Tolsma, Cornelius, 1880-1935

TOLSMA, TALSMA, HOITENGA, DAMSTRA

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 20:33:35

From the Alton Democrat, July 12, 1935, Hull news:

Mr. and Mrs. J. Hannenburg were at Edgerton, Minn., Sunday to visit with the former’s uncle, Mr. Talsma, who was very ill at the time. Tuesday relatives received word here that he had died. He had been suffering from cancer for some time. He and his wife formerly lived at Hull. He was also a brother of Mrs. O. M. Dykstra.

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From De Volksvriend, July 18, 1935, Edgerton news:

C. Tolsma is 9 Juli ‘s morgens vier uur overleden aan kanker, heeft de laatste maanden veel geleden, en was de laatste twee dagen zonder kennis. Donderdag begraven uit de Chr. Ger. kerk. Veel familie aanwezig, ook van Chicago en California. Laat na, zijn vrouw en …… (zin niet voltoold)…..

TRANSLATION:

C. Tolsma died on July 9 at 4 a.m. of cancer, from which he had suffered much in the last few months, and was unconscious for the last two days. He was buried Thursday from the Christian Reformed church. Many family members were present, also from Chicago and California. He leaves behind his wife and (sentence not fully completed).

[A brief note in the July 25 Edgerton news column says that he leaves a wife and 8 children, of which 4 are at home.]

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Hull Index carried only a brief note on his death. The Edgerton newspaper is not available for this time period.

Minnesota death certificate #1935-MN-012055 has Cornelius Tolsma, a resident of Elmer Township, Pipestone Couonty; born 18 September 1880 at Witmarsum [Friesland], Netherlands; parents Piebe Tolsma and Vogeltje Tolsma, both born in Witmarsum; wife Agnes Hoitenga; a farmer, worked as such until December 1934; died July 9 at 4 a.m.; cause, “carcinoma cardiac or esophageal end of stomach,” duration 7 months; buried in Hillside Cemetery, Edgerton.

His FindaGrave page adds his wife’s life dates – Agnes Hoitenga Tolsma, 1884-1983) – and lists four of his children: Dewey Tolsma (1909-1984), Peter Tolsma (1911-1999), Rena H. Tolsma Van Diest (1918-2004), and Charles Simon Tolsma (1924-1994).

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index record for Cornelis Tolsma, born 18 September 1880 at Wonseradeel, Friesland, parents Piebe Tolsma and Fokeltje Damstra.

A note in De Volksvriend, February 1, 1906, Sandstone (Minn.) news, reports G. Postma and [illegible] Feyma attending the wedding of Cornelis Tolsma and Agnes Huitenga in Ogilvie, Minn., at the house of Douwe Huitenga. There are a number of Tolsmas living in Sioux County around this time. The marriage was not found in the Minnesota Online Marriage Index.

The 1910 U.S. census for Elmer Township, Pipestone County, Minnesota, shows Cornelius Tolsma, age 29, a farmer, born in Holland, immigrated 1902, has taken out first papers, speaks English; wife Agnes, married 4 years, born in Holland, immigrated in 1894; and two children, both born in Minnesota, Percy (2) and Douwe [Dewey] (1-1/2).

The 1920 census shows both Cornelius and Agnes naturalized in 1914. They have four more children, Peter (8-8/12), Jennie F. (6-5/12), Florence J. (4-1/12), and Rana A. (1-6/12). By 1930 they have two more children, George (8-5/12) and Charles (6-?/12).

His World War I draft registration card describes him at age 37 as tall, medium build, blue eyes, brown hair.