Jennie Moerland was born July 4, 1896 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She was the fifth child of Isaac Moerland and Sarah (Neele) Moerland. She was their second child to be born in the United States.
At the time of the 1900 census, Jennie was 3 years old. She and her sister Sarah were not in school yet. It looks like she had a nickname at this time as the census taker put down the name Ada for her.
In the 1910 census Jennie was 13. It’s noted that she spoke Dutch as her first language. The children younger might not have spoken Dutch, but possibly the census taker did not ask questions for all of the younger children as the youngest four did not have their sex, race, or marital status noted.
On Wednesday September 16, 1914, Jennie married John Jousma in Grand Rapids, Michigan. John’s sister Bessie was one of the witnesses to the wedding. The couple settled in Caledonia, Michigan.
Their marriage produced 9 children. Their oldest, Winnifred, being born the following year. In 1920 the family was living in Gaines Township, right next to Caledonia where they lived for most of their marriage. At the time of the 1920 Census the two children born by that time were Winnifred 4 years, and John 2 years.
By 1930 the family was back in Caledonia and there were seven children all under the age of 15 in the home. Two more children are still to come. The family was of course in Caledonia and attending school there where their father was on the school board.
By 1940 all of the children had been born. The youngest was 4 at the time of the census. Two children were already out on their own with their own families. Jennie was one of the people that was asked the supplemental questions. One of the supplemental questions asked about the language spoken in her home when she was a child. It notes that she spoke Dutch in the home.
I was told by family that Grandpa John Jousma was ill for many years. The local newspaper notes several times about Grandpa Jousma’s health, including when he and Grandma Jennie moved to Arizona for his health. A family member told me grandpa had breathing issue related to asthma. I’m guessing the drier air in Arizona would have helped his breathing.
Grandpa John Jousma died March 6, 1951. Jennie and John were back in Michigan at the time of John’s death. I need to request from the state John’s death certificate at some point in the future.
Left column notes Jennie’s wedding to Owen Nash. Far right column notes a wedding shower for Jennie. 
Jousma Nash wedding attendance noted on lower left
Jennie still had one child in the home when John died. This was Adriann. That was not for long, though, as Adriann would have been out of the home by 1954. This was when Jennie married Owen Nash on Saturday October 23, 1954. Jennie and Owen were married for about 21 years. Owen died on May 7, 1966.
Jennie lived for many many years after the death of her husband Owen. On July 1, 1977, Jennie celebrated her 81st birthday.
I met my great grandmother in the early 1990s. I was either in middle school or early high school. The family had a sort of birthday party going away party for grandma. She was moving down to Florida with my Great Uncle Bill.
Grandma Jennie died in Florida on July 29, 1997. She’d lived over 100 years. Her funeral was back in Michigan and it happened to be in the same church in Alaska, Michigan where she’d married Owen Nash back in 1954. I remember being at the funeral. There were so many people there.
On Their Shoulders 
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