Biography of Ide DeGraaf Portrait and Biographical Record, Pgs. 571, 572 IDE DE GRAAF. The subject of this sketch, well known to a host ofacquaintances in this section, is not only a baker of established reputation butan ideal farmer, for not only is every branch of his farming operationscarefully looked after, but his example of industry, push and great enterprisehas made a lasting impression on the industrial affairs of his section and hasbeen emulated by many who otherwise would have, like Dickens’ WillkinsMicawber "waited for something to turn up." Like the majority ofpeople of his neighborhood, he is a native of the Netherlands, as were also hisparents, John and Alice (Kofman) DeGraaf. The father was a tailor by trade andfollowed the same in his native country for many years. He reared the followingchildren: Henry; Klaas, deceased; Adriaan; Alice, who died young; Ide, oursubject; Alice, deceased; and Jennie. The father held membership in the ReformedChurch and was a worthy and exemplary citizen. Until eighteen years of age our subject remained under the home roof andlater learned the baker’s trade. He married in the Old Country Miss Gertie DeBeer, a native of Holland, and the daughter of Daniel and Zwaantji (Van Derlaan)De Beer, also natives of that country. Mrs. De Graaf was a widow when oursubject married her, and was the mother of one child, Christina, by the firstunion. By her marriage to our subject she became the mother of three children:Alice, wife of Pike Beukema; Adriaan, who married Tony Nukamp; and John, whobecame the husband of Mary Van Lente. In 1868, Mr. DeGraaf and family tookpassage for America and on reaching the coast of the United States made theirway to Michigan, and located in Holland, where numbers of their countrymen hadlocated. He was entirely without means, but he found employment in a planing-milland was engaged as engineer in the same for over six years. After the fire in that city, Mr. De Graaf began working at his trade in hisown house, baking by the kitchen stove, and continued this for six months, whenhe came to Zeeland. In that town he operated a bakery for some time and thenbought fifteen acres where he now lives, adding to the original tract from timeto time until he is now the owner of sixty acres of excellent land. He built abakery, and although his trade was mostly confined to his own countrymen, othersbegan to relish his fine "Holland rusks," of which he made aspecialty, and he soon had his hands full. Now the business has so increasedthat he ships to nearly every State in the Union, and five thousand rusks areturned out every day. After reaching this country, the following children were born to our subjectand wife: Dina, wife of Rev. Thomas L. DeLange; Jennie, wife of Sake Boonstra;Daniel, deceased; and Ida. Socially, Mr. De Graaf is a member of the ReformedChurch of Zeeland, and for twelve years was an Elder in the same. His sonAdriaan was interested with him in the business. He is married and the father offour children, as follows: Ide (a Dutch name for bay); Henrietta, Richard andGertie. Adriaan possesses all the excellent business qualities of his father andis wide-awake and thorough going.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & OttawaCounties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company Pg. 288,291

Transcriber: Susan Gates Davis
Created: 10 January 2003
URL: Return to Bios Index