In 1893 Antoon van Berkom killed, along with three friends, a policeman around in the Dutch city of Oss. Until today there is an unwritten rule in Oss, “You don’t betray a buddy”. So the four of them served prison for this crime, for a period of 13 years. The family of Antoon, father Martinus and mother Johanna van Berkom along with the other seven children, fled by boat to America.
After his imprisonment Antoon followed them on this journey, and his name was changed in Anthony Vanberkom in The States.
Almost a century later, I found the descendants of Antoon in Powers Lake, a small village in North Dakota.
This family history is included in the documentary named 'Donker Oss'. More info about that here.
