De Jong, David Cornel (1901-1967) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Name: De Jong, David Cornel (1901-1967)

Historical Note: David De Jong was born in the village of Blija, in the province of Friesland, the Netherland on June 9, 1901. The De Jong family moved to the United States in 1914 and settled down in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The De Jong family became members of the Dennis Avenue Christian Reformed Church.  David adapted to America well and went to business school for a time and worked in various offices and banks over a course of three years.  David enrolled at Calvin College. After graduating he taught in Edmore, Michigan high school for a year. He then went off to receive his master’s degree in 1932 at Duke University.  David planned on getting his Ph.D. at Brown University in Rhode Island, however he ended up pursuing a writing career instead.  He has written articles, several anthologies of poetry and prose, short stories, and fictional books.  He married later in life to Helen Elizabeth Moffitt. They did not have any children together.  Due to cancer, David De Jong passed away in September of 1967 in Providence, Rhode Island.

Records or Manuscript Collections Created by De Jong, David Cornel