He was born in 1870 as Jan van Dam in the country village Uithuizermeeden in the northern part of the Dutch northeastern province Groningen, the third of ten children and nine sons of the 29 years aged day-laborer Freerk van Dam and Trientje Dorenbos, probably named for one of his uncles.
Mid 1910 John van Dam resided in Butte, Silver Bow County, in the southwestern part of Montana, when his 21 years aged brother Lebertus (Lubbertus) van Dam, who departed from his birthplace Uithuizen, came to visit him. Butte was and is very wellknown for its coppermining.
Miner John Van Dam died on 7 June 1919 in Salt Lake City, Utah at the age of 48 years. He was buried in an unknown cemetery at his last residence place Butte.
John was married to Ella Van Dam, who resided in the beginning of 1930 in Butte, 65 years aged, born in Norway and emigrated in 1881. She is mentioned (as deceased) in the Montana Butte Standard newspaper of 5 May 1936, 15 May and 24 June 1937, concerning the account and distribution of her estate.
Jan van Dam |