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Jan and Pieterke Heun (John and Nellie Hine) were Albert Hine’s parents and Richard Hine’s grandparents.

Jan Heun (John Hine) and Pieterke Wieringa (Nellie Hine) were both born in Groningen.

Parents

Jan’s father was Pieter Jans Heun, born about 1799 in ‘t Zandt to Jan Pieters and mother was Grietje Timens, . Jan’s mother was Trijntje Jans Uilhoorn, born around 1799 in Holwierde to Jan Stoffers Uilhoorn and Teitje Lubberts. Pieter and Trijntje were married 22 Dec 1821 in ‘t Zandt (marriage record page 1, page 2). Pieter and Trijntje’s children were:

• A daughter Grietje Heun born on 5 Aug 1823 (birth record)
• Our ancestor Jan born on 6 January 1831 in Uithuizermeeden (birth record).
• A son Ferdinand Heun born on 4 February 1835 (birth record)

Pieter Jans Heun died 15 May 1848 in ‘t Zandt at the age of 49 (death record). Widow Trijntje remarried the following year to Kornelis Hindriks van der Leest on 29 December 1849. Trientje died on 30 January 1868 at the age of 69 in Garsthuizen gem. Stedum (death record).

Pieterke’s father was Pieter Alberts Wieringa. Her mother was Martje Pieters Dijkema, born around 1797 in Loppersum, Groningen. Martje died 20 January 1839 in ‘t Zandt at the age of 59 (death certificate). Martje’s parents were Pieter Udes Dijkema and Grietje Hindricks. Pieter and Martje’s children were:

• A son Albert Wierenga born on 5 December1822 (birth record), died eight days later (death record).
• Another son Albert on 21 Sep 1826 (birth record) who was five years old when Pieterke was born.
• A daughter Trijntje on 10 Nov1828 (birth record).
• Our ancestor Pieterke born 8 Oct 1831 (birth record) in the village of Zeerijp, ‘t Zandt
• A daughter Lijzabet who born 27- April 1835 and only lived two days.
• Another daughter Lijzabet born 8 Oct 1836 (birth record)

Marriage & Family

Jan and Pieterke were married at the age of 22, in 12 Mar 1853. Jan was working as a farmhand and Pieterke was a “working woman”. Jan and Pieterke’s children were:

• A son Pieter/Peter born on 19 Dec 1853 (birth recprd)
• A son Ferdinand/Frederick born on 11 November 1858 (birth record)
• Our ancestor Albert born on 6 May 1861 (birth record)
• A daughter, Trientje/Katie born on 18 July 1864 (birth record)
• A son Martin born 8 January 1867 (birth record).

Emigration

In 1873 the Jan and Pieterke family emigrated to Chicago with their five children via Liverpool, England and New York City. The parents were 42 years old, Peter was 17, Frederick 13, Albert 11, Katie 9, and Martin 4. The family arrived in New York on 22 Apr 1873 (passenger list). They were poor folk, and their reason for leaving was listed as “improvement.” They belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church.

The Heun family traveled aboard the ship Manhattan in steerage class, which was the lowest possible category available to very poor people. Steerage was very cramped and there was hardly any room for fresh air to get there. Many people died in steerage. The family is listed as German, perhaps because the Manhattan’s voyage originated in Germany.