Vegter-Tschetter Heritage


Father's Parents
John Vegter & Jantje Vegter

Mother's Parents:
Hendrik Van Bruggen & Cornelia Van Bruggen

Father & Mother:
Father: William Vegter (1870-1961)
Mother: Tryntje Vegter (1872-1957)

Children:
#1: Jennie Vegter Rutgers (1893-1967)
#2: Kate Vegter Haak (1895-1984)
#3: John (1897-1983)
#4: Henry (1899-1924)
#5: Elizabeth (Liz) Vegter Teunissen (1901-1979)
#6: Jeanette (Jennie) Vegter De Groot (1903-1975)
#7: Henriette Vegter De Jong (1906-1987)
#8: Teddy (1907-1914)
#9: William (Bill) (1910-1978)
#10: Dick (1912-1995)
#11: Josie Vegter Elgersma (1915-1998)


Standing, from left: Jennie, Henry, John, Kate, Janna
Seated, from left: Henrietta, Moeke, Bill, Josie, Opa, Dick, Lizzie


Brief history by daughter Henrietta Vegter De Jong

Mother Tryntje was brought up in a very sincere Christina home. When she was fourteen, her father was a very sick man. He became mentally ill because he was so concerned about his salvation. He was at home sick for almost a year when it go so bad that he tried to kill the whole family and Grandma Van Bruggen knew she had to take him to an institution. On the morning that he was supposed to leave, he collapsed and Grandma watched him as he slept hour after hour. When he finally woke up he asked for something to eat and his eyes were clear so Grandma Van Bruggen knew that the Lord had healed him. He was home for many more months to get his strenght back, but he was well again. Mother Tryntje had a very hard young life. She went out working and she hated every minute of it.

Pa Vegter and mother went to the same school, and when she wore her apron with the big pockets, he would pass her and spit in her pocket! But at the age of fifteen, she already knew that she loved him. Pa knew it too, and he would go out with all the other girls because he knew that at the drop of a hat Mother Tryntje would go with him. But as the years went by, she started to go with a cousin of Dad Vegter and that guy thought that she was his girl. So one evening they were at a young people's gathering—Dad had another date—but then the guy was teasing Dad Vegter that he lost out with Tryntje. So Dad Vegter stood up and said, "You and me from now on, hey, Tryntje?" and Mother Tryntje went right to him and from then on they started planning their future together. Pa Vegter was 23 years old and Mother Tryntje was 20 years old when they were married. He was a day laborer, but in the years ahead he became a very hard worker. He would contract jobs and get up at early morning to get the work done faster so he would make a little more money than the average day laborer.