Ralph Bartels and his wife Jennie (Kuyper)
Bartels in the 1940's.
BARTELS, RALPH AND JENNIE KUYPER
Ralph Bartels was the third child of Pieter Bartels and Geesje Kuiper. He was the first of their children born in the United States and he grew up on a farm near Carmel IA. Ralph had seven sisters and four brothers. See separate story on Pieter Bartels. Ralph was born September 21, 1883 and he married Jennie Kuyper on January 4, 1905. Jennie Kuyper was born October 6, 1882.
Ralph Bartels and Jennie Kuyper farmed five miles northwest of Sioux Center near Carmel IA and they attended the Carmel Reformed Church. When Ralph was about 24 years old he lost his right hand in a horse drawn corn picker.
They were the parents of eight children.
First child was Peter R. Bartels born March 12, 1906, Peter married Gertrude Horstman February 6, 1929 and she was born January 12, 1909. Peter and Gertrude Bartels had three children, Geneva E. (Mrs. John Eckhardt), Gerald R. Bartels, and Howard L. Bartels.
Second child was Helena A. Bartels born December 27, 1907, Helena married George J. Vissia on February 3, 1932 and they settled in Lakewood CA. They were the parents of three children, Rodney J. Vissia, Betty J. (Mrs. Michel J. Petruno), and Donna M. (Mrs. Jackson D. May).
Third child was Gysbert A. Bartels born April 16, 1909, Gysbert married Bertha De Boer on February 8, 1932 and she was born May 21, 1909. They were the parents of three children, Roland L. Bartels, Marjorie A. (Mrs. Stanton E. Kroon) and Janice M. (Mrs. Douglas J. Groen).
Fourth child was Grace J. Bartels born June 20, 1910, Grace married Gerrit H. Sneller on January 31, 1934. They farmed naar Sioux Center. (See separate story.) They were the parents of two children, Harold R. Sneller and Julia G. (Mrs. James Zylstra).
Fifth child was Henry C. Bartels born August 4, 1911, Henry married Hermina J. De Boer on January 8, 1936. They live in Sioux Center. (See their separate story.) They were the parents of three children Rozenda J. (Mrs. Sebertus Kooima), Truman D. Bartels and Ruth R. (Mrs. Leon D. Schimmel).
Ralph Bartels with a large cabbage he raised
while he was the hospital gardener in 1972.
Sixth child was Alfred J. Bartels born February 10, 1916, Alfred married Johanna Hulstein on July 12, 1944. They settled near Lakewood CA. They were the parents of one son Merlyn G. Bartels who died at the young age of twelve years.
Seventh child was James A. Bartels born January 29, 1919, James married Henrietta M. Vander Velde on November 25, 1941. They live in Jerome ID. They are the parents of three children, Billy J. Bartels, Gary Lee Bartels and Janet Kay Bartels.
Eighth child was Harriet S. Bartels born August 16, 1920, Harriet married Jacob P. Brouwer on October 24, 1940. Harriet and Jacob Brouwer were from Mesa AZ and have two children, Warren R. Brouwer and Judith A. (Mrs. Kenneth V. Scholten).
The eight Bartels children had many memorable childhood events as are
common in large families. When the children were in school they went to
school with a horse and buggy and one day five of the children were coming
home with the horse and buggy and they went on a run away with the horse
and buggy ending up in the grove by Nick Vander Ploeg. On one occasion
coming home from a church Christmas Sunday school program, the bob sled in
which the family was riding tipped over. The main concern of the children
was recovering their candy that had been given to them at the program.
Harriet related that when she was five years old her mischievious older
brothers stuck her inside of their large mail box and shut the door.
In 1966 Ralph Bartels moved into the hospital nursing wing and at the age of 86 years he was still active and healthy. He took great pride in caring for the hospital garden. (See picture.) That picture and article entitled "Ralph Bartels Active Gardener at Age 89" appeared in the Sioux Center News in 1972. In the article Ralph Bartels relates the hardships of farming in the depression years and during adverse weather conditions. In 1926, 1929 and 1936 corn sold for nine cents a bushel. He also related that in 1943 he sold his farm for 147.50 per acre and by 1972 the same land would bring about $500.00 per acre.
Ralph Bartels died in 1982 at the age of 99 years. His wife Jennie had died December 27, 1948 at the age of 66 years.
by Henry C. Bartels
Carmel Reformed Church Cemetery is located at 2840 - 360th St. rural Sioux Center, IA. West Half, Row 7
Carmel Reformed Church Cemetery is located at 2840 - 360th St. rural Sioux Center, IA. West Half, Row 7
Carmel Reformed Church Cemetery is located at 2840 - 360th St. rural Sioux Center, IA. West Half, Row 7
Carmel Reformed Church Cemetery, 2840 - 360th Street, Sioux Center,IA East Half, Row 1 from Center Lane
Mrs. Ralph Bartels of Hudson, So. Dak., but a long time resident of the Sioux Center vicinity, passed away at the Hull hospital Monday morning, due to heart trouble and complications. She had reached the age of 66 years, and had been a patient at the Hull hospital since the early part of July.
Mrs. Bartels, nee Jennie Kuyper, was born on October 6, 1882, near Alton, Iowa, and soon afterwards they moved to the Carmel community and lived there except the last year which was spent at Hudson, South Dakota. She was a charter baptized member of the Carmel Reformed Church where she made confession of her faith in the spring of 1904. She was also a charter member of the Carmel Ladies Aid.
On January 4th, 1905 she was united in marriage to Mr. Ralph Bartels who now survives her with the six children, Helena (Mrs. George Vissia) of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Grace (Mrs. Gerrit Sneller) of Sioux Center; Henry of Hull; Alfred of Bellflower, California; James of Artesia, California; and Harriet (Mrs. Jake Brouwer) of Sioux City. She is further survived by 19 grandchildren and five brothers, John Kuyper of Albert Lea, Minnesota; Walter Kuyper of Inwood; Gerrit Kuyper of Rock Valley; Marion Kuyper of Sioux Center; and four sisters, Mrs. Dim Den Hartog of Maurice; Mrs. Hubert Niemoth of Sheldon; Mrs. Ernie Carnmeister of Rock Rapids.
She was preceded in death by two sons, Peter Roy, who died in February of 1937; and Gysbert Arie, who die in May 1945.
Funeral services were held Wednesday afternoon December 29th at the Gerrit Sneller home and at the Reformed church at Carmel. The Rev. Harmelink officiated at the services and burial took place at the Carmel cemetery.
Sioux County Index 1949-01-06.
Ralph Bartels, 99, of Sioux Center, died monday, Nov. 8, at the nursing wing of the Sioux Center Community Hospital. Services will be held Thursday at 1:30 p.m. at the Carmel Reformed Church, the Rev. Virgil Dykstra will officiate. Burial will be in the Carmel Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Memorial Funeral Home in Sioux Center.
Mr. Bartels was born Sept. 31, 1883 in Sioux County. He married Jennie Kuiper in Sioux County on January 4, 1905.
After their marriage, the couple always lived in Sioux County. Mrs. Bartels died in 1948.
Mr. Bartels is survived by three daughters, Mrs. George (Helena) Vissia of Lakewood, California, Mrs. Grace Sneller of Sioux Center, and Mrs. Harriet Brouwer of Mesa, Arizona; two sons, Henry C. Bartels of Sioux Center and James A. Bartels of Jerome, Idaho; two sisters, Nellie Wolfwinkel of Toppenish, Washington and Mary Ackerman of Luverne, Minnesota; 19 grandchildren; 51 great-grandchildren; and seven greatgreat-grandchildren.
Sioux Center News 1982-11-10.