GENEALOGY OF JAN (JOHN) MASSELINK; Generation 8
"Few are the near-saints who walk among us, those rare people so revered by so many as to be counted among the truly exceptional. Dr. Masselink was such a man" - From the Book Dr. John Masselink A Man of Unswerving Selflessness by Nelson Van Koevering, et al.
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 JAN (JOHN) 1877-1943
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 (1873), Fenne (Fanny) (1875), Jan (John) (1877), Hendrick Jan (Henry) (1879), Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) (1881), Jantje (Jennie) (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.
Spouses:
1.Grace Hoeksema Masselink (1878-1923)
One Child: Sadie Grace Masselink Winter; Marries Dr. John Winter, a prominent surgeon; Live in Holland, Michigan; Grandson: John Winter III
2. Nella Karston Masselink (1895-1893); No known children
"Few are the near-saints who walk among us, those rare people so revered by so many as to be counted among the truly exceptional. Dr. Masselink was such a man" - From the Book Dr. John Masselink A Man of Unswerving Selflessness by Nelson Van Koevering, et al.
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 JAN (JOHN) 1877-1943
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 (1873), Fenne (Fanny) (1875), Jan (John) (1877), Hendrick Jan (Henry) (1879), Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) (1881), Jantje (Jennie) (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.
Spouses:
1.Grace Hoeksema Masselink (1878-1923)
One Child: Sadie Grace Masselink Winter; Marries Dr. John Winter, a prominent surgeon; Live in Holland, Michigan; Grandson: John Winter III
2. Nella Karston Masselink (1895-1893); No known children
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 Hendrik (Benjamin H.) born; Later attends Burnips High School
1875 Sister Fenne born
1877 May 14 Jan (John) born on a farm near Oakland, Michigan, about eight miles southeast of Zeeland; Early years characterized by strong religious influences, hard work and a love of learning; Attends an elementary school near his home and then high school in Allegan, some 15 miles away; Travels to school with his siblings by horse drawn buggy (or by sleigh in winter)
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 Brother Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) born
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
1894 Mar 12 John receives his Michigan Common School Diploma from District 6, Overisel Township, Allegan County, Michigan; Then graduates from Allegan Normal School which is a school for teachers; Teaches in Oakland and Salem Michigan and Passaic, New Jersey and later returns to Michigan for medical training
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
1904 Jun 10 John graduates from Detroit College of Medicine after previously graduating from Wayne University of Michigan
1904 Jul 1 John marries Grace Hoeksema (1878-1923), daughter of the Pastor of the Oakland Christian Reformed Church; Also in 1904, locates his medical practice in Zeeland and serves that community throughout his 39-year career
1911 John obtains his first car and uses it to make summer medical house calls; In winter, still uses a horse and two wheel cart to make house calls as his car cannot operate in snow and ice
1917 AUG 11 Mother Gesje (Grace) dies
1918 No time is more difficult for Dr. John than the influenza epidemic of 1918; John was the only doctor in the area; For one two-week period, John is said to have never gone to bed
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
1924 Oct 20 John's wife, Grace, dies in Holland, Michigan
1929 Jun 6 John marries Nella Karsten (1895-1983), a registered nurse and graduate of Hackley Hospital, Muskegon, Michigan; She assists John in the last 15 years of his practice; Lives at 154 S. Church Street in Zeeland, Michigan
1943 Apr 2 John dies in Zeeland, Michigan from pneumonia
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 Hendrik (Benjamin H.) born; Later attends Burnips High School
1875 Sister Fenne born
1877 May 14 Jan (John) born on a farm near Oakland, Michigan, about eight miles southeast of Zeeland; Early years characterized by strong religious influences, hard work and a love of learning; Attends an elementary school near his home and then high school in Allegan, some 15 miles away; Travels to school with his siblings by horse drawn buggy (or by sleigh in winter)
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 Brother Berend Hendrik (Benjamin Henry or Bennie) born
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
1894 Mar 12 John receives his Michigan Common School Diploma from District 6, Overisel Township, Allegan County, Michigan; Then graduates from Allegan Normal School which is a school for teachers; Teaches in Oakland and Salem Michigan and Passaic, New Jersey and later returns to Michigan for medical training
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
1904 Jun 10 John graduates from Detroit College of Medicine after previously graduating from Wayne University of Michigan
1904 Jul 1 John marries Grace Hoeksema (1878-1923), daughter of the Pastor of the Oakland Christian Reformed Church; Also in 1904, locates his medical practice in Zeeland and serves that community throughout his 39-year career
1911 John obtains his first car and uses it to make summer medical house calls; In winter, still uses a horse and two wheel cart to make house calls as his car cannot operate in snow and ice
1917 AUG 11 Mother Gesje (Grace) dies
1918 No time is more difficult for Dr. John than the influenza epidemic of 1918; John was the only doctor in the area; For one two-week period, John is said to have never gone to bed
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
1924 Oct 20 John's wife, Grace, dies in Holland, Michigan
1929 Jun 6 John marries Nella Karsten (1895-1983), a registered nurse and graduate of Hackley Hospital, Muskegon, Michigan; She assists John in the last 15 years of his practice; Lives at 154 S. Church Street in Zeeland, Michigan
1943 Apr 2 John dies in Zeeland, Michigan from pneumonia
John (Jan) attends high school in Burnips and the Allegan County Normal School; Teaches in Oakland and Salem, Michigan schools and at the Christian School in Paterson, New Jersey to earn enough money to go to medical school; Attends Wayne State University and Detroit College of Medicine; Moves to Zeeland, Michigan and opens an office in the State Commercial and Savings Bank Building (200 1/2 E. Main Ave) where he practices medicine for his entire 39 year career; Has three horses so there would always be a fresh horse for house calls; A deeply respected and much loved physician, known for his compassion and commitment to his patients and community [Genealogy author's wife's grandmother also said this about John - he delivered some of her children]; Delivers over 5,000 babies; Member of the First Christian Reformed Church, Zeeland Rotary Club and Wayne State Alumni Association; Dies in 1943 at age 66