I believe the following photo is of Derk Jacobs Kruizenga (1879-1952).  The uniform being worn is from World War 1.  As far as I know, Derk never served in an official capacity.  He was not a veteran.  However, Derk did sign his draft papers near the end of the war.  Was he drafted and given his uniforms right before the war ended?  At the war's commencement, Derk would have been 35 years of age.

On 16 Jan 1783, Tryntje Sybolts, mother of Jacob Cornelis Kruize, married Hindrik Roseboom, her third marriage.  It may be, according to the following record, that Hindrik Roseboom remarried on 1 Nov 1791.

This would mean, of course, that Tryntje died prior to this date.  So she would have had to have died between 1783 and 1791.  Confirming a possible 1791 death is the following taken from the Register of revenues from the rental of body sheets from the New Church, Church congregation - Groningen.

The above record shows the rental of body sheets by Hindrik Roseboom on 4 April 1791.  Could this have been for Tryntje?

Then who was the widow of Hindrik Roseboom who rented body sheets on 29 Feb 1803?  I had thought previously that this was Tryntje, but Hindrik had remarried.  This would be Antje Jacobs Cremer - not Tryntje.  And this would be for Hindrik Roseboom - who died in 1803.

In an earlier post I identified the following facts concerning Jacob Cornelis' sister Tryntje.

1) Tryntje married Jacob Laufer on 17 Aug 1787.  Jacob died in 1807.
2) Tryntje married Hindrik Jans on 27 Sept 1807.

With her union to Jacob Laufer she had the following children:

1) Abraham - 10 May 1788
2) Hindrik - b. 8 Jun 1790; d. 19 Mar 1856
3) David - 28 Apr 1792
4) Tryntje - 4 Apr 1794
5) Annigje - b. 10 Nov 1803; d. 6 Feb 1838

Hindrik Laufer, a farm worker, married Geertje Berends on 29 Aug 1813 at Groningen.  He remarried Antje Hindriks Klaassen on 16 Sept 1841 at Groningen.  At that time Hindrik worked as a merchant.  Hindrik died on 19 March 1856 in Groningen.

David Laufer, a worker, married Jan Renjes de Graaf of Kloosterburen, on 18 May 1826 at Leens.

Annigje Laufer married a soldier named Egidius Nicolaus Madyol on 1 Dec 1822 at Groningen.  Bore Antje Madijol on 4 Jan 1825 at Groningen.  Bore Catharina Madijol on 25 Feb 1828 at Groningen.  Bore Pieter Madijol on 22 Mar 1831 at Groningen.  Bore Joanna Madijol on 3 May 1834 at Groningen.  Annigje died on 6 Feb 1838 at Groningen.

There is another family lineage of Kruizenga's in the Greater West Michigan area.  A Derk Kruizenga emigrated to the Spring Lake (near Grand Haven) area with his wife.  Knowing that not all Kruizenga's are related, due to the close proximity and the common name(s), I had to look into the matter.

The Spring Lake clan originates in the Groningen Province, around Warffum and Uithuizermeeden.   I traced the Spring Lake Derk Kruizenga back into the 1700s. 

Derk Kruizenga (b. 1856 at 't Zandt) - father: Jan Pieters Kruizenga
Jan Pieters Kruizenga (b. 1814 at Uithuizermeeden) - father: Pieter Folkerts Kruizenga
Pieter Folkerts Kruizenga (b.1791 at Warffum) - father: Folkert Jans (note: on marriage certificate - name spelled 'Kruizinga')

Folkert Jans died prior to 1799 when his widow, Auke Pieters, remarried Jacob Jans of Uithuizen.  The family name was not yet chosen in his time.  The first instance of the surname 'Kruizinga' being used, that I have found, is on Pieter Folkerts marriage certificate.

A descendant of this Derk Kruizenga contacted me this week to inquire whether our two Kruizenga clans were intertwined.  It does make some sense seeing that both our lines have a common city: 't Zandt.  However, upon tracing the Spring Lake clan's genealogy, it is apparent that there is no common relation.  That both Kruizenga families ended up in 't Zandt is a fluke.  Yes, it is likely that they knew each other - assuming that both Kruizenga clans attended church.  But friendship is as far as it goes.

Elaine, my contact, writes that Derk Kruizenga emigrated to Spring Lake with his newlywed bride but then migrated to Sioux County, Iowa, before 1883. 

Some time ago I took a Y-67 DNA test through Family Tree DNA.  Y-DNA is the testing of the male Y Chromosome pattern transferred from male to male along a singular family line.  As I know that Jacob Cornelis Kruize is my most distant "known" male ancestor, my Y-DNA pattern will match his.  And every Kruizenga/Kruizinga male in the lineage of Jacob Cornelis Kruize bears the same Y-DNA pattern.

I took this DNA test in high hopes of breaking through our Kruizenga family brick wall: we don't know the name of Jacob Cornelis' father.  And via existing records it is likely we would never know. 

But here's the kicker... because of Y-DNA testing, and because every Kruizenga male bears the same Y-DNA pattern, the father of Jacob Cornelis and all male descendants of that father WILL BEAR THE SAME Y-DNA we do. 

And I am convinced that a match will one day hit.  Thus far... nothing.

But here's something interesting, something that I think is worthy of some discussion.  My Y-DNA Haplogroup of "I" was confirmed due to my testing positive of the mutation M253.  Take a look at the chart below.

Does this mutation M253 offer any clues as to our family origin?  It certainly does.  The Netherlands/Belgium area has a predominant M223, while the M253 strain is mainly located in the far northern Scandinavian countries: Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden.  This strain is also found, in lesser numbers, in Northern France (French Occupation - soldiers?) and Scotland/Ireland.  Interesting. 

It is my suspicion, my personal theory, that Tryntje Sybolt, mother of Jacob Cornelis Kruize, had Jacob illegitimately with a soldier.  I have no proof of this.  It is just my gut theory.  I just find it strange that I can't find Jacob's birth baptismal record in any regional churches where Jacob allegedly was born.  Why not?  Did Tryntje have family outside the Netherlands?  All conjecture.  Just has my mind spinning.

I hope to one day HIT an exact match with some distant ancestor with our Y-DNA sequence - and the M253 mutation.  It's going to happen.  With Family Tree DNA becoming ever more popular, it may happen a lot sooner than expected.  And I will be certain to post OUR GOOD FORTUNE as soon as I know.

Tryntje Sybolts, the first mother, married her first husband, Hindrik Jans, at Uithuizen on 31 Oct 1762. 

Wil Kruizinga found in the archife in Groningen in the DTB boek of Eppenhuizen, that Hindrik Jans died 8-6-1765 in a house for poor people in Eppenhuizen. 

So Tryntje and Hindrik's marriage was short-lived.  They shared one child together (Tryntje in 1763).  But what became of Tryntje, the mother, after Hindrik passed?  Assuming that Jacob Cornelis was born in 1765, she was with child at the time of Hindrik's death.  It just wasn't Hindrik's.  She must have been impregnated in Eppenhuizen.  But by whom?  And where did the surname Cornelis come from?

Those are the major questions to which I seek the answers.  And I believe I will.

It's hard to believe that it's been two years already since I created this site.  I've discovered and uncovered quite a bit, but... there is so much left to learn.  Genealogy is not a quick process.  It takes time.  A lot of time.  And most people wouldn't bother because there are so many things in today's world to rob us of our time.  And then... many people couldn't care less where they came from. 

I have a work colleague whom I've been finding information for.  The genealogy bug has bitten him.  He's like a little kid on Christmas Eve waiting to open his presents.  And just over a year ago he was in the "don't know, don't care" camp.  Now he can't get enough.  He wants to know all he can about his family roots.

What changed?  I think he really became interested once I took his family line back into the Old Country.  Suddenly we had names, and places those names were attached to.  We found his family name had been changed over the years.  And we learned that his family had settled for numerous years in the same Netherlands location.  We located the ship passenger manifest of his emigrating ancestor.  And then his eyes were opened at the many sacrifices his ancestors made to make his home here in Michigan possible. 

He was enlighened to the fact that he wouldn't be here if these people hadn't been who they were.  It was a long string of people and events that all lead to his birth and to the birth of his son.

That's what makes the study of genealogy so interesting.  At least to me. 

I look forward to finding the doors sealed shut for decades that await my discovery.  There are treasures lying out there - yet hidden from view.  I will keep searching.  Will be interesting to see where the next two years will lead.

Most of the ancestral homes in Grand Rapids, Michigan are long gone.  I guess this is to be expected seeing how old they would be today.  The home where Jacob Derks lived on the west side of Grand Rapids is gone.  The home where his daughter Jessie worked and died - gone; has now been replaced by the Grand Rapids Community College.  The home of Frank and Francis Slooter still exists, but it is in a sad state of disrepair.  The Hendricks home is likewise missing.  The Old Church where the Kruizenga's were members has been replaced by the GRCC Student Center. 

Grand Rapids is a changed place.  It no longer resembles the old city any longer.  Sad.  These older homes mean nothing to many people.  They become eyesores.  But the memories once shared by people past... that is what they contain.  They have absorbed the laughter, the tears, the pain, the holidays, the many people who have come and gone. 

I was in such high hopes to find the place where Jessie died today.  My hopes were quickly extinguished when I saw a park.  I wanted to visit the home - to see where Jessie's body would have been lain in repose.  It's so sad. 

I just finished my research on the Timmer family.  Marlene Timmer married Gerrit Kruizenga in 1963.  Gerrit is the eldest son of Gerrit Henry Kruizenga in the Derk Jacobs Kruizinga genealogy.  Gerrit and Marlene (Timmer) Kruizenga had three sons: Martin, Scott, and Glenn. 

Timmer Genealogy