Jannes Kastein was one of the many children who left the Netherlands when their parents emigrated. He settled in Alto, Wisconsin. He was married to Engelina Gravestein who had also emigrated as a child.
Life in the Netherlands
Jannes Kastein was born in Dinxperlo on 10 March 1835 as the son of Jan Willem Kastein and Theodora ter Horst. His father worked as a chairmaker in Dinxperlo.
Emigration
This Dutch reformed family emigrated from Dinxperlo to the United States on 23 June 1847. Together with the family, Gerrit Jan Kempers, age 18 and Jan Hendrik Beernink, age 32, emigrated from the same address on the same day. Perhaps these were hired hands.
Life in the United States
The family first settled in the town of Metomen, Fon du Lac County, Wisconsin where they lived for six or seven years. They then came to Alto and settled on Section 23. On 30 November 1858, John was married to Engelina Gravestein by minister Seine Bolks in Milwaukee, WI.
Engelina was born in the Netherlands on 12 August 1836 as the daughter of Hendrik Gravestein and Janna Frederika Sleijster. She came from a military background: her father was in the military, her paternal grandfather was a sea captain and the maternal grandfather was a gun maker.
The couple had the following children: Johanna (married William Lovmans, of Alto), Theodore, John, William, Elizabeth, Rudolph, Antoinette, Maria, John, Angeline and Robertus. They lost one child named John William, died in July, 1864, aged 4 years and 9 months.
Jannes Kastein held many public functions. He was an assessor, supervisor, Clerk of the School District, and was one of the Directors of the Waupun Farmer’s Insurance Co. In politics, he always voted for the democratic party. He owned 160 acres land, worth $40 per acre. Both he and his wife were members of the Reformed Church.
Sources:
- WieWasWie
- Town of Alto Biographies
- Marriage certificate
- Lists of emigrants from Dinxperlo
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