John Ver Kuilen, 1867

stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org on Mon, 12 Feb 2001

Surname: KUILEN, VANLAEN, TILLIRAN, DRIESSEN

----Source: History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918), by Franklyn, Curtiss-Wedge

JOHN VER KUILEN, distinguished chairman of the county board, is, well-known and respected citizen of Worden Township, where he has successfully engaged in agricultural pursuits for many years. He was born at Pensaukee, Oconto County, Wis., Sept. 3, 1867, son of John and Mary (Van Laen) Ver Kuilen, natives of Holland. The father came to America when young, with his father, and settled in Hollandtown, Brown County, Wis., where, with the exception of a short time in Pensaukee, Oconto County, he farmed until his death in 1904 at the age of 65 years. He and his good wife were the parents of John, Frank, Anna, Martin, Nettie Barbara, Albert, Mary and Francis. John Ver Kuilen, after finishing his schooling, began his career as a worker in the shipyards at Sheboygan. In 1894 he came to Clark County with his wife and child, bringing an old horse and wagon, and the success that he has here achieved has been entirely due to his hard work and native ability. His first farm, two miles west of where he now lives, he developed and highly improved. In 1901 he bought his present farm in Section 2. He here has likewise made many improvements. In 1910 he erected the sightly house. In 1912 he built the barn which measures 38 by 72 feet in size and has stone basement with concrete floor, with room for thirty head of cattle and six horses. In 1916 he built a silo of 100 tons capacity, constructed of glazed hollow tile and cement. For a number of years Mr. Ver Kuilen has taken a more or less prominent part in public affairs.

In 1896 he was elected as a member of the township board and served three years; in 1900 he was elected assessor of the township, in which office he served six years; in 1909 he was elected clerk of the school board, and is now serving as its treasurer, and in 1909 he was elected chairman of the township board, and is still serving.

In 1911 he became chairman of the county board. In these various offices he has shown good business ability and a comprehensive understanding of the needs of the community at large, his county chairmanship being marked with sound business judgment, and a belief in progress and development. He is a member of the Catholic Church and of the Catholic Order of Foresters at Thorp. Mr. Ver Kuilen was married June 12, 1893, to Hattie Driessen, who was born in Outagamie County, Wis., June 12, 1867, daughter of John and Mary (Tillirnan) Driessen, a prosperous farmer in Outagamie County.

Their family consisted of eleven children, of whom the following is a brief record: Minnie, who married William Gruhl, resides in Milwaukee; Annie, who resides at home; Mary, now deceased; Hattie, wife of Mr. Ver Kullen; Bardeen, now Mrs. Andrew Van Ells, of Port Washington; Helen, now deceased; Fred, of Thorp, Wis.; Edward and Henry, of Worden Township; Michael, living on the home farm, and Tressia, wife of John Becker, of Appleton, Wis. Mr. and Mrs. Ver Kuilen have eight children, whose names, with dates of birth, respectively, are as follows: Mamie, April 5, 1894; Josephine, Feb. 25, 1897; Florence, Aug. 7, 1898; John, Nov. 8, 1900; Walter, Nov. 18, 1902; Susan, Sept. 30, 1904; Elsie, Oct. 4, 1905; Michael, Dec. 2, 1906, and Leona, Oct. 22, 1909. Mamie and Florence are teachers, and all the others reside at home with their parents.