DeSmet, Domonic 1862-1934 and Sidonie Lens Family

DESMET, LENS MAIJVAERT

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 2/12/2022 at 07:43:44

DeSmet, Domonic 1862-1934 and Sidonie Lens Family

This story was taken from pages 61-62 of the Rock Valley St. Mary’s Catholic Church Book written for the centennial of the church in about 1982(?). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some changes were made in the outline of the story to make it flow better for this BIOS. Some research notes and obituaries were added.

Dominic De Smet and Sidonie Lens came to this country from Belgium, with their two oldest children in 1892. They moved into the little house on 13th Street, then owned by Dr. Plumbe. Mr. DeSmet worked on farms out in the country and was able to be home only on weekends. Later they rented a farm and it was there that ten of their children were born. In 1909 they moved to Alvord where he farmed for nine years before returning to Rock Valley. There they lived on an acreage on the east end of town. They remained in Rock Valley until their deaths. Sidonie died in 1957. The DeSmets had 13 children:

EMIEL (deceased) married and had two children, Edward and Alice Langewierdt (deceased).

ARTHUR is deceased and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley.

LOUISE died in infancy and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley.

LUCY (DE BAERE) WIERING has five children: Dick DeBaere, Helen Stevens, Marcella Zimmer, Frances Bjerke and James Wiering.

CHARLES lived in St. Louis, Missouri most of his adult life. He served in the Army during World War I. He married and had three children: LaVerne Weideman, Betty Havener and Charles Jr. Charles Sr. is deceased and is buried in St. Louis.
Charles Jr. was born September 21, 1922 at St. Louis, and served in the Marines from 1941 to 1945. He married Mildred Wascheski of Exeter, New Hampshire. Charlie and Millie came to Rock Valley and operated the Sportsman Café in the 1950’s. They had one son, Joseph, who served in the Navy from 1962 until 1965. Joey is married and has two children, Kimberley and Joseph Jr.
In 1952 Charlie was married to Jo Anne Wolfe and they had two daughters, Patty of Springfield, Missouri, and Judy of Kent State University, Ohio.
Millie is deceased and is buried in Exeter, N.H. Charlie was killed in a car accident in St. Louis on May 24th, 1954, and is buried at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.

ALPHONSE married and had three children: Bernard, Leonard and Geraldine Rabusch. Alphonse is now deceased and buried in Larchwood.

EMMA was born January 21, 1901 at Rock Valley. She married Albert Taveirne on September 22, 1924. They farmed near Ghent, Minnesota for many years. Albert, who came from Belgium in 1922, died at the age of 77 in 1978 and is buried in Ghent. Emma and Albert had five sons: Edmond and Edward (twins), Donald, Louis and Laurence.
Edmond and Edward, twins, both spent four years in the Air Force. Edmond was in seminary in Indiana for two years before he died May 28, 1968, at the age of 31. Edward married and has one daughter, Nicole. He resides in Russell, Minnesota.
Louis spent two years in the Navy and now lives at Lynd, Minnesota. He and his wife have two adopted children, James and Barbara, both of whom are married.
Laurence spent two years in the Army and now lives at Alexandria, Minnesota. He has been a victim of Multiple Sclerosis for six years. Laurence is married and has six children, all of whom are married: Larry, who lives at Ghent, Minnesota and has one daughter, Jackie; a son, John, at Marshall, Minnesota; Scott, who has one son, Jason; Steven, Libbe Hutchins and Shelly Anderson, all of whom live at Alexandria, Minnesota.

CLARA GROEN is deceased and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Rock Valley.

EDWARD married Mary Roemen from St. Mary’s Paris in Larchwood, Iowa, on June 26, 1928. He sold stocks and bonds until 1934 when Ed purchased an interest in the Thornburg Company. In 1956 he became the sole owner when his partner, Bob Thornburg moved to California. Mary and Ed enjoyed many happy years together working in the store. Ed died in 1973 and is buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery. The DeSmets had two daughters, Mary Ellen (see McGill) and Donna Mae (see Bonthuis).

THEODORE was married and had seven children: Alvin, Veronica Weins, Cletus, Gene, Jane Herrigs, Donald and Dean. Ted is now deceased and buried at Larchwood.

MARTHA was born May 23, 1908 at Rock Valley. She attended St. Mary’s School and graduated from Rock Valley High School. On September 12, 1927 she married Elmer Remmerde and they farmed in Minnesota for two years, after which they returned to Iowa where they became members of Sacred Heart Parish in Alvord. The Remmerdes had three daughters: Maxine, who married Earl Serck and has five children; Delores, who married Dayton Sanford, and has three children, and Shirley, who married Bob Schemmel, and has two children.
Elmer and Martha moved to Sioux Falls in 1978. Elmer died November 1, 1979 in Sioux Falls and was b buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery at Alvord.

IRENE (See their separate story in the book under Clarence Miller)
Synopsis – Irene De Smet and Clarence Miller married April 6, 1939. Clarence worked for the Community Oil for 42 years. He died Oct 31, 1978. Irene taught in rural schools before marriage. They were the parents of three children; Arlyn J., Barbara A. and Michael C.

ALICE (See their separate story in the book under Gerrit Vugteveen)
Synopsis – Alice De Smet and Gerrit Vugteveen married Oct 25, 1937. Gerrit worked for Thornburg Co. until he was drafted in WW II. He was sent overseas. In July 13, 1944 he was killed in action. He was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery four years later.
They had two children: James was living in Monmouth IL as a pharmacist. They have two children. Delores married Thomas Reith and were living in Dayton OH.

RESEARCH NOTES – Obituaries

OBITUARY OF DOMINIC DE SMET
From the Alton Democrat, September 7, 1934, Rock Valley news:
Dominick De Smet passed away very suddenly at his home Friday night. Mr. De Smet was conversing with his wife and a friend when he suddenly collapsed in his chair and had passed from this life. Deceased would have been 72 years old in November. Funeral services were held from St. Mary’s Catholic Church Tuesday morning.
Mrs. Dick Groen of Santa Ana, Cal., arrived Sunday night, having been called here by the sudden death of her father, D. De Smet. Mrs. Groen will be remembered as Miss Clara DeSmet.
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From the Alton Democrat, September 14, 1934, Rock Valley news:
Funeral services were held Tuesday morning for Domien De Smet at St. Mary’s Catholic church, conducted by Rev. A. J. Foerster, pastor of the local parish.
Domien De Smet was born in November, 1862 at Buchante, Belgium, where he grew to manhood and where he was married. Forty years ago he and his family set sail for America, coming to Rock Valley where he made his home for ten years, the family then moving to Lester in Lyon county where they resided on a farm for nine years. In 1919 he moved back to Rock Valley where he resided until his death. He was the father of thirteen children, eleven of whom, besides the widow, survive.
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From De Volksvriend, September 13, 1934, Rock Valley news:
(Translation) Mr. Domien de Smet, who died suddenly last week, was buried Tuesday from the R. (Ch) church. The deceased was 71 years old and leaves behind his wife and the following children: Arthur, Ed., Irene and Alice here; Mrs. R. Groen, Santa Ana, Calif.; Mrs. J. Wiering, Al and Ted de Smet, Larchwood; Mrs. A. Tavierne, Ghent, Minn., Ch. de Smet, St. Louis, Mo., and Mrs. Elmer Remmerde, Alvord. A large number of family members from various places in Minnesota and here came for the funeral.
* * * * * * * * * *
(The Rock Valley Bee, which might have contained a more detailed obituary, is missing for this period.)
The Sioux County Cemetery Index has De Smet, Dominic, b. 1862, d. 1934, Father, St. Marys Cemetery, Rock Valley IA.
His death certificate has Dommick De Smet, married, wife Mrs. Sidney Lens, born Nov. 3, 1862 in Belgium; father Peter De Smet, mother’s name not known to the informant, Ed DeSmet; resident of the U.S. 43 years and of Rock Township 15 years; retired farmer, 54 years in this occupation, last worked in 1919; died at 9 p.m. August 31, 1934; cause, coronary thrombosis.
FindaGrave.com also has him as Dominic DeSmet, 1862-1934; spouse Sidonie Marie Lens DeSmet (1871-1957); 5 children listed: Lucy Agnes DeSmet Wiering (1887-1992), Arthur J. DeSmet (1893-1962), Alfonso John DeSmet (1899-1978), Emma Madeline DeSmet Taveirne (1901-1985), and Theodore DeSmet (1906-1972). The site includes a family photo, an enlargement of Dominic from that photo, and a photo of his headstone.
WieWasWie.nl has a marriage index record for groom Dominicus de Smet, age 28, born in Boekhoute/Belgium, a farm worker, parents Leo de Smet, a farmer, and Lucia Gijselman; bride Cidonie Maria Lens, age 19, born in Wilphaartsdijk, parents Charles Ludovicus Lens, a farmer, and Adelaide Felicita Meijvaart; married 26 November 1890 at Biervliet, Zeeland.
In 1920 he filled out a passport application for a proposed trip to Belgium to visit relatives. It says that he was born at Bouehaute, East Flanders Province, Assenede Canton, Belgium on November 3, 1862; his now-deceased father, Leo de Smet, was born in Bassevelde, Belgium; he emigrated to the United States, sailing from Antwerp, on May 19, 1893; he has resided uninterruptedly in the U.S., in Sioux and Lyon counties, for 27 years; he was naturalized at Orange City, Iowa, on January 20, 1908. He is described as 57 years old, 5 feet 7 inches tall, blue eyes, dark brown hair, ruddy complexion, round face, broad nose, round chin, scar on right jaw. He signs it Domien De Smet.
Researcher Wilma Vande Berg found an Ancestry.com report that included a list of 8 of his children: Lucy Agnes 1897, Al 1899, Emma 1901 Clara 1903, Edward 1905, Ted 1906, Martha 1909, Irene 1910.

OBITUARY OF SIDONIE DE SMET
De Smet Funeral Held Saturday
Funeral services were held for Mrs. Sidonie De Smet, 85, a long time resident of Rock Valley. Mrs. Sidonie De Smet died at 12:30 a.m. Jan. 31, 1957, at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Alice Vugteveen.
Rev. Father Edward Hoffmann read the Requiem High Mass at St. Mary's Catholic church at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2. James Vugteveen, Arlyn Miller and Gary Schmidt, grandsons, were Mass servers. Burial was at St. Mary's cemetery. Vander Ploeg Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements. Rosary was recited Feb. 1, at 8:00 p.m. Pall bearers were grandsons. Ed De Smet, Alvin De Smet, Leonard De Smet, James Wiering, Louis Taveirne and Richard De Boere.
Mrs. Sidonie (nee Lens) De Smet was born June 11, 1871 at Biervliet, Holland, was united in marriage to Dominic De Smet in 1890. Thirteen children were born to this union. Two children and Mr. De Smet preceded her in death.
Survivors include Arthur and Ed De Smet, Alice Vugteveen and Mrs. Clarence Miller, Rock Valley; Mrs. Jacob Wiering, Al and Ted De Smet of Larchwood; Mrs. Clara Groen, Santa Ana, Calif; Mrs. Elmer Remmerde of Alvord; Charles De Smet of St. Louis, Mo.; and Mrs. Albert Taveirne of Marshall, Minn. Also 42 grandchildren and 55 great grandchildren. One sister, Mrs. Peter Moens of Moline, Ill.
Source: Rock Valley Bee, February 7, 1957
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NOTES OF CORRECTION:
H. P. van Zanen of Vlissingen, The Netherlands, provided the following additional and corrected information (e-mail to submitter, 19 Nov 2015):
Per her birth certificate, she was born in Wolphaartsdijk, Zeeland province (not Biervliet). Her full birth name was Cidonie Marie Lens, daughter of Charles Ludovicus Lens, a farmer, and his wife Adelaide Filicita Meijvaert.
She was married to Dominicus de Smet November 26, 1890.

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