Letter 16

Published on: August 25, 2013Date revised: June 12, 2018

Date (sent): 1 June 1875
Writer: Gerrit Jan te Selle
Place: Holland, Lancaster County, Nebraska
Addressee: Derk Willem te Selle
Address (sent to): Winterswijk, Netherlands

Summary:

Gerrit Jan conveys the sad news of the death of Uncle Christiaan Graaskamp, husband of Harmina te Selle Graaskamp, the aunt of the Gerrit Jan, Jan Hendrik, and Harmen Jan te Selle. Christiaan and Harmina lived with Gerrit Jan in Holland, Nebraska. Gerrit Jan also describes the recent drought and plague of locusts which devastated the Nebraska plains.

Here are some of the main topics of the letter:

  • Uncle Christiaan died on 29 May. He was 68 years old.
  • On March 4, a daughter was born: Dina.
  • Jan Hendrik has two sons, which may not yet be known in the Netherlands: one is called Hendrik and the other Jan Albert.
  • Harmen Jan's wife brought a stillborn child to the world. Sad, but all is now good.
  • Last year a drought and grasshopper plague.
  • Now a big drought.
  • Prices of grain and livestock. He works hard to cultivate the land.
  • Gerrit Jan thanks cousin Albert for a nice letter.

From this letter the envelope has been saved.  Front side reads as follows:
Via Direct Steamer
D.W. te Selle
Wintersvijk
Gelderland
Kingdom of Holland
Europe

on the right side:  
Holland, Nebraska
June 5

On the back side:    2 postage stamps
MAIL (“SEALETTER”)
23
1.                     7
1875
ROTTERDAM
2.                WINTERSWIJK
24
JUL
8M-12M
Holland, Nebraska June 1, 1875

Dear friends:

It is with very deep regret that I have to let you know that uncle Christian[1. “Uncle Christian” – he may have been Christian Graaskamp, husband of Harmina (nee te Selle) Graaskamp. Information received in 1990 from D. Willem Wilterdink, Winterswijk, reflects the followings Harmina was a sister of Jan Albert te Selle (1800-1845) … father of the three Te Selle brothers who came to Nebraska. She was born In 1813. In 1850 she married Christiaan Graaskamp (born 1807). The Graaskamps came to America with the Gerrit Jan te Selle family. (Derk Willem Wilterdink is a descendant of Tobias te Selle (born 1830), a brother of the three Te Selle brothers who settled in Nebraska. If Christian Graaskamp died on May 29, 1875, he would have been age 68 as shown in the letter. Derk Willem Wilterdink is a descendant of Tobias te Selle (born 1830), a brother of the three Te Selle brothers who settled in Nebraska. ], at an age of almost 68 years, has changed the temporary for the eternal on the 29th, after having problems for a couple of weeks with his “water” (A colloquial for bladder or prostrate problems).
Calm and relaxed he passed away and will be in heaven, if it pleases the Lord, where he will awake again in better regions and where death doesn’t exist anymore. And this is the wish of all of us. Please be so kind and inform all his friends and let them pass on the word further, because they are familiar with it in generations of friends.
Furthermore, we are, thanks to the Lord, healthy and happy and on March 4 a young daughter was born which we named Dina.[2. Dina (also known as Dena in Nebraska), was born on March 4, 1875. She was married to John Berend Sikkink. Her date of death, April 1944.  ] Also, brother Jan Hendrik had a young son whose name is Hendrik.[3. Hendrik (Henry) Te Selle was born in February 1875, deceased November 1960. He was married to Martha Wismer. ]  He also has another son, which you did not know of yet, whose name is Jan Albert.[4. John Henry Te Selle (or Jan Hendrik te Selle, born 1838), had a son by name of John Albert (Jan Albert as shown in the letter). He was born June 1873 and deceased November 1954. He was known as Albert and was married to Hannah Walvoord. ] They are all well and healthy. Awhile ago the wife of brother Harmen Jan[5.  ] has been released from a lifeless child. They are all doing well, too. The three children of brother Harmen Jan 6 want to visit and stay with you , if that pleases you.
In your letter you ask about the grass-hoppers (locusts) which we had here last year for about 5 days and which did millions of dollars of damage. The wheat was ripe. They ate everything. From 1000 acres of grain crops, nothing was left and it seems that they have laid their eggs again at certain spots, so there could be again millions of them, who eat everything because they are young and can’t fly yet. We hope that it will remain spotty.  On top of that, we had, before the harvest, a big drought, as nobody had ever seen before. We couldnlt bind any wheat for two days in the night.
We could not stand facing the wind for more than 15 minutes. We harvested 120 bushels of wheat and I bought 35 bushels extra for 55 cents per bushel (a bushel is 60 lbs) . Brother Jan Hendrik had over 600 bushels. Harmen Jan about the same, I don’t know exactly any more.   I have 100 schepelszaad (approx. 40 acres) with wheat, 20 (approx. 8 acres) with corn. Brother J.H. has 300 schepelszaad (approx. 120 acres) sowed and planted (with corn). Wheat costs 85 cents, corn 60 cents, beeause it has to be shipped here. Oats is 60 cents per bushel. 40 pounds of potatoes is 1.50. Butter is 20 to 25. Eggs are 12 cents per dozen. Everything on the land is growing very nicely. I am going to break an additional 20 schepelszaad (6 acres) to make it farmland. I have now a span of oxen 4 years old, but I cannot use them too much yet. A lot of work I farm out. If I can work for it, then I still make the same money a day as somebody with two horses. That’s what I would rather do because even with a magnifying glass you can’t find any money around here.
You were also asking me about the oil which was found in the state of Pennsylvania. I have a neighbor who is English, and he told me that he worked in the oilpatch, but that’s very far from here. This state alone is 72.000 square miles.
Please thank cousin Albertus 7 for his nice letter and beautiful (7) writing, and I hope that he may reap the fruits from this talent (to beautiful handwriting).
lt is night now and I must end with my wish for you to receive the blessings of the Lord. Please accept our regards.
G.J. te Selle
(added on the sideline of page 2]
Last week G. te Bremelstroete arrived from Wisconsin. They are staying with brother Jan Hendrik.
Added on the sideline of page 4:
Albert 8 is going to school and shows good progress in English.

 FOOTNOTES
1:”Uncle Christian” – he may have been Christian Graaskamp, husband of Harmina (nee te Selle) Graaskamp. Information received in 1990 from D. Willem Wilterdink, Winterswijk, reflects the followings Harmina was a sister of Jan Albert te Selle (1800-1845) … father of the three Te Selle brothers who came to Nebraska. She was born In 1813. In 1850 she married Christiaan Graaskamp (born 1807). The Graaskamps came to America with the Gerrit Jan te Selle family. (Derk Willem Wilterdink is a descendant of Tobias te Selle (born 1830), a brother of the three Te Selle brothers who settled in Nebraska.
If Christian Graaskamp died on May 29, 1875, he would have been age 68 as shown in the letter. Derk Willem Wilterdink is a deseendant of Tobias te Selle (bern 1830), a brother of the three Te Selle brothers who settled in Nebraska.
2:Dina (also known as Dena in Hebraska), was born on March 4, 1875.
She was married to John Berend Sikkink. Her date of death, April 1944.
3:Hendrik (Henry) Te Selle was born in February 1875, deceased November 1960. He was married to Martha Wismer.
4:John Henry Te Selle (or Jan Hendrik te Selle, born 1838), had a son
by name of John Albert (Jan Albert as shown in the letter). He was born June 1873 and deceased November 1954. He was known as Albert and was married to Hannah Walvoord.
5:Harmen Jan’s wife in June 1875 would have been Berendiena Aleida Reusink Schreurs. (H. J.’s first wife)
6:H. J.’s three children in June 1875 would have been: Dela Te Selle (born April 1868 in Wisconsin); she was married to Dick Abbink.
H. J.’s second child was William (Bill) born in Nebraska in September 1871; he was married to Clara Bade.
The son of H. J.’s first wife, Berendiena, was named Manus John Schreurs. (These are possibly the “three” Gerrit Jan was referring to.)
7:Jan Albert te Selle (*03.03.1865, oldest son of Derk Willem te Selle) At that moment in the elementary school.
8:This “Albert” is Gerrit Jan’s son. He was born in the Netherlands in September 1869. He was known as Jan Albert (John Albert in Nebraska), Albert. J. A., and A. J.  He was married to Minnie Sikkink and died in April 1941.