Evert
Jan Brethouwer was born on May 27, 1834 in Winterswijk, Netherlands. He was the
son of Tony Albernadus Brethouwer & Arnolda
Johannah Jentink
Helen Van De Wege was born about 1842 in Zeeland, Netherlands.
She was the daughter of Martinus Van De
Wege & Esther Elizabeth Van Driel
Caroline was born about 1832 in New
York. She was the daughter of Unknown Parents
THE FAMILY OF DR. EVERT JAN BRETHOUWER & HELENA VAN DE WEGE
 | Dr. Evert Jan Brethouwer & Helena Van De Wege | Dr. Evert
Jan Brethouwer & Helena Van De Wege were married on July 12, 1858 in
Sheboygan Co., Wisconsin, and they had 12 children. Evert & Helena are
listed with their family under the name John Brethouwer on the 1860 census of
Wilson, Sheboygan Co., WI. They are listed under the name Evart Brethouwer on
the 1870 census of Holland, Sheboygan Co., Wisconsin. Their son John Benjamin's
obituary indicates that the family emigrated from Wisconsin to Nebraska about
1871. They are listed on the 1880, 1885 & 1900 censuses of South Pass (Firth),
Lancaster Co., Nebraska. According to a family history, "Dr. Brethhouwer
was a country doctor; both he and his wife were born in the Netherlands. His mother
(Arnoldina Johanna Jentink-Brethouwer) died about 1847 on the voyage to the USA;
she was buried at sea. (Note - she is listed on the passenger list of the ship
Kath Jackson when it arrived in New York on September 28, 1847.) His father, Tony
Aalbernados Brethouwer died in 1882 in Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, the Brethouwers
lived on a small farm or acreage which contained maple trees. They would tap the
trees to collect buckets of maple syrup to use on the table and make candy. According
to Aunt Minnie and Aunt Lena, it was the 'only kind of candy they had'. The Brethouwers
later settled in Holland, Nebraska. Dr. Brethouwer had an office in his home.
He pulled teeth, delivered babies, had different kinds of pills for any ailment
one might have. As Aunt Jennie once remarked, "I guess he knew how to care
for himself... he lived to be 93 years old." In 1900, Helena is listed as
having 12 births with 6 surviving children at that time. Helena Van
De Wege Brethouwer died in 1902 in Holland, Lancaster Co., NE. After Helena's
death, Evert married Mrs. Caroline Bonney Davenport on July 21,1903 in
Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE. It was the second marriage for Evert and third for
Caroline. They are listed on the 1910 census of Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE, both
listed as age 78, married 7 years, and Caroline listed as having 2 births with
1 surviving child. Caroline probably died before 1920. Evert is listed as age
87 & widowed on the 1920 census of South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE, living near
his widowed daughter Esther Poort. Evert Jan Brethouwer died on May 18, 1923
in Holland, Lancaster Co., NE. Notes for Evert Jan Brethouwer Notes for Helena Van De Wege |
The Children of Dr. Evert Jan Brethouwer & Helena Van De Wege
 | Johannah Arnolda Brethouwer | Johannah Arnolda Brethouwer was born
on April 7, 1859 in Wisconsin. She is listed with her parents at age 1 on
the 1860 census of Wilson, Sheboygan Co., WI. She is listed with her parents at
age 11 on the 1870 census of Holland, Sheboygan Co., WI. Johannah emigrated with
her parents from Wisconsin to Nebraska about 1871. She became housekeeper to a
widower with 4 small children, who she later married. Johannah married Harmen
Jan "Herman John"TeSelle on May 7, 1876. At the time of their wedding,
Johannah was age 17 and Herman John was age 31. Herman John & Johannah had
13 more children, and they named the first child Berendiena after Herman John's
first wife. Herman, Johannah and family are on the 1880, 1900 & 1910 censuses
for South Pass Pct, Firth Village, Lancaster Co., NE. Herman John was a farmer.
He had six horses in 1885, made 800 pounds of butter on his farm, harvested 260
busheld of oats from 13 acres and picked two bushels of apples from a two-acre
apple orchard. Eleven of their children were still living in 1910. Three of their
children married children of Derk & Dena Obbink.
Harmen Jan "Herman John" teSelle died on June 22, 1919 in Firth, Lancaster
Co., NE. I have not found Johannah on the 1920 census at this time. Johannah
died on December 27, 1927 in Firth, Lancaster Co., NE. The Family of Harmen Jan TeSelle & Johannah Arnolda Brethouwer Notes for Johannah Arnold Brethouwer Photo Sons of Herman John TeSelle Photo Daughters of Herman John TeSelle |
| Esther Brethouwer | Esther Elisabeth Brethouwer was born on April
25, 1861 in Wisconsin. She is listed with her parents at age 9 on the 1870
census of Holland, Sheboygan Co., WI. She moved with her parents from Wisconsin
to Nebraska about 1871. She is listed as Ester E., age 18, with her parents on
the 1880 census of South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. Esther married Peter Poort
about 1882, probably in Lancaster Co., NE, and they had 5 children. The family
is listed on the 1900 & 1910 censuses of South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. In
1900 Peter is listed as being a Merchant, Groceries, and in 1910 he is listed
as no occupation. In both 1900 & 1910 Esther is listed as having 5 births
wtih 3 surviving children. Peter died in 1917, and Esther is listed as age 58
and widowed on the 1920 census of South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. At that time
one son was living with her, and next to her widowed father. Esther Elisabeth
Brethouwer Poort died on August 1, 1928, probably in South Pass, Lancaster Co.,
Nebraska. Peter & Esther are both buried in the Holland Cemetery, Lancaster
Co., Nebraska. Notes for Esther Elisabeth Brethouwer Poort |
| John Benjamin Brethouwer | John Benjamin Brethouwer was born about
1865 in Wisconsin. He is listed as Jan Berent, age 6, with his parents on
the 1870 census of Holland, Sheboygan Co., WI. He moved with his parents from
Wisconsin to Nebraska about 1871. He is listed as Benjamin, age 15, on the 1880
census, & as John B., age 21, on the 1885 census, both in the household of
his parents in South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. John married Katrina Grietje
Jelsma on March 4, 1886 in Adams, Gage Co., NE and they had 11 children. The
family is listed on the 1900 census of Nemaha, Gage Co., NE. At that time Katrina
was listed as having 8 births with 6 surviving children. According to his obituary,
the family moved from Lancaster County to Dundy County, Nebraska in 1909, and
they are listed on the 1910 census of Benkelman Pct, Dundy Co., NE. At that time
Katrina was listed as having 11 births with 10 surviving children. The family
is listed on the 1920 & 1930 censuses of Max, Dundy Co., NE. John Benjamin
Brethouwer died on May 30, 1930 in Max, Dundy Co., Nebraska. Katrina died
on April 20, 1941 in Holyoke, Phillips Co., Colorado (where oldest son Everett
John had settled). John & Katrina are both buried in the Benkelman Cemetery,
Dundy Co., Nebraska. Notes for John Benjamin Brethouwer |
 | Martinus Brethouwer | Martinus Brethouwer was born about 1867
in Wisconsin. He is listed with his parents at age 4 on the 1870 census of
Holland, Sheboygan Co., WI. He moved with his parents from Wisconsin to Nebraska
about 1871. He is listed as Martinus, age 13, with his parents on the 1880 census,
& as Martin, age 19, on the 1885 census, both in the household of his parents
in South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. Martinus married Grace about 1890, probably
in Lancaster Co., NE, and they had 5 children. Martinus Brethouwer died on
May 1900, probably in South Pass, Lancaster Co., Nebraska. He is buried in
the Holland Cemetery, Lancaster Co., Nebraska, and his tombstone reads "Father,
Martinus Brethouwer, 1867-1900". Grace is listed as as a boarder with 2 of
the the children in the household of Peter & Esther Poort (Martinus' sister)
on the June 20, 1900 census of South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. At that time Grace
was listed as widowed, married 9 years, with 5 births and 5 surviving children.
The other 3 children are listed as boarders in the household of Walter Harper
on the June 15, 1900 census of Panama, Lancaster Co., NE. On June 26, 1900, Grace
is listed as widowed and head of household on the census of Fulton, Whiteside,
Illinois. (She was born in Illinois, and possibly still had family there). Grace
remarried William H. Clark about 1902, and they had at least 3 sons. They
are listed on the 1910 census of Albert, Montmorency, Michigan, the 1920 census
of Comins, Osada, Michigan, and the 1930 census of Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Notes for Martinus Brethouwer |
| Tony Albert Brethouwer | Tony Albert Brethouwer was born about
1869 in Wisconsin. He is listed with his parents at age 1 on the 1870 census
of Holland, Sheboygan Co., WI. He moved with his parents from Wisconsin to Nebraska
about 1871. He is listed as Tony A., age 11, with his parents on the 1880 census
of South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. He is not listed with his parents on the 1885
state census of South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. Tony married Josie O. Visco/Sisco
about 1888 in Johnson Co., Nebraska, and they had at least 2 children. The family
is listed on the 1900 census of Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE. At that time Josie
was listed as having 2 births with 2 surviving children, and Tony was working
as a Dry Goods Salesman. I have not found them in 1910 at this time, but family
story is that Josie, who was part Indian, left her husband and went to Oregon.
Tony was remarried to Elizabeth Limbeck about 1913, probably in Lancaster
Co., Nebraska. Tony Albert Brethouwer died on April 8, 1915 in Lincoln, Lancaster,
Nebraska. He drowned in Salt Creek, when it flooded and he was attempting
to save his cattle at his farm near there. Elizabeth is listed as widowed on the
1920 census of Lincoln, Lancaster, Nebraska. She later married Martin Vermaas,
who was the widower of Tony's sister Jane, and they are listed on the 1930 census
of Lincoln, Lancaster Co., Nebraska. Notes for Tony A. Brethouwer |
| Jane "Jennie" Brethouwer | Jane "Jennie"
Brethouwer was born Sept. 9, 1871 in Holland, Sheboygan Co., WI or Lancaster Co.,
NE. Her parents emigrated about that time from Wisconsin to Nebraska. She
is listed as Jane, age 9, with her parents on the 1880 census, & as Jennie,
age 15 (born Wisconsin) on the 1885 census, both in the household of her parents
in South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. Jennie married Martin Vermaas on March
18, 1888 at the Lancaster County Courthouse. Martin was a farmer, salesman and
minister. They had 13 children and three of them died in infancy but for the remaining
10, there are descendants. Jane "Jennie" Brethouwer Veremaas died
Jan. 7, 1917 at Firth, Lancaster Co., NE and is buried at the Firth Cemetery.
After Jane died, Martin married again on Sept. 9, 1917 to Ida (Olson) Van De
Wege (widow of John who was the son of Martinus VanDeWege II,and was married
to Jozina Vermaas), Ida died in Nov. 1918, then he married Elizabeth (Limbeck)
Brethouwer, who was the widow of Jane's brother Tony Brethouwer. Martin's
children are all from his marriage to Jane Brethouwer. Martin Vermaas died Feb.
9, 1944 at Lincoln, Lancaster Co., NE, and he is also buried at Firth. |
 | Christian Gareld Brethouwer | Dr. Christian/Christopher Gareld
Brethouwer was born on July 12, 1876 in Holland, Lancaster Co., Nebraska.
He is listed as Christian, age 3, with his parents on the 1880 census, & as
Christina, age 9, on the 1885 census, both in the household of his parents in
South Pass, Lancaster Co., NE. "Christopher G. Brethouwer" married Lillian
M. Beltzer on August 30, 1899 in Lancaster Co., NE. I have not found him on
the 1900 census at this time, but their daughter Rowena Corinne Brethouwer was
born on June 11, 1900 in Lincoln, Lancaster, Nebraska. Christian and Lillian divorced,
and both remarried. "C. Gareld Brethouwer" was married second to Kittie
Matilda Fisher on June 3, 1902 in Phillips Co., Kansas and they had at least
2 children. Lillian was married second in August 1905 to Clark Byrum in
Lincoln, Lancaster, Nebraska, and they had 2 sons, one of whom died young. Clark
died in 1908, and Lillian and the children are living with her parents in 1910,
with Rowena listed under the last name Byrum. I have not found Christopher Gerald
and Kittie on the 1910 census at this time, but they had children born in about
1905 & about 1910 in Kansas. There is a WWI draft registration for Christopher
Gareld Brethouwer that was signed on Sept. 12, 1918. At that time his occupation
was Physician & Surgeon, General Public, and he and Kittie were living in
Montrose, Montrose Co., Colorado. They are listed on the 1920 & 1930 census
of Montrose Co., CO, both under the name C. Gareld Brethouwer, and with his occupation
listed as Physician. Christian/Christopher Gareld Brethouwer died on January
27, 1937, probably in Montrose Co., CO. Kittie died in 1955. Christopher Gareld
& Kittie are both buried in the Cedar Cemetery, Montrose, Montrose Co., Colorado. Notes for Dr. Christian/Christopher Gareld Brethouwer |
