Rienks family

Rienks, a Mennonite family in the Dutch province of Friesland, where there are still many Mennonite members of this family. Originally (mentioned as early as 1618) they lived in or near Hallum and soon after also at Holwerd, Oudebildtzijl, St. Anna-Parochie, and other villages in Friesland. At first they were all farmers, and many have served the church as deacons.

An outstanding member of this family was Sieds Johannes Rienks (1770-1847), who lived near Ferwerd in Friesland until circa 1820 and later at Berlikum. He was a farmer and also a maker of telescopes, and built a famous telescope for the astronomical observatory at Leiden about 1830. In 1825 he constructed lightning rods, then a novelty. In 1828 he moved with his family to Leiden, and there manufactured instruments.

An Yde Rienks, of Hyum near Hallum, was a (lay) preacher in the United Flemish-Waterlander congregation at Sneek in 1726-45. In 1746, after confessing his agreement with the Old Flemish confession, he was ordained as preacher of the small Groningen Old Flemish congregation at Sneek, serving until 11 September 1763. He died at Sneek on 7 October 1763. Yde Rienks probably did not belong to the same family as Sieds Johannes Rienks.
 Bibliography

Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1890): 103-6.

Doopsgezind Jaarboekje (1932): 74 ff.

Terpstra, G. Famyljeboek fan de Rienksen. Leeuwarden, 1955.

Wumkes, G. A. Stadsen Dorpskroniek van Friesland II. Leeuwarden, 1934: 79, 94, 138, 602. Herald Press Information logo

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Scottdale, Pennsylvania, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, pp. 329-330. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2009 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved. To cite this page:

MLA style: van der Zijpp, Nanne. "Rienks family." Global Anabaptist Mennonite
Encyclopedia Online. 1959. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved
28 September 2009 

APA style: van der Zijpp, Nanne. (1959). "Rienks family." Global Anabaptist Mennonite
Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 28
September 2009