Bio: Vandeberg, Chester & Edna Lee
Contact: Loyal Public Library

----Source: Excerpt from "The Centennial History of the York Center United Methodist Church, 1880 - 1980..

VANDEBERG, CHESTER AND EDNA LEE

The first VandeBerg to come to York was John. He came to work in the lumber camps and then purchased land in See. 21. His parents were Christ and Johanna (Beyers), natives of Holland. They originally settled in the Fond du Lac area but he grew up in the Waupun area, where they moved.

There is no year listed for his arrival in York but the Town Assessment roles show him to have been here in 1884. He bought land in May and in July he was married to Lillie Lawrence. They lived in a rented log house for the first year, but later he built a 14xl6 foot board shanty which later became part of the remodeled farm house. Their children were Alvin, Horace, Manley, Ida (Mrs. Ed Voight) and Ruth (Keller) Maegdefessel.

Alvin went to Chicago as a young man. He married Julia Ziemba there. Their son John, now deceased was born there. They then moved to the Marshfield area where Chester was born in 1917, and then back to York Center where Howard and Clifford were born. Howard now lives in Fair Oaks, Calif. and Clifford in Federal Way, Washington. Chester lives in Forest Park, Ill.

Mrs. Chester (Edna Lee) writes, "Chester says he went to Sunday School and church at York Center as long as he can remember. He was baptized there in August 1925. Chester left York Center and went to Forest Park in the fall of 1939. His folks came here in November of the same year.

I was baptized and joined the church after my folks moved up in that area. I can't remember the year, but Rev. Chapman was the minister. (Edna is the daughter of Dale and Asenath (Davis) Lee, and granddaughter of Fisk Lee. He was a native of St. Lawrence Co., New York and a pioneer who settled on See. 31 of Fremont in 1878.

I met the VandeBerg boys and many who became good friends through the Sunday School and the Youth Fellowship group. Chester's mother was the leader of the group. We met at the various homes, had picnics, etc. It really was a memorable time.

I came to Chicago where the VandeBergs were living at the time, in Sept. 1940. Chester and I were married in Oct. 1941. We lived in Chicago until 1945 when we bought our home here in Forest Park.

We have two children, Lynn and Shirley. Lynn is making a career in the Army. He is now a major annd is in Biloxi, Miss. going to Staff Officers' Training School. He is married and has two boys, Kevin, 11 and Keith, 8.

Shirley is married. They have a farm near Elkhorn, where her husband is a Ford mechanic. There children are David, 10 and Wendy, 8.

Memorable events were many. The Ladies Aid, the chicken pie dinners, etc. One of mine was when Rev. Fleming came as our new minister. I played the organ for church at the time so was one of the first to meet him and help him get acquainted with the people, customs, etc. It was quite a feather in my cap.

I played organ for the Youth Fellowship Choir first and then took on the church later. I remember Rev. Chapman didn't sing on time so I had difficulty in keeping with him.

The one thing I remember was Bernice VandeBerg and Oscar Egger. It was probably the first big church wedding I had attended.

All of the four VandeBerg boys went to Oriole Hill school. Clifford and Chester went to and graduated from Neillsville High School. Howard was in his first year of high school when his parents moved to Chicago. He finished that year and then transferred to Chicajo. (Marshall?)

I went to Granton Grade School and high school except for one year (fourth grade) when we were in Colorado. VandeBerg family, Horace, Alvin, Manley, Ida, Ruth, Lillie (Mother), John (Father) seated. Taken about 1902.