Jannis van de Luijster (1789 - 1862)

Biography

Jannes van de Luijster is geboren in Zeeland in 1789

Jannes was born in Hoofdplaat, Zeeland, the Netherlands and baptized there on 12 March 1789, his parents were Willem van de Luijster and Jannetje van der Meulen ^[1]He passed away in 1862.

From family records: Jannes was born at the beginning of the French Revolution in the village of Hoofdplaat in Cadzand, one of the small islands in Zeeland. Cadzand was south of and near the mouth of Wester Schelde River. The Zeeuwsche (Zeeland) Flanders were the soldest Zeeland Islands and included the land of Cadzand, which was also the name of a village.

He was a hired man on a farm. After the death of his father, he took over the management of the family farm.

He married Dina Naeje on 22 February 1815 in Hoofdplaat ^[2] and they moved to Borssele in April 1817, buying a 137-acre farm he called Bamisse. Purchased from Jacob Brand for 34,582 guilders.

April 6, 1847, they left Goes on a barge. Arrived at Antwerp. Ship "Plato" declared unseaworthy. Second ship, Koonprinz von Hanover. June 4, 1847, saw land. June 6, 1847, 4 a.m., anchored in the Hudson River, 10 p.m. arrived in New York City. Journey of 35 days. Left New York on June 7 by steamboat to Albany, arrived there the following day.June 18, arrived in Buffalo. Van de Luyster had bought a ticket for himself and his family to go to Iowa. Decided to go to Michigan. June 19, left Buffalo by steamer. June 26 arrived at the mouth of Black Lake.

People and baggage brought to shore in smaller boats. On Jun 27, group went to Holland.

Land chosen for a settlement for the Zeelanders, became the city of Zeeland. Six miles to the east of Holland. Van de Luyster bought 1680 acres. He built a house on the hill overlooking Cedar Swamp near a spring.

"When the Dutch emigration began in earnest in the mid-1840s, more than one-half crossed in groups of ten or more. In 1846-1847 several groups, including the Zeeland congregation of Dominie Cornelius Van der Meulen, numbered over nine hundred. Leaders divided the very large groups into smaller contingents because of the limited carrying capacity of the sailing vessels and for the practical reason that smaller parties were easier to manage and to obtain decent travel accommodations. The Zeelanders divided into three groups, led by Van der Meulen, Jannes Van de Luyster, and Jan Steketee." ^{[3][4] [5]}

In 1847, a group of immigrants in search of religious freedom made plans to fulfill their dream. An alternative explanation for the group's motivation to emigrate is their opposition to scientific and social advances (e.g., contraception, vaccination, insurance, chemical fertilizers) and their resulting failure to thrive under the economic and agricultural conditions of the time in their homeland (Zeeland, Netherlands). ^[5]

The group was led by a wealthy landowner, Jannes van de Luyster, who decided to sell all his holdings in the Netherlands in order to advance money to group members to settle their debts and pay for passage to America.[5] The site of the original village, some 16,000 acres (65 km²) of land originally occupied by the Odawa people, was named after the province of Zeeland, their former home in the Netherlands. ^[5]

Van de Luyster arranged for three ships to make their way to Holland, Michigan. His group was on the first ship to arrive, on June 27, 1847. This ship was followed by the Steketee group on July 4, 1847, and Reverend Van Der Meulen’s group on August 1. The total number of immigrants who embarked on this journey was 457. ^[5]

... In February 1847 the two leaders helped form the Zeeland Association for Emigration to the United States of America. ^[5]

Van de Luyster then prepared himself to depart. In his diary, he noted that God had freed him "from all earthly ties." He proved it by selling his entire landed estate--worth f60,000 ($24,000)--and for the rest of his long life he donated and lent his capital to fellow believers. His generous spirit earned him the accolade here in Zeeland, "banker of the forest." Van de Luyster advanced f6,000 to pay the passage to America on the Kroonprins von Hanover for 10 poor families with 77 members. He also advanced money to pay off their debts. "Children," he declared, "we may not go to America as bankrupt people. Anyone who has debts must let me know about them, and I will pay them." ^[5]

...Van de Luyster's group departed second from Antwerp (May 4) but arrived first (June 6); it took only 35 days. ^{[5] [6]}

Birth-Baptism

• Birth: Date: March 12, 1789 Place: Hoofdplaat, Zeeland ^[1]

Note

• Note: Friends: Acquainted with Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte (settled in Holland, MI) and Hendrik P. Scholte (settled in Pella, IA).
• Ancestors moved from Belgium 200 years before.

Occupation

• Occupation: Master Farmer of 123 acres of land.

Census 1850

• 1850 Federal Census Ottawa County, Michigan (Holland
  21 | 366 366 | Jan Van de Luister | 60 M | Farmer 600 | Holland | | V534 |
  22 | 366 366 | Dina Van de Luister | 53 F | | Holland | | V534 | 23 | 366 366 | Janna Van de Luister | 16 F | | Holland | | V534 | 24 | 366 366 | Maatje Van de Luister | 14 F | | Holland | | V534 |

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Birth from baptismal record Hoofdplaat DTB: "Netherlands, Zeeland Province, Church Records, 1527-1907," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1942-31114-1388-94?cc=2036997 : accessed 9 August 2015), Nederlands Hervormd > Hoofdplaat > Dopen 1783-1796 Dopen 1796-1797 > image 12 of 54; Nederlands Rijksarchiefdienst, Den Haag (Netherlands National Archives, The Hague).
2. ↑ Gebeurtenis Huwelijk Datum 22-02-1815 Gebeurtenisplaats Hoofdplaat
   Bruidegom Jannis van de Luijster Beroep Boereknegt Geboorteplaats Hoofdplaat Leeftijd 27
   Bruid Dina Naeje Beroep Dienstmeid Geboorteplaats Biervliet Leeftijd 19
   Vader van de bruidegom Willem van de Luijster Beroep zonder, Moeder van de bruidegom Janneke van der Meulen Beroep zonder
   Vader van de bruid Abraham Naeje, Moeder van de bruid Dina Geensen Beroep zonder
   • wiewaswie Marriage 22 February 1815 Documenttype BS Huwelijk Erfgoedinstelling Zeeuws Archief Plaats instelling Middelburg Collectiegebied Zeeland Archief 25 Registratienummer HOO-H-1815 Aktenummer 2 Registratiedatum 22-02-1815 Akteplaats Hoofdplaat Collectie Burgerlijke Stand Zeeland (1796) 1811-1980, (1796) 1811-1980 Boek Hoofdplaat huwelijksakten burgerlijke stand
3. ↑ Source: Going to America: Travel Routes of Zeeland Emigrants
4. ↑ Robert P. Swierenga, Research Professor, A.C. Van Raalte Institute for Historical Studies, Hope College. Paper for the conference "Zeeuwse emigratie in de negentiende eeuw," Roosevelt Study Center, Middelburg, The Netherlands, September 6, 1997. link: http://www.swierenga.com/Middelbg_pap.html
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6} source: From Zeeland to Zeeland in 1847, by Robert P. Swierenga http://www.swierenga.com/Zeeland_lec.html
6. ↑ Reverend Henry Beets in 1949 in his biography of Van de Luyster

• Source: S2 Abbreviation: Michigan History Title: Michigan History. John Yzenbaard, Michigan History Vol. 32, March 1948 Subsequent Source Citation Format: John Yzenbaard, Michigan History Vol. 32. Name: Page
• Source: S7 Abbreviation: Scheerhorn, B.J. Title: Scheerhorn, B.J. Subsequent Source Citation Format: Scheerhorn, B.J. 1224 Admiralty Blvd. Rockledge, FL 32955
• Source: S8 Abbreviation: Van De Luyster, John III Title: Van De Luyster, John III Subsequent Source Citation Format: Van De Luyster, John III (Van De Luyster, Cyrus P.O. Box 79 Brohman, MI 49312
• WikiTree profile Van De Luyster-15 created through the import of vm.ged on Mar 3, 2012 by Dan Van Malsen. See the De Luyster-15 Changes page for the details of edits by Dan and others.

https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/L1CV-Z86 - with photo