The first know ancestor of the Van Lente Family was Robert Van Lente. His son, Rutger Van Lente, a baker, became a citizen of Zwolle in 1734. Rutger married twice and had atleast two sons, Jan and Berent Van Lente. Berent was married twice and had atleast one son, Frederick Jan Van Lente born in 1801.
On 1 June 1847 the Frederick Jan Van Lente and his family left Amsterdam on "The Albatross" and immigrated to Holland, Ottawa Co, MI. They had to borrow the $440 for the journey. The family that immigrated consisted of:
Frederick Jan Van Lente age 46
Maria Horning Van Lente age 47
Berend Lambertus Van Lente age 23
Hermina Blom Van Lente age 22 (Berend's wife)
Gerrit Van Lente age 21
Roelofje Van Lente age 18
Geertje Van Lente age 14
Johannes Van Lente age 12
Frrederika J. Van Lente age 10
Hendrikus Van Lente age 7
They arrived in Holland, MI in the fall of 1847. The conditions were very harsh at first. Gerrit died in the first year and Berend's wife, Hermina, (they married shortly before leaving Amsterdam) died before 1849. The rest of the children survived and had very large families:
Berent L. married Wilhelmina Baarchers and they had 11 children
Roelofjen (Ruth) married John Kerkhof and they had 12 children
Geertje (Gertrude) married John Van Dam and they had 8 children
Johnannes married Jane Bouwman and they had 8 children
Frederika married John TerVree and they had 12 children
Hendrikus (Henry) married Johanna Steketee and they had 9 children
Much of this information is taken from "The Civil War Letters of Johannes Van Lente" edited by Janice Van Lente Catlin, and from "Family History" by Dr. Stoggerda
