlands. Added notes give her mother’s name as Johanna Harmina Van Maassen Te Paske (1820-1893), and says that she was married first to Jan Fokkema/Fennema on 13 April 1867 in Friesland and second to John Muyskens on 2 June 1903. There is a photo of her headstone: Mother Grietjie Fennema Muyskens 1843-1921.
WieWasWie,nl has a birth index record for Grietje Wiersma, born 16 Sep 1842 in Kollumerland c.a., Friesland; parents Willem Lykeles Wiersma and Johanna Van Maassen. It also has a marriage index record for groom Jan Fokkema, age 38, parents Jouke Kornelis Fokkema and Dieuke Jans Hoekstra; bride Grietje Wiersma, age 24, parents Willem Lykeles Wiersma and Johanna van Maassen; married 13 April 1867 in Kollumerland.
The 1900 U.S. census for Nassau Township has Maggie Fennema, widowed, age 47, born September 1842 in Holland, immigrated 1867; and son Henry Fennema, age 15, born February 1885 in Iowa, at school. (They are living next door to farmer Marenus Schilt, his wife Margareth and family.)