At the age of 24 he married Pietje Jacobs (? – 24th July 1788) and they had three children, one girl and two boys.
* Trijntje (April 1773 – 26 April 1773)
* Jelte (29 May 1774 – 31 March 1809)
* Jacobus (17 March 1784 – 24 March 1858)
Due to a political crisis in 1787, he had to leave Friesland and went to Germany. Later he moved to Visvliet where he worked as a wool comber. He was banned from Friesland for five years and therefore stayed in Visvliet. Meanwhile his wife died, and on 27 May 1792 he married Trijntje Eelkes Sikkema (21 February 1764) in Visvliet. They had one son and two daughters.
* Eelke (14 October 1793 – 28 May 1795)
* Hittje (16 February 1796 – 8 May 1843)
* Minke (4 June 1798 – 17 July 1870)