Welcome, thank you for visiting again for the second part of the history of 1859 Plainfield Ave NE! As I mentioned in part one, this house was so much fun to research because the current owner has the original land and house deed that dates back to 1838. That is so incredible!
Part one explored the time before the house was built. The land where the house is now, once was owned by the wealthiest man in Grand Rapids - Martin L. Sweet. His farm was located across the street which is now the Kent Country Club. Martin L. Sweet, however, went bankrupt in the 1890s and lost all of his assets - including this land and farm.
After Sweet, the land was used for a market greenhouse that sold vegetables and flowers by John Baker. By 1917, Baker moved his greenhouse business and home to Northwood Ave NE (just 10 blocks north off of Plainfield Ave).
In 1918, the Green family was the first family on record to live at 1859 (address was 1833 until 1948) Plainfield. The Green family consisted of Clifford, his wife Bernice, and their two daughters - Elise and Berdella. The Green family lived in the house for 10 years until 1927.
General Facts:
City, State: Grand Rapids, Michigan
Neighborhood: Creston
Built: 1902 (could be 1918 actually)
Size: 4 bedrooms/2 bathrooms; 2058 sq. ft
Until 1948, the house's address was 1833 Plainfield Ave NE. The house was actually located about 3 house plats south on the next block - on the corner of Dean St and Plainfield Ave. So in 1928 when Gerrit Van Strien bought the house, there were four other houses on the block between Dean and Norton.
Gerrit Van Strien was an undertaker and one of the first licensed embalmers in the state of Michigan. He lived and operated his own funeral home downtown Grand Rapids on the corner of Ottawa and Michigan since 1901. In 1928, he bought the house at 1859 (1833) Plainfield Ave and used the house for his funeral home business only for the first year. Van Strien also bought the land at 421 Dean St which was right next to the house at 1859 (1833) Plainfield and built his own funeral chapel. The chapel at 421 Dean opened in 1929.
In 1948, the funeral business expanded its building which caused the demolition of 2 houses on Plainfield and 2 other houses were moved - including 1859 (1833) Plainfield. The house was moved to its current location - just one block north - on the corner of Norton Ct and Plainfield. The funeral chapel was still at 421 Dean, and incorporated that building to the expansion and moved its front door and address to 1833 Plainfield.
All of this is explained in newspaper articles that included below. Now, let's explore the lives of Geritt Van Strien and all the others who lived there. What will these walls talk about?!
Gerrit Van Strien
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 14 (1928-1941)
Birth: August 28, 1858; Sommelsdijk, Goeree-Overflakkee Municipality, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands
Death: January 8, 1942; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parents: Cornelius (born 1836; Sommelsdijk, Netherlands - died 1901; Grand Rapids, MI) and Cornelia (Christina) de Geus (born 1837; Herkingen, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands - died 1912; Grand Rapids, MI)
Siblings: 4 - three brothers and one sister
Cornelia de Geus (Gerrit's mother)
Immigrated to the US around 1866 from the Netherlands with the last name of Pleune.
She immigrated with her three young children and her husband. Her husband died on the seven-week voyage to the US due to starvation.
Worked as a bookkeeper for Gerrit's undertaking business.
Cornelius Van Strien (Gerrit's father)
Immigrated to the US from the Netherlands in 1871
Worked as a wood dealer - most likely built coffins which led to Gerrit's undertaking career
Died in 1901 in downtown Grand Rapids when he stepped off a street car and fell face forward on the platform. The street car stop was in front of his house on Ottawa Ave.
Gerrit Van Strien married Kriena Klaassen on August 28, 1878.
Kriena Klaassen
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 14 (1928-1941)
Birth: March 28, 1858; Sint Annaland, Tholen, Zeeland, Netherlands
Death: July 28, 1941; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parents: Cornelius but could be Adrian (born unknown; Netherlands - died 1901; Grand Rapids, MI) and Anna Goedegebuur (born 1837; Netherlands - died unknown;)
Siblings: unknown
Kriena immigrated in 1870 from the Netherlands to Grand Rapids, MI. She also worked as a bookkeeper and other duties in her and her husband's funeral chapel business.
Before becoming an Undertaker, Gerrit worked as a laborer in furniture factories throughout the city. One of the factories was Berkey & Gay Furniture. In 1901, Gerrit was a member of the first class to pass the state of Michigan embalming exam - which was a new industry at that time. For the first few years, he worked with John H. Joldersma and operated the Joldersma & Van Strien Undertaking business.
Gerrit was 70 years old when he bought the house at 1859 (1833) Plainfield and also 421 Dean St (funeral chapel location). He was considered one of the most respected undertakers in the city and the industry and a pioneer of the art of embalming. He remained to live at the house and operated the business until he died in 1942 at 83 years old. (more articles at the end of the post)
The Van Strien's weren't the only ones living in the house at 1859 (1833) Plainfield! There was another couple that lived there as well at the same time - Claude W. Dodge and his wife Anna. Claude was the assistant manager of the funeral chapel.
Claude Willington Dodge
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 7 (1928-1934)
Birth: November 7, 1875; Wyandotte, Michigan
Death: January 13, 1935; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parents: Delos Dodge (born 1851; New York - died 1905; Michigan) and Ella Aber (born 1859; Michigan - died 1942; Michigan)
Siblings: 4 (could be more)
First Wife: Jennie Timmer (1879-1937) married in November 1898 and divorced in November 1913.
Claude then married Anna Van Strien on August 28, 1914 in Grand Rapids. Anna's father was Gerrit Van Strien!
Before Claude married Anna, he worked as a laundry truck driver and also a driver for Arctic Spring Water. After he married Anna, he moved in with her parents and started working for Gerrit and the funeral directing business.
In 1935, at 59 years old, Claude passed away from a heart attack.
Anna Van Strien
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 7 (1928-1934)
Birth: March 7, 1882; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Death: September 3, 1934; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parents: Gerrit Van Strien and Kriena Klaassen (see above)
Siblings: 3
After the death of Claude Dodge, the need for another executive was sought. Lawrence VanZee was there to fill that position - he and his wife also lived in the home at 1859 (1833) Plainfield.
Lawrence VanZee
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 2 (1935-1936)
Birth: April 11, 1911; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Death: August 26, 1993; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parents: Edward VanZee (born 1869; Michigan - died 1948; Michigan) and Mary Hendricks (born 1875; Michigan - died 1974; Michigan)
Siblings: 2 brothers
Lawrence married Getrude Gillett on March 30, 1934 in Grand Rapids, MI
Gertrude Gillett
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 2 (1935-1936)
Birth: October 14, 1909; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Death: October 18, 2003; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parents: Glenn Gillett (born 1881; Michigan - died 1971; Michigan) and Mary Adranse (born 1879; Michigan - died 1976; Michigan)
Siblings: 2 - one brother and one sister
Lawrence started working at the Van Strien funeral chapel in 1931 as an "approver". Then by 1935 was promoted to secretary and moved in with Gerrit and Kriena. However, in 1937 he left Van Strien and was the Director of the Creston Funeral Home. The Creston Funeral Home was located 0.8 miles south at 1330 Plainfield Ave NE.
After Lawrence and Gertrude moved out of 1859 (1833) Plainfield, that allowed Julian Alman and his wife, Barbara to move in! Julian was an apprentice embalmer from Indiana who had recently moved to Grand Rapids. Julian was the new generation of the funeral business. After Gerrit Van Strien's death in 1943, Alman became the director of the business and eventually the name of the business was changed to Van Strien - Alman Funeral Chapel.
Julian Lacy Alman
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 11 (1937-1948)
*The house was moved in 1948 to its current location but Julian Alman continued to live upstairs at the funeral home until 1965. That address was changed from 421 Dean to 1833 Plainfield in 1948.
Birth: February 9, 1914; Terre Haute, Indiana
Death: February 1965; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Parents: John Alman (born 1878; Illinois - died 1967; Indiana) and Hattie Lacy (born 1886; Illinois - died 1948; Indiana)
Siblings: 3 - one brother and two sisters
Julian married Barbara June Maurits on June 11, 1937. Barbara's grandparents were Gerrit and Kriena Van Strien! Barbara's mother was Gerdena Van Strien - the youngest child of Gerrit and Kriena.
Barbara June Maurits
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 11 (1937-1948)
*The house was moved in 1948 to its current location but Barbara continued to live upstairs at the funeral home until 1965. That address was changed from 421 Dean to 1833 Plainfield in 1948.
Birth: March 4, 1918; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Death: June 21, 2003; Manatee County, Florida
Parents: William Maurits (born 1893; Michigan - died 1919; Michigan) and Hattie Lacy (born 1886; Illinois - died 1948; Indiana). William died at the age of 25 years old of tuberculosis.
Siblings: none
Second Husband: Phillip W. Conley (1920-2015); Married -August 27, 1965 - Divorced -May 1979 in Sarasota, FL.
For about four years, there was a maid/servant also living at 1859 (1833) Plainfield house. Her name was Reah Mumah. The earliest I can confirm she lived there was in 1938, but she could have moved in earlier. She married in 1941 and that is when she moved out. There could have been another maid that moved in after, but I can't search by address the city directories after 1942. (ugh!)
Reah Mumah
Years Lived at 1859 (1833) Plainfield: 4 (1938-1941)
Birth: December 3, 1918; Sand Lake Michigan
Death: September 12, 2008; Marquette, Michigan
Parents: Benjamin Mumah (born 1891; Michigan - died 1954; Michigan) and Hazel Perren (born 1884; Michigan - died 1962; Michigan)
Siblings: 6; Five brothers and one sister
Husband: Richard Van Blooys (1922-1999); Married - December 6, 1941.
After the house was moved to its current location today and the address was changed to 1859, Gil Powers and his wife bought the house. Gil Powers was a well known member and lifelong resident of the Creston neighborhood. He was a teacher, football coach, and counselor at Creston High School for many years. The pool at the high school is named after him. He lived in the home for 26 years - 1948 until 1974 when he passed away.
The history of the land and the house of 1859 Plainfield is in incredible. There were so many stories - beginnings and ends of lives - that were shared and experienced in that house. If only those walls could talk!
Every house is a story...thank you for visiting this house!
Additional Documents & Articles
