What I Know About.....Jacob Kolk

Jacob Kolk was born in September 1822 according to his listing in the 1900 US Census. This census incorrectly listed him as having been born in Illinois, however his birthplace is listed as Holland in the 1870  and 1880 US Census.

Jacob was a farmer. The 1870 census shows Jacob as living in Monticello township in Madison County, Illinois, but later censuses show his residence as Fosterburg Township in Madison County. This is probably the same farm listed in various locations as the boundaries changed through time. Here is a legal description of the farm found the probate files for the Estate of Jacob Kolk.

I hope to at some point track the location to present day to learn what exists on this piece of land currently.

Jacob was married to Mary SCHMIDT/SMITH, probably before they immigrated to the US. Mary died in 1878 in Anna, Illinois. They had at least five children.

James J. (1864-1947)
John J. (1867-1948)
Henry Jacob (1867-1916)
Anna (ca 1868)
William J. (1870-1951)

I just noticed that John J. and Henry J. were both born in 1867. Were they twins or is this a mistake. I will need to go through my notes to figure that out. That's a problem for another post!

Jacob also had a grandson, George, who was a minor at the time of Jacob’s death. Probate papers indicate that George was the son of a deceased child of Jacob. Clearly that could not have been James, John, Henry, or William. Was there another son, or was George possibly the son of Anna? I have quite a bit of information about George, which I will post another time, but nothing that tells me who his parents were. I need more research, here, too.

Jacob died in Madison County on or about 5 Dec 1900 and is buried in Godfrey Cemetery, Godfrey, Madison County, Illinois. You can view the family group sheet for this family here.

UPDATES:
 27 Jan 2016:  Is Jacob Jans Colk really Jacob Kolk?
 31 Jan 2016:  The Mysteries of Jacob Colk

Sources                        

• “1900 U.S. Census,” KOLK, Jacob Family, Fosterburg Township, Madison, IL, 18 Jun 1900, FamilySearch.org, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-267-12390-269681-26?cc=1325221, 31 May 2015.
• “1880 U.S. Census,” KOLK, Jacob & FREDRICKS, Tho Families, Fosterburg (T.6 R. 9), Madison County, Illinois, 16 Jun 1880, FamilySearch.org, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-11131-119568-8?cc=1417683, 1 Jun 2015.
• “1870 U.S. Census,” KOLK, Jacob Family, Monticello Post Office, Township 6, Range 9, Madison County, Illinois, 26 Jul 1870, FamilySearch.org, https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12873-283316-48?cc=1438024, 1 Jun 2015.
• KOLK, Mary, “Death Record,” 10 Nov 1878, Union County Register of Deaths, pg 134, Union County, Illinois, File #195, IRAD, Carbondale, Illinois, 28 Mar 2007.
• KOLK, Jacob, “Probate File,” Madison County, Illinois, Box 79 Tray 241, 1901, IRAD, Carbondale, Illinois, 2004.