SJOERD R. SIPMA
33rd Regiment Iowa Volunteer Infantry, Co. G. Residence Pella, nativity Netherlands. Enlisted Sept. 4, 1862. Mustered out July 17, 1865, New Orleans, La.The Photo's and following information submitted by Angie Hardesty,
Great-Grandaughter of
Sjoerd R. Sipma
DEATH CALLS LAST SOLDER OF CIVIL WAR
S. R. Sipma Home-Steaded Soldier Grant HereS. R. Sipma, 90 year old Civil war veteran, died Friday night at his home in Alton, after a few weeks illness. All his children, including two sons from California, arrived here before the death of their father.Sjoerd R. Sipma was born in Friesland, Holland, August 6, 1842. At the age of nine he came to America with his parents and the family located at Pella, Iowa. He grew to manhood at that place and was engaged in farming.
When the Civil war broke out he enlisted in Co. G. 33rd Iowa Infantry and served for three years until the close of the war. This service to his country was always a matter of pride to him and, until prevented by the infirmities of age, he was a regular attendant at the reunions of his regiment.
In 1879 he came to Sioux county to assist with the survey of the lands of the colony then being established. He received a homestead from the government for his military service, and on this land he made his home until 1909 when he moved to Alton. April 21st, 1872 he was united in marriage with Mary Verheul. This union endured for over 59 happy years, the golden anniversary having been celebrated in 1923. To this union were born eight children, namely, Richard, Palo Alto, California; Mrs. J. W. Stronks, Alton; Martin, Los Angelos, Calif.; Mrs. Martin Hyink, Castlewood, S.D.; Mrs, Ben Marks, Parker, S.D.; Mrs Andrew DeGraaf, Newkirk; Sip, Alton; Mrs. George Eason, Alton.
He united with the reformed church of Newkirk, and later transferred his membership to the Alton church, where he was a regular attendant. For the last two years his physical powers gradually weakened, though he was remarkably active up to his last illness and walked to town several times a day. He was loved and honored by all who knew him and will be missed by hundreds of friends.
Mr Sipma is survived by his wife and all of his seven children, by 27 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren; by one sister, Mrs. Ollie Starkenburg of Orange City.
Funeral services were held Monday at the home and First Reformed church, which was crowded for the event. Rev. J.R. Enwema preached the funeral sermon, with the mission of Paul as his text. Rev. R.L. Jones of the local Presbyterian church also took part in the service. Members of Floyd Post, American Legion, of which Veteran Sipma was an honorary member, attended in a body and tendered military honors to the veteran at the Nassau township cemetery, where interment was made.
Relatives here for the services, be sides the two sons from California, were Bart Donal, Boyden; N. B. Verheul, Newkirk; Mrs. Anna Sutherland, Paultina; Mrs. Henry Kleinhexel and son, Jake Koolbeek of Archer; Mr. and Mrs. Tom Linuan, Maurice; Mr. and Mrs. Lou Ketel, Bigelow, Minn.; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Hammerstrom, Mrs. Lester Hammerstrom, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Jibben, all of Davis, S.D.; Mr. and Mrs. Ben Marks, Miss Maude Marks, Parker, S.D.; Rev. and Mrs. Martin Hyink, daughter Helen Marie and son Merwyn, Castlwood, S.D.; Mrs Ollie Starkenburg and sons, Richard and Ed, Mr. and Mrs. Steve Starkenburg, Mrs. Wesley Starkenburg, Mrs. Wesley Starkenburg, Mr. and Mrs. Sylvan Sipma, all of Orange City; and many friends from neighboring towns.
In commemoration of the event Mr. Sipma's daughter, Mrs. Wm. Stronks, read an original poem written and dedicated to her father on his 90th birthday:
"To my distinguished father,
Who is a Cvil war vet;
He has seen ninety summers
And we're glad he's with us yet,
Although he is not as robust
As he once used to be,
He still can step her off,
Like one of Twenty-three.
His children eight in number,
Five daughters and three sons,
All wish him happy birthday
And many more to come!
And even tho we're scattered
And thousand miles apart,
This day of days reminds us
That we're closer to your heart.
And as we journey onward,
Let's all have this in view;
To follow in Dad's footsteps
And may we prove as true;
For the God of all creation,
Who is always at our side,
May He ever guide and keep us,
And we in His love abide."
A Brief History of Sjoerd R. Sipma by one of his DaughtersMy father's name was Sjoerd R. Sipma (pronounced Shourd). Born Aug 6, 1842, died Oct. 28, 1932. Buried in Nassua township cemetery S.W. of Alton, Iowa. Married to Mary Ver Huel (born July 26, 1856, died May 12, 1948) on April 21, 1873. My father enlisted in the Army in Marion County, Iowa before he was of age & his father had to sign for him. He served 3 years till the end of the war. Was in Co. G. 33d Iowa Reg. Was at various places in the South, Little Rock and New Orleans were among the places he mentioned. They walked most of the way. Were on a steam boat where he fell thru an open hatch and had his side badly scalded on a steam pipe. He applied for a pension when they moved to Alton after farming all the years. His pension was $75.00 a month. His "musket", as he called it, is in a case in the Alton Library along with the bayonet. We gave the gun to the Floyd post of which he was an honorary member. They came to Sioux County, homesteaded 80 acres and later bought 80 more. Built sod house and moved in with his bride. Later, when lumber was more obtainable, he built a small house and added on as the family increased. He would leave home at 3 AM and drive to LeMars with wheat to be ground and return late at night with the flour. His farm was located 5 miles north of Alton, and is still in the family, being owned by a grandaughter now. Present house was built in 1893. Marjorie Sipma Roghair resided in it from 1910, and in 1927, Carol Sipma VanDer Pol and family took over residence.Children:
Richard, b. Feb 27, 1874
Jane, b. May 13, 1876
Martin, b. Dec. 20, 1877
Anne, b. Oct. 2, 1879
Hanna, b. Feb. 2, 1881
Flora, b. Dec. 27, 1884
Sip, b. Jan 10, 1886
Mabel, b. Sept. 26, 1892
excerpt from newspaper interview in the book Siouxland: A History of Sioux County Iowa
by Nelson Nieuwenhuis
(page 67)The first of five wagon trains to reach the new Dutch colony site was that led by Henry J. Van der Waa, who had already made three trips from Pella to Sioux County and return. In the weeks that followed, other wagon trains made the trip from Pella. Among these was that led by Martin Ver Heul, whose wagon train numbered 13 vehicles and some 80 cattle. Martin's daughter, Mary, age 13, drove the Ver Heul team, while her father and some other men herded the cattle ahead.
Sip R. Sipma, a bachelor and one of the four men who had gone to northwest Iowa to investigate the region as a possible site for a colony in 1869, was with the Ver Heul caravan. He could not help but notice and admire the skill with which Mary handled the Ver Heul team on the long trek across the Iowa prairies, and though the streams along the way.
After three years had gone by, Sipma made up his mind to ask Martin Ver Heul for the hand of his daughter, Mary. At first, mary's parents hesitated because she was only 16 years of age; but in the end they gave their consent, and the marriage took place.
The young couple lived on a farm a few miles north of Alton. After 36 years on the farm, the Sipmas had eight children. In 1909, they left the farm to make their home in Alton where they spent 20 more years together.
In 1920, a reporter for the Alton Democrat asked Sipma how he had spent a 4th of July as a member of the 33rd Iowa Regiment during the Civil War. This was the same regiment in which Henry J. Van der Waa and Gysbert Versteeg had served. Sipma replied:"My thoughts go back to July 4, 1863, when my regiment, the 33rd Iowa Infantry, fought the Rebs at Helena, Arkansas. We were attacked by the Confederates early in the morning before daylight. The Union forces numbered about 3500 men, the enemy about 12-15,000. The battle lasted until near 11 o'clock A.M., when the enemy withdrew."
"Our regiment lost 22 killed, 49 wounded and 16 missing. Many of the wounded died, as they could not be properly cared for. One of my company, on my left, was killed."
"This was a real celebration with lots of fireworks."
