|
a.
|
Note: N3007 Annie came to the US as a child in 1913 celebrating her 5th birthday on the 1st Sunday the family was here. She traveled with her mother, Hiddena, and her older sister, Hitje. Her father, Auke Harkema, had sailed back to the US the previous August to earn money for their passage. Born Antje Aukes Harkema, her name was “Englished” to Annie and then Anna. She was named for her maternal great grandmother who had helped to raise her mom, Hiddena before Hiddena's own mother married. Hiddena's mother, Hitje, bore Hiddena when Hitje was 18 and unmarried. They lived with Hitje's parents. Hitje had been "knocked up" by the son of a well-to-do landowner in the district who was part of Hitje's "crowd." Unfortunately, he also "knocked up" another local girl at the same time. He married the other girl; she had more money. Hiddena's half sister was born the same month that Hiddena was, but she did not survive infancy. When Hiddena was 4, her mother Hitje married Hitje's cousin, the dull but good-hearted farmer Hessel. Hitje and Hessel had 9 children, 6 of whom survived to adulthood.
Annie's maternal family (the DeWitts) came to the US en masse: mother Hitje, children Hiddena, Auke, Simon, Lambertus, Sebren, Antje and Herre along with her father Auke Harkema. Her cousins the DeWittes (Hitje DeWitte DeWitt's nephew and his family) also emigrated to the US (Indianapolis). Much confusion on Tucky's part between the DeWitts and the DeWittes. Tucky only figured things out when she began researching her genealogy.
Annie had 1 older sister, Hitje (b. 1903) called Hattie in the US. Annie's brother Jacob Harkema was born in Indianapolis, in 1916. After Annie's mother's death in 1918 when Annie was 10, Annie lived for about 2 years with her family's close friends (from Friesland and from the Covenant Reformed Church), the Nautas. Annie's future husband John was almost the same age as Annie. Jeannette was just a toddler. When Annie's father, Auke, remarried in 1920, she moved back "home." Annie had 3 half-sisters: Albertha (m. G. Brand), Evelyn (married J. Whitsett) and Patricia (m M Stantz) born from her father's 2nd marriage.
Annie was a very successful business school owner during the Depression years. She joined a business sorority, Epsilon Sigma Alpha, of which she was President for a term or two. Continuing to live at home, she largely supported her father and his new family. She slept on the sofa since the house had only two bedrooms and there were 3 other children in the household. She was always in love with John, going to visit him at Hope College and then "keeping company" afterwards. But she refused to marry him while his unstable mother lived with him. When John was drafted and Jennie institutionalized, they were free to marry and they did.
Annie returned to her homeland in 1938, taking a "grand tour" of Europe with her good friend (from the sorority) , Lucille Alexander. She was wealthy enough to do so because of her business school success. She was proud of that. She spoke fluent Fries and Dutch all her life although late in her life it was remarked that she spoke the language as it had been spoken much earlier in the 20th century rather than the 1970s or 1980s lingo.
Jelle and Janke Nauta were the only ones of their family to emigrate in 1906 (Jelle's niece Titia came in the 1920s I think). The Nautas stopped in Indianapolis to visit with Jelle's friend Simon DeWitt while they were on their way to Iowa. Due to Simon's encouragement, they didn't go on to Iowa but stayed in Indianapolis. None of us would be here if they hadn't stopped to visit Simon.
|
