The
following story was read at the celebration of
the wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Modest
Neyt.
Fifty-two years ago on July 14, 1910,
Angeline Dupree and Modest Neyt attended a
celebration in Bervetiet, Holland. Neither knew the
other, but met at the dance. Here, their courtship
started and two years later on May 2, 1912, they
were united in marriage in the Roman Catholic Church
of Bervetiet, Holland.
During the following three years
while working in the tulip fields, they planned
and saved so that they might come to America to
make their home. On April 14, 1915, their dreams
were realized and they boarded a ship for the
U.S.A. Not just Matt and Angelina, but a daughter,
Serminia, who was now almost two years old.
They landed in New York on April 25,
1915, and soon after, Matt found employment on the
farm of Phil Van Vooren, who spoke his native
tongue, and from whom they learned the English
language. There they also learned the customs of
their new world, some of them humorous, as
Angelina related one day. Having never grown a
tomato plant, she was asked to weed the garden and
being a good helpmate, she willingly consented.
That evening matt went to observe her work and
discovered the tomato plants
he recently set out, no longer existed.
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In 1918, after three years in New
York, they again moved to join her sister and
brother-in-law. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Lippens and
their two year old twins, Madeline and Emil.
For the next four years Matt was
employed by the railroad. In 1926, Matt being a
farmer at heart, rented a farm and started
farming. They enjoyed many successful years of
farming. It was during these years they were
enriched with a daughter, Agnes.
Then came the banks closing,
depression, drought and grasshoppers, forcing many
farmers off the farms to seek employment. Matt
returned to his former job on the railroad.
To brighten the depression a son,
Ronald, was added to this union. Matt remained
with the railroad until his retirement.
For the past two years, Matt and
Angelina have made their home in Chamberlain and
lately, here at the home.
Their fifty years of marriage has
been one of the most blessed and richest. Five
children: Mrs. Vernon Jensen of Presho, SD; Emil
Neyt of Pendelton, Oregon; Mrs. Harold Croisant of
Ramona, SD; Mrs. Clinton Lester of Phoenix,
Arizona; Ronald Neyt of Oceanside, California and
eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren
are here today to commemorate this occasion.
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