{"id":140637,"date":"1849-04-01T00:48:00","date_gmt":"1849-03-31T22:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/oudaalten.nl\/niet-gecategoriseerd\/pioneers-in-wisconsin-weavers\/"},"modified":"2026-04-16T00:06:34","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T22:06:34","slug":"pioneers-in-wisconsin-weavers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/oldaalten.nl\/en\/emigration\/usa\/pioneers-in-wisconsin-weavers\/","title":{"rendered":"Pioneers in Wisconsin \u2013 Wevers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Emigrants from Aalten to the US<\/strong><\/p>\n\n

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\"Amsterdam,\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button>
Amsterdam and Cedar Grove, Sheboygan County, with H.J. Wevers’ plot at the top right, 1889 (image: University of Wisconsin\u2013Madison)<\/em><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the 19th century, thousands of Achterhoekers emigrated to the United States in search of land, freedom and new opportunities. Among them was Harmen Jan Wevers (1833\u20131905) from Barlo. He was one of the early Dutch<\/strong> pioneers who settled in the largely unexplored wilderness of Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harmen Jan Wevers was born on April 20, 1833 on the Oonk farm<\/a> in Barlo, as the son of Derk Wevers and Johanna Bloemers. He had a brother and three sisters. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emigration and early years in America<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In April 1849, at the age of sixteen, he left Rotterdam for the United States. The crossing took 64 days. After arriving in New York, he traveled via Buffalo, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Chicago to Sheboygan County in Wisconsin. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Harmen Jan came to America on the same ship as Henry Walvoord, with whom he then worked as a servant for three years. After arriving in the US, Walvoord settled in Holland Township. For thirteen winters, Harmen Jan stayed with this pioneer, while he worked or went to school in the summer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After he had saved enough, he bought a team of oxen and earned a living as a carter, including transporting wood to the pier of Amsterdam<\/a> (Wisconsin).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Own farm in Holland Township<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In 1854, Harmen Jan bought a piece of land of forty acres (over 16 hectares), largely untouched forest. With great dedication he managed to reclaim this area and turned it into a thriving farm. He later expanded his holdings to seventy acres (almost 28.5 hectares). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On 27 December 1856 he married Berendina Gerharda in Slaa<\/a>, born on 14 October 1834 on the farm De Heuvel in Lintelo<\/a>. Together they had eight children, four of whom were still alive in 1894: <\/p>\n\n\n\n