VanDam Family Cemetery, Overisel Township, Allegan Co. Contributed by: Sandra Anderson ************************************************************************ ******** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in Any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://usgenweb.org ************************************************************************ ******** Van Dam Family Cemetery located on the Gary Van Rhee farm in the vicinity of 147th Avenue and 42nd Street. Several years ago Mr Van Rhee graciously agreed to the placement of a 3-bar plastic vinyl fence, 21 feet x 31 feet, around three sides of the cemetery. This cemetery was used for only a few years, specifically 1863-1875, by the Van Dam Family. It was started when there were few other options available to the early Dutch settlers. The first person to be buried there was Jan Van Dam himself, born in 1801 in Haren, Province of Groningen, Netherlands. In the next few years (in 1865, 1866 and 1869) three of his grandchildren were also buried there. And finally in 1875 his wife, Geesje Jans Meinders from Gieterveen, Province of Drenthe, Netherlands, was put to rest next to her husband. The details of the individuals buried in this cemetery, still legible on the tombstones, and recreated in bronze in the year 1993 when a family reunion was held at this site, are as follows: Jan Van Dam Born: 23 August 1801 in Haren, Province of Groningen, Netherlands Died: 30 March 1864 in Drenthe, Michigan Jan Jr, son of J. and J.V. Vand Dam Born: 15 July 1863 Died: 17 August 1865 Nickklaas, son of E. and C.B. Van Dam Born: 6 December 1863 Died: 24 October 1866 Jan Jr, son of J. and J.V. Van Dam Born: 19 November 1865 Died: 28 January 1869 Geesje Jans Meinders, wife of Jan Van Dam Born: 4 May 1801 in Gieterveen, Province of Drenthe, Netherlands Died: 7 October 1875