Do you ever wonder how those early Dutch immigrants to the American Midwest, some of whom are your ancestors, managed to create homes, stay healthy, educate their children, celebrate their religion, farm the land, and create a prosperous life in the primitive, unsettled prairie lands of Nebraska? Here is your chance to find out…
History of the Dutch Settlement in Lancaster County, Nebraska
What was life like for our immigrant ancestors during those early years on the primitive plains of Nebraska? During the 1860′s and 1870′s a wave of immigrants moved into the midwestern plains states, drawn by the prospect of plentiful, cheap, fertile land. In his 1938 master’s degree thesis, Mr. Gustav Bade gives a detailed description of the people, their journey, daily lives, health issues, religious activities, education, and agricultural practices.
Who is my “First Cousin, Once Removed”?
When family members start talking with each other about family history, inevitably the question arises, “How are we related?” Genealogists have a relationship shorthand that uses terms like “2nd Cousin Once Removed”, or “4th Cousin on my father’s side”. What do these terms mean, and how can we figure out our relationships? Read more….
Where are the TeSelle women?
Traditionally, genealogy data sheets trace only the male branch of the family tree. What happens to the TeSelle women? They simply vanish from the TeSelle genealogy! If your maiden name is TeSelle, or if one of your female ancestors was a TeSelle by birth, then you may be curious about your TeSelle ancestry…
Please share your stories!
Written stories about the past can help us better understand the present. Our family history is more than just nostalgia for a time gone by. Writing about one’s family history is like putting together a jigsaw puzzle that has hundreds of pieces missing. If you take the trouble to lay out the pieces that you do have, you begin to see a vague picture of what the complete puzzle would look like. You start to see the contours of a landscape, dotted with a few houses and farms.
Have you read the “Letters from America”?
Have your read any of the Letters from America? They are fascinating! During the 46 years from 1865 to 1911 three te Selle brothers wrote 35 letters back to their mother and other brothers in Winterswijk, describing their experiences in their new homeland of America, first in Wisconsin and later in Nebraska. Read a few of these letters. You will enjoy them! [...]
All TeSelles Are Related!
Did you know — All Te Selles are descended from one man! Yes, we are all descended from Hermen Wijggers (aka Hermen te Selle), who lived near Winterswijk, Netherlands from 1685-1736. But how can this Hermen te Selle possibly be the only TeSelle from whom all of us are descended? Under the naming convention of the time, Hermen [...]
