Sypersma, John J., 1890-1941

SYPERSMA, NELSON, KOORNSTRA

Posted By: Lydia Lucas -- Volunteer (email)
Date: 5/23/2023 at 00:08:45

From the Sioux Center News, January 30, 1941, Rock Valley news:

John J. Sypersma, a former resident of Rock Valley, died at his home in Bronson, Iowa, on Wednesday night, January 22. John J. Sypersma was born in Holland, June 7, 1890, and came to the United States in 1909, coming to Rock Valley where he made his home with Simon Vogelzang and family. He was married to Miss Mamie Nelson at Canton, S.D., September 16, 1915.

Surviving him are the widow and five daughters: Sylvia, Annie, Rachel, Alice and Hilda; four sons: Harold, Charles, John and Julius all of Bronson; 2 brothers: Julius of Luverne, Minn. and Rhinehart of Long Beach, Calif.; two sisters, Mrs. Charles Deinum and Mrs. Ray Wisengrop of Blenhiem, Canada; and one brother and 3 sisters in Holland.

Funeral services were held in Norwegian Lutheran Church at Hudson, S.D. at 2 P.M. conducted by Rev. J. B. Stevenson of Bronson.

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RESEARCH NOTES

The obituary was also published in the Alton Democrat, January 31, 1941, Rock Valley news. A brief note on his death in the Sioux County Capital, January 30, 1941, Rock Valley news says that he was a cousin of Simon Vogelzang. No obituary was found in the Rock Valley Bee.

His death certificate (informant Harold Sypersma of Bronson) adds his parents, John Johns Sypersma and Lizabeth Constra, both born in Holland; occupation, farmer, residing in rural Woodbury County near Bronson; died in Sioux City at 1507 S. Cleveland St. (apparently a hospital) on January 22, 1942; cause, cerebral hemorrhage, duration ½ hour; buried at Hudson, South Dakota.

His FindaGrave.com page has John J. Sypersma, 1887-1948 [actually, these are his wife’s dates]; buried in Eden Cemetery, Hudson, South Dakota. Wife Mamie Evelyn Nelson Sypersma (1887-1948); four of his children listed. There is a photo of their joint headstone: John J. 1890-1941 and Mamie E. 1887-1948.

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index record for Jan Sypersma, born 7 June 1890 in Friesland; parents Jan Sypersma and Lijsbert Koornstra.

The passenger list (Ancestry.com) for the S.S. Noordam, sailing from Rotterdam on February 20, 1909 includes Jan Sypersma, age 18, a farmer; last permanent residence Arum, Friesland, Holland; destination Rock Valley.

His World War I draft registration card (June 1917) shows him as John Sypersma, age 26, born June 7, 1890 in Arum, Holland, had filed declaration of intention to become a citizen, resident of Hudson, S.D., a farmer, dependent wife and child, claims exemption from draft on grounds of being flat footed; tall, medium build, blue eyes, light hair.

The 1920 census shows him renting a farm in Eden Township, Lincoln County, South Dakota, with wife Mamie, children John L. and Sylvia E. and brother Julius. John and Julius have filed first naturalization papers. In 1930 he is renting a farm in Fairview Township, Lincoln County, and is naturalized.

The 1940 U.S. census shows him renting a farm in Floyd Township, Woodbury County, Iowa, with wife Mamie and nine children, all born in South Dakota: Johnie (23), Sylvia (21), Anna (19), Rachel (18), Harold (18), Charlie (16), Alice (15), Hilda (12), and Julius (10).