GENERATION 8 – BEREND HANZES DE JONG AND JAPKE SYBESMA

Berend de Jong the second oldest son immigrated to the US with his brother Minne Hans (Harry).  Berend stayed in Grand Rapids with his parents and worked in the furniture stores. He married Japke (Abbie) Sybesma, and had five children: two girls both named Anna who died shortly after birth and then Anna and Hans (Harry). A fifth child a girl named Siebe also died shortly after birth.  It must have been very sad for Berend and Abbie to lose so many children at childbirth.

Whereas I have pictures of Hiltje (Helen) Van Malsen and her family visiting my great grandparents in Kent, I don’t think Berend or his family ever visited.  I do have a couple of pictures of Berends children Anna and Harry.

Below is a picture of Berend Japke (Abbie) and Anna about 1896.  This must have been taken shortly before Harry was born.

Next is a picture of their daughter Anna as a teenager.

My Great Grandfather must have felt some connection with his brother because he named his 3rd son (Berend Franklin) after him.

From his obituary – Berand DeJong, aged 73 passed away at his home 943 North Ave N.E. Tuesday morning May 12 surviving are the widow Abbie; one daughter, Mrs. Charles Osenga; one son, Harry; ten grandchildren.

After Berend died in 1936 his wife Abbie remarried Simon Wynandts. Japke Sybesma de Jong Wynandts died in 1952, also in Grand Rapids.

Berend’s son Harry married Jennie Cornelia Vander Veer, worked in construction as a carpenter and had two daughters Pauline and Doris and a son Roger who died in infancy.

Anna married Charles Osenga.  According to Lucille Osenga Sytsema her grandmother lived about a block away from Anna and Charles. For more information about Anna and the Osenga family please go to the Osenga family page.