Home > Canada > Alberta > Whitecourt Census Division > Neerlandia > Neerlandia Cemetery > Douwe “David” Terpsma

Douwe “David” Terpsma

Birth	:	23 Jul 1874 Herbaijum, Franekeradeel Municipality, Friesland, Netherlands
Death	:	7 Apr 1954 New Westminster, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
Burial	:	Neerlandia Cemetery, Neerlandia, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate	:	54.3178900, -114.3768100
Plot	:	BLOCK 1, PLOT 6
Description	:	Douwe Terpsma was born in July 1874 in the country village of Herbaijum, located in the mid northwestern part of the Dutch northern province Friesland, the fourth of seven children of Jan Gerlofs Terpsma (28 years old, truck farmer, cabbage grower [kooltjer]) and Aafke Jeltes Hilwerda. Source: scan of his birth certificate. Herbaijum was built on a terp, an artificial mound in low land with formerly no dykes, where in the past, in the Middleages and before, the people and cattle could flee to during high tides of the sea. Douwe's great grandfather Pier Gerlofs, a kooltjer (truck farmer) who... Read More	Douwe Terpsma was born in July 1874 in the country village of Herbaijum, located in the mid northwestern part of the Dutch northern province Friesland, the fourth of seven children of Jan Gerlofs Terpsma (28 years old, truck farmer, cabbage grower [kooltjer]) and Aafke Jeltes Hilwerda. Source: scan of his birth certificate. Herbaijum was built on a terp, an artificial mound in low land with formerly no dykes, where in the past, in the Middleages and before, the people and cattle could flee to during high tides of the sea. Douwe's great grandfather Pier Gerlofs, a kooltjer (truck farmer) who resided at Herbaijum, adopted on January 18, 1812 for himself and for his 5 years old daughter Aaltje the surname Terpsma. "sma" is a -Frisian- suffix for creating a surname. He signed -for the first time in his life- the name adoption deed very neatly with "P:G: Terpsma". Douwe had the following siblings in Herbaijum, Franekeradeel: * Sytske Terpsma b. 19 May 1872-d. 11 Dec 1952 Hellendoorn, Overijssel, Netherlands, married Johannes Harkema 19 Nov 1893; * Gerlof Terpsma b. 13 Jun 1873, m. 1. Sytske Ynia 20 Dec 1900, 2. Christina Hendrika Begemann 19 Jun 1913; * Jelte (Joseph) Terpsma b. 29 Aug 1875, m. Grietje Kuiper 2 May 1906; * Elske Terpsma b. 2 Feb 1878, m. Foppe van Langen 7 Dec 1902 * Pier (Peter) Terpsma b. 1 Jun 1879; * Hieltje (Henry) Terpsma b. 23 Jun 1880, m. Aukje Gerritsma 4 Apr 1907. On May 27, 1893 farm hand Douwe Terpsma, living in the city of Franeker, son of cow milker Jan Gerlofs Terpsma and late Aafke Jeltes Hilwerda, married in Sexbierum, the seat of municipality Barradeel, located in the northwestern part of Friesland, at the age of 18 years the one year older domestic servant Bregtje Dijkstra, born and living in Sexbierum, daughter of laborer Nanning Scheltes Dijkstra and late Froukje Jacobs Tamminga. Source: scan of his marriage certificate. They had in the northwestern part of province Friesland the following children: * Jan (John), October 10, 1893, Midlum, mun. Franekeradeel; * Froukje (Florence, Flora), November 21, 1895, Midlum; * Aafke (Ada, Effie), May 23, 1899, Wijnaldum, mun. Barradeel; * Otto (Arthur, Art), October 16, 1902, Midlum; * Tetje (Tena, Tina), March 19, 1908, Franeker; * Nanning (Nick, Norman), September 21, 1909, Franeker. Father Douwe Terpsma was in 1893-1902 a laborer, and in 1908 and 1909 a cow milker. On April 22, 1911 the family Terpsma emigrated from Franeker to the city of Paterson, New Jersey, USA, located about 15 miles northwest of New York. A lot of Dutchmen worked there in the booming silk industry. After landing in Halifax, Canada the family travelled for four days by train to Strathcona, Edmonton, seat of province Alberta, where they assembled in an immigration hall. A settler and fieldman called Henry Kippers helped them find temporary lodging at a shack near High Level Bridge, Edmonton. Douwe Terpsma and his son John Terpsma were in 1911 two of the 16 founders of the agrarian hamlet Neerlandia, located in central Alberta, Canada within the County of Barrhead, between Mellowdale and Vega, approximately 20 kilometers north of Barrhead and northwest of Westlock. Neerlandia was founded by Dutch immigrants beginning in 1911. The name "Neerlandia" refers to the first settlers' country of origin, the Netherlands. The surrounding area is largely agricultural based. In January of 1911, Henry Kippers began a Dutch Colonization society with the goal to create a Dutch Farming community. The community formation began on December 18, 1911 with 16 men filling for land permits at the Dominion of Lands Office in Edmonton, Alberta. These men were John Anema, Rients de Jager, Drikus Huinink, Cornelius Ingwersen, Albert M. Mast, Johan Messelink, Henry J. Micheal, Menne Nanninga, Albert J. Oldegbers, Hendrik Schoonekamp, Berend te Ronde, Douwe Terpsma, his son John Terpsma, Siebren Tiemstra and Willem van Ark. This was followed by Fred Baron and Henry J. Kippers on December 26, 1911 and finally Arie Emmerzael on February 6, 1912. See for a detailed report in 1984 by his son Norman Terpsma and daughter Florence Terpsma Baker of the Terpsma's settling in Neerlandia page 243 and following of the book "A Furrow Laid Bare" at http://www.ourroots.ca/e/page.aspx?id=945130. On 23 October 1915 they had in Neerlandia son George (Gerlof) Terpsma. In June 1916 Doewer Tirpsma (41 y, born in Holland, immigrated in 1911 [from the USA], farmer), his wife Bertha (42, Holland, imm. 1911), their children John (22, Holland, imm. 1911), Flora (20, Holland, imm. 1911), Effie (17, Holland, imm. 1911), Otto (14, Holland, imm. 1911), Tenna (8, Holland, imm. 1911), Nick (6, Holland, imm. 1911) and George (1, Alberta) were living in Township number 61 [where the Dutch agrarian settlement of Neerlandia was located], district Edmonton West, province Alberta, Canada. In the spring of 1929 they rented out their land in Neerlandia -two quarters [320 acres] with about 100 acres cultivated- and moved with their sons Norman and George to Edmonton, where they bought a seven-acre plot with a house on it and raised potatoes and vegetables. In May 1939 his wife Betje died at the age of 65 years from gallbladder and liver trouble in the city of Edmonton, the capital of province Alberta, Canada. After Betje died Douwe sold the acreage in Edmonton and lived with a brother in Lynden, Whatcom County, Washington, for a while. He visited his children and spent the summers with his son Norman and his family at the Terpsma homestead in Neerlandia. Later he married a widow, Etje Westra, from Randolph, Wisconsin. They were three years married there, and then, in 1946, he became a widower again. He then moved to New Westminster, located just southeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In April 1954 widower and farmer David Terpsma died at the age of 79 years from carcinoma of Sigmund (oral cancer), chronic nephritis and old age at the Royal Columbia Hospital in the city of New Westminster, located just southeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where he lived for the last six years of his life. He was buried in Neerlandia. His death was declared by his son Arthur Terpsma, who resided at New Westminster. Source: scan of his death certificate, Familysearch. In 1947 just only 35 persons in the Netherlands had the surname Terpsma, 15 of them still living in the province of Friesland and 12 in the city of The Hague (Den Haag), province Zuid-Holland. In 2007 there were 38 Terpsmas living in the Netherlands. So nowadays there are many more Terpsmas living in the USA and Canada than in the Netherlands!

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Douwe “David” Terpsma's memorial?
Douwe “David” Terpsma's memorial is located at: Neerlandia Cemetery, Neerlandia, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada.
When did Douwe “David” Terpsma death?
Douwe “David” Terpsma death on 7 Apr 1954 in New Westminster, Greater Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada
Where are the coordinates of the Douwe “David” Terpsma's memorial?
Latitude: 54.3178900
Longitude: -114.3768100

Family Members:

Spouse

Bregtje “Betje, Betty, Bertha” Dijkstra Terpsma

(1873 - 1939)

Children

Florence Terpsma Baker

(1895 - 1991)

Tena Terpsma Tuininga

(1908 - 1927)

Nanning “Norman” Terpsma

(1909 - 2003)

George Terpsma

(1915 - 1992)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Neerlandia Cemetery
Neerlandia, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.3178900, -114.3768100

2. Shoal Creek-Linaria Cemetery
Linaria, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.2978800, -114.3652700

3. Mellowdale Community Cemetery
Mellowdale, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.2121000, -114.3754000

4. Bloomsbury Pentecostal Cemetery
Bloomsbury, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.2106490, -114.4265660

5. Christ Lutheran Church Cemetery
Mellowdale, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.1954400, -114.3749700

6. St. Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Cemetery
Linaria, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.2902600, -114.1515000

7. Naples Catholic Cemetery
Naples, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.1954000, -114.2508400

8. Glenreagh Cemetery
Barrhead, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.1601260, -114.4517090

9. Klondyke Cemetery
Fort Assiniboine, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.4428600, -114.6075500

10. Saint John's Lutheran Cemetery
Barrhead, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.1230500, -114.3538800

11. Saint Anne's Catholic Church Cemetery
Barrhead, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.1229410, -114.3521300

12. Barrhead Field of Honor
Barrhead, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.1227700, -114.3534700

13. Barrhead Community Cemetery
Barrhead, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.0952400, -114.4260800

14. Poynter Memorial Cemetery
Barrhead, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.0952200, -114.4262200

15. Agnes United Church Cemetery
Mosside, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.0938570, -114.4717450

16. Manola Cemetery
Manola, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.0935300, -114.2007800

17. Hillcrest Cemetery
Fort Assiniboine, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.3416500, -114.8036500

18. Lunnford Cemetery
Lunnford, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.0647650, -114.3255110

19. Christ the King Catholic Church Churchyard
Jarvie, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.4578720, -113.9874460

20. Jarvie Cemetery
Jarvie, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.4421710, -113.9717390

21. Dapp Cemetery
Dapp, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.3561100, -113.9122300

22. St. Finnan's Roman Catholic Cemetery
Dapp, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.3561320, -113.9114160

23. Christ the King Roman Catholic Cemetery
Jarvie, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.4630680, -113.9763740

24. Hazel Bluff Cemetery
Westlock, Whitecourt Census Division, Canada
Coordinate: 54.1520300, -114.0006900