Martinus Scheeringa was born in March 1896 in the country village of Midwolde, located in the municipality Leek, in the southwestern part of the Dutch northeastern province Groningen, the fifth of ten children of the 40 years aged farmer Jakob Scheeringa and Grietje Heuker.

He had the following nine siblings Scheeringa:
* Hemke (Henry), born 20 April 1887 in Sebaldeburen;
* Egbert (Edward), 9 June 1889, Sebaldeburen;
* Hotze, 30 November 1891, Sebaldeburen;
* Harm, 17 November 1893, Oldekerk;
* Roelf (Ralph), 22 April 1897, Midwolde;
* Margaretha (Margaret), 11 August 1898, Midwolde;
* Willem (William), 20 September 1901, Midwolde;
* Tonnis (Tony), 6 September 1903, Midwolde;
* Rensktje (Rena Kuiper[s]), 5 September 1905, Midwolde;

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, 1905 a farmer and in 1901 and 1903 a laborer in the country village of Midwolde, in the southwestern part of province Groningen, municipality Leek.

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 was 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 Martinus Scheeringa (16 y), his father Jacob Scheeringa (56, farm laborer), his mother Grietje (48) and his siblings Harm (18), Roelt (15), Margaretha (13), Willem (10), Tonnis (8) and Renstja (6) arrived on the S.S. Noordam at the port of New York, Ellis Island. They 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 is residing.

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

On 5 June 1917 the 21 years aged, single farm hand Martin Scheeringa was still living and working at his parents' farm at Route B, Gary, Lake County, Indiana, when he was administrated on a WW I Draft Registration Card. He was short and of medium built, had light blue eyes and light hair.

Between mid 1917 and 1920 Martin Scheeringa married the about four years younger Jennie Terpstra, born in 1900 in the Netherlands too, and had with her Jacob "Maxie" Scheeringa (2 November 1920, Lake County, Indiana), Beatrice Scheeringa (1922, Lake County, Indiana, married Henry Ridder) and Jennie "Babe" Scheeringa (22 November 1925, Highland, Lake County, Indiana, married Garrett Eriks).

His wife Jennie Terpstra died in 1925 at the age of about 25 years, very probably in Highland, Lake County, Indiana, maybe at or soon after the birth of daughter Jennie on 22 November.

On 22 November 1932 Max Scheeringa (re)married in Highland, Lake County, Indiana the seven years younger Nellie Stob, who had Dutch parents too and who became on 4 June 1930 widow of William E. Parham. She had from him on 28 December 1928 son Edward Thomas Parham, who was called since the second marriage of his mother Edward Thomas Scheeringa.

Max and Nellie had the following children Scheeringa:
* Martha Ann, 22 July 1935, Indiana. Married Jack W. Ashcraft;
* Marvin, 7 October 1938, Hammond, Lake County, Indiana.

In 1942 the 46 years aged farmer Martin Max Scheeringa was residing at Cline and 45th in Highland, Lake County, Indiana, when he was administrated on a WW II Draft Registration Card. He signed with "Max Scheeringa".

Martin M. Scheeringa died in March 1988 at the age of almost 92 years in Highland, Lake County, Indiana. His widow Nellie died in December 1991 at the age of 88 years, very probably in Highland too.