Seventh Generation

280. Garrit Jan GROTERS was born on 29 Mar 1845 in Borculo (Haarlo) nr. 8.^361,362 He died on 31 Mar 1908 in Clymer, Chautauqua, New York. He was buried on 2 Apr 1908 in Holland Cemetery, Chautauqua, New York. He was a landbouwer. He lived in 1868. He was also known as John, Garrett John, Grandfather Groters.

Moved from Brinkheurne, Gelderland, Netherlands (Holland) on July 10 of1872 to Clymer, New York. Their route from the Netherlands to Clymerwas:
Port of Entry - Halifax, Virginia
Stop over - Norfolk, Virginia
By rail to Clymer, New York, arrived August 3, 1872.
Total Fare for the trip $58.80.
Naturalized as a US citizen on October 9, 1877 in Mayville, New York bycounty judge, Thomas Grosvenor. He was married to Gertruida Stemerdinkon 9 Oct 1868 in Winterswijk, Gelderland, Netherlands. From "History ofthe Groters Family, August, 1922":
The country of Holland is divided into eleven provinces -- one of thelargest of these is Gelderland. It is located in the eastern centralpart. The Zuider Zee borders it on the northwestern side. In the easternpart of the province are three towns -- Borculo, Eiberg and Winterswijk.Borculo and Eiberg are almost the same city, being like Kansas City,Kansas, and Kansas City, Missouri. As nearly as we can learn Borculo isabout the size of Corry and Winterswijk is about three times as large.
The houses in Holland are built of brick. Each house has its name, puton when it is built. Sometimes the family living in the house take itsname for their own.
Henry, John and Johanna Wilhelmina Huttenink Groters lived in Borculo.They had five children -- Emmert, Garrett John, Hendrika, Mina, and JohnWilliam
We can find no trace of Emmert. Garrett John is better known to us asGrandfather Groters. Hendrika married a German and moved into Germany.Mina married a wealthy man whose name was TePellia and John William cameto America and settled in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Grandfather Groters was born in Borculo on March 29, 1844. His peoplelived on a small farm. He helped his father at times. When he was aboutseventeen years old he worked in a hotel as a livery man. Later heworked on a large farm near Winterswijk. Here His work was driving team.While there he met Gertrude Stemmerdink. All the young men in Hollandhad to enter military training at the age of 18, for a term of one yearand four months. This training was somewhat like the Boy Scout trainingof today. When this was over they were given a short furlough. Then theywent back for one year. This time they had real army training. At theend of this year they were given their leaves but did not get theirhonorable discharge until they were about 24. This gave the governmentauthority to call them back at any time in case of war, without draftingthem.
John William Stemmerdink and his wife, Johanna Gertrude DamcottStemmerdink, lived in Winterswijk at Brinkherurne, 51. They had threegirls -- Gertrude, Amelia and Hannah. There were some boys but we couldfind no records of them. Gertrude as better known to us as GrandmotherGroters. Amelia married Henry Wiggers and lived in Clymer. Hannahmarried Henry Lammers and settled in Jamestown, NY Stemmerdinks lived ona small farm near Winterswijk. Grandmother was born May 11, 1846. shespent most of her younger days at home.
Grandfather and Grandmother were married sometime in 1867. They livedwith her people in Winterswijk until they came to America. At that timewages in Holland were so small the a single man could barely supporthimself. A good worker could get $12 per year, while some could get only$4 per year. This made it almost impossible for a man to support afamily. This was the chief reason for so Many Hollanders coming toAmerica.
On July 10, 1872, G.H. Wassink and family, G.J. Kruiselbrink and family,G.J. Groters, his wife and two children -- Hannah, aged nearly four andHenry, aged two, all started for America. Nowadays, people cross theocean on the big liners, but it was quite different then. These peoplecrossed in a sail-boat. When the wind was favorable, it carried the boatalong, but oftentimes they had to paddle. Each person paid $2.80 for asort of insurance. If they were taken sick and needed a doctor's care,this money was used to pay the doctor. About three weeks after they lefthome, they landed in Baltimore. Of course they could speak no English sothe railroad officials could not understand where they wanted to go.They were sent to Halifax, Virginia, where they stayed 24 hours. Fromthere they were sent to Norfolk where they spent another 24 hours. Theybrought a letter from Holland which mentioned Chautauqua County. Fromthis the railroad officials took it for granted that they wanted to comethis way and sent them to Pittsburgh. Not knowing to what part ofChautauqua County they wanted to go, they were given a ticket to Buffaloso as to be sure to get the full fare. Before they reached Corry, aGerman heard them talking the Holland language. He had been here aboutthree years and thinking perhaps he could help them, began visiting withthem. In the meanwhile George Ruslink had boarded the train. Heoverheard their conversation and knew he could help them. He learnedthey were to stop at Clymer and had tickets to Buffalo, so he explainedthe situation to the conductor and got back their overcharged fare. Thetotal fare from Holland to Clymer for one person was $58.80.
At Clymer depot, they were met by J. Henry Legters who now livers intown. He took them to G. J. VanErden's who lived at the forks of thePlank Road. There they all spent their first night in Clymer, the nightof August 3, 1872. The next day Grandfather and his family moved to thehouse where George Gross now lives. There they settled upstairs andstayed during the winter. Grandfather earned his first dollar in Americaby thrashing with a flail in the barn on William Bensink's farm on StateLine. That fall he worked on the Panama Railroad section for $1.50 perday. In the winter he was laid off and began working in McKaye's tanneryon the farm now owned by Jim Beckerink. When not busy in the tannery,Grandfather worked at odd jobs for farmers. Herman Onink was one farmerfor whom he worked. He helped him thrash oats with a flail and also cutwood. Sometimes he spent the night with them and amused the children bydrawing pictures of animals.
From this home, Aunt Sena's great-grandfather moved them to a betterhouse. This was on the Old Road near Will TeWinkle's, on the farm nowowned by Will Kruiselbrink. They packed all their dishes in a boiler anda one-horse sled carried all of their belongings. Grandfather was stillworking in McKaye's tannery during the day and doing his farm worknights. While living here, this tannery burned and grandfather beganworking in Knapp's tannery in town. Some of this tannery is nowMeyerink's grist mill.


It was quite a distance from home to this tannery, so once more theymoved -- this time to a house on the farm where Will Damcott not lives.While there they bought their first horse and wagon. On New Year's Dayin 1877, Grandfather took his family for a ride on that wagon. They wentto Herman Onink's. They had no wagon box -- just a board from bolster tobolster for a seat. They enjoyed their ride as much as theirgrandchildren do in autos.
On October 9, 1877, Harmonus Peeke and Arthur Beach went withGrandfather to Mayville to get his naturalization papers. ThomasGrosvenor was County Judge at the time. Soon after this, Grandfatherbought his farm on the Plank Road. The house stood near the orchard onthe hill. They lived there a short time and then moved the building downthe hill and across the road to where Korselman now lives. Grandfatherstill worked in the tannery. They lived in this place until the springof 1904. Then they sold their farm to Bill TeWinkle and bought the housein town where Bert Peck lives. Grandfather died there March 31, 1908.Grandmother stayed there with Fred and Samuel, a few years. Then shewent to live with Hannah and later with Garret. While there, she wastaken sick and went to stay with Anna. There she died June 27, 1912.
Grandfather and Grandmother had eleven children -- Hannah, Henry,Jennie, Anna, William, Kate, Garrett, Minnie, Fred, Benjamin and Samuel.Benjamin died when he was three years old. They were always loyal churchpeople. In 1877, they joined the church on Clymer Hill. Three childrenwere baptized at that time. Eight of the children were baptized duringtheir membership there. In 1886, Grandfather was elected Deacon of thechurch. He held office until they took their letter to the Clymer Churchin the winter of 1888-89. After joining the Clymer Church, he waselected Elder for several years. He also taught a Sunday School class.
-- History of the Groters Family, August, 1922 -

Garrit Jan GROTERS and Geertruida STEMERDINK were married on 10 Sep 1868 in Winterswijk.^363,364 Geertruida STEMERDINK³⁶⁵ (daughter of Jan Willem STEMERDINK and Janna Geertruid DAMKOT) was born on 11 May 1846 in Winterswijk.³⁶⁶ She died on 27 Jun 1912 in Clymer, Chautauqua, New York. She was buried on 29 Jun 1912 in Holland Cemetery, Chautauqua, New York. She was also known as Gertrude Stemmerdink. Garrit Jan GROTERS and Geertruida STEMERDINK had the following children:

+487	i.	Johanna Willemina (Hanna, Hannah) GROTERS.
+488	ii.	Hendrik Jan GROTERS.
+489	iii.	Anna GROTERS.
+490	iv.	William J. GROTERS.
+491	v.	Kate GROTERS.
+492	vi.	Garret John GROTERS.
+493	vii.	Minnie GROTERS.
+494	viii.	Frederic (Fred) GROTERS.
495	ix.	Benjamin GROTERS was born on 14 Oct 1887 in Clymer.367 He was born on 14 Oct 1887 in , Chautauqua, New York. He died on 9 Jul 1891 in Clymer.368 He died on 9 Jul 1891 in , Chautauqua, New York. He was buried in Holland Cemetery, Chautauqua, New York.
+496	x.	Samuel John GROTERS.
+497	xi.	Jennie GROTERS.