He was born Jacob Monster in February 1845 in the country village of Strijen, located in the southern part of the Dutch southwestern province Zuid-Holland, the first of three sons of the 34 years old laborer Eldert Monster and Pietertje Bouman [who married on May 4, 1844 in Strijen]. Source: scan of his birth certificate (geboorteakte), Familysearch. He was named after his paternal grandfather Jacob Monster.
The birth year 1846 on his headstone is not correct; it has to be 1845.

On January 2, 1847 his brother Anthonie Monster was born, in Strijen too, province Zuid-Holland, Nederland (The Netherlands), named after his maternal grandfather Anthonie Bouwman.

On May 13, 1851 his brother Kornelis Monster, born on May 6, 1849 in Strijen, died at the age of almost two years, in Strijen too.

On June 6, 1854 his mother Pietertje Bouman, daughter of Anthonie Bouman and Cornelia Hordijk, died at the age of 40 years in Strijen, Zuid-Holland, Nederland.

On July 5, 1855, a year after his mother's death, the 10 years old Jacob Monster arrived with his father Eldart Monster (40, no occupation) and his brother Anthonie Monster (7) on the ship "Mississippi" from Rotterdam at the port of New York, Castle Garden.

The Monster family was one of the first of a small group of Dutch immigrants to settle in North Township, Lake County, located in the extreme northwestern part of Indiana. Arriving in 1855, his father Eldert Monster and stepmother Neeltje aka Nieltje purchased land north of Ridge Road and east of what is today Calumet Avenue.
Jacob grew to manhood there and helped his family convert a wilderness into productive farm land.

In August 1860 Jacob Monster (16 years old, born in Holland), his father Edward Monster (45, Holland, farmer), his stepmother Neiltge (45, Holland), his brother Antone (13, Holland), [his stepbrother (??)] Peter Monster (9, Holland) and his maternal grandfather Antone Bowman (77, Holland) were living in North Township, post office Crown Point, Lake County, located in the extreme northwestern part of Indiana, about 30 miles southeast of Chicago, Illinois.

Like many immigrants, the family name of Jacob Monster had soon been anglicized, in this case to Munster.

After serving together with his brother Anthonie with General Sherman in the Civil War (1861-1865), he returned to this growing rural community to take over the family farm, to marry, and to help raise thirteen children.

About 1867 Jacob Monster married to the three years younger Hendrika van Mijnen, who was born in the Netherlands too and immigrated in 1857.

About 1870, Jacob Munster opened the Munster General Store. Fronting the old Ridge Road, its ample supply of groceries, hardware, and goods attracted customers from Lansing to Highland. The establishment also served as a gathering place where news was shared and old friends could meet.
In a corner of the store stood a small oak desk, which served as the area's first U.S. Post Office. Tradition has it that the Post Office's location at the Munster General Store had much to do with the eventual naming of the town. In any event, the new town was incorporated in 1907 and given the name of one of its distinguished first citizens.
Munster soon became a booming town that attracted many people.

In July 1870 Jacob Monster (25, born in Holland, farmer), his wife Henriette (22, Holland), their children Peter (4, Indiana), Clara (2, Indiana) and Barendina (0, Indiana) were living in North Township, Lake County, in the extreme northwestern part of Indiana.

Between 1870 and 1880 the first two children, Peter and Clara, probably died.

In June 1880 Jacob Munster (35, farmer), his wife Henrietta (32), their children Dina (10), Agnes (11, Indiana), P Nellie (12, Indiana), Mellie (7, Indiana), Ellen (5, Indiana), Jacob (4, Indiana) and Caty (2, Indiana) were still living in North Township, Lake County, Indiana.

On April 9, 1896 their daughter Nellie Munster married in Lake County, Indiana to Walter Van Weelden. Their daughter Ellen, born in 1874, died in 1899.

In June 1900 Jacob Munster (56, born in February 1844 [has to be: 1845] in Holland, immigrated in 1855, married for 33 years, farmer), his wife Henreta (52, September 1848, Holland, immigrated in 1857, mother of 3 deceased and 10 living children), their children Katy (22, April 1878, Indiana, servant), Bengmen (20, June 1880, Indiana, farm laborer), Henreta (18, June 1882, Indiana, servant), Myrtle (14, April 1886, Indiana) and Joseph (12, May 1888, Indiana) were living on their own farm in still North Township (excl. East Chicago, Hammond & Whiting town), Lake County, Indiana.

In April 1910 Jacob Munster (65, immigrated in 1855, truck farmer), his wife Henriette (61, immigrated in 1857) and their daughters Hennetta (27) and Myrtie (23) were living in Munster, North Township, Lake County, Indiana.

On March 11, 1919 Jacob Munster was naturalized in Indiana and became an American citizen.

In February 1920 Jacob Munster (74, immigrated in 1855, farmer), his wife Hendricka (71), their daughters Maron A Munster (32, single) and Nellie Vanweelden (40, Indiana, married) were still living in Munster, North Township, Lake County, Indiana.

In December 1921 his wife Henrietta died at the age of 73 years, very probably in or near the town which was named in 1907 after her husband's surname, Munster, located in North Township, Lake County, Indiana. Widower Jacob Munster died there very likely too, in February 1924 at the age of almost 79 years. He was during his life shop hand, farmer, shopkeeper, town trustee, schoolboard member and road supervisor.
They were both buried at the First Reformed Church of Lansing Cemetery in Illinois, just across the western border of Indiana.

He was born Jacob Monster in February 1845 in the country village of Strijen, located in the southern part of the Dutch southwestern province Zuid-Holland, the first of three sons of the 34 years old laborer Eldert Monster and Pietertje Bouman [who married on May 4, 1844 in Strijen]. Source: scan of his birth certificate (geboorteakte), Familysearch. He was named after his paternal grandfather Jacob Monster.
The birth year 1846 on his headstone is not correct; it has to be 1845.

On January 2, 1847 his brother Anthonie Monster was born, in Strijen too, province Zuid-Holland, Nederland (The Netherlands), named after his maternal grandfather Anthonie Bouwman.

On May 13, 1851 his brother Kornelis Monster, born on May 6, 1849 in Strijen, died at the age of almost two years, in Strijen too.

On June 6, 1854 his mother Pietertje Bouman, daughter of Anthonie Bouman and Cornelia Hordijk, died at the age of 40 years in Strijen, Zuid-Holland, Nederland.

On July 5, 1855, a year after his mother's death, the 10 years old Jacob Monster arrived with his father Eldart Monster (40, no occupation) and his brother Anthonie Monster (7) on the ship "Mississippi" from Rotterdam at the port of New York, Castle Garden.

The Monster family was one of the first of a small group of Dutch immigrants to settle in North Township, Lake County, located in the extreme northwestern part of Indiana. Arriving in 1855, his father Eldert Monster and stepmother Neeltje aka Nieltje purchased land north of Ridge Road and east of what is today Calumet Avenue.
Jacob grew to manhood there and helped his family convert a wilderness into productive farm land.

In August 1860 Jacob Monster (16 years old, born in Holland), his father Edward Monster (45, Holland, farmer), his stepmother Neiltge (45, Holland), his brother Antone (13, Holland), [his stepbrother (??)] Peter Monster (9, Holland) and his maternal grandfather Antone Bowman (77, Holland) were living in North Township, post office Crown Point, Lake County, located in the extreme northwestern part of Indiana, about 30 miles southeast of Chicago, Illinois.

Like many immigrants, the family name of Jacob Monster had soon been anglicized, in this case to Munster.

After serving together with his brother Anthonie with General Sherman in the Civil War (1861-1865), he returned to this growing rural community to take over the family farm, to marry, and to help raise thirteen children.

About 1867 Jacob Monster married to the three years younger Hendrika van Mijnen, who was born in the Netherlands too and immigrated in 1857.

About 1870, Jacob Munster opened the Munster General Store. Fronting the old Ridge Road, its ample supply of groceries, hardware, and goods attracted customers from Lansing to Highland. The establishment also served as a gathering place where news was shared and old friends could meet.
In a corner of the store stood a small oak desk, which served as the area's first U.S. Post Office. Tradition has it that the Post Office's location at the Munster General Store had much to do with the eventual naming of the town. In any event, the new town was incorporated in 1907 and given the name of one of its distinguished first citizens.
Munster soon became a booming town that attracted many people.

In July 1870 Jacob Monster (25, born in Holland, farmer), his wife Henriette (22, Holland), their children Peter (4, Indiana), Clara (2, Indiana) and Barendina (0, Indiana) were living in North Township, Lake County, in the extreme northwestern part of Indiana.

Between 1870 and 1880 the first two children, Peter and Clara, probably died.

In June 1880 Jacob Munster (35, farmer), his wife Henrietta (32), their children Dina (10), Agnes (11, Indiana), P Nellie (12, Indiana), Mellie (7, Indiana), Ellen (5, Indiana), Jacob (4, Indiana) and Caty (2, Indiana) were still living in North Township, Lake County, Indiana.

On April 9, 1896 their daughter Nellie Munster married in Lake County, Indiana to Walter Van Weelden. Their daughter Ellen, born in 1874, died in 1899.

In June 1900 Jacob Munster (56, born in February 1844 [has to be: 1845] in Holland, immigrated in 1855, married for 33 years, farmer), his wife Henreta (52, September 1848, Holland, immigrated in 1857, mother of 3 deceased and 10 living children), their children Katy (22, April 1878, Indiana, servant), Bengmen (20, June 1880, Indiana, farm laborer), Henreta (18, June 1882, Indiana, servant), Myrtle (14, April 1886, Indiana) and Joseph (12, May 1888, Indiana) were living on their own farm in still North Township (excl. East Chicago, Hammond & Whiting town), Lake County, Indiana.

In April 1910 Jacob Munster (65, immigrated in 1855, truck farmer), his wife Henriette (61, immigrated in 1857) and their daughters Hennetta (27) and Myrtie (23) were living in Munster, North Township, Lake County, Indiana.

On March 11, 1919 Jacob Munster was naturalized in Indiana and became an American citizen.

In February 1920 Jacob Munster (74, immigrated in 1855, farmer), his wife Hendricka (71), their daughters Maron A Munster (32, single) and Nellie Vanweelden (40, Indiana, married) were still living in Munster, North Township, Lake County, Indiana.

In December 1921 his wife Henrietta died at the age of 73 years, very probably in or near the town which was named in 1907 after her husband's surname, Munster, located in North Township, Lake County, Indiana. Widower Jacob Munster died there very likely too, in February 1924 at the age of almost 79 years. He was during his life shop hand, farmer, shopkeeper, town trustee, schoolboard member and road supervisor.
They were both buried at the First Reformed Church of Lansing Cemetery in Illinois, just across the western border of Indiana.