Page 136 - Poat_to_Poot_Engels

decided he should do the "right thing" and marry her. He proposed to her
before graduating and she accepted. Their announcement may have been
published in the Chicago Tribune on 20 September 1898.

Anna Alberda nearly had the same birthday as William; she was just three
days younger. She was born in Michigan on 24 April 1878. Her parents,
Michael and Annie, were Dutch immigrants. Her family lived 3-4 miles
north of the South Blendon Reformed Church in Michigan. Her father was
active in the church and is recorded in the church minutes. The 1880 U.S.
Census listed two possible Annies, but the last name was spelled Albertie.
At that time there were several Albertie families living in Michigan, but
none spelled Alberta or Alberda. Only the name spelled Albertie was
found in the Netherlands. It appears that in 1880 they were using the
original Dutch spelling of their last name, then Anglicized it after the
1880 census. Later US Census records show only the surname spelled
Alberda. (Her name was misspelled Alberta in the Iowa Marriage Index.)

After William's graduation in October 1898, the betrothed couple traveled
west to Pella, in Marion County, Iowa. There were two important reasons
for this move. First, William wanted his father to officiate his marriage to
Anna. Second, William had received an invitation to join his father in a
new business venture. Ann (Poot), Lambert Noordhoff, and their baby
Henry traveled to Pella the same week as Will and Anna. Lambert was also
going to join J.W. Poot's business.

- Chicago, College, and Marriage - page 11 -