Kosters, Gerrit Willem 1861-1918

KOSTERS, VANZEE, BONNINGHORST

Posted By: Paul Van Dyke--Volunteer
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:38

Source: The following text is from a book that Bob Kosters wrote (#2430).Submitted by:RLK

Born: May 6, 1861
Died: September 21, 1918

Gerrit Willem Kosters came to America when a boy of seven years, with his parents, Hendrikus and Aaltjen (Bonninghorst) Kosters and brother Hendrik Jan(Heine), age 15, Aleida, age 12, and Jan age 4. He traveled with the family to Michigan, Virginia, New Jersey and at last to the homestead in Iowa. He was exactly eleven years old when the family homesteaded and had some hard years in Iowa. After ten years he started over when he moved to Dakota Territory to homestead when he turned 21. A stake in the ground where Harrison would some day be located was where the Dakota Homesteaders were headed. To get there, most of the homesteaders took the train from Iowa to the end of the track at Plankinton. There they would unload whatever goods they had, and traveled about 30 miles south to the land office run by Frank LeCocq. As Gerrit Willem was one of the first groups to arrive in 1882 he homesteaded 167 1/2 acres just south of Joubert. The property was lots 3 and 4 and the south half of the Northwest quarter of section 4, Clark Township. On April 21, 1890 he paid $4.00 which was the balance of payment for his homestead, and filed at Yankton. The village of Joubert, just north of the Kosters homestead, had its beginning in 1882 as did Harrison and New Holland.

The town was first called Emden and later was changed to Joubert. Joubert was the name of a Dutch General. Shortly after Gerrit Willem had homesteaded, the Van Zee family left Herwijen Gelderland, Holland on September 28, 1882 and arrived in Pella, Iowa as early as 1846. Gerrit and Heiltje Van Zee, with seven children, homesteaded 2 1/2 miles west of New Holland on the south side of the road in the Spring of 1883. The Van Zee's 5th child was a daughter, born April 2, 1867, and they now lived about a mile from the single homesteader, Gerrit Willem Kosters. New Holland Church records show that Gerrit Willem Kosters and Neiltje (Nell) VanZee were married April 4, 1884.