DE MOTS, GYSBERT "GILBERT" AND TRYNTJE (VANDE POL)
The family of Gysbert De Mots came to America in August of 1867 from the Putten-Ermelo area in the Netherlands. The family of Gysbert's sister Gysbertje De Mots and her husband Gysbert VanBeek came on the same ship. They are believed to have briefly lived at East Olive, Michigan before coming to Greenleafton, Minnesota. Gysbert De Mots died while the family was living in Minnesota.
Gysbert was born in 1827 to Hendrik Gysberten De Mots and Jannetje Van Wilgenburg. He had been married first to Willempje Vande Kamp, and she had died in 1858. He had married a second time to Tryntje Vander Pol. He was a brother of two of the wives of the first pioneer families to settle on the site of the town of Sioux Center. Gysbertje (Mrs. Gysbert Van Beek) and Matje (Mrs. Jacob Koster). After Gysbert De Mots died his widow and children decided to come to Sioux Center to join the other relatives here.
The street that ran north and south past the cemetery in those days was named De Mots street, so named in the memory of Tryntje De Mots as her farm bordered this street. She bought a farm that ran a mile west at $10.00 per acre and later when the railroad came through she sold part of it and sold what was left to Te Grotenhuis for $150 per acre.
Tryntje (Vander Pol) De Mots was born December 9, 1833 at Putten Netherlands to Jan Dirksen and Styntje (Tyssen) Vander Pol, she died on November 20, 1908, her funeral was held in the Christian Reformed Church, and she was buried in the Sioux Center Cemetery.
Details of the children's families is somewhat sketchy, the following is what was found.
Son, Henry De Mots was born February 26, 1868 and on August 25, 1892 he married Ella Beernink. Henry died August 1, 1911 and Ella died May 10, 1948. They had five children: Maude (Mrs. Eugene Edwards) of Douwny CA; William married Marie Mettendorf and were from Sioux City, Iowa and later Long Beach, CA; Gilbert born 1900 died 1903, Laurence "Bob" De Mots married Gladys Ikhorst and they were from Sioux City and later Redding CA; Leona (Mrs. Benjamin Nicholan - Austin Davis) she lived in Lemars, Iowa and later Burbank, CA.
Son, John De Mots was born November 1862 and he married Louisa Tammel. Details of their life and tragic deaths are described after the children part of this story. They both died as well as their daughter, Lydia, in a train-car crash in California, which took the life of three other De Mots family members as well. Their children were Edward, Lydia (Mrs. Conrad Jongewaard) Tena, Eldora, and Callie (Mrs. Rev. Flipse).
Son, Edward De Mots was born December 25, 1865 and also died in the accident May 6, 1923. Edward had gone to South Dakota on a claim but had come back to Sioux Center, later he worked in the court house in Orange City, and finally he moved to California.
Gerrit De Mots was born January 27, 1872, he also went to South Dakota first and came back to reside in the Hull area. He was the only one of the family that survived after the fatal accident that claimed the life of two brothers, a brother-in-law, a sister and a niece. He married Carrie E. Dillon. His children were Esther, Ruth, Carol, and Scot De Mots of Oregon.
Stena De Mots was born May 17, 1861 and she married Dr. James Ogg and they were from Orange City, Iowa. Both she and her husband, Dr. James W. Ogg, were killed May 6, 1923. They had one daughter, Mrs. Westerman of Montgomery, Mn.
Aaron "Bob" De Mots (1875-1902) is believed to be a sibling of the above children of Gysbert and Tryntje (Vander Pol) De Mots. Not much has been recorded about him.
The following is taken from the Sioux Center News of Wednesday May 9, 1923.
A telegram was received Monday morning by Mrs. R. C. Jongewaard notifying her of an accident which occurred Sunday, near Fresno, California. An auto driven by John De Mots, formerly of Sioux Center was struck by a Southern Pacific train killing all the occupants. Traveling in the auto were Dr. and Mrs. James W. Ogg of Orange City, Mr. and Mrs. John De Mots of Orange Grove, California, Mr. Edward De Mots of Orange Grove, and Mrs. Conrad Jongewaard of Merced, California. Four of the bodies were carried about 200 yards by the train and two were thrown 50 feet.
Dr. and Mrs. Ogg were visiting at the De Mots; they leave one surviving daughter, Mrs. Westerman of Montgomery, Minnesota. Mrs. Ogg was a sister of John and Ed De Mots.
Mr. and Mrs. John De Mots are well known at Sioux Center. He used to operate a dragline here, until six years ago. Their children: Edward, Lydia, Eldora, Tena and Callie all graduated from our local high school, Mrs. De Mots is a cousin to Mr. A. Te Paske, her maiden name was Louise Tammel and her girlhood home was at Greenleafton, Minnesota. Three of their children were married: Edward became a dentist and is practicing in North Dakota, Callie is married to Rev. Flipse of Long Island New York, and Lydia who perished in the disaster was the year old bride of Mr. Conrad Jongewaard, who is active in Y.M.C.A. work at Merced, California. Their new home was just completed.
Mr. Ed De Mots was also of Sioux Center until about 25 years ago. He was Sioux County auditor for a number of years, and unmarried.
The bodies are being sent to Sioux County for interment. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at three o'clock at the home of Mrs. R.C. Jongewaard and at half past three in the First Reformed Church. All places of business including the elevator, creamery, city scale, etc. will be closed during the service. Dr. and Mrs. Ogg will also be buried at Sioux Center; a special service will be held at Orange City at one o'clock at the American Ref. Church.
The newspaper of the next week goes on to tell of the saddest funeral in the history of Sioux Center. The six caskets were placed in a double row in front of the pulpit, and Rev. C. De Young, Rev. A. Haverkamp, and Rev. James De Pree officiated at the funeral.
By Wilma J. Vande Berg
North section west of east (N-S) cemetery road, then going west to row 8.
NB: Onbekend wie hier begraven is.
Wife of Gilbert DeMots North section west of east (N-S) cemetery road, then going west to row 8.
As you enter the cemetery the road Y's and angles to the west, going west in the right - center section counting about 29 rows to the west.
North section west of east (N-S) cemetery road, then going west to row 8.
Trijntje was married in the Neterlands to Gijsbert De Mots. He was born in the Netherlands, Gelderland, Ermelo on 17 July 1827. He died abt. 1880 in Minnesota.
Vrijdagavond is vrij onverwacht overleden de oude weduwe De Mots. Hoewel zij reeds geruime tijd sukkelende was geweest, had men niet verwacht dat zij zoo spoedig zou heengaan. Donderdag morgen kreeg zij echter een aanval van beroerte, aan de gevolgen waarvan zij Vrijdagavond overleed.
De overledene, die den leeftijd van ruim 75 jaren had bereikt, was een der oude nederzettere in deze omgeving. Haar man was haar reeds 28 jaren geleden in den dood voorgegaan.
Vier zoons en een dochter bleven achter om het heengaan te betreuren van haar, die voor hen zulk een lief hebbende moeder is geweest.
Haar stoffelijk overschot werd Dinsdagnamiddag van uit de Chr. Ger. kerk grafwaarts gedragen.
Sioux Center Nieuwsblad 1908-11-25.
OVERFLOW SERVICES HELD FOR VICTIMS OF AUTO ACCIDENT
SIX ARE LAID TO REST MONDAY IN SIOUX CENTER CEMETERY - VAST CROWD
On Monday of this week the six auto victims were laid to rest in the Sioux Center cemetery. The bodies arrived last Saturday from California where Mr. and Mrs. John De Mots, Dr. and Mrs. James A. Ogg, Edward De Mots and Mrs. Conrad Jongewaard were instantly killed when the car in which they were riding was struck by a fast express.
The supposition is that Mr. John De Mots, who was driving the car, was watching the busy thorough fare on the one hand and and failed to notice the approach of the flyer on the others which, according to testimony of the engineer at the inquest was going at a speed of 48 miles per hour. Conrad Jongewaard who at the time of the accident was at a farm house a short distance from the track heard of the the accident through a telephone report that people had been hit by the train and when he arrived there found that life of all the victims was extinct.
Funeral services were held in California which were attended by a very large number of friends of the deceased, after which the bodies were sent to Iowa. The bodies of Dr. and Mrs. Ogg and Edward De Mots were sent to Orange City and those of Mr. and Mrs. John De Mots and Mrs. Jongewaard to Sioux Center. Services for the bodies shipped to Orange City were held early Monday afternoon after which they were conveyed to Sioux Center where services for the dead were held at the home of Mrs. R.C. Jongewaard and joint services were then held at the First Ref. church.
So large a concourse of people had gathered to pay their last tribute to the dead that the church was found entirely inadequate to take care of the gathering. The main auditorium of the building was largely taken up by relatives of the deceased. The W.C.T.U. of which Mrs. John De Mots was charter member, Mr. De Mots an honorary member and Mrs. Jongewaard also a member, attended in a body. The services were conducted by the Rev. C. De Young of Orange City, Rev. Jas. De Pree and Rev. A. Haverkamp od Sioux Center. The choir sung a few favorite selections.
There being such large number who could not gather in the church overflow services were conducted outside by the Rer. Lubbers of Sioux Center and Rev. Kregel of Hull. After these services opportunity was given to view the remains and for one hour and thirty minutes a steady stream of people filed past the six caskets placed side by side containing the bodies of the dead. The remains were then conveyed to their last resting place where they were lovingly laid away.
Alton Democrat 1923-05-19.