Koenen, Elbertus W., 1874-1956

KOENEN, BEEK, DEBREE

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:37

From the Rock Valley Bee, March 29, 1956:

F. W. Koenen Dies At 81 Funeral Thursday

Funeral services for F. W. Koenen, 81, who died at his home northwest of Rock Valley Sunday, will be at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the residence and at 2 p.m. at the Netherlands Reformed church. Rev. J. Van Zweden will officiate and burial will be in Valley View cemetery.

Mr. Koenen was born May 18, 1874 in The Netherlands. He came to the United States and to a farm near Sioux Center 45 years ago. He had lived the last 32 years near Rock Valley.

Survivors include two daughters, Miss Bertha Koenen at home and Mrs. Arthur Asche of Rock Rapids, a brother and a sister in The Netherlands, 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

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From the Sioux County Index (Hull), April 5, 1956:

Rock Valley – Funeral services for E. W. Koenen, 81, were held Thursday at the home at 12:30 and at Netherlands Reformed church at two o’clock with Rev. John Van Zweden officiating. He died at his home northwest of Rock Valley after an illness of a day and a half. Burial was in Valley View cemetery with Vander Ploeg’s funeral service in charge of arrangements.

Mr. Koenen was born May 18, 1874 at Amerssoort, in the Netherlands. He was married to Mary Van Beek. He came to this country about 45 years ago settling near Sioux Center. He had lived near Rock Valley for 32 years.

Survivors include two daughters, Miss Bertha Koenen at home and Mrs. Arthur Asche of Rock Rapids, a son, Dick, at home, a brother and a sister in the Netherlands, eleven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Mrs. Koenen passed away May 16, 1935. One son, Lambert, and a daughter, who died at the age of six weeks, preceded him in death.

Pallbearers were Pete Rozeboom, John Vanden Top, Edward Driessen, Steven Van Otterloo, Case Van Zanten and Will Balkema.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Koenen, E. W., b. 1874, d. 1956, Valley View Cem, Rock Valley IA. His wife Maria Koenen’s obituary (posted separately) identifies him as Elbertus W. Koenen.

The Netherlands Birth Index on WieWasWie.nl has Elbertus Wilhelmus Koenen, born 18 May 1874 at Amersfoort, Utrecht; parents Lambertus Koenen and Elberta Wilhelmina de Bree. There is also a marriage index record: groom Elbertus Wilhelmus Koenen, age 29, born in Amersfoort, parents Lambertus Koenen and Elberta Wilhelmina de Bree; bride Maria Beek, age 34, born in Ede, Gelderland, parents Derk Beek and Geertrui van der Weiden; married in Amersfoort 30 Sept. 1903.

New York Passenger and Crew Lists on Ancestry.com show Elbertus W. Koenen (36), a farm laborer, and his family – Maria (41), Elberta W. (6), Derk (5), Goertruida (3), and Lambertus (1) – coming to the U.S. from Amersfoort on the S.S. Nieuw Amsterdam, sailing from Rotterdam on September 17, 1910, arriving in New York September 26, 1910, destination Sioux Center, Iowa.

He registered for the World War I draft, at age 44. At that time (Sept. 1918) he lived in Sioux Center, a farmer; physical description: short, medium build, gray eyes, blonde hair.

The 1940 U.S. census shows him (age 65) farming in Rock Township with his daughter Alberta (35) and son Dirk (34); all three are aliens.

For those who may want to research him further, Ancestry.com has an entry in the Index to Alien Case Files at the National Archives at Kansas City, 1944-2003, for Elbertus Koenen, born 18 May 1874, registration number 3269867.