Martin VanBuren Vandeburg

CROSBY, HOGLAN, REEVES, VANDEBURG, WILSON

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson (email)
Date: 8/27/2004 at 13:33:30

Martin V. Vandeburg, who owns a fine farm of two hundred and forty acres in Madison county, is now living retired in Winterset, having accumulated a competence by following agricultural pursuits in former years. He was born in Greene county. New York, on the 4th of May, 1843, a son of James D. and Merilla (Crosby) Vandeburg, both are representatives of the original colony that emigrated to the New Netherlands from Holland. The father was employed in a tannery in New York in his early manhood but after his marriage took up his residence upon a farm in Greene county, that state. In 1857 he and his brother engaged in the tanning business in Ulster county, New York, on their own account. Four years later, however, he came westward, first settling in La Salle county, Illinois, where he resided for about five years. In 1866 he removed with his family to Rock Island county, Illinois, where he acquired land. He raised stock to a considerable extent and had a fine herd of Durham cattle. In 1875 he became a resident of Shelby county, Iowa, where he became a landowner, and he was residing at Walnut, Iowa, at the time of his death. While living in both New York and Illinois he was elected to township offices, proving an able and conscientious official. The Methodist Episcopal church in the various communities in which he lived found in him a loyal and consistent member. His political belief coincided with the principles of the democratic party, which he supported at the polls. He was twice married, the subject of this review being the second of six children born to the first union.

Martin V. Vandeburg attended the public schools in Greene and Ulster counties, New York, and thus acquired his education. His first business experience was gained in a store operated by a tannery company for the benefit of its employees. He subsequently accompanied the family to Illinois, where he resided until 1875. In that year he came to Webster township, Madison county, Iowa, and continued to live there until 1904. He bought land and concentrated his attention upon general farming and stock-raising. He fed many hogs annually and a number of cattle. In time he acquired three hundred and sixty acres of land but has now disposed of one hundred and twenty acres, still owning two hundred and forty acres.

On the 3d of April, 1863, Mr. Vandeburg was married to Miss Melvina Reeves, who was born in Pennsylvania. Her parents, Harvey and Phoebe (Hoglan) Reeves, were natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania respectively. Her father was a farmer in Pennsylvania and upon emigrating westward settled in Rock Island county, Illinois, where he owned land. He was residing there at the time of his death and was a very active and popular resident of that county. He was well-to-do and had considerable influence in public affairs. His business was that of making atlases and he published atlases of several counties in the state of Illinois. One of his sons gave his life in defense of the Union, being killed at the front during the Civil war. Mr. and Mrs. Vandeburg have three children: Minnie is the wife of John Wilson, a farmer and landowner residing at Kimball, South Dakota, by whom she has six children, Nellie, Ernest, Florence, Gertrude, Estella and Marion. Arthur is farming in Webster township., Jennie is the wife of Ray Wilson, an agriculturist of Webster township, by whom she has three children, Lois, Paul and Donald.

Mr. Vandeburg is a democrat and for eight years served as township trustee. He has done much to further the work of the Maple Grove Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was trustee for many years. He was also a member of the building committee when the church edifice was erected. During the eleven years that he has resided in Winterset he has cooperated in a number of movements for the good of the community and is one of the most valued residents of the city.

Taken from the book, “The History of Madison County, Iowa, 1915”