He was born in September 1903 in the country village of Midwolde, located in the municipality Leek, in the southwestern part of the Dutch northeastern province Groningen, the ninth of ten children of the 47 years aged laborer Jakob Scheeringa and Grietje Heuker.

He had the following nine siblings Scheeringa:
* Hemke (Henry), born on 20 April 1887 in Sebaldeburen;
* Egbert (Edward), 9 June 1889, Sebaldeburen;
* Hotze, 30 November 1891, Sebaldeburen;
* Harm, 17 November 1893, Oldekerk;
* Martinus (Martin), 28 March 1896, Midwolde, municipality Leek;
* Roelf (Ralph), 22 April 1897, Midwolde;
* Margaretha (Margaret), 11 August 1898, Midwolde;
* Willem (William), 20 September 1901, Midwolde;
* Rensktje (Rena Kuiper[s]), 5 September 1905, Midwolde.

His father Jakob Scheeringa was in 1887, 1889 and 1891 a shopkeeper in his birthplace Sebaldeburen, in 1893 a laborer in Oldekerk, in 1896, 1897, 1898 and 1905 a farmer in Midwolde, in the southwestern part of province Groningen, municipality Leek, and in 1901 and 1903 a laborer in Midwolde.

On 9 May 1911 his brothers Hemke Scheeringa (24, farmer, departed from Aduard) and Egbert Scheeringa (21, farmer, departed from Oldekerk) arrived on the S.S. Noordam at the port of New York, Ellis Island. Their destination was Hammond, Lake County, in the utter northwestern part of Indiana, where their friend J. van Til is residing.

On 20 March 1912 his brother Hotse Scheeringa came to America by himself at the age of 20 years. Source: Sherry Scheeringa Kennedy, INGenWeb, Lake County, August 2015.

On 7 May 1912 Tonnis Scheeringa (8), his father Jacob Scheeringa (56, farm laborer), his mother Grietje (48) and his siblings Harm (18), Martinus (16), Roelt (15), Margaretha (13), Willem (10) and Renstja (6) arrived on the S.S. Noordam at the port of New York, Ellis Island. They all departed from Leek, located in the southwestern part of province Groningen, and their destination was Hammond, Lake County, Indiana, where his brother Hemke E. Scheeringa was residing.

In 1917 his mother Grietje died at the age of about 54 years at Route B in Gary, Lake County, Indiana.

In 1920 Tony Scheeringa (16 y, born in Holland, immigrated in 1912), his father Jacob Scheeringa (63, Holland, widower, immigrated in 1912) and his siblings Edward (30, Holland, immigrated in 1909, single), Margaret (21, Holland, immigrated in 1912), William (18, Holland, immigrated in 1912) and Rena (14, Holland, immigrated in 1912) were living in Calumet Township, Lake County, in the utter northwestern part of Indiana.

In 1930 Tony Scheeringa (26, Holland, immigrated in 1912) and his wife Anna (25, Illinois) were living in Griffith, Lake County, Indiana, where they were in 1935 still living.

In May 1940 Tony Scheeringa (36, janitor at a church) and his wife Anna (35) were living in their own home, worth $2000, at 2924 Ridge Road in Highland Town, North Township, Lake County, Indiana.

His wife Anna died in September 1974 at the age of 69 years in Highland, Lake County, Indiana. Widower Tony Scheeringa died in November 1992 at the age of 89 years in Hammond, Lake County, Indiana.