Abraham Bolton Vrooman
ID # 1566, (1827-1914)
| Father | George Laws Vrooman (1792-1865) |
| Mother | Margaret Bolton (1795-) |
| Birth | Abraham Bolton Vrooman was born on 21 June 1827 at Canada. |
| Marriage | He married Serena Wood. |
| Death | He died on 24 November 1914 at Sturgis, Meade County, South Dakota, at age 87. |
| Burial | He was buried on 25 November 1914 at Bear Butte Cemetery. |
| Note | The names and some dates for the children of Abram, or Abraham, Vrooman, are taken from US census enumeration years 1860 through 1880. Of course, the 1890 census is lost to us by reason of fire. The family moved around the United States over the decades and we have at least some record of their travels from various census years. 1850: Abraham Vrooman, age 23 and born in Canada, is shown as a laborer in Green County, Wisconsin. 1860: Abm. Vrooman with wife Serena (spelled Syrena) is in Courtland Township, Jo Daviess County, Illinois. Abram is shown as born in Canada, Serena as born in Illinois, and their daughters Serena and Lovica are shown as born in Iowa. At least for the present, we do not know where the family had been located in Iowa. 1870: In an enumeration done on the 30th day of June, West Point Township in Stephenson County, Illinois, we find Abram and wife Serena with six children. Lovica, or Levisa as she appears in the census, was enumerated twice on the same page. On the first line, she is shown as age 12 and born in Iowa. On line 23 she is shown as age 11 and born in Iowa. Given that the family was in Illinois in the 1860 census, and given that the 1860 census suggests that Lovica, or Levisa, was born in 1859, we may take it that the family returned to Illinois prior to the time of the taking of the 1860 census. The 1870 census provides us with four more children, including son Joseph, with whom Abram appears to have spent his last years. These four children were all shown as being born in Illinois. 1880: At the time and date of the 1880 census, 16th June, we find Abram shown as A.B. Vrooman with wife Serena living in Graham Township, Graham County, Kansas. With them are still four more children, all born in Kansas. This would suggest that the family moved to Kansas after 1870, but before 1873. 1890: This census is lost to us as the building it was stored in burned to the ground with most of the contents of the census. Since the next available national census was taken in 1900, the family's travels are lost to us for these 20 years. 1900: The 1900 census in Sturgis Township, Meade County, South Dakota, provides some confusing information. Clearly, the household is that of Abram, for he is shown as Abram B. Vrooman, born June, 1827, age 72, born in Canada. His year of immigration is shown as 1835 which, given available information for younger siblings, may be two or three years too early. Shown with Abram and Serena are sons Lewis, born 1872 in Kansas, and Robert M., born 1869 in Kansas. Kansas is the correct place of birth for Lewis, but he was born approximately 1877 according to the 1880 census. We have no previous information at all for Robert M. If he was indeed born in Kansas, it was not until well after 1869 as stated. The difficulty with Robert is that we do not find him at all in the 1870 or 1880 census. Since the age shown for Lewis is wrong, it must be guessed that a similar situation exists for son Robert M., for he is indeed shown as a son of Abram. It seems likely that he was born after 1880. 1910: On 30 April, 1910, at School Dist. 68, in Meade County, South Dakota, we find Abraham Vrooman, age 82, a widower. He is shown as born in Canada and his year of immigration is given as 1850. This will be a good decade or more later than Abram and his family actually came to the United States. Abraham is shown as living with his son Joseph. Joseph is with his wife Martha, who is said to have born two children of whom two are still living, and they are shown with daughters Maude, age 25, and Rosa, age 17. Rosa is shown as being born in South Dakota, but Maude is shown as being born in Nebraska. This would place at least Joseph and Martha in Nebraska around 1885. We do not presently know if Abram and Serena were with them at that time. Abram died in Meade County, South Dakota, on 24 November, 1914, according to death registration nbr. 463 issued at Sturgis, Meade County in South Dakota. His full name is shown as Abram Bolton Vrooman. His date of birth is given as June 21, 1827 and he is said to be 87 years, 5 mos., and 3 days of age. He is shown as being widowed. His birth place is given as Wisconsin (erroneous) and the birth place of his father as Germany (also erroneous). He is a retired farmer. The place of burial reads B.B. Cem. This is Bear Butte Cemetery. He is said to have been buried on November 24, 1914, the same day as his death, however a report by the cemetery, found on-line, shows his burial as November 25, which seems reasonable. The informant was David Vrooman of Bixby, South Dakota. Find-a-Grave has a photo of the grave stone for Abraham and Serena. |
Children of Abraham Bolton Vrooman and Serena Wood |
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| Last Edited | 27 Sep 2017 |