TJADEN, John 1861-1941

TJADEN, HUISMAN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/17/2010 at 13:17:25

John Tjaden of Wellsburg Dies

Funeral of 80-Year-Old Resident to Be Tuesday

Wellsburg, Ia.--John Tjaden, 80, prominent resident of Wellsburg for 60 years, died at his home here at 11:30 a.m. Sunday from complications caused by advanced age. He had been in failing health for about two years.

Born in Freeport, Ill., March 5, 1861, he married Dorcas Huisman, Grundy Center, Jan. 2, 1883.

He leaves, besides his widow, two sons, Meint and Oddie Tjaden, both of Wellsburg; four daughters, Mrs. Ben Peters, Mrs. Albert Meyer and Pearl Tjaden, all of Wellsburg, and Mrs. Shirley Dilley, Aplington; five brothers, Mel, Herman and Dick, Ocheyedan; George, St. Paul, Minn., and Peter, Fergus Falls, Minn.; three sisters, Mrs. John Faucette, Ocheyedan; Mrs. George Huisman, Fostoria, Ia., and Mrs H. Lutterman, in California; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday at the home, followed immediately by services at the Second Christian Reformed church, with burial in the Wellsburg Reformed cemetery.

--Waterloo Daily Courier (Waterloo, Iowa), 22 December 1941

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John Tjaden, Old Time Wellsburg Resident Passed Away Sunday Morning

Deceased Was Almost 81 Years of Age at the Time of His Death

John Tjaden, a Wellsburg pioneer, who has been for some years the oldest resident of Wellsburg in time of residence, passed away about noon Sunday December 21, after an illness lasting about three years.

Funeral services conducted by Rev. R. H. Haan are being held this (Tuesday) afternoon at the Second Christian Reformed church.

Mr. Tjaden was born March 5, 1861, at Freeport, Illinois, and had reached the age of 80 years, 9 months and 16 days at the time of his death.

Mr. Tjaden came to Iowa with his parents at the age of twelve years. He came to Wellsburg in 1881, and was first employed in the J. C. Doyen hardware store. Later, he worked for John Lurch & Co., grain and livestock dealers, for several years, after which he went into business for himself, and continued in the same business until 1933, when he retired.

January 3, 1883, he was married to Dorcas Huisman and they have made their home continuously in Wellsburg until the present time. Mr. and Mrs. Tjaden were the parents of seven children, one of whom died in infancy.

Immediate survivors besides his widow include two sons, Meint and Otta, of Wellsburg, and four daughters. The daughters are Elsie (Mrs. Ben F. Peters), Anna (Mrs. Albert W. Meyer), Pearl, all of Wellsburg, also Minnie (Mrs. Shirley Dilly) of Aplington; also ten grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

Other survivors are five brothers and three sisters: Pete Tjaden, Fergus Falls, Minn., George, St. Paul, Minn, Herman, Melvin and Dick of Ocheydan, Iowa. The sisters are Mrs. John Fawcett, Ocheydan, Mrs. Geo. Huisman, Fostoria, and Mrs. Kate Lutterman, California.

Mr. Tjaden was active in the business and civic affairs of Wellsburg for many years and was widely known throughout this section. He served as bank president, mayor, and was often a member of the town council, besides taking a great interest in church affairs. His was a long and useful life.

The pall bearers at the funeral were Glen Peters, Russel B. Tjaden, John O. Tjaden, Kenneth Dilly, Woodrow Lindaman, John T. Riekena and John Schalk.

Interment was made in the family lot in the Wellsburg Reformed cemetery.

--Wellsburg Herald (Wellsburg, Iowa), 24 December 1941

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John Tjaden Died Sunday Forenoon At Wellsburg

Resided In Wellsburg Past 60 Years; Was Actively Engaged In Business Until 8 Years Ago

John Tjaden, for many years one of the leading citizens and business men of Wellsburg and widely known throughout the northwest part of the county, died at his home about noon Sunday following an illness covering a period of three years. His condition several weeks before the end came was very critical and his death was expected at any time. He was 80 years old last March.

Came to Wellsburg From Freeport
Mr. Tjaden was born at Freeport, Ill., March 5, 1861. That was the year of the opening of the Civil War. He was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Otta Tjaden. There were twelve children in this family. Eight of them are still living. The family came to Wellsburg 60 years ago. Shortly after coming here John Tjaden obtained employment in the J. C. Doyen store. He served there a number of years, after which he entered the employ of John Lusch from Ackley, who owned a grain elevator in Wellsburg and who was engaged in the livestock business. John Tjaden learned the grain and livestock business through this connection and he liked it.

Goes Into Grain and Livestock Business
A few years after he entered the employ of the Lusch elevator he went into the grain and livestock business for himself and he remained in that business almost continually until about eight years ago when he retired. He erected three different elevators in Wellsburg during that time and the business he did with northwest Grundy farmers over this long period of time ran into many millions. His business prospered and the profits were placed in Grundy county land. At one time he was one of the county's largest landowners.

Helped to Organize First Bank
Mr. Tjaden was one of the organizers of the first bank in Wellsburg. He was a director of the former Wellsburg Savings bank for many years and succeeded Charles Biebesheimer as president of the bank in 1925. He remained at the head of the bank until it consolidated in 1931.

Was Councilman and Mayor
Mr. Tjaden was a member of Wellsburg's first town council and served in that place several terms. In 1912 he was elected mayor of the town and was re-elected for a second term two years later. During the most active part of his lifetime he was one of the town's most prominent men and a good booster.

Married 59 Years Ago
On January 3, 1883, Mr. Tjaden and Dorcas Huisman were married at Wellsburg. They began housekeeping there and made that their home continuously. Mrs. Tjaden, who was born on a farm two miles north of Wellsburg, survives her husband. The couple had seven children. One of them, a daughter, died in infancy. Of the surviving children, two are sons and four daughters. The sons are Meint and Otta. The daughters and Mrs. Ben F. Peters, Mrs. Albert Meyer, Mrs. Shirley Dilly, and Pearl, who is at home. There are ten grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Other surviving near relatives are five brothers and three sisters. The brothers are: Peter, Fergus Falls, Minn.; Herman, Mell and Dick from Ocheyedan, and George from St. Paul. The sisters are Mrs. John Faucett, Ocheyedan; Mrs. Jennie Huisman, Fostoria, Iowa; and Mrs. Kate Lutterman from California. All of the members of the family were able to come to the funeral services excepting the oldest brother Peter, who was physically unable to make the trip, and the sister in California, who was here a few months ago.

Funeral Services Tuesday
Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at the Second Christian Reformed church in Wellsburg. The services were conducted by the local pastor, Rev. Haan. Burial was in the Wellsburg cemetery.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 25 December 1941

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