ten Bruggencate to the US

Johan (dutch link) and Thomas (dutch link) were the first ten Bruggencates to come to the US. They came in 1847, on the barque ‘Doggersbank.’ Both had married twice before, Thomas lost two wives and two newborn daughters within a year and a half; Johan’s first wife died after 5 yrs of marriage and 3 children, two of which died young. He remarried with his widowed first cousin Aleida ten Bruggencate, who had 4 children, three of which died as infants. Johan and Aleida had one more child together, but she also died as a child.

Johan was a blacksmith, and Thomas a carpenter. In 1847 they left for the New World. Thomas left no one behind, but Johan left his second wife and three children (two of which would die after he left). When the last surviving daughter gets married in 1867, an affidavit states that her father cannot give permission for the marriage, as he left about 15 yrs ago, and has not been heard of since. The death certificates of the two children, who die in 1851 and 1852, state that the father is now in North America. Aleida dies in 1868.

Johan builds another life in the US. He ends up in upstate New York, has another family, and four children, three of which have progeny, which by now are living all over the US. Thomas marries an Ann Smith in Ohio, but I have no record of any progeny.

Why did they leave? In 1845-50 the potato famine also affected the Netherlands, and there was an economic crisis, and food shortages. That certainly will have played a role. Thomas has nothing to lose, but Johan leaves a wife and children. Did he plan to send for them? Did he run away, because the marriage with his cousin was a disaster? We will never know for sure.