The eastern province of Gelderland in the Netherlands is the region where the te Selle family originated, and from which early te Selle family members left as emigrants to Americal.
Born: August 3, 1917, in Winterswijk-Dorpbuurt, Netherlands Died: April 27, 1983, in Winterswijk, Netherlands Married: July 4, 1942, to Janna Gesiena Toebes Gerrit was born as a second son in the family of Derk Willem te Selle and Grada Johanna Demkes in Winterswijk in the building on Bocholtsestraat where later the supermarket and bakery of… Read more »
Jan Hendrik te Selle (1838-1921) was born on the “De Selle” farm, near Winterswijk, Netherlands. Jan Hendrik, his wife Hannah Onnink (1841-1929), and Jan Hendrik’s younger brother, Harmen Jan te Selle (1844-1919), emigrated to the United States in 1865. At first, they lived with their aunt and uncle, Gerrit and Janna te Selle Bloemers, near Sheboygan,… Read more »
Harmen Jan te Selle (1839-1916) turned out to be quite an itinerant immigrant during his life in the United States. Harmen Jan arrived first in Wisconsin in 1866, moved to Iowa in 1878, and finally settled in Montana from 1891 until his death in 1916. We know very little about his life and activities in… Read more »
Johan Christiaan and his wife Trui (Gertruida) te Selle purchased the old oil mill (Olliemölle) of Winterswijk in the mid-1920’s. Both of Johan and Trui’s children, Bertus and Thea, were born at the “Olliemölle”, and have fond memories of growing up there.
Jan Albert te Selle was born in 1800 in Woold, Netherlands, on the farm known as “de Selle” or “Selleman,” from which the name “te Selle” was originally derived. Jan Albert and wife Dela ten Damme had seven sons. Unfortunately, Jan Albert died unexpectedly in 1845, leaving Dela alone to raise seven young boys. Three of these boys emigrated to America. They and their extended families created and populated many of the farms in present-day Lancaster County, Nebraska.
Gerrit Jan te Selle (1841-1921) emigrated from the “De Selle” farm in Winterswijk, NL, and eventually settled on farmland near Panama, Lancaster County, Nebraska.
Hanna Berendina Onnink married Jan Hendrik te Selle in Winterswijk, Netherlands, on September 28, 1865, and they departed the next day, along with Jan Hendrik’s younger brother, Harmen Jan te Selle, on an epic journey to America. Read more about the two brothers and their families, who had much to do with the growth and prosperity of Lancaster County, Nebraska during the late 1800’s.
Gerrit Jan te Selle (1841-1921), a brother of Jan Hendrik and Harmen Jan te Selle who emigrated in 1865, emigrated from Winterswijk in 1873 with his wife and family to join his brothers in America.
Derk Willem te Selle (1827-1904) was born on the “De Selle” farm, near Winterswijk, Netherlands. He was the oldest son of Jan Albert te Selle (1800-1845) and Dela ten Damme (1802-1883). In 1861 Derk Willem moved to farm “Fökkink” in Kotten, along with his wife, mother Dela, his young sons, and his three younger brothers — Jan Hendrik, Gerrit Jan, and Harmen Jan. Derk Willem remained at Fökkink for the rest of his life, while his three younger brothers emigrated to America in the mid-1860’s. There are numerous letters in this website between Derk Willem at Fökkink and this three brothers in Nebraska.
Dela ten Damme te Selle and her family needed to move to a new farm; there were not enough jobs for her young boys; emigration to America seemed very appealing. Soon Jan Hendrik, Gerrit Jan, and Harmen Jan te Selle were on their way to America.
