Notizen zu dieser Person
Feeke Eyben wanderte mit 15 Jahren (1872) in die USA aus und heiratete dort die Cevia Rieken. Ende1877 pachtete Feeke eine Farm..
Feeke) Frank Eiben Meents, son of Remmer and Marie (Ulferts) Meents, was born
on the 19. of May, 1857 at the home of his parents in Friedricksgroden, Ostfriesland,
Hanover, Germany. He was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith by the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Carolinensiel/Germany.
At the age of 15 vhe sailed from the port of Bremern (Bremerhaven) on a German ship, making the voyage in about 12 days, arriving in New York in March 1872.
He immediately left New York for Chivago, Cook County, Illinois to join his brother Meent who was living in Ashkum, Irquois County, Illinois. Being a farm lad, he took part time jobs on farms during the summer months and went to school in the winter to learn English language.
He then wa employed by Mr. Cahrles Comstock, working in his grain elevator for four years, both in the warehouse and in the grain office. At the end of the four years he rented a farm, bought a team of horses anf engaged in farming for himself. After a return visit to Germany in 1882, spending about two month with his parents, relatives and friends, he received his UNITED STATES Citizenship in 1883. He purchased 120 acres of farmland 1 ¼ miles east of Ashkum, onR Nr. 1 or Illinois State R Nr. 115, in section Nr. 27 in 1882 and added another 80 acres later.
He was united in marriage with Cevia Rieken on the 14th of April 1880 at the home of her parents George & Cassie (Saathoff or Johnson Rieken) in Danforth, Iroquois County, Illinois. They were the parents of eleven (11) children, seven (7) sons and four (4) daughters. EDWARD, GEORGE, MARIE, CASSIE, and TRESSIE (twins), CEVIA J., CARL, FREDRICK, RAYMOND, JOHN, and ELMER.
They made their home east of Ashkum until he retired in 1919 at which time they purchased a home at 478 So. Wildwood Ave. Kankakee, Kankakee County, Illinois. The farm was sold in 1941. Milton and Marian (Meents) Widholm, the Granddaughter of Meent, bought the farm in 1971. The house in Kankakee too was sold after Cevia passed away in 1947.
Cevia Rieken daughter of George and (Geske) Cassie (Saathoff or Johnson) Rieken was born on the 9th of February, 1861 at the home of her parents in Fairbury, Livingston County, Illinois. She was baptized in the Lutheran faith by the pastor of the Lutheran Church in Fairbury. She was the fourth child of her parents and the second child born in the UNITED STATES. She was confirmed on the 25th of March, 1877 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Danforth.
They passed away at their home in Kankakee; Frank on the 21st of June, 1929 at the age of 72 years 1 month and 2 days. Cevia on the 25th of February, 1947 at the age of 86 years and 16 days. They were married 49 years 2 months and 7 days. They are buried on the cemetery at Danforth.
Hannelore
Niemeyer
