zoals je zit ben ik ook 1 van een Bleeker. Mijn vader is 1 van Gerrit Jakob Bleeker was Kapper in Delfzijl. Enz..enz..

The Bleekers in the Netherlands and America

Here is what I know of the Bleeker line, which I share through my mother Mildred Berens. My Mother’s grandmother (Grace) was a Bleeker before she married John Berens and took his last name. Here is the story. Her parents Gerrit Bleeker (also spelled Bleker) and Hilje (or Hiltje) Koops were married in the Netherlands on 11 Jun 1857 in Adorp, Netherlands. (See the genlias website for more information)

Their children including the youngest daughter “Grace” my great grandmother, where all born in the Netherlands.

Child # 1

First child to be born to Gerrit and Hilje Bleeker was
Hendrika Bleeker born 10 January 1858. (This was Aunt “Reka”, spoken of at times by my grandmother Grace Berens-per Mrs. Grace Huizen of Zeeland). Aunt Reka later married a man by the name of Mr. Hamburg-they lived near the Hamilton, MI area on a farm. She sewed clothes for Grace Huizen’s mother when Grace was young. I would guess she died in the 1930’s or 1940’s.

Child # 2

Next was born a son named Gerrit Bleeker in 1861 who died as an infant in 1862 while the family was still in the Netherlands.

Child # 3

Another child was born soon after, also a boy. This Gerrit Bleeker was born 8 Aug 1863 and was still living in the NL when he is listed by genlias as marrying Maria Elizabeth Pilon (marriage took place 19 Mar 1885 in Groningen, NL. This is the Montana Bleeker line. These were the Bleekers which Grandpa Herm Berens and his family visited in 1966.

Child # 4

The next child to be born to Gerrit and Hilje Bleeker was Jan Bleeker (or in English John) in 1867, so the family was still living in the NL at this time. This child died within a month of birth.

Child # 5

Another child was born whom they also named Jan. This second Jan Bleeker was born 23 Mar 1869. Much of this information comes from a website in the NL (http://boef.net/voorouders/bleker.html) I have tried to contact this man (by the name of Ronn Boef in the NL) but without success. I did later find a Dutch version of this document on the Web in Dec of 2006. See my document: Genealogie Bleker en Bleeker for more information.
His information (about Gerrit and Hilje Bleeker and son Jan) ties in correctly with what I have for a 1885 ships list from Herrick Library in Holland MI. The ship’s list shows the son Jan Bleeker and his parents Gerrit and Hiltje who emigrated from the NL to the USA in 1885. Jan or John Bleeker was 16 years of age when he came to the USA with his parents.
I find him later, listed as John G. Bleecker living in Albany (in the year 1889) working as a molder boarding at 55 Slingerland. There was also a Gerritt J. Bleecker-occupation gardener-listed at 55 Slingerland-also in 1889-I’m not sure if this was his brother or father. Source: Albany, New York Directories, 1889-91 Ancestry-library edition

Child # 6

Also listed on that same 1885 ship’s list were his younger brother Hendrik Bleeker (age 9 yrs). This Bleeker lived in the Hamilton area for many years.

Child # 7

and last of all Fransje who we know as “Grace” Bleeker-my great grandmother. Fransje was listed as a four-year old girl at the time of crossing the Atlantic in 1885.

Her father is listed as a peasant coming from Overgum Fr. (I believe this would be Friesland, NL). The ship is listed as the “Edam” which they left on from the port of Amsterdam, NL on 25 Mar 1885. Arriving in New York harbor, the normal route would have been to continue in a sea-going vessel up the Hudson River to Albany, NY. Here the family lived for a number of years since I have been told (but cannot verify) that Grace taught school there at age 16 in or around Albany. Then the family headed for Allegan County Michigan (by 1898-although Gerrit Jan shows up in the 1895 Plat Atlas). This would normally mean going from Albany, NY by train westerly along the Erie Canal past the cities of Utica, Syracuse, Rochester, Lockport and Buffalo before coming to Lake Erie. Then the trip would normally continue across Lake Erie, by a large boat. Next the trip would continue once more by train to the West, to its end in Allegan, County Michigan. That is the best understanding I have to date of what happened.

After moving to Allegan County MI with her family Grace married John Berens in Allegan County on the 7th of September of 1898. I believe the Pastor was Rev. Geert H. Hoeksema, as he was the minister at Oakland CRC from 1887 till 1902. See the Family Tree #12 and #13 for more information on the John and Grace Bleeker family.