LYON COUNTY GENEALOGY
HENRY AND JOHANNA VERMEULEN RENS AND FAMILY
Henry and Johanna Vermeulen Rens and their four oldest children, Margaret, Nellie, and twins, Cornelius and Burnette, moved from a farm near Inwood to Larchwood Township, Section 22, in 1935. They rented this farm for 21 years. During that time two more children were born, Jane and John.
In 1951, Henry purchased the “Cleaveland Farm” in Larchwood Township, Section 14, from the Jack Welsh estate. The next year, the Rens’ oldest daughter, Margaret and her husband, Ben Kracht, moved onto that farm. In 1952, the Rens’ and Kracht’s switched farms.
Nellie married Tom Browne and lives in Sioux Falls. Cornelius died at age 8 as a result of an accident. Burnette (Bert), married Mary Tennant and lives in Sioux Falls. Jane married Howard Haverdink and farms near Orange City.
Henry Rens died in June, 1963, at the age of 70. Since that time, John Rens has been managing the farm. He assumed ownership of the land in 1976.
Johanne Rens passed away in 1989.
John was a member of the last graduating senior class from Lester High School in 1959.
John Rens married Ruth DeJong in December,1968, at Orange City, Iowa. Ruth was a home economics teacher at Boyden-Hull High School in Hull, Iowa.
They have three children, Jerry, Dennis, and Nancy, all students at West Lyon.
John buys and feeds out feeder pigs. Currently they own 160 acres and rent an additional 235 acres.
They are members of Bethel Reformed Church in Lester where John has been on the consistory serving as church treasurer for many years. They have been active in nearly every organization of the church.
Ruth has been a 4-H leader of the Lester Country Gals and Pals 4-H club since 1973. She is employed by SDSU Extension Service, Minnehaha County, where she works with the EFNEP program as a 4-H/Nutrition Assistant.
The Rens’s were charter members of the Lester Betterment Group when it was formed in the mid 70’s. Other memberships include Lyon County Farm Bureau, and the American Legion, Edward Bouwman Post 683.