In the early “eighties,” a daughter colony was started in Kansas by Mr. Henry Brethouwer, one of the first to migrate from the Netherlands to Wisconsin. Brethouswer, who had been one of the advance guard in the migration from Wisconsin to Nebraska, again took up his travels in search of more land. All the claims in the Nebraska settlement had been taken up. In Kansas, however, there were vast stretches of prairie still open to the new settler. In 1881 Mr. Henry Brethouwer and his father‑in‑law (Mr. Siegrist) and their families left the Dutch settlement in Nebraska, migrating to that place in Phillips County, Kansas, which is now known as Prairie View. During the remainder of the decade, these two families were followed by the Van Diests, Vandeveldas, Dick and Tinus Vanderwege, and many others forming a settlement similar to that in Nebraska. Others would have gone but hesitated to leave the settlement in Nebraska and repeat the experiences of developing a new home. Soon, however, there were several families living in the new settlement of Kansas and before long, a Dutch Reformed Church was established. Today the Dutch settlement includes both Prairie View and Luctor, Kansas. It cannot be reported, however, that this venture was extremely successful, as the Kansas settlements have not achieved the prosperity of those in Nebraska.[1]
We are aware of two siblings, Jan Willem te Selle (1855-1938) and his sister Janna Geertruid Aleida te Selle (1851-1924), emigrated to Kansas sometime in the 1880’s, but we do not yet have any additional information. If one of our website visitors has information, photos, or memorabilia they would like to share, please contact us.
[1] Bade, Gustav Adolph, “A History of the Dutch Settlement in Lancaster County, Nebraska.” Personal interview with Mr. Ben Brethouwer; Mrs. Anna (Vanderwege) Liesveld, Holland, Nebr., 1937; Mrs. Dillie (TeSelle) Wubbles, Holland, Nebr., 1937.
