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Warnerius Sleijster  - emigrant to Pella USA  (1818 - 1891)
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Quotes on his emigration to Pella and Orange City, Iowa / USA

---- 1852 ----

"Dutch Emigrants to the United States 1835-1880",
(Compiled by Prof. R.P. Swierenga, Kent / Ohio)
mentions the Ship List of 1852:

Sleijster, W, carpenter, 35 years old, with wife, no children; destination: Pella, Iowa; Origin: Zutphen

K. of Stigt / "History of Pella, Iowa and surrounding area.", 1897,
mentions a list of people arrived in 1852, we:

Werner Sleyster
Mrs. W. Sleyster

---- 1860 ----

Henry Hospers writes on 19.09.1895 in "De Volksvriend":

Plans were made to move as a result of the increasing population and the ever increasing price of land in the Dutch colony of Pella, so less wealthy people could difficult obtain an own piece of land ... In 1860 this autthor had to spend several weeks in Missouri. He saw how every day large numbers of cars with families, livestock and agricultural pass the Missouri river, wandering for homes in eastern Nebraska, he learned how all who had the courage to focus to establish on the prairies, found what they so desired.

Back in Pella, he spoke with some about the impressions he had received about emigration to the west. With Mr A.C. Kuyper, then Elder at the 1st Reformed Church in Pella, W. van Asch, W.Sleyster and G.P.H. Zahn, all now deceased, many conferences were held on the possibility to emigrate to those areas with some Dutch families. Even plans were devised for the purpose of buying lands and to obtain funds, but these efforts were crowned with disappointment, and loosely made plans fell apart.
Nevertheless, the need for emigration was felt more urgent and the desire to move became stronger.

---- 1860 ----

Jacob van Hinte - "Netherlanders in America" (1929)

Page 465: Chapter: "Sioux County, a daughter colony in Further West":

From 1860 prominent leaders in Pella as H. Hospers, A. C. Kuyper, W. van Asch, W. Sleyster and others, began to have meetings and make plans for a joint fund for the acquisition of land. Due to the civil war, these plans were not realized at this time, but the need to emigrate was felt more urgently and the desire to depart grew strongly.

 

1861 -- 1865

The book "History of Pella, Iowa and surroundings."
by K. van Stigt, 1897

He mentions in a list of "volunteers in the Civil War 1861-1865":

Warnerus Sleyster
(On a list of the wounded, he was not mentioned)

1870 -- 1883

A. van der Meide writes on 19.09.1895 in "De Volksvriend"
"Dutch communities in Sioux County, Iowa."

Here streets and alleys were plotted, and the name of Orange City was given. This was in 1870 ...

In 1871... the population was now 24.
In 1873 we saw rise other buildings, as there are: the store of W. Sleyster and C. Hospers, .... Population 151.
In 1883 Orange City was incorporated as a city. The commissioners, for that purpose appointed by the Judge, were Jelle Pelmulder, W. Sleyster, John Kolvoord, W.H. Casady, and this author.

---- 1873 -----

Jacob van Hinte - "Netherlanders in America" (p. 479)

The following year (1873) W. Sleyster, C. Hospers, A.J. Betten and P. Ellerbroek opened stores, while Pierce and Lewis opened a brokerage and A.K. Webb a legal office, etc. So the number of houses increased and the number of inhabitants reached a total of 151.