BEERNINK, SIMON AND JESSIE (VAN BERKUM)
Simon Beernink was born in Alto, Wisconsin on September 11, 1868, the oldest child of Hendrik Willem (1842-1925) and Hermina "Wilhelmina" (Heideman) (1842-1932) Beernink. Simon was nicknamed "Simmy" and "Sam" by his father. One day at home in Wisconsin, an Indian came to the door while Mrs.Beernink and baby Simon were home alone. Never having seen an Indian before, Mrs. Beernink was thoroughly frightened, and when the Indian walked toward the baby saying, "Papoose, papoose," she grabbed Simon from the high chair and ran to the nearest neighbor. Perhaps the Indian was only curious to see a white baby with black hair!
When Simon was three years old, his family moved to Sioux County and homesteaded a farm 1 mile south and ¾ mile west of the "Old Town" of Sioux Center in section 8 of West Branch Township. Simon and his brother John often walked across the prairie into town even though it was not unusual for them to be frightened by the coyotes they heard and saw.
As a young man Simon worked in the livery barn owned by his brother-in-law Henry De Mots and also lived in the De Mots home during that time. He traveled to Waupun where he lived with his cousins and trained to become a railroad fireman, aspiring to eventually become a train engineer, but he was called home to help his father with the farm work instead.
Johanna Jacoba (Jessie) Van Berkum was born on May 15, 1879 to Willem and Geesje (Boksum) Van Berkum in Vroomshoop, Overijjsel, The Netherlands. In 1882 when Jessie was 3 years old, the family emigrated to the United States, living first near Alton and then on a farm in Welcome Township near Carmel. When Jessie was 8, her mother died, and the Van Berkum children were placed in various homes, Jessie apparently going to the home of the minister in Middleburg. Jessie later told her children how homesick she was at that time and how she prayed daily to be reunited with her sisters. Later she worked as a laundry maid in a Sioux Center hotel. Jessie was an attractive woman with bright red hair.
Simon Beernink Family. Back Row: Esther (Mrs. Neal Schoep),William S., Mabel (Mrs. John G.
Vande Berg), Grace (Mrs. Douwe Vander Berg), and Ella (Mrs. Gerrit J. Vande Berg). Front Row:
Simon and Jessie Beernink. Photograph taken at 50th wedding anniversary of Simon and Jessie
in 1948.
Simon and Jessie met at a celebration in Sioux Center, (possibly the 4th of July festivities), and they were married in Sioux Center by Rev. J. De Pree on June 24, 1898. They lived in town where Simon continued to work for the livery service and also served as a town constable. When his parents retired from the farm in 1899, Simon and Jessie moved onto the homestead where 5 children were born to them: Mabel Margaret on May 14, 1899; Grace Henrietta on January 8, 1901; Esther Johanna on March 5, 1903; William Samuel on July 31, 1906, and Ella Jeanette on January 10, 1909. In the late 1920's they moved into a house in the town of Sioux Center but then decided to come back to the farm and lived with their son William and his wife in the farm home for the rest of their lives.
Simon and Jessie were members of Central Reformed Church in Sioux Center. Their daughter Mabel was the first baby to be baptized in that church.
Both Simon and Jessie died in the Sioux Center Community Hospital, Simon on April 2, 1956 at age 87, and Jessie on January 8, 1958 at age 78. Both are buried in Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center. (Note: Simon's gravestone lists 1869 as his year of birth. However, our primary sources led us to conclude that 1868 is the correct date.)
Mabel married John G. Vande Berg (June 29, 1897 - February 27, 1982) on June 24, 1918. They had 4 children: Gerald Clifford (May 1, 1919) who married Freda Zwank of Pella, IA, now living in Des Moines; Cyrus James "Jim", (May 5, 1923) who married Marjorie Cunningham of Springfield, MO, now living in Orlando, Florida; Marvin John (March 13, 1929) whose first marriage was to Gloria Lacey and is now married to Judy Riley and living in Glen Ellyn, Illinois; and Sandra Mae (November 20, 1939) who married Virgil E. Truman and now lives in Waucoma, Iowa. Mabel died June 30, 1982.
Grace married Douwe Vander Berg (October 8, 1898 - July 1, 1968) on June 24, 1926. They had 2 daughters: Eleanor (December 17, 1928) married Lee Roetman of Hospers, Iowa and now lives in Rock Rapids, Iowa; Marilyn (April 13, 1931) married Norman Den Hartog of Oskaloosa and now lives in Storm Lake, Iowa. Grace still lives in her home in Sioux Center.
Esther married G. Neal Schoep (November 10, 1901 - December 30, 1989) on March 26, 1924 and had 3 children: Mildred JoAnn (December 12, 1924) married Howard Van Oort of Hull, Iowa and now lives in Ireton, Iowa; Phyllis Grace (September 5,1931) married Lee Heiliger of Sheldon, Iowa and now lives in Sheldon; Harold (July 15, 1936 - May 22, 1955) was not married. Esther is living in the Orange City Hospital Nursing Wing.
William (1906-1981) married Annie Johanna Kempers (May 28, 1907 - May 16, 1988) on August 17,1926. The story of them and their 3 children, Gladys (Mrs. Peter A. Schut); Donald W.; and Vernon J., is given separately.
Ella married Gerrit J. Vande Berg (July 4, 1904) on August 3, 1931. They had 2 daughters: Evonne Carole was born on December 25, 1939 and died of leukemia on November 16, 1941; Sylvia Joy (August 31, 1943) was married first to John P. Dunne and is now married to William Mobley and living in Marietta, Georgia. Gerrit and Ella are living in Lakeland, Florida.
by Donna Beernink