The Gysbert Van Baren Family
This family history article traces the VanBaren family's immigration from the Netherlands to the United States beginning in 1856, documenting their experiences and faith journey through oral testimony and genealogical research. The narrative emphasizes how covenant faith and God's providence sustained the family through personal hardship, including the loss of a spouse, and reflects the values of Dutch Reformed piety and family life within the Protestant Reformed tradition.
Written by Denise (VanBaren) Haan with help from Agnes VanDrunen (1911-2005) and several other VanBaren family members. A family tree is full of names and dates, but I wanted more than that. I wanted to know the stories behind those names. The family tree recorded that my great-great-grandfather was the first VanBaren to come to the United States in 1856 at age 36, that he married at 45, and had his first child at age 47. It said his wife passed away when their youngest child was only one year...
Full article available on sb.rfpa.org