Source: Local and State Records

Voyage to America – 1873

Published on: March 2, 2018Date revised: March 4, 2018

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.

From Kotten to Wisconsin and farther to Nebraska

Published on: March 22, 2015Date revised: June 21, 2022

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.

S. S. Helvetia Passenger List

Published on: March 4, 2014Date revised: April 17, 2018

Name of Ship: S. S. Helvetia Port of Embarkation: Liverpool, England Date of Embarkation: October 12, 1865 (Source: Harmen Jan te Selle, Letters from America, Letter 2, November 26, 1865) Port of Arrival: New York City, New York, USA Date of Arrival: October 30, 1865 Page 1 of the ship’s manifest for the voyage embarking… Read more »

S.S. Helvetia Description

Published on: February 26, 2014Date revised: April 17, 2018

Years in Service: 1864-1894 Funnels: 1 Masts: 3 Builder: Palmer’s Shipbuilding and Iron Company Ltd., Newcastle, England Tonnage: 3,325 tons gross Note: In 1877 the ship was lengthened to 419 feet (as seen in the picture) with new tonnage of 4,588 tons gross Dimensions: 371 feet x 41 feet (lengthened to 419 feet in 1877)… Read more »

Voyage to America – 1865

Published on: February 4, 2013Date revised: March 4, 2018

Jan Hendrik and Harmen Jan te Selle October 1865 S.S. Helvetia Two te Selle brothers, Jan Hendrik (1838-1921) and Harmen Jan (1844-1919), along with Jan Hendrik’s wife Hannah Berendina Onnink (1841-1929), emigrated from Winterswijk, Netherlands to Gibbsville, Wisconsin, USA, in October 1865. Harmen Jan te Selle describes their journey in interesting detail his Letter 2… Read more »

te Selle, Harmen Jan (1844-1919)

Published on: February 1, 2013Date revised: December 23, 2022

Harmen Jan te Selle (1844-1919) was born on the “De Selle” farm, near Winterswijk, Netherlands. He and brother Jan Hendrik te Selle (1838-1921) emigrated to Wisconsin in 1865, where they lived with their Aunt Janna and Uncle Gerrit Bloemers. Within a few years the brothers moved from Wisconsin to Lancaster County, Nebraska, where they homesteaded farm land, raised their families, and remained for the rest of their lives.