Van Vliet, W. A. 1870 – 1959
VAN VLIET, SCRIVER, WOHLFORD, HEADINGTON
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/11/2015 at 08:37:14
W. A. VAN VLIET.
W. A. Van Vliet, for the past twenty years a well known breeder of shorthorn cattle in Winneshiek county, is the owner of the Cedar Dawn Stock Farm, on section 32, Hesper township, and ranks with the progressive and substantial agriculturists of this vicinity. He was born in Quebec, Canada, July 12, 1870, and is a representative of a very old American family. He has in his possession a record of the Van Vliet’s in America, showing that representatives of the line came from Holland in 1635 and settled in Dutchess county, New York, whence they moved to the Canadian frontier in 1800. The great-grandfather of the subject of this review, Jan Van Vliet, settled in Quebec, near the New York state line, acquiring a farm which was occupied by members of the Van Vliet family from 1800 to 1911, when it was sold. The grandfather of the subject of this review, William Van Vliet, was born upon this property and his son, William R., was born in the locality. He was the father of the subject of this review and in 1876 came with his wife and family to Hesper township, Winneshiek county, Iowa, where he became an extensive landowner, acquiring two hundred acres, one hundred and sixty in the home place on section 32, and forty on section 5, Canoe township. This property he continued to develop until 1902, when he moved to Montana, where his death occurred in June, 1911, at the advanced age of seventy-seven. His wife, who was in her maidenhood Miss Mary A. Scriver, was born in Odelltown, Quebec, October 20. 1839, and survives her husband, making her home in Stevensville, Montana. In this family were five children: E. H, of Stevensville, Montana; Ida May, who resides with her mother and who has been blind since fourteen years of age; Alexander, who also resides in Stevensville. Montana; W. A., of this review: and Fred, of Spokane, Washington.
W. A. Van Vliet was reared upon his father's farm and by assisting in the work of its operation early became familiar with the best and most practical agricultural methods. He is now the owner of the homestead which is known as the Cedar Dawn Stock Farm and for the past twenty years has specialized in the breeding and raising of high-grade shorthorn cattle. He has been very successful and his animals have taken many prizes at the different fairs where they have been exhibited. Mr. Van Vliet's business interests are all carefully and conservatively conducted and have brought him a gratifying measure of success, placing him today among the progressive agriculturists and prosperous stockmen of this vicinity.
In 1902 Mr. Van Vliet was united in marriage to Miss Minnie E. Wohlford, who was born in Winneshiek county, December 28, 1876, a daughter of Cyrus and Ellen (Headington) Wohlford, the former of whom went from Illinois to Ohio and later to Iowa. He died in Decorah, this state, at the age of forty-five, and his wife now makes her home in that city. Mr. and Mrs. Van Vliet have become the parents of a son, Harry Maxwell. Mr. Van Vliet is a member of the Yeomen and acts as secretary of the Farmers Institute. He is a republican in his political beliefs and is serving at the present time as justice of the peace, discharging his duties in a capable and conscientious way. During the many years of his residence in Winneshiek county he has proven himself a capable business man and a progressive agriculturist and he has gained widespread respect and esteem as a desirable and useful citizen.
Source: History of Winneshiek County, Iowa Vol. II Chicago the S. J. Clark Publishing Company 1913
Phelps Cemetery
Winneshiek Biographies maintained by Jeff Getchell.
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