Martin Van Doorne Portrait and Biographical Record, Pages 463, 464 MARTIN VAN DOORNE, a prosperous general agriculturist and horticulturist ofOttawa County, Mich., also actively participates in the management of localpublic affairs and has as a member of the Board of Review and likewise asTownship Treasurer given efficient service to the home community, by whom he isrespected and highly esteemed. Mr. Van Doorne was born in Grand Island, N.Y.,and remained in his birthplace until three years of age. With his parents oursubject then journeyed to the farther West and located in Grand Haven, where thefamily only made their temporary home, at the expiration of six months removingto a farm about four miles south of the city. Mr. Van Doorne, reared upon theold homestead, passed his life as does the average farmer boy, always busyassisting in the daily routine of farming labor and attending when he could bespared the nearest district school. After attaining to manhood, he left thefarm, and for eight years continuously engaged in the sawmill business and alsodevoted a portion of his time to his trade of carpenter, in this latteroccupation finding ready and profitable employment. Our subject finally returned to the old homestead, of which he is now theowner. In addition to the sixty original acres Mr. Van Doorne owns an undividedhalf in the eighty acres which join the sixty on the northwest corner. Athoroughly practical farmer, he has made a financial success of the tilling ofthe soil, and aside from the pursuit of general agriculture gives much attentionof fruit-growing and raises large quantities of celery. Mr. Van Doorne alsohandles agricultural implements, and with energetic enterprise has won hisupward way to a position of influence and usefulness. In 1873 our subject wasunited in marriage with Miss Elizabeth Ballgoyen, a native of the Netherlands,who passed the early years of her life in the west of Europe, where she receivedher primary education and remained until thirteen years of age. Her parents,also born, reared and educated in the Netherlands, finally emigrated with theirfamily to America and located in Grand Haven. The pleasant home of our subjectand his excellent wife has been blessed by the birth of four children, one sonand three daughters: Maria, Minnie, Martin, Jr., and Jeannette. Maria, the eldest, regularly attended the schools of the neighborhood, and,completing the studies of the grammar course at the age of fifteen, then enteredHope College in Holland, Mich., and took a two-years course, finally completingher education with a two-years Normal course in the same institution, and is nowa successful teacher. The son and the other daughters are enjoying the availableopportunities of instruction near their home, and, intelligently devotingthemselves to study, have a bright future before them. Politically, Mr. VanDoorne is an adherent of the Democratic party, and for the two years in which asTownship Treasurer he disbursed the public funds, and as a valued member of theBoard of Review, materially aided in the advancement of needed improvements andencouraged and stimulated the growth of enterprise. Our subject is not a memberof any secret society, but is connected by membership with the Reformed Churchat Grand Haven and is liberal in the support and extension of religiousinfluence and accounted by all who know him a man of high principle and anefficient and public-spirited citizen.

Portrait & Biographical Record of Muskegon & OttawaCounties, Michigan 1893, Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company

Transcriber: Susan Gates Davis
Created: 28 April 2003
URL: Biographies