Abraham Mastenbrook, an enterprising and lifelong general agriculturist residing upon a finely cultivated farm in Ottawa County, Michigan, is a citizen of superior ability and is highly esteemed by the community among whom his days of usefulness are passed. His father, Paul Mastenbrook, was a native of the Netherlands and, reared, educated and married in his birthplace, there attained to mature age before, with his wife and children, he emigrated to America, arriving in the United Stated in the year 1858. He did not tarry long in the East, but journeyed to Ottawa County, Michigan making his home in Eastmanville. Born in 1798, he was fifty-five years of age when he located in the Wolverine State, and survived his change of residence but two years, passing away in 1855. A farmer by occupation, the father was a man of earnest purpose and excellent judgment and was a Justice of the Peace in the village of Ouddorp. Our subject was the fourth in a family of seven sons and daughters, who were in the order of their birth: Jaenette, deceased; Jane, deceased; John; Abraham; Clara, Cornelius; and Paul, the five last named all at the present time surviving.

Abraham Mastenbrook after arriving in America remained in New Jersey for six months and then settled in Michigan, In Ottawa County, upon a farm in Eastmanville. For about fourteen years he has been a resident of his present homestead, eight miles southeast of Grand Haven. He operated ninety acres of valuable land, which when settled upon was in its wild state, fifty acres now having yielded to high cultivation. Mr. Mastenbrook is thoroughly at home in the details of agricultural life, having spent his youth upon his father’s farm. He is also an experienced horticulturist, his acres bountifully producing wheat, rye, corn, potatoes, apples, pears, plums, grapes, strawberries and raspberries. Born in the Netherlands, our subject received a good education in the schools of his native land, and when he came to this country was well fitted to successfully make his way in the world. In 1861, Abraham Mastenbrook and Miss Nellie Van der Made were united in marriage. Mrs. Mastenbrook emigrated with her parents from Europe in 1848. They first settled in Kingston, N. Y., but after living in that State three or four years removed to Michigan and located in Grand Haven.

Ten children blessed the home of our subject and his estimable wife, but six are no deceased. The four surviving are Paul; Minard; Leonard and Nettie. Three of the children are with the parents, but Minard, married to Miss Julia McCracken, is in a home of his own. A man of temperate habits, frugal and industrious, Mr. Mastenbrook has been financially prospered. Fully appreciating the advantages of a Republican government, our subject has ever been a patriotic citizen of his adopted country and is a veteran of the late war, and under Sherman’s command participated in the famous march to the sea. Mr. Mastenbrook was engaged in the battles of Atlanta, Chattanooga, Columbia, S.C., and Savannah, and took an active part in the various fights and skirmishes of the long campaign. At the close of the war returning to Ottawa County, he again resumed the peaceful avocation of a tiller of the soil. A member of the Grand Army of the Republic, our subject is fraternally associated with Champlain Post No. 29 at Grand Rapids, and much enjoys the reunions of the order. Mr. and Mrs. Mastenbrook are both worthy members of the Congregational Church at Eastmanville and are ever ready to aid in the support of church work, also giving liberally to benevolent enterprises of their home locality. Politically a Democrat, our subject is now most acceptably discharging the duties of Highway Commissioner and taking a deep interest in both local and national issues, is intelligently posted on all the vital questions of the day. He and his family occupy positions of useful influence and are universally esteemed.