Peter and Anna Roorda and their son, Dirk, came from the Netherlands in the late 1800's, and settled in Orange City, Iowa, for a few years.

In 1903, they came to the Litchville area and farmed there for three years. They bought a farm in Meadow Lake Township, Barnes County, Section 9138-Range 62, and in the same year, their son, Dirk, returned to Iowa to marry Bessie Hofman in Orange City, on February 22, 1906. He brought his bride to North Dakota where they bought a farm near Ypsilanti, Barnes County, Meadow Lake Township, West ½ of Section 7138-62.

To this union seven children were born: Peter, who resides in Primgar, Iowa; Tillie (Mrs. Marvin Boom, deceased); Alice (Mrs. Charles Mellema, deceased); Agnes (Mrs. John J. Solsma, Sr. of Hospers, Iowa; Ann (Mrs. Kenneth Rohrbeck) of Chula Vista, California; Abraham of Jamestown, North Dakota; John of Ypsilanti, North Dakota, the youngest, who still lives on the farm.

In 1941, John married Ethel W. Boom. To this union were born five children: Sharon (Mrs. O. T. Kelley) of Astoria, Oregon, who has four children; Vernon of Marion, North Dakota, whose wife is Elizabeth Schultz of Lakota, North Dakota, and they have one daughter; Darrell, who married Emaline Vaught of Ypsilanti, North Dakota, and they have four children; Loretta of Astoria, Oregon; Mary Jane (Mrs. Ronald Stubbe) of Devils Lake, North Dakota, they have one son.

Mr. Peter Roorda passed away January 7, 1929. Mrs. Roorda passed away March 14, 1929. Dirk died October 4, 1937, because of a car accident, at the age of 60. His wife, Bessie, died June 4, 1949, at the age of 65.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 209