Hendrika Ten Brink
By Bentheimers International Society
Some information for this biography was taken from “Die Familien der Kirchengemeinde Lage (1700–1900),” by Harm Schneider.

A portion of General Major von Le Coq‘s Grafschaft Bentheim map (1805) depicting the settlement of Lage. Hendrika Ten Brink was born here in 1828.
Hendrika Ten Brink was born on October 14, 1828 and baptized on December 15 in Lage. She was the first child born to Jenneken Hoed and an unknown father. Sometime before 1834, mother Jenne married Albert Ten Brink. Hendrika’s half–brother Hendrik Ten Brink was born on January 13, 1834. It is assumed that Albert adopted Hendrika when he married Jenneken.
Hendrika Ten Brink Departs For West Michigan
In 1857, Hendrika, her parents, and half–brother Hendrik boarded the barque Von Stein in Bremen. It arrived in New York Harbor on August 7, 1857. From there, Hendrika and family traveled to Graafschap, Michigan, where they bought a 40–acre farm in Laketown Township, Allegan County.
On October 7, 1858, Hendrika married Hendrikus Strabbing, an 1847 immigrant who sailed on the Antionette Maria and who was a prominent resident of Fillmore Township. Hendrikus Strabbing was 46 years old at the time, while Hendrika Ten Brink was 30. This marriage produced:
- Jan (John)—born August 9, 1859; and,
- Albertus—born May 9, 1865.
Hendrika Ten Brink died in 1886 at the age of 57; her husband’s death date is unknown at this time, as is their burial place. If you have information about where Hendrika was buried, please use the contact form below so we can complete her story.

A portion of the Von Stein passenger list showing Albert, Jenne, Hendrika, and Hendrik Ten Brink.

Detail of the 1873 Fillmore Township plat map. Highlighted are the farms of the brothers Hermannes and Hendrikus Strabbing lying in Sections 6 and 7. Hendrikus originally purchased the 40 acres in Section 7 on February 1, 1848.
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