Vos, Peter N., 1866-1939

VOS, HERSHEY, OVERKAMP

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

From the Sioux Center News, March 23, 1939

Retired Maurice Banker Passes On

Peter N. Vos, a lifelong resident of Sioux County and Maurice vicinity, passed away at the home of his step-daughter, Mrs. St. Elmo Faith, at Gooding, Idaho Sunday morning after an illness of about a month.

Mr. Vos was born at Pella, Ia. in 1866. In 1872 at the age of six years he moved to Orange City with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joe Vos. He grew to manhood and attended school at Orange City. In 1896, he came to Maurice as manager of the Maurice branch of the Sioux County Savings Bank, which position he held for forty-two consecutive years, until last October, when he resigned this position to leave Maurice and move to the home of his step-daughter, Mrs. St. Elmo Faith of Gooding, Idaho, where he died Sunday.

In 1897 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Rachel Hershey, who preceded him in death in 1927 [actually, 1924]. He is survived by his two step-children: Mrs. St. Elmo Faith of Gooding, Idaho and Raymond Hershey of Omaha, Nebr.; four sisters and two brothers. One sister Effie and one brother Gerrit preceded him in death.

The remains were shipped from Idaho to the Van Etten funeral home in Orange City, where funeral services were conducted Wednesday afternoon at 1:30 p.m. The Masonic Lodge conducted a service from the Orange City cemetery at 3 o’clock p.m. Wednesday, where burial was made.

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From the Alton Democrat, March 24, 1939:

PETER N. VOS, RETIRED BANKER, DIES
Dies Sunday In Idaho; Was 73 Years of Age
Started in Business As Printer and Began Banking Career In ‘90s at Alton

Funeral services were to be held this Wednesday at the American Reformed church, Orange City, for the late Peter N. Vos, who died Sunday morning at Gooding, Idaho, where he had been visiting since last fall at the home of his stepdaughter, Mrs. St. Elmo Faith.

News of his passing came as a shock to hundreds of friends in Sioux county who had had no warning that he was even ill. The veteran Sioux county banker left Maurice last fall, as stated above, and none of the family now live in Sioux county. I. O. Vos of Corona Beach, Big Stone Lake, S.D., happened to be in Orange City, however, having arrived last week with Mrs. Vos from a winter’s visit in Florida, when news of his brother’s death came via Mrs. Clarence Schaap of Sheldon, a sister.

P. N. was the oldest child of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Vos and was born in Pella, August 13, 1866, just after the Civil War in which his father fought on the Union side. His sister, Effie, Mrs. Wm. Fortuin, who died a number of years ago at Grand Rapids, was also born at Pella, but the rest of the children are natives of Sioux county and were born at Orange City.

His wife died in 1924 and he is survived by her two children—Raymond Hershey of Omaha and Mrs. St. Elmo (Goldie) Faith of Gooding, Idaho—and by six brothers and sisters, as follows: Isaac O. Vos, Corona Beach, Big Stone Lake, S.D.; Mrs. Bob Schultz (Retta), Willow Lake, S.D.; Mrs. Clarence Schaap (Kate), Sheldon; Mrs. Louis Minner (Arta), Gilbert, Arizona; Dr. John Vos, dentist for many years at Iowa City; Mrs. Verwys (Josephine), Grand Rapids, Mich. Gerrit, who became quite famous years ago when he put up and sold a workingman’s lunch which he called “Vos’s Lunch,” died last May at Philadelphia and Mrs. Fortuin died many years ago, leaving only the six named above.

At the time of his retirement as cashier of the bank at Maurice last October, the Sioux City Tribune published an article about him written by Emmett L. Keough, Tribune reporter, which gives an interesting history of high points in his life, and The Democrat re-publishes it below.

Mr. Vos was a power in Sioux county politics since the early days and held a fine reputation as a banker. Schooled under James F. Toy, his bank at Maurice weathered the storm of 1932-33, as did all Toy banks. The institution, in which Mr. Toy sold his interest a number of years ago, is now a branch of the Northwestern State Bank of Orange City having previously merged with the Orange City National Bank, both institutions taking the name of the Maurice branch, Sioux County Savings Bank.

Following is the sketch published last fall by the Sioux City Tribune and which covers quite thoroughly his career in Sioux county since the early days:

Peter N. Vos, at the age of 72, for 42 years the banker at Maurice, has announced his retirement, to become effective October 1, 1938. Shortly after his retirement, he plans to leave his native state to live with a daughter in Idaho, where he plans to spend his time the way any lover of sports and the outdoors would—hunting and fishing.

But Peter N. Vos is not leaving his home and northwest Iowa banking circles without an enviable record. Having been schooled in the methods of conservative banking under the late James F. Toy of Sioux City, his has always been regarded as one of the most sound institutions of Sioux county. His was one of the few who survived, without restrictions, the acid test in 1933, when President Roosevelt declared the bank holiday.

Pella Is Birthplace

Born at Pella, Ia., August 13, 1866, the son of a Civil War veteran and the oldest of 11 children, 8 of whom still are living, Mr. Vos located as a youth in Sioux county, at Orange City. There in the plant of the old Sioux County Herald, and De Volksvriend, young Peter, known as Chick among his friends, many of whom still use the name, learned the printer’s trade.

At the age of 21, and upon the advice of the Herald’s publisher, Henry J. Lenderink, the adept young printer was advised to go to Sioux City where the pay for a printer was more lucrative. Having been accepted by officials of International Typographical union, 180, he soon was a member of The Tribune payroll. This was in 1886, the first year of Sioux City’s famed corn palace. Among his prized possessions is his typographical union card, which records the payment of local dues until August, 1887, when he left the Tribune. J. H. Strief then was secretary of the local chapter.

Newspaper Organized

After leaving the Tribune, Mr. Vos’s next move was to organize and publish the first newspaper at Maurice, the Maurice Times. Continuing this pursuit for nearly 2 years, he disposed of his newspaper interest to accept a position as deputy postmaster at Orange City. Having only had benefit of an elementary education, Mr. Vos says his newspaper experience was the most educational and broadening aspect of his life. He retains with pleasure memories of his life in the newspaper world.

Starting his banking career as an assistant cashier in an Alton, Ia., bank of which Charles Tidrick was president, he soon obtained employment as cashier in the Maurice bank, a private institution owned by Henry Hospers of Orange City. That was in June, 1896. He worked for Mr. Hospers until his death 2 years later.

It was then, in 1898, that Mr. Toy purchased the bank. Mr. Vos was named cashier, and worked for the Sioux City banker until 1922, when he disposed of the institution. It was purchased by Herman Rouwenhorst of Maurice, and Herman De Groot or Orange City. Mr. Vos was named first vice president. Since 1933, Mr. Vos has been manager of the Maurice branch of the Northwestern State Bank of Orange City.

Bank Robbed Thrice

During his Maurice career, the small town bank was thrice victim of bandits. Two of the robberies occurred at night—the third was a daylight raid. In 1923 the burglars were unsuccessful in their attempt to blow open the vault door. However, they ransacked all the safety deposit vaults, taking many valuable records, abstracts and deeds, none of which was recovered.

The following January the bandits, who later confessed their crime, again visited the Maurice institution. One of the most spectacular displays of exchange of gunfire and a daring series of capture on the part of Sioux county officers, piloted by the sheriff, Hugo Synhorst, followed.

The bandits went to Maurice about midnight. They severed all telephone and telegraph wires before forcing an entrance into the bank where they proceeded to use nitroglycerine to force open the vault door. Meanwhile, a Sioux City railroad telegrapher, who was attempting to get a call through to Maurice, sensed the trouble and notified county officials. Sheriff Synhorst answered the call with his deputies and was greeted with a volley of gun fire.

All Bandits Caught

After making the bandits’ car useless by deflating the tires and putting bullet holes in the gas tank and seriously wounding 4 of the bandits, who surrendered, all of the bandit gang was captured. A fifth, critically wounded, was found in a haystack a few miles from Maurice the next day. The sheriff’s men used more than 200 rounds of ammunition. Several Maurice buildings still are marked with bullet holes.

This ended the exploits of bandits in Maurice until July 28, 1931. A few minutes after opening the vault at 9 a.m., 2 bandits commanded Mr. Vos, Mr. Rouwenhorst and a customer, William Van Peursem, to “stick ‘em up.” Mr. Vos was going out of the vault with about $400 in currency in a leather pouch. This he dropped on the floor. The men hurriedly scooped up nearly $900, and locked the men in the vault. In their haste, they overlooked the pouch containing the $400. This always has remained a source of satisfaction to the banker who contemplates retirement. “So you see, the life of a small town banker is not always dull or without excitement,” Mr. Vos said. “Neither will it be without vivid memories.”

Many Tales Are Told

With his departure from Maurice and the state, Maurice and Sioux county will be losing a colorful figure. Many are the tales that are told, about which he was the central figure. He always has been a lover of hunting and fishing and has spent many summers vacationing in the north woods. He will be remembered as one of the best rifle and pistol marksmen of northwest Iowa.

Among the favorite tales told on him is one that dates back to the days when he was little more than a boy, and the best trap drummer in the then renowned Orange City band. The Orange City organization was scheduled to present a concert at a Hospers celebration. About a mile out of town Mr. Vos became possessed with the idea that their entrance to Hospers should be more than ordinary. So he produced his trusty target pistol from his uniform and fired a volley of ringing shots into the air.

Complications Follow

This would have been not too much out of order, except it frightened the team drawing the loaded surrey, and they ran away, uncontrollable, into the crowded streets of Hospers. Disaster followed. The frightened horses ran full force into a milk wagon. spilling milk all over the street, and causing no end of excitement. Needless to say, the delayed concert was played, but the trap drum seemed minus the usual staccato sound. Maybe Chick was nervous, his contemporaries theorize.

Mr. Vos, who has been a widower since 1924, is known as one of the best “housewives” in Maurice. His house is always spotlessly clean—his larder well stocked—and his guests always depart with that satisfied appearance, indicative of a well satisfied appetite.

“I already have a deer hunting trip planned for this fall,” Mr. Vos told his interviewer. He is looking forward to an expedition in the Idaho mountains. “I might be too old to stalk the deer and be there for the kill, but when the boys return from the trail, they will find old Pete will be a darned handy man to take along,” he boasted.

So, when October rolls around, the banker and sportsman, Peter N. Vos, will leave to enjoy his remaining days, doing those things he likes to do best. And Maurice, Sioux county, and Iowa will be minus a shrewd business man and a citizen proud to boast of, an asset to any community.

(Also, on page 1 of this issue of the Democrat, is a photo of P. N. Vos with Herman Rouwenhorst and Mr. Van Peursem.)

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RESEARCH NOTES

His death certificate has Peter N. Vos, resident of Gooding, Idaho; husband of Rachel Hershey Vos, deceased; born August 13, 1866 in Pella, Iowa; father Joseph Vos, born in Holland; occupation, retired banker; died in Gooding at 6:30 a.m. March 18, 1939; cause, chronic [illegible] nephritis.

His FindaGrave.com page has him as Pieter Nicholas Vos [the photo of his headstone that is included has “Peter N. Vos”]; parents Joseph Vos (1839-1903) and Maria Overkamp Vos (1844-1922); nine siblings listed; wife Rachel Dougherty Vos (1867-1924).

The Sioux County marriage register for 1904 has groom Peter N. Vos, age 38, residence Maurice, occupation cashier, born in Pella, parents Joseph [Vos] and Maria Overkamp, first marriage; bride Rachel A. Hershey, maiden name Rachel Dorrity, age 37, resident of Maurice, born at Greenfield Indiana, parents George [Dorrity] and Ann Gephart, second marriage; married at Maurice April 30, 1904.