| Aantekeningen |
- Date of death: Approximately 1905 at the age of 30 years (or 1907).
Buried at Kamrar, Iowa, in a small Dutch cemetery.
Sadie's name was spelled SIEVERTJE in the letters from Holland in 1970; spelled SIEVTJE by her granddaughter, Norma Morris in information I received 9/81.
from Norma Morris: "The story goes that Henry Johnson met grandma in Holland and was engaged to her when he came to the U.S. After he found a job she came over and they were married. Then Sadie died of sugar diabetes. Mom (Ida Traut) was about 9 years old when Sadie died. About four years later Henry Johnson married Nellie Dakin Chalfante (? spelling); they had no children."
***
The following two letters were sent to me by Norma Morris. The information on Sadie's death was from a funeral card in a Bible along with the letters which were written in Dutch. Norma sent me copies of the letters in Dutch, along with the one she had translated in 1981. The first letter was started by Sadie and finished by her husband.
German Valley, 23 August 18??
Greeting from America
Dear sister today i am sitting down to write you a few letters (literally "letters of the alphabet)
I can write to you that I am still in good health. I hope the same for you, if it were otherwise with you I would be heartily sorry. Now, dear sister, I can write to you now that i have received your letter and that I saw in it that you were still in good health and that it made me very happy. Now I can write you that Frederik and Jana were married on 8 August and Teujes (Teunis? a common Dutch name) and Gezien (later in this letter spelled Geesien, the usual spelling of this, not unusual Dutch name) have acquired (literally: conquered, an expression completely unknown today) a small boy called Frederik. Now my dear sister, I must write to you that you should not make yourself unhappy about it, for it will surely not take very much longer before you are also here with us, you know.
Yes, Lientje, Sievertjes is giving the letter to me to finish (literally: to write it full). If only you were here too, then you would perhaps have more to enjoy that you have there. There are fine boys here, so do not think about it too long and come over. But you must decide for yourself (literally: you just know it yourself, too), I tell no one what to do (literally: I do not advise anybody) but you can earn more here, than where you are in Weener (?). The seasons are not advantageous this year though. In Dakota and Iowa most of the crops have dried out. There is a drought here such as I have never seen before and yet here in Illinois we cannot yet complain. We have a good crop this year, it could be better but we must be content with what grows for us.
The socialists have been fighting again, but are now quiet. It has cost several lives (literally: several have come to death by it), one simply shot the other. It did not happen close to us, mostly in Chicago and in the coal mines.
Well, Lientje, when you write back to me or my Olske (my "old one", endearment term for spouse) write about what kind of young man you have.
You must not wait too long, otherwise it is possible that your sister will be ahead of you. Frederik and Janna (Jana, before) are married as you know. I believe they have loved each other a bit too much, but i do not know for sure. And Tuins (Teunis?, see above) and Geesien have acquired a boy so that your family has increased with three men this year. I think you have not seen (met?) me, but come here to us and then you can see (meet) me and I also have a boy here for you, in case you do not have one.
Well, Engeliene, do write back to me. I do not have much time because it is time for bed. One works long days here, but when you (...word illegible because of crease in paper, but probably "come when you can work) to my farm. They are English but I would help you to understand and make it. Greetings from your friend H.E. Jansen and sister S. ter Hark. My address is: Henry Johnson (literal translation of Henderik Jansen), Egan City, Ill. North America.
W. All the family is in good health as far as I know and hope that you may read this letter in health. Regards to friends and acquaintances, and the more people return to Europe the better for us and I and "mien Olske" (endearment for: my old one) are not going to year for it. Good night.
**
Comments on letter from H.E. Jansen (by the translator):
Weener is a small town or a village which is now situated just across the border from the North-eastern province of the Netherlands, called Groningen. It may have been part of Groningen at one time. Since the second world war, and perhaps earlier, some border corrections have been made. This may have been one of them. Engeliene (now spelled Engelien) would be abbreviated to Lien.
The diminutive of Lien is Lientje. "je" or "tje" indicates a diminutive, see: Sievertje. Henderis is now spelled: Hendrik.
Thank you for the opportunity to translate these two fascinating letters.
...
Webster City 1906 December 31
Dearly beloved father and mother, sisters and brothers,
Today I am sitting down to write a little (note) note to you too.
I can write to you that there are no beautiful red ones here whatsoever (apples ? chickens ?) otherwise we would have visited you again around mid-winter, but just when Henderik had sold so much fruit, he could not get it out in time because of the bad red ones. Well, if there are no obstacles whatever, then I think we shall come by the end of January. Well, dear parents, brothers and sisters, then we can celebrate New Year at that time.
Hendrik's father also has already been ill 5 months. he does not always lay in bed but he hardly gets around anymore, he has jaundice and in addition such itching, sometimes he does not know where to turn. In addition he also has had an intestinal illness with it. Well, dear parents, how are you, are you reasonable strong? I know now quite a few world 9english?), Ida is going to school every day and is already a great support to me.
How are you making out with eggs? Here they cost 28 cents and butter 26 cents. I get hardly any eggs though, 1 and 2 per day and that is all. Butter around 30 lb a week, but that is good payment.
Well, dear parents, brothers and sisters, I know nothing more to write.
With cordial greetings
Sievertje ter Hark
Ida Rustiena Jansen
Henderik Jansen
(at this point in the letter there was a bottle and glass and the word "proost"...the word means "cheers.")
***
Comments: the few words added in parentheses are the translators's.
Undoubtedly the recipients of the letter understood all about "the red ones." There is a type of chicken which I believe is called Rhode Island Rd; it could have referred to these. Bad apples would hardly have prevented the writer from traveling, unless it was a crop to be sold for traveling expenses. An effort has been made to make the translation as literal as possible to preserve the quaintness of the language.
As far as eggs and butter are concerned, the writer was apparently allowed to keep the butter money as wages. The number of eggs gathered: 1 & 2 per day, makes it probable that the "red ones" are indeed chickens, which were not laying much.
Not mentioned in the ter Hark genealogy (Dutch)
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1875 - 1905 (29 jaar)
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