The Colenbrander Brothers from Sioux Center, Iowa, 1918

This postcard photograph is nicely labelled on the back:

Way back in the 1990s I reunited some Lammers and Van De Braake family photos from Iowa.  At the time I figured this Colenbrander photo was related in some way to them, but the recipient of the other photos decided against taking it.

I started my search guessing that it was taken circa 1915-1920 because of the postcard format, and the style of clothing of the older boy.  I searched in the 1920 census for Gerrit Colenbrander first.   I found Gerrit "Kalenbrander", 38, born Holland,  along with his wife, Winnie, age 38; sons John A., 7 years old, born Iowa; and Egbert A. J., 2 years and 4 months, born Iowa.   They are living in Sioux, Iowa. 

In the 1925 Iowa Census we learn that Winnie's parents were Eibert den Herder and Mins Leemhuil, b. Netherlands.  She is listed as a widow, and is living with her son, Arend J. Colenbrander, 12. Gerrit and Egbert are not listed.  

I then searched the Iowa Gravestone Photo Project since I couldn't find Gerrit or Bert's death records on Ancestry.  I found a double gravestone from Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center, Iowa:

        COLENBRANDER
FATHER                       SON
Gerrit                            Bert
Oct 7  1881-                 Sept. 9, 1917-
Sept. 18, 1921              Nov 27, 1921 (death dates on the stone difficult to read)

Apparently Arend J. Colenbrander also went by the name John, or sometimes, Arie.   According to John's birth record, he was born Dec. 3, 1912.  His mother Winnie's maiden name is Den Herder.  He married Mary Vande Berg on May 18, 1937 in Sioux Center.  He died Nov. 5, 1976 and is also buried in the Memory Gardens Cemetery in Sioux Center, Iowa.