Bio of J. VAN VALKENBURG (b.1846), Yellow Medicine Co., MN USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, AND permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, 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. Made available to The USGenWeb Archives by: LaNaye Hennen J. VAN VALKENBURG (1878) J. Van Valkenburg, of Canby, is a pioneer business man of that city, although retired from active pursuits for a number of years. He was born in Sharon, Schoharie county, New York, July 26, 1846. He was brought up on a farm, educated in the Sharon public schools, and resided in his native county until reaching his majority. In 1868 he came West, locating at Farmington, Dakota county, where he engaged in farming ten years. In March 1878, Mr. Van Valkenburg became a resident of Yellow Medicine county. He drove from Farmington with an ox team, his family coming by train. He at once filed homestead and tree claims to land on section 12, Hammer township, built a dug-out, and lived on the claims two years. At the end of that time he sold his claims and moved to Canby and for the next ten or twelve years conducted a furniture store and harness shop, doing and excellent business. He sold out and for five years resided in Mankato, being employed in the wholesale grocery house of L. Patterson Mercantile Company. In 1892 Mr. Van Valkenburg returned to Canby and with Adolph Gilbertson for a partner bought a general store of A. L. Houghton. The ran the store less than a year as partners and then Mr. Van Valkenburg became the sole proprietor. Within a very short time thereafter, on September 8, 1893, he lost all his possessions in the big fire, including an immense stock of goods, all his household goods, and two store buildings. He was without insurance except on one of the buildings, and his loss was about $20,000. After the fire, although broken financially, Mr. Van Valkenburg again started in business through the kindness of friends and so continued ten or twelve years. Then he retired from business, and his home has since been in Canby, excepting the time spent in two trips to California for the benefit of his health. Mr. Van Valkenburg is a member of the Presbyterian church and was one of the organizers of the Canby society. He also holds membership in the Masonic lodge, No. 147, of Canby. The marriage of Mr. Van Valkenburg to Hattie Seeley occurred in New York State March 26, 1867. She was born in Carlisle, New York, December 5, 1850. To Mr. and Mrs. Van Valkenburg have been born the following named children: Jesse, a Minneapolis attorney, born December 31, 1868; Luella, born June 25, 1871, died August 26, 1872; Winfred, born August 5, 1874, died in Texas April 21, 1911; Harry, cashier of a bank at Brown Valley, Minnesota, born December 12, 1880; and Walter of Minneapolis, born on Christmas Day, 1889. Mr. Van Valkenburg descends from one of the old families of Holland who settled in the American colonies in a very early period. Some of his ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War, and an uncle was a veteran of the Mexican War. The father of our subject, Henry Van Valkenburg, a farmer, was born in Schoharie county, New York and died in that state when his son was twenty-two years of age. The mother of our subject was Louisa (Roth) Van Valkenburg, who was born in Western New York and who died about ten years after her husband. Source: "A History of Yellow Medicine County" by Arthur P. Rose Published 1914