Bomgaars, Henry H., 1866/1868-1937

BOMGAARS, BOLAND, VANDERMEY

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:36

From De Volksvriend, December 9, 1937:

SHELDON. – H. H. Bomgaars, die hier een zadelmakers (harness shop) had sedert 1923, overleed plotselting te zijnen huize, Zondag n.m., 28 Nov., om kwart voor drie, aan een nartkwaal, oud bijna 69 jaar. Daar hij zich niet wel gevoelde, was een dokter ontboden, en terwijl deze hem ouderzocht, overleed hij.

Henry H. Bomgaars werd geboren den 15n Dec., 1868, te Pella, Iowa, en was ‘n zoon van Alida Boland en Henry Bomgaars. Als jongeman verhuisde hij naar Alton, en woonde daar van 1892 tot 1893, toen hij een farm betrok noord van Alton, en bleef daar tot 1900, toen het gezin verhuisde naar Middleburg, en vandaar kwam de overledene in 1923 naar Sheldon.

Mr. Boomgaars[sic] huwde 29 Sept., 1892, te Alton, met Miss Elizabeth Van der Mey, en aan hen werden negen kinderen geboren, waarvan de dochter Dorothy vier jaar geleden overleed. Hij wordt overleefd door zijn weduwe, 5 dochters, Lyda (Mrs. Jacob Wobbema), Marie (Mrs. Chas. Balkema), Esther en Ann, alien hier te Sheldon woonachtig, en Kathryn (Mrs. Anthony Van Ryan) van Chicago, en 3 zoons, William te Sioux City, Henry te Sheldon, en Gerald te Mankato, Minn., benevens elf kleinkinderen.

Mr. Bomgaars leerde ‘t zadelmakers vak toen hij een jongen was en heeft dat zijn heele leven beoefend behalve zes jaren die hij op de farm doorbracht.

De begrafenis dienst werd Woensdag namiddag gehouden in de Chr Ger kerk, onder leiding van Ds. Wm. Bajema, leeraar dier[hier?] gemeente, en Ds. Jean A. Vis van de 1e Ger. gem. alhier. Het kwartet, Arthur Van Wyk, Henry Versteeg, Cedric Versteeg en John Sipma, zongen “Jesus, Lover of my Soul,” begeleid door Mrs. Cedric Versteeg. Dragers waren Dick Nieuwendorp, H. De Haan, J. P. Hoevens, H. Nieuwenhuis, Nick De Graaf en Lucas Mulder. De ter aarde bestelling had plaats op het East Lawn kerkhof.

TRANSLATION:

H. H. Bomgaars, who had a saddlery (harness shop) here since 1923, suddenly died at home, Sunday afternoon, Nov. 28, at a quarter to three, with a nerve condition, aged almost 69 years. Since he was not feeling well, a doctor had been summoned, and while he was examining him, he died.

Henry H. Bomgaars was born on Dec. 15, 1868, in Pella, Iowa, and was a son of Alida Boland and Henry Bomgaars. As a young man he moved to Alton, and lived there from 1892 to 1893, when he moved into a farm north of Alton, and remained there until 1900, when the family moved to Middleburg, and from there the deceased came to Sheldon in 1923.

Mr. Boomgaars [sic] married Sept. 29, 1892, at Alton, to Miss Elizabeth Van der Mey, and to them were born nine children; their daughter Dorothy died four years ago. He is survived by his widow, 5 daughters, Lyda (Mrs. Jacob Wobbema), Marie (Mrs. Chas., Balkema), Esther and Ann, all living here in Sheldon, and Kathryn (Mrs. Anthony Van Ryan) of Chicago, and 3 sons, William at Sioux City, Henry at Sheldon, and Gerald at Mankato, Minn., and eleven grandchildren.

Mr. Bomgaars learned the saddler profession when he was a boy and he practiced it his whole life except for six years he spent on the farm.

The funeral service was held Wednesday afternoon in the Christian Reformed church, led by Rev. Wm. Bajema, parish teacher[?] here, and Rev. Jean A. Vis of the 1st Reformed church here. The quartet, Arthur Van Wyk, Henry Versteeg, Cedric Versteeg and John Sipma, sang “Jesus, Lover of my Soul, "accompanied by Mrs. Cedric Versteeg. Pallbearers were Dick Nieuwendorp, H. De Haan, J. P. Hoevens, H. Nieuwenhuis, Nick De Graaf and Lucas Mulder. The burial took place at the East Lawn cemetery.

* * * * * * * * * *

His headstone (photo on FindaGrave.com) also gives his birth year as 1868. However, the Register of Communicants and Baptisms of the First Reformed Church in Pella (photocopy in the Heritage Room at the Pella Public Library) gives his birth date as 15 Dec 1866, baptized 7 April 1867.

He actually lived in Alton since at least 1885, when that year’s state census shows him (age 19) living with his brother-in-law, William Van Nimwegen, and working in Van Nimwegen’s harness shop.