Catholic baptismal records from 1803 to 1809 in Wehl were not microfilmed by the LDS. However, Ap Bongers, of Zierikzee, the Netherlands has seen the records and reports that this child was baptized Feb 8, 1804.

Marriage Certificate #71 for 1830 in Arnhem - "Joannes Bongers", age 26, born in Wehl, occupation shoemaker.

All Arnhem certificates use Joannes or Jan, not Johannes.

In Allouez Cemetery in Green Bay there is a monument for his son, Reverend Matthew Bongers with "Joannes / Father / 1804-1881" under the info for Matthew. The birth year is right, but is he really buried there?

Surprisingly, he *did* emigrate (after his wife died in 1876). On 16 Aug 1878, a "John Brongers", age 74, emigrating from Rotterdam, arrived in New York aboard the W A Scholten.

And the final evidence is a mortuary card for "Johannes Bongers", b. in Wehl 08 Feb 1804 and died in Oconto 25 Jun 1881.

That card, among many other mortuary cards, is in the possession of Barb Staszak of Green Bay, granddaughter of Albert Neville. Mildred Van Essen (daughter of Helena De France Van Essen, who was the daughter of Elizabeth Bongers De France, who was the daughter of Johannes Bongers) married Albert Neville after his wife died and helped raise his children. They had no children of their own together. Many Bongers / De France heirlooms passed down through the Van Essen line, ending up with Mildred, and when Mildred died, the heirlooms passed on to her step-children.

He died in Oconto in 1881. Descendents later moved to Green Bay, but in 1881, everyone was still in Oconto, so he has to have been buried in the local Catholic Cemetery. The church burial records for that time frame are missing, and there is no monument or record of his burial in the cemetery plat book. So his exact final resting place is a mystery.

• Married: 18 Aug 1830 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
• Note:

  From the Dutch archives civil records database at http://www.genlias.nl/ :
  
  Municipality: Arnhem
  Type of record: Huwelijksakte
  Record number: 71
  Registration date: 18-08-1830
  Groom: Joannes Bongers
  Age: 26
  Place of birth: Wehl
  Bride: Jacoba Schumacher
  Age: 22
  Place of birth: Wehl
  Father groom: Joannes Bongers
  Mother groom: Hendrina Wellings
  Father bride: Jan Schumacher
  Mother bride: Aleida Mentinck
  Additional information: beroep Bg.: schoenmakersknecht; beroep Bd.: dienstmeid; beroep vader Bg.: landbouwer; beroep moeder Bg.: landbouwster; beroep vader Bd.: kleermaker; beroep moeder Bd.: geen beroep vermeld

1. Maria Bongers b: 21 Jan 1831 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
2. Mattheus "Matthew" Bongers b: 27 Dec 1832 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
3. Johanna Bongers c: 25 Mar 1835 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
4. Hendrina Bongers c: 20 Dec 1836 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
5. Elizabeth Hendrica Bongers b: 09 May 1838 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
6. Lambert Lucas Bongers c: 25 Nov 1840 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
7. Bernardus Petrus Bongers b: Abt 1844 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
8. Geertruida "Gertrude" Bongers b: 23 Mar 1846 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
9. Baby Girl Bongers b: 23 Jan 1849 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
10. Hendrina Bongers c: 13 Apr 1850 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.
11. Hendrina Maria Johanna Bongers b: 03 May 1852 in Arnhem, Gelderland, Neth.