Mercifully, the group finally landed in New York harbor on June 4, 1849. Two weeks later, after traveling through the Great Lakes, the survivors of the 60-day, tragedy-filled voyage arrived in Chicago. On the dock, they were met by Klaas Pool, an old acquaintance who had traveled to America two years earlier. Klaas led 4 of the men, chosen as the scouting party, on foot the final 20 miles, to the High Prairie (now Roseland). On July 3, 1849, the settlers bought 160 acres of prime land for $5 per acre from 103rd to 111th Streets, and from Indiana Avenue to State Street (as we know the area today). Gerrit & Jannetje purchased 10 acres at 110th Street.

But the hardships were not over. The country was wild and primitive, the winters were extremely harsh, and the farming was difficult. There were no railroads or wagon roads, only a primitive trail. The new settlers were up to the task, and the land was extremely fertile. The pioneers were successful in their new community. In fact, many of them did extremely well in the boom years that followed.
	Jannetje (1818-1883) and Gerrit (1814-1893) Eenigenburg

The newly arrived immigrants soon organized a place for worship. In 1850 they built their first church at 10700 Michigan. In 1856 they erected a larger church, and another yet larger church in 1867. In 1887 they built again, but instead of wood, a brick, stone and steel structure that held 1,200, which from the beginning was not too large. Also noteworthy is that in 1860, Gerrit Eenigenburg built the First Reformed Church of Lansing. In fact, many new churches were built by the devoutly religious immigrants as congregations grew and to better serve people living at a distance.

	After arriving in America, Gerrit and Jannetje were blessed with 5 more children: John (1850), Mary (1852), George (1854), Sarah (1857), and Harry, Sr. (1859). In 1853, seeing greater opportunity in raising live stock,
Harry, George and John Eenigenburg (1916)
Gerritt, Jannetje and their family moved again. They bought 160 acres of land about 15 miles south (Oak Glen, now Lansing), for 93 cents per acre. They were the second family to settle there. Gerrit was successful enough to retire early, leaving the farming to his sons George and John, while Harry chose to leave home to pursue the carpentry trade.

In 1882, at the age of 22, Harry, already an accomplished carpenter, joined a group of homesteaders in South Dakota and helped build a settlement in exchange for land. Five years later, he returned to Roseland. In 1935, Harry also published, “The Calumet Region and its Early Settlers,” providing a detailed history of the early pioneer experience.

Harry Eenigenburg, age 22 years	Author & historian, Harry Eenigenburg in 1935

We’ve come a long way from the little group of Dutch emigrants that courageously journeyed to America in 1849. While they faced tragic loss of life on the high seas and significant hardship in the new world, the adversity only strengthened their resolve – and their strong faith in God. Today, the Eenigenburg Family in America numbers well into many hundreds, many of whom still live in the Greater Chicago area.