VanderHeiden, Tony, 1908-1937

VANDERHEIDEN, HOEKSTRA, SLOTHOUBER

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

From the Alton Democrat, June 25, 1937:

Relatives here received news Monday of the death of Tony Vander Heiden, brother of Henry Slothouber, at a Sioux Falls hospital that afternoon. The young man was 28 years of age. Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Hoekstra, he was left an orphan when a small child and was reared by Mr. and Mrs. Vander Heiden, who have been notified of his death at their home in Texas. Besides his brother here, surviving relatives are a sister at Glenwood and two brothers whose whereabouts are unknown. Funeral services are to be held this Thursday. Those from here who expect to drive to Sioux Falls for the services are Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Visser, Mrs. Jane Slothouber, Miss Dora and Henry, Mr. and Mrs. George Van Roekel.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The Iowa Births and Christenings Index on Ancestry.com has an entry for Antonie Hoekstra, born 9 August 1908 in Nassau Township, Sioux County, parents Walter Hoekstra and Hattie Slothouber. The 1910 U.S. census for Sherman Township, Sioux County, shows Walter Hocktra [i.e., Hoekstra], age 36, an odd jobs laborer, and wife Hattie (26), both born in Holland, sons Johannes (3) and Antony (1-9/12), and sister-in-law Dena Slothouwer (22).

Tony Vander Heiden is mentioned a couple of times in area newspapers. In August 1934 he was living at Brandon, S.D., and came to visit Mrs. Jane Slothouber (Alton Democrat, 17 Aug. 1934). In June 1936 he had an operation at a Sioux Falls hospital and is to have another operation for the removal of his left kidney and a tumor (Alton Democrat, June 26, 1936).

Biographical notes on Hattie Hoekstra, posted in lieu of an obit, show her dying 11 or 17 December 1918 in Lynn Township, Sioux County, and Walter (Wopke) dying 8 June 1932 in the South Dakota State Hospital, Yankton. Their children were Johannes (1906), Antonie (1908), Charles (1911), Henry (1913), Marie (1915), Henry Weston (1917). No other information about Antony/Antonie was readily located.

The 1930 U.S. census for Alton, Iowa shows Jane Slothouber, a widow, with adopted children Dora (21) and Henry (17); Jane is probably Hattie’s sister. Jane (Jannigje)’s obituary says she and her husband adopted four children: Dora, Henry, and two other sons (Elroy and Edwin) who left home when young.