Gorter Family Genealogy
Laurens Gorter Ancestory from Andijk, the Netherlands • Immigrated to the United States • 1890s
Letters from the US immigrants to the Netherlands
(Translated recently by relatives in the Netherlands.)
Letter written by Laurens Gorter back to Andijk, the Netherlands. Late 1800s.
Write a letter back. Don’t wait too long. Let all your children know the news.
J. Brouwer Pz G Brouwer
Laurens Gorter to Pieter Kooiman Wz and Relatives in Andijk
I take up the pen to finally write you a letter, and I can tell you that through God’s goodness we are all healthy as far as I know. As far as I know, everything is also fine by Father (Jan Brower), and I hope you receive this in good health. Lately it is very dry here and else nice weather. We are finished with the building but if it stays so dry, the corn will not come up. I have three sows who are going to have pigs and I counted 13 little pigs, but I lot 1 little pig and my best sow. On May 1 I put the cows in the pasture, and they are giving good. And what else should I write? I don’t have much news. You all know the situation that Antje is pregnant and until now is strengthened. We hope the Lord goes before her to strengthen her and helps her the hours when it is needed. It can come in the last half of July. We say thank you for what we received from you that you sent with Mother Grietje. And as far as we know, she is very happy here. And the children get along well with her, and she with the children which is a great blessing for father Jan. We were cast into grief with the dying of our father Laurens Gorter, who died in Andijk, buried on
Antje Gorter-Brouwer to Pieter Kooiman Wz. And Relatives in Andijk
Dear Grandparents,
I will take the pen and write you since the paper is not full and wish you, Grandmother, many blessings as you are getting older. I hope you will have many more years with those who are around you. And I also thank you for the gift I received. I hope to be able to use it in good health. And what can I tell you that Laurens hasn’t already told both of you about this and that and so I will stop with the pen not with the heart. I hope to receive a letter form you both also sometime. Now greetings to both of you from your loving granddaughter, A Brouwer Betje is also always very healthy and is also going to the English school. She can get along fine, and she is quick enough. She doesn’t let them hit her on the head.
Jan Brouwer Pz. aan Pieter Kooiman and Relatives in Andijk
Dear Parents and All the Relatives
By God’s grace, we are all healthy, and we noticed from your letter June 12 that you, your children and grandchildren all are better too which makes us happy. Although I am the only one from your side of the family in the far west, I still think a lot about you. And we talk a lot about you. I thought to myself “How does Mother manage with the warm weather because as Simon wrote it is 86 degrees at your place. In
Grietje and Maartje get along well together. And everyone. and little Bet really love their mother. If the others are naughty, then Bettje says, “You must not be so naughty or else Mother will go back to the
You asked if the two cheeses were from six cows. I have three fresh and last Christmas to “twinters” springers??, they were very skinny because I had to sell everything and didn’t have much to feed them. And also since it was dry not much grass. One more has to have a calf this Christmas. One milking we take the cream off. And then we make 10 pounds (American) of cheese. We forget about Dutch pounds here. We also have American money. Zakel is just about a land owner. He rents out his land in three sections, but he wants to rent it all out and move to town. He has 5 cows and some pigs.
Willem Kooiman is home with the widow Gerrie Koiiman. He has 6-7 acres land. Before he was a guest by me, and he enjoyed it.
Hannah Groot was by me, and she said the first word that he said when he got home was that he was contented by me. She didn’t really even have to ask. I could tell that by looking at him. It was better than he thought. And forthwith you will be able to talk to him yourself when the Lord brings him back to you safely.
The whole family is well. Also mother (Hil). Greet the entire relation for me, because I don’t have time to write. It is 8 PM before I am finished with the work.
Greetings from every one. Your children and grandchildren.
J. Brouwer, Grietje Brouewr and children.
Jan Brouwer Pz to Pieter Kooiman Wz and relatives in Andijk
Dear Parents,
I can inform you that we are all healthy. And we hope that you are in the same situation, and that you may be raised up again, and that you may be together in your old age. Although there is indded “dunkenstoff,” yes, it is necessary to be thankful for the many years which God has given you together. There are very few who enjoy what you have enjoyed. And should the Lord take one of you away, may you go on dry feet through the
The little Bet looks very well, and all our children too. Our cattle, horses, cows and pigs look well also. My best horse had a pain in the stomach, but is OK now. By rights, I should have written long ago, but don’t take it ill of me because I was so busy and am still threshing and plowing and picking corn now. I have promised that I will give the gift of the grain up. The oats 40 bushel / acre. Cheap. I took some away for 16 cents / bushel. Then it was 14 cents, now it is going up again, now 18 cents / bushel. The barley was the same price, 28 bushel / acre at 61 cents. Corn was first 16 and now 18 cents / bushel. I picked 50 bushel per acre. We had 56 wagons full and each wagon held 30 bushels. I have harvested 30 acres and still have to pick the best which will have a better yield. Added all together, I will have about 100 wagons. So you can understand that my hands have to go back and forth a lot. Peter can pick an acre a day. Willem is not good. Poep (Reinder) is the slowest picker because he is looking at all the birds. Cows are cheap, 12-16 dollars. Fat pigs 3 ¼ cents a pound. I am very curious to know how you are doing. If you are feeling better. And how mother is, and the cold on her chest? And also the whole family? And whether they have been doing this year. The whole family here is healthy and also mother (Hil). Hearty greetings from all of us. Greet the whole relation and also Cornelis and Simon and family. We are your children and grandchildren.
J. Brower Pz and Grietje Brouwer
J. Brouwer Pz to Pieter Kooiman Wz and family in Andijk
plm. 1890
We received your letter of August 4 in good health and notice thereby that you were ill and have stomach problems. My wish is that the Lord will spare you for each other yet for a time, because we both know what it means if one is taken from us. But it it is the Lord’s will that He takes you from the earth, then I hope that you are taken in the same way Grietje was. And that you may meet her in her perfect body and may be with her forever to praise the Lamb. And Mother, if the Lord takes your husband from you, may He be your peace. We are all healthy and also happy. The same is true by Laurens and Antje and their child, as far as I know. Also with the entire family and mother Hil is also fairly well. I was happy to see from your letter that the illnesses of your children and grandchildren are improving. You also wrote about the pig’s sickness. What a problem! What God gives and again takes, the sinful person who dares to hit with his hand must burn that, yes, let it sink deeply into himself. I gathered that Pieter took down his shed and had to be saving. Did he have to pay for that or was he paid for that? You asked if little Bet still looks so well. Yes, great. A while back she and small Grietje were milking the horse and drinking the milk. Those two are always up to something. I was not helping with the threshing. When I have the seed at home, I shall write. The corn production was very good-much better than last year. Now the Lord bless you together and give you from His fullness grace upon grace. Greet the entire family. How is Willem’s leg? He was crippled. Write back quickly. Receive greetings from all of us. We are your children and grandchildren. J. Brouwer Pz. G. Brouwer
Jan Brouwer Pz. to Pieter Koiiman Wz. And family in Andijk
plm 1890
Dear Parents,
I set myself down to write you a letter. And we are all still healthy. In all the time we have been gone from you we have almost not been to a doctor. Except when the little Cornelis came and when the little Grietje came early, the doctor was here 4 times. He even came at eight o’clock in the evening in the cold weather. He came with two horses and a buggy. That cost $17.00. That was very inexpensive. The Lord does not deal with us according to our sins. Our wish is that the Lord will deal with you in the same way. May the Lord strengthen you in your old age. That is necessary for both of you. I see that with Mother. She is beginning to age also although she is still fairly healthy. The family is also well. Laurens and Antje are also well. They have been blessed with their second daughter. Everything is well. It is quite dry here, although we are getting a little rain and the ground is not so terriby dry. It is good threashing weather, and I have the threashing finished. The wheat was disappointing – 7 bushels to the acre, but the price is good – 80 cents. Oats 40 bushels to the acre – a high price 30 cents and just as expensive as last year. I do not have barley. That was very good. I had 10 acres flax and sold 12 bushels for $1.30. That was a good price. Corn was very bad this year, 4-5 kernels on an ear and small ears. We can pick it in 14 days. The price is very high. Old corn is 36 cents a bushel which is twice as much as last year. Even thought he crop is less, it should bring more. I was just to the hog house – a sow is having pigs. I am now a big pig farmer. I have 47 young pigs and eleven old. The eleven are fat. They will bring for sure 4 cents a pound. If they stay healthy, it will be good.
The children are all healthy. Bet is becoming a big girls and is good friends with Ant of Grietje (Antje Baas). Hiltje has already been by Pieter and Marijtje Sluise for seven weeks. Willem and Reinder already go to town with two horses in front of the wagon. Reinder is becoming a good worker. Maartje is a depressed lady. She is becoming crabby.
The sow had pigs. Seven – one of which was dead, leaving six living. The other sow still has to have pigs. I am curious how everything is going with the Koolhaas’. Does Maartje still have problems with pregnancy? And Cornelis with nerves? How is Willem Kooiman and Trijntje Vlam? She had weak children? And Pieter Kooiman and Trijntje Prins? And Wouter Saas? Are Pieter’s kids about ready to get married.
My page is full. Greetings from all of us. We remain your children and grandchildren.
J. Brouwer PZ G. Brouwer.
Jan Spoelstra to Pieter Kooiman WZ – and Maartje Groot in Andijk
Roseland
Dear friends,
By the grace of God we may all rejoice in the treasure of health, and we hope that you share in the same grace. So I take up my pen to write you a letter and to fulfill my promise. As you know, on March 22 we left Antwerpen on the steam boat, Westernland. And after a good trip of twelve days duration, we arrived safetly and well in
On our trip we didn’t experience anything special. Everything we experienced on the train was strange. The land was varied with mountains and valleys. At first I didn’t think it was very beautiful, but as we went further it seemed better to me. Of course, we didn’t get to see all that much since we were on the train two nights and one day, and it is also dark at night in
We got work soon after our arrival and have not been without work since. We earn $1.90 a day. Cornelis Spoelstra works in a lumber yard, and I work for the railroad. The land is fairly good here. Very expensive. About 2000 and $25 an acre. Cows are not as heavy here, but horses a bit heavier. Same as in Holland. I haven’t seen many sheep, and the ones I did see were rather thin and mangy. Crop farming is similar to
From Laurens Gorter to Pieter Kooiman and Maartje Groot in Andiyk.
Dear Grandparents,
Today I take the pen in order to write you a letter. I can share with you God’s good grace and our resulting good health. We hope that you receive this letter in good health. It has already been some time since I have written you because I was busy. I would have written earlier, but when it is harvest time here it is hard work from morning until night. We are finished with the harvest. We still have to plow and thresh, but it is not so good this year because of the drought. However, the prices are much better than last year. Last year the wheat was 50 cents / bushel, but now it is 85 cents. Oats was 16 and is now 28. Corn was 17 but now 38.
Tomorrow we have to ship three hogs. $3.60 / hundred weight. I don’t dare keep them longer, because I lost some already because of illness. We will keep 4 sows and 19 pigs. Of those 4, three are not very good, but the young ones appear to be fine. Hope to keep some of them. We had 28 but only kept 14. I hope to do the threshing this week. I hope I get more oats per acre than last year. But the wheat crop is down by 1/3. We rented the farm again for next year and hope it does better.
I don’t have a lot more news to tell you. People are buying land in
One other thing. Antje is pregnant again and is due mid September. Now I have told you a lot. Little Marijtje is starting to climb up on the chairs and starting to stand. Otherwise she is not too quick on her feet. She wasn’t well for a time, because she dehydrated a bit. Not really sick, but not good either. Now I end with my pen, but not with my heart. Could it be that we meet each other again? That likely won’t happen.
Receive our hearty greetings. Your dear grandchildren, L. Gorter, A. Brouwer, M. Gorter
L. Gorter to Maartje Kooiman-Groot in Andiyk
Dear Grandmother,
I take up my pen to write you a letter, and I can tell you by God’s grace that we are well. And we hope that you will receive this letter in good health as well. With sadness we have received the message that grandfather has exchanged the temporary for the eternal. (March 9, 1891.) May it be that he has fallen asleep in the Lord; then he is busy praising forever with all the redeemed above. And now grandmother, may the Lord give you strength in this path so that you and we together may rest in what God has done. So that through his death, we may yet die once and learn thereby the salvation of our mortal soul so that we might now learn to seek and find Jesus Christ and to have Him as the guarantee for our immortal soul before it is forever too late.
And now, Grandmother, I desire that even though it is difficult, you would write us from time to time so that we still can have fellowship with you by our letters, because it is very unlikely that we shall ever see each other face to face again. I’ll stop writing for now with my pen, though not with my heart. All is well with Father.
Greetings to all of you Your loving grandchildren.
L. Gorter A Brouwer M. Gorter G. Gorter
Jan Brouwer Pz to Maartje Kooiman-Groot and family in
Dear Mother and rest of the family,
We have received the sad news from you that Father has exchanged the temporary for the eternal. (March 9, 1891). Mother, can we fault God in his actions? If grace triumphs, then no, but flesh cannot miss flesh, I know that, but all that He does is well done and who can try to push aside God’s hand and say, “What are you doing?” Oh Mother, may he give you a heart in order that you and all your children in body and soul can trust in the Lord Jesus and give it over to him. He is yet the father of orphans and the husband of the widow. May He take up the empty place is my wish. By God’s goodness we are all fairly healthy; our children, too, and as far as I know the whole family.
Mother (Brouwer) is really getting heavy. She is almost as heavy as you. Otherwise she is healthy.
Little Cornelis is walking wherever he wants to go. Bettje looks great. The children from both sides get along well.
My cows are also good. A horse had a foal with black hair. A sow is about to have pigs. I have 17 ready to have pigs. All together I have 45 pigs. They are getting expensive. I sold ten recently for $3.30/hundred weight. Now they are $4.25. So I sold too soon. We haven’t been planting yet. Nice weather now. It still freezes every night. Seed is expensive now. 45-50 cents/bushel. Wheat 87 cents and corn 60 cents. Last year the corn was 18-20 and oats was 15-18. Also because of the shortage, especially in corn there is hardly anyone who has enough. Fortunately, I have more than enough. I will have some left. I had two cows that have calved. Six more to come of which 2 will be in the near future. The sow had 6 pigs. We have enough corn and water, but there is now whey or milk like by you. I am going to stop for this time. By Laurens and Antje all is well as far as I know.
Greetings Your children and grandchildren J Brouwer Pz and wife
Laurence Gorter to Maartje Kooiman-Groot and Family in Andijk.
Dear Grandmother and other relatives.
Today I pick up my pen to write you a letter. By God’s grace I can tell you we are all healthy. Hopefully the same is true for those of you receiving this letter. We wantyou to kow that our household has increased because of a birth of a son. Everything went quickly and well. Antije is doing well though still weak. She gave birth on Aug. 30, and the baby was born 1 ½ hrs. before the doctor came.
Grandmother, please be so good as to let Antje’s side of the family know. I has been a long time since I have written. Don’t be upset though because it is only because I have been lax about it. Last Spring we moved so now you can write us at our new address. (Maurice, Sioux County, Iowa). But we are going to move again in the Spring. We and Pieter Brouwer are going to farm together since the law allows that at 21. A farm of 200 acres. Not much else to write about since there isn’t much else happening.
Have the grain in shocks, (aan de stek of klamp) ready for the threshing machine. The wheat crop is good. The oats fair. Corn will be good if we don’t et an early frost. We have three horses and one colt from the spring. Two cows and two steers and two spring calves. 27 little pigs and 1 that we are raising to slaughter if all is well. We sold 5 that weighed 240@ and received $4.40/hdwt. We have 70-80 chickens. And that is our farm business. Now I shall stop with my pen though not with my heart.
Greetings from your grandchildren. L. Gorter, A. Brouwer, M. Gorter, G. Gorter, L. Gorter
Laurens Gorter to Maartje Kooiman Gorter and family in Aandijk.
Dear Grandmother and other relatives,
I take up my pen to write to you. By God’s grace we are all well and hope you are too. It has been a long time since I have written you that Antje had the baby boy. Want to let you know that he is healthy and doing well. He is a big boy. Short but sweet.
Regarding the harvest: Wheat was good but the price low. 560 bushels threshed from 31 acres and receives 54 cents/bu., $9.72 per acre. Oats 30 bu/a @22 cents/bu. 6.60 acres. Corn at prestn price 27 cents, 37 bu/ac $9.99 / acres but I hope the price will go up in a little in the new year. So we aren’t complaining. Pigs have done well. Have 25 young pics and one older one to butcher in a couple of weeks (250 lbs.). Hopefully will get some beef also because it is cheap 4 cents a pound, even cheaper if you butcher it yourself. No need for anyone here to lack for meat.
He has had an exceptionally nice fall. Not cold at all.
One other thing, The Lord willing A. Zwaan, & Trijne Visser’s husband are going Thursday, Dec. 6 to visit the old fatherland to visit family. And they will visit you too. So you can talk directly with someone from the family. I wish I could visit my family too so we could speak “mouth to mouth,” but for now I have to come to you via paper. I end with the wish that you receive this in wellness for you are getting older.
Grandmother Brouwer is in a bad way. Heavy with water and then attacks of nausea. She is totally weak and can meet with death at any moment as far as we can see.
So I end and greet you, your grandchildren. L. Gorter, A. Brouwer and great grandchildren. Write us soon and I will too. By Father John (Brouwer) all is well too.
Jan Brouwer PZ to Maartje Kooiman Groot & Fam. In Andijk
Dear Mother and Family,
I want to write you all a bit. We are all healthy. Greetje had a boy. Both mother and child are doing well. Before the birth, it was tough because it was so hot. Many days this summer around and over 100 degrees. Every night the windows and doors open and days almost too hot to work for man and beast. But we had to because we were so busy with wheat and oats. Wheat is doing well but oats not so good. It was flat on the ground, but we got it off. Wheat 57 acres and oats 13 acres. Barley was good too. Corn 80 acres a little behind and thin but not bad otherwise. Cows are well. Abundance of grass and hay. All in all not much rain. Mother Hil is not much any more. She is very fat. Heavy. Hands and feet swollen. She is by Kees Visser and Marijte Brouwer. The family of Laurens and Antje well. End of this month their family can expand. Bet has been there already 5 weeks to help out. She likes to be there, and they like to have her. L. rented another arm 200 acres, 4 miles from
Write back. Sending you all health. J. Brouwer PZ wife and grandchildren.
Willem Brouwer (jz) to Maartje Kooiman Groot in Aandijk
Dear Grandmother,
I sent my picture Friday, April 14, but could not send a letter with it so I just sent it by itself. Probably you will get the picture a week before the letter. Without the letter, you probably wouldn’t know me since it has been five years since we saw you. Besides that we are all healthy and hop you are too. I will end now. Please let me know if you got the picture and this letter.
Greetings. Willem Brouwer
Laurens Gorter to Maartje Kooiman Groot in Andijk –
Dear Grandmother and others with you. I take up my pen to write you and let you know we are all well and hope you are too. Thanks for that which you sent us along with Uncle Simon. He arrived here three weeks ago to the great joy of Grandmother Jiltje who is in bad shape as you know. She had a stroke that left her right side lame and has a lot of water build up which leaves her powerless and can hardly talk. She is a little more alert, but because she is so weak she needs to be watched at all times.
Now this, the Lord willing, we will be moving mid Feb. Uncle Simon will be using the farm we rented. We are moving 20 hours away from father to
We wish you all God’s blessing in the new year. Especially you grand mother, because you are getting older. We wish you health and joy from the family in this area. We end now. Greetings from your grand children.
L. Gorter, A. Brouwer and great grand children Maritje, Grietje and Laurens. Laurens is already getting to be a big boy.
Simon Prinis to Maaretje Kooiman-Groot in Andijk Orange city
Dear Aunt,
With this we let you know that our dear mother Hiltje Blokker at the age of 78 years and 9 months has died. Although we anticipated this for a long time, she was still unexpectedly taken from us. Would you please be so kind as to let the family D. Groot know? Through the goodness of the Lord we are all healthy and also Jan (Brouwer and Grietje Brouwer) the same is true. We were there yesterday, because Mother was by Jan. And they also send greetings. We really enjoy it here. And I have no wishes to return to our old place in Andijk. I hope this reaches you in good health.
Greetings from everyone. S. Prins
N.B. (Kistemaker) This letter was written in better handwriting than the Brouwer’s. It seems as though Simon Prins was more educated than the Brouwers. (So now we know, Willie Van Schepen)
For more information: norma@gorterfamily.com