The following is an interesting snippet of information found while doing
research on Frits. A Dutch website has compiled various pieces of
correspondence written by new U.S. immigrants to their
relatives in their homeland. Amazingly, one of these letters refers to our
Frits Tibbe of Laar. The English translation of the letter is a bit broken
and difficult to understand.
R. Brinks had promised his mother that he would bring her from the
Netherlands to his home in Michigan. He wrote her this: (the letter was not dated)
"Mother, you wanted that I came back and took you with me. I would like to
do that, but like you know, I'm married and allied to my wife. She says
that with the children and the cattle, she can't
make it, and much work won't be done, so that I had much damage because of
that, at least 400 Guilders (editorial note - $160). But I will help you,
I will let come another, Frits Tibbe, because he
will call for his family. He comes from the Laar, at Coevoerden. I
promised him 2 and a half Guilders for it. But the money for your
traveling-companions and you: you all have to pay it yourselves
if you arrive here, it's for the journey over sea, for the food and the
journey over land, which is something like 100 Guilders for each one,
children are cheaper. You have to ask Frits Tibbe what you
don't know, and you have to do what he says. You don't have to take cheap,
old clothes with you, Hendrik Brinks, you have to stay close to each other
in the cities so you won't get lost and
watch your bags during the journey. And you have to watch out and carry
your money on your chest. If you are on the steamwagon (editorial note -
steam locomotive), you have to keep your
head down. You may not take a long break if it stands still, so it won't
leave without you."
It appears that the author of this letter had promised his mother to
return for her, but could no longer afford it, so instead had offered
money to Frits TIBBE to bring his mother to Michigan. We do
not know if this actually transpired or not, but Frits must have been a
well respected, trustworthy and knowledgeable man.
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