JOHN VAN AKEN

            b                      Holland

            d

            bur

 

            mar  1880-1884 Cuyahoga Co, OH

 

            Mary (Dier) Henk

 Widow of Frederick Henk (ca 1841 Holland-27Aug1873 East Cleveland)

b Dec18848 OH

            d         

            bur

Children from previous marriage?:

            Anna            b ca 1869

            Helen             b ca 1870

 

            Children:

 

                        William J.                      b 29Oct1884 East Cleveland, OH

                        Henry                           b ca 1886    d 1888

                        Judith                           d. infancy

 

Migrated from Holland in the early 1870’s, landed in NY and made his way almost immediately to Ohio. He settled in Warrensville Twsp, Cuyahoga Co, OH.

 

1870 census Warrensville, Cuyahoga Co. OH

 

In 1888 he and his sister –in-law, Margaret Dier, and her husband Henry Carter, homesteaded in what is now Glen Ulen, Morton Co, North Dakota. His wife and son joined them in that same year and lived in a cabin which John had built of wood that he had brought with him from Ohio by railroad. John was killed by the Indians, but Mary remained on the land for over a year and thus perfected the claim to 160 acres on which the cabin was built. She then returned with her son to the farm in East Cleveland OH.

 

 

WILLIAM J. VAN AKEN (John, William J)

 

            b 29Oct1884 East Cleveland Twp., Cuyahoga Co OH

            d 28Dec1950, Cuyahoga Co., OH

            bur

            mar 1911

 

            Florence E. Swallow

            b

            d

            bur

 

            Children:

                        +William R.            b1Dec1912                mar Dorothy Harrison

                        Florence M                                          mar Bishop E. Holstein

                                                                                    d bef 1985

                        Marian L                                              mar Donald I. Cole

                                    Ch. Kathleen (Huppert), Mary Anne (Hochman), James

                        Jean M                                                 mar Henry A. Barren Jr.

                                    Ch. Henry A., Wm J., Martha (Besuden), Scott

                        Margaret L                                          mar Allan M. Davison

                        Ruth W                                                mar Clyde E. Williams Jr

                                    Ch. Clyde E., Mark V., Sarah

 

Wm J in 1911 with Van Sweringen brothers founded Shaker Heights. Wm was elected mayor in 1915.

 

See NL Vol 2, #3 pg 24. Article by Wm R VA 22299 Douglas Road, Shaker heights, OH 44122

 

 

WILLIAM R. VAN AKEN (John, William J, William R.)

b 1Dec1912 Cuyahoga Co OH

            d 28Sep1993 Cuyahoga Co., OH

            bur

            mar 1940

           

            Dorothy Harrison

            b

            d

            bur

 

            Children:

                        Nancy                          b

                        William R                      b            d infancy

                        Mary Alice                b

                        Dorothy Louise            b            mar StevenWorms

                        William J                       b            mar Shirley Harris

 

Source: Who’s Who In American Law, 1983