VanWechel, Henry, died 1948

VANWECHEL

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-Volunteer (email)
Date: 10/27/2011 at 12:24:50

From the Sioux Center News, July 1, 1948:

H. VEN WECHEL DIES AFTER CAR ACCIDENT

Henry Van Wechel, well known junk dealer at Orange City, died Wednesday morning [June 30] in a hospital there from injuries suffered in a car accident Tuesday evening. He did not regain consciousness after the collision.

Mr. Van Wechel was riding in a car with a nephew and a sister 1 mile west and 2 1/2 miles north of Orange City near the Marion Wielenga farm Tuesday evening; their car had a head on collision with a car driven by Albert Moss of Boyden. Other people in the two cars were bruised and shocked but were not seriously injured.

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at the Trinity Reformed Church at 2:00.

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From the Alton Democrat, July 1, 1948:

H. VAN WECHEL DIES AFTER CAR ACCIDENT

Henry Van Wechel, known far and wide as "Humpy" died at 11:10 this Wednesday morning from a fractured skull suffered in a car collision the preceding evening.

The accident happened two miles north of the County Home when the Van Wechel car collided head-on on the crest of the hill with a car driven by Albert Moss, employed in the Council Oak Store at Orange City.

Mr. Moss was driving north enroute to his home at Hull and the Van Wechel car was going south. In the latter car were Miss Winifred Van Wechel and Joe Steensma, who was driving. Both were cut and bruised but were dismissed from the hospital. Mr. Moss, driving a 1940 Chevrolet was cut about the face and leg, but was dismissed from the hospital the same night.

Miss Van Wechel is owner of the new Oldsmobile in which the three were riding and Mr. Moss was alone in his car. Mr. Van Wechel did not recover consciousness after the accident. He was proprietor of the garage and junk yard east of Orange City.

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A longer article about the accident and Van Wechel appeared in the Sioux County Capital, July 1, 1948. Unfortunately, the left-hand third of the column in the microfilmed and digitized copy of the newspaper is buried in the binding margin.

The details of the accident appear similar to those given in various other articles. His survivors are given as his sister Winifred of Orange City and brother John of Alcester.

The article goes on to say that he rose to success despite [physical] handicaps and at one time operated one of the largest junk yards in this part of the state. Loads and loads of scrap [iron?] were shipped from his yard during World War II. His business is a source of many of the used car parts in this area. He was generous with money, donated to many charities, and did numerous other things unknown to the general public.

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From the Hawarden Independent, July 8, 1948:

VAN WECHEL IS GENEROUS IN HIS WILL
Junk Dealer, One of Sioux County's Richest Men, Dies in Automobile Accident

Henry Van Wechel, who rose as a junk dealer from nowhere to become one of Sioux county's richest residents, was generous to employees, according to his will which was filed for probate in Orange City last Saturday.

A brother, John Van Wechel, who lives on the southwest side of Alcester, will receive $10,000 and, with his sister, a life estate in about 160 acres of land. John and a sister Minnie were given a trust fund of all property and money not specifically mentioned in this will.

The full value of the estate had not been determined this week, but it was reported as "extensive." Mr. Van Wechel, who had a physical deformity, was known as "Humpy."

All employees who worked for him for five years or more were remembered in his will, if still in his employ. He gave his business, including all salvage, machinery, parts and scrap, to John Westra, and also the real estate on which it is located. Mr. Westra is an old time employee.

To Henry Tiermersma, an employee, and his wife he gave a life estate in a property in the Van Der Aarde's addition to Orange City, after which the property goes to Tiermersma's children. Tiermersma also receives $2,500.

To Henry Westra, an employee, he gave $7,500; to Andrew Sorgdrager, an employee, $7,500; to all other employees, who have worked for him five consecutive years and are still in his employ, the sum of $5,000 each.

To the Trinity Reformed church of Orange City, $5,000; to the Board of Foreign Missions of the Reformed Church of America, $5,000; to the Board of Domestic Missions of the Reformed church, $5,000; to Jacob Waggonaar, a friend, $2,000.

To his sister, Winifred Van Wechel, $10,000 and a residence property in Orange City; to the children of his deceased sister, Lizzie Van Der Pool, an 80-acre tract of land in O'Brien county, Iowa; to Winifred Van Wechel, his sister, all furniture and household goods.

All the rest to be invested in trust for John Van Wechel, a brother, and Minnie Van Wechel, a sister. During their lifetime they are to receive the income therefrom, and after the death of both of them it is to be divided among the Board of Domestic Missions of the Reformed church and the Board of Foreign Missions of the Reformed church, and Bethesda Sanatorium at Denver, Colo., and Pine Rest at Cutlerville, Mich.

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Settlement of the estate was subject to various lawsuits and other legal actions in the following three years, which can be followed in area newspapers. H. C. Moret was executor of the estate (probate case file no. 5784). The estate was closed in July, 1951. Events of particular interest:

Winifred Van Wechel filed a suit against Joe Steensma for $5,000 for injuries received and the wrecking of her car, stating that Steensma carelessly and negligently drove the car, so that it collided with Albert Moss's car, and that he failed to yield one half of the highway. She asked $2,500 for her totally smashed car and $2,500 for cuts, bruises and scars. She asked for a jury trial. (Hawarden Independent, August 12, 1948 and other area newspapers. I did not find information on the resolution of this case.)

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The estate of Henry Van Wechel was estimated to have a value of $171,199.82 and consists of a farm of 155 acres in Sioux County and one of 80 acres in O'Brien County and three residences in Orange City; cash in bank $22,735.15; book accounts $1000.00; notes $1957.50; bonds $49,212.43; scrap, parts, trucks, corn, ca.$15,564.74; annuities payable to various beneficiaries $8450.00. (Sioux Center News, August 19, 1948 and other area newspapers)

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In the estate of Henry Van Wechel, deceased, a claim was filed by Winifred Van Wechel in the sum of $4,000. The claimant states that she is a registered nurse and that she was employed by decedent in various capacities, such as nurse, housekeeper, and in business affairs and that the above stated amount is due her and unpaid. (Hawarden Independent, November 4, 1948)

(The final amount allowed in this claim was $1,500.00, payable to her estate -- Sioux County Index, Dec. 14, 1950, and other area newspapers.)

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The estate of Henry Van Wechel, late of Orange City, was valued at about $215,987 by inheritance tax appraisers. (Hawarden Independent, December 16, 1948)

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From the Sioux County Index (Hull), December 30, 1948 (and several other area newspapers):

H. C. Moret, Executor of the Estate of Henry Van Wechel, filed a damage suit against Joel Steensma and Winifred Van Wechel. The plaintiff in his petition alleges that on the 28th day of June, 1948, Joe Steensma, a partner in the Orange City Motor Company in Orange City who are engaged in selling and trading cars, tried to sell an 8 cylinder Oldsmobile to Winifred Van Wechel and invited the defendant, Winifred Van Wechel, and her brother, Henry Van Wechel, into the car for the purpose of demonstrating it and took them to the vicinity of Maurice on the demonstration. Then the petition alleges on the following day, on June 29th, Steensma came to the home of Winifred Van Wechel and Henry Van Wechel and suggested that they take her old car to a prospective purchaser at Sioux Center, and Henry Van Wechel was requested to accompany them. Upon their return from Sioux Center, the car driven by Joe Steensma and owned by Winifred Van Wechel collided with a car driven by Albert Moss, resulting in injuries to Henry Van Wechel, from which injuries he died the following day. The petition alleges that Joe Steensma was driving the car on the left side of the road when approaching the crest of a hill. The plaintiff states that the estate of Henry Van Wechel was damaged to the extent of: $50,000 for loss of life; $21.00 hospital and doctor expenses; $693.50 funeral expenses, and demands judgment against the defendants for the total sum of $50,714.50 and costs, and demands a jury trial.

(In the jury trial, the judge directed a verdict in favor of the defendants, ruling that the plaintiffs had not established a case for negligence -- Sioux Center News, Sept. 22, 1949)

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In April 1949 there was a hearing to determine the order in which legatees of Van Wechel's will were to be paid. (Sioux Center News, April 21, 1949)

County judge M. D. Van Osterhout handed down his construction of the will, holding that each legatee of the general [cash, probably] legacies should receive a pro rated share of funds remaining after payment of hospital and funeral costs, the estate administrator, inheritance tax, debts, and specific legacies. The Sioux County Capital, May 26, 1949 gives details.

Winifred and John Van Wechel appealed this ruling to the Iowa Supreme Court. (Sioux County Capital, July 7, 1949)

The Iowa Supreme Court handed down an affirmative decision, thereby agreeing that the estate assets will be pro-rated among the heirs. (Sioux County Capital, March 9, 1950)

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John Westra successfully appealed the initial valuation (for inheritance tax purposes) of the junk and parts he inherited. (Sioux County Capital, Feb. 23, 1950)