GRIPP in Illinois, USA
A Grijp from Boekhoute in Flanders became a Gripp in Annawan, Illinois

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One of them, Petrus Gryp, by that time married and father of two children, decided in 1890 to emigrate with his family to America. In this he was no exception: the region had the highest percentage of emigrants in Flanders.

Petrus and his family settled down in Annawan, a small village in Illinois. There, he became the ancestor of quite a numerous family: Gripp from Illinois.

The first generation of Grijp's grew up in the rustic region in and around Boekhoute. The four brothers and sisters were:

1. Henri Grijp. He married at Assenede and had four children: Remi Grijp, Firmin Grijp, Florent Grijp (Flor, became a pastor at Grimminge) and Clarisse Grijp.

2. Emma Grijp. She married Kamiel De Laender and went to live with her husband and children at Antwerp.

3. Honore Grijp. He married Maria Theresia Roegiers and had, living at Boekhoute, two sons: Petrus Camiel Grijp (Kamiel, born April 19, 1890 at Boekhoute, veteran and tradesman, married to the seamstress Clara Rosalia de Maet, died in 1984) and Edmond Grijp (born on December 24, 1891, salesman, married the tailoress Helena Ghislena Barbara De Maet and had a son, died in 1966).

4. Petrus Grijp was born on March 10, 1865 at Boekhoute. He married in 1888 at Assenede to Marie Louise De Decker, born in 1867.
Living at Boekhoute, they had two children. In 1891 the family migrated to America.
Petrus arrived in New York on February 1, 1892 with the vessel Pennland from Antwerp. His wife arrived on March 18, 1892 with the Rhynland. They settled in Annawan, Illinois, and had 9 more children there.

André Grijp was born on May 16, 1887 at Boekhoute in Flanders. As a 4 year old boy he migrated with his parents to America. There he was called Andrew Gripp. In 1944 he married Hazel Lee Fee Kewanee, Illinois.

René Grijp was born on May 10, 1889 at Boekhoute. Even before he is 2 years old, in 1892, he migrated with his parents to America. There he was called Rany Gripp. In 1916 he married at Annawan, Illinois to Ella Croegaert. He died on November 24, 1963. His children were:

• Albert Carl Gripp, born on March 14, 1917 at Annawan. Illinois. He married in 1937 to Wanda Murphy from Kewanee and had 2 children.
• Mae Louise Gripp, born on September 22, 1927 at Annawan, Illinois. She married in 1947 in Annawan, Illinois to Wilbur Francis DeGerengel and had a daughter.
• Marie-Etta Gripp, born on April 4, 1930 at Annawan, Illinois. She married in 1950 to Wilbur Hodget.

Ezra Gripp was born on September 26, 1894 at Annawan, Illinois. In 1929 he married to Bessie Lorenzen. Ezra died on June 4, 1961 in Annawan. His son is:

• John Gripp, is married to Juanita and has a son.

Elisabeth Gripp was born on December 28, 1895 at Annawan, Illinois. Her husband is Charles Everett Verdick en they had 6 children: Mable Marie (1914), Walter (1917), Hubert August (1919), Lawrence Charles (1921), Richard Dale (1922) and Loretta Jean (1924). Her husband Charles died in 1943 at Rock Island, Illinois and Elisabeth herself in February, 1981 at Santa Ana, California.

John Gripp was born on July 27, 1898 at Annawan, Illinois. He died, 25 years old, on September 21, 1923.

William Gripp was born on September 6, 1901 at Sheffield, Illinois. He died, 34 years old, on June 22, 1936 at Annawan.

Leona Julia Gripp (Lena) was born on August 1, 1902 at Annawan, Illinois. There, she married in 1926 to Emile Dhamers and had 4 children: Robert Dean (1926), Thomas Lee (1931), Marian Louise (1935) and Carol Ann (1940).

Edward Gripp was born on April 20, 1906 at Tampico, Illinois. In 1931 he married at Annawan to Arneida Blanche Lorenzen from Hooppole. They had 5 children:

• James Edward Gripp, born on October 31, 1936 at Annawan, Illinois. In 1963 he married at Moline, Illinois, to Irma Grace Wittlake from Rock Island, Illinois. They had two children.
• David Lee Gripp, born on May 1, 1939 at Annawan, Illinois. He died the same day.
• Charlotte Marie Gripp, born on January 4, 1941 at Annawan, Illinois. In 1964 she married at Moline, Illinois to Edwin Raphael Drone. They live in Shreveport, Louisiana and have a son.
• Larry Dwain Gripp, born on April 15, 1950 at Kewanee, Illinois.
• Vivian Louise Gripp, born on May 5, 1952 at Geneseo, Illinois.

Francis Albert Gripp was born on July 19, 1908 at Tampico, Illinois. He married in 1931 at Annawan to Margareth Rosalie Vandersnick from Atkinson. Their children:

• Marlene Francis Gripp, born on February 24, 1932 at Annawan, Illinois. In 1961 she married at Elgin, Illinois to Charles Gordon Miller.
• Mary Ann Gripp, born on July 6, 1933 at Annawan, Illinois. In 1954 she married at Quincy, Illinois to John James Androlewicz from St. Louis, Missouri. They have 3 children.
• Francis Albert Gripp, born on August 6, 1936 at Annawan, Illinois. He married in 1956 at Annawan to Sharon Kay DeReu from Atkinson. They have 3 children.
• Margareth Ellen Gripp, born on July 17, 1938 at Annawan, Illinois. She married in 1960 at Annawan to William Ward Marshall from Wetherfield, Illinois. They have 3 children.
• Peter Michael Gripp, born on December 30, 1946 at Geneseo, Illinois. He married in 1968 at DeKalb, Illinois to Mary Noell from DeKalb.

Martha Julia Gripp was born on October 8, 1909 in Tampico, Illinois. She married in 1932 at Annawan, Illinois to Leonard Edward Joseph Doubler. They live at Annawan, Illinois and have a son.

Esther Marie Gripp was born on December 28, 1912 at Annawan, Illinois. She died the same day.

This family is being researched by Jon Verdick, grandson of Elizabeth Gripp, of San Diego, California. Do you have more information about these family, or are you one of their descendants? Please contact him or: jan.griep@planet.nl.

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Last update of this webpage (http://home.kpn.nl/artrako/Amerika/Illinois-EN.html) on
November 28, 2009 by ©Jan Griep, Katwijk aan Zee, The Netherlands.