Johann/Jan was born 1820 in Bunderhee (in Ost Friesland).
He was affirmed in church in 1840. The relevant document ("Herinnering") is in Dutch (until late in the 19th century, the official language in church in Ost Friesland was Dutch).

Johan became foreman on the farm of two older people. He worked there for 13 years and could, in 1853, buy a house with land in Holthusen (between river Eems and Nieuwe Schans). Under the contract he signs with Jan Friedrichs Wiesenhan and the words "read and approved" (see image).

Antje was born in 1828, in Bunderhammrich (in Ost Friesland).
Antje was affirmed in church in 1847. Also her document ("Herinnering") is written in Dutch.
After she became adult, she did during 9 years the household of another couple. She was engaged for 13 years with Johan Wiesenhann.

Because Johan had in 1853 bought house and land with mortgage, he did not want to marry his fiancee yet, even although she also had borrowed money for that very purschase.    They married only in 1857.

Johan became farmer in Holthusen on an elongated plot (see map). Over the years, he bought additional land.
The map has been sketched by Heinrich Wiesenhann (architect in Bunde, grandson of Johan and Antje) on the ancestry chart he made, on which also the members of the "Meentelandkommission" (see below) are mentioned.

Children: 1858 Jacob (+1862), 1860 Friedrich, 1861 Tjabbe, 1867 Tallina.

Of Antje it is known that she sang well. She was named "the swedish nightingale". She is said to have been witty.

Jan (Johan) weas member of the council. He was a righteous man and became the central person of the village. As farmer he was well respected. There was at some point a serious dispute about rights to the "meentelanden" (communal land), in which he played a major mediating role and in which he saw his point of view in the matter confirmed. This "meentelanden" comittee has been photographed in front of the map dealing with the rights problem.
Left. Photo of the six wise men who, between 1872 and 1883 as members of the "Meentelandkommission", solved local disputes.
From left to right, with name (profession, village):
Wehmeier (wood worker and merchant, Weener), Depping (farmer, Holthusen), Müller (farmer, Tichelwarf), Dirksen (farmer and Burgomaster, Holthusen), J F Wiesenhann (farmer and council member, Holthusen), Siemens (master baker, Tichelwarf), Albers (Weener).

Johan saw the importance of learning and often went to parents in the village to enquire whether their children went to school. The name Wiesenahnn had well into the 20th century a positive meaning in those parts.

In 1893, Johan retired from the farm. When he was 74, he incurred a wound on his hand, rinsed the blood off in a ditch, contracted "blood poisoning" and died (in 1894).

Antje then moved to Jemgum, where son Frits was headmaster. She died in 1907.

Back to the ancestry of JFW & AJM.