Mieras, John M. 1879-1952 & Effie Heusinkveld Family

MIERAS, HEUSINKVELD, DEGROENE, SCHEEVEL, SCHAAFEL

Posted By: Wilma J. VandeBerg (email)
Date: 3/25/2024 at 18:34:33

Mieras, John M. 1879-1952 & Effie Heusinkveld Family

This story was taken from pages 433-434 of the Maurice Centennial Book (1891-1991). The story was transcribed for this BIOS by Beth De Leeuw of the Greater Sioux County Genealogical Society. Some research notes were added by Wilma J. Vande Berg

John M. Mieras was born on October 13, 1879, at Wemeldinge, Holland, in the province of Zeeland. He was the seventh child of Adrian and Dena Mieras. At the age of ten, he emigrated with his parents and brothers and sisters to Iowa, settling near Maurice. He attended country schools, and quickly learned the new language.

About 1903, John became a rural mail carrier for route number 2, which was twenty eight miles north and west of Maurice. Many times the roads were in poor condition and travel was difficult. At first, he used horses and carts, a motorcycle, and later a Model T car for transportation. He became friends with the route patrons and often did extra errands for them. When there was a birth, he always found a cigar in the mail box, and during the holidays there were gifts of dressed fowl or meat. In 1934, the two routes combined, and he retired. The patrons he had served surprised him with a retirement party at the school gym, and presented him with a gold watch.

John made cement blocks and did cement work in his spare time during his carrier days. The town hall was built in about 1913, by John and his brother, Johannes. His hobby was his garden and lawn.

Effie Heusinkveld worked in the Maurice Post Office as an assistant, and John and Effie were married on April 11, 1906. Their first home was west of the town hall, now occupied by May Frerichs. Later they moved to Effie’s parents home at the south end of main street, now occupied by Darrell Hartman.

John and Effie were active in community affairs, and diligent members of the American Reformed Church. John served as Sunday School secretary, and Effie as a Sunday School teacher for many years.

One daughter, Mildred, was born to them in 1910. She graduated from the Maurice High School in 1928, and from Iowa State University in 1932. She married William H. Timmons in 1936, and has since lived at Ocheyedan, Iowa. John and Effie enjoyed three grandchildren; Bruce, Janice and Steven.

IN MEMORY OF John M. and Effie Mieras by Mildred L. Timmons (end of family story in the Maurice book)

RESEARCH Notes: Fron a family report on ancestry.com public member trees submitted by other than this submitter. John M. Mieras was a brother of Jacobus Mieras 1871-1953 see his BIOS on this web page.

John Marion Mieras was born 13 Oct 1879 Wemeldinge, Zeeland, Netherlands and died 12 Feb 1952 Maurice Sioux Iowa. His parents were Adriaan Mieras 1834-1899 and Dina De Groene 1835-1915. John M. married Effie Heusinkveld 11 Apr 1906 Sioux County Iowa.

Effie Heusinkveld was born 3 Jan 1880 Minnesota and died 8 Feb 1870 Worthington, Nobles Co. MN. Her parents were William Heusinkveld 1856-1926 and Alyda Catarina Scheevel 1858-1956. John and Effer were the parents of one child.

CHILD :
1. Mildred Lydene Mieras born 5 Jul 1910 Maurice Iowa and died 26 Nov 1999 Ocheyedan, Osceola, Iowa. She married William Howard Timmons 1913-1992, their children were Janice Kay Timmons 1939-2011, Bruce, and Steven.

OBITUARY OF JOHN M. MIERAS
Obituary for John M. Mieras published in the Sioux City News, February 14, 1952:
JOHN M. MIERAS
Funeral services will be held Friday at 1:30pm at the First Reformed Church in Maurice for John M. Mieras, a retired rural mail carrier who died Tuesday evening at the age of 72. He died of a heart attack.
Mr. Mieras was a pioneer rural mail carrier in this area. He started in 1903 when the RFD was initiated. He delivered mail on Route 2 out of Maurice until 1934 when he was retired on pension.
He received an unusual honor upon retirement. Some 400 of his patrons and friends held a surprise party for him and presented him with a gold watch as a token of their esteem. Mr. Mieras spent all but the first 10 years of his life in the Maurice community.

OBITUARY OF EFFIE MIERAS
Source: Sioux County Capital (8-6-1970)
Born: January 3, 1880
Died: August 2, 1970
Mrs. Effie Mieras, a former Maurice resident died Sunday at a nursing home in Worthington, Minnesota.
Services were held Wednesday at the Van Etten Funeral Home with burial in the Maurice Cemetery.
One daughter, Mrs. Bill Timmons of Ocheydan survives and 3 sisters: Mrs. Mabel Mieras, Misses Emily and Zilda Heusinkveld and a brother, Clifford, all of Florida.
Effie Heusinkveld was born to Willem and Alida (Schaafel) Heusinkveld on January 3, 1880. On April 11, 1906 she was married to John M. Mieras. He passed away in 1952.

There is a picture on age 433 of the Maurice Centennial Book.

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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