Willemsen, Henry

WILLEMSEN, VAN OOIGEN, EMMERT, DYKENS, VANDERWILT, VAN REES, DE VERIES, FAUST, DE YOUNG

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 10/24/2009 at 10:49:03

Willemsen Henry

Henry Willemsen, a prominent farmer and stock raiser residing in section 14, Buena Vista Township, is a native of Holland, having been born in that country on July 6, 1877. He is the oldest in a family of seven children born to John and Jennette (Van Ooigen) Willemsen, both natives of the Province of Guilderland, Holland. The family immigrated to the United States eighteen years ago and located on a farm four miles south of Sully, this county. They bought one hundred and twenty acres of land in that vicinity, and there they have ever since made their home. Mr. Willemsen, Sr., owned a tobacco plantation in Holland. He was born in 1854 and his wife in 1850. The family came to the United States on the vessel Rhinedam. Their children, all of whom were born in Holland, are as follows: Henry, the subject of this sketch; Neil, who married Fanny Emmert (deceased), lives near Sully; Ed., who married Ella Dykens, lives on his farm of one hundred acres two miles north of Lynnville, this county; Jeff J., who married Jennie Vanderwilt, lives on his farm of eighty acres two miles northwest of Tainter; Arie, unmarried, is a telegraph operator at Winterset; Diene lives at home with her parents; Joanna, deceased.

Henry Willemsen was about fifteen years of age when the family came to America, and until he reached the age of twenty-one he lived at home and helped on his father's farm, after which time he started out working for himself. After laboring as a farm hand for about four years, he rented a farm, and began the pursuit of agriculture for himself. A year later, in June 1903, he married Sarah Van Rees, daughter of Laurence and Sarah (De Veries) Van Rees. Her father is a native of Iowa, having been born near Sully, in Lynn Grove Township, this county. He was a prominent stock buyer and was well known all over the county. He was an outspoken, old-fashioned, dyed-in-the-wool Democrat. He died at his home near Sully in March 1907, at the age of fifty-three. Mrs. Willemsen's mother, who is living in Pella, Iowa, is also a native of Holland, but came with her mother to this country at the age of three years, the father having died in Holland. Three days after landing in America the mother died, and the baby was raised by an aunt. To the Van Reeses were born eight children, the seven besides Mrs. Willemsen being as follows: Leonard, the eldest, living three miles southwest of Sully, married Josie Faust; Andrew, living near Sully, married Nettie De Young; Laurence, unmarried, who has no fixed home, was formerly a butcher in Newton; Eddie died in infancy; Joe died at the age of ten; David and Agnes, who are still at home with their mother.

That Henry Willemsen is a man of rare judgment and good management is shown by the fact that four years after he began farming for himself he was the owner of one hundred and sixty acres of fine land, formerly owned by Ira Elscott. Here they have lived ever since.

To Mr. and Mrs. Willemsen have been born three children, namely: Joe Raymond, born December 28, 1904; Laura Hilda, born October 18, 1906; Jeannette Wilma, born September 5, 1908; Sarah Hendrena, born December 3, 1910.

Besides general farming, Mr. Willemsen raises stock quite extensively for the markets. He is a genial gentleman, public spirited and of progressive ideas. In politics, he is independent, but of Democratic sympathies. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 717.