Joannes Alloysius (Reijs) Reys (1880 - 1952)

Joannes Alloysius (Reijs) Reys migrated from Nederland to Michigan.

Biography

Joannes Aloijsius Reijs

Original Birth Certificate Ravenstein Noordbrabant

Birth 16 Feb 1880

Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Miscellaneous Records Marriage

Original Marriage Certificate

Name Joannes Aloijsius Reijs

Event Type Marriage Event Date 17 Feb 1909 Event Place Rotterdam, South Holland, Netherlands Event Place (Original) Rotterdam

Gender Male Age 29 Birth Year (Estimated) 1880 Birthplace Ravenstein

Father's Name Joannes Reijs

Mother's Name Catharina Sibijlla Holla

Spouse's Name Cornelia Jacoba van den Ham

Spouse's Gender Female Spouse's Age 27 Spouse's Birth Year (Estimated) 1882 Spouse's Birthplace Arnhem

Spouse's Father's Name Johannes van den Ham Spouse's Mother's Name Maria Berendina Louisa Jans

Document Number a70v

^[1]

New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island)

Given Name Joannes Surname Reys

Last Place of Residence38 Bellavoy str. Rotterdam, Holland

Event Date 11 Aug 1923

Age 43Y

Nationality Holland Departure Port Rotterdam Arrival Port New York Gender Male Marital Status M

Ship Name Veendam

Joannes A. Reijs traveled from Rotterdam in August of 1923(1) with his brother-in-law Peter Merkus. The following year they sent for their wives (Cornelia Jacoba van den Ham Reijs and Aaitje van den Ham Merkus) and children (Lucy, Cornelia, and John Reijs and Peter Merkus) who also traveled together arriving on Ellis Island on August 17, 1924(2). It was a point of family pride (as told to John Douglas Reys) at different times by both Connie and John, Joannes' children) that the wives and children traveled "Tourist" class rather than steerage. Cornelia's and the children's last name was changed at arrival from Reijs (on their passport)(3) to Reys (on the arrival documents). This appeared to be intentional as there is some evidence that Joannes began using the English spelling (Reys) before leaving the Netherlands.

John became a naturalized citizen on June 2, 1930. At that time he was residing at 715 Clancy Ave. N.E,, Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was described as 5' 6" tall with brown hair and weighting 150 pounds.

There was a family story that the oldest daughter Lucy was very smart but her further schooling was denied as unnecessary for the daughter of a cabinet maker and this is what sparked the decision to immigrate.

(1) Passenger manifest for the ship Veendam leaving Rotterdam on 01 Aug 1923

(2) Ellisisland.org

^[2]

Address in 1924 226 Randson Ave, NE Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA ^[3]

Note: first name "John" after arrival in USA

(3) Original documents in possession of editor include naturalization papers, spouse and children's passport, Marriage booklet and translation from Rotterdam

United States Census, 1930

Name John A Reys

Event Type Census Event Date 1930 Event Place Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States

Gender Male Age 49 Marital Status Married

Race White Race (Original) White Relationship to Head of Household Head Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Head Birth Year (Estimated) 1881 Birthplace Holland

Immigration Year 1923

Father's Birthplace Holland Mother's Birthplace Holland

Sheet Letter B Sheet Number 6 Household

John A Reys Head M 49 Holland (Cabinet Maker, Furniture shop )

Jacoba C Reys Wife F 48 Holland (Spouse)

Lucy S Ensing Daughter F 20 Holland

Connie J Reys Daughter F 18 Holland

John A Reys Son M 14 Holland

Nelson Ensing Son-in-law M 22 Michigan

William Weers Boarder M 35 Holland

^[4]

United States Census, 1940

Name John Reys

Event Type Census Event Date 1940 Event Place Ward 2, Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids City, Kent, Michigan, United States

Gender Male Age 60

Marital Status Married

Race (Original) White Race White Relationship to Head of Household (Original) Head Relationship to Head of Household Head Birthplace Netherlands Birth Year (Estimated) 1880 Last Place of Residence Same House Household

John Reys Head M 60 Netherlands (Retired Furniture Cabinet Maker)

Jacoba Reys Wife F 58 Netherlands

^[5]

Michigan Death Certificates

Name John Reys

Event Type Death Event Date 05 Sep 1952 Event Place East Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States Gender Male Age 72 Marital Status Married

Birth Date 16 Feb 1880 Birthplace Netherlands

Birth Year (Estimated) 1880 Father's Name Joannes Reys Mother's Name Catharina Holla

^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ [("Netherlands, Archival Indexes, Miscellaneous Records", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2XK-794T : 11 January 2017), Joannes Aloijsius Reijs and Cornelia Jacoba van den Ham, 1909.)]
2. ↑ [("New York Passenger Arrival Lists (Ellis Island), 1892-1924," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JNFJ-GZ5 : 6 December 2014), Joannes Reys, 11 Aug 1923; citing departure port Rotterdam, arrival port New York, ship name Veendam, NARA microfilm publication T715 and M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).)]
3. ↑ Ellisisland.org Assoociated Passengers Aug 17, 1924
4. ↑ [("United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XQBN-G1C : accessed 22 March 2017), John A Reys, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 38, sheet 6B, line 83, family 100, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1001; FHL microfilm 2,340,736.)]
5. ↑ [("United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KH33-1Z2 : accessed 22 March 2017), John Reys, Ward 2, Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids City, Kent, Michigan, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 86-72B, sheet 3A, line 8, family 54, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1899.)]
6. ↑ [("Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KF3Y-DLY : 12 December 2014), John Reys, 05 Sep 1952; citing East Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,972,835.)]

• Netherlands birth index 1787-1915

Michigan Death Records 1867-1950, Western Michigan Newspapers Death Index 1910-2012 Reijs-Reys Tree at Ancestry.com