Kosters, Hendrikus D. 1830-1909 Family

KOSTERS, KOSTER, BONNINGHORST, LEFERS, VELDHUIS, WIERS, NIEUWENHUIS

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 8/31/2021 at 09:28:40

Kosters, Hendrikus, 1830 and #1 Aaltje Bonnekhorst & #2 Fannie Lefers Family

This story was taken from the Sioux Center Centennial book of 1991 page 408 and was submitted to the book by Jean Kosters. 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.

Hendrickus D. Kosters was born 11/25/1830-1909 in the Province of Overijssel, the Netherlands to Gerrit Wilem 1779. Hendrickus married Aaltje (Alice) Bonnekhorst in Rissen, Netherlands in 1855. They decided to go to America, leaving 3 brothers and 1 sister behind. They had four children, Hendrick John, Alida, Gerrit Welem and John, when they crossed the Atlantic and arrived in New York City in 1871. Staying there just a short time they moved on to Virginia to find work. One year was spent among the colored people working for 70 cents a day plus a loaf of bread, cornmeal and a fat of pork (vet en stroup).

Dutch families traveled westward together by covered wagons, known as prairie schooners. Kosters and Gerrit Nykamp’s families went to Michigan and joined a colonizing group headed by Rev. Van Raalte. They continued westward towards Iowa where Kosters claimed a homestead on an 80 acre farm 1 mile south, 2 miles west and ¼ mile south of Sioux Center in 1872. They lived in a sod hut for five years. Adding supporting beams with slew grass was always necessary to prevent mud from falling through and to keep out the rain and cold weather.

When their fifth child Rojena was born, Hendrickus built a two-story house to replace their sod hut. Henry and Albert Kosters were born in the two-story house.

Aaltje died of back cancer (kauker) while she was in her 40’s. Hendrickus then hired a couple to keep house for his family. He built a kitchen onto the two-story house for the couple to live in.

Hendrickus was a widower for two years when he married Fanne Lefers in 1881. She was a daughter of John and Susan (Sweene Niers) Lefers. Fanne came from Germany and lived with her sister, Hermina (Lefers) who married Rev. Stodt in Orange City, Iowa. Hendrickus was in his early 50’s and his youngest son, Albert was 4 years old when he married Fanne. They had 3 children, Aaltje “Alice” (Hamstra) Kosters 5/13/1883-1982, John William 3/18/1885-1959, and Gerrit John 10/1/1887-Kosters.

During this time on the farm, grasshoppers plagued the area and covered the sun like a cloud. To obtain firewood for cooking and heating, John William often spent a couple of days chopping wood at the Rock River.

One spring a cyclone hit and Gerrit John’s wife, Hentje (Markus) Kosters was killed as well as their 7 year old daughter Aaltje (who was at school at the time). Their son Henry who was just a baby, suffered a broken arm.

Neighborhood gatherings of picnics and celebrations constituted their entertainment. As time went on Kosters left the farming to his sons, while he sat on a dry stool (swivel chair) and watched through a window. He died in 1909.

A recorder added “s” to one group of Koster clan when they landed between Virginia and their settlements because he referred to them as the rest of the group, hence; Kosters.

Submitted to the book by Jean (Meeng) Kosters

RESEARCH NOTES by Wilma J. Vande Berg

BIRTH RECORD of Hendrikus Koster (note spelled Koster in Netherlands) his parents were Gerrit Willem Koster, a farm worker, and Aleida Veldhuis, he was born 25 Nov 1830 at Rijssen, Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands

MARRIAGE RECORD Hendrikus Koster a farm worker born at Rijssen age 21, married Aaltjen Bonninghorst born at Rijssen age 18. His parents were Gerrit Willem Koster and Aleida Veldhuis, her parents were Reint Bonninghorst and Anna Nieuwenhuis. They were married 29 Oct 1852 at Rijssen, Zwolle, Overijssel, Netherlands.

MARRIAGE RECORD Sioux County marriage record of Nov 9, 1881, Hendrik Kosters age 50 born in prov. Overijssel Neth., of Orange City IA son of Gerrit Willem Kosters and Alida Veldhuis married Fenne Lefers of Orange City, age 32 born Oosterwolde province of Prussia, parents Jan Lefers, and Fenne Wiers.
(question if her maiden name was Niers or Wiers, upon inspection of the marriage record it looks like Wiers.)

OBITUARY of Hendrik D. Kosters 1830-1909
Sioux Center Newspaper 'Dutch' Oct 6, 1909
Translated -
The old gentleman H. D. Kosters passed away. He had suffered a long time. He was 79 years old. The funeral took place yesterday from the Chr. Ref. church. Ds. Van Wyk led the service.
(From the ancestry.com report. Hendrikus Kosters born 25 Nov 1830 Rijssen Overijssel Neth. died Oct 2, 1909 Sioux Center IA . Married Nov 29, 1852 to Aaltje Bonnekhorst at Rijssen. She died abt 1877. He then married Fannie Lefer 1879, she was born about 1850. Hendrikus was the son of Gerrit William Kosters and Leideken Veldhuis. Children were Hendrik J.'Hein' 1853, Aleida 1855, Regina 1859, Gerrit W. 1861, Jan 1864, Reint 1866, Rowena 1871. )

BIRTH of Aaltjen Bonninghorst to Reint Bonninghorst, a weaver, and Anna Nieuwenhuis, a farm maid, born on 22 Jul 1834 at Rijssen, Overijssel, Netherlands.

OBITUARY of Aaltje Bonninghorst - Mrs. H. D. Kosters born 22 Jul 1834. Rijssen, Overijssel Netherlands – Only death date found was in an ancestry.com report by others, that she died in 1877 Sioux County IA. Reference in the story in the Centennial book state that she died two years before he married Fannie Lefers which would put her death about 1879. There was no surviving newspaper for Sioux Center until 1893. No evidence of her death was found in the newspaper digital archives for Sioux County.

OBITUARY of Fannie Mrs. H. D. Kosters abt 1848-1926. Found two small obits.
Kosters, Fannie born 9 Apr 1848 died 4 Oct 1926 husb: Hendrikus buried in Memory Gardens Cemetery Sioux Center IA
Sioux Center Nieuwsblad Oct 6, 1926 In Dutch
Attempted translation.
Monday Mrs. H. D. Kosters died of pneumonia, the deceased was 77 and a half years of age. The funeral at this place on Thursday first at house then at 2 o’clock in the 2nd Chr Ref church.
Note: A report on ancestry.com has Fenna Lefers born Apr 9, 1848 in Germany, she married Hendrikus D. Kosters Nov 9, 1881 Sioux county IA, She died Oct 4, 1926 Sioux Center, IA. They had a large family of children.
See the obit of her husband Hendrik D. Kosters 1830-1909 for further family details.

The picture is from the 1908 Atlas of Sioux County Section 3 page 4.
It would be of Hendrikus Kosters and his second wife Fannie Lefers.

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