Portrait and Biographical Record, Pgs. 571, 572

IDE DE GRAAF. The subject of this sketch, well known to a host of acquaintances in this section, is not only a baker of established reputation but an ideal farmer, for not only is every branch of his farming operations carefully looked after, but his example of industry, push and great enterprise has made a lasting impression on the industrial affairs of his section and has been emulated by many who otherwise would have, like Dickens’ Willkins Micawber "waited for something to turn up." Like the majority of people of his neighborhood, he is a native of the Netherlands, as were also his parents, John and Alice (Kofman) DeGraaf. The father was a tailor by trade and followed the same in his native country for many years. He reared the following children: Henry; Klaas, deceased; Adriaan; Alice, who died young; Ide, our subject; Alice, deceased; and Jennie. The father held membership in the Reformed Church and was a worthy and exemplary citizen.

Until eighteen years of age our subject remained under the home roof and later learned the baker’s trade. He married in the Old Country Miss Gertie De Beer, a native of Holland, and the daughter of Daniel and Zwaantji (Van Derlaan) De Beer, also natives of that country. Mrs. De Graaf was a widow when our subject married her, and was the mother of one child, Christina, by the first union. By her marriage to our subject she became the mother of three children: Alice, wife of Pike Beukema; Adriaan, who married Tony Nukamp; and John, who became the husband of Mary Van Lente. In 1868, Mr. DeGraaf and family took passage for America and on reaching the coast of the United States made their way to Michigan, and located in Holland, where numbers of their countrymen had located. He was entirely without means, but he found employment in a planing-mill and was engaged as engineer in the same for over six years.

After the fire in that city, Mr. De Graaf began working at his trade in his own house, baking by the kitchen stove, and continued this for six months, when he came to Zeeland. In that town he operated a bakery for some time and then bought fifteen acres where he now lives, adding to the original tract from time to time until he is now the owner of sixty acres of excellent land. He built a bakery, and although his trade was mostly confined to his own countrymen, others began to relish his fine "Holland rusks," of which he made a specialty, and he soon had his hands full. Now the business has so increased that he ships to nearly every State in the Union, and five thousand rusks are turned out every day.

After reaching this country, the following children were born to our subject and wife: Dina, wife of Rev. Thomas L. DeLange; Jennie, wife of Sake Boonstra; Daniel, deceased; and Ida. Socially, Mr. De Graaf is a member of the Reformed Church of Zeeland, and for twelve years was an Elder in the same. His son Adriaan was interested with him in the business. He is married and the father of four children, as follows: Ide (a Dutch name for bay); Henrietta, Richard and Gertie. Adriaan possesses all the excellent business qualities of his father and is wide-awake and thorough going.