Walraven, John A., 1857-1906

WALRAVEN, SYNHORST

Posted By: Lydia Lucas-Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/11/2011 at 00:33:30

EXPIRES FROM LOCKJAW
Sheriff-Elect Jno. A. Walraven Broke His Wrist and Lockjaw Results
Nearing the height of His Ambition--Funeral Held Tuesday and Orange City Council Act as Pall Bearers

Orange City, July 23--Jno. A. Walraven, sheriff elect of Sioux county, passed away at his home in this city Sunday afternoon at four o'clock, the immediate cause of his death being lockjaw. The news of his demise has been received with a shock by everyone throughout the county as he was one of the most popular men in the county.

On Monday of last week while climbing onto a wagon the horses moved forward and Mr. Walraven fell to the ground breaking his right wrist. He was a heavy man and the fracture was a painful one, the bones protruding through the flesh, however the accident was not considered serious, and Mr. Walraven was taken to his home and Dr. DeBey called who reduced the fracture and gave it his opinion that the patient would be around in a week or so.

The wound healed rapidly, the patient did not suffer much pain and prospects were good for a speedy recovery. Saturday afternoon some of his friends were in to see Mr. Walraven and he stated that his jaws were getting hard to move. From that time his condition grew rapidly worse. The jaws set, and to make matters worse, his heart which sometimes troubled him, became weaker and just before he died he went into three hard convulsions which succeeded each other only a few minutes.

The funeral occurred Tuesday from his late residence and was attended by a large number of people from all over the county. The pall bearers were members of the city council of Orange City, J. J. Van Eizenga, P. R. Schaap, Ja. De Kraai, A. Vander Meide, T. L. Dyk and Jno. E. Orr. Mayor Slikkerveer assisted in taking charge of the arrangements. The services were conducted at the First Reformed church by Revs. Staplekamp and Winters and the sermon was given in the Holland and English languages.

Jno. A. Walraven was born at Pella, Iowa, in 1857, making him 49 years of age at the time of his death. He came to Sioux county the first time in 1885 and remained three years when he removed to Oskaloosa where he engaged in truck gardening. About seventeen years ago he returned to Orange City and has been a resident of that place ever since. Ever since his residence there he had been town marshal and when Sheriff Henry went into office five years ago Mr. Walraven was appointed deputy and served faithfully in that capacity. He always had a desire to become sheriff of Sioux county and made the campaign nine years ago when he was defeated by N. Balkma. His hopes in that direction were about to become realized, however, for he was nominated for sheriff at the republican county convention held at Alton June 28, and his election was practically assured.

He leaves a father and four brothers to mourn his loss, the former living in Orange City and the latter in Chicago. Cyrene DeBooy, deputy in the county recorder's office, is a cousin of the deceased man.

Source: Ireton Weekly Ledger, July 27, 1906.

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Death of John A. Walraven

John A. Walraven, for thirteen years marshal of Orange City and lately unanimously nominated by the republican county convention for sheriff, died of lockjaw at his home here Sunday afternoon. On July 16th he fell from a wagon and broke both bones of his right arm near the wrist. The accident was not only a painful one, but very serious from the fact that one of the broken bones was forced into the ground through the skin. Mr. Walraven was around for a day or two, but finally took to his bed and the best care from friends, the attending physician and the trained nurse was given him. Lockjaw set in Saturday and from that time on there was little hope. He died surrounded by friends who greatly admired his sturdy honesty and force of character.

Mr. Walraven was born 49 years ago April 15th in Pella. He came here at an early age and after marriage to Miss Gysbertje Synhorst went to Oskaloosa, remaining there a short time and then returning to Orange City. He has been marshal of the town here for thirteen years, and so efficient has been the work performed that the last republican county convention unanimously placed him in nomination for sheriff.

Four brothers in and around Chicago survive him and his aged father, Mrs. Walraven dying June 14, 1905. Mr. Walraven carried $1,500 accident insurance and a life policy for $2,000 in the Yeomen. A policy in the New York Life lapsed the day of his death on account of his not being able to attend to his mail. There being no children his sole surviving heir is his father, A. Walraven.

The funeral was held at the First Reformed church yesterday afternoon, Revs. Winter and Stapelkamp officiating. All the business houses in the city were closed and the town testified to its respect for the deceased by filling the large church.

[Followed by a resolution from the Brotherhood of American Yeomen extending smpathy to the family.]

Source: Sioux County Herald, July 25, 1906.

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JOHN WALRAVEN
From Our Orange City Correspondent:

Just one week ago Monday John Walraven sustained a compound fracture of the wrist. While endeavoring to get into a wagon the horses started up suddenly and threw him to the ground. He fell with his arm pinioned under him breaking the bones so badly that they protruded through the flesh just above the wrist. Dr. De Bey set the injured member and Mr. Walraven was around for three or four days suffering intensely however from the pain so that rest was entirely out of the question. A trained nurse was sent for from Sioux City to give him the care necessary but in spite of it all tetanus developed Friday evening and poor John Walraven died Sunday afternoon [July 22]. His death so entirely unexpected cast a deep gloom over the entire community and men wondered at God's mysterious plans.

John Walraven was born in Pella Iowa April fifteenth 1857. He came to Orange City in the early eighties and married Miss Gysbertje Synhorst in 1883. For a short time he then made his home in Oskaloosa Iowa but again returned to Sioux county. In 1892 he was appointed city marshall and street commissioner which positions he filled with trust and faithfulness. He was deputy sheriff of Sioux county at the time of his death and had received the nomination for sheriff--without opposition--at the recent republican convention and would have been elected to that office next November.

The funeral services were held at the home of the deceased Tuesday at one o'clock and from the First Reformed church at two o'clock--Revs. Staplekamp and Winter officiating--the first named in the Holland and the last in the American language. Rev. Winter spoke from the twenty-ninth verse of Deuteronomy twenty-nine--"The secret things belong unto the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever that we may do all the words of this law"--and in the course of his remarks paid the following tribute to the memory of the dead.

"What thoughts occupied the mind of John Walraven during his last hours we know not--it is a sealed book except to the eye of God. His life however is an open book. As a man he was quiet in his ways, simple in habits, sober in his judgments, honest and trustworthy. As an official he was steady and dependable. To this was added a most faithful industry. He was always busy and ever ready to do what was required of him. The industry of some men is mere fussiness but in his industry there was a well marked element of efficiency. Had he lived and had his ambition to become sheriff been realized he would have revealed these same valuable traits--sober judgment and faithfulness and efficient industry. John Walraven was not without faults. I should be afraid to have men say that I had no faults--it would awaken a suspicion that my virtues were too small to throw a charitable shadow over them. But we are not here today to write history nor to attempt a moral and spiritual inventory of the departed. We honor his name for what he was and we shall endeavor to remember his virtues for the guidance and emulation of the living."

Source: Alton Democrat, July 28, 1906.

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Other news notes from the July 28 Democrat:

B. Synhorst from Woodstock, Minnesota, John Moret from Leota, Minnesota and Guy Walraven of Chicago were present at the funeral of John Walraven Tuesday.

The life insurance carried by the late John Walraven will go to his father. The old gentleman is getting along in years and this money, some $4000, will lighten the burden for him and his good wife.