REV. W. M. VAN VLEET
Rev. W.M. Van Vleet was born in Knox county, Illinois, April 2, 1858. He removed to Page county, Iowa in 1858, and is of Holland descent, on his father's side, and Scotch-Irish, on his mother's. His father was born in the State of Ohio in 1825, and removed to Knox county, Illinois, in 1837. He joined the Methodist Protestant church in 1840. He began preaching at the age of twenty-five and after moving from Illinois was one of the pioneers of Republican Methodism in western Iowa and eastern Nebraska. He continued in the ministry until recent years, and is now on the superannuated list, and living on a farm in Shelby county, Iowa. His mother was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, in 1832, her maiden name being Axtell. She removed to Knox county, Illinois, in 1842, where she was married to Mr. Van Vleet in 1850. She died March 17, 1871, and was buried in Mills county, Iowa. W.M. Van Vleet's early life was spent in the western part of Iowa, his school advantages being very limited, but with his mother's instructions he learned to read, spell and write, at an early age. After his mother's death he was left as the architect of his own fortune. He attended the public schools of Glenwood, Iowa, for a time and began life as a teacher, at the age of seventeen, in Montgomery county. He made teaching his occupation for four years, and applied himself to a diligent study of various branches, but especially mathematics, logic and theology. He received license to preach from the Nebraska conference of the Methodis Protestant church, in 1879, and was appointed to Seward circuit. While pastor of this work he was also principal of the Utica schools, in Seward county. On March 31, 1880, he was married to M.C. Wenrich, of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, a graduate of the public schools of that place. At the close of the conference year, Mr. Van Vleet was transferred to Iowa, and appointed to Osceola station, for one year and was principal of Spring Hill schoools, in 1882, his wife teaching the primary department during that time. He was pastor of a church at Prairie City, Iowa, one year, and has just entered upon the second year as pastor of the Marne station. Two children have been born to Mr. and Mrs. Van Vleet. The oldest, William Perry, was twenty-three months old when he died and was buried at Prairie City. Albert Carlton was born February 19, 1883, and is yet spared to them.
Transcribed by Gloria Goltiani from "History of Cass County, Iowa. Together With Sketches of its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens." Springfield, Ill.: Continental Historical Company, 1884, pg. 617.
