For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 460
HERMAN J. HENDRIKS....The owner of four hundred and sixty acres of good Muscatine county land, Herman J. Hendriks may congratulate himself on having as a young man chosen farming as his vocation. He has shown an energy and judgment that are highly creditable, and various responsible offices to which he has been elected by his friends and neighbors indicate that he is greatly respected by those who best know him. He comes of Holland stock on both branches of the paternal tree, and was born in St. Louis, Missouri, March 1, 1850, son of Jacob and Anna ( Shoemaker ) Hendriks, both natives of Holland. The father came to America at the age of twenty-six years, and the mother with her parents, being married to Mr. Hendriks in St. Louis, where he lived for six years, working in a lumberyard. In 1852 he removed to Muscatine and worked in a lumberyard in the summer and in the packing house in the winter until 1869, when he began farming on rented land in Bloomington township. As he was an industrious man of good habits he accumulated sufficient capital to purchase one hundred and twenty acres in the same township, which he cultivated for ten years. In 1879 he removed to Muscatine and lived retired until his death, which occurred December 27, 1889. The beloved wife and mother passed away in 1887, and both she and her husband were interred in Greenwood cemetery. There were eight children in their family, of whom four are now living, namely : Herman J., the subject of this review ; Jennie, the wife of L. A. Eysink, of Pella, Iowa ; William, who now lives on the family homestead ; and Mary, the wife of Henry Eysink, of Enid, Oklahoma.At the age of two years Herman J. Hendriks came to Muscatine with his parents, and in the public schools of the city received his education. At twenty-nine years of age he located on the farm in Bloomington township, operating rented land on his own account. He applied himself vigorously to his work and after eight years of continuous application he had acquired sufficient money to purchase one hundred and twenty acres in Goshen township. He increased the size of his farm as the years passed and now owns four hundred and sixty acres, of which four hundred acres are under a high state of cultivation. He also owns six hundred and forty acres in Nebraska. he carries on general farming and spares no pains to secure the best results in his work. Thorough in everything he undertakes, he has made his farm one of the model places of the township.
On the 26th of February, 1879, Mr. Hendriks was united in marriage to Miss Jennie Nyenhuis, who was born in Muscatine, November 26, 1857, a daughter of Christian and Bernadine ( Bolthof ) Nyenhuis. The parents were both natives of Holland and came to this country in the early part of the ' 50s, stopping for a time in New York. Subsequently they took up their residence in Muscatine county, and the father worked at his trade as a carpenter for several years, locating upon a farm in 1858. He passed away in 1872. The mother moved to Muscatine in 1873, and there lived until her death, which occurred in 1904. Their remains lie side by side in Greenwood cemetery at Muscatine. There were ten children in their family, six of whom are now living, namely :Hannah, the wife of William Rensink, of Denver, Colorado ; Jennie, now Mrs. Hendriks ; John H., a well known architect and contractor of Chicago ; William C., of Cripple Creek, Colorado ; Wilhelmina, who is living with her sister in Denver ; George, a farmer of Sweetland township ; and Mary, who married Dr. E. B. Fulliam, of Muscatine county and died in 1905. The other three children of Mr. and Mrs. Nyenhuis died in infancy. To Mr. and Mrs. Hendriks were born six children, namely :George W., who was born February 23, 1880, and is now living upon a farm near Nichols, Iowa ; Anna May, who was born May 4, 1882, and is now the wife of Arthur J. La Tourette, of Bayfield, Lake township, Iowa ; Bertha D., who was born October 1, 1884 ; Edward J., May 11, 1887 ; John, September 12, 1893 ; and Frank C., who was born January 17, 1892, and died October 5, 1905. Bertha, Edward and John are living at home.
Mr. and Mrs. Hendriks have reared an interesting family and by their example encouraged their children to enter upon lives of usefulness. They are both active members of the First Baptist church of Muscatine and are always ready to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate than themselves. Mr. Hendriks ever since attaining his majority has given his support to the republican party and has served with general acceptance as township trustee for eight years and also as road supervisor for four years, and was a member of the school board. He ranks as one of the most substantial and useful men of his neighborhood.
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