Letter 31
Date:
October 29, 1892
Sender: Gerrit
Jan te Selle
Addressee: Derk Willem te Selle
Holland
Nebraska
October 29 1892
Dear Friends,
To our big regret I have to
report to you that old Aunt Harmina
Graskamp, born te Selle, died on the 24th at the age of 80 Years
and 4 months. Mildly and calmly she fell into the eternal sleep,
despite the fact that she had dinner with us till the end. Yes! In
the morning she got up at 9 all by herself, but was more tired
than usual. My wife helped her in an easy chair, and then she told
her "Now you have to wash me and comb my hair." Then she said "Now
I feel fresh and clean" and then it seemed that she fell asleep
for awhile.
Then a neighbor came to visit
her, but my wife said, "She is sleeping now very quietly. Her
coughing during the night must have made her tired. The coughing
and emphysema seemed to hurt her, although the doctor said that it
would not last long any more with her. So I came home at about
half past 10 and we sat around her. I fetched Hietbrink
and his wife. Together with my wife we put her on the bed, but her
breathing was like a small child and I called the brothers in. Jan
Hendrik and his wife were there immediately, but at half past 1
she had to throw up twice, and that was the last thing. And thus
she fell into the eternal sleep quietly and softly with a burning
desire for Jesus, her Saviour and Redeemer, to whom she had
submitted herself safely. So please inform any friends of hers who
are still alive.
Furthermore, I am puzzled that
I don't get a letter from you. In February, already 2 years ago, I
sent you the pictures of my children, as well as of my son‑in‑law
G.W. Hietbrink,
with a request to answer me soon. But later we got a letter from
you from which it was clear that you had not received my letter.
So I repeated my letter again
but whether both letters got into the see I don't know. Then I had
written down everything very carefully. I wrote that I bought half
ownership of a shop for 1,700 dollars. My son Albert
lives there now. He married in this spring with a daughter of J.A.
Sikkink from Minnesota, which is 600 miles from here. She was
visiting my brother awhile ago. About a year ago I bought 80 acres
of land, bordering my property, for $2,500. So now I have to farm
a total of about 160 acres of land.
Spring was very wet and
late summer was very dry, yet we don't have reason to complain.
We have 65 bushels of
flax seed, 997 bushels of oats, 667 bushels wheat. Corn is not
finished yet but I expect to get 3,600 bushels and we are very
busy with it at this moment. The flaxseed costs 76 cents, oats 23,
wheat 52, corn 30 cents.
So, if you did not get
my letter, please let me know and I will write more. Best regards
from everybody.
your Brother, G.J. TeSelle
.
Harmina, the aunt, was a sister to Jan Albert te Selle (born
1800), who was the father of the seven Te Selle brothers. She
was born at June 21, 1813 at farmstead
“de
Selle”.
She married Christiaan Graaskamp in Aalten at March 23, 1850. In
1873 the family emigrates to the USA together with Gerrit Jan te
Selle. Two years later Christiaan died in Holland Nebraska.
Harmina te Selle-Graaskamp lived with the Gerrit Jan te Selle
family after the death of her husband in 1875.
.
"I
fetched Hietbrink" .... Hietbrink probably is Willemina’s
husband, Garrit Henry Hietbrink. Willemina/Minnie te
Selle-Hietbrink was the eldest daughter of Gerrit Jan te Selle.
."as
well as my son‑in‑law G. W. Hietbrink. ..." The descendants of
G. Hietbrink show his middle name as Henry instead of "W" ....
Willemina was born September 14, 1871 in Bredevoort, and died
February 25, 1919. She and Hietbrink had 14 children.
.
"My
son Albert ...”
was also born in the Netherlands, September I7, 1869. He died
April 4, 1941. He also went by the names of John Albert, J. A.
and A. J. His wife’s
name was Minnie Sikkink. (born in Wisconsin October 10 1866.
They lived near Firth.
