De Leeuw, Cornelius (1876-1963) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Cornelius De Leeuw was born in Nieuwdorp, Zeeland, the Netherlands on January 8, 1876. The De Leeuw family immigrated to the United States in 1892 and they settled in Lodi, New Jersey. In his twenties De Leeuw decided to dedicate his life to ministry and entered Calvin Preparatory School in 1897 and graduated from Calvin Seminary in 1904. De Leeuw continued his education at Princeton Seminary for a year.

In 1905, De Leeuw received a call to serve Douglas Park, Illinois. De Leeuw accepted and was ordained on December 17, 1905. De Leeuw went on to serve many other church communities: Pella, Iowa (1910), Sioux Center, Iowa (1919), Lansing, Illinois (1924), Tracy, Iowa (1944). De Leeuw retired in 1953 and returned to Lansing, Illinois. De Leeuw passed away on June 8, 1963 in Palos Heights, Illinois. He was survived by his wife, Johanna Hermina Fles, and four of their five children.