Verwolf, Peter (1848-1922) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Peter (Pieter) Verwold was born 25 September 1848 in Ameide, the Netherlands to Joris Verwolf and Leentje van Es. He married Marry (Merrigje) Vanden Berg ( 1849-1922) on 5 Aug 1869 in Tienhoven. She was the daughter of Thomas van den Berg and Maagje de Jongh. They had six children: Joseph (1870-1954), Maagje (1871-1876), Leentje (1872-1873), Thomas (1874-1875), Peter (1875-1950), and Leentje (1876-1876). In 1881 Verwolf emigrated to the United States to begin farming, his wife and children followed the next year.

He was convicted in 1899 and sentenced to the South Dakota State Penitentiary for four years years. His crime is not revealed but it seems to have involved the theft of money when he deserted his wife in Sioux County and left with a divorced woman for Yankton. The two later were arrested in Galveston, Texas. While he was in prison, he and his wife were divorced. After prison he moved to Yakima, Washington for a time before returning to farming in South Dakota. He died 5 May 1922 in Oral, South Dakota. After the divorce, his former wife worked as a nurse. She died 18 December 1922 in Corsica, South Dakota.