Coming from Holland at 27 years of age, Lambertus Halsema arrived in Castle Garden, New York, May 1866 and went almost immediately to New Bremen, a village in Auglaize County, Ohio founded by German Protestants 34 years earlier. Although they then knew little English, the Halsemas had no problem communicating with the Auglaize County Germans from East Friesland, who spoke Plattdeutsch, Low German related to their own Frisian language (as is English). They also knew some of the High German then taught in the county's public schools along with English. Groningen lies only 50 kms. (31 mi.) west of the German border and 172 kms. (106 mi.) from the original Bremen. Lambertus applied for American citizenship on Sept. 14, 1876 and was naturalized Oct. 7, 1880, calling himself Lambert. His first wife, Mary Margaret Axe Eyanson Halsema, a school teacher taught him English. Lambert d. July 24, 1916 in San Antonio. This information comes courtesy of James J. Halsema.

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