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John Henry Veldboom

 John Henry Veldboom

 

Born:14 Mar 1878, Town of Lima, Sheboygan Co., WI. Christened 7 May 1878, Christian Reformed Church, Oostburg. Given name was Gerrit Jan, but went by John Henry.

 

Parents: Jan Hendrik Roerdink Veldboom and Janna Ros

 

Siblings: Gerrit William II (Will), Minnie Aleies, Garret, J. Henry “Hank”.  In addition he had 3 siblings die in infancy or early childhood.

 

Marriage: to Josephine Navis 9/6/1907 at her parents home in the Town of Holland, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin.

Death: 20 May 1941, Oostburg, WI. Age 63, of tuberculosis. Buried 23 May 1941 at Union Cemetary.

 

Children: Mabel Janette (1908-1931), Gordon John (1911-1996), Eugene George (1920-1932), Ellwsorth Wesley (1925-1976)

 

Biography:

John was born at his parents farm near Gibbsville in 1878. He was the 8th child of Jan and Janna Veldboom. Three of his siblings died in infancy before John was born. John’s real name at christening was Gerrit Jan Roerdink Veldboom, but became known as John Henry. When the Veldbooms first immigrated to the US from Holland, their surname was Roerdink. Family legend has it that there were several Roerdink families that settled into the same area, and to distinguish this family from the others, they were called the Roerdink-Veldbooms. This meant the Roerdink family with the tree in the field (dutch translation of Veldboom). John’s father sometimes used both surnames, and after awhile, just shortened it to Veldboom. It can be found written on various documents as R. Veldboom, and in the case of the 1920 census, John uses R. as in Roerdink as his middle initial, instead of Henry. John’s father died in his early 40’s when John was only about 4 or 5 years old. Before their deaths, some of John’s brothers were interviewed about their family life and recalled the following:
Jan Hendrick (John’s father) did well as a farmer after immigrating here in 1869.  After he died, times became tough for his wife and children.  Janna, John’s mother, raised turkeys to sell in the fall to help pay some Doctor bills.  Shortly before Thanksgiving, someone stole all the turkeys.

John Henry was not as tall as the other boys in his family. His hands were large and he was a capable boxer. All the boys were very athletic and able climbers.  They would tie a rope across the barn floor and walk on the rope.  As they improved, they would raise the rope until it was as high as the beam in the barn.  They would also jump from a beam into a barrel on the barn floor.  Playmates were often afraid to participate in these games.

John’s mother died when he was only sixteen, and the children were orphaned.  It is likely the children stayed on the farm, as Gerrit, the oldest, was 23 years old and not yet married. In the 1900 census, six years after his mother’s death, John was listed as the head of household, farming in Lima township, living with older sister Minnie and younger sister Henry.

John  worked as a carpenter by trade and built many barns in the Oostburg area. Many of the older people who lived in the Oostburg area talked for many, many years after his death about how freely he would climb the beams.  He lived in the Oostburg area his entire adult life and died of TB at age 63.

 

Obituary:

Oostburg, WI: John Veldboom, 63, passed away at his home here Tuesday at 7 p.m. following a lingering illness. Deceased was born March 14th, 1878, in the town of Lima, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Garret Veldboom. He was a carpenter by trade and lived in this community all his life. Surviving are his wife; two sons, Gordon of this village and Ellsworth at home; one grandchild, Dorothy Veldboom; a brother, Henry, of Oostburg, and a sister, Mrs. Peter Daane, of Brandon. Two children preceeded him in death, a daughter, Mabel, 23 in 1930, and a son, Eugene, 10, in 1931. Five brothers also preceeded him in death. Funeral services will be held at 1:15 p.m. at the Simmelink Funeral home and 1:30 p.m. at the Christian Reformed church, the Rev. J.C. Schaap officiating. Burial will be made in the Union cemetery.

 

Census:

1930 US Census, Sheboygan Co, Oostburg (indexed as “Veldboone” ), appears correctly spelled on census sheet as Veldboom:
John, head of household, owns home, value $4000, owns radio, age 52, married at age 28. Works as builder building houses. Wife Josie, age 42, married at age 18. Mabel, age 21, works as operator (telephone); Gordon, age 18, works as truck driver; Eugene, age 9 8/12; Ellsworth age 4 5/12.

 

1920 US Census, Sheboygan Co, Holland Township:
John R., age 41, born WI, parents born Holland, carpenter
Josie age 31 as above
Mabel age 11
Gordon age 8

 

1910 US Census Sheboygan Co, Lima Twnshp: (spelled Velboom)
John age 31, married 3 years, carpenter, works odd jobs. Born WI, both parents born Holland; Josie age 23, borne 1 child, 1 child alive, born WI, parents born Holland; Mabel, age 1 8/12?

 

1900 US Census, Sheboygan Co, Lima township (lives next to uncle Henry Ross):
John Feltboom, head, born Mar looks like 1879, age at last birthday 21, single, born WI, parents born Holland, farmer
Minnie, sister, born Mar 1876, age 24, single
Henry, brother, born April 1882, age 18, farm laborer

 

1880 WI Census, Sheboygan Co, Lima township:
John Roerdink, age 39, married, farmer, born Holland, parents born in Holland; Jana, wife age 41, keeping house, born in Holland, parents born in Holland;  William age 8, attending school, born WI; Mena (female - Minnie) age 5 born WI; Garret age 3, born WI; John age 2, born WI

 

 

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