He was born as Fokke on 29 Juni 1872 in the country village Nuis, municipality Marum, in the western part of the Dutch northeastern province Groningen.

Fokke went to America on 13 April 1891, according to a story in 1992 of his granddaughter Connie Schweitzer for a new life in the USA and not unlikely also to escape from five years of duty in the Dutch army. Upon his arrival in the U.S. Fokke went to work for his uncle Roelof Hoogstra (?) in Chicago, Illinois. He stayed at that job until the end of 1891 when he, having saved enough money, went back to Holland, where he arrived on 9 December 1891, to get his family. Fokke had, along with his parents, a sister, Riemkje (Reka) and two brothers, Hendrik (Henry) and Wiebe (Weep). Fokke (19 y) returned on 17 March 1892 on the SS Veendam at the port of New York, Ellis Island, his parents and three siblings followed on 22 June 1892 on the SS Maasdam. Their last residence place in the Netherlands was the country village De Wilp, municipality Marum, province Groningen, and their destination is Chicago, Illinois. Reka (DeVries) eventually settled in South Dakota, Henry and Weep in Michigan, while Fokke went back to Chicago.

In 1892 Fokke met at a church patronized by the Dutch in Chicago at the age of 20 years a new arrival from Holland, the three years younger Grietje (Gretze) Hayes Boomsma. She came to the United States with her parents, three sisters (Susie, Dora, and Annie, who died in a fire), and three brothers (Sam, Mike, and John). They all settled in or around Chicago.

On 19 August 1893, approximately one year after they had met, Fokke and Grietje were married in the Dutch truck farmers settlement Roseland, then a southern suburb of Chicago. They lived in the Chicago area for 19 years, during that time they also had the first nine of their 16 children: Peter (1894), Hooie (Harry, 1896), Roel (Ralph, 1897), Klaske (Clara, 1899), Ben I (1900, who died at birth, or soon after), Ben II (1902, likewise died at a very young age), Bessie (1906), Agnes (1908) and Richard (1910).

In June 1900 dairy farmer Fred Quinstra (27 y, born in June 1872 in Holland, immigrated in 1891) lived with his wife Grietje (25, August 1874, Holland, immigrated in 1892), their children Haaie (4, February 1896 in Illinois), Roel (2, October 1897, Illinois) and Klaske (1, June 1899, Illinois) in Hyde Park Township, 99 Street, Ward 34, in the southern part of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois. Quite remarkable: their son Peter, born in May 1894 in Chicago, was not present. Staying with relatives? Two houses further on his sister Riemke Tuinstra DeVries lived with her husband and three children.

In 1910 Fokke Tuinstru (37), his wife Grietje (35), their children Peter (18), Harry (14), Ralph (12), Clara (11), Elizabeth (9), Agnes (2) and Grietje (1) lived in ward 33 of Chicago, Cook County, Illinois.

They moved then in 1911 to a 120 acre farm at Highway K in the town of Raymond, Racine County, in the southeastern part of Wisconsin, near Lake Michigan, where in August 1911 their son John was born, followed by Reka (1914), Samuel (1916), Anna Susie (1919) and Henry (1920).

In 1920 Fred and Grietje Tuinstra resided with their children Bessie (13), Agnes (11), Richard (9), John (8), Hera (5), Sam (3) and Anna (1) in Racine County, Wisconsin.

In 1930 Fred Tuinstra (57), his wife Grace (57), their children Richard (20, born in Illinois), John (18, Wisconsin), Reka (15, Wisconsin), Sam (13, Wisconsin), Susie (11, Wisconsin), Henry (10, Wisconsin) and Fred's brother Wiebe Tuinstra (47, Holland) lived in Raymond, Racine County, Wisconsin.

In 1940 Fred Tuinstra (67, farmer), his wife Gretchen (65), their son Henry Tuinstra (20 y, farm laborer), daughter-in-law Myrtle (19) and granddaughter Lillie (2) lived at an own farm, worth $3200, in Raymond, Racine County, Wisconsin. They lived in 1935 at the same house.

In August 1948 Mr. and Mrs. Fred Tuinstra of Franksville, Racine County celebrated with all their 12 children and grandchildren their 55th wedding anniversary at the Congregational Church at the village of Union Grove, 9 miles southwest of Franksville, which was a former census-designated place (CDP) in Racine County, Wisconsin. The population was 1,789 at the 2000 census. It became part of the newly established village of Caledonia in March 2006. Franksville was once home to the Frank's Kraut Company, thus the name.

In August 1958 Fred and Grace Tuinstra celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary at their farm in the town of Raymond. Four of their 16 children had died in early childhood and the oldest son Peter in 1953. They had then 42 grandchildren and 48 great-grandchildren.

His wife Grace died of cancer on 24 March 1959 in Racine County, Wisconsin at the age of 84 years, her widower Fred Tuinstra died in the same year on 2 October at the hospital of Milwaukee at the age of 87 years.


TUINSTRA, FRED Franksville, Wis. Age 87. Passed away Oct. 2. 1959, in St. Luke's Hospital. Mr. Tuinstra was born in Holland on June 29, 1872, came to the U.S. 68 years ago, formerly resided in Chicago and had lived in Racine County for the past 47 years. In Chicago, on Aug. 19. 1893, he was married to the former Gretze Boomsma, who preceded him in death on March 24, 1959. Surviving are six sons, Harry and Ralph of Racine: Richard, John and Henry of Franksville. and Sam of Union Grove, five daughters, Mrs. Clara Eisenga of Chicago, Mrs. Norbert (Bessie) Dank of Milwaukee, Mrs. Casey (Agnes) Bruinsma of Union Grove, Mrs. Norman (Reka) Schultz of Wind Lake and Mrs. George (Sue) Johnson, Racine; 42 grandchildren; 53 great-grandchildren; four sons-in-law; six daughters-in-law; nieces and nephews. Mr. Tuinstra was the grandfather of triplets and great-grandfather of twins. His son, Peter Tuinstra, preceded him in death in 1954. Funeral services will be held Monday, 2 p.m., in the Krug Memorial Home, with interment in West Lawn Memorial Park. Friends may call at the KRUG MEMORIAL HOME, corner of Barker and Lincoln Sts., Sunday afternoon after 3 oclock and during the evening.