HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1985-5-8, Page 44Paola 13
Courage :helped the family overcome hardships...
MItIYiLm' 17
Life in Holland offered no future for the
family. Simply put by John, "There
wasn't enough room in Holland" to ex-
pand or offer land far farming futures for
his children.
The Van Ninhuys joined the great
Dutch exodus to Canada. In May of 1949
the family boarded ship with more than
600 other people. Nine days later they
would land in Quebec.
The sea voyage sickened Nellie for
seven of the nine days. The children were
restless, John wondered if they would
ever see land.
Old army boats were turned into
massive immigration vessels. Accom-
modations were crude and Nellie and the
four children slept in one bunk.
On June 2, 1949 John and Nellie Van
Ninhuys and their four children, ranging
in age from five to 11, landed in Canada.
John arrived with $400 in his pockets and
$50 for each of his children.
A farmer in Benmiller sponsored the
Van Ninhuys family and John worked
there before moving to the Clinton area.
In 1957 the family finally settled on their
own farm, on the eighth concession of
Goderich Township. Today their son
Martin and his family live on the home
farm. Martin continues to work with the
purebred Holstein herd that his father
built up.
.Iohn and Nellie an ,. - 1919
John and Nellie retired to a home
across the road nine years ago.
"I said that when I quit farming, I'd
sleep for half a year," John laughs.
Yet to this day, John and Nellie are up
at five in the morning and John's off to do
the chores. The day starts early for the
Van Ninhuys and it ends early, by 9 p.m
at the latest for John.
John attributes his good health and
good marriage to getting up early and go-
ing to bed early.
Who's the boss? John and Nellie share
a laugh and joke when asked this, but
they agree that their marriage is based
on togetherness - working together and
making decisions together.
John and Nellie keep busy around the
home, in the gardens and with the
chores. They are active members of St.
John's Roman Catholic Church in Clin-
ton. In fact, they were the first Dutch
family to join the church, back in 1952.
They enjoy the company of three
children, Martin, Anne of Londesboro
and Gerard of Wainfleet and eight grand-
children. A fourth son died in 1955,
another was stillborn.
John and Nellie Van Ninhuys have ex-
perienced hardships and heartaches that
many of us may never know. There are
memories that will never be erased and
scars that will never fade.
They belong to a generation of people
that have shown great strength, deter-
mination and faith throughout their lives.
Those qualities helped them overcome
the crises and struggles, and those same
qualities allow John and Nellie to laugh
and enjoy life today.
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