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The South Halsted-Street Ironworks are owned and operated
by M. Vanderkloot & Sons, and are located at Nos. 2611-25
South Halsted Street. They were established in the spring of
1872, by Burnett, Vanderkloot & Co., in a small shop on Chicago
Avenue, near Leavitt Street. In the autumn of that year, they
were removed to their present situation, where their growth,
both in the extent of their works and in the amount of business
done, has been perhaps unequaled by any other similar institution
in the city. The works now include the premises fronting one
hundred and seventy-five feet on Halsted Street and running back
one hundred and twenty-five feet. Among the buildings in the
city for which the Messrs. Vanderkloot & Sons have furnished
the ironwork may be mentioned the new Chicago Opera House, for
which they made the heaviest iron pillars ever cast in a Chicago
foundry, or that were ever placed in a structure in this city.
It is always gratifying to note success in any honorable calling
and especially so in this case; for it has been entirely due
to the industry and thrift of the founders of this enterprise,
that today it holds its present prominent position among the
foremost of Chicago industrial institutions. In February, 1885,
an incorporated company was formed under the name of the South
Halsted-street Ironworks, in order to enable the four sons to
become stockholders in a business, toward the success of which
each had contributed. Of this company, Marinus Vanderkloot, the
father is president, and Adrian Vanderkloot, the eldest son,
his secretary and treasurer. Mathias is foreman of the ironworks,
Peter is employed as a moulder in the foundry, and Marinus Jr.,
who has been given an excellent business education, is the bookkeeper
in the office.
Marinus Vanderkloot, a native of the Kingdom of Netherlands, was born in South Holland, in 1824, and is the son of Adrian Vanderkloot, who was an iron worker, to which occupation Marinus was also bred. In 1858 [should be 1868], having determined to try his fortunes in the new world, he came to America, and in the same year located in Chicago, which has since been his home. Shortly following his arrival here, Mr. Vanderkloot entered the employ of N. S. Bouton, who had his works located on Dearborn Street between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets, and continued with that gentleman until 1872, when he, with his son, founded the present business. Mr. Vanderkloot married, in 1849, Miss Meis Koning, daughter of Denise Koning, of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. They had eight children, four of whom are now living, --Adrian, born in1849; Matthias born in 1860; Peter born in 1862; and Marinus Jr. born in 1866. Adrian Vanderkloot, son of Marinus Vanderkloot, was born in Holland, on December 7, 1849. He was given a good common school education, and when eighteen years of age came with his parents to this country, locating in Chicago where he has since lived. He entered his father's shops, and, in 1872, became a partner in the business. He married Miss Elizabeth Bertha Burnett, daughter of Eben Burnett, of England. They had five children, three of whom are now living, --Marinus A., William J., and Richard. The above information was transcribed from the "History of Chicago" (1886) by A. T. Andreas, Volume 3-- page 482. The 1858 date for their settling in Chicago is incorrect and should be 1868. Marinus Vanderkloot was the older brother of Matthijs Vanderkloot (1827) and both are sons of Adrianus van der Kloot and Maatje Dominé. None of the names mentioned are from the Matthijs van der Kloot and Trijntje Smit line although the names are very similar because of the Dutch naming custom. See Story by Dave Jordan. |
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