of the city council. In 1872 he was appointed as postmaster, a position which he
held until a democratic administration was elected in the eighties. Mr. Viersen
was a prominent and faithful member of the First Baptist congregation, a warm
friend of Central College, and he took a deep interest in the religious and
educational life of the community. The writer remembers few if any former
citizens of Pella who were so universally loved and respected as was Mr. Viersen
during his long and useful life. If it can be said of any man that he never had
an enemy, this could .be said of Mr. Viersen. In 1857 he was married to Miss
Henrietta F. Roelofsz, daughter of Dr. Roelofsz. Their family consisted of
twelve children: Joost, Lillie, Mary, Auke, Henrietta, Lulu, Lydia, Josie,
Benjamin, Ype, Andrew and Birdie.


A. VAN STIGT MRS. A. VAN STIGT

A. VAN STIGT

There are individuals in every community who, though modest and unassuming, are
possessed of such pronounced ability and excellence of character that they
command the universal respect and love of all their fellow citizens. The good
that such individuals do and the influence they exert extends far beyond the
limits of the community in which they live, and continue to affect the lives and
characters of others long after they are gone. Of this class our esteemed
townsman, Mr. A. Van Stigt, is a shining example. He was born in Westmaas, South
Holland, August 6, 1832, where he passed his youth and received his education.
In 1847, when not quite fifteen years old, he came to America with his parents.
They arrived in Pella in the spring of 1848 and engaged in shoemaking. From 1855
to 1865 Mr. Van Stigt was in business for himself, after which he formed a
partnership with his brother, K. Van Stigt, which continued up to 1880, when his
brother retired and Mr. A. conducted it until he retired from active life on
account of advanced age. He married Miss Teentje Den Hartog on the 18th of
April, 1855. She was a native of the same province as her husband and was born
on the 19th of October, 1836. They had no children of their own, but adopted a
child, Sygie Vander Wilt, who lived with them until her marriage. So high was
the esteem in which Mr. Van Stigt was held by the entire community, that had he
not rather sought retirement than public recognition, he would have been called
upon to fill public office the greater part of his adult years. He was