The WIERINGA family is one of the lines of my maternal step-grandfather. I have never thought about my mother's step-father as being a step-ancestor. He raised my mother, tried unsuccessfully to adopt her (her biological father wouldn't sign over his parental rights, although he didn't participate much in my mother's life), gave her away at her wedding, and included her equally in his will with his two biological children. My grandfather had six grandchildren (including my brother, who was named for him) and 12 great-grandchildren, only one of all those being his biological offspring between step families and adoptees. Yet just as he was always my mother's Dad, he was always Grandpa and Great-grandpa DeVRIES to all of us. To honor him and to bless my uncle, aunt, and cousins, I have researched his ancestry. After all, the DeVRIES family history directly impacted my own, and it's likely I would not exist if Grandpa hadn't married my grandmother and raised my mother.
Stories and History:
WIERINGA is a Frisian surname that means "the household of Wier," and originates out of the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. Friesland's language and culture is more closely related to that of the English, as they both had the same Anglo-Saxon ancestors. In Europe, the Frisian ethnic group primarily lives in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen in the Netherlands and also in the region of Ostfriesland and district of Nordfriesland in Germany.
(The letter "C" differentiates between my biological family tree and my step-family tree. I have used the letter "B" to mark my paternal grandmother's adoptive family tree.)
WIERINGA is a Frisian surname that means "the household of Wier," and originates out of the province of Friesland in the Netherlands. Friesland's language and culture is more closely related to that of the English, as they both had the same Anglo-Saxon ancestors. In Europe, the Frisian ethnic group primarily lives in the provinces of Friesland and Groningen in the Netherlands and also in the region of Ostfriesland and district of Nordfriesland in Germany.
(The letter "C" differentiates between my biological family tree and my step-family tree. I have used the letter "B" to mark my paternal grandmother's adoptive family tree.)
Ahnentafel #200C - Lubbart WIERINGA (dates unknown)
Ahnentafel #100C - Wobbe Lubbartus WIERINGA (dates unknown) - his wife, or at least the mother of his five known children, was Catarina (or Katrina) Onnes VAN POST (dates unknown)
Ahnentafel #50 - Hendrik WIERINGA (b. 1815) - he was probably born in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands. In 1858, he married Korneliske SIEGERS (b. 1827) in Oldehove, Groningen, the Netherlands. They had at least two daughters.
Ahnentafel #25 - Adriaantje WIERINGA (1861 - 1925) - her name is also spelled "Adriaantze" and "Adriana." Born in Oldehove, Groningen, the Netherland, she first married a shoemaker and barber, Binne Jarigs DeVRIES (1856 - 1896) in 1886 in the municipality of Kollumerland, Friesland, the Netherlands. At that time, her residence was in Noord Drachten, Smallingerland, Friesland. They had three children before Binne died. Adriaantje apparently ended up in an arranged marriage with John HOOGSTRA (b. 1858), who had emigrated to the United States in 1890. He was widowed as well. It is likely they knew each other before he left the Netherlands, or that Adriaantje had contacts with the Dutch immigrant community in Western Michigan, who may have helped arrange the marriage. At any rate, Adriaantje arrived at Ellis Island on the Spaarndam with her three young children on 29 March 1897. Ten days later, she married John in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan, with her ten-year-old son, George, as one of the witnesses. She and John had three more children. After his death, she married another widower, Teunis NIEMEYER (b. c. 1865) in 1915 in Grand Rapids. Adriaantje died in East Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan.
Ahenentafel #12C - Jarig Binne Egbert DeVRIES (1887 - 1959) - born in the city of Drachten in Smallingerland, Friesland, the Netherlands he immigrated with his mother and two younger siblings to the United States, the only group of my ancestors to pass through Ellis Island. His name was anglicized to George Benjamin Edward DeVRIES. He married Johanna "Josephine" BOS / BUSH (1885 - 1946) in 1911 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. They had four sons and one daughter. My mother remembers George pretty well, as he lived with her family in Grand Rapids in his elder years, and died in their home.
Ahnentafel #6C - Adrian "Ed" DeVRIES (1916 - 2007) - my beloved grandfather, greatly missed
Ahnentafel #3 - my mother (living)
Ahnentafel #1 - myself
Ahnentafel #100C - Wobbe Lubbartus WIERINGA (dates unknown) - his wife, or at least the mother of his five known children, was Catarina (or Katrina) Onnes VAN POST (dates unknown)
Ahnentafel #50 - Hendrik WIERINGA (b. 1815) - he was probably born in the province of Groningen, the Netherlands. In 1858, he married Korneliske SIEGERS (b. 1827) in Oldehove, Groningen, the Netherlands. They had at least two daughters.
Ahnentafel #25 - Adriaantje WIERINGA (1861 - 1925) - her name is also spelled "Adriaantze" and "Adriana." Born in Oldehove, Groningen, the Netherland, she first married a shoemaker and barber, Binne Jarigs DeVRIES (1856 - 1896) in 1886 in the municipality of Kollumerland, Friesland, the Netherlands. At that time, her residence was in Noord Drachten, Smallingerland, Friesland. They had three children before Binne died. Adriaantje apparently ended up in an arranged marriage with John HOOGSTRA (b. 1858), who had emigrated to the United States in 1890. He was widowed as well. It is likely they knew each other before he left the Netherlands, or that Adriaantje had contacts with the Dutch immigrant community in Western Michigan, who may have helped arrange the marriage. At any rate, Adriaantje arrived at Ellis Island on the Spaarndam with her three young children on 29 March 1897. Ten days later, she married John in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan, with her ten-year-old son, George, as one of the witnesses. She and John had three more children. After his death, she married another widower, Teunis NIEMEYER (b. c. 1865) in 1915 in Grand Rapids. Adriaantje died in East Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan.
Ahenentafel #12C - Jarig Binne Egbert DeVRIES (1887 - 1959) - born in the city of Drachten in Smallingerland, Friesland, the Netherlands he immigrated with his mother and two younger siblings to the United States, the only group of my ancestors to pass through Ellis Island. His name was anglicized to George Benjamin Edward DeVRIES. He married Johanna "Josephine" BOS / BUSH (1885 - 1946) in 1911 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. They had four sons and one daughter. My mother remembers George pretty well, as he lived with her family in Grand Rapids in his elder years, and died in their home.
Ahnentafel #6C - Adrian "Ed" DeVRIES (1916 - 2007) - my beloved grandfather, greatly missed
Ahnentafel #3 - my mother (living)
Ahnentafel #1 - myself
More About the WIERINGA Family:
1. Online database (I update this at least once a month): WIERINGA ancestors and relatives (no info on living persons available)
3. Posts about WIERINGA ancestors and relatives on this blog
The WIERINGA Immigration Trail:
Oldehove, Groningen, the Netherlands > Kollumerland, Friesland, the Netherlands > Smallingerland, Friesland, the Netherlands > Kent Co., MI > AK > Stevens Co., WA > Spokane Co., WA
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