Antoon Thiessens, ca 1927 (age 79 years)

Antoon Thiessens, the subject of this sketch, was born January 28, 1848 the fourth child by the second marriage of Hendrik Thiessen or Thiessens.  Hendrik was a tailor by trade.  His mother was Grietje Bulthuis, and he was born in the norther Dutch city of Groningen.

On May 18, 1871, Antoon married Willemke de Jong in Groningen where they resided most of their lives.  According to their marriage record, Antoon was a shoemaker by trade, and Willemke was a maid servant.  Sic children were born to this union: four sons and two daughters.  All of the children were born in Groningen.  These were:  Hendrik, born September 5, 1872, died November 6, 1957; Folkert Jan, born April 12, 1874, died July 23, 1877 (age 3 years); Hermannus (my grandfather, known as Herman) born December 12, 1876, died August 29, 1948 in Salt Lake City, Utah;  Folkert Jan, born June 20, 1878, died July 7, 1941; Grietje, born October 1, 1882, died October 19, 1954; and Wilhelmina Antonia, born September 3, 1885, died December 23, 1913.

One of the last residences for Antoon was Oostervartstraat 17, Rotterdam.  The family reported that in the later years of their life, he and Willemke could not get along so he moved from Groningen to Rotterdam, probably to be near some of his children.  It has been said that he and his family would have nothing to do with his son, Herman, inasmuch as he had joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) in 1905, and then moved to the United States shortly after his conversion in the fall of 1909, nevery to return to Holland.  Their view was that he had deserted his family.  Antoon died May 4, 1927 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

Close-up of Antoon Thiessens about 1927, Rotterdam, Netherlands