*Occupants of 450 Kenwood are highlighted in red font to help the reader keep track of names.*
1931: BAART - Harry, his wife Josephine (Kates), their children Nellie and Harry Jr
Harry Baart was born in September 1898 in Grand Rapids, MI to Martin "Marinus" and Nellie "Neeltje" (Herrenthols). Martin and Nellie were both born in Ellewoutsdijk, Zeeland, Netherlands. They were married there in 1889, had three children, and then immigrated to the United States around 1892. They had five more children in Grand Rapids, including Harry.
Martin worked in masonry and also was an apprentice upholster. Unfortunately, Martin died in 1908 at 38 years old of pleurisy (inflammation of the lining of the lungs). Nellie re-married two years later to John "Jan" Jobse. He was actually a boarder staying in her house that had immigrated in 1903 from the same province in the Netherlands.
According to an article from the GR Press from 1917, Nellie filed for divorce from John. I couldn't find the actual divorce record online so perhaps the divorce didn't go through. However, in later Census documents and in GR City Directories, Nellie is listed as John's spouse. Perhaps Nellie continued to live with him for monetary sake. Again, I'm speculating on the reasons.
Nellie and John actually lived a few houses west of 450 Kenwood at 520 Kenwood St NE for a few years in the late 1920's. Maybe that is how Harry knew about the Creston neighborhood and specifically Kenwood St.
Josephine Kates was born December 1897 in Grand Rapids to Paulena "Lena" Kates.
Below are quick facts I discovered about her father:
Josephine's surname was Kates - her mother's maiden name.
Josephine's marriage certificate lists "Peter Tollenaar" as her father.
Peter was married to another woman with three children in 1897.
Peter worked as a general laborer, renting a room in different houses between 1895-97; Lena worked as a housemaid. However, they never lived close by during that period. (Per the GR City Directories)
Josephine's death certificate lists "John Herman" as her father - but that was her stepfather. (Lena married him in 1900)
Josephine was raised by her maternal grandparents per the 1900 and 1910 Census records.
I just have these records to rely on so I can only assume - Lena and Peter had Josephine together. Again, I'm speculating here - maybe since Lena was single, her parents decided to raise Josephine in secret so Lena would have the possibility to get married. In 1900, a woman having a baby out of wedlock would be looked down upon.
As mentioned above, Josephine (Josie) was raised by her maternal grandparents who immigrated from the Netherlands 30+ years earlier. They lived at 1516 Queen St NE; The 65 year-old grandfather worked as a polisher at the GR Chair Co for many years. Ironically, Josephine's stepfather, John Herman, was a Foreman at the GR Chair Co.
Lena and John were married in 1900 and had seven children together. John worked a variety of positions at furniture factories throughout the city. They were charter members of the Bethel Reformed Church in the Creston neighborhood - where the family lived their entire lives.
Harry and Josephine were married in September 1916 - Harry was a plater and Josephine was working as a seamstress. In 1917, they both were baptized together at Bethel Reformed Church - the same place where Josephine's parents were charter members.
Maybe Josephine and her mother mended their relationship and belonging to the same church was a way to feel closer together.
Their daughter, Nellie, was born in 1918, and son, Harry Jr, born in 1921.
In the years following, Harry and Josephine lived many places -
1921 - 405 Knapp St NE; Harry was an Upholsterer at Furniture City Upholster with his brother, Jacob Baart
1925 and 1926 - Detroit, MI with Jacob; both worked at Wayne Upholstering Co
1930 - Jackson, MI with Jacob Baart; Harry was an Upholstery Designer. Jacob was a Foreman as the same place
In 1931, they moved into 450 Kenwood. Harry's sister, Anna, and her husband Charles VanDyke, lived up the street at 516 Kenwood NE. Kenwood St is less than a mile from Bethel Reformed Church and just blocks away from Monroe Ave where most of the furniture factories were located. It seemed only logical they would find a home in this area to raise their family.
However, they only spent one year at 450 Kenwood. Knowing their track record of moving, it doesn't surprise me!
In 1939, while they lived at 1116 Oaklawn St NE, Josephine passed away at 41 years old. Tragically, she had an infected cyst on an ovary. Not sure if her passing had anything to do with Harry's next move, but along with his two kids, he called Minneapolis home the following year.
In Minneapolis, Harry worked as a Superintendent at L.E. Streater Lbr Co (furniture factory). Soon after the move, he remarried to Florence Wessels, who had four children from a previous marriage and were all living under one roof. I also found a record of him marrying Esther Monk. (Additional details on either marriage were not easily attainable.)
Harry stayed in Minneapolis until he passed away in 1968. Nellie Baart moved to Petoskey, MI and married Lewis Engler (I couldn't confirm if it's the same family as the former Gov. John Engler); She passed away in 2000. Harry Jr lived in Minneapolis for a few years until he passed away in Florida in 2003.
1932 - VACANT
1933 - 1935: APPLE - Dewey and his wife Frances (O'Kier)
Dewey John Apple was born in December 1898 in New Baltimore, OH, the eldest of seven to John H and Gertrude Boeglin. John H was born in Pennsylvania and Gertrude was born in Ohio; They were married in 1898, and worked as farmers in Ohio and Michigan. By 1910, the entire Apple family was living in Gratiot, MI - including Dewey's grandparents.
Dewey married Alice Rood in Ingram County in 1919 but were divorced by 1921.
In 1920, he was living in Grand Rapids, and owned a restaurant at 121 Front NW - but the next year he was a driver living on Mt Vernon St NW. I couldn't find the name of the restaurant- all I could find in the newspaper about a restaurant at that address was from 1922. A home was being built to provide a safe living place for the working girls that were employed there.
Frances O'Kier was born in November 1898 in La Salle, IL to Theodore and Francis Supergeuski. Theodore was born in France and Francis was born in Poland. Theodore was working as a mule whecher.
Dewey and Frances were married in Grand Rapids, MI in June 1930 but still lived in Isabelle, MI until 1933.
They had no children when they moved into 450 Kenwood in 1933. Dewey was working as a Mechanic at the International Harvester Co of America for all the three years they lived on Kenwood St.
Not sure where they lived after Kenwood as in 1936 - the only Apple in the city directory was a Sam Apple. But on the 1940 Census, they were living at 2030 Darwin SE - Dewey was still working at International Harvester Co. They lived at 15 Benjamin SE for a number of years in the 40's and 50's.
In the late 1940's and again in the 60's, Dewey was charged with appalling crimes (each time he was found innocent). I don't want to go into detail on those charges and bring more attention to it, but I also didn't want to just ignore it either. The articles of the charges that I found are available online at the Grand Rapids Press Archives - it is public information.
Dewey and Frances lived in Rockford, MI for many years until Dewey passed away in 1976 and Frances in 1989.
1936: STRIEGLE - Martin and his wife Dora (Forbes)
Martin Striegle was born in February 1907 in Salem Township, Allegan County, MI to Aloise and Laura (Smith). Aloise and Laura were both born in Allegan County - Village of Burnips to be exact. The Smith family were one of the many German immigrants to Salem/Burnips because of the fertile farming land. The Smith family were one of the first residents of that area. The links below provide additional interesting information about the Smith family:
Martin was the second child out of three for Aloise and Laura. By 1920, Martin and his family lived in Grand Rapids; His dad, Aloise, was a foreman for the PMR railroad and also worked as a car inspector. Martin's brother, Arthur, was in the same graduating class (1931 - South High) as former President Gerald R Ford.
Here are pictures of Burnips, MI via Google Maps.
Dora Forbes was born in August 1908 in Grand Rapids to Sam and Jessie (Woods) - their third child. Both Sam and Jessie were born in Michigan - Barry County and Gaines Township respectively. Their ancestors have livd in America for multiple generations already.
By 1910, the Forbes family lived at 614 Terrace as Sam was working as a boiler maker for the steam railway.
Martin and Dora were married in 1929 in Grand Rapids. They were living with Martin's family on 2534 Central Ave in Wyoming Park (as it was called); Martin worked as a mechanic at Beverly Garage. The year before they moved into 450 Kenwood, they lived at 1839 Berkley Ave in Wyoming Park as Martin was a filling station attendant.
Martin got a new job as a Salesman at Colonial Baking Co when they moved into 450 Kenwood in 1936. His brother, Arthur, also worked there as a salesman. Colonial Baking was one of the largest employers in the 1930s in Michigan. They donated food during the Great Depression and provided jobs for women.
Unsure why they moved to the Creston neighborhood for only that one year. They were longtime residents of Wyoming Park along with their extended family.
It doesn't look like Martin and Dora had any children from the research I did. Dora passed away in 1972 and Martin followed in 1991.
Here is a link to another blog which the author briefly describes how the Great Depression affected Grand Rapids. His father also worked for the Colonial Baking Company - which was one of the few places hiring at that time.