Duenk, Evert Jan and Willemina Rensink

Evert Jan DUENK and Willemina RENSINK emigrated from Aalten to Sheboygan, WI. Later in life, they did not get along, as can be seen from an advertisement in the Dutch newspaper Nieuwsbode.

Evert Jan Duenk

Evert Jan DUENK was born in Aalten on 7 October 1797 and baptized in Aalten on 15 October 1797 as the son of Hendrik DEUNK and Aaltjen SIEBELINK.

He was married in Aalten on 12 July 1818 to Joanna Bernardina te WINKEL, born
in Bocholt in Germany around 1790, daughter of Joan Gerhard te WINKEL and Theodora te BEESTE.

From the first marriage:

1. Derk Jan DUENK, born Aalten 25-12-1820. He was married in Aalten on 23 July 1847 to Johanna Christina HIBBELINK, born Aalten about 1824, daughter of Arent Jan HIBBELINK and Hendrika HOOPMAN.
2. Stillborn son, twin of Derk Jan, died Aalten 25 December 1820.
3. Gerrit Hendrik DUENK, born in Aalten on 19 July 1825.
4. Johanna Engelina DUENK, died in Aalten on 31 March 1829, 5 months old.

Willemina Rensink

Evert Jan Duenk was married in Aalten on 6 May 1830 to Willemina RENSINK, born in Aalten on 31 March 1809, baptized in Aalten on 09 April 1809, daughter of Jan Willem RENSINK and Elisabeth LIJSEN

From the second marriage:

1. Johanna Berendina DUENK, died in Aalten on 09 March 1831, two months old.
2. Johanna Berendina DUENK, died Aalten 06 May 1832, 10 weeks old.
3. Jan Willem DEUNK, born in Aalten on 13 September 1833.
4. Johanna Berendina DUENK, born in Aalten on 15 November 1835. She was married in Town of Holland, Sheboygan County, WI, on 17 July 1856 to Gerrit Willem HIJINK, born in Winterswijk on 24 October 1835, son of Steven Jan HIJINK and Arnolda Hendrika BLEKKINK.
5. Aleida Eliezabeth DUENK, born in Aalten on 24 August 1838.
6. Evert Jan DUENK, born in Aalten on 18 December 1840.
7. Gerrit Jan DUENK, born in Aalten on 29 December 1843.

Emigration

On 16 August 1847, the family left their farm in the hamlet of IJzerlo near Aalten to emigrate to the United States. Strangely enough, their new daughter-in-law Johanna Christina Hibbelink, whom son Derk Jan married only three weeks before they emigrated, is not mentioned in the Aalten emigration lists but we must assume she went with them. All the remaining children of Evert Jan, from both his marriages, went with them to the United States. The family settled in the Sheboygan area.

Marital problems

Somewhere along, Evert Jan and Willemina ceased to get along. The reason we know this is because on 3 March 1860, Evert Jan places an advertisement in the Dutch newspaper in North-America, the Nieuwsbode.

Translation:
Because Willemina Duenk, my housewife, has behaved in such a manner, that I can no longer live with her in peace, I forbid everyone to give her board on my account, because I will not be held liable for any debts incurred by her after today.
Gibbsville, 3 March 1860. E.J. Duenk.

Sources:

• Nieuwsbode
• WieWasWie
• Aalten lists of emigrants
• Stroet and Hoornenborg: Transcriptions Aalten church records
• Register of deeds, Sheboygan County