The Pieter Jr. and Anna/Della De Jong families

Name               Occupation        Date of Birth         Birthplace                       Date of Death          Notes      

Pieter Jr.         Farmer                  Jan 23, 1851        Arkel, Netherlands     Mar 11, 1936           Buried in Luctor 

De Jong                                                                                                                                                                            Cemetery                                                  

Anna                  Housekeeper    Oct 17, 1857      Netherlands                     May 17, 1889          Buried in Pella, NE

Ten Bosch                                                                                                                                                                       Cemetery

(first wife)

Della                  Housekeeper     Oct 16, 1870      Minnesota                         Sep 10, 1937           Buried in Luctor

Vander Beek                                                                                                                                                                  Cemetery

(second wife)

Peter                 Son                            Jul 22, 1882        Iowa                                     Jun 2, 1903               Died of 

Martin                                                                                                                                                                                Appendicitis

Nicholas          Son                            Sep 13, 1883       Iowa                                     Dec 17, 1958

Jacob

Dick                    Son                            Oct 17,1884        Iowa                                     Jan 12, 1964

Albert

Albert                Son                             Oct 7,1886          Iowa                                      Oct 20, 1951

William

Anna                  Daughter                 Apr 28, 1889      Nebraska                           Jan 10, 1978

Marie

Aaron                Son                              Feb 8, 1893         Nebraska                           Sep 2, 1969

John

Gracie               Daughter                 Oct 18, 1894      Nebraska                           Aug 18 1896             Drown

Henry                Son                               Feb 22, 1896      Kansas                                Oct 26, 1981

John

David G.           Son                                Jan 4, 1898         Kansas                                Aug 24, 1904           Drown in a pond

Grace                 Daughter                   May 5, 1900       Kansas                                Mar 22, 1998

Agnes

Herbert             Son                                Jan 24, 1902      Kansas                                May 21, 1953

Theodore

Nellie                   Daughter                  Jan 15, 1904       Kansas                               Jun 12, 1992

Davida

Deda                     Daughter                  Jan 20, 1906       Kansas                                Jan 2, 1998

Harriet

David                    Son                                Aug 9, 1909        Kansas

Edward

Irene                      Daughter                   Dec 20, 1912     Kansas

Wilma

Pieter Jr. applied for and was granted United States citizenship on April 24, 1876, the same day he was appointed executor of his brother Martinus’ estate.

Pieter Jr. helped his father farm for many years. He later farmed his own land in Black Oak township, Mahaska County. Rev. Francis Rederus, pastor of Third Reformed Church in Pella, married Pieter Jr. and Anna Ten Bosch on April 23, 1881. They shared the home of her father Nicholas Ten Bosch, located immediately north of Pieter Sr’s farm. They employed the use of two laborers, John Van Maanen and John Vrolys. 

By the 1880s, land was expensive and in short supply around Pella. Pieter Jr. sold all of his properties in Iowa in 1888. There is a belief that Pieter Jr., and his father may have had some disagreement, which contributed to Pieter Jr. choosing to leave the Pella,  Iowa area.

In the spring of 1888, he and his family moved to Pella, Nebraska. Luck was not on their side as a huge blizzard struck during the course of their journey. Pella, Nebraska was founded by settlers from Pella,  Iowa. A post office was established in 1883. Today the town is gone, the post office having been disbanded in 1903. The former Pella, Nebraska was located near the present day town of Firth, Nebraska.

Anna died in 1889 from complications of the birth of her fifth child, Anna. Anna Ten Bosch De Jong was buried in Pella, Nebraska. She was the first person buried in the Pella cemetery. 

The baby Anna was placed in the care of her Aunt Egje Tysseling, back in Pella, Iowa. To care for his four sons, Pieter Jr. hired a local girl, Della Vander Beek as a housekeeper and cook.

Despite a large difference in age, romance blossomed and Pieter Jr. married Della on April 6, 1892. Shortly thereafter, little Anna rejoined the family.

In 1895, the family moved to Grant Township in Norton County, Kansas, four miles west of the village of Prairie View. He had quite a large farming operation, owning as many as five farms simultaneously. The largest farm being the Pretty Prairie Stock farm covering 475 acres. 

Pieter Jr. and his family were affiliated with the Reformed Church in Prairie View. 

At some point, their son Dick decided to officially change the spelling of his last name to De Young. According to his niece, he wanted it to look more “modern”. There is also some documentation that shows members of the family had previously used the De Young spelling from time to time. As the local banker, he also had the power to change all of the names of his brothers and sisters, which he did. 

However, Pieter Jr. and Della retained the original spelling throughout their lives.

Pieter Jr. died at 11:15 PM on March 11, 1936 of a heart attack at the age of 85. His obituary stated that he was a well-to-do man, owning several large farms. He was also a Director at the Prairie View National Bank.

Pieter Jr. and Della were buried in the Luctor Cemetery outside of Prairie View, KS. The Reformed Church and Christian Reformed churches shared the same cemetery.