Somsen, John William 1833-1891 & Elizabeth Ebbers Family

SOMSEN, EBBERS, GEESSINK, OVERKEMPINK

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg -volunteer (email)
Date: 10/26/2024 at 12:59:19

Somsen, John William 1833-1891 & Elizabeth Ebbers

This story was taken from page 497 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.

John and Elizabeth Somsen lived on a farm two miles east of Maurice.

They had a daughter, Hattie, born on November 1, 1864.

Elizabeth Somsen moved into the home of Gerrit and Hattie Van Horssen after John Somsen died on March 19, 1891, at the age of 58 years. It was a small house with the parents, seven children, and Grandma Somsen.

Elizabeth Somsen passed away on November 6, 1910, at the age of 81 years. Both are buried in the Sherman Township Cemetery near Maurice.
(end of story in the Maurice book)

Research note: From a family report on ancestry.com (by others)

Jan Willem Somsen born 28 Sep 1832 Dinxperloo Gelderland Netherlands died 19 Nov 1891 Maruice IA. He was the son of Frederik Somsen born 2 May 1784 Dinxperloo, Gelderland died 2 Mar 1861 Dinxperloo and Gerritjen Geessink born 29 Oct 1808 died 31 Aug 1860 Dinxperloo Gelderland, he married Elisabeth Ebbers 1828-1910 on 2 Feb 1861 Dinxperloo. From his daughter’s birth report he was a carpenter. They had three children Hendrika 1861- 1862, Grada ‘Hattie’ 1864-1948, and Johanna 1866-1866.

Elisabeth Ebbers born 6 Jun 1828 Dinxperlo, Gelderland, Netherlands, died 6 Nov 1910 Maurice IA. Her parents were Garrit Hendrik Ebbers 25 Apr 1791 Aalten Gelderland died 24 Sep 1838 Dinxperloo Gelderland and Gezina Overkempink born 4 Jun 1805 Dinxperloo died 21 Apr 1871 Dinxperloo.

Immigration record taken from gw.geneanet.org they came 6 Sep 1869 to America.
Ancestry.com family report lists they were living by Matlock IA in 1875, and by Maurice 1880.

CHILDREN of John and Elizabeth Somsen:

1. Hendrika Somsen born 19 Dec 1861 DeHeurne, Gelderland Netherlands died at moths on 9 Oct 1862 Dinxperloo, Gelderland, Netherlands

2. Grada Hendrika ‘Hattie ‘Somsen born 1 Nov 1864 at Dinxperloo, Aalten, Gelderland she married Gerrit Van Horsen. They had six chldren William, Anna (Mrs. H. W. Brink), Elizabeth (Mrs. H.K. De Jong), all of Orange City, P.H. Van Horssen and Arthur Van Horssen, both of Bellflower, California, and Nell (Mrs. Henry De Haan) of Orange City. One daughter, Mrs. Gerrit Kuiken, died in August of 1940.  See the obit of Hattie Mrs. Gerrit Van Horssen on this web page.

3. Johanna Somsen born 12 Jan 1866 De Heurne, Gelderland, Netherlands died at 6 months on 19 Jul 1866 Dinxperloo, Gelderland Netherlands

DIGITAL ARCHIVES Notes: Here are a few Somsen tidbits from the Sioux County newspapers from 1882 -1891
*Sioux county Herald of Sep 4th 1884 J. W. Somsen, one of our farmer friends who lives about six miles southwest of town, called on us last Friday and told about a gang of mischievous boys who had stolen a lot of his melons and destroyed many more. Mr. Somsen is an honest, hard-working man and while he would be perfectly willing to give the boys all the melons they could eat, he is very indignant at the wanton destruction of his fruit, and as he is now well convinced who did the work, he has loaded his ‘pop’ and if the boys don’t want to get hurt, they will take our advice and stay away. Stealing is a mighty mean business, anyway.
*Sioux county Herald of may 11 1882 A real estate transfer from railroad to J. W. Somsen, se qr sw qr 11-94-45.
*Sioux county Herald of Jan 1, 1885 The following have paid us subscriptions since our last issue.. among them J. W. Somsen.
*Sioux county Herald of Feb 5, 1885 J. W. Somsen of Maurice, made us a very pleasant call while in town last Friday.
*Sioux county Herald of Apr 16, 1885 Maurice Musings – News. Mr. Somsen living a little east of town, is putting up a fine residence. He commenced last fall and hopes to have it completed before next Christmas if all goes well.
*Sioux county Herald of Jan 14, 1886 J. W. Somsen of Maurice is in town on business today. He paid this office a call and says he wants the Herald another year.

OBITUARY OF JOHN W. SOMSEN 1832-1891

Somsen, John Wm. Died 19 Nov 1891 age 58 yrs father wife: Elizabeth buried in Sherman Tsp cemetery Maurice IA. No obit was readily found in the papers.
Netherlands marriage record lists Jan Willem Somsen age 28, born abt 1833, married 2 Feb 1861 parents Fredrik Somsen and Gerritje Geessink, spouse Elizabeth Ebbers.

Life history from Familysearch.org Brief Life History of Jan Willem
When Jan Willem Somsen was born on 28 September 1832, in Dinxperlo, Gelderland, Netherlands, his father, Frederik Somsen, was 48 and his mother, Garretjen Geessink, was 23. He married Elisabeth Ebbers on 2 February 1861, in Dinxperlo, Gelderland, Netherlands. They were the parents of at least 3 daughters. He lived in Sherman Township, Sioux, Iowa, United States in 1880. He died on 19 March 1891, in Sioux, Iowa, United States, at the age of 58, and was buried in Sherman Township Cemetery, Sherman Township, Sioux, Iowa, United States.

OBITUARY OF ELIZABETH SOMSEN 1828-1910
Somsen, Elizabeth nee Ebbers died 6 Nov 1910 age 81 yrs mother same stone as John Wm. Buried in Sherman Tsp Cemetery Maurice IA.
Alton Democrat of Nov 12, 1910 Maurice News
Mrs. Sumsen (Somsen) died last Sunday at the home of her daughter Mrs. G. Van Horsen at the age of eighty one years. The funeral was held Tuesday from the Dutch Reformed church.
Netherlands marriage record lists Jan Willem Somsen age 28 married Elisabeth Ebbers age 32 she was the daughter of Gerrit Hendrik Ebbers and Gezina Overkempink married Feb 2, 1861.

Picture taken from family report on Ancestry.com public member trees.
Four generations Top: Hattie Somsen Van Horssen and Elizabeth Van Horssen De Jong; Bottom: Elizabeth Somsen and Orville De Jong .

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