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William Ryskamp Page 346-347 - William Ryskamp is president of the corporation of Ryskamp Brothers, a concern that was founded more than forty years ago and that has continuously maintained priority in its chosen sphere of enterprise in the city of Grand Rapids, where the company controls a large and representative business in the handling of wallpaper and paints, with a well ordered department devoted to contract work in painting and decorating. The headquarters of the corporation are established at 531 Eastern avenue, southeast. William Ryskamp, like many others of the prominent business men of western Michigan, claims the fine old Netherlands of Europe as the place of his birth, which there occurred March 3, 1866. He is a son of the late Henry and Katherine Ryskamp, who came with their children to the United States in the year 1881 and who forthwith established the family home in Grand Rapids, where they passed the remainder of their lives, sterling citizens who ever maintained the unqualified esteem of the community in which they resided many years. The business now conducted under the corporate tile of Ryskamp Brothers was founded in the year 1882, by the late Cornelius Ryskamp, an older brother of the present president of the concern, and in 1885 Jacob Ryskamp, another of the brothers, became a principal in the business, it having been at this juncture that the firm name of J. & C. Ryskamp was adopted. In 1887 William Ryskamp, immediate subject of this review, was admitted to partnership and the title was changed to Ryskamp Brothers. In 1891 the firm removed from its original location 180 Logan street, to the present headquarters on Eastern avenue, southeast, and in the latter neighborhood their store was the first to be established in what is now a vital business section of the city. January 30, 1915, the business was incorporated, as a matter of expediency in meeting its increasing operations, and the officers of the corporation are as here noted: William Ryskamp, president; Jacob Ryskamp, vice-president; and Frederick Gunnerman, secretary and treasurer. William Ryskamp gained in his native land his earlier education, which was advanced by his subsequent attending of the public schools of Grand Rapids, in which city the family home was established when he was a lad of fifteen years and in which he has since found ample opportunity for successful business achievement. He and his family are earnest communicants of the Christian Reformed church. May 18, 1891, was marked by the marriage of Mr. Ryskamp to Miss Wilhelmina "Minnie" Vander Molen, daughter of the late Henry Vander Molen, of Grand Rapids. Concerning the children of Mr. and Mrs. Ryskamp the following brief data are available: Katherine is the wife of William Cornelisse, of Grand Rapids; Walter, who is in the employ of Ryskamp Brothers, was in service in the United States navy in the World war period; and was located at the Great Lakes Naval Station, near Chicago, he being still a member of the United States Naval Reserves; Lawrence and Eva are twins. During the World war Lawrence Ryskamp enlisted, at Valparaiso, Indiana, in the motor-transport service of the United States Army, and later he was stationed at Fort Sheridan, Ill. Henrietta is the wife of Garrett Roelofs, of Hull Iowa. The younger children of this fine family are Margaret, Mary, Caroline, James and Franklin (twins), and Howard. *NOTE: Additional information from the granddaughter of Franklin Ryskamp - Franklin's wife was Helen (DeYoung) Ryskamp, and their children are Mary (Ryskamp) Hall (1941) and David Ryskamp. Mary's children are Timothy Hall (1963) and Elizabeth (Hall) Zietlow (1965). David's children are Robert and Michael. Franklin and Helen ran the Ryskamp Bros. Wallpaper & Paint store in Grand Rapids until it closed business. Margaret, James and Walter Ryskamp lived in the apartment above the store. ADDITIONAL FAMILY INFORMATION contributed by Mary Ryskamp Hall |
Transcriber: Terry Start
Created: 4 March 2003