Generation XI - American Rutger Branch


  

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Great-grandchildren of Isaak van Gorkom and Johanna Gerarda van Zantwijk
grandchildren of Abraham van Gorkom and Willemina van Sandwijk Great-grandchildren of Isaak van Gorkom and Antonia van Hensbergen
grandchildren of Isaak Van Gorkom and Maria Oxenaar Click here for a chart of the genealogical connections between the American and Dutch branches. It also shows a third branch, which is a "not official" maternal branch, founded by the children of Aletta van Gorkom (gen-Xa51).


  
   


  
Children of Hendrik Leonard van Gorkom and Martha Reiners (generation XUS-h56)
Hendrik Leonard was son of Abraham van Gorkom and Willemina van Santwijk (IX-a20) and grandson of Isaak van Gorkom and Johanna Gerarda van Santwijk (VIII-i91).

We are very greatful to two people in particular for their valuable contributions to this genealogy of Hendrik Leonard's offspring. First of all Elizabeth, wife of Hendrik Leonard's grandson John Henry. She contributed much general information concerning Hendrik Leonard's family. And we like to thank Patricia Ann Leo, née van Gorkom, daughter of Hendrik Leonard's other grandson Vincent Elzie, for all her information and pictures of her immediate family.

XIUS-m87. Mamie
Mamie was born in September 1887.

XIUS-a88. Abraham
Abraham, obviously named after his grandfather, was born in Peoria, Illinois, on 12 November 1888. He married Elizabeth Lux or Laux, born on 19 February 1887. Her family came from Germany originally. Elizabeth was born on exactly the same day as Benjamin Backus, the husband of Abraham's cousin Minni Maclean, youngest daughter of his aunt Johanna Gerarda. Abraham deceased in Lake Forest, Lake County, Illinois, in 1979, appoximately 90 years old. His wife had died six years earlier in the same city in March 1973. In 1917, Abraham was a lithographer in Denver, Colorado, and later foreman for his profession.

They had a son called Jerome William. He was born in Denver, Colorado, on 6 August 1917. On internet one can find many articles about the well-known case 'Smith versus Van Gorkom' concerning the 'duty of care' of directors, in which Jerome Van Gorkom was defendant. He died in Lake Forest on 17 March 1998.

XIUS-h90. Henry Leonard
Henry Leonard was born in Illinois on 8 August 1890. He married in Chicago in 1917 Anna E. Knudson, born in Chicago, Illinois, in about 1893. Her parents had immigrated from Denmark. Two children are known: Martha was born in 1917 and Jane was born in 1921, both in Illinois. Henry was a salesman in a bank. Anna passed away in Douglas County, Georgia, on 6 September 1969.

Benjamin Van Gorkom XIUS-g92. Grace Johanna
Grace Johanna was born in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, on 30 July 1892. She married on 30 July 1910 Grover Gunderson.

XIUS-b95. Benjamin
Benjamin was born in Peoria, Illinois, on 3 February 1895. He married on 16 January 1920 Frances A. Halberg, daughter of John Halberg and Grace Charlotte Sala. Frances was born in Mount Carmel, Wabash County, Illinois, on 19 May 1896. Benjamin served in the Navy during World War I and was a star wrestler. He died at the age of 38 in Terre Haute, Vigo County, Indiana, on 29 May 1933. Frances died on 23 December 1972 in the same city. The couple had three children; John Henry, Grace Charlotte and Vincent Elzie. They are listed on the page about American generation XII.

On the picture Benjamin Van Gorkom

XIUS-f00. Francis W.
Francis W. was born on 13 May 1900. He was killed in the First World War in France on 15 July 1918 and was buried in Fère-en-Tardenois at the Oise-Aisne American Cemetery.


  
Children of Isaac Van Gorkom and Christina Cornelia Sara Le Cocq (generation XUS-i51)
Isaac was son of Isaak Van Gorkom and Maria Oxenaar (IX-i21) and grandson of Isaak van Gorkom and Antonia van Hensbergen (VIII-i96).

XIUS-j75. Jean François
Jean François was certainly named after his grandfather Jean François Le Cocq. He was often called John, but sometimes Frank was used. John Frank was born in Lake Prairie Township, Pella, on 12 August 1875. In 1900 he lived in Orange City and attended school, while being a boarder. He married Josephine Debooy. She was born in 1875 too. He was a newspaper publisher for his profession. Josephine died in 1948 and was buried in Pleasant Lawn Cemetery in Jackson Township, near Geddes, Charles Mix County, South Dakota. John Frank died in July 1972 in Sioux Falls, Minehaha County, at the impressive age of nearly 98 years, and was buried in Pleasant Lawn as well. Their three children graduated at Geddes High School in Geddes. They are mentioned on the page about Pella generation XII.

XIUS-i77. Isaac
Isaac -- son of Isaac, grandson of an Isaak and great-grandson of an Isaak -- was born in Lake Prairie Township, Pella, on 3 October 1877. He married Nellie Kunefke, daughter of William Paul Kunefke and Gertrude Hess. She was born in Corsica, Douglas County, South Dakota, on 25 September 1886. Her father was from Germany and was born in 1854. On internet the genealogy of the Kunefke/Konefke family can be found, in German. Some of their information concerning this branch was used in this article. The three children of Isaac and Nellie are listed on the page about Pella generation XII. According to the census record of 1930 they lived in Jackson Township, Geddes, Charles Mix County in South Dakota. Isaac passed away in Gilmore City, Humbol County, Iowa, in March 1975, meaning that he has also reached the impressive age of 97, just like his brother John Frank. Nellie died two years later in April 1977, "only" 90 years old.

XIUS-c79. Christian Cornelius
Christian Cornelius was born in Lake Prairie, Pella, on 13 July 1879. He married Grace, born in California on 24 February 1893. A son Harold was born in California in about 1915. Daughter Lois was born in Nebraska in about 1917, while the next child, called Paul, was born in California again in about 1919. In 1920 they lived in Tulare County. Christian Cornelius was a minister-baptist for his profession. Mother Grace died in San Jose, Santa Clara County, in August 1968. Christian died in Morgan Hill, Santa Clara County, on 5 October 1979 at the respectable age of 100 years, beating both his elder brothers in age. Much more is told by himself in his memoirs, which you can read by clicking here (pdf-file of 1.66 MB—if you cannot open the document, then download Adobe Reader from www.adobe.com).

XIUS-m81. Maria
Maria was born on 16 February 1881. She passed away in Corsica, Douglas County, South Dakota in January 1974, nearly 93 years old. Both Mary and her sister Ethel stayed unmarried, it seems, and still lived in Douglas County with their parents in 1930.

Reverend David A. Van Gorkom XIUS-j83. Jacob Antoni
Jacob Antoni was born on 8 June 1883 (somewhere else 2 June is mentioned as his birthday). He married Marian M., born in Pennsylvania on 12 May 1892. In the 1930 census record of Milton Township, Wheaton City, Du Page County, Illinois, were mentioned two children, Paul H. and David A., both 5 years old and born in the state of Illinois. Like his brother Christian Cornelius, also Jacob Antoni was a minister for his profession. Paul H. and David A. (actually Pella generation XII) followed the example of their father and uncle and became minister for their profession as well. David was ministering in Twining, Arenac County, Michigan, and from 1960 until 1965 he became the 17th pastor of the Bethel Baptist Church in Manistique, Schoolcraft County, Michigan. He left Manistique to pastor in Wentworth, Wisconsin. His twin brother pastored at Sault St. Marie, Chippewa County, Michigan, around the same time (www.manistiquebethel.com). David and his wife Barbara had three children, Sheryl, Timothy and David (Pella generation XIII). Marian M., Jacob Antoni's wife, died in July 1977.

On the picture Reverend David A. Van Gorkom

XIUS-c85. Cornelia Sara
Cornelia Sara was born on 1 March 1885.

XIUS-e93. Ethel
Ethel was born on 2 November 1893. Like her sister Mary she lived with her parents in Douglas County in 1930. Ethel was a dressmaker for her profession. She died in Davidson, SD, on 9 August 1945.


  
Children of Jacob Van Gorkom and Ida Dijkema (generation XUS-j57)
Jacob was son of Isaak Van Gorkom and Maria Oxenaar (IX-i21) and grandson of Isaak van Gorkom and Antonia van Hensbergen (VIII-i96).

Special thanks to Charlotte Cook, née Glaum, great-granddaughter of Jacob and Ida, for sharing her information concerning this family, and to Wilma J. Vande Berg, archivist of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society.

XIUS-189. Isaac John
Isaac John was born on 10 September 1889 (or 20 September 1887), as the Sherman Township census of 1900 shows. He married a woman called Florence. Three children are known, all born in Illinois: William, born in about 1914, Evelyn, born in about 1915, and Grace, born in about 1928. Isaac passed away in Nevada on 18 September 1957.

XIUS-a92. Albert
Albert was born on 8 March 1892.

XIUS-m93. Mary
Mary was born on 3 November 1893.

XIUS-a95. Alice
Alice was born on 4 September 1895.

XIUS-a97. Anna
Anna was born on 3 February 1897.

XIUS-i98. Ida
Ida, named after her mother and grandmother, was born on 2 March 1898.

XIUS-j03. Jeanette Antoinette
Jeanette Antoinette was born in Harvey, Cook County, Illinois, on 7 February 1903. She married in Chicago, Cook County, on 12 May 1924 John William Glaum, born in Chicago on 20 March 1904. It is quite a romantic story how the two met eachother. In those days Jeanette was a singer in the famous Paul Whiteman Band. John William, at the time, was a dance teacher in the White City Ballroom in Chicago. It was in this setting how the two met. After his job as a dance teacher he became a driver on the Greyhound Bus Lines. He was only 57 years old when he died in Riche Township, Homewood, Cook County, on 17 May 1961.

Jeanette Antoinette remarried George Erdman. Jeanette died in Harvey, Cook County, on 25 February 1986 and was buried in Cedar Cemetery in Chicago. Two children were born: William John Glaum and Joan Antoinette Glaum. Son William John, born in Chicago on 5 February 1925, married on 10 March 1958 Charlotte Ann Craun. This was William John's second marriage. They had one daughter, Charlotte Glaum. Charlotte, granddaughter of Jeanette Antoinette, provided us with a lot of information concerning her family. Her aunt Joan Antoinette was born on 24 July 1936. She married Harold Swaffar. Out of this marriage two children were born.

In 1930 Jeanette Antoinette's father Jacob was living with her at her home in Chicago, Illinois.

XIUS-t06. Theodore
Theodore was born on approximately 12 November 1906. He died in South Dakota in September 1987. He had a son, called Robert Van Gorkom.


  
Children of Cornelius Van Gorkom and Geseina Warntjes (generation XUS-c65)
Cornelius was son of Isaak Van Gorkom and Maria Oxenaar (IX-i21) and grandson of Isaak van Gorkom and Antonia van Hensbergen (VIII-i96).

XIUS-i94. Isaac John
Isaac John was born on 13 December 1894. (Another source says 13 October.) From a story by daughter Margaret we know a little more about Isaac John. She told that Isaac John attended Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and had to serve in WW1. Following the war, he went to Coe College in Cedar Rapids in Iowa and on 4 October 1924 he married Jeane De Vries. She was born on 13 June 1900 as daughter of Jelle De Vries and Gertrude Vande Weerd. After John Isaac's graduation they settled in Des Moines, Iowa. He was a credit manager for "O'Dea Chevrolet", then worked for "National Feed and Supply" and later in life he was a partner in "Industrial Machine and Supply". John died on 24 November 1960. Jeane died on 29 July 1973. Both were buried in Highland Memory Gardens, Des Moines, Iowa.

Margaret Van Gorkom Keith Olson (mentioned below) has been so kind to provide us with the following details. Isaac John and Jeane had three daughters (Pella generation XII): Mildred (Milly), born on 12 April 1926, Margaret Joann (Margie), born 29 July 1929, and Evelyn (Evie), born 30 September 1934.

Mildred married Verne Schultz on 24 August 1947. They had five children (Pella generation XIII): Gary Schultz, born in September 1949, died November 1951, Janet Schultz (Jan), born in December 1952, Joanne Schultz (Jodi), born in May 1954, Jeffrey Schultz (Jeff), born in July 1957, and Laurel Schultz (Laurie), born in October 1960.

Margaret married Owen Olson (Ole) of Kanahwa, Iowa, on 27 May 1951. He was born on 4 February 1926 and died on 16 February 2006. They had three children (Pella generation XIII): Keith Olson, born in October 1952, Robin K. Olson (Rob), born in February 1956, and Blake W. Olson, born in December 1959.

Evelyn married William F. Tew (Bill) on 4 April 1953. They had two children (Pella generation XIII): Randall William Tew (Randy), born in February 1955, and Richard Brian Tew (Rick), born in April 1956. This marriage ended in divorce and Evelyn remarried Harry T. Lawdahl on 28 August 1958. From this union one child was born, Alan Thomas Lawdahl, born in November 1959. Both Randall and Richard have Lawdahl as their last names.



XIUS-g97. Gertrude
Gertrude was born in 1897 and died in 1902.

XIUS-m99. Merinus
Merinus was born in Maurice Town, Sioux County, Iowa, on 7 June 1899. He married Edna Baumann. She was from Craig, Iowa. Before his marriage Merinus was a carpenter and also did construction work in and around Maurice. After his marriage, he and Edna farmed together.

Their five children were all born in Le Mars, Iowa. Merle was born on 11 August 1945. She died on 31 January 2001 in Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa. Ronald was born on 28 May 1947. Karen was born on 27 January 1949. Jerry was born on 14 June 1951. The last child was Shirley, born on 4 December 1952. Merinus died of heart trouble on 17 December 1957, and was buried in Grant Township Cemetery.

XIUS-g01. Gesiena
Gesiena was called Goldie and was born in Maurice Town on 24 September 1901. She married Albert Nagel. The Nagel family originated from Germany. The grandparents of Albert, Michael Nagel and Maggie Frank, were both born in Germany. The family came to the USA in 1883. Son Michael Nagel Jr. was born in Germany on 27 September 1855. He married Dora Schlimme in 1880. Albert was one of their ten children. Gesiena died in 1971 in Sioux City, Woodbury County, Iowa. Child Virginia Nagel married Don Lawrenson. Child Merlyn Nagel married Dwight.

XIUS-e03. Edward Cornelius
Edward Cornelius was born in Maurice Town on 30 November 1903. He married Hazel Stuart. He died, however, already in 1932.

XIUS-c06. Cora
Cora was born on 19 May 1906. She married Clarence Singer. Two children are known. Daughter Blanche Singer married Wiederholt. She wrote an article about the Van Gorkom family, which was published in the 'Maurice IA Centennial Book 1891-1991' and provides a good insight in the lives of the Van Gorkom's at the time. Donald Singer was the second child of Cora and Clarence. Cora died in Le Mars, Plymouth County, Iowa in 1983. Clarence died in 1992. On internet a picture of their grave was found.

Clarence and Cora Singer

Clarence and Cora were buried in Resthaven Cemetery, in the Garden of the Good Shepherd in Plymouth County, Iowa.

XIUS-a09. Ada
Ada was born in 1909. She married Clarence Sinkey. Two children are known: Mavis Sinkey, who married Robert Slawson, and a son Stanley, who died at young age. Ada died in 1970.

XIUS-l15. Lester W.
Lester was born on 21 September 1915, probably in Maurice Town like the other children. He married twice, first to Olive Todd. Olive was from Belfast, Ireland, and daughter of George Todd and Annie Bodell. Lester and Olive met eachother while he was in the military service and they probably married in Ireland. After his service he became a mail man in Maurice and in a later period in Springfield, Colorado, and in Memphis, Missouri. In this town he married his second wife Margaret Haley. This must mean that the marriage of Lester and Olive had ended. Olive died in Sioux City, IA, at home at the age of 79 on 13 November 2007.

Lester had five children and also grandchildren, who are listed here because there is only little information: Patricia married Wait. Their children are: Eddie Wait, Dale Wait and Jesse Wait. Linda married Mark Stevens. They had two sons called Casey Stevens and Nicolas Stevens. Alan married Betty Tague and later Linda Corman. Known children are: Sally, Phoebe and Clint. Then Lester's son David was born and the last child was Kathy who first married Sandretto and later Jeff Eitzmann, with whom she had the sons Derek Eitzmann and Conner Eitzmann.

Lester and Olivia Todd

Olive Todd, Lester Van Gorkom and their children Alan and Patricia. Photo taken in 1951. Copy from the 'Maurice IA Centennial Book 1891-1991'.


  
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