Kuyper, Gysbert 1858-1924 and Ella De Jong Family

KUYPER, VANDERLINDEN, DEJONG, STERRENBURG

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 8/30/2021 at 10:48:43

KUYPER, Gysbert ‘G. B.’ 1858-1924 and Ella De Jong Family

This story was taken from the Sioux Center Centennial book of 1991 pages 418 and 419 and was submitted to the book by Henry C. Bartels. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw and research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg both of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

The “Kuypers,” who are they and where did they come from? Baptismal records date back to 1739 in the church of Charlois in the Netherlands.

This story will begin with Arie Kuyper who came to America with his parents in the year 1849 settling in Pella, Iowa. Arie married Jansje Vander Linden in 1876, she also was born in Holland. To this union nine children were born. Their third child was Gysbert “G.B.” Kuyper born in Pella on September 25, 1858. He married Ella De Jong on January 23, 1882.

The following year, 1883, he and his older brother Arie A. Kuyper decided to move to Sioux County, Iowa. They sent their wives, each with a small child, by train to Alton, Iowa. The two brothers came by team and wagon with their meager belongings, with another man in the cold winter time. That other man got so cold, the Kuyper brothers made him walk for many miles, or he would have frozen to death.

The G.B. Kuypers lived at Alton, Iowa for a few years, then moved to a farm six miles northwest of Sioux Center. “G.B.” Kuyper and his wife Ella (De Jong) Kuyper were the parents of fifteen children. Five of their children died within a five year period of time. These were Cornelius born 1884 and died at 18 years of age of pneumonia in 1903. Arie born 1885 and died of spinal meningitis at 19 years of age in 1904, Cornelia “Kate” born 1890 and died 1902 of diabetes and dropsy at 11 years of age, Gysbert born 1894 and died 1900 of scarlet fever at six years of age, and Mary Sue born 1899 and died 1900 of scarlet fever at six months of age. The mother Kuyper almost lost her faith in God, having experienced the loss of five children in five years.

The ten living children, five girls and five boys are the following: Jennie (Mrs. Ralph Bartels) born October 6, 1882; Antonette (Mrs. Dingeman Den Hartog) born October 16, 1887; John Kuyper born December 23, 1891 married Rena Westra; Walter Kuyper born January 31, 1896 married Attie Remmerde; Gerrit Kuyper born October 6, 1897 married Maria Hulshof; Gysbert Kuyper born March 10, 1901 married Laurina Schalekamp; Marion Kuyper born May 11, 1903 married Marie Remmerde; Nelle (Mrs. Hubert L. Niemoth) born June 29, 1905; Arvy (Mrs. Ben Wolfswinkel) born November 23, 1907; and Evelyn (Mrs. Ernest Garnmiester) born January 28, 1912.

The G.B. Kuyper family farmed northwest of Sioux Center for over thirty years. Pictured with this story is a picture of the G.B. Kuyper family with their first car. Mrs. Kuyper said, “I will never ride in that thing,” but three or four days later she did. The three oldest children Jennie, Antonette, and John were married at the time this picture was taken. The boys of G.B. Kuyper learned to drive their first car in the pasture, with the instructions that, if they could not stop the car, they were to run it into the straw stack. This proved unnecessary as the younger generation learned easier.

The farm they lived on had a one acre orchard consisting of a variety of apple trees. One morning at breakfast time, Marion told his mother that he had already eaten 13 apples. They also milked some cows, and they had a very well trained dog that would bring the cows home with the command, “Get the cows.” One day their son-in-law Ralph
Bartels and family were visiting the farm, and their grandson, Henry, at 2:00 p.m. gave the command “Get the cows” and Grandpa G.B. was not too happy about that.

G.B. Kuyper retired from farming at the age of 57 years and moved into Sioux Center about 1915, with his wife Ella, and three youngest daughters. They lived in the house on 6th Street and 1st Ave. NE which is still there to this day.

While on the farm, G.B. Kuyper was a deacon on the first consistory of the Carmel Reformed Church. G.B. Kuyper died at the age of 66 years, his wife Ella died at the age of 83 years and eleven months.

There are still some descendants living in Sioux Center, namely: Herbert Kuyper and Marilyn Rensink who were children of Marion Kuyper; Anna Mulder and Helen Schenk who were children of Antonette Kuyper Den Hartog; Grace Sneller and Henry C. Bartels who were children of Jennie Kuyper Bartels. There also are a number of ministers with the Kuyper name.

Two of the fifteen children of G.B. Kuyper are still living at the time of this writing. These are Nelle (Mrs. Niemoth) of Sheldon, Iowa, and Evelyn, now Mrs. Wm. Huyser of Pella, Iowa.

by Henry C. Bartels

RESEARCH NOTES – by Wilma J Vande Berg

Dutch obituary from the Volksvriend newspaper: January 1, 1925.
Friday morning, 26 Dec. 1924, about half past 10, died after a short illness, died quietly. Our beloved husband and the children's caring father, G. B. Kuyper, 66 years and 2 months old. A burial will take place on Monday, 29th of December from the Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center, under the leadership of Rev. A. Haverkamp, where the mortal remains will be in the Carmel churchyard.
The deceased was born in Pella, Marion County, Iowa, 25th of September, 1858. In the year 1882 he married with Ella De Jong. After that they moved to near Alton, in Sioux County, Iowa.
Obituary from the Boyden Reporter: January 1, 1925:
G. B. Kuyper Passes Away - G. B. Kuyper, formerly a resident of this community, but of late a citizen of Sioux Center, Iowa, died at his home there on Friday morning, December 26th at the age of 66 years and 3 months. His death was caused from rheumatism. Deceased is a brother of Mr. A. A. Kuyper of this vicinity. Deceased leaves a wife and ten children.
Funeral services were held Monday at 11:30 at the home and 12:00 at the Central Reformed Church at Sioux Center. The A. A. Kuyper family and Guy Kuyper family, and many other relatives attended the funeral. The Reporter extends its sympathy to the bereaved relatives.
NOTE: G. B.'s wife, Ella De Jong, is the daughter of Cornelius De Jong and Antonia Sterrenburg, Pella, Iowa.

OBITUARY of Ella De Jong – Mrs. Gysbert Kuyper 1864-1948
Mrs. G. B. Kuyper Dies, Near 84 Years, Mrs. G. B. Kuyper, nee Ella De Jong, died June 14 after an illness of 18 days, at the age of 83 years, 11 months and 20 days. Mrs. Kuyper was born at Pella, Iowa on June 24, 1864, united in marriage to Gysbert Kuyper at Pella in the year 1882. To this union 15 children were born.
Her husband preceded her in death on December 26, 1924, also five children: Gysbert, age 6, in 1900; Mary Sue, 6 months, in 1900: Cornelia, age 12 years, in 1902: Cornelius, age 19 years, in 1903: Arie, Age 19 years, in 1905. The surviving who mourn her death are: Jennie, Mrs. Ralph Bartles; Nettie, Mrs. D. Den Hartog; John, Walter, Gerrit, Gysbert, Marion, Nellie, Mrs. Hubert Niemoth; Arvey, Mrs. Ben Wolfwinkel; Evelyn, Mrs. Ernie Garnmeister; also 45 grandchildren and 57 great grandchildren.
She was a member of the Central Reformed Church and has lived in the Sioux Center community practically all her married life. The funeral will be held on Thursday, June 17, at 1 o'clock in the home and at 1:30 o'clock at the Central Reformed Church. Rev. R. Menngs will officiate.
Note: Her parents are Antonia Sterrenburg and Cornelius De Jong living in Pella, Iowa.
Source: Sioux Center News, June 17, 1948

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen