DeWit, Adrian, 1893-1930

DEWIT, DEWITT, BOXUM, SNEIDERS, KLYN

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:34

DEATH OF ADRIAN DE WITT

Adrian De Witt died at his home southwest of Rock Valley early Sunday morning following a brief illness. Although he had not been in the best of health for some time, he was not taken seriously ill until a few days before his death.

Adrian De Witt was born in Holland April 11, 1894, and had attained the age of thirty-six years, six months and twenty-eight days. When he was two and a half years old, his parents moved to this country and located in Kansas, where they lived for several years, and later, about thirteen years ago, moved to this vicinity.

Mr. De Witt was united in marriage with Miss Bertha Snieders at Sioux Center, February 29, 1920, and they have since lived in this vicinity. He leaves his wife and five small children, the oldest being nine years of age. He also leaves his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John De Witt, and three brothers and three sisters, all residing in this vicinity. The brothers and sisters are Mrs. Dick De Groot; Mrs. Sam Kooima, Rock Valley and Miss Hattie De Witt, at home, and Evert, Joe and Harry De Witt.

The deceased was a young man who was highly respected by all who knew him, and his untimely death is very much regretted.

Funeral services were held in the Christian Reformed church in Rock Valley Wednesday afternoon. The relatives, especially the bereaved wife and children, have the sincere sympathy of many friends in Rock Valley and vicinity.

(The following week’s Bee reported that about 35 neighbors of Mrs. De Witt came with their teams and husked 25 acres of corn that her husband had been too ill to harvest.)

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RESEARCH NOTES

A brief note on his death in the Alton Democrat (November 14, 1930, Rock Valley news) says that he died unexpectedly after a week’s illness with influenza of the stomach, and that he lived in the Stuckslager home. It spells his surname De Witt and his father’s surname De Wit.

The correct spelling of his surname appears to be De Wit. The Sioux County Cemetery Index has De Wit, Adrian, born 11 April 1894, died 9 Nov 1930, Valley View Cem, Rock Valley IA.

His death certificate has him as Adrian De Wit, born April 11, 1893 in Holland; parents Johanes De Wit and Mary Boxum; occupation, farmer; died at 9:45 a.m., November 9, 1930, of heart failure; contributory cause, influenza.

FindaGrave.com has Adrian Edward De Wit, born 11 April 1893 in the Netherlands; parents John De Wit (1868-1959) and Mary Adriana Boxum De Wit (1868-1951); spouse Bertha Sneider Klyn (1898-1988). A note added to the entry says he married Bertha Sneider on March 1, 1920 in Sioux Center, and they were the parents of Helen, John, Myrtle, Steven, and Jeanette.

The Sioux County marriage register shows groom Adrian De Wit, age 27, born in the Netherlands, residence Rock Valley, a farmer, parents Johannes De Wit and Marigje Boxum; bride Bertha Snieders, age 22, born in Dispatch, Kansas, residence Sioux Center, parents Steven Sneiders and Helen Dieters; married at Sioux Center March 1, 1920.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index gives her parents’ surname as Sneiders.

On his World War I draft registration card (June 1917) he spells his name Adriaan de Wit, born 11 April 1893 in Amft Vallenhofe[?], Holland, a naturalized citizen, occupation farming; tall, slender, blue eyes, brown hair.

Ancestry.com has a headstone application for military veteran for him, showing him as having been a private in Company A, 212th Engineers; headstone to be delivered to the commander of James Doornink Post #199, American Legion, at Sioux Center.

Also on Ancestry.com is a naturalization index record for Adrian DeWit; address Smith Co. P.O. Downs, Kansas; born in Holland April 11, 1893; arrived in the U.S. October 11, 1895, port of New York; naturalized September 4, 1916 in the district court at Smith Center, Kansas.