He was born in April 1887 as Hemke Scheeringa in the country village of Sebaldeburen, located in the municipality Grootegast, in the western part of the Dutch northeastern province Groningen, the first of ten children of the 31 years aged shopkeeper Jakob Scheeringa and Grietje Heuker, named for his grandfather Hemke Hotzes Scheeringa.

He had the following nine siblings Scheeringa:
* 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;
* Tonnis (Tony), 6 September 1903, 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 Hemke Scheeringa (24, farmer, departed from Aduard) and his brother Egbert Scheeringa (21, farmer, departed from Oldekerk) arrived on the SS 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 his father Jacob Scheeringa (56, farm laborer), his mother Grietje (48) and his siblings Harm (18), Martinus (16), Roelt (15), Margaretha (13), Willem (10), Tonnis (8) and Renstja (6) arrived on the SS 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 Hemke E. Scheeringa was residing.

About 1913 he married the four years younger Willemke aka Winnie Van Slooten, who was also born in the western part of province Groningen.

On 7 June 1917 the 30 years aged farmer Henry Scheeringa was living with his wife and three children at Route B, Gary, Lake County, Indiana, when he was administrated on a WW I Draft Registration Card. He was of medium height and built, had light blue eyes and light brown hair.

In 1920 Henry Scheeringa (32 y, born in Holland, immigrated in 1911), his wife Winnie (28, Holland, immigrated in 1912), their children Grace (6, Indiana), Gene (4, Indiana), Alice (3, Indiana), Jacob (1, Indiana) and John (0, Indiana) were living in Calumet Township, Lake County, Indiana.

On 20 April 1920, his 33th birthday, Henry Scheeringa was residing in Griffith [Calumet Township], Lake County, Indiana, when he was naturalized by a court in Hammond.

In 1930 Henry Scheeringa (43, immigrated in 1911), his wife Willemke (39, immigrated in 1912), their children Grace (16), Lamagine (15, Indiana), Alice (13), Jacob (12), John (10), Margaret (8, Indiana), Edward (6, Indiana), Jennie (3, Indiana) and Rena Wilma (1, Indiana) were still living in Griffith [Calumet Township], Lake County, Indiana.

In April 1940 Henry Scheeringa (52, truck farmer), Wilma (48), their children Grace (26), John (20, truck farm helper), Margaret (18, sales lady at a truck farm road store), Edward (16, truck farm helper), Jennie (13), Wilma (11) and Ruth (6, Indiana) were still living in Griffith, Calumet Township, Lake County, Indiana. They lived in 1935 in the same house.

His wife Winnie died in 1953 at the age of about 62 years in Cook County, Illinois. Henry Scheeringa died in 1974 at the age of about 87 years in Lake County, Indiana.