HULSTEIN, GERRIT AND CAROLINE (VERPLOEGH)

Gerrit and Caroline (Ver Ploegh) Hulstein lived in the rural Carmel area all of their family life. They were farmers and lived on the same farm where they raised their children.

Standard of transportation, horse and buggy, kept the family in the common small realm of rural environment with school, church life and farm work.
Gerrit was born Jan. 3, 1861, to Cornelius Hulstein and Rykje (Van Roekel). He married "Caroline" Cornelia Ver Ploeg, born in 1869, daughter of Conrad Ver Ploegh.

Gerrit liked to "break in" wild horses in the fall and sell them in the spring. Horses were the "horse power" used in all the farming operation. He was a very able gentleman and loved handling animals. The family had a large garden and orchard. A peddle wagon from the Carmel store would come around to sell the groceries that were not produced on the farm. Their first car was purchased about 1917.

Gerrit and Caroline Hulstein retired in Sioux Center and became members of the Central Reformed Church. Gerrit died in 1934 and Caroline died in 1940. They are buried in the Sioux Center Cemetery.

Their nine children were as follows:

"Hattie" Rykje Hulstein was born May 7,1887. She married Ralph Kastein. They lived at Doon, lowa, and had seven children.

"Pearl" Peterje Hulstein was born Sept, 16, 1889. She married Peter Bos. They were from Sioux Center and the parents of six children.

"Neal" Cornelius Hulstein was born Nov. 26, 1891. He married Clara Vermeer. They were from Sioux Center and the parents of eight children.

"Conrad" Coenraad Hulstein was born July 26, 1894. He married Grace Van Maanen and they were the parents of eleven children.

Willem Cornelius Hulstein was born Oct.5, 1897. He married Ann Schuiteman. They were from Sioux Center and the parents of five children.

"Henry" Hendrik Jan Hulstein was born Sept. 12, 1900. He married Alice Juffer. They were from Sioux Center and the parents of five children.

Steven Hulstein was born August 5, 1903. He married Pauline Ver Hoef. They were from Sioux Center and the parents of two chi1dren.

Johanna Margaret Hulstein was born Nov, 5, 1904. She married George Lihudis. They were from Sioux Center and the parents of two sons.

"Raymond" Edward Reymon Hulstein was born Nov. 3, 1908. He married Della Gritters. They were from Carmel and later moved to Edgerton, MN, and were the parents of thirteen children.

A picture of this family also accompanies the Gerit Hulstein story by Eunice and Cheryl Hulstein.

by Johanna Lihudis and Wilma J. Vande Berg