Mary Walvoord Sweemer c. 1897
Mary Walvoord was the fourth child of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Jan Walvoord. She was born on September 15, 1853 in Cedar Grove, Wisconsin. She had blue eyes.
She married Hendrikus “Henry” Jacobus Sweemer of Cedar Grove on March 25, 1874. He was dark and had brown eyes. Henry was born September 22, 1851 in Cedar Grove. Mary and Henry lived on the farm inherited from Grandfather Walvoord in Cedar Grove.
They had five children born there: Nellie, Annie, William J., Lottie and John. Nellie, the oldest was born on December 13, 1874. William was born January 6, 1878 in Cedar Grove. John, the youngest, was born June 14, 1888 in Sheboygan.
Eventually, they sold the farm and moved to Sheboygan. They bought a house there on Twelfth and Broadway. The three girls (Nellie, Annie and Lottie) married and lived in Chicago. William lived on a farm but sold it and came back to Sheboygan to live. He there died May 12, 1966. John always lived in Sheboygan.
Mary was an excessive talker and very neat. She was a home woman and seldom went out. She was not a church attendant in the city. She said her husband, Henry, didn’t want her to go to church. He was not a steady worker. He liked liquor. He died in Chicago on March 5, 1943 at Annie’s home. He lived 91 years, 5months, 11 days. Mary died on July 4, 1930 at the age of 77, years, 9 months, 19 days.