CORNELIUS HULSTEIN.
Cornelius Hulstein was born in Bennekom, the Netherlands, March 30,1830
Rijke Van Roekel was born in Bennekom October 11, 1856. Cornelius was 27 years old and Rijke was 24 years when they were united in marriage. They made their home at Bennekom in the Bennekom Hei. Here they dwelt for 16 years. They managed a farm for "Mijnheer Vreede. The Dutch phrase would be "zetboer" On October 10, 1858 William Cornelius was born to them.
There were at that time lots of rabbits around and Cornelius was a ardent hunter. Because of the limited amount of rabbits at onetime it was forbidden to shoot them. But many a time the temptation became too much for Cornelius and often his shots were taken from the window and his wife would then sneak outside to capture the captured rabbit. At one time Mr. Cornelius, by mistake, shot the
family cat. The next morning the "Veltwachter" said:" What a beautiful Hare you got there, Cornelius"
In the winter of 1862 on January 3, their son Gerrit was born.
Mrs, Cornelius Hulstein was often visited by two very rich old maids. These two maidens presented Mrs. Hulstein with a beautiful expensive coat before they sailed for America. Since people did not wear their very best clothes only when going to a special occasion or a special meeting this coat was not worn.Returned to the ladies they gave her then a Psalm Book.
In the fall of 1864, on October3, another son, Steven, was born to them. Two years later after this time on December 23, Johanna was born.
In April, 1811, the family left for America and landed in Pella the first part of that year and then decided to move to a farm in the vicinity of Pella.
On November 12,1818, Cornelia was born at Pella, Iowa. This was the only child born in the land of America.
Although the family like Pella and its vicinity yet Mr. Hulstein wanted to go further into this great, free land. So in the month of May. 1818 Mr. Hulstein and a Jan Thomases adventured into Sioux County to rent a farm there. The land seemed very fertile and fine to cultivate into crops. When Mr. Hulstein and Mr. Thomases went to Sioux County Mr. Hulstein was holding the horses that they had behind the wagon and he got the halter rope around his finger and the horses pulled a muscle out of his arm and finger.
In June 1818 William, the oldest son went to Sioux Center to see how his father was doing. Together with a friend, Hannes De Brake, they went with a covered wagon. The roads were very rough and narrow. It took them many days to travel this distance but their destination was reached in safety.
While in Sioux County hay was made and much prairie ground was broken. Much hard work was carries on in prospects of making a new home.
In the following February, 1819, the family left Pella, Iowa to settle permanently in Sioux County. Mr. And Mrs. Hulstein, Johanna and Cornelia traveled to Sioux Center by train while the boys, William and Gerrit and Steven went with a covered wagon. These boys had quite a few experiences which none of us today would ever have the opportunity to realize. Most of the nights were spend in the covered wagon but one night the boys
decided sleep in the Hotel at Marcus, Iowa. However, that particular night the Hotel caught fire but they were fortunate to get the fire under control.
After many days of traveling and encountering various difficulties they at last reached Sioux Center.
The first place the family lived was in Sioux Center, in the region which is called today the "Old Town", about 80 rods west of the First Reformed Church. There they managed a farm for 3 years. In the time they lived here Church, Blacksmith Shop and a Store were set up.
In 1879, the first year of their new adventure no crops thrived. First the grasshoppers molested them by destroying the small grain.. Later in the fall a hailstorm destroyed much of the corn crop. Many people moved then to different parts of the States.
In the fall of 1880 an epidemic of Diphtheria or Black Death broke out. It came to many a home and also entered the home of the Holstein's. Johanna was severely afflicted and, sad to say, passed away at the early age of thirteen in September 1880. So they had their trials and tribulations and their disappointments.
The winter from 1880 to 1881 was a very severe one. Mountains of snow covered most of the County and the cold was very extreme. The snow was as high as the telegraph poles. Sometimes one would approach the roof of the house without knowing it. Much of the corn remained on the fields. In order to claim some of the corn a horse accompanied by a dog went along to get some of the remaining corn. Hay, corn and cornstalks were burned as fuel.
The Rev. De Pere was the first minister at Sioux Center. He also was compelled to burn corn as fuel was very scarce.
Cornelius Hulstein and family lived in the old town for three years, when in 1882 they moved a half mile north of the northern corner of Sioux Center. There they lived until the year 1889/ Their son Steven, remained on the old place. Then they built a house on the Northwest corner of North Sioux Center. There they lived only for one year after which they moved to a house a quarter of a mile North of the former location. Here they celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary. The date October 11th. 1906. The following poem was written and read by Mrs. William Hulstein on that occasion:
0 what a mengling van gevoelens zal er woelen waardig echtpaar in uw hart,
By het zien op het verleden en op het heden, op de vreugde en op de smart.
Die daar 50 jaren na uw paren, U op't echtpad zijn ontmoet,
Want die tijd is nu verdwenen, na vereenen bracht u voor, en tegenspoed,
Maar wat ook gij hebt ondervonden, door de wonden die voor vlees zo smartelijk zijn, Toch was U de God der Goden, in die noden, nooit in a dorre Zandwoestijn.
This article was sent to me by Mrs. Bernie Brooks, the oldest daughter of Raymond Edgar Hulstein.
