Doorenbos, John, 1871-1933

DOORENBOS, DORENBOS, BLEEKER, BOLT

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:38

From the Boyden Reporter, May 18, 1933:

PROMINENT FARMER AND CITIZEN DIES

John Dorenbos died at the Cram hospital in Sheldon on Tuesday afternoon at two o’clock, following an operation performed on Saturday by Doctors Vermeer and Maris. Mr. Dorenbos had been seriously ill for a long time, but his sudden death shocked and grieved the entire community.

Funeral services will be held on Friday at the First Reformed church at one-thirty o’clock. Rev. Brink will conduct the services in both the American and Holland languages.

Mr. Dorenbos was a former mayor of Boyden, a member of the board of directors of the Farmers Savings Bank and the Farmers Co-Operative Association, and has always been honored and revered by all who knew him. During his life time he became an extensive land owner, a kind father, and always generous to all in distress. We will publish his complete obituary next week.

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From the Boyden Reporter, June 1, 1933:

John Doorenbos was born in Holland, and came to America with his parents at the age of ten years. He passed away at Sheldon, Iowa, at the age of sixty-two years and 2 months.

Their first home in America was at Fulton, Illinois, and later moved to Sioux county. He attended the country schools south of Boyden.

He was united in marriage in 1900 to Winnie Bleeker. To this union were born 9 children, William, Walter, Laurence, Dick, Jake, Alfred and Theodore and daughters Evelyn and Winifred. Walter resides at Morrison, Ill.

They farmed on the home place two miles south and a mile west of Boyden for twenty-two years. He later moved to Boyden and was elected mayor for several years. They eventually moved back to the farm, where they resided until his death.

He was always an active citizen and interested in co-operative endeavor, being a member of the board of directors of the Farmers Co-operative Association for four years, as well as director of the Farmers Savings bank.

All his children as [well as] many friends and relatives were present at the funeral services. Pall bearers were Mouw, Y. Tuininga, H. Bonder, H. M. Scholten, Bomgars and Bergraff.

The entire community joins in extending sincerest condolences to the relatives and friends of Mr. Doorenbos. He was a gentleman, a sincere friend and a noble Christian character.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has John Doorenbos, b. 1871, d. 19 May 1933, Father, ss Winnie, Sheridan Twp Cem, Boyden IA.

His death certificate gives his birth date as March 17, 1871 in Holland; parents Wm. Doorenbos and A. Bolt; wife Winnie Doorenbos; occupation, farmer; resident of the U.S. 52 years; died in the Cram Hospital at Sheldon at 1:15 p.m. May 16, 1933; cause, cerebral embolism; contributory causes, tumor of bladder, [illegible] and intestinal adhesions; operated on for tumor of abdominal wall on May 12, 1933.

FindaGrave.com shows him born 6 March 1871 in Zuidwolde, Bedum Municipality, Groningen, Netherlands; spouse Willemke Bleeker Doorenbos (1876-1944). Unattributed notes added to the page give his parents as Wichtbold and Abeltje (Bolt) Doorenbos; he married Willemke “Winnie” Bleeker on March 24, 1900 in Orange City. His nine children are listed, with birth and death dates.

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index record for him: Jan Doornbos, born 16 March 1871 in Bierum, Groningen; parents Wigbolt Doornbos, age 28, a day-laborer, and Ebeltje Bolt.