GENEALOGY OF BEREND HENDRIK (BENJAMIN H) MASSELINK, DDS
Generation 8
KLEINE MASSELINK FENNE AND HARMEN 1660-1731
KLEINE MASSELINK GEERD 1693-1743
KLEINE MASSELINK HARMEN 1719-1771
KLEINE MASSELINK HENDRIK 1747-1790
KLEINE MASSELINK FENNE 1771-1843M
KLEINE MASSELINK GERRIT HENDRIK 1792-1870
KLEINE MASSELINK HARMEN 1841-1923 (Masselink in the USA)
MASSELINK BEREND HENDRIK (BENJAMIN H) DDS 1881
Mother: Gesje (Grace) Benierman Kleine Masselink (Masselink in USA)
Siblings: Eight Masselink children born and raised on the family farm in Oakland, Allegan County, Michigan: Gerrit (1872), Berend (Benjamin) (1873), Fenne (Fanny) (1875), Jan (John) (1877), Hendrick Jan (Henry) (1879), Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) (1881-1973), Jantje (Jenny) (1884) and Hendrikje (Hattie) (1888); All attended the small rural school located next to the family farm for their early education; Their desire and drive for an education is quite remarkable; Two become teachers, one a college president, two dentists and two medical doctors. All from one poor immigrant family.
Spouse: Gertrude Beyer Masselink
Masselink Children Generation 9: Eugene; Benjamin; Kenneth (1921-1923)
Generation 8
KLEINE MASSELINK FENNE AND HARMEN 1660-1731
KLEINE MASSELINK GEERD 1693-1743
KLEINE MASSELINK HARMEN 1719-1771
KLEINE MASSELINK HENDRIK 1747-1790
KLEINE MASSELINK FENNE 1771-1843M
KLEINE MASSELINK GERRIT HENDRIK 1792-1870
KLEINE MASSELINK HARMEN 1841-1923 (Masselink in the USA)
MASSELINK BEREND HENDRIK (BENJAMIN H) DDS 1881
Mother: Gesje (Grace) Benierman Kleine Masselink (Masselink in USA)
Siblings: Eight Masselink children born and raised on the family farm in Oakland, Allegan County, Michigan: Gerrit (1872), Berend (Benjamin) (1873), Fenne (Fanny) (1875), Jan (John) (1877), Hendrick Jan (Henry) (1879), Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) (1881-1973), Jantje (Jenny) (1884) and Hendrikje (Hattie) (1888); All attended the small rural school located next to the family farm for their early education; Their desire and drive for an education is quite remarkable; Two become teachers, one a college president, two dentists and two medical doctors. All from one poor immigrant family.
Spouse: Gertrude Beyer Masselink
Masselink Children Generation 9: Eugene; Benjamin; Kenneth (1921-1923)
1872 APR 19 - 29 Parents Harmen and Gesje emigrate on the steam/sail ship ‘Scandanavian of Montreal from Liverpool, England on 19 Apr 1872 and arrive in Quebec, Canada on 29 Apr 1872
1872 MAY Parents arrive in Detroit, Michigan; Travel documents state that their religion is alt ref (Old Reformed AKA Christian Reformed in the USA); Respective occupations: Artisan (skilled manual worker) and housewife
1872 MAY 06 Parents arrive at the home of Harm's brother, Hendrik Jan in Oakland, Overisel Township, Allegan County, Michigan; Harm and his 6 month pregnant wife walk the last 7 miles to Jan's home. They stay with brother Jan for about 6 months.
1872 JUL 3 Brother Gerrit born
abt NOV 1872 Parents buy 20 acres from brother Jan for $325; On this farm Gerrit lives in the cabin Harm builds of logs hewed from a virgin forest; They struggle to overcome hardships and live there for about a year
Winter 1872-1873+ Father sells farm back to his brother Jan and to Geert Freiman (now Freeman) for $400; Buys a 50 acre farm from Jan Scholten for $875; Farm is entirely covered with primeval forest which intercepts the cold of winter; Father erects a house on this farm and family moves in when about a half of it is finished; No neighbors in sight because of the trees and woods; During these years works as a carpenter a large part of the time and contracted to have 20 acres cleared for $20; After the entire farm is cleared, buys an additional 10 acres from Henry Boerman for $90
1873 Jun 13 Brother Berend (Benjamin) born, Future dentist in Kalamazoo, Michigan
1875 Sister Fenne born
1877 Brother Jan (John) born
1878 Parents transfer their church membership from the Christian Reformed Church in Uelsen, Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany to the Christian Reformed Church in Overisel, Michigan
1878 Jul Father becomes an American citizen
1879 Brother Hendrick Jan (Henry) born
1881 Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) born, Future dentist in South Africa and in Grand Rapids, Michigan
1881 Cousin Gerrit Hendrik (son of Harm's brother Hendrik) emigrates to Michigan
1882 Uncle Hendrik and four of Hendrik's daughters (Gerrit's cousins) emigrate to Michigan
1884 Sister Jantje (Jenny) born
1886 Father builds a barn and later a hog pen and a chicken coop
1888 Sister Hendrikje (Hattie) born
1895 Father owns a 60 acre farm in Overisel, Ottawa County, Michigan (See Map in File)
1903 Dec 02 Father Harm's children were grown and wanted an education, so the farm is sold to John Weaver for $4,000; Parents then bought a house in Drenthe, Ottawa County, Michigan from R Lanting for $500
1904 Feb 23 Parents move to their house in Drenthe
1917 AUG 11 Mother Gesje (Grace) dies
1921 Benjamin H's son, Kenneth, born
1923 Benjamin H's son, Kenneth, dies at age 3; Buried Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MI
1923 Father Harm dies in Zeeland, Michigan; Harm and his wife are both buried in the Zeeland City Cemetery, 144 E Lincoln Ave, Zeeland, Michigan; Their greatest reward comes through the realization that their children responded to their teachings
192? Benjamin H makes cross country trip to California over undeveloped muddy, rutted, wagon trails; Enroute experiences chronicled in a Grand Rapids newspaper (Future President Eisenhower made a similar trip for the Army in 1919)
1959 Benjamin H's wife Gertrude dies; Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1973 Benjamin H dies in Florida; Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1872 MAY Parents arrive in Detroit, Michigan; Travel documents state that their religion is alt ref (Old Reformed AKA Christian Reformed in the USA); Respective occupations: Artisan (skilled manual worker) and housewife
1872 MAY 06 Parents arrive at the home of Harm's brother, Hendrik Jan in Oakland, Overisel Township, Allegan County, Michigan; Harm and his 6 month pregnant wife walk the last 7 miles to Jan's home. They stay with brother Jan for about 6 months.
1872 JUL 3 Brother Gerrit born
abt NOV 1872 Parents buy 20 acres from brother Jan for $325; On this farm Gerrit lives in the cabin Harm builds of logs hewed from a virgin forest; They struggle to overcome hardships and live there for about a year
Winter 1872-1873+ Father sells farm back to his brother Jan and to Geert Freiman (now Freeman) for $400; Buys a 50 acre farm from Jan Scholten for $875; Farm is entirely covered with primeval forest which intercepts the cold of winter; Father erects a house on this farm and family moves in when about a half of it is finished; No neighbors in sight because of the trees and woods; During these years works as a carpenter a large part of the time and contracted to have 20 acres cleared for $20; After the entire farm is cleared, buys an additional 10 acres from Henry Boerman for $90
1873 Jun 13 Brother Berend (Benjamin) born, Future dentist in Kalamazoo, Michigan
1875 Sister Fenne born
1877 Brother Jan (John) born
1878 Parents transfer their church membership from the Christian Reformed Church in Uelsen, Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany to the Christian Reformed Church in Overisel, Michigan
1878 Jul Father becomes an American citizen
1879 Brother Hendrick Jan (Henry) born
1881 Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) born, Future dentist in South Africa and in Grand Rapids, Michigan
1881 Cousin Gerrit Hendrik (son of Harm's brother Hendrik) emigrates to Michigan
1882 Uncle Hendrik and four of Hendrik's daughters (Gerrit's cousins) emigrate to Michigan
1884 Sister Jantje (Jenny) born
1886 Father builds a barn and later a hog pen and a chicken coop
1888 Sister Hendrikje (Hattie) born
1895 Father owns a 60 acre farm in Overisel, Ottawa County, Michigan (See Map in File)
1903 Dec 02 Father Harm's children were grown and wanted an education, so the farm is sold to John Weaver for $4,000; Parents then bought a house in Drenthe, Ottawa County, Michigan from R Lanting for $500
1904 Feb 23 Parents move to their house in Drenthe
1917 AUG 11 Mother Gesje (Grace) dies
1921 Benjamin H's son, Kenneth, born
1923 Benjamin H's son, Kenneth, dies at age 3; Buried Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, MI
1923 Father Harm dies in Zeeland, Michigan; Harm and his wife are both buried in the Zeeland City Cemetery, 144 E Lincoln Ave, Zeeland, Michigan; Their greatest reward comes through the realization that their children responded to their teachings
192? Benjamin H makes cross country trip to California over undeveloped muddy, rutted, wagon trails; Enroute experiences chronicled in a Grand Rapids newspaper (Future President Eisenhower made a similar trip for the Army in 1919)
1959 Benjamin H's wife Gertrude dies; Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
1973 Benjamin H dies in Florida; Buried in Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Berend Hendrik (Benjamin H) like his older brother is named after his grandfather; Known as Benjamin Henry or Bennie to differentiate him from his brother; Dental education in London, England and taught dentistry in South Africa; Then practiced dentistry in Grand Rapids, Michigan; Wrote and published a book and gave lectures about his experiences in South Africa