Geeske Egberts de Haan - Biography

Geeske Egberts de Haan was born 23 February 1878 in Faan, Niekerk, Groningen, Netherlands, the third of eight children of Egbert Gerrits de Haan and Wilhelmina Hemkes Scheeringa. There were three girls and five boys. One of the boys died in infancy. Her father was a well-to-do farmer, but during the depression of the 1890’s, he lost everything. Because of the depression, the girls went to work in the big city of Groningen to work as housemaids. Geeske worked in the home of Brother Van der Werf, who was a member of the LDS church. She soon became exposed to the gospel and joined the church on 19 October 1901 and was baptized by Joseph C. Platt. She was 23 years of age. Geeske’s youngest brother, Jan, was later baptized, in May 1903 at age 18. None of her other siblings joined the church. 

Geeske met Ate Obes Westra about May of 1902 at the LDS church branch in Groningen. Ate was almost 10 years older than Geeske. After a six month romance, they were married on 16 October 1902 in Groningen. They were blessed with three lovely children. Wilhelmina was born 18 January 1904; Obe was born 7 February 1905, and Egbert was born 31 July 1906. 

Ate and Geeske had a prosperous laundry established during this time and in 4 ½ years saved sufficient funds for them to immigrate to America. They immigrated to the United States in April 1907 on the ship, SS Canada, sailing from Liverpool, 11 Apr 1907 and arriving in Portland, Maine, 20 Apr 1907. Their ages as listed on the ship roster were: Ate 38, Geeske 29, Wilhelmina 3, Obe 2 and Egbert infant. On the same ship were Geeske’s brother Jan, age 22, and also Antje Assenberg, age 24, who Jan would marry a month after they arrived in the Salt Lake valley. 

Geeske became pregnant shortly before their departure, and together with sea and morning sickness, did not enjoy a moment of her ocean voyage. Worse yet, they were robbed of all their money on the ship, but were given money by an unknown benefactor so that they could continue on to Salt Lake City. Fortunately they had purchased their train tickets in Holland.

Upon their arrival in Utah, they were invited to make their first home with their Dutch friends, brother and sister Hulshof, and lived at 445 North 12th West in Salt Lake City, until they were able to find and finance a home of their own.

Geeske was known by the name of Grace during most of her life in Utah. Most of the people who knew her could not pronounce Geeske, pronounced with a deep guttural sound on the G.

They had misfortune and trials soon after they arrived among the saints. Just four months after their arrival, their two boys died of “summer complaint” which was caused from hot weather and resulted in high fevers and extreme diarrhea. Egbert died on 18 Aug 1907, and five days later, Obe passed away. 

Another son, John, was born 31 Dec 1907. He lived to adulthood.

Ate was ordained an Elder on 6 Nov 1907, and on Wednesday, 12 Feb 1908, Geeske and Ate went to the Salt Lake Temple and received their endowments, were sealed in marriage together for eternity, and then had their children sealed to them: their two living children: Wilhelmina and John, and their two deceased sons: Obe and Egbert. 

Just a few months later, 21 Jun 1908, Wilhelmina passed away after being sick with scarlet fever. She was just four years old.

Sometime in the year 1908, a small two-room home was purchased at the end of 8th East, just south of Parkway Avenue, in Forest Dale Ward. There were several other Dutch families that lived in the neighborhood with names: Harenberg, DeBry, Neerings, Grundman, Stuurman, Meibos, Springer, Teerlink, Aardema and several others. 

Another son, George was born 13 Oct 1909. George lived just five months and died 17 March 1910. Another son, Joseph was born 23 Oct 1911. He lived to adulthood (this is Lamar's father ... check out Joe's Life History). Two more sons were born: Allen born 9 March 1913, lived 15 months and died 25 June 1914; and Alma born 30 April 1915, lived 9 months and died 15 January 1916. 

During the first half of 1914, Ate purchased a small frame home at 2252 South 8th East. 

The last two children lived to adulthood: a daughter Alice, born 28 January 1917, and Edward, a son, born 23 July 1923. When their last child was born, Geeske was 45, and Ate was 54.

• (Left Photo) This is a picture of Ate and Geeske and their three children: Wilhelmina, Obe and Egbert, taken in Netherlands in 1907, before they immigrated to the United States. All of these children died within 18 months after the photo was taken. 
• (Center Photo) This is a picture of Ate and Geeske and their two boys: John and Joseph. Taken in Salt Lake City about 1912.
• (Photo Right) This is a picture of Ate and Geeske and their three youngest living children: Joseph, Alice and Edward, taken in Salt Lake City about 1930. John was probably serving his mission in the Netherlands. 

From the Life of Joseph A Westra ...

Joe's father was called on a mission to Holland and his mother took a job at the Forest Annex to help support her family. She kept the school clean and Joe had to help bring in the coal for the stoves. His mother was real strict and they were never allowed to go in the front rooms unless they had company. She kept a spotless home. They always had a nice garden and planted lots of vegetables. They had chickens and a cow. At a picnic at Lagoon Joe’s mother was badly burned when coffee was spilt in her lap. She was in bed for weeks, and Joe had to come home from school each day and scrub the kitchen floor. They had a nice bungalow type home at 2256 South 8th East. It had a long front porch and the family enjoyed sitting out there and visiting friends and relatives. The Westras had lots of friends from Holland, and they would always talk Dutch.

In 1950 she had a bad stroke, which left her unable to speak, and for 5 years she was this way. It was heartbreaking seeing her try to let you know what she wanted. She couldn't write either and was partially paralyzed. The family put her in a rest home, but she was not happy there. Joe would bring her up on Sundays in her wheelchair and have dinner, then take her to church and then back to the rest home.

Geeske DeHaan, born February 23, 1878 and died August 16, 1955 at the age of 77.  Ate Obe Westra, born December 5, 1868 and died December 11, 1946 at the age of 78.  There were 10 children born ...

• Wilhelmina was born in 1904 and died in 1908
• Obe was born in 1905 and died in 1907
• Egbert was born in 1906 and died in 1907
• John was born Dec. 31, 1908 and died in 1998.
• George was born in 1909 and died in 1910 
• Joseph was born in 1911 and died in 1965
• Allen was born in 1913 and died in 1914
• Alice was born Jan. 28, 1914
• Alma was born in 1915 and died in 1916
• Edward Paul was born July 23, 1923.

Geeske’s story epitomizes the trials that many of the early converts to the LDS Church had to endure. She showed much faith and dedication. When we see the gravestones, two of them, side by side, with three names on each, we can only begin to see the trials that Ate and Geeske endured. These headstones are in the Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, 3401 South Highland Drive in Salt Lake City, Gilchrest section, next to the headstones of Ate and Geeske. 

The information in this article was taken from a variety of sources. The prime source was pages 1-5 of: ‘Cherished Memories of John and Melva Westra’ written by John Westra. It is a typewritten book of 265 pages that is titled on Page 1: ‘Biography of John Westra and wife Melva Mae Sander Westra’. It is on 8 ½ by 11 pages, two columns per page. Following page 265, there are another 39 pages of genealogical data: Family Group Sheets and Pedigree Charts, going back to the 1300’s. One copy of this book is in the possession of Joseph LaMar Westra. The book is also on the main floor of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Go to www.familysearch.org and click on Library Catalog. Set the Search box to Subjects or Last Names and enter the surname of Westra in the next box, and click Search.. Click on the entry titled: ‘Biography of John Westra and wife Melva Mae Sander Westra’ to see the book description and call number: 921.73 W529wj. 

Other sources: PAF data base and photos in possession of Joseph LaMar Westra, IGI searches and new Family Search, Netherlands Civil Records (birth and marriage certificates), www.ancestry.com search on Ate or Geeske Westra, Genlias (Google, search on Genlias), etc .

The PDF can be found in Dropbox.

Check out the HISTORIES AND BIOGRAPHIES page for Ate's History and more links.