DeJong, Herman, 1910-1935

DEJONG, PORTIER

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

From the Rock Valley Bee, July 26, 1935:

YOUNG MAN HAS SUDDEN SUMMONS

Herman De Jong passed away suddenly at the home of his parents in Rock Valley Saturday afternoon. He had been working on farms previous to this. On Tuesday before his death he was injured in a tractor accident, but thought little of it. Saturday morning he came home and complained that he was not feeling well. After talking with his father a while, he took the car and had it filled with gasoline and returned to the house. Shortly afterwards, he went upstairs to lie down and he became rapidly worse. A doctor was called, but before he could arrive, the young man had passed away.

His untimely death is a great shock to his parents and brothers and sisters and to his other relatives and friends. He was past twenty-five years of age. He was born on a farm near Sioux Center, July 1, 1910, and all his life was spent in Rock Valley and vicinity.

He leaves to mourn his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred De Jong, and three brothers, Henry, Manus and Will, all of this vicinity. He also leaves six sisters, Mrs. B. Bogaard, Hull; Mrs. E. J. Swier, Rock Valley; Mrs. C. Visser, Hull; Hattie, Anna and Margaret, at home.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 1:00 o’clock at the home and at the Christian Reformed church in Rock Valley at 2:00 o’clock with Rev. Gritter in charge. The remains were taken to Valley View Cemetery.

* * * * * * * * * *

From the Sioux Center News, July 25, 1935:

MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF ROCK VALLEY BOY
Inquest To Be Held Next Week

Herman De Jong, 25 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred De Jong of Rock Valley, died a mysterious death Saturday afternoon. He had been working in the fields at the John Haverhals farm, where he had been employed for two years and in the afternoon went to the home of his parents in Rock Valley. After attending to a few minor matters he went home and told his father he was going to lie down for a while. In fifteen minutes Mrs. De Jong heard a groan and when she went upstairs her son was suffering intense pain. Before a physician could be summoned he had passed away.

There are three possible motives advanced for the young man's death, and each one has some inconsistent points in it. One is that the young man had been overcome by the heat which resulted in his death, but as he had not worked much that afternoon it is discredited. Another is that he died as the result of two accidents, one an auto accident two weeks before and the other a tractor accident the preceding Tuesday.

In the auto accident he injured his side, but it was not believed seriously. Then, while working on the tractor, he turned sharply and caught that injured part of his side between the levers. It is possible that this caused a vein to break in his abdomen and he bled to death. However, a post mortem on Monday revealed that there were no severe internal bruises.

The third theory is that De Jong committed suicide. He had sold his car a few days before his death and straightened out some business matters at that time also. Then it is believed by some that he went to the restaurant, ordered a lunch, and took some poison in that manner. However, the autopsy showed that his throat was not burned as is usually the case when a person takes poison.

In an effort to solve the matter County Coroner Dr. A. C. Jongewaard had the stomach, which was full of a liquid, sent up to Sioux City to be analyzed by a pathologist there. If no poison is found in his stomach, the suicide theory will be precluded from the possible causes. And, if poison is found it will not definitely prove that the young man did commit suicide because he apparently left no note or message to the effect that he was planning such a death.

An inquest will be held next week, Dr. A. C. Jongewaard said. By that time the report of the pathologist will be on file and any additional facts that may have a bearing on the case will undoubtedly have been brought to light. Until that time, however, the coroner stated, there would be no official verdict as to the cause of the man's death.

De Jong was born in Rock Valley and had made his home there all his life. For the past two years he had been working for John Haverhals. He is survived by his parents, and nine brothers and sisters.

Funeral services were held Tuesday in the Chr. Ref. Church in Rock Valley. Rev. Gritters officiating.

* * * * * * * * * *

A brief article on his funeral in De Volksvriend (August 1, 1925, Rock Valley news) says he died of internal bleeding as a result of a tractor accident a few days before. A brief paragraph on his death in the Alton Democrat (July 26, 1935) says he suffered a heat stroke and did not survive the shock. No follow-up report on the official verdict as to the cause of his death was found in either the Rock Valley Bee (August 2 and 9) or the Sioux Center News (August 1 and 8).

His death certificate gives his cause of death as “Bichloride of Mercury poisoning probably accidental.” An added note says “Questioned – no answer.”

His father’s obituary (posted separately) shows his mother as Fannie Portier.