Dirk was headmaster at a school in Portugaal by Hoogvliet. In 1891 he and Janna left together with their oldest child Arie to the East Indies where he became a teacher in Japara. Their youngest daughter Antje stayed with her grandparents in Bodegraven. In 1895 his future second wife, Johanna Catherina Barwegen came to the East Indies together with Antje and Dirk and Johanna married shortly thereafter.

In 1902, Dirk takes the entire family back to Holland and he stays there for approximately a year. When he returns to the East Indies, his eldest two children by his first wife (Arie and Antje) remain in Holland with their aunt Neeltje and uncle Gerrit.

Dirk travels back and forth several more times, but finally returns permanently in 1920 after Johanna has passed away. He first retuns to Zeist but then goes to Haarlem where he dies in 1921. Jan Stieds remains in the East Indies.