Hylkema is a Dutch Mennonite family, originally from Friesland. Sjouke Hylkes (whose children assumed the family name of Hylkema) was a farmer and a preacher of Oldeboorn, Nieuwe Huys congregation, in Friesland 1759-ca. 1803. Some of his descendants were deacons at Akkrum (near Oldeboorn). The following members of this family went into the ministry after training at the University and the Mennonite Theological Seminary at Amsterdam:

1. Kornelis (Cornelis) Bonnes Hylkema, born 1870 at Akkrum, died 1948 at Haarlem, who served the congregations of Den Helder 1896-1899, Zaandam-Oost 1899-1908, and Haarlem 1908-1936. He published a number of books: Reformateurs I (Haarlem, 1900, his doctor's thesis) and Reformateurs II (Haarlem, 1902), which contain important material for Mennonite history; De Rechtsverhoudingen in de Ver. Doopsgezinde Gemeente te Haarlem (Haarlem, 1918); Het predikambt (Haarlem, 19—); Werkelijkheids theologie (Haarlem, 19—). Besides this he published a number of papers on Mennonite history and other subjects: "De afzetting van Jacob Pieters Banning als leeraar te Wormer en Jisp, Anno 1698" (Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (DB) 1898, 78-106), "Isaak Molenaar aan Willem de Clercq" (DB 1911, 63-92), and "Jan Luyken" (De Gids, 1904).
2. Tjeerd Oeda Ma Hylke Hylkema, born 1888, pastor of the Giethoorn Mennonite Church 1912-1929, Amersfoort 1929-1936, and Amsterdam 1936-1948. At first he was a liberal Christian as most Dutch Mennonites are, but while serving in his first congregation he was converted to a pietistic orthodoxy. After that he became active in behalf of what he called "een belijdende en dienende vredesgemeente des Heeren" (a congregation of the Lord, whose character is peace and which is willing to serve and confess the Lord). Hylkema was of considerable influence on the Dutch Mennonite brotherhood, both by his activities and his piety. He was (1917) the founder of the Vereeniging voor Gemeentedagen (see Broederschapswerk), of which association he was president 1917-1927; he took the initiative in building the camping houses "Kraggehuis" and "Samen Een" on the lakes of Giethoorn. He was active in behalf of the Russian Mennonites in 1920; he promoted the foundation of the brotherhood-home "Fredeshiem" near Steenwijk in 1929; he was leader of the Mennonite peace movement and president of the Dutch Vredesgroep (Peace Group); he was one of the co-operators in the present Doopsgezinde Bundel (Dutch Hymnbook). He published a number of books, Woodbrooke en de Oud-Woodbrookers (Steenwijk, 19—, reprinted in 1913); Aan den Arbeid voor de Gemeente (Wolvega, 1917); De Geschiedenis van de Doopsgezinde Gemeenten in Rusland (Steenwijk, 1920, repr. in 1921); also a German translation of the above: Die Mennoniten Gemeinden in Ruszland (Heilbronn, 1921); De betekenis van de Gemeentedagbeweging (Wolvega, 1922); Aan den Arbeid voor de Gemeente II (Wolvega, n.d.-1928); Daglijks leven uit het Woord (1948); Wat de Bijbel zegt: dienende weerloze liefde ? of niet ? (n.p., 1953). Together with D. A. Wuite van Maasdijk, he published Het Evangelie naar de Beschrijving van Lukas met verklarende aantekeningen en uitlegging voor het persoonlijk leven (Haarlem, 1947).
3. Oepke Trinus Hylkema, born 1902 at Amsterdam, serving the congregation of Terschelling 1926-1928, Almelo 1928-1939, Bussum 1939-1944, and The Hague after 1944. He published Levende Moraal (Bussum, 1951) and Wat Hemel en aarde verbindt (The Hague, 1953).

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, p. 869. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

©1996-2013 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.