| Notes |
- John DeGoey's Life
John P. DeGoey was born in Uden, Netherlands on March 3, 1898. He was the oldest of four children. His parents were John DeGoey and Petronella VanDeursen. John moved to Germany with his parents when he was one year old in 1899. He attended a public school in Germany for one year at age 6. He attended school six days a week with all day Sunday off and Wednesday and Saturday afternoons off. He only got two weeks of vacation from school in the summer months.
He moved to the United States with his parents, and younger sisters and brother, Ann, Bill, and Mary in May 1905 at the time Teddy Roosevelt was president. They came across on the "Postdam" ship, which was the fastest ship in those days. They were on board 14 nights and 12 full days. Before coming across they had just gotten over "whooping cough" so they were lucky to pass examination to travel to the U.S. If they hadn't passed their physical exams. they would have been sent to "Ellis Island" which was classed as "3rd class waiting period". They docked in New York by the Statue of Liberty.
After entering the U.S., his family settled in Little Chute, WI. At the age of 7 he attended a Catholic grade school in Little Chute, WI. which had only four rooms. He was lucky to have nuns for teachers who spoke German and Dutch. None of them knew English yet. He finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade there. He then moved to Kimberly, WI. with his family and went to another catholic school where he attended the 6th, and 7th grade.
His first job was "husking corn". He worked after school and all day Saturday. He was paid 4 cents a
bushel.
After finishing 7th grade at the age of 14, he worked at the Interlake Pulp and Paper Company in Appleton, WI. He picked block knots out of wood. He was paid 1 1/2 cents a block. He traveled back and
forth to work on street cars.
In 1916 he moved to Stanley, WI. with his family where they took up farming.
Then he moved back to Kimberly, WI where he started working at the Kimberly Clark Mill.
He owned his first car, a "Hub" mobile in 1916.
He went to work at Combined Locks Paper Mill in 1917. While working there, he had to be registered at Eau Claire, WI because of the war. He got his notice to be called in for duty on November 4, 1918. On November 11, 1918 the Armistice was signed so he received another notice stating he didn't need to report after all. He then moved back to Stanley, WI with his parents and family where he got a job working for a wealthy man named Dick Cooley, who wanted him to help shape up 143 acres of land.
After he finished this job, he went to work for a man, Bill Kruse, in Thorp, WI -about 7 miles from his family's home in Stanley. He enjoyed this job which included keeping up "show cattle". These cattle were entered in fairs all over northern WI, so he got to do a lot of traveling. He worked there for 3 years, then met Amelia Peters, who he married on June 24, 1924. She was from Thorp, WI. He went back to work at Combined Locks Paper Company in 1923, a year before his marriage.
They were married on St. John's Day, June 24, 1924 by Father John Nieche at St Bernard's Church in Thorp, WI.
He moved with his bride to Appleton, WI. and lived with a family by the name of Paulsons. Amelia did housework there so they got their rent free. John worked at Combined Locks Paper Mill from 1923 until 1963 when he retired. They moved to Combined Locks, WI, to be closer to the mill, where they raised seven children.
Amelia died on December 5, 1941.
On June 10, 1944 he got married again to Ann Sanderfoot (Schommer, Wirth -both husbands deceased). He acquired four step children from the marriage.
After he retirement, he spent most of his time at his cottage on Lake Poygan, WI, where he suffered a fatal heart attack and died at the age 73 on August 4, 1971.
William DeGoey, age 17, born abt. 1903 in Holland and John DeGoey, age 21, born abt, 1899 in Holland lived with the Ben WUlqaert family as boarder in the Town of Buchanan. They were both laborers at a local paper mill.
1920 U.S. Fed. Census -John, age 21, was a boarder at the home of Ben & Stephanie Wulgaert, along with his brother, William DeGoey, age 17. The home was located in the town of Buchanan, Outagamie, Wisconsin.
U.S. World War I Draft Registration-Eau Claire, Wisconsin -Dated Sept 12,1915 -age of 20
Story told by John Wirth Jr. on November 14, 2012: John Degoey would translate letters for family and friends coming from the Netherlands during the war. He was fluent in Dutch and English.
|
1898 - 1971 (73 years)
