Betsy DeVos

DeVos in 2017, Howard University, US Department of Education

Birth Name: Elisabeth Dee Prince

Place of Birth: Holland, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 8, 1958

Ethnicity: Dutch

Betsy DeVos is an American businessperson, philanthropist, and politician. She was Chair of the Michigan Republican Party, from 1996 to 2000, and again, from 2003 to 2005, and the U.S. Secretary of Education, from February 7, 2017 to January 8, 2021.

Betsy is the daughter of Elsa (Zwiep) and Edgar Prince (Edgar Dale Prince), a billionaire industrialist, who founded Prince Corporation. Her brother, Erik Prince, founded the security company Blackwater USA. Betsy is married to Dick DeVos (Richard Marvin DeVos, Jr.), a businessperson, whose own father, Richard DeVos, co-founded Amway. The couple has four children.

Betsy and her husband are both of Dutch descent.

Betsy’s paternal grandfather was Peter Prince (the son of Richard Prins/Prince and Anna Jonker). Peter was born in Illinois. Richard was born in Andijk, Noord-Holland, The Netherlands, the son of Pieter/Peter Dirks Prins/Prince and Diewertje/Dorothy/Dieuwertje Kuiper. Anna was born in Illinois, the daughter of Dutch parents, Jan Gerritsz Jonker, from Krabbendam, Schagen, North Holland, and Trijntje Jacobs Blom, from Broek op Langedijk, Langedijk, North Holland.

Betsy’s paternal grandmother was Edith De Weert (the daughter of Evert/Edward de Waard and Suzanna van de Wege). Edith was born in Michigan. Evert was born in Michigan, the son of Dutch parents, Lucas de Weert and Grace/Gese Roelof/Roelofs. Suzanna was born in Zaamslag, Zeeland, Netherland, the daughter of Jacobus van de Wege and Elisabeth Deij.

Betsy’s maternal grandfather was Dick/Dirk Zwiep (the son of Thys H. Zwiep and Elsja/Elsie/Elsje Vander Leek). Dick was Dutch, and was born in Enkhuizen, Enkhuizen, Noord-Holland. Thys was the son of Dirk Thijsz Zwiep and Bregje Jansz Bruin. Elsja was the daughter of Harmen van der Leek and Theodora Gerbrandtsd Voorn.

Betsy’s maternal grandmother was Gertrude Pott (the daughter of Klaas Pot/Pott and Gertrude Nienhuis). Betsy’s grandmother Gertrude was Dutch, from Amsterdam. Klaas was the son of Willem Pot and Gerrigje Coobs. Betsy’s great-grandmother Gertrude was the daughter of Abraham Berends Niehues and Hendrikje Klazes Stoter.

Source: Genealogy of Betsy DeVos – https://www.geni.com