Born Jan van Essen in Schoonhoven, Zuid-Holland, Holland. Son of Marinus van Essen and Cornelia Rekoert. He immigrated to America with his parents, sister Maria (Marie), and brother Kommer in 1910, sailing from Rotterdam aboard the S.S. Noordam on March 10. They arrived in New York on April 4, passing through Ellis Island before settling in Grand Rapids, MI where John's grandfather Commer was already living. Sometime after the birth of his brother Christian James in 1914 the family moved to Denver, CO. In Denver he met Emma Houtsma when he was sent to give her a ride to a party, and they married in 1938. They were both employed by a wealthy area family, Emma as the cook and John as the chauffeur. In 1940 he and Emma moved, along with his parents, to Carlsbad, CA where he built a home at 1019 Chestnut St. (The house was later moved to the Ponto area of Carlsbad when it was in the path of Interstate 5 construction, and still stands today.) In the early 1940's they had a stillborn son, Ronald. John was employed as a truck driver and was involved in delivering building materials during the construction of USMC base Camp Pendleton. He enjoyed surf fishing. He enlisted in the US Army on Oct. 19, 1943 and served in the Pacific during World War II. After his discharge he took a correspondence course in electronics under the GI Bill, and electronics remained a life-long hobby. He went to work for the Oceanside Transportation System as a bus driver which required a move to Oceanside, CA as a city employee. He purchased a home on the 400 block of South Nevada St. in 1950. He continued his job as a bus driver, retiring after 25 years. A daughter was born in 1952. The family were members of the First Baptist Church of Oceanside where John was in charge of the electronic sound system for many years. After Emma's death in 1961 he married a second time to Lucille Beatrice Davis Amos in 1963. They remained in Oceanside until the mid 1970s when John retired, and they spent the next few years traveling the country in a fifth-wheel before settling in Missouri. They divorced in 1983 and John moved to Hemet, CA where he remained until his death.
TEC5 US ARMY
TEC5 US ARMY
Born Jan van Essen in Schoonhoven, Zuid-Holland, Holland. Son of Marinus van Essen and Cornelia Rekoert. He immigrated to America with his parents, sister Maria (Marie), and brother Kommer in 1910, sailing from Rotterdam aboard the S.S. Noordam on March 10. They arrived in New York on April 4, passing through Ellis Island before settling in Grand Rapids, MI where John's grandfather Commer was already living. Sometime after the birth of his brother Christian James in 1914 the family moved to Denver, CO. In Denver he met Emma Houtsma when he was sent to give her a ride to a party, and they married in 1938. They were both employed by a wealthy area family, Emma as the cook and John as the chauffeur. In 1940 he and Emma moved, along with his parents, to Carlsbad, CA where he built a home at 1019 Chestnut St. (The house was later moved to the Ponto area of Carlsbad when it was in the path of Interstate 5 construction, and still stands today.) In the early 1940's they had a stillborn son, Ronald. John was employed as a truck driver and was involved in delivering building materials during the construction of USMC base Camp Pendleton. He enjoyed surf fishing. He enlisted in the US Army on Oct. 19, 1943 and served in the Pacific during World War II. After his discharge he took a correspondence course in electronics under the GI Bill, and electronics remained a life-long hobby. He went to work for the Oceanside Transportation System as a bus driver which required a move to Oceanside, CA as a city employee. He purchased a home on the 400 block of South Nevada St. in 1950. He continued his job as a bus driver, retiring after 25 years. A daughter was born in 1952. The family were members of the First Baptist Church of Oceanside where John was in charge of the electronic sound system for many years. After Emma's death in 1961 he married a second time to Lucille Beatrice Davis Amos in 1963. They remained in Oceanside until the mid 1970s when John retired, and they spent the next few years traveling the country in a fifth-wheel before settling in Missouri. They divorced in 1983 and John moved to Hemet, CA where he remained until his death.
TEC5 US ARMY
TEC5 US ARMY
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TEC5 US ARMY
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