DE WITT VAN DEUSEN

DeWitt Van Deusen, early settler, passed away at the Nicholas Senn hospital in Omaha last Friday morning at nine o’clock. Had he lived until May 12, he would have attained the ripe old age of eighty four years.

Deceased was born at Painted Post, N. Y. May 12, 1847. He was of an old Holland-Dutch family, of the “Netherlander” stock which originally settled Manhattan Island of New York, first known as “New Amsterdam” and was a direct descendent from Abraham Van Deusen, who came from Holland in 1636. DeWitt Van Deusen was one of a family of twelve, seven sons and five daughters, and was the last of the twelve to pass on. All twelve grew to maturity. One brother enlisted for the Civil War, and was never heard from again.

At the age of 23 deceased, in 1870, came to the new West and took up a homestead three miles north of Kennard. In 1872 he was married, in Blair, to Miss Margaret Hall. Of their seven children, two died in infancy, one son at 7 years of age, and four remain: Mrs. Lillian Cunningham of Kennard, Frank of Versailles, Mo; Charles of Omaha and Bessie of Lincoln.

After about 52 years of wedded life, Mrs. Van Deusen died seven years ago, since which time Mr. Van Deusen has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Cunningham, in Kennard.

With the exception of ten years in Omaha and a shorter period in Missouri, the family has lived in Washington county and this general vicinity.

In addition to having been a pioneer farmer, Mr. Van Deusen spent much of his time in his earlier days as a teacher in this county, at one time in the Whitford district near Arlington. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the early Teacher’s Institutes, and was one of the last of the early teachers of this county to go.

In 1877 he joined the Blair Congregational church on confession of his faith. During his ten years in Omaha he was an active member of the Hillside Congregational church, and during the past seven years has been helpful in the Kennard Methodist church and S.S.

Mr. Van Deusen, affectionately known by his many friends as “Van”, was regarded as a man of integrity, uprightness and sincerity, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of those who knew him. His friendly and happy disposition made him welcome everywhere, and he was especially loved by the children. At his funeral the school was dismissed that the boys and girls might file through the church for a lost look at their friend. He was accustomed to make cheerful calls upon the sick, and to remember the birthdays and anniversaries of his friends. He was a thoughtful and friendly man, and made his full contribution to the better life of his community.

He was an uncle of our townsmen, Don C. and C. C. Van Deusen. Personally the writer enjoyed his friendship for years, and in his passing we feel deeply with the sorrowing family.

The funeral services were held Monday at one o’clock p.m. from the home of his Daughter, Mrs. Cunningham, and at two from the M. E. church of Kennard, in charge of Rev. Booher of Kennard at the home and Rev. A. F. Newell of Blair at the church. The Kennard Masonic lodge, of which deceased was Chaplain for over ten years, attended in a body and buried the brother with Masonic rites at the Blair Cemetery.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

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