Pater, John, 1845-1937

PATER, VANDENBRINK, DONKERSTEEG, BLANKESPOOR, BUURMAN

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

From the: Sioux Center News, October 7, 1937:

JOHN PATER DIES AT HOME IN ROCK VALLEY

John Pater, 90 year old resident of Rock Valley passed away at his home on Monday, October 4th after a few days illness with pneumonia.

Deceased was born in Gelderland, Netherlands and came to this country with his wife and family about 36 years ago. The family made their home on a farm near Rock Valley ever since. Preceding him in death were his wife and one daughter.

Survivors include Mrs. Garrit Van't Hul, Evert Blankespoor, John Blankespoor of Hull, Guys Blankespoor of Hull, Henry Blankespoor of California, and Mrs. John Vander Wilt of Fredericksburg, Pa., Mrs. John Koedam of Sioux Center.

Funeral services will be held today October 7, at 1:30 from the residence and 2:00 p.m. from the First Christian Reformed Church with Rev. L. Vermeer of Hull officiating. Interment will be in the Rock Valley cemetery.

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From the Sioux County Capital, October 7, 1937:

John Pater of Rock Valley passed away at the home of his daughter Mrs. Garritt Van’t Hul on Monday morning, Oct. 4 at the age of 92 years and seven months.

He was born in Barneveld in The Netherlands on March 9, 1845. He lived in the Netherlands until 1901, when he came to the United States to make his home. He lived with his family near Orange City for about two years, and then moved to Rock Valley where he resided since that time. In 1917 Mr. Pater moved to the town of Rock Valley from a small farm near here, and has resided with his daughter, Mrs. Garritt Van’t Hul for the past 20 years.

Mr. Pater’s first wife died. There were no children. Mr. Pater then married Mrs. Blankespoor. He was a member of the Protestant Reformed church in Rock Valley for several years past.

Mr. Pater is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Garritt Van’t Hul. One daughter Kate, Mrs. Mies Van Beek, died eleven years ago. He is also survived by several step children who are John, Evert and Maas Blankespoor of Rock Valley, Mrs. John Koedam of Rock Valley, Mrs. John Vander Bilt of Pittstown, New Jersey, and Henry Blankespoor of Evergreen, Colo.

Funeral services were held in the Christian Reformed church in Rock Valley on Thursday afternoon Oct. 7. Rev. John Gritters, pastor of the Christian Reformed church and Rev. Ver Meer of Hull officiated. Burial was made in the Valley View cemetery.

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RESEARCH NOTES

An obituary containing much the same information was published in the Rock Valley Bee, October 8, 1937.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Pater, John, b. 9 Mar 1845, d. 4 Oct 1937, Father, ss (Nellie) Hattie?, Valley View Cemetery, Rock Valley IA.

His death certificate has John Pater, born March 9, 1845 in Gelderland, Netherlands; resident of the U.S. 36 years and of Rock Valley 26 years; father John Pater, mother’s name unknown to the informant, Garritt Vant Hul; widowed, wife Henrietta Van Den Bruck; farmer for 11 years, last worked at this occupation in 1911; died at 2:30 a.m. October 4, 1937; cause, hyperstatic pneumonia, onset October 2, 1937.

His FindaGrave.com page has John “Jan” Pater, born 9 March 1845 at Kallenbroek, Barneveld Municipality, Gelderland, Netherlands; died 4 Oct 1937 at Rock Valley, buried in Valley View Cemetery; spouse Hattie Van den Brink Pater (1865-1914); children Kate Cornelia Pater Van Beek (1896-1926) and Grace Pater Van’t Hul (1898-1995). There is a photo of the joint headstone of him and his wife Hattie (his birth day appears to be March 8). An added note (unattributed) says that he arrived on the SS “Potsdam" on December 1, 1901 at New York.

The 1910 U.S. census for Plato Township, Sioux County has Jan Pater (65), an alien, a general farmer; wife Heintje (55); married 15 years, second marriage for both; daughters Cornelia (14) and Gysberta (12); stepsons Maas (28, a farmer), Evert (24), Gysbert (22), and Hendrick (18) Blankespoor; and stepdaughter Heintje Blankespoor (16). All were born in Holland and immigrated in 1902 except Maas, who immigrated in 1896.

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index record for Jan Pater, born 9 March 1845 in Kallenbroek (Barneveld), parents Jan Pater (37), a farmer, and Cornelia Donkersteeg (34).

WieWasWie.nl also has a marriage index record for groom Jan Pater (32), a farmer, parents Jan Pater, a farmer, and Cornelia Donkersteeg; bride Hanna Buurman (40), parents Jan Buurman, a farmer, and Evertje Pater; married in Barneveld 23 Nov 1877. There is another marriage index record for groom Jan Pater (50), a farmer, same parents; bride Heintje van den Brink (39), parents Jan van den Brink and Gijsbertje Rijswijk; married 17 May 1895 in Barneveld. An added note says that he is the widower of Hanna Buurman and she is the widow of Hendrik Blankespoor. A woman named Hanna Buurman (55), parents Jan Buurman and Evertje Pater, died in Kallenbroek (Barneveld) on 27 Nov 1892, but her partner’s name is given as Jan Kuijt.