Scholten, Derk Jan 1841-1902 & Grada Korselman 1844-1939

SCHOLTEN, KORSELMAN, BELTMAN

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, Sioux Coordinator (email)
Date: 6/3/2024 at 19:21:42

Obituaries Tell Their Story -- Photograph submitted by Pennie Clark, who shared the photo she bought in a Goodwill Store. Thanks, Pennie!
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From the Alton Democrat of Sep 13, 1902..
D. Scholten (Dirk Jan) who has suffered for several months with enlargement of the liver died Wednesday noon aged sixty-one years. He was born in the Netherlands and came to Chicago nearly forty years ago moving to Sioux county in 1871. He leaves a wife and seven children. One son, Everett is married and three are boys at home. The daughters are Mesdames Henry Aalders and J. Cambier and Miss Hattie at home. He has a brother John near Boyden and a host of other relatives hereabout. Funeral service will be held from the Reformed church at two.

(Research from the Sioux county cemetery index – Dirk Jan Scholten born 26 Jul 1841 Zutphen Gelderland Netherlands died 11 Sep 1902 and is buried in Nassau Tsp. cemetery at Alton IA. His wife was Grada Johanna Koerselman born 4 Jan 1844 died 24 Nov 1939. (Her obit extensive appeared in the Alton Democrat of Dec 1, 1939) Ten children were born to them. Grada, Maria 1867, Dirk Jan 1869, Maria 1871, Berendina 1874, Everett 1876, Dirk Jan 1878, Bertnardus 1881, Hendrikus 1883, Hendrika 1886. The children surviving of the mother Mrs. Henry Beltman formerly Mrs. Dirk Scholten were Elizabeth Mrs. G. H. Henry Aalders; Dena, Mrs. J. C. Cambier; both of Alton; Evert J. Scholten of Sheldon; Dr. Dirk J. Scholten of Kalamzoo MI; Burt Scholten of Holland MI; Henry M. Scholten of Boyden; and Hattie Mrs. Nick Slager of Doon.
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From the Sioux County Capital, of November 30, 1939:

ONE OF COUNTY’S OLDEST CITIZENS DIES
MRS. GRADA S. BELTMAN

Mrs. Grada Scholten Beltman was born January 4, 1844 at Laren, Gelderland, The Netherlands. At the age of 22 years she was married at Zutphen, The Netherlands to D. J. Scholten. 10 children were born to this union. In 1868, they came to the United States and lived in Chicago until 1871 when they came to Sioux county settling on a homestead on the southwest edge of Alton.

In 1902, Mr. Scholten died and in 1904, his widow married Henry Beltman also of Alton. In 1911, Mr. Beltman died and until 4 years ago she lived alone in Alton and since made her home with her children.

Mrs. Beltman died Nov 24 at the home of her daughter Mrs. Henry Aalders. Surviving are the following children: Elizabeth, Mrs. Aalders; Dena, Mrs. J. C. Cambier; both of Alton; Evert J. Scholten of Sheldon; Dr. Dick J. Scholten of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Bert Scholten of Holland, Mich.; Henry M. Scholten of Boyden; and Hattie, Mrs. Nick Slager of Doon. Also 24 Grandchildren, 30 great grandchildren and 1 sister in The Netherlands.

Funeral services were held Monday afternoon in the Reformed church at Alton, of which she was a charter member. Burial was made in Nassau township cemetery.

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From the Alton Democrat, December 1, 1939:

DEATH TAKES ALTON’S OLDEST RESIDENT
MRS. BELTMAN ALMOST 96 YEARS OF AGE
Came To Sioux Co. In The Year Of 1871

Mrs. Grada Scholten Beltman, beloved Alton pioneer, passed on at the home of her daughter, Mrs. G. H. Aalders, Friday Nov. 24th at the age of nearly 96 years. She is survived by seven children, 24 grandchildren and 30 great grandchildren, while hundreds of friends likewise will miss the venerable grandmother.

Born In Gelderland

Mrs. Beltman was born Jan. 4, 1844 at Laren, Gelderland, Netherlands. She was married at the age of 22 years to D. J. Scholten in Zutphen. In 1868 the couple came to the United States in a sailing vessel and lived in Chicago until 1871. In March 1871 Mr. Scholten came to Sioux county and bought an 80-acre homestead for $60. The land was just west of what later became the village of Alton. Mr. Scholten contracted with a neighbor to break the land and in September Mr. and Mrs. Scholten and their five months old daughter moved to Sioux county, living with the A. Lenderink family at Orange City until their house was built. LeMars was their nearest trading point.

Yoke of Oxen

Mrs. Beltman wrote of some of her early experiences in a letter to The Democrat during our Jubilee Year in 1931, when old settlers of the county were asked to tell of their experiences. She speaks of their first team—a yoke of oxen “sleek and fine” bought for $90, and four chickens costing a dollar apiece. Later they bought a team of horses for $160. They attended church at Orange City. There were no roads or fences and in good weather it was a short drive.

First Crops Good

“We had splendid crops on the breaking, mostly wheat, some corn and oats,” she writes. Later on came the grasshoppers, which came up like a dark cloud and ruined crops for two years.

“The first house built up town was Mr. De Kraay’s house, which was our first hotel and also served as church to us on Sunday. There we met until the first school house was built. Now Herman Riedeman’s barn is located on that historic little spot. How well I recall the arrival of the first train! We all hastened across the prairie to welcome the black monster that was to connect us with the outside world. It came in with a tooting of whistle and ringing of bell, all decorated with flags and bunting. Our first store was opened by Mr. Kilburg on the spot where Dr. Smedley built his house. It was a great event to trade in our own village, even though a bar of laundry soap cost 10 cents and everything else in proportion. The produce we had to sell was the same as now—we got little for it, except wheat which was a dollar or more. Eggs sold for five cents a dozen and butter brought from 8 to 10 cents a pound.”

Built New Home

After living for ten years on the homestead they built a new home on the 40 acres bought nine years previous for $16 per acre from Henry Hospers. The present Cambier home is now on that spot.

“While our second home was being built the first issue of the Alton Democrat made its appearance. What rejoicing there was to have a weekly paper edited by home talent. . . Dominie Bolks served us as doctor until Dr. Owens settled amongst us . . . It is a great pleasure to recall those early years. We were all friends, each one knowing the struggles of the other, and when we met it was as comrades.”

Ten Children

Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Scholten, of whom seven survive, namely, Elizabeth, Mrs. G. H. (Henry) Aalders; Dena, Mrs. J. C. Cambier, both of Alton; Evert J. Scholten, Sheldon; Dr. Dirk J. Scholten, Kalamazoo, Michigan; Burt Scholten, Holland, Mich.; Henry M. Scholten, Boyden; Hattie, Mrs. Nick Slager, Doon.

Married Twice

In 1902 Mr. Scholten died and in 1904 Mrs. Scholten was married to Henry Beltman, also of the Alton vicinity. In 1911 Mr. Beltman died. Mrs. Beltman continued to live in her home until over ninety years, remaining active and mentally alert. Four years ago she gave up housekeeping and has since lived with her children. Just a few weeks ago she came here from Doon where she spent some months with Mrs. Slager. She was 95 years, 10 months and 20 days of age at the time of her death—a wonderful Christian woman whose courageous devotion to duty will be an enduring memorial of her life and work.

Large Funeral

Funeral services at the Aalders home and First Reformed church on Monday afternoon were attended by a large number of relatives and friends from nearly every town in the county. Rev. E. Van Engelenhoven presided at the services and pallbearers were six of Mrs. Beltman’s grandchildren: Wm. Cambier of Orange City, Richard Cambier, Alton, Orville Cambier, Grand Island, Neb., Dick Aalders, Alton, Donald and Bernard De Boer, Doon.

Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Grant (Grace Aalders) and two children arrived Monday morning to be present at the funeral of their grandmother. All the children except the two sons living in Michigan were here for the services, besides many of the grandchildren. Nieces and nephews present were Mr. and Mrs. Jake Scholten of Inwood, Mr. and Mrs. Ben Korselman, besides a number of others living in Sioux county.

Mrs. Beltman has one sister in the Netherlands still living, Mrs. Koeleman of Laren, now over 80 years of age.

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MORE RESEARCH NOTES:

Her death certificate (informant Mrs. Jake Cambier) gives her full name as Grada Johanna Beltman, widow of Henry Beltman, born Jan. 4, 1844 in the Netherlands, father Berend Koerselman, mother’s name not known; resident of the U.S. 72 years and of Alton 69 years; died at 8:00 a.m. November 24, 1939; cause cerebral hemorrhage, onset November 22, 1939, and arteriosclerosis.

Her FindaGrave.com page has her as Grada Johanna Scholten, born 4 Jan 1844 in Laren, Lochem Municipality, Gelderland; spouses Derk Jan Scholten (1841-1902) and Hendrik Beltman (1833-1911). Eight of her children are listed. There is a photo of the joint headstone of her and Derk Jan Scholten.

WieWasWie.nl has a birth index entry for Grada Johanna Koerselman; parents Berend Koerselman, age 34, a day-laborer, and Berendina Brummelman; born 4 Jan 1844 in Laren, Oolde (Lochem), Gelderland.

WieWasWie.nl also has a marriage index record for groom Derk Jan Scholten, age 24, a farmer, parents Evert Jan Scholten and Maria Elisabeth Haijtink; bride Grada Johanna Koerzelman, age 22, a maidservant, parents Berend Koerzelman and Berendina Brummelman; married in Zutphen 7 Feb 1866.
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Photograph is identified as: Derk Jan Scholten & wife, Grada Johanna nee'Korselman

Sioux Biographies maintained by Linda Ziemann.
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