Hensman Barkema (1842-1922)

BARKEMA, KLEIGGE, KLIEGE, KOOP, ABRAMSON, HEADLEY

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 12/20/2024 at 15:29:59

From Jewell Record March 30, 1922 (page 1)

HANSMAN BARKEMA [sic] DIED SUNDAY MORNING

Hansman Barkema [sic], on of Mr. and Mrs. Tim Barkema, was born March 12, 1842, at Ditzun, Hanover, Germany. In 1868 he came to America and located at Freeport, Ill., where he lived until 1869, when he moved to Iowa and located near Ackley. In the fall of 1870 he moved to a farm north of Jewell where he resided until the time he moved into town, which was about thirteen years ago.

Mr. Barkema was united in marriage to Henrica Jan Kleigge, at Freeport, Ill., July 20, 1869, and to this union ten children were born, eight of whom are still living. They are: Tim, Henry, John, Hans, Harmon, Mrs. J. W. Koop, Mrs. August Abramson, Mrs. Emory Headley, all of whom lives at Fresno, California. There are also forty two grand children and nine great grand children surviving. His wife passed away, December 31st, 1921. The deceased was a member of the German Presbyterian church, northwest of Jewell.

Mr. Barkema had had a cold for sometime but was up and around until he went to bed at eleven o'clock, Saturday night, and passed away at 10 minutes of 8:00, Sunday morning, March 26th, 1922, being 80 years and 14 days old, at the time of his death. A sudden and severe attack of pneumonia was the cause of his passing away.

Henry Barkema will arrive from Fresno, Calif., Friday morning, and funeral services will be held on Friday afternoon of this week at two o'clock at the Federated Church, conducted by Rev. McKinley. The remains will be laid to rest in Evergreen cemetery beside the wife. Six of his grandsons, the same as for Mrs. Barkema, will act as pall bearers: George Klaver, George Olson, Willie Koop, Peter Barkema, H. G. Barkema, and George Barkema.

A little over a half century of continuous residence in this community gave Mr. Barkema rank as one of the community's oldest pioneers; and the true, genuine worth of the man gave him rank throughout those years as one of the community's worthiest citizens. He lived from his early young manhood until death claimed him at a ripe old age in Hamilton county, he knew from having lived it the story of the development of Hamilton county from a pioneer, prairie to one of the best developed and most prosperous agricultural counties of this state; and he performed a man's part in the accomplishment of that development. His farm lands north of Jewell ere improved and developed, year by year, and those same lands, now farmed by his sons, are today among the finest and most productive of the county. In promoting the welfare of farming interests of the county and in public affairs he always took an active and an intelligent interest, not as an office holder, but as a wideawake, progressive citizen. To Mr. Barkema and to other pioneer men like him Hamilton county today owes a great deal; and by those who knew him in the vigor of his active life the memory of Hansman Barkems [sic] will always be fresh and bright.