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1 of 1977 Catalog Number: 1959.001.12

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Imagefile	People\VanSteenwyk_Gysbert.jpg
Name	Van Steenwyk, Gysbert
Other Name	Gysbert "Bert" van Steenwyk Sr. Gysbert von Steenwijk
Birth Date	01/30/1814
Birthplace	Utrecht, Netherlands
Deceased	04/13/1902
Place of Death	La Crosse, WI
Mother	Neeltje van Vliet van Steenwijk
Father	Arnoud van Steenwijk
Spouse	Mariette Nichols (1848-1930)
Children	Gysbert van Steenwyk Jr. Ella May Steenwyk Cassels Walter Charles Steenwyk
Occupation	Mayor of La Crosse (1873-1874) Land and insurance agent Banker and president of the Batavian Bank (1862-1902) Netherlands' National Guard (1833-1849) Consul of the Netherlands to Wisconsin (1848-1859) Consul to the Netherlands to Michigan and Minnesota (1850-1859) Commissioner of Immigration to Wisconsin (1852-1853) Brigadier General of the Wisconsin State Militia (1857) Wisconsin State Assembly (1858) Wisconsin Bank Comptroller (1860-1861) Wisconsin State Senate (1879-1880)
Role	Political
Education	University of Utrecht - graduated 1836
Places of Residence	Utrecht, Netherlands Milwaukee, WI Newport, WI Kilbourn City (Wisconsin Dells), WI La Crosse, WI
Notes	Gysbert Van Steenwijk was born to Arnoud and Neeltje van Vliet van Steenwijk on January 30, 1814 in Utretcht, Netherlands. At the age of 16, he began serving as a volunteer in the Royal Netherlands Army after receiving a formal education. In 1831, Gysbert began attending the University of Utrecht. However, the war between Holland and Belgium soon required him to serve his country, and so he put off his education. After the war, he became a commissioned officer of Netherlands' National Guard in 1833 and returned to the University of Utrecht, graduating with a degree in philosophy and classic literature in 1836. He continued to serve as a National Guard officer until May 1849, when he immigrated to the United States. After coming to the United States, Gysbert changed his surname to van Steenwyk and settled in Milwaukee, WI. Later that year, he was appointed Consul of the Netherlands for Wisconsin, and the following year was appointed for the same position for the states of Michigan and Minnesota. In 1851, he moved to Newport, WI. Governor Farwell then appointed him to the Commissioner of Immigration to Wisconsin from 1852 to 1853. In 1857, he was appointed as Brigadier General of the Wisconsin State Militia. In 1858, he moved to Kilbourn City, WI, now known as the Wisconsin Dells, and worked as a land and insurance agent until being elected to the Wisconsin State Assembly that same year and serving on the standing committees on education, school and university lands, and railroads. In 1859 he retired as Consul of the Netherlands in all three states, and from 1860 to 1861 was elected as Bank Comptroller. He moved once more, this time to La Crosse, WI, in January 1862. In La Crosse, he opened the Batavian Bank, currently known as the U.S. Bank, and worked as a banker until 1873, when he returned to politics. From 1873 to 1874, he served as La Crosse's mayor. After serving as mayor, he took another break from politics, during which time he returned to Europe for a time, marrying Mariette Nichols in May 1875 in Berne, Switzerland. The couple had three children: Gysbert Jr., Ella May, and Walter Charles, with the latter dying in childhood. Gysbert returned to politics in 1879, when he was elected to the Wisconsin State Senate. He only served on the Senate for a single year and was assigned to the committees on insurance, banking, and enrolled bills. Gysbert died in La Crosse on April 13, 1902.
Image Caption	Catalog Number: 1959.001.12

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