Some History Family Griek

Willem Cornelisz Griek and Feijtje List married in 1877 Texel. They lived in Eierland, and got eleven children. Two of them died at an early age. In 1899 their oldest son Cornelis left with his sister Kaatje, on board of the ship "Werkendam". Kaatje got a job in a factory and Cornelis worked in the lumberyard of his uncle, who emigrated earlier to the US . Cornelis grew dissatisfied with the work in the lumberyard, so he became a lifeguard on Staten Island. Kaatje (Kate) and Cornelis (Case) saved their money and sent for their siblings Jan and Trijntje, who emigrated in 1904 with the "S.S. Amsterdam". A year later their parents and the other five children followed. They traveled with the "Statendam" in the second class. The passage was booked by W.P. Lap in Den Burg, the main place of the island Texel. Willem Griek had to pay for five adults and two children (half the price). Each adult costed f 120,- and W.P. Lap got f 36,- commission.

The family settled down in the town of West Sayville on Long Island, New York. This small community was founded in 1849 by the families of Cornelis de Waal and his brother-in-law Cornelis Hage from the village of Bruinisse in the province Zeeland, the Netherlands . They were attracted by the oysters in the Great South Bay of Long Island. Soon there arrived more Dutch immigrants in West Sayville. First from the Oosterschelde region of Zeeland, later also from other parts of the Netherlands like Texel. The Griek's were fishers, like they were in the Netherlands . Kate married with Cornelis Jansz Stark, see the Stark-chapter.
Sources: Civil registration Texel, "Hijijij ... is naar Amerika", "Dutchmen on the bay" by Lawrence J. Taylor . With thanks to Jan Battles for her information.

Above text is from Miriam Klaassen her website.