DeVries, Jelle 1868-1920 & Gertrude VandeWeerd

DEVRIES, VANDEWEERD, ZOETHOUT

Posted By: Wilma J. Vande Berg - volunteer (email)
Date: 5/27/2024 at 07:39:57

DeVries, Jelle 1868-1920 & Gertrude Vande Weerd Family

This story was taken from pages 340-341 of the Maurice Centennial Book (1891-1991). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg.

Jelle De Vries was born August 3, 1868, in Koudam, Holland, in the province of Friesland. He immigrated to the United States in 1893.

In 1896, he married Gertrude Vande Weerd. She was born October 28, 1874, in Benekom, Holland, in the province of Gelderland.

They started farming northwest of Maurice. To this union ten children were born; Agnes, William, Jeane, Gertrude, Minnie, Elsie, Thomas, Dudley “Dan”, John and Elisabeth “Betty”.

On January 31, 1917, Gertrude, the mother, died of a stroke and left behind her husband and several small children. The youngest, Betty, was only six months old at the time. Agnes, the eldest, then took over as “Mother” of the whole family. After their Mother’s death, all of the family members had to wear black clothes not only to the funeral but for a year. All of the pictures in the house had to be covered, and all of the clocks had to be stopped. Since the funeral was in January, there was lots of snow. The snow covered all the roads and fences had to be cut so the bobsleds could get to the First Reformed Church in Maurice, for the funeral. Heated stones and straw were put on the bobsleds to keep the children warm on the way. After the burial, the family was invited to the parsonage for a hot lunch and then returned home. This was a sad time for all but life goes on!

Then on May 23, 1920, Jelle died of blood poisoning after having a tooth pulled. He and his wife, Gertrude, were buried in the Sherman Township Cemetery.

The eldest child Agnes, and her brother, William, were each married in 1923, Agnes to Louis Vander Molen, and William to Ida Bleyenberg. They continued to care for their four youngest siblings: Agnes reared Betty and John, while William was responsible for Tom and Dan. The older children were old enough to be on their own.

Agnes was born May 6, 1897, and died July 29, 1959; William was born January 8, 1899, and died June 14, 1977; Jeane was born June 13, 1900, and died July 29, 1973; Gertrude was born May 11, 1902; Minnie was born March 2, 1904, and died July 12, 1981; Elsie was born January 28, 1906; Thomas was born February 14, 1908, and died March 20, 1986; Dudley “Dan” was born November 3, 1909; John “Jack” was born May 3, 1912, and died March 7, 1987 and Elisabeth “Betty” was born July 5, 1915, and died May 18, 1974.

IN MEMORY OF Jelle and Gertrude De Vries by granddaughter, Gertrude Vander Molen (end of the family story in the Maurice book)

RESEARCH Notes:

Jelle ‘Charles’ De Vries was born 3 Aug 1868 Koudum, Nijefurd, Friesland, Netherlands and died 23 May 1920 Maurice IA. He was the son of Willem Jeeps De Vries 1841 and Ieke Zoethout 1837-1874. He married Gerritje Van de Weerd on 23 Jan 1897. Sioux County IA.

Gerritje Van De Weerd was born 27 Sep 1872 Lunteren, Ede, Gelderland, Netherlands to Jantje van de Weerd from Netherlands per birth records on www.wiewaswie.nl However, the marriage record for Geestje Van de Weerd indicated parents as Willem Van de Weerd and Jannigje Van de Weerd. Gerritje and Jelle had ten children.

CHILDREN per Find a Grave, local obits on this page, and ancestry.com birth, marriages and deaths.

1. Agnes DeVries born 6 May 1897 died 29 Jul 1959 Le Mars IA, Husband Louis Vander Molen 1893-1936. Children – Lloyd Donald Vander Molen 1923-2012, Gertrude Dorothy Vander Molen Hoekstra 1925-2017 and Allen Dean Van Der Molen 1934-1934.

2. William De Vries born 8 Jan 1899 Maurice IA died 21 Jun 1977 Orange City IA. He married Ida Bleyenberg 1898-1987. Two daughters, Mrs. Jonathon (Geraldine) Van Es of St. Paul, Minn., and Mrs. Donald (Audrey) Matthews of Sioux Falls See obit on this web page – (for ease in finding search Bleyenberg)

3 .Jennie ‘Jeane’ De Vries born 13 Jun 1900 Sioux County IA. Died 23 July 1973 Des Moines IA. Husband Isac ‘John’ Van Gorkom, three children indicated in family report on acncesty.com but not named.

4. Gertrude De Vries born 11 May 1902 West Branch Twp Sioux County IA, died 11 May 1991 Norway IA Husband Jacob Rosdail

5. Minnie DeVries born 3 Mar 1904 Maurice IA died 12 Jul 1981 Tillamook, OR. She married Clarence Bart Van Roekel 1905-1991, married 1933. children?

6. Elsie DeVries born 28 Jan 1906 Maurice IA died 9 May 2007 Amana Iowa County IA. married 18 Feb 1939 Nashua IA to Glenn T. Rosdail. Find A Grave lists one child as Thomas Allan Rosdail 1939-2024.

7. Thomas De Vries born 14 Feb 1908 Maurice IA, died 20 Mar 1986 Aberdeen SD he married Diana Mae Kraai 1909-1986, Children James LeRoy De Vries 1931-2016, Myrtle De Vries 1933-1935, Ronald Wesley De Vries 1936-2009

8. Dudley Don De Vries born 3 Nov 1909 Sioux county IA, died 13 Aug 1998 Sioux county IA, buried ShermanTwp cemetery Maurice IA. Wife Clara De Bruin 1913-1986. Daughter -  Carol and Roger Kooi of Sioux Falls,

9. John De Vries born 3 May 1912 Maurice IA died 7 Mar 1987 buried Kelso WA He married Bernice Ten Napel 1914-1990 One child named as Harold Marvin De Vries.

10. Elizabeth DeVries born 5 Jul 1915 Maruice IA died 19 May 1974 Sioux City IA buried Ireton IA married Oscar Heidbrink Children - two sons, Alan and Loren, both of Ireton; a daughter, Mrs. Vivian White of Hawarden

OBITUARY OF JELLE DE VRIES
DeVries, Jelle born 3 Aug 1968 died 23 May 1920 buried in Sherman Township cemetery IA.
DeVolksvriend May 27, 1920
Mr. Jelle De Vries, wonende tusschen Maurice en Struble, Is overleden tengevolge van bloedvergiftiging. Hij had den leeftijd van omstreeks 55 jaren bereikt en laat een 10-tal kinderen achter Ongeveer 1/2 Jaren geleden moest hij zijne vrouw door den doed missen. Hij was aan velen alhier wel bekend. De begrafenls had Dinsdag n. m. plaats vanuit de le Ger kerk te Maurice. (Zie voorts Maurice corr.)
Translated:
Mr. Jelle De Vries, Living between Maurice and Struble, has died as a result of blood poisoning. He had reached the age of around 55 years, leaving some 10 children behind, about 3 years ago his wife died. He was known to many here. The funeral held Tuesday from the Reformed church in Maurice. (Maurice Corr.)

1910 census of Sioux Center lists Jelle 42 born Holland, Grietje 37 born Holland, Agnes 12, William 11, Jennie 10, Gertie 8, Minnie 6, Elsie 4, Tuenis 2, Dudly Baby. They were married 13 years.

OBITUARY OF GERTRUDE DE VRIES 1874-1917
DeVries, Gertie born 28 Oct 1874 died 31 Jan 1917 husb: Jelle buried in Sherman Township cemetery Maurice IA.
Alton Democrat of Feb 10, 1917 Orange city News
Mrs. Jelle De Vries living southwest of here died very suddenly last week. She was visiting at a neighbors home and ride back with some friends in a buggy. When she came to her door she fell and no word did she speak again. Heart trouble was the cause.
Same page in the Maurice news:
Nieghbors of Mrs. De Vries have lost a kind loving friend as she was always ready to give aid in time of trouble. The grief- stricken father and children have the heart felt sympathy of this entire community. The funeral services were held at the Reformed church Saturday afternoon. Rev. Vander Beek gave a very good sermon in Dutch and Rev. Gerrit Van Peursem also gave an appropriate talk in English.
Mrs. J. De Vries was taken from our midst very suddenly last Wednesday noon at one o’clock. Mrs. De Vries was retuning from the mail box Monday afternoon when she was suddenly stricken with paralysis and she did not regain consciousness before she died.
Deceased was born in the Netherlands in 1872 and at the time of her death was 44 years and 3 months. In 1896 Gertrude Vande Weerd was untied in marriage to J. De Vries, who survives her and to this union ten children were born all of whom are living and are still under the parental roof. She also leaves a brother who lives at Sioux Center and several Uncles and aunts living in different parts of the county among whom are Mr. and Mrs. Maasen who live a few miles south east of town.

This picture is from page 241 of the Maurice Book.

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