John Terlouw (1848-1919) in Pella

Pella in Marion County in Iowa was founded in 1847 when some 800 Dutch immigrants led by Minister Hendrik Pieter (“Henry”) Scholte settled the area. Among them was Jan Terlouw (1825-1908), younger son of Jan Terlouw  (±1786-1850) and Grietje den Ottolander (1787-1849). Grietje is a paternal descendant of my 16th-century ancestor Vastert Adriaansz.

The first Jan Terlouw (1825-1908) with his family.

Jan Terlouw sr., the first emigrant, had some elder brothers, including Huijbert Terlouw (1816-1902). Huibert and his first wife, Maaijke de Groot (1826-1852), had an only child, Jan Terlouw jr., born on 27 July 1848 in Noordeloos, South Holland, The Netherlands. After Maaijke's early death, aged 26, on 22 January 1852 in Langerak, Utrecht, The Netherlands, Huijbert married there on 1 April 1853 Hilligje de Jong (1817-1894), widow of Cornelis Maat (1802-1849) and mother of several children. Hilligje is a descendant of my ancestors Hillige Teunisse and Claes Adriaensz Brand (±1616-±1673). Hilligje and Huibert had 4 additional children. 
Jan Terlouw jr. was married on 23 January 1880 in Vianen, Utrecht, to Bartje Bogaard (1848-1899) of Vianen. They had the following children: Maaijke (1880), Johanna (1881), Grietje (“Gertie”), Huijbert (1884), Jacoba (1886), Bastiaan (died young) and Bastiaantje (1889). After Bartje's death on 20 February 1899 in Langerak, aged 50, her widower Jan Terlouw emigrated to the Pella, Iowa, USA, and took the name “John”. He died there on 24 August 1919.

Pella, Marion County, Iowa, USA

Jan's daughter “Gertie” was married on 24 February 1910 in Knowville, Iowa, to Pieter (“Peter”) Keuning (1875-1964) of Janum, Frisia, The Netherlands. Like Gertie, Peter had travelled with his father to the USA after the death of his mother. Gertie died in Pella in 1960.

Sources: wiewaswie.nl, terlouw.voorouders.net, erfskipterpdoarpen.nl.