Obituary: Sheboygan County, Wisconsin: John Van Der Jagt ************************************************************************ Submitted by Roberta Lewis, January 2008 © All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ************************************************************************ Sheboygan Press-Telegram of Saturday June 24, 1922 John Van Der Jagt, one of the last of the Civil War veterans of Sheboygan County, died at the home of his son, Peter VanDerJagt, at Cedar Grove, Friday, after an illness of four months. He celebrated his eighty-fifth birthday on June 5. Mr. Van Der Jagt was a native of Burg, province of Schouwen, Holland. He was born June 5, 1837 , and at the age of twelve he accompanied his parents and five other children to the United States, coming directly to Sheboygan County. During the voyage to America a baby sister became ill and died and was buried at sea. Mr. Van Der Jagt at one time described a storm which the passengers aboard ship experienced while at sea, one that terrified all on board. He stated that for a time it was feared that the ship would be wrecked. The storm was weathered , however , and they all landed safely. Mr. Van Der Jagt attended school in the old log school house in section 26, town of Holland. His educational advantages were limited to three months during the winter seasons. He early learned to assist in the work on his father's farm, and he did that until he grew to manhood. On March 4, 1862, Mr. Van Der Jagt married Miss Josephine DeMaster, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Peter DeMaster. They became the parents of twelve children, eight of whom are living. They are Peter, Cornelius, Mrs. John Grotenhuis, and Mrs. Ed Thuene, Cedar Grove; Mrs. J. Sheean and Miss Minnie, Milwaukee; and John of Minneapolis. Mr. and Mrs. Van Der Jagt began their wedded life in a log cabin, which Mr. Van Der Jagt built on his farm in the town of Holland. About 1880 a new home was erected, but only a few years were spent there. Mrs. Van Der Jagt was called by death on March 14, 1888. When President Lincoln called for volunteers to put down the rebellion of the south, Mr. Van Der Jagt was among the first who made the response and entered the service of his adopted country. He served as a soldier with honor to himself and family to the Union. Politically Mr. Van Der Jagt was a republican and he supported the principles advocated by the party. He and his family attended the First Presbyterian church of Cedar Grove, in which they took an active part. Mr. Van Der Jagt was well known and highly respected all through the section of the county in which he lived. Funeral services will be conducted at the First Presbyterian church on Monday at 1:30 o'clock and burial will be made in the Walvoord Cemetery.