Broek, John 1888-1973 and Elsie Wassink Family

BROEK, WASSINK, VANDYK, VANDIJK, MULDER

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 9/9/2021 at 10:16:59

Broek, John 1888-1973 and Elsie E. Wassink Family

This story was taken from the Sioux Center Centennial book of 1991 page 262 and was submitted to the book by Diane (Broek) Van De Berg. It was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw and some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg, both of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

John Broek, son of David and Margaret (Van Dyke) Broek was born in Kampen, Netherlands on March 29, 1888. John did carpenter work in the Netherlands. His parents and brothers: William and Bert and sisters: Hilda, Christina and Effie all arrived in America in May 1904, when John was 16 years old. They arrived in Hull, Iowa and were met at the depot by a cousin, Lammert Van Wyhe. They settled on a farm by Sioux Center where they farmed as a family.

Elsie Elizabeth (Wassink) Broek was born on November 20, 1888, in Arnhem, Gelderland, Netherlands, to Arend and Nellie (Mulder) Wassink. They arrived in America in March 1894, with children: William, Cornelia, Albert, Elsie Elizabeth, Arend H. and Bertha. They made their home near Sioux Center for one year. At that time it was very hard to get work even at 75¢ a day. They and some others from the area moved to Mississippi. After staying about four years they moved to Texas about 40 miles west of Galveston, near a bajou or river and lived there for one and a half years. When Elsie was 12 years old, they lived through the Galveston storm where everything was flooded. After this storm they moved to a Sioux Center farm in 1900.

John and Elsie were married on February 26, 1913. They farmed by Sioux Center, Sanborn, Perkins and then settled in Sioux Center. John served on the Church consistory and on the Christian School board.

To this marriage eleven children were born: David, Arend, Margaret, Nellie, Mathilda, Bertha, William, Cornelius, John, Elsie Elizabeth and Christine Evelyn. All the children were born at home and attended country school and later Christian School.

David was born February 1, 1914 and married Cornelia Vande Garde on February 1, 1939. They have three sons: Jay, Darwin, and Roger. David passed away on May 30, 1989.

Arend was born on June 18, 1915 and married Cora Jansen on January 7, 1938. They have five daughters: Delores (Lori), Joan, Arlene, Linda and Marianne. Arend passed away on May 21, 1982.

Margaret was born December 25, 1916 and married William De Koter on December 3, 1943. They have three children: Gary, Elaine and Daniel.

Nellie was born May 26, 1918 and was married to James Franken on May 26, 1939. They have three children: Arthur, Eleanor and John.

Mathilda was born February 27, 1921 and married John Van Beek on December 9, 1947. They have three children: Marilyn, Alan and Marla.

Bertha was born November 24, 1922 and was married to Clarence Klein on August 7, 1946. They have four children: Arlin, Wanda, Ruth and Kenneth.

William (Bill) was born January 18, 1925 and married Ina Altena on December 28, 1945. They have three daughters: Rosella, Paulette and Rebecca.

Cornelius (Cornie) was born January 23, 1926 and married Albertha (Berdie) Hulstein on February 11, 1948. They have four daughters: Judith, Fonda, Diane and Kathy.

John was born on June 2, 1927 and married Gertrude De Vos on February 6, 1948. They have five sons: Leslie, Harlan, Daniel, Mark and Jon Eric.

Elsie was born January 12, 1930 and married Gaynor Te Grotenhuis on January 3, 1951. They have three children: Donna, Wayne and Beth.

Christine (Chris) was born June 21, 1931 and was married to Peter Schouten on January 12, 1955. They have three children: Sandra, Sharon and Jeffery.

John enjoyed carpenter work for a hobby and sang with the men’s choir called “Lofstem.” Elsie made rugs, did sewing and canning. In 1961, Elsie surprised all of her children by making each of them a quilt. She would work on them when John was outdoors and had quite a few of them before he realized what she was doing. The family also enjoyed singing together.

John passed away October 30, 1973 and Elsie passed away April 21, 1964.

As of this writing there are 39 grandchildren, 69 great-grandchildren and 9 great-great-grandchildren of the John and Elsie Broek family.

by Diane (Broek) Van de Berg

RESEARCH NOTES: added by Wilma J. Vande Berg

Birth records found on www.wiewaswie.nl

BIRTH RECORD of John Broek
Jan Broek was born at Kampen Overijssel Netherlands born David Broek a veehouder (sheep herder) age 35, and Marregien van Dijk, he was born 29 Mar 1888 at Kampen.

BIRTH RECORD of Elsie Wassink
Elsje Elisabeth Wassink was born to Arend Wassink a gardener age 38 and Nennetje Mulder at Arnhem, Gelderland Netherlands on 21 Nov 1888.

OBITUARY of John Broek 1888-1973
Source:Sioux Center News (11-1-1973)
Born: March 29, 1888
Died: October 30, 1973
Funeral services will be held at Bethel Christian Reformed Church here at 10:30 A.M. today(Thursday) for John Broek Sr., 85, retired farmer and long-time resident of Sioux Center Community, who died at the Sioux Center hospital October 30.
Services will be conducted by the Rev. Henry Vanden Heuvel and burial will be in Sioux Center Memory Gardens Cemetery with Vander Ploeg’s Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
Mr. Broek was born in The Netherlands March 29, 1888. Married Elsie Wessink in Sioux Center February 26, 1913. She died in 1964.
Survivors include five sons, David of Rock Valley, Arnold, William and Cornie, all of Sioux Center and John of Orange City; six daughters, Mrs. William (Margaret) DeKoter of Orange City, Mrs. James (Nellie) Franken of Sioux Center, Mrs. John (Matilda) Van Beek of Ireton, Mrs. Clarence (Bertha) Klein of Alton, Mrs. Baynor (Elsie) Te Grotenhuis of Rock Valley and Mrs. Peter (Christine) Schouten of Ireton; a sister, Mrs. Henry (Effie)Altena of Rock Valley; 38 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.
Note: 1925 Iowa Census state his parents were David Broek and Margaret Van Dyke.

OBITUARY of Elsie Mrs. John Broek
Sioux Center News of 23 April 1964 p.1
Tuesday; Funeral Is Friday
Funeral services will be held at Bethel Christian Reformed church here at 1:30 p.m. Friday for Mrs. John Broek, 75, long-time resident of Sioux Center, who died Tuesday at the Sioux Center Community hospital following a stroke. She had been hospitalized one day.
Services will be conducted by the Rev. Clarence: Vander Plate and burial. will, be made, in the Sioux Center Community cemetery under the direction of Vander Ploeg's Funeral home. A brief service will be :held at Vander Ploeg's funeral chapel preceding the service at the church.
Mrs. Broek, nee. Elsie Wassink, was born in The Netherlands, November 20, 1888. She was married to John Broek February 26, 1913, in Sioux Center, and to this union 11 children were born.
Survivors besides her husband of Sioux Center include five sons, Dave of Inwood, Arend of Hull, William, Cornie and John of Sioux Center; six daughters, Mrs. William DeKoter of Maurice, Mrs. James Franken of Sioux Center, Mrs. John Van Beek of Ireton, Mrs. Clarence Klein of Alton, Mrs. Gaynor TeGrotenhuis of Rock Valley and Mrs. Peter Schouten of Ireton.
Other survivors include 37 grandchildren, four great grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Albert Kraayenvrink of Sioux Center, and a brother Arend Wassink of Saranac MI. She was preceded in death by three brothers, William, the Rev. Albert and Case Wassink.

OBITUARIES of David Broek (father of John)
From the Rock Valley Bee, May 1, 1908: "Hull Haps:
David Broek, who resided north of town died Sunday morning. For quite a number of years he has suffered from cancer in his bowels. Funeral services were held Tuesday.
* * * * * * * * * *
From the Sioux Center Nieuwsblad, April 29, 1908:
David Broek, van wien wij in een vorig nommer reeds meldden, dat hij achteruit ging, is Zondagmorgen overladen. Reeds sedert geruimen tijd was hij lijdende geweest aan tering. De begrafenis had Dinsdagnamiddag plaats van uit de Chr. Ger. kerk alhier. Wij betuigen onze sympathie met de bedroefde weduwe en kinderen in dit hun zware verlies.
Translation:
David Broek, about whom we reported in a previous issue that he was failing, died Sunday morning. He had been suffering for a long time from tuberculosis. The funeral was held Tuesday afternoon from the local Christian Reformed church. We express our sympathy with the grieving widow and children in their great loss.
* * * * * * * * * *
From the Sioux Center Nieuwsblad, May 6, 1908:
Overlijdensbericht. Den 26sten April nam de Heere tot Zich onzen geliefden Man en Vader DAVID BROEK, in den ouderdom van 55 jaren. Zijn lijden was lang en soms smartelijk. We gelooven dat hij nu boven alle lijden verheven is bij zijn Zaligmaker.
Translation:
Obituary. On April 26th the Lord took to Himself our beloved husband and father DAVID BROEK, at the age of 55 years. His suffering was long and sometimes painful. We believe that he is now beyond all suffering with his Saviour. [Followed by a paragraph thanking neighbors and friends for their help and sympathy.]
* * * * * * * * * *
He is not included in the Sioux County Cemetery Index, and a search of the Ancestry.com index for the 1900 U.S. census did not find a person by that name in Sioux County. Several public family trees on Ancestry.com include David Broek, born 19 Oct 1852 in Kampen, Overijssel, Netherlands; married Marigje Margaret Van Dyk in 15 July 1880 in the Netherlands; several children; died 23 April 1908 in Sioux Center, Iowa. Some show him arriving in the U.S. (Boston) in 1904.

OBITUARY of Mrs. David Broek (Mother of John)
Sioux Center News, July 23, 1943
Mrs. David Broek a former Sioux Center resident passed away at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Henry Altena at Rock Valley on Tuesday afternoon, July 20, 1943 at the age of 90 years, and 10 months. She had made her home with the Altena family for the past 29 years.
Surviving are the six children, Mr. William Broek of Sioux Center, Mrs. S. Faber of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Mr. John Broek of Sioux Center, Mrs. S. Sybesma of Sioux Center, Mrs. Henry Altena of Rock Valley and Bert Broek of Sioux Center, also 62 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 24, 1943 at 12:30 at the home of Mr. & Mrs. Henry Altena of Rock Valley and at 1:30 at the Christian Reformed Church at Rock Valley with the Rev. Triesenburg officiating. Burial will be made in the family plot at the Sioux Center cemetery.
A grandson, Pvt. Sam Altena, son of Mr. & Mrs. Henry Altena, who is stationed at Camp Hulen, Texas is expected to come home to attend the services.

1961 photo, John and Elsie Broek Family.
Back row: L-R: Nellie, Cornie, David, John, William, Arend, Elsie
Front row: LR Mathilda, Margaret, John, Elsie, Bertha, and Chris.

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