Margaret was born December 12, 1864 in Altersiegelsum, Ostfriesland. She came to American at the age of 12 with her parents Jann Geerds Klaassen Bokker and Diertje Dirkjen Dirks Hattererm. They immigrated from Uttum, Ost Fresland, Germany on the ship "Braunschweig" and arrived in Baltimore, Maryland. Margaret talked about the conditions on the ship. She said when they slept the rats would be everywhere and even eat the fingernails off people. She said the conditions were bad and there were lots of people on the ship and lots of sickness. Her family settled in Forreston, IL. As they had very little money, Margaret went to work as a maid for a very wealthy family for $2.50 a week. Here she worked until the time of her marriage to Reint J. Buss on December 12, 1890. Reint and Margaret farmed in Illinois until 1909. They then took a train to South Dakota. In Lowell Township, located 4 miles West and 3 miles south of Britton, they bought a farm for $28.00 an acre. Margaret and Reint had 4 children; John, Della, Frank & Beulah. They farmed there until 1939. Her son Frank took the farm over and Maggie and Reint moved into town. Reint passed away in 1943 and "Maggie" moved to Bellingham, Washington with her daughter Beulah. Maggie had blue eyes and brown hair and spoke English with a very German accent. She loved having family around and shared the farm house often with them. She was a good cook and of course a good house keeper. She is buried next to her husband in the Britton Cemetery, Britton, South Dakota. w(bio added by aritha buss)
Margaret was born December 12, 1864 in Altersiegelsum, Ostfriesland. She came to American at the age of 12 with her parents Jann Geerds Klaassen Bokker and Diertje Dirkjen Dirks Hattererm. They immigrated from Uttum, Ost Fresland, Germany on the ship "Braunschweig" and arrived in Baltimore, Maryland. Margaret talked about the conditions on the ship. She said when they slept the rats would be everywhere and even eat the fingernails off people. She said the conditions were bad and there were lots of people on the ship and lots of sickness. Her family settled in Forreston, IL. As they had very little money, Margaret went to work as a maid for a very wealthy family for $2.50 a week. Here she worked until the time of her marriage to Reint J. Buss on December 12, 1890. Reint and Margaret farmed in Illinois until 1909. They then took a train to South Dakota. In Lowell Township, located 4 miles West and 3 miles south of Britton, they bought a farm for $28.00 an acre. Margaret and Reint had 4 children; John, Della, Frank & Beulah. They farmed there until 1939. Her son Frank took the farm over and Maggie and Reint moved into town. Reint passed away in 1943 and "Maggie" moved to Bellingham, Washington with her daughter Beulah. Maggie had blue eyes and brown hair and spoke English with a very German accent. She loved having family around and shared the farm house often with them. She was a good cook and of course a good house keeper. She is buried next to her husband in the Britton Cemetery, Britton, South Dakota. w(bio added by aritha buss)
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