Mieras, Jacob W. 1865-1935 and Cynthia Wesselink Families

MIERAS, WESSELINK, RAAK, LUBBERS, VANPEURSEM

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 9/3/2021 at 14:57:21

Mieras, Jacob W. and Cynthia Wesselink Family

This story was taken from the Sioux Center Centennial Book of 1991 page 434, it was submitted to the book by Mrs. John (Alice) Mieras. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw and some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg.

Cynthia (Wesselink) Mieras was born in Sioux Center to Mr. and Mrs. Dick Wesselink April 5, 1874. Jacob W. Mieras was born to Mr. and Mrs. Will Mieras at Maurice, Iowa.

Cynthia was first united in marriage to Gerrit Raak on March 5, 1891, at Orange City, Iowa. Because of Mr. Raak’s failing health they moved to Texas. Three sons and one daughter were born to them, but only one son survived, Dick Raak. In August, 1900, Mr. Raak passed away.

On September 6, 1901, Cynthia married Jacob W. Mieras at Maurice. He was the father of six children of a previous marriage. They are Will Mieras of Mapes, North Dakota; Minnie (Mrs. Arie Raak) of Orange City, Iowa; Cora (Mrs. Will Noorday) of Marion, South Dakota, George Mieras of Orange City and Jane (Ferguson) of Lake Isabella, California.

The following children were born to Cynthia and Jacob Mieras; Josie (Mrs. Rev. Ralph Vander Pol); John Mieras of Sioux Center and Jack Mieras of Boyden, Iowa. One son Vernon died at the age of six years.

After farming for many years in North and South Dakota the family moved to Sioux Center in 1921. Mr. Mieras was a cream truck driver for the Sioux Center Creamery for many years. Later he started the Standard Oil Station which was located on the corner where Kum and Go Store now stands.

Mrs. Mieras was a devoted mother and grandmother and spent many years assisting in the delivery of babies in the homes while she lived in South Dakota. She also was noted for her beautiful handwork and cooking. Mr. Mieras passed away in September 1932 of a ruptured appendix. Mrs. Mieras passed away in May 1963 at the age of 89 years after spending many years in the nursing wing of the local hospital.

by Mrs. John (Alice) Mieras

RESEARCH NOTES added by Wilma J. Vande Berg

OBITUARY of Cynthia Mrs Jacob W. Mieras 1874-1963
Source: Sioux County Index (5-30-1963)
Born: April 5, 1874
Died: May 27, 1963
Mrs. Cynthia Mieras
Funeral services for Mrs. Cynthia Mieras, 89, lifelong Sioux Center resident, who died in a nursing home there Monday will be at 9:30 A.M. Friday at the First Reformed Church in Sioux Center. Burial will be in the Sioux Center Community Cemetery under the direction of the Vander Ploeg Funeral Home.
Mrs. Mieras was born April 5, 1874 in Sioux Center. She was married to Geert Raak March 5, 1891, at Orange City, Iowa. He died in 1900.
She was married to Jacob W. Mieras on August 5, 1900. He died in 1935. Mrs. Mieras had been at the nursing home for the last five years.
Survivors include two sons, Dick Raak of Sioux Center and Jack Mieras of Boyden, Iowa; a daughter, Mrs. Ralph Vander Pol of Leamington, Ontario, Canada, two stepsons, Will Mieras of Lakota, North Dakota, and George Mieras of Orange City; four stepdaughters, Mrs. Arie Raak of Orange City, Mrs. Will Noordy of Marlon, South Dakato,; Mrs. William Schneiderman of Freeport, Illinois, and Mrs. Earl Ferguson of Los Angeles; 14 grandchildren; 32 great grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren and 34 step- great-grandchildren.

OBITUARY of Gerrit Raak (first husband of Cynthia Wesselink)
Sioux County Herald of Aug 8, 1900 p. 5
The prolonged afflictions of Geert Raak terminated in death last Thursday morning. Deceased, for seven years, had been a sufferer from that dreaded disease, consumption, which, with a dropsy complication, caused his death. Mr.Raak was 34 years of age and leaves a wife and one child to mourn his demise. He was a man who enjoyed the confidence and respect of his fellow men, and his death, just at the prime of life, is deeply regretted by all who were acquainted with him. The bereaved wife and her little child have the sympathy of all.
The funeral was held from the First Reformed church Friday afternoon, conducted by the Rev. Steffens, and was largely attended by sympathizing friends and neighbors.
(Gerrit Raak is listed in the Sioux county cemetery headstone index as born 15 Jun 1862 died 2 Aug 1900 buried Orange City. Found an ancestry.com family report. Geert Raak born Jun 15, 1867 Grand Haven Michigan died Aug 5, 1900 Orange City IA. His parents were Geert Raak 1825-1874 and Eyke ‘Ide’ Winter 1831-1924. His wife was Cynthia ‘Gezina’ Wesselink 1874-1963 and they had at least two children Geert ‘Gerrit’ Raak 1892 and Dirk Henry ‘Dick’ Raak 1899-1967.)

OBITUARY of Jacob W. Mieras (2nd husband of Cynthia Wesselink)
Published in The Alton (Iowa) Democrat, September 20, 1935:
JACOB MIERAS PASSES AWAY
Was Resident of Sioux Center Since 1916
Jacob Wm. Mieras, respected Sioux Center resident, died Friday at the Hull hospital at the age of 70 years. His death was caused by appendicitis followed by pneumonia.
He was born Sept 3, 1865, at Milwaukee, Wis., where he lived until the age of three years. His parents and family then moved to Greenleafton, Wis., but a few years later came to Sioux county, settling near Maurice. In March 1886, he married Jane Van Peursem, who died fourteen years later on June 27, 1900. He married Mrs. C. Raak (nee Cynthia Wesselink) in September 1901. The couple moved to North Dakota with their children in 1904 and four years later removed to Monroe, S.D., where they lived until 1916. In that year they came to live at Sioux Center where they have resided since.
Mr. Mieras is survived by his widow and ten children, as follows: Arie Raak, Orange City; Mrs. Wm. Noordsy, Monroe, S.D.; Wm. Mieras, Sioux Center; George Mieras, Maurice; D.H. Raak, Sioux City; Mr. and Mrs. W.C. De Boer, Davis S.D.; John Mieras, Struble; Mrs. Ralph Vander Pol, Danforth Ill.; P.H. Vermeer and Jake Mieras Jr., of Sioux Center. Also surviving at five sisters, namely: Mrs. A. Van Wechel, Orange City; Mrs. H. Mensink, Maurice; Mrs. J. Van Wechel, Mrs. Mieras and Mrs. Gerritsen, all of Yakima, Washington.
Mr. Mieras was an active member of the First Reformed Church, a devoted husband and father, and honorable citizen. Funeral services were held Monday afternoon at the home and First Ref. Church, in charge of Rev. Brunsting. All of the children and their families, including Rev. and Mrs. Vander Pol of Danforth, Illinois, were present at the services, as were hundreds of other relatives and friends.

FAMILY REORT from ancestry.com (done by others not verified by me)
Gezina ‘Cynthia’ Wesselink was born 5 Apr 1874 Sioux Center IA died 27 May 1963 Sioux Center IA She was first married to Gerrit Raak born 15 Jun 1867 died Aug 1900, They had several children, on son Dick survived. Her parents were Dirk Hendrik Wesselink 1835-abt 1874 and Johanna Gezina Lubbers 1838. Her father died in the Rock River in 1874 along with Mr. Kleuvers.
Cynthia then married Jacob William Mieras born 3 Sep 1865 Milwaukee County WI died 13 Sep 1935 Hull IA. He was the son of Willem Mieras 1823-1892 and Quirina Carrie Reinjhout 1822-1891.
Jacob had first been married to Jannetje Jane Van Peursem 1867-1900. They had six children William 1889, Wilhemina 1890, Corinna 1893, Stella 1895, George 1896 and Jennie 1900.
After Jacob Mieras and Cynthia Wesselink Raak married they had five children – Jennie 1900, Josie 1902, John 1905, Vernon 1911 and Jacob 1915.

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