Source: Family Photographs and Memorabilia from the Harmen Jan te Selle (1844-1919) descendants

Harmen Jan te Selle had 16 children, 13 of whom survived into adulthood. From those 13 surviving children came dozens of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. There is a wealth of stories, photos, and other memorabilia residing with many of these descendants of Harmen Jan te Selle. We are attempting to gather these records here on this website so that all of his descendants can enjoy reliving those memories. Please contact us if you have memorabilia that you would like to share. Thanks.

Norma TeSelle Prophet (1923-2009)


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Norma Norvella (Te Selle) Prophet was born on July 26, 1923, in Firth, Lancaster County, Nebraska to Benjamin F. and Alma (Dietz) Te Selle. She died on December 17, 2009, in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska, at the age of 86. As with all of us, the importance of her life was not the dates of… Read more »

Gerrit Henry TeSelle (1894-1953)


Gerrit H. TeSelle in World War I Uniform

Gerrit Henry TeSelle was born in Firth, Lancaster County, Nebraska on 19 August 1894. He was the son of Harmen Jan te Selle and Johanna Arnolda Brethouwer. Gerrit enlisted in the U. S. Army on 25 July 1918, as a Private in the Infantry, Company “D”, 14th Machine Gun Battalion, 5th Division.  He was honorably… Read more »

South Pass Township, Nebraska – 1921 Plat Map


A 1921 plat map of Nebraska South Pass Township 7 North shows several parcels of land owned by te Selle family members.

TeSelle Parcels in the South Pass Township in 1921 The 1921 South Pass map, which is officially described as Township 7 North, Range 7 East of the 6th Principal Meridian, contains several parcels identified by the TeSelle name. The owners of all of these TeSelle parcels are related in some way to the three original TeSelle brothers.… Read more »

Herman John (Harmen Jan) te Selle – Last Will and Testament


Harmen Jan te Selle died June 22, 1919. In his Last Will, Harmen Jan te Selle directed that his land and other assets be divided among all of his twelve living children through various interesting combinations of land and cash.

Schreurs, Manus John (1864-1952)


Manus John Schreurs (1864-1952), son of Manus Schreurs (1824-1865) and Berendina Aleida Reusink (1841-1876), was born on December 17, 1864, in Cedar Grove, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. When baby Manus John was only 10 months old, his father Manus died, on October 22, 1865. His mother Berendina was left alone to raise her young son. The… Read more »

Harmen Jan te Selle (1844-1919)


Harmen Jan te Selle, 1844-1919

Harmen Jan te Selle was born December 4, 1844, on the “De Selle” farm, Woold, Winterswijk, Netherlands. He was the youngest of the seven sons of Jan Albert te Selle (1800-1845) and Dela ten Damme (1802-1883). Harmen Jan and his brothers had no sisters. Harmen Jan married his first wife, Berendina Aleida Reusink, on 27… Read more »

Albert Herman TeSelle (1880-1932)


Albert Herman TeSelle and Alyda (Lizzie) Obbink

Albert Herman TeSelle was born in Firth, Lancaster County, Nebraska, the oldest son of Harmen Jan te Selle and Johanna Arnolda Brethouwer. On January 29, 1904, Albert married Elizabeth Alyda (Lizzie) Obbink in Firth, Nebraska. Together Albert and Lizzie had three children: Ted, Cora, and Dorothy.

TeSelle, Benjamin F. (1889-1959)


Benjamin F. TeSelle 1889-1959

Benjamin F. TeSelle was born in Firth, Lancaster County, Nebraska on 23 November 1889, the son of Harmen Jan te Selle and Johanna Arnolda Brethouwer. According to his daughter, Norma TeSelle Prophet, Benjamin did not actually have a middle name. He adopted the initial “F” to differentiate himself from his first cousin, Benjamin H. TeSelle.

TeSelle, Albert Herman (1880-1932)


Albert Herman TeSelle 1880-1932

Albert was born in Firth, Lancaster County, Nebraska on 2 July 1881, the son of Harmen Jan te Selle and Johanna Arnolda Brethouwer. Albert, wife Lizzie Obbink, and three children moved to Washington in the early 1900’s. Albert did a variety of odd jobs, including cook on fishing boats. He died in Bellingham, Washington in 1932, as the result of an automobile accident.