Showing 20 results

Event Date : Friday, May 16, 1952
Event Type : Marriage

Description : Jeanne, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Matthews, to Michael Havinga, son of Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Havinga, all of the Holland Marsh. The wedding took place at the Christian Reformed Church, Ansnorveld. Rev. S. G. Brondsema of Toronto officiated. The bride was attended by her sister, Miss Henrietta Matthews, as maid of honour, and by her cousins, Miss Rena Van Zuiden and Miss Jean Hagan as bridesmaids. Little nieces of the groom, Marianne and Thelma Miedema, were the flower girls. Mr. Ralph Havinga of Windsor was his brother's groomsman and the ushers were Messrs. Sidney Van Dyke and Fred Havinga. The bride's aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Flack, were host and hostess to the guests for afternoon tea. Mr. George Horlings, the bride's uncle, was master of ceremonies at the reception in the Community Hall. Mr. and Mrs. Havinga will reside in Toronto. Before her marriage several showers "of gifts were held in honour of the bride who has been a member of the office staff at Holland River Gardens Co. Limited. "

Event Date : Tuesday, January 22, 1980
Event Type : Death

Description : Marsh grower Harry Verkaik died last week at York County Hospital in Newmarket. He was 69. One of the most prominent growers in the Holland Marsh, Mr. Verkaik was a key figure in the founding of the Bradford Co-operative Storage. He served both as president and board member of the co-op for many years. Born in Amsterdam, Holland, in 1910, he emigrated to Canada in 1926, settling first in the Chatham area. His first involvement with the marsh came about nine years later when he purchased 90 acres of land with his father, George Verkaik Sr., and brothers Jacob and Peter. After founding Hillside Gardens in 1964, Mr. Verkaik retired in 1965. Long active in various growers organizations, Mr. Verkaik also took part in the vast relief efforts after Hurricane Hazel in 1954. He was a devoted charter member of the Holland Marsh Christian Reformed Church, in which he served as an elder. Mr. Verkaik was also president of the newspaper "Calvinist Contact" for many years. A funeral service was held for Mr. Verkaik last Friday officiated by Rev. James Evenhouse. Rev. Evenhouse recited from Revelations 7 Verse 7: "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." He commended Mr. Verkaik's wife Jessie and sons Gerald and Jim for their devotion and encouragement during Mr. Verkaik's long illness. He was buried at Mount Pleasant Cemetery near Bradford.Friends called at the Lathangue & Skwarchuk Funeral Home. Mr. Verkaik predeceased by his wife Anne Horlings leaves his wife Jessie, sons Gerald and Jim, and grandchildren Karen, Valerie, Jennifer, Trevor, Loretta, Bentley, and Kathleen."

Event Date : Tuesday, August 28, 1979
Event Type : Death

Description : One of the Holland Marsh pioneers, John Wist Sr. died last Tuesday (August 28) at York County Hospital in Newmarket. He was 83. Born in Yugoslavia, Mr. Wist emigrated to Canada in 1927, residing first in the west, then moving to the Leamington area. He and his wife Elizabeth worked on a sugar beet farm weeding for $12 an acre - tough work that lasted from sunup to sundown. Forty years ago, Mr. Wist and his family settled in the Holland Marsh where he cleared a five-acre parcel of land. He built a home on the King Rd. near the Fourth Concession, carrying every piece of lumber for the house the distance of one mile. Back in those days work really meant work" his son John Jr. commented. While he officially retired about 30 years ago Mr. Wist still kept busy on the family farm near the Muck Research Station. He helped with the back-breaking job of clearing the land and his son recalled one incident where his father had fallen during the clearing operations. Shrugging off the pain Mr. Wist suggested more work could be done on the drainage ditches. It was only later that he discovered he'd cracked two ribs in that fall. For the past two years Mr. Wist and his wife lived in retirement in Bradford. He became ill about one month ago. Mr. Wist leaves his wife Elizabeth Ernst and his son John Jr. He is predeceased by his son Frank. He also leaves a brother Mike of Toronto, grandsons Jim, Rick, Gary, and Paul, and great-grandchildren Kim, Teressa and Jaimie. Friends called at the Lathangue & Skwarchuk Funeral Home in Bradford and funeral mass was held at the Holy Martyrs of Japan Roman Catholic Church last Friday. He was buried at the Holy Martyrs Cemetery in West Gwillimbury Township."

Event Date : Tuesday, July 05, 1938
Event Type : Death

Description : Passed away suddenly, in his 68th year, while working his land in the Holland Marsh. Husband to Ethel A. Williams. Was instrumental in establishing the Holland Marsh after moving to Bradford from Guelph where he was a professor at the Ontario Agricultural College.Is interred in Woodlawn cemetery in Guelph where Rev. Vaughan conducted the service.

Event Date : Saturday, August 22, 1953
Event Type : Death

Description : A pioneer settler and highly esteemed resident of the Holland Marsh, Mr. Abraham Havinga, passed away at Newmarket Hospital on Saturday, August 22, following a long period of failing heart. Born at Kielwindeweer, Holland, in 1879, Mr. Havinga, with his wife and family, came to Canada in 1930. Four years later in 1934, they settled on the Holland Marsh as members of the first little community of Dutch Canadians who pioneered the development of the gardening project which today is known across the continent. He was one of the little group who built the first small church on the Marsh and the members of his family were among the pupils of the marsh's first school and assisted in the care of the books which comprised their little church's first library. One of the early deaths on the Marsh was Mrs. Havinga, leaving her husband and a family of ten sons and daughters. Ten years after the death of the mother of his family, Mr. Havinga visited his native Holland where he remarried on January 27, 1949, in Groningen He is survived by his second wife and his family of five daughters and five sons, namely Miss Elsa Havinga, R.N., of New York; Mrs. Peter Turkstra (Tena)of Hamilton; Mrs. A.C. Klemn (Joan) of Toronto; Mrs. T. Miedema (Cora), R.R. 2, Newmarket; Mrs. C.M. Sneep (Elsey), Chatham; John Havinga, Granum, Alberta; Jack Havinga, Granum, Alberta; Fred of Toronto; Ralph of Windsor, and Michael of Toronto. A most devout member of the Christian Reformed Church, Mr. Havinga's funeral was from his Holland Marsh Christian Reformed Church with the newly appointed minister of the Springdale Church, Rev. R. Wildschut, conducting the services. Internment was in Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Bradford. The pallbearers were members of the early families of the Marsh, namely Messers. John Van Dyke, E. De Young, A Biemold, Walter Horlings, L. Boonstra and H. Prins.

Event Date : Thursday, August 06, 1953
Event Type : Marriage

Description : Jane Engelage to Peter Buys. The wedding took place at the Christian Reformed Church.

Event Date : Wednesday, July 10, 1957
Event Type : Death

Description : Little Glen Wist, 6, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wist of the Holland Marsh, was drowned in the canal beside his home at noon last Wednesday. Apparently he had fallen into the water while playing with a small toy boat, to which he had attached a string about eight feet long.Glen had been at the storage building with his two elder brothers, Gary and Paul, and his father. At noon Mr. Wist told the three boys to go home for lunch. When Mr. Wist reached home it was realized that the youngest brother was missing. A search was immediately begun, and when they went to the canal they found the toy boat floating on the water. When they pulled in the boat, little Glen's body came in sight, the string of the boat being tied to his foot. Resuscitation work was begun immediately by his father, and a neighbour. Bradford fire brigade was called and the firemen, with the help of Miss Marilyn Ritchie, R.N., who was soon joined by a doctor, worked for three and a half hours, but in vain. Little Glen was a bright, lovable little chap who would have started to school this fall, had he been spared. He is survived by his two elder brothers, Gary 11 and Paul 8, and his parents. The funeral was held from the Church of Holy Martyrs, Bradford, on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. Interment was in the Roman Catholic Cemetery, Bradford.