William Van Bruggen was born on a farm near Litchville, North Dakota, to Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Van Bruggen, who came to this area from Holland in 1906.

Mary was born on a farm in Osceola County, Melvin, Iowa on February 5, 1917, to Mr. and Mrs. Henry C. Bremer. Her parents also came from Holland around 1913, first living in Iowa. In 1925 the family moved to a farm near Ypsilanti, North Dakota. In 1936 they moved to a farm in Greenland township. William and Mary were married March 7, 1940 in Greenland township. They have lived in the area since. They bought a farm in 1943 where they still live.

They are parents of four children, Clarence, married to Sharen Berger of Grand Rapids, Michigan. They have three children and also live on a farm in Greenland township. Henrietta, of Los Angeles, California, is presently with the Nurses Corps of the U.S. Naval Reserve. Sylvia, married George Free. They live at Damascus, Maryland. She also took up nursing and taught nursing this year in a small college. Esther, married Edwin Johnson and lives on the Univ. of North Dakota, campus at Grand Forks, North Dakota. She graduated from Univ. of North Dakota, and worked at the Rehabilitation Hospital there in social work. Her husband is a student at Univ. of North Dakota.

Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 255