Mulert, Maria C. (Mrs. Frederik W. J.), 1859-1936

MULERT, JANSSEN, VANHEES

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

From De Volksvriend, July 16, 1936, p. 5 (in Dutch):
Mrs. Mary Mulert, who lived here in Orange City for many years, was sent to the hospital in Cherokee on May 22 based on information from neighbors, where it turned out that the nearly 80-year-old widow was suffering from “Thrombosis of the right auricles, malnutrition, senile psychosis, simple scrofula,” or in other words, “insanity and neglect.” She died there on July 9, and Saturday the remains were brought here to the Van Etten funeral home.

From the Sioux County Capital, July 16, 1936:
The last will of Maria Christina Mulert was noticed for probate. She died in the hospital for the insane at Cherokee.

From the Alton Democrat, July 17, 1936, Orange City news:
Funeral services for the late Mrs. Mary Mulert who died at Cherokee on Thursday were held at the Van Etten Funeral Home with the Rev. H. Colenbrander officiating.

An announcement of the auction sale of her household goods, by guardian Gertie Reinders, Sr., appeared in De Volksvriend, June 25, 1936, p. 4. It itemizes the goods being sold.

From the Rock Valley Bee, February 4, 1938, Sioux County Court Notes:
In the estate of Maria C. Mulert, the court authorized the appraisement and sale of two Orange City lots. The court finds that M. A. N. Baron Mulert Tot De Leemcule of Wiesbaden, Germany is her sole heir. (This note also appeared in other local papers. See the obituary of her husband, Frederik W. J. Mulert, for additional information.)

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RESEARCH NOTES:

Her death certificate has her as Mary Mulert, born in 1856 in the Netherlands; parents unknown to the informant (the Cherokee State Hospital staff); died at 12:20 p.m. July 9, 1936; cause, thrombosis of right auricle, malnutrition; contributory causes, senile psychosis, simple scrofula. There was an autopsy.

The Sioux County Cemetery Index has Maria C. Mulert, b. 1866, d. 1936, West Lawn Cemetery, Orange City IA. The Iowa Gravestone Photo Project has a photo of the joint headstone of her and her husband, also showing these years. Her birth year on the stone appears to be inaccurate; see below.

Her FindaGrave.com page has her as Maria C. Janssen Mulert baron tot de Leemcule; born 16 Oct 1866 in Overasselt, Heumen Municipality, Gelderland, Netherlands; died 9 July 1936 in Cherokee; spouse, Frederik Willem Johan Mulert baron tot de Leemcule (1856-1923).

The 1920 U.S. census shows her (age 60) as having immigrated in 1888, naturalized in 1894. She has no occupation in this census, but the 1910 census shows her as a laundress and her husband as a house painter. News notes and advertisements in De Volksvriend show her selling vegetables and flowers, presumably from her own garden.

Researcher Wilma J. Vande Berg found the following information (compiled by others) on Ancestry.com:
Frederik Johan Willem Mulert was born 6 June 1856 in ‘s-Gravenhage, Zuid Holland, Netherlands, the son of Boldewijn Jacob Mulert tot de Leemcule and Johanna Hermina Antonette Mansvelt Beck. He died 10 October 1923 in Orange City, Sioux County, Iowa, USA. He married Maria Janssen on Jun 9, 1886 in Overasselt, Gelderland Netherlands.
Spouse: Maria Janssen born October 16, 1859 in Overasselt G. Neth. Daughter of Hendrikus Janssen and Willemina Van Hees. She died July 9, 1936 in Cherokee IA and buried in Orange City, IA. They had no children.

This is confirmed by information in WieWasWie.nl:
Birth index entry for Maria Janssen, daughter of Hendrikus Janssen, age 41, a laborer, and Willemina van Hees, born 16 Oct 1859 in Overasselt.
Marriage index entry for groom Frederik Willem Johan baron Mulert tot de Leemcule, age 30, a farmer, parents Boldewijn Jacob baron Mulert tot de Leemcule, a military man, and Johanna Hermina Antonette Mansvelt Beck; bride Maria Janssen, age 26, parents Hendrikus Janssen and Willemina van Hees; married 9 June 1886 in Overasselt.