Sanem, Pierre “Peter,” 1850-1937

SANEM, HENTGES

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

From the Sioux Center News, December 23, 1937:

HOSPERS MAN DIES IN ORANGE CITY HOSPITAL

Hospers, Iowa—Mr. Peter Sanem was taken seriously ill Friday. His daughter, Mrs. Erbin Jemmings of South Dakota was called, who with her husband arrived Saturday morning. On Saturday afternoon, Mr. Sanem was taken by ambulance to the Doornink hospital in Orange City where he passed away on Sunday noon. His other daughter, Mrs. O. G. Cool of Little Rock, Arkansas was summoned but was unable to get here before her father’s death. His son, Nick was also with him.

OBITUARY

HOSPERS – Mr. Peter Sanem was born in Luxemberg, Germany, in 1849 and died in the hospital at Orange City Sunday, Dec. 19, 1937, at the age of 88 years.. Mr. Sanem had been around and very active up until Friday when he was taken seriously ill with Uremic poisoning. He had lived in and around Hospers practically all his life and was Hospers’ oldest citizen. He had been a very firm member of the St. Anthony’s church.

He leaves to mourn his death two daughters, Mrs. Erbin Jemmings of South Dakota, Mrs. O. G. Cool of Little Rock, Arkansas, a son, Nickolas of Hospers and a few grandchildren. His wife preceded him in death several years ago.

Funeral services were held Wed. morning at nine o’clock in the St. Anthony’s church with Rev. Father J. Thoennesen in charge. Interment was made in the Catholic Cemetery.

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From the Alton Democrat, December 24, 1937:

P. SANEM IS CALLED AFTER LONG ILLNESS

Pierre Sanem, native of Belgium and early settler in this section, died at an Orange City hospital after a long illness, on Sunday morning at 12:00 A.M. He became severely ill Wednesday night and failed rapidly.

Born February 19, 1850, at Hester, Belgium, Mr. Sanem came to America in 1871, living first in Chicago. In 1885 he settled on a farm in O’Brien county, where he resided with his brother, John. In 1888 he married Odelia Hentges, the wedding taking place at Le Mars.

He is survived by two daughters, Helen, Mrs. I. A. Jennings of Canistota, S.D., and Anna, Mrs. O. G. Cool, and by one son, Nick, at home. A half-brother, Peter Sanem of Sioux City, and a half-sister, Mrs. Edward Elsner, also of Sioux City, are other survivors who mourn his death.

In 1900 he retired and moved to Hospers where he owned a small farm.

Funeral services were held Wednesday at 9:30 A.M. at St. Anthony’s Catholic church at Hospers, attended by a large number of relatives and friends. Among those from a distance at the service were Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Homan, Mr. and Mrs. Chas. W. Hentges, all of Alton; Leonard Esliner, Peter Sanem, of Sioux City; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Sanem, Mrs. John Ted Sanem, all of Sheldon; and Mrs. Sena Pass of Sioux Falls, S.D.

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From the Sioux County Capital, March 3, 1938:

PETER SANEM

A year or so ago a little old man came down from Hospers to be treated at an Orange City hospital. During his stay he would wander down town and while he was almost a stranger he soon got in touch with people and while here he gained several friends for he was a likeable little man who radiated good will and friendship. We had known the little man for a long time and it was always a pleasure to meet him. Not so long ago we had a pleasant chat with him at his home when he was working in his garden. Everyone knew or felt that he was fairly well to do, but few guessed that he was one of the wealthiest men in this part of Sioux county and that he left an estate valued at about seventy thousand dollars and almost all in United States bonds and good notes, bank account, mortgages and other good bonds. There are also some worthless notes for money lent to relatives and friends and if these could be collected the estate would run over $70,000. Mr. Sanem was a great friend of the late Gerrit Draayom and always spoke of him with admiration. They died at about the same age and were the oldest men in Hospers.

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Research Notes:
The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Pierre Sanem, b. 1850, d. 1937, father, St. Anthonys Cemetery, Hospers, IA.

His death certificate (indexed on Ancestry.com as Sanene) gives his name as Pierre Sanem and his birth date as Feb. 19, 1850, and shows him dying at 12:25 a.m. December 19, 1937; cause, uremia, result of hypertrophied prostate & retention of urine, onset 12/15/37. (It does not give his parents’ names).

The Plymouth County marriage register for 1889 has groom Peter Sanem, age 35, resident of Hospers, Sioux County, a farmer, born in Heensleet[?], Belgium, parents Dominick Sanem and Catharina; bride Mary Hentges, age 25, resident of Le Mars, born in Bissen, Lux., parents Aaur[?] Hentges and Margaretha Marbet[?]; married at Le Mars, February 12, 1889.

His FindaGrave.com page gives his wife as Mary Odelia Sanem (1863-1924), as does her obituary (posted separately).