| Notes |
- JOHN E. VERSTEGEN, a prominent retired citizen of Little Chute, Wisconsin, who for seventeen years was engaged in the furniture business here, has also been closely identified with civic affairs of the village and a strong believer in Democratic principles. He was born in Outagamie county, August 26, 1856, a son of Arnold and Mary (Biemans) Verstegen. Arnold Verstegen was born in Holland in 1820, and at the age of thirty years came to the United States, settling at Little Chute, where he purchased a farm of wild land, at $2.50 an acre. This he operated until 1872. In 1862, in company with his brother John, he built a flour mill, and in 1863 the two brothers, Arnold and John, built the first bridge across the Fox River at this point, to accommodate their customers across the river from their mills. Later the bridge was conveyed to the township. The partnership continued until John Verstegen's death in 1870, when Arnold Verstegen became sole owner of the mills and continued as such until his death in 1900. His first wife died in 1865, and he was married (second) to Katherina Van der Ah, who survives him. By his first marriage, Mr. Verstegen had the following children: Katherine, who, married Martin Coonen and resides in Buchanan township and has ten children; Mary, who was married in 1874 to John Hooyman of Freedom township and has a family of ten children; John E. Verstegen subject of this sketch; Herman J., president of the Bank of Little Chute, who married Christina Whitman, and has a family of seven children; and Jane, who married John Van den Weymelenberg, proprietor of a department store at Wrightstown, Wisconsin, and has a family of eleven children. To the union of Arnold and Katherina (Von der Ah) Verstegen there were born children as follows: Frank, who is in the hardware business in Little Chute, married Annie Golden and has three children; Dinah, who married Martin Hartjes, has eight children, and is in business in Little Chute; Nellie, who married Ed Johnson, a farmer of Deer Creek township, has five children; Joseph, in the lumber business in Little Chute, married Annie Van Grumple, and has five children; Arnold, a farmer of Freedom township, married Rose Daul and has seven children; Peter, a farmer of Freedom township, married Mary Daul and has four children; and Cornelius, a resident of Little Chute, married Elsy Honey, and has two children. John E. Verstegen received a. public school education, after which he spent twenty-three years in the flour mill at Little Chute. In 1893 he opened the first furniture store in the village, and continued to conduct it until his retirement, in March, 1909, since which time he has served in the capacity of village marshal. He was postmaster of the village during President Cleveland's administration, and has served several terms as assessor, and is a member of the high school board. With his family he attends the Catholic Church, and he is a. member of the Knights of Columbus, of which he has been trustee for many years, and of the Foresters. He was practically the organizer of Court 450 which now has a membership of 200 of which he held the three highest offices at different times. He is also a member of the Modern Woodmen of America. Mr. Verstegen was married July 20, 1880, to Mary Feldmier, who was born in Menasha., Wisconsin, August 4, 1857, daughter of John and Christina Feldmier, early residents of Calumet county, and nine children have been born to this union, as follows: John A., residing in Little Chute; Annie, who married H. Oudenhoven, a resident of North Dakota; Katie, who married John M. Stier, in the jewelry business at Beloit, Wisconsin; Emma, a clerk in Geenen's store at Appleton; Aloysius, residing on a farm; and Leda, one of the teachers in the high school at Little Chute; Leona, Edgar and Rosella, all living at home, attending school. Mr. Verstegen is a great believer in the value of an education, and has given his children the benefit of attendance at both parochial and high schools.
- Johannes Egidius Verstegen
Biography by Austin Fritsch, 2010
Johannes Verstegen was born on August 26, 1856, and grew up in the
village ofLittle Chute. Johannes opened the first furniture business in the
village. He operated this business from 1893 through 1909 when he retired.
Since his retirement in 1909 Johannes served as a village marshal for Little
Chute. He has had many other accomplishments, some ofwhich are:
Village Assessor, board member for local high school, trustee for the
Knights of Columbus for many years.
Johannes was married on August 20, 1880 to Mary Feldmeier. They
had nine children (John A, Annie, Katie, Emma, Aloysius, Leda, Leona,
Edgar, and Rosella). Johannes passed away on July 30, 1937.
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1856 - 1937 (80 years)
