He was born in 1833 as Okke van Zanten in the country village Uithuizermeeden in the northern part of the Dutch northeastern province Groningen, the first son of the 23 years aged farm hand Jakob Okkes van Zanten [1810- 1877, Illinois, USA] and Dieuwerke Jans Allersma [1808-1899, Illinois, USA], named for his grandfather Okke Jans van Zanten.

The family Van Zanten emigrated between 1844 and mid 1850 to the USA.

On 1 July 1850 Okke (16 y), his father Jakob Van Zanten (39, laborer), his mother Douweke (41), his siblings Ian (14, Holland), Derkje (11, Holland), Martje (8, Holland) and Klaas (5, Holland) lived in the Township of Spring Lake, Ottawa County, in the western part of Michigan.

Okke Van Zanten married on 6 August 1856 in Grand Haven, near Lake Michigan, Ottawa County, in the western part of Michigan at the age of 22 years to Janna [Jennie] Vander Kolk, born in 1834.

Okke and Janna alias Jennie Van Der Kolk Van Zanten had on 23 November 1859 in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois daughter Emma [Emily], and on 15 February 1862 and in March 1864 in Cook County, Illinois sons John O and Jacob Van Zanten.

Janna or Jennie Vander Kolk probably died before 1866, quite likely in childbirth of daughter Jennie, who was born in September 1865. Okke remarried soon, very probably before 1868, to the seven years younger Marrigje alias Mary Vinke, very probably in Cook County, Illinois.

In 1870 Okke Vanzanten (36, farmer), his wife Mary (29, born in Holland too), his all in Illinois born children Emily (9), John (7), Jacob (6), Jane [Jennie] (5), Dienke (3) and Garrit (11 months) lived at an own home, worth $2400, in Thornton, Cook County, just south of the Dutch truck farmers settlement South Holland and Chicago. Two homes further on Okke's parents Jacob [Okkes] Vanzanten (59, Holland, farmer, lived in a home worth $6600) and his wife Dienke [Dieuwerke] (63, Holland) lived. In between lived Okke's sister Martje (29, Holland) with her husband Henry Velt and their two children.

In 1873 and 1875 Okke Van Zanten and his wife Vinke had in the Dutch truck farmers settlement South Holland, just south of Chicago daughter Della and son Albert Van Zanten.

In 1880 Ockie Vanzanten (47, farmer), his wife Mary (37), his children Jacob (16, laborer), Jane (14), Dora (12), Garrett (10), Gertie (7), Alt (4) and his mother-in-law Jane Vinke (77, Netherlands, widow) lived in Thornton, Cook County, Illinois. Daughter Emma Van Zanten (20 y) was in 1880 a domestic servant at the home of Lubert Vinke (46 y, widower and farmer) and his five children in Thornton too.

On 7 February 1883 Okke Van Zantan and Margaret Vinke had in Chicago daughter Mamie C. and on 4 March 1885 in Cook County, Illinois daughter Lucy.

Farmer Okke Van Zanten died in 1903 at the age of 69 years in the Dutch truck farmers settlement South Holland, just south of Chicago and was buried near Thornton, a few miles more south. His widow Mary died there also in December 1923 at the age of 83 years.