The Family of Sue Regnerus
In December of 1889, four year old Pala Regnerus, his siblings, and his father and mother Lieuwe and Grietje Regnerus, boarded a ship called the Leerdam. They were moving to Argentina, a country very different than their native Netherlands. Many other Dutch immigrants joined them in the voyage to the New World. However, all of their plans were drastically changed....
The following account is excerpted from a Shipping Times article found at http://www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10399.html.
The following account is excerpted from a Shipping Times article found at http://www.shippingtimes.co.uk/item_10399.html.
On this Day 1889: The Sinking of the old WALMER CASTLE and LEERDAM
"....On this day 16th December in 1889 two ships were in collision off Holland in the early hours of the morning. One was the LEERDAM which had departed from Amsterdam, bound for Argentina. On board where 16 first class, 426 emigrants and a crew of 63. The other the GAW QUAN SIA, a British steamship ....
"On the morning in question, in the dark early hours, the LEERDAM was ploughing through the waves on her voyage, whilst the GAW QUAN SIA...was taking general cargo from Singapore to Hamburg.
"Just west of the Hook of Holland, in thick fog, the British ship going dead-slow, caught sight of the lights of the LEERDAM heading towards them. They watched incredulous as the passenger steamer bore down on them at what appeared to be full speed. Collision was inevitable.
"At 2:30am The LEERDAM's bows tore into the cargo vessel amidships some four or so feet. Pandemonium erupted on both vessels, but the fear of the engine room crew must have been the worst imaginable as they witnessed another ship's sharp prow crash into their dark hot world. Two Bengalese firemen were drowned as water filled the engine room and stokehold.
"A gash of some fifteen feet was made by the liner below and above the waterline of GAW QUAN SIA and immediately two boats were lowered for the crew of the cargo ship, but Capt Lord, on hearing that the LEERDAM was sinking too, ordered another three boats to be put out. Mercifully the sea was 'relatively calm' and the men of the GAW QUAN SIA rowed over to the LEERDAM, which vessel had lowered six boats readied for the task of rescuing the men, women and children from the liner.
"For hours in the darkness there was a kind of standoff and about 5am the cargo vessel had six feet of water in her hold and the LEERDAM's master reckoned his ship had only an hour left before it would succumb to the waves.
"Prior to this it had been thought by the LEERDAM's master and crew that their ship was in no danger of sinking so few had decided to take their chance in the lifeboats, but once it had become known the LEERDAM's fate was sealed, the mass of passengers made a great rush for the boats. So panicked were they that most of them screamed and clambered into the waiting craft half clad.
"With the freezing fog still surrounding them and a rising sea, the passengers and crew of the vessels huddled in the open lifeboats which had been emptied of all effects to permit the loading of so many - 590 souls between the two foundering ships. For hours they shivered and froze, no doubt fearing their fate in such intolerable conditions, but chance played their way as the French steamship EMMA found them and despite her diminutive size, all were taken aboard and packed into the little steamer and taken to Cuxhaven...many though had to endure more cold and the elements as only so many (mainly the women and children), could be sent to shelter, there being so little space below deck on the rescuing ship.
"It was a sad sight to see the half naked, shivering people come ashore from ss EMMA at Cuxhaven, enduring a nightmare that reportedly put off many of the emigrants from ever setting sail again in their lives, but conversely, it was remarkable that none were killed save the two unfortunate firemen, in an incident that was so appalling and destructive. What helped was the sea itself. For once she was calm, the misfortunes of men and machines had not been of her making, but, had she risen in anger, the story might have been very, very different."
"....On this day 16th December in 1889 two ships were in collision off Holland in the early hours of the morning. One was the LEERDAM which had departed from Amsterdam, bound for Argentina. On board where 16 first class, 426 emigrants and a crew of 63. The other the GAW QUAN SIA, a British steamship ....
"On the morning in question, in the dark early hours, the LEERDAM was ploughing through the waves on her voyage, whilst the GAW QUAN SIA...was taking general cargo from Singapore to Hamburg.
"Just west of the Hook of Holland, in thick fog, the British ship going dead-slow, caught sight of the lights of the LEERDAM heading towards them. They watched incredulous as the passenger steamer bore down on them at what appeared to be full speed. Collision was inevitable.
"At 2:30am The LEERDAM's bows tore into the cargo vessel amidships some four or so feet. Pandemonium erupted on both vessels, but the fear of the engine room crew must have been the worst imaginable as they witnessed another ship's sharp prow crash into their dark hot world. Two Bengalese firemen were drowned as water filled the engine room and stokehold.
"A gash of some fifteen feet was made by the liner below and above the waterline of GAW QUAN SIA and immediately two boats were lowered for the crew of the cargo ship, but Capt Lord, on hearing that the LEERDAM was sinking too, ordered another three boats to be put out. Mercifully the sea was 'relatively calm' and the men of the GAW QUAN SIA rowed over to the LEERDAM, which vessel had lowered six boats readied for the task of rescuing the men, women and children from the liner.
"For hours in the darkness there was a kind of standoff and about 5am the cargo vessel had six feet of water in her hold and the LEERDAM's master reckoned his ship had only an hour left before it would succumb to the waves.
"Prior to this it had been thought by the LEERDAM's master and crew that their ship was in no danger of sinking so few had decided to take their chance in the lifeboats, but once it had become known the LEERDAM's fate was sealed, the mass of passengers made a great rush for the boats. So panicked were they that most of them screamed and clambered into the waiting craft half clad.
"With the freezing fog still surrounding them and a rising sea, the passengers and crew of the vessels huddled in the open lifeboats which had been emptied of all effects to permit the loading of so many - 590 souls between the two foundering ships. For hours they shivered and froze, no doubt fearing their fate in such intolerable conditions, but chance played their way as the French steamship EMMA found them and despite her diminutive size, all were taken aboard and packed into the little steamer and taken to Cuxhaven...many though had to endure more cold and the elements as only so many (mainly the women and children), could be sent to shelter, there being so little space below deck on the rescuing ship.
"It was a sad sight to see the half naked, shivering people come ashore from ss EMMA at Cuxhaven, enduring a nightmare that reportedly put off many of the emigrants from ever setting sail again in their lives, but conversely, it was remarkable that none were killed save the two unfortunate firemen, in an incident that was so appalling and destructive. What helped was the sea itself. For once she was calm, the misfortunes of men and machines had not been of her making, but, had she risen in anger, the story might have been very, very different."
The Leerdam Disaster as told by Sue Regnerus Tuinstra
In 1889, a group of Friesians departed from Marrum, Friesland, in Holland, including Louis P. and Grietche Regnerus and their children. Grandpa Regnerus was five years old at the time. They were dreaming of a better life on another continent. They planned to go to Argentina, South America. They went to a district called Van Kollermerland, to a people's registration where everyone wishing to leave Holland had to apply for emigration.
They left Friesland with all their earthly possessions on December 14, 1889. They planned to take a night boat at 9 p.m. But because of ice on the Zuider Zee (South Sea), they could not leave until 3 a.m. A trip to Amsterdam harbor, which ordinarily took one and a half to two hours, took them five hours, because of so much ice on the Zuider Zee. They left Amsterdam on Sunday, December 15, 1889. They boarded the ship called "The Leerdam" (owner not known). They left the harbor at twelve noon.
At 2:15 a.m on the 16th, the ship collided with another ship in dense fog with four hundred and fifty people on board. The name of the other ship is not known. At 3 p.m., a French ship called "De Emma" heard the Leerdam's distress signals and came to their rescue. They took all passengers onto the French ship with only the clothes on their backs. Only one child was lost according to the press, but Grandma Regnerus clams she saw a baby accidentally dropped and drowned. (This could possibly be the same child that the press reported. Both the Leerdam and the other ship were so tightly stuck together they sank and were lost.
The French took the passengers to Auxhaven harbor in Hamburg, Germany. They crowded them into a warehouse. Grandma and Grandpa told how kind the French and Germans were to all the stricken people. They gave them food, drink, and dry clothes.
Grandma Regnerus tells of having her Psalm book in her pocket and when she opened it, it fell open to Psalm 61:1 “Hear my cry, O Lord, Listen to my prayer.” They were returned to Friesland within ten days of the day they left. All their dreams and illusions of seeing more of the world shattered, but thankful to be safe at home for Christmas.
In 1889, a group of Friesians departed from Marrum, Friesland, in Holland, including Louis P. and Grietche Regnerus and their children. Grandpa Regnerus was five years old at the time. They were dreaming of a better life on another continent. They planned to go to Argentina, South America. They went to a district called Van Kollermerland, to a people's registration where everyone wishing to leave Holland had to apply for emigration.
They left Friesland with all their earthly possessions on December 14, 1889. They planned to take a night boat at 9 p.m. But because of ice on the Zuider Zee (South Sea), they could not leave until 3 a.m. A trip to Amsterdam harbor, which ordinarily took one and a half to two hours, took them five hours, because of so much ice on the Zuider Zee. They left Amsterdam on Sunday, December 15, 1889. They boarded the ship called "The Leerdam" (owner not known). They left the harbor at twelve noon.
At 2:15 a.m on the 16th, the ship collided with another ship in dense fog with four hundred and fifty people on board. The name of the other ship is not known. At 3 p.m., a French ship called "De Emma" heard the Leerdam's distress signals and came to their rescue. They took all passengers onto the French ship with only the clothes on their backs. Only one child was lost according to the press, but Grandma Regnerus clams she saw a baby accidentally dropped and drowned. (This could possibly be the same child that the press reported. Both the Leerdam and the other ship were so tightly stuck together they sank and were lost.
The French took the passengers to Auxhaven harbor in Hamburg, Germany. They crowded them into a warehouse. Grandma and Grandpa told how kind the French and Germans were to all the stricken people. They gave them food, drink, and dry clothes.
Grandma Regnerus tells of having her Psalm book in her pocket and when she opened it, it fell open to Psalm 61:1 “Hear my cry, O Lord, Listen to my prayer.” They were returned to Friesland within ten days of the day they left. All their dreams and illusions of seeing more of the world shattered, but thankful to be safe at home for Christmas.
Liewe and Grietje never ventured another voyage, but twenty-three years later, their son Pala did. He and his wife, Trijntje, bravely boarded the Nieuw Amsterdam with their three children, but this time the destination was New York instead of Buenos Aires.
Paul and Tena, as they became known in America, settled in Columbia County, Wisconsin, where they farmed. Tena (Trijntje) was the daughter of Cornelis and Grietje (Bosch) Boersma. Tena's brother, Bokke Boersma, also came to the United States. He located in South Dakota.
Paul and Tena Regnerus had ten children, including Sue Regnerus, who was born in 1920. They moved from Wisconsin to the Chicago area in their later years.
Paul and Tena Regnerus had ten children, including Sue Regnerus, who was born in 1920. They moved from Wisconsin to the Chicago area in their later years.