Mosterdt, Gerrit, 1900 or 01-1940

MOSTERDT, MOSTERD, VANWESTERHUIZEN, VANBEEK, VANDENBROEK

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/6/2022 at 00:57:16

From the Rock Valley Bee, December 6, 1940:

COLLISION CLAIMS LIFE G. MOSTERDT
Inwood Man Killed Instantly In Crash

Gerrit Mosterdt of Inwood was instantly killed on the east edge of Canton Saturday night between 11 o’clock and midnight in a head-on collision with a stock truck. His neck was broken and he died instantly when he was struck by a corner of the truck.

By the irony of fate, the sister of the man Gerrit was driving home was in the truck which caused Gerrit’s death, her husband the driver of the truck.

Mr. Mosterdt had driven Pat Hanson from Inwood to his home in Canton Saturday night. Pat works at Inwood but his home is still at Canton, and Mr. Mosterdt had driven him over. Mr. Westra of Inwood was also in the car. In the truck were Pat’s sister and husband and their baby. They live some miles northeast of Canton and were on their way home while the Mosterdt car was enroute into Canton from the east.

No one in the truck was hurt much, but in the Mosterdt car Hanson sustained a cut on his head and was under observation in the Canton hospital for 48 hours. Mr. Westra had a cut on his chin, but neither of the cuts were very serious.

As a result of the accident the four Mosterdt children, Daisy 13 next February, Gladys 11, Betty 10, and Beverly 9, are left orphans. Their mother died 7 years ago this fall. Their father, however, had kept the home intact for them, hiring a couple to keep house for the family. He operated a corn shelling, feed grinding and threshing business. Gerrit had gone into the trucking business in connection with his farming earlier, and after the death of his wife moved to Inwood where he established the present business.

Born October 3, 1901, in the Netherlands, he came to this country with his parents while a child. Thirteen years ago last February he married Miss Elsie Van Westerhuizen, the ceremony being performed by the Rev. R. D. Douwstra at the home of the bride’s parents here. Two of their children died in infancy, one at the age of 6 weeks and another at 9 months of age.

He is survived by two sisters, Bertha (Mrs. Ed Hulshof) and Hattie, and by four half-brothers—Jake, Dick, Bert and George Van Beek. Jake lives near Rock Rapids, Bert in Dakota and George between Rock Valley and Inwood. Dick resides on the farm 1½ miles southwest of town. All have been very busy since the tragedy, helping to keep things going in the home at Inwood. One sister of Gerrit’s was fatally hurt when a child when she was caught in the corn sheller machinery over 30 years ago.

Funeral services were held in the home at Inwood at 1:00 o’clock Wednesday afternoon and at 2:00 o’clock in the First Reformed church. Interment was at Valley View Cemetery here.

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A briefer news note about his death in the Hawarden Independent, December 5, 1940, Near-By News Notes, says that his car slid on the icy pavement into the truck body, nearly demolishing the car. The truck was driven by Ole Rorum, who operates a store five miles northwest of Inwood.

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He does not appear in the Sioux County Cemetery Index (although his wife does). His FindaGrave.com page has Gerrit Mosterdt Jr., born 7 Oct 1900 in Horst, Ermelo Municipality, Gelderland, Netherlands, died 30 Nov 1940 in East Canton, Jackson County, Iowa[??], buried in Valley View Cemetery, Rock Valley, Iowa. There is a photo of his headstone, which shows his birth year as 1901. Parents Gerrit Mosterdt (1875-1949) and Aartje Vanden Broek Van Beek Mosterdt (1863-1940). Six siblings listed. Wife Elsie Van Westerhuyzen Mosterdt (1907-1933). Three children listed: Gladys I. Mosterdt Christenson (1929-2020), Bernard Rae Mosterdt (1931-1932), Beulah Maxine Mosterdt (1933-1933).

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index record for Gerrit Mosterd, born 7 Oct 1900 in Horst, Ermelo, Gelderland, parents Gerrit Mosterd, age 25, a farmer, and Aartje van den Broek.

The 1910 census shows Gerrit Mosterdt Sr., his wife Gertie, four Van Beek stepsons, and his son Gerrit (age blurred) and daughters Bertha (6) and Hendrika (4) farming in Plato Township, Sioux County. All immigrated in 1902 except the two daughters, who were born in Iowa.

His marriage record shows groom Gerrit Mostardt, age next birthday 25, resident of Rock Valley, a farmer, born in Armelo, Netherlands, parents Gerrit Mostardt and Artie Van den Broek; bride Elsie Van Westerhuyzen, age next birthday 20, resident of Rock Valley, born there, parents Johan Van Westerhuyzen and Annie Ver Doorn; married in Rock Valley February 12, 1927.

In 1930 Gerrit (28), immigrated 1902, naturalized, wife Elsie (22), and daughters Daisy and Galdys are farming in Richland Township, Lyon County.

The 1940 census shows Gerrit (38), a truck operator, custom work, living in Inwood with his four daughters, housekeeper Johanna DeGroot (27), her husband William (26), a truck driver, and their two young children.