The resilience of Antje Wagemeester Paarlberg, a widowed immigrant and determined pioneer, was allegedly the inspiration for the main character Selina Peake DeJong.

On 26 April 1835, Antje Waagmeester married Klaas Paarlberg in their birthplace of Warmenhuizen and settled as farmers in nearby Spanbroek where they would get eight children.

[1] In 1847 Klaas and Antje and their seven surviving children set off on a voyage from the Netherlands to America in search of better fortunes on the ship Doggersbank.

[2] Antje Paarlberg continued to America with their children with this single thought in mind, De Heere zal wel zorgen or "the Lord will provide".

The Paarlberg Historical Farm and Museum are nestled along Thorn Creek at the west end of a beautiful 16 acre park in the southeast corner of town on Paxton Avenue near 172nd Place.

[4] A branch of the Peter Paarlberg family continues to farm in Kankakee County, 30 miles south of the original homestead which is today surrounded by suburbia.