Funeral services were held at Whittier, CA, at 10 a.m., Saturday for W. A. Van Steenwyk, 87, pioneer Sioux Center businessman and a life-long resident of this area except for an 8 year residence in California, who died at Temple City, CA, January 14, following a brief illness.
Burial was made in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Whittier, CA beside his wife, who passed away November 3, 1957.
Mr. Van Steenwyk was one of the oldest natives of Sioux County at the time of his passing.
He was born at Orange City, June 12, 1872, the son of Mr. & Mrs. Abram Van Steenwyk, who resided on a farm near Orange City. His birth was one of the first 25 recorded in Sioux County.
At the age of 18, Mr. Van Steenwyk started work as a harness maker's helper in Sioux Center and learned a trade that he was to follow for approximately 50 years, or until the automobile and tractor dispensed with horses and the demand for harness.
He opened a harness shop in the Old Town of Sioux Center about 1895, in the days before there was a railroad here.
After the business district moved to the present location, Van Steenwyk moved his harness shop. For a time his shop was also a cream collecting station for the Hanford Creamery of Sioux City, and later he took in poultry and eggs. For a brief time he served as manager of the Great Northern hotel which was located on the lot immediately east of the present Farmers Co-op Society.
After cars and farm tractors began to cut the demand for harness he specialied for a while in the installation of winter tops on touring cars. Later he went into shoes, canvas and shoe repair, and continued to operate this type of business until selling out to Louie Boeyink eight years ago.
In 1951 Mr. & Mrs. Van Steenwyk moved to Arcadia, CA, where they resided until her passing in 1957. Since then he had resided at the Temple Aire Convalescent home at Temple City, CA. Mr. Van Steenwyk last visited in Sioux Center during the summer of 1958.
His first wife, Frances Van Veldhuizen, mother of his three oldest sons, passed away in 1903 and in 1905 he was married to Marie Jelgerhuis and three sons and one daughter were born to this union.
All seven children survive him, including Bernie of San Bernadino, CA; Jake of Sioux Center; Marion of San Mareno, CA; Elmer of Philadelphia, PA; Cedric of Sioux Center; Arnold of Arcadia, CA; and Mrs. David Schuetz of Atlantic, Iowa.
Sioux Center News 1959-01-22.
Funeral services were held at Whittier, CA, at 10 a.m., Saturday for W. A. Van Steenwyk, 87, pioneer Sioux Center businessman and a life-long resident of this area except for an 8 year residence in California, who died at Temple City, CA, January 14, following a brief illness.
Burial was made in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Whittier, CA beside his wife, who passed away November 3, 1957.
Mr. Van Steenwyk was one of the oldest natives of Sioux County at the time of his passing.
He was born at Orange City, June 12, 1872, the son of Mr. & Mrs. Abram Van Steenwyk, who resided on a farm near Orange City. His birth was one of the first 25 recorded in Sioux County.
At the age of 18, Mr. Van Steenwyk started work as a harness maker's helper in Sioux Center and learned a trade that he was to follow for approximately 50 years, or until the automobile and tractor dispensed with horses and the demand for harness.
He opened a harness shop in the Old Town of Sioux Center about 1895, in the days before there was a railroad here.
After the business district moved to the present location, Van Steenwyk moved his harness shop. For a time his shop was also a cream collecting station for the Hanford Creamery of Sioux City, and later he took in poultry and eggs. For a brief time he served as manager of the Great Northern hotel which was located on the lot immediately east of the present Farmers Co-op Society.
After cars and farm tractors began to cut the demand for harness he specialied for a while in the installation of winter tops on touring cars. Later he went into shoes, canvas and shoe repair, and continued to operate this type of business until selling out to Louie Boeyink eight years ago.
In 1951 Mr. & Mrs. Van Steenwyk moved to Arcadia, CA, where they resided until her passing in 1957. Since then he had resided at the Temple Aire Convalescent home at Temple City, CA. Mr. Van Steenwyk last visited in Sioux Center during the summer of 1958.
His first wife, Frances Van Veldhuizen, mother of his three oldest sons, passed away in 1903 and in 1905 he was married to Marie Jelgerhuis and three sons and one daughter were born to this union.
All seven children survive him, including Bernie of San Bernadino, CA; Jake of Sioux Center; Marion of San Mareno, CA; Elmer of Philadelphia, PA; Cedric of Sioux Center; Arnold of Arcadia, CA; and Mrs. David Schuetz of Atlantic, Iowa.
Sioux Center News 1959-01-22.
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