Cornelis Kleinendorst (1822-1906) in the USA

Strijen, church

Cornelis Kleinendorst was born in Strijen, Holland, on October 19, 1822, as a younger son of Teunis Kleinendorst (±1782-1840) and his wife Jannigje Dorst (1781-1858).  Cornelis' eldest surviving brother Jacob died on April 10, 1836, aged just 25. His other surviving brother, Willem, died on February 13, 1843, leaving Cornelis as his parents only son. 

  

In Strijen Cornelis Kleinendorst was married to Aartje Weijerse on October 5, 1849. She was born on April 9, 1824, in nearby Maasdam. In 1837 Aartje's mother had died. Her father, Herman Weijerse / Weyers, and his 2nd wife, Maria Vermaas (1811-1863), boarded the ship "Ocean Home" in Rotterdam, arriving in the United States on May 2, 1856. They were accompanied by his children Souverin (26), Jannetje (19), Herman jr. (7), Maarten (4) and Leendert (3). They settled in Marion County, Iowa, USA.
By early 1856 Cornelis Kleinendorst had decided to follow his in-laws to the USA, and offered his house and barn in the Sint Anthoniepolder for sale in a newspaper advertisement.

Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, 3-2-1865

In the USA Cornelis Kleinendorst and his wife settled in Iowa. After her death Cornelis was married on March, 30, 1866, in Pella to Elisabeth Immink (1826-1896), widow of Lambertus Horsting / Horstuy. His gravestone at Graceland Cemetery in Pella, Marion County, Iowa, USA. features the year of his death as 1906. 
Cornelis' eldest son, Teunis Kleinendorst (1850-1894), was married to Adriana Steenhoek (1855-1922), a girl from his mother's home town, Maasdam. Her parents had moved to Iowa around 1857. Of their 10 children, 8 survived until adulthood. Our common ancestors are Jacob Kleijnendorst and his wife Aegje Steenhoek who were married in the Sint Anthoniepolder in 1679. The wives, Aegje Steenhoek and Adriana Steenhoek, are somehow related, too. 

Sources: wiewaswie.nl, castlegarden.org, hjmwijers.nl/, FindAGrave.com.