Born in the Netherlands February 10, 1839, our subject was a lad of eightyears when he accompanied his parents to America, and very soon afterward he wasorphaned by their death. He was then given by the church authorities to R.Schilliman, now a resident of North Holland, Mich., who at that time wasextensively engaged in shipping lumber, shingles, etc., by boat to the principalmarkets. With this gentleman the orphan boy remained until he was nineteen, hiseducational advantages meantime being exceedingly limited. At that age he ranaway and, coming to Georgetown Township, worked in the employ of L. & L.Jenison for three summer seasons, attending the district school during thewinter.

In August, 1862, Mr. Kronemyer enlisted as a member of Company G,Twenty-first Michigan Infantry, and from the ranks was promoted to the positionof Corporal, later to Duty-Sergeant and finally to Orderly-Sergeant. With hiscompany he marched to Cincinnati, Ohio, thence to Louisville, Ky., and fromthere into the enemy’s strongholds. He participated in the following-namedbattles: Perryville, October 8, 1862; Lavergne, Tenn., December 27; Stewarts,December 29; Stone River, December 29-31, 1862, and January 1-3, 1863;Tullahoma, Tenn., June 24; Elk River, July 1; Chickamauga, September 19-21;Chattanooga, October 6; Brown’s Ferry, October 27; Mission Ridge, November 26;Savannah, Ga., December 11, 18 and 21-24, 1864; Averysboro, N.C., March 16,1865; and Bentonville, N.C., March 19.

At Bentonville, N.C., Mr. Kronemyer was struck by a musket ball, whichknocked him senseless. Left on the field, he was taken prisoner by theConfederates and for two weeks was confined in Libby Prison. Upon being releasedhe was sent to Camp Chase, Ohio, and from there went to Detroit, where he wasmustered out with his regiment, June 8, 1865, after a service of two years andten months. During the entire period of his service, he was never in a hospitalor absent from any roll-call, or any battle in which his regiment participated.After his discharge he returned to Hudsonville, and later engaged in raftinglogs to Grand River, continuing in that way for one summer. During the winter of1865-66 he worked in the lumber woods at Georgetown. Prior to the war hepurchased a small farm on section 20, Georgetown Township, for which hecompleted payment after the close of the war.

The marriage of Mr. Kronemyer occurred in 1867, and united him with Miss MaryVanStrate, a native of the Netherlands, who died in 1885, after an illness oftwelve years. Four children were born of the union, two of whom are now living,Alida J. and Agatha S. In 1887 Mr. Kronemyer was again married, choosing as hiswife Miss Salina Smedley, who was born in England, and who has proved a mostefficient helpmate to her husband. To his children Mr. Kronemyer has givenexcellent educational advantages, and his daughters are young ladies of cultureand refinement. His eldest son died after attaining his majority.

The original purchase of land made by Mr. Kronemyer consisted of seventy-fouracres, wholly unimproved, upon which he remained until 1891. After a shortsojourn in Grand Rapids, he went to another farm and from there came toHudsonville in 1893. He owns considerable valuable real estate, including threehouses in Grand Rapids and a residence in Hudsonville. In politics a Republican,he has been prominent in local political affairs, and has served as TownshipClerk a number of terms, also as Township Treasurer for a long period, and asSupervisor for three years. His life has by no means been an easy one, but hehas possessed an abundance of energy, perseverance and the Americancharacteristic of "stick-to-it-iveness," and as a result of hisunwearied efforts has gained a large measure of success.