Background articles

HERMAN J. TE SELLE is a prominent farmer residing on section 22, South Pass Precinct, Lancaster County. His father, John Albert, and mother, Dela (Van Ten Damme) Te Selle, were natives of Holland. The father was engaged in farming in that country, and remained there until his death at the age of forty-three years. The mother died in 1885, at the age of eighty-two years, having been the mother of seven sons, their names being as follows: Derrick W., Tobias, Henry J., John A., John H., Garret J., and Herman J., our subject. The gentleman of whom we write was born on the 4th of December, 1844, in Holland, and having begun attending school at the age of six years, he secured a very good common-school education in the Dutch language. At the age of twenty years he determined to come to America, and, in company with his brother John Henry, he sailed from Rotterdam, via Hull and Liverpool, by ocean steamer to New York, at which place they arrived safely after a journey of seventeen days, landing in November, 1865.

The destination of our subject being Sheboygan County, Wis., he went at once to that place, and for five mouths he worked out at general work. At the age of twenty-one he was married, in 1866, to Miss Berendina A. Buesink, who was also a native of Holland, having come to Sheboygan County when she was thirteen years old. Mr. and Mrs. Te Selle and family came to Nebraska in 1871, where the husband homesteaded a claim of eighty acres, then bought eighty acres additional the following year, and again in 1881 he bought his third eighty acres, having now a farm of 240 acres. He also owns a dwelling in Lincoln.

Our subject is the father of eight children, the names of those by his first wife being: Dela, who was born in Wisconsin; and Willie, born in Nebraska. The children by the second wife are: Dena, Evert J., Albert, Helena, Minnie and Bertha. The daughter Dela married Mr. Dick Abbink, residing in Panama Precinct. Mr. Te Selle's first wife died in the year 1874, and he married Miss Johana Brethower, a daughter of Dr. Brethower, of Holland. Our subject and his wife and family are devout members of the Reformed Church of America, and lead active and consistent lives. The father coincides with the opinions of the Republican political organization, and takes an active interest in the educational affairs of his precinct, having for twelve years held the office of School Treasurer.

While Mr. Te Selle experienced some disadvantages on his arrival in this county, his own industry, self-reliance and energy have enabled him successfully to surmount the difficulties presented, and he has continued upward in the path of success until he has reached a state of independence and prosperity. Although his schooling in the English language was somewhat limited, he compensated for that lack by a course of general reading, and has become well informed on all matters relating to his adopted country. He has a pleasant, cheerful disposition, is not averse to enjoying a good joke occasionally, and is one of the real live businessmen of South Pass Precinct.