u/IemandZijnPa

Hi everyone! Greetings from the Netherlands. 🇳🇱

I’m currently digging into my family history and I’m looking for any leads on a branch of my family that emigrated to Grand Rapids over a century ago.

I’m looking for information regarding Jan Spelde (born 1888 in Oude Pekela, NL). He arrived at Ellis Island in May 1913 on the S.S. Noordam and made his way straight to Grand Rapids. According to the 1930/1940 Census, he lived in the area with his wife Trientje (Tillie) and their children: John Jr., Alice, and Edward.

The name "Spelde" is quite rare, even here in the Netherlands. It originates from the Groningen region and refers to the old craft of pin-making.

Does anyone recognize the name or happen to know any Speldes in the Grand Rapids/Kent County area? I’d love to connect with any potential "long-lost" American cousins or just hear more about their life in Michigan.

Some background on our shared roots: To give you some "Old World" context: The name Spelde is quite unique and is a "metonymic occupational name." It literally refers to the craft of the "speldenmaker" (pin-maker). Back in the 17th and 18th centuries, our ancestors were skilled craftsmen making high-precision pins for the textile industry.

The family was heavily concentrated in the "Veenkoloniën" (Peat Colonies) area of Groningen—specifically towns like Oude Pekela and Winschoten. This was a rugged, hardworking region. While Jan left for Michigan in 1913, other branches of the family moved to Amsterdam to work in the harbor, or later to the central part of the country (Utrecht/Almere).

If you’ve ever wondered why your ancestors were so industrious, it’s in the DNA! In Oude Pekela, many Speldes worked in the massive strawboard factories (strokarton), which was grueling work. This likely provided Jan with the grit and work ethic to succeed in the Grand Rapids industry.

Thanks in advance for any help!

edit: You guys are so sweet and helpful! Thank you so so much for your help!

Hi Geminice people of the internet! My Galaxy phone is up for replacement and usually I would just go for the next Galaxy in line. I do remember however someone on this sub commenting on having a Google pixel and that it somehow was awesome if you're using Gemini and workspace so I asked Gemini to compare the latest Galaxy with the latest Pixel 10 pro xl. After some back and forth Gemini adviced the Pixel because I use Gemini so much. Can any Pixel owners in this sub tell me if using Gemini and the pixel together is somehow better than with a different Android phone? Thank you!

Mijn zoontje spaart klokken en heeft vorig jaar een stuk of 5 klokken gekocht op K'dag die natuurlijk geen batterijen hadden. Eenmaal thuis gekomen deden 3 van de 5 klokken het niet. Dit jaar nemen we voor de zekerheid zelf batterijen mee in alle soorten en maten, want je weet immers nooit waar je tegenaan loopt!