Notes |
- JOHN BEEMSTER, a well-known business citizen of Grand Chute
township, whose energies are devoted to cheesemaking, is the owner
of several factories in this county, as well as a farm of seventy-five
acres. Mr. Beemster was born May 16, 1870, in Holland, a son of
Peter and Katie (Laakerman) Beemster, natives of that country.
Peter Beemster was born January 24, 1838, and came to America
in 1880, settling first in Ohio, where for some years he followed the
trade of carpenter in Cleveland, and then removed to Green Bay,
Wisconsin, and later to Styles, Oconto Falls and Neenah, and from
the latter place to Chicago, where he now resides. Mr. and Mrs.
Beemster had eight children, of whom John is the third in order of
birth. He secured the early part of his educational training in his
native country, and later attended school in Cleveland, Ohio, and
Green Bay, Wisconsin, and after finishing his education started to
work as a farm hand for several years. His first experience as a
cheesemaker was at Rockland, near DePere, Brown county, where
after about thirteen years he built and operated a factory. In
March, 1908, Mr. Beemster came to Grand Chute township, buying
his present business, which includes one-eighth of an acre of ground,
and he has equipped his factory with machinery and accessories for
making every kind of cheese in demand in this country. He also
owns a farm of seventy-five acres near Pound, Wisconsin, and a
cheese factory near that point, which he has rented out. He devotes
most of his time.to his Grand Chute factory, and sells his product
in the Appleton markets. His home is at this factory. On May
18, 1897, Mr. Beemster was married to Nellie Biersteker, who was
born in the Netherlands, April 7, 1865, daughter of Edward and
Mary (Langdyke) Biersteker, natives of that place, where the father
was born October 16, 1832, and the mother September 12, 1831.
They came to America in 1885, locating in Marinette, Wisconsin,
where they rented a home, but later removed to Green Bay, and
from there went to DePere, where Mr. Biersteker died May 13, 1908,
his wife having passed away May 12, 1894. Mrs. Beemster was the
fourth of her parents' seven children. Mr. and Mrs. Beemster have
had one child: Mary, born December 22, 1900. The family is connected
with the Greenville Roman Catholic Church, and Mr. Beemster
belongs to the Catholic Order of Foresters. He is independent in
his political views.
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