Harm Schipper was born on January 30, 1842/43 in the Wymeer, Hannover Region, Germany a few miles from the border with the Netherlands. He was the son of Hinderk Schipper and Martje Hinderks Nanninga. Harm was united in marriage to Aafien "Effie" Renken van Dijk on April 7, 1867 in Beerta District, Netherlands. Aafien, the daughter of Renko Berends van Dijk and Antje Noor, was born on September 28, 1844 in Oudedijk, Beerta District. Harm and Aafien had at least seven children: Antje (1867), Hindrik (1868), Renka (1871), Martin (1876), Rena (1879), Aafke (1884) and Martha (1886) . The family lived in Oudedijk where Harm was a day laborer until they immigrated to the U.S.A. They sailed on the "SS Haverford" departing Antwerp on March 8, 1902 and arriving in New York on March 20, 1902. At first they settled near Parkersburg, Iowa where Harm died on June 24, 1911. He was buried there in Oak Hill Cemetery. His wife Aafien moved to Renville County, Minnesota with her son Martin and his family prior to 1920. She died there on February 20, 1929 and was buried at Emden Cemetery north of Renville.
The children of Harm and Aafien: