Rev. John Peter Battema was born on 17 Nov 1888 in Muskegon, Michigan
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4,5,6 He appeared on the 1900 Federal Census of Muskegon, Muskegon Co., Michigan,
G in the household of his parents, Peter A. Battema and Katherine Boersema.
18 He appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Muskegon, Muskegon Co., Michigan,
G in the household of his parents.
19 John also appeared on the 1910 Federal Census of Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan, at 181 Lake Ave.
G, enumerated 18 Apr 1910, in the household of Ralph Bolt and his family, listed as a boarder. It seems likely he was a college student there, though no direct record of that has been found.
20,21 John applied for a passport 10 Jun 1915 stating that he intended to go to Canada for three months to do missionary work. The passport was issued two days later.
22 Becoming a Clergyman --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---
He was ordained by the Christian Reformed Church in 1917. His first assignment was Maple Avenue church in Holland, Michigan.
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23,2,24 He registered for the draft for World War I on 5 Jun 1917, while living at 60 Amity St., Muskegon, Michigan
G, reporting he was employed as a minister of the Christian Reformed Church.
3 John married first Regina Schoonbeck, daughter of Tice Schoonbeck and Heikena Pekelder, on 25 Aug 1918 in Holland, Michigan
G, with Rev. J. F. Bowerman officiating.
7,8,9 John and Regina appeared on the 1920 Federal Census of Holland, Ottawa Co., Michigan, at 151 West 18th St.
G, enumerated 5 Jan 1920, reporting they owned their home, free of mortgage. Their son John was listed as living with them, as were his parents.
25 John and Regina moved to Kalamazoo about 1921, when they were living at 410 W. Walnut St.
G He was pastor of the Third Christian Reformed Church there, serving from 1920 to 1926.
26,27 John and Regina moved to the Grand Rapids
G area by 1927, where he was the pastor of the Wyoming Park Christian Reformed Church from 1926 to 1929.
28,29,30 He was then pastor of the Wyoming Park Gospel Tabernacle, where he served until at least May 1931.
31,30 John and Regina appeared on the 1930 Federal Census of Wyoming Twp., Kent Co., Michigan, on Oaklawn Ave.
G, enumerated 26 Apr 1930, reporting they rented their home, for $50 per month, and owned a radio. Their children John and Theodore were listed as living with them.
32 His wife died on 11 Feb 1931 in Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan
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33 Entering the Oil Buiness --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---
He was involved with oil land royalties by 1935. In the summer of 1937 he and others who owned fractional interests in an oil lease arranged for an operator to drill a well there. After receiving partial payment, he defaulted, and in exchange sold interests in another oil lease to John and others. After a series of complex transactions involving sales of additional fractional interests in that lease a well was successfully drilled there. Owners of other fractional interests in this lease sued John and others claiming they were entitled to additional compensation. They won in trial court, and John and the other defendants appalled. The appeal court reversed that decision and awarded the defendants costs.
34,35 John married Jane Meyer, daughter of Meno J. Meyer and Anna Clawson, before 1935.
10,11 John and Jane settled Kalamazoo after their marriage. In 1935 they were living at 226 E. Walnut St.
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34 John and Jane appeared on the 1940 Federal Census of South Westnedge, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan, at 3826 South Bendick St.
G, enumerated 4 May 1940, in the household of her widowed sister Abbie and her 18-year-old daughter. They reported they had lived in the same town in 1935.
36 John reported in 1940 that he was not employed, not seeking work, and had worked no weeks the prior year, earning $0. By 1942 he was operating a filling station in Kalamazoo.
36,37 He registered for the draft for World War II on 27 Apr 1942, while living at 439 Woodland Ave., Kalamazoo, Kalamazoo Co., Michigan
G, reporting he was employed by at a Pure Oil station in Kalamazoo.
38 Moving to California --- Text Stolen from ReigelRidge.com !! ---
John and Jane moved to California by 1944, when they were living at 816 W. Colden Ave., Los Angeles.
G He was working as an engineer there.
39 His second wife died on 26 Nov 1956 in Los Angeles Co., California
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40 John continued to live in California as late as 1960, when he was living at 1222 W. 162nd St., Gardena.
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41 John married third
Evelyn Osgood Fenker, daughter of
Albert August Fenker and
Mary Grant Hillebrandt, in Aug 1960 in Franklin Co., Ohio
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12,13,14 John died on 9 Oct 1963 in Bexley, Franklin Co., Ohio
G, at age 74.
15,16 He was buried on 14 Oct 1963 in Inglewood, California
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