More Dutch Paintings

Grandma's Dutch Paintings

Grandma and Grandpa had these pictures in their bedroom.

They belonged to her parents and are of Holland.

 

 

 

 

Gerald and Mary Bingham Pictures

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gerald and Mary Bingham Family

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Vandell Family

Mary and Ed

Mary Louise 

Jacob Vanderploeg

John Vandell with Mary and Ed

John and Annie Louise with Mary, Ed and Helen 

Mary Vandell

Ed and Mary

Mary and Ed

Mary Vandell

Annie Louise with Ed

Mary with her mother Annie Louise

John and Annie Vandell

Mary Bingham

Mary, John, Ed, Annie and Helen Vandell 

Grandma and Grandpa Bingham's Testimonies Written to Jacob

       Dear Jacob,                                                                                                        

 December 10, 2010

                 I was baptized on July 4, 1937 in a swimming pool (Arrowhead Resort) in the small farming community of Benjamin, Utah where I was born.  I was baptized by Edgar C. Lundell and confirmed on the same date by Ivan J. Francom.  Arrowhead was filled by water fom a warm water spring.  The kids all loved to go swimming there throughout the summers.  My baptism was a very important date and each year as I get older, I realize more and more the importance of that special day.

                 The promptings of the Holy Ghost can be different for each person.  Some people receive very strong promptings while others the promptings can be a very wee, small voice. 

                 Let me share a personal experience with you.  Usually the Holy Ghost speaks to me in a small voice and my testimony and love of the gospel has grown in a slow way.  While I was serving as a bishop, I was meeting with the Priests in my office during priesthood meeting.  I had a strong testimony but sometimes I wondered if I could do all the things I needed to do to gain eternal life which is to live forever with our family, Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father.  On this particular Sunday, we were reading in Moroni, Chapter 7:45-47.  Verse 47 says, “But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and who so is found possessed of it at the last days, it shall be well with him.”  The Holy Ghost spoke very loudly to me and said, “You can be a charitable person.”  From that day on I felt I could be a charitable person and could gain eternal life.  I have been at peace with that knowledge and my testimony has continued to grow.

                 My testimony of Jesus Christ is strong and grows stronger the older I get.  I know that through the atonement of Jesus Christ, I and all of my family can gain eternal life and be an eternal family forever.        Grandpa Bingham

Dear Jacob                                                                                             

December 10, 2010

                 I was 31 years old, married and had all three children when I was baptized.  I was baptized on April 1, l967 by Gerald Bingham and confirmed April 1, l967 by Gerald Bullock.   I had never known a LDS person until I met Grandpa.  Some wonderful missionaries came to our home and taught me the gospel.  The spirit was very strong from the first meeting and I knew early on that I wanted to be baptized.  I felt that these missionaries had just descended from heaven because of the spirit I felt.  My baptism was a beautiful day and I felt so good and clean afterwards.  It was like I had a new and wonderful life ahead for my family and me.  Once I progressed and was married in the temple, I never looked back or questioned the church in any way.  Since then and through continued growth, I want to be obedient, follow the prophet and am determined to endure to the end.                       

                 When serving a mission with Grandpa in the Philippines Manila Mission, I felt the Holy Ghost with me almost constantly.  It was very hard in the beginning and I had to adjust to the poverty and our living conditions.  I put up a picture of Jesus in our tiny apartment and when I looked at Him and thought of his great sacrifice and all He did for me, I thought my sacrifice of serving a mission in the Philippines was not a sacrifice at all and the least I could do for Him because of my love and gratitude.  Driving in the Philippines is very scary because no one obeys any traffic laws and there are so many jeepneys, tricycles with side cars, people and animals, a few cars and broken down buses all over the road.  A scripture in the Doctrine and Covenants became very important to me and brought me great comfort. 

                 Jesus is talking about the blessings of missionaries in D&C 84:88  “…....For I will go before your face, I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts, and mine angels round about you, to bear you up.”  I know the Holy Ghost was with me to help me in whatever situation I was in and His angels were around me to protect me and bear me up as I was amazed how I did things I could not have done without His help.

                 I know Jesus is the Christ and this is His church.  I love it with all my heart like I do my family.         Grandma Bingham 

 

The Sailing Ship

Grandma and Grandpa Bingham both really liked this poem. It was read at both

 of their funerals by Uncle Paul.

The Sailing Ship

I am standing upon the seashore.
A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the ocean
blue.
She is the object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the
sea and the sky come to mingle with each other.
Then someone at my side says:  "There, she is gone!"
"Gone where?" - Gone from my sight.
That is all, she is just as large in mast and hull and spare as she was when she left my side
and she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me, not in her.
And just at the moment when someone at my side says:  "There she is gone!"
There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad
shout:
"Here she comes!"
And, that is dying.             

  --author unknown

Grandma's Testimony

I feel a need to stand and bear my testimony of the gospel.

I have been so blessed lately again regarding my health and I want to public

thank my HF for all the blessings poured out upon me.

My Dr. is amazed at my great response to recent radiation treatment. I know

this is a direct answer to all the prayers said on my behalf. I thank all of you that

have prayed to me and put my name in the temple.

I also feel my blessings are a direct result of the family history work I am

doing. As Bishop Roberts said a few years back, you have so many on the

other side praying for you to stay alive to accomplish their saving ordinances---

-their prayers are helping to keep you here. Thank those that are helping me to

achieve this important work by doing their temple work.

I know that God lives and knows and loves each one of us. He knows what is

best for us...whether they be trials or blessings. I can truly say that cancer has

been a blessing to me.

I know we can receive direct revelation through our scripture study, obedience,

prayer and fasting. I am so grateful that I responded to revelation I received in

the past that has been a great blessing to me and my family, both descendents

and ancestors.



I know that Jesus is the Christ and it is only through Him that we can be saved.

I am grateful for his atoning sacrifice and for the prophet Joseph Smith who was

instrumental in bringing the restored gospel back to the earth at this time.

I am grateful for my wonderful family....especially my husband. Jerry is such

a good man and has taught me much over the years and if it were not for him,

I would probably not be a member of this glorious gospel which I love with all

my heart.

-Mary Louise Bingham

Card to Isaac from Grandma Bingham

Grandma wrote this card to Isaac before she passed away
while we were at her house for Grandpa's funeral.

Grandma Mary's Obituary

Mary VanDell Bingham of Alpine, Utah, passed on peacefully at her home surrounded by family on August 9, 2013 after a courageous, 11-year battle with lymphoma.  Mary was born on June 2, 1935 in Bell, California to John and Annie Louise VanDell.  She married Gerald “Jerry” Bingham on March 9, 1957 in Pasadena, California.  Their marriage was solemnized in the Oakland LDS Temple on July 29, 1972.

Mary and Jerry spent over 56 wonderful years together as true partners in family, work, and church service.  During their marriage, they were seldom apart.  Death could not separate them for long, as Mary joined her beloved Jerry only three weeks after he passed on.

Mary grew up in Southern California, where she graduated from Pasadena City College with an Associates Degree in Business.  After her marriage to Jerry, they lived in Southern California, the Bay Area, and in Lodi, California.  After their retirement in 2001, they moved to Alpine, Utah.

Mary is survived by her three children, Jan Scoffield of Alpine, Utah; Michael (Danielle) Bingham of Eagle, Idaho; and Paul (Corey) Bingham of Alpine, Utah; 14 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.  She is also survived by her brother, Ed (Louise) VanDell; and her sister, Helen Dahl.  Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry, and by her parents.

Mary loved spending time with and supporting her children and grandchildren.  She loved hearing about all the details of their lives, their special events, their aspirations, and their accomplishments.

Mary was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  She cherished her 20 plus years of service as an adult advisor in the Young Womens Organization in Lodi, California.  While living in Alpine, Mary grew to love family history work, finding over 25,000 of her ancestors.  Her greatest joy in church service came when she and Jerry served together as missionaries in the Philippines, Manila Mission.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, August 17, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the Alpine North Stake Center, 1125 E. Alpine Blvd., Alpine, Utah.  A viewing will be held on Saturday morning from 9:00-10:30 am. at the church prior to services.  Interment will be in the Benjamin City Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the General Missionary Fund of the LDS Church.

http://www.walkerspanishfork.com/obit/mary-louise-vandell-bingham/

History of Van der ploeg

Excerpts from letters written by Uncle Tom to Mary Bingham.  (Read at reunion, Bear Lake, Aug 4,5,6, 2011)

          Like most of the people we knew who migrated from Holland, our parents and especially our grandparents were so glad to be in America, they seldom ever spoke of their early days in Holland. 

          Grandfather, Thomas vander Ploeg, a farmer, and wife, Naatje List, moved from Den Helder, Holland in 1890 with their son and daughters and migrated to Paterson, New Jersey.  Maternal grandfather, John de Man and wife, Neeltje Kattestaart, and family left Dirksland for Passaic, New Jersey in 1880.  Grandma de Man told of long and unhappy voyage as “steerage” passengers—the crowded quarters, sick and crying children plus the bad stench.  Those in the bottom of the boat were not allowed to go up on deck.  The ship had motor trouble and when conditions were good, sometimes a sail was used.

          Grandfather vander Ploeg (Thomas) and family lived in a 2-story house on a small truck farm of 10 to 20 acres.  In 1920, he left for California with son, Peter, orphaned grandson Bill, son Jacob (my father) and family.

          Grandfather de Man (John) & family lived in the basement in a row of houses in Passaic then moving to Paterson where he worked in the building trade.

          As was the custom in those days, I was named after my paternal grandfather, Nell after our maternal grandmother, Netta after paternal grandmother and John (2^nd son) after maternal grandfather.

          Having no electricity, telephone, automobile, indoor privy or water heater, but we did have gas for cooking and lights but the family kitchen stove was mostly used burning coal.

          Our big event of the year was the annual Sunday school picnic—riding on a summer time street car to a part at the edge of town.  The other looked forward to event was a visit to country Grandpa’s and on occasion riding in their small truck farm in their surrey.

          We didn’t feel poor as most of the neighbors in our Dutch community with children were not any better off.  Like most kids in the neighborhood we did a lot of “barrel picking”—going to the more affluent part of town for better loot.  That is how I got my fist bicycle, first an old frame, wheels but never had tires or a good chain or seat.  Mostly one used leg power.  My allowance was 4 cents/week—2 cents to spend and 2 cents to save.  Ice cream cones were 1 cent, 2 cents for one heaped high using a regular kitchen spoon.   One summer I had a job shagging fruits and veggies from the peddle wagon to the customer’s back door for 25 cents and sometimes would get the left over’s to take home.  Big pay --  big deal!

During the year, I worked delivering milk before school and twice on Saturday for $2.00 a week.  The milk farm was 1-2 miles from our house so I had to get up at 3 a.m. to get there in time by walking.

          Once boys came of age 14, they were expected to have an 8-hour job ready.  I worked as an apprentice at one time where my Dad worked—The National Silk Dyeing and Finishing Co. in East Paterson.  My Dad was a millwright and in charge of all “belting”.  I was very proud of our Dad who could take a loosed belt, flip it up and over the pulley on the shafting 8-10 or more feet high.

          Both mother and father were the first of their families to wed.  Sisters Minnie, Katie and Lena made my mother’s wedding dress.  That was in 1902 at the Holland Baptist Church on Hillman St., Paterson New Jersey where both families were in attendance.  Grandfather Thomas van der Ploeg and family drove in from East Paterson by horse and surrey.

          My mother’s lot was not easy having seven children.  No modern conveniences, no telephone, inside bathroom or electricity.  However, we did have gas for lights and a stove but hot water came from a tank attached to a coal burning stove.  We did have cold water and a sink.  Upstairs lived Dutch people named Broers.

          After Elmer was born, Mother’s health was not good and as time went by it became worse.  She had a goiter and other complications.  Not then, but later I often thought of the dull and painful life she endured until at the end of the nation-wide influenza epidemic, she passed away at the age of 38 in 1919.  She lies in the de Man family plot in Cedar Grove Cemetery along the Passaic River on River Road close to East Paterson.”

          In 1920, after the death of my Mother, Jacob, my Father, left New Jersey along with his 7 children, his parents, his brother Pete and a nephew, William van der Ploeg, and traveled by train to Pasadena, California arriving July 4, 1920.  All twelve of us lived in a small house for a year until larger quarters could be obtained.  There Jacob lived out his life.  His health was not good and he felt California would be a healthier place and offer more opportunities for his children.  He converted to Jehovah’s Witness faith before moving to California and did much missionary work.  His three oldest children, Tom, Nell and Netta had to quit school to help support and family and to care for the younger children. 

          There was love in our home, but like the custom of the day, people we knew never said the words, “I love you.”

          John Van Dell.  How do we ever say thanks to John, or show by actions our appreciation.  Perhaps no one will ever know how John in various ways helped and did for so many people.

Mary Louise Bingham Personal History

Mary Louise Van Dell (Van der Ploeg) Bingham

Born 2 June 1935 in Bell, California to John Van Dell and Annie Louise Alderman.  I have one older brother and one younger sister.   My parents liked the name Mary and Louise is after my mother and maternal grandmother.

          When I was about 4 years old my aunt married to my Dad’s oldest brother came up with a new surname and the family must have liked it enough to change from van der Ploeg to Van Dell.  The reason for the change is the name was hard to pronounce I was told.  My nicknames were Memmel by my father and his clan and also bug.  Once in a while it was jitterbug.  I was a child that could not sit still for more than a few minutes.

Father came to California from New Jersey as a child because his father thought the family would be healthier and have a better life.  My grandfather was a widow with 7 young children.  His parents, a brother, Pete, and a cousin my Dad’s age, Bill, came with him by train.  My mother born in Georgia came to California from Alabama as a young married woman with her first husband who was in the US Navy.  I understand she married this man hoping for a better life.  They came with her older sister, Elizabeth, and her husband who was also in the military.  My mother did not have a good life losing both parents at an early age and living in poverty.

I don’t remember the first couple of houses we lived in around Bell, California.  The first one I really recollect was a housing complex in East Los Angeles.  There were approximately 8 two story apartments in each complex and we lived in one second to the end.  We had a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms and one bathroom for the five of us.  We had modern plumbing and electricity and later a dial telephone. We moved to Richmond, California when I was 10 years old and got our first TV.  I lived there until my last two years of high school when we moved to El Cerrito, California but still in the Richmond School District.  This home was quite a nice home.

After high school graduation (1953) my family moved to Pasadena, California where I lived for  three years.  I graduated from Pasadena City College (1955).  I had worked part-time in a insurance office and after graduation worked full time for an insurance agent, Charles L. Arthur.  In the spring of 1956, I took a trip to Hawaii with a PCC friend, Barbara Keyston.  We took the cruise ship, the Luraleen, over and flew back home.

Shortly upon my return I met my eternal companion, Gerald Bingham, at an engagement party.  I worked with the bride’s Mom and Jerry worked with the groom.  The following March 9, 1957, we were married in the Chapel of the Roses in Pasadena.  I was not raised with religion and Jerry was not involved in this church at that time.  A minister of my uncle David Van Dell married us.

We first lived in Huntington Park and about a year later purchased a home in Bellflower, California.  I quit my job as a secretary for the assistant purchasing agent at Thermador Products when our first child was born, Janet Louise, 18 May 1959.  Eleven months after our second child Michael John, 10 April 1962, was born we moved to Pleasant Hill, California.  In the summer of 1969 we moved to Fresno, California where we were in partnership with my Dad, a jewelry and giftware store.  I worked part time helping to get it set up and going.  In July 1972 we opened up our own jewelry and giftware store in Stockton, California (lived in Lodi, CA) but closed it down due to competition in 1985.  We then purchased an existing durable medical supply company (Lodi Sickroom Supply) where I worked for the first few years.  In June of 2001, we moved to Alpine, Utah due to inspiration we received to do so.

I do not have many early childhood memories and I believe it is partly because there were things that were not positive and I did not want to remember except those are some of the things I do remember most.

My father was domineering, outgoing, intelligent, impatient, ambitious, and a hard worker.  I guess he would be called a workaholic as his job was his life and his social world.  He often gave someone a nickname.  He loved is family including his siblings and was generous to them.  In fact, he was generous to any who was honest, fair and loyal to him.  Once he took a job that was not very promising because of his loyalty to his boss.  He did not graduate from high school but was very successful in the business world with Snap-on Tools Corp.  He was very devoted to my Mother when she became seriously ill and tended to her every need which is something he did little of before.

My mother was insecure, lacked self-esteem, and had problems with depression.  She loved her family and was a very devoted mother and wife.  She loved babies and liked animals, music and had a good singing voice.  She was small, only 5 ft. tall but quite brave when it came to things such a trying to kill a snake and rescuing a woman that was attacked behind our house.  (My Dad was in the house for the last one.)  My brother John Edwin (2 plus years older) was outgoing, intelligent, confident and a nice person.  He was patient particularly with his wife.  My sister Helen (5 yrs younger) is more reserved, not as outgoing and more like my mother in many ways.  She is very generous, loves her children and saw to their needs as a single parent.  She also loves animals.

I waited for the day I could play poker with my parents and aunts and uncles on Saturday night in Pasadena.  I watched them play from the time I was very young.  Our whole family really didn’t play any games together but poker and a little bingo.  As an older child, our family went high school football, to the midget auto races and some pro football games like the SF 49ers. During this time, we also would dine out.  In younger years, I played some with my siblings like Monopoly, and with playing cards.  I liked to color, play with paper dolls and as I got older was a fan of a number of movie stars.  I liked to go to movies, play with neighbor friends.  I remember putting on plays and musicals and playing softball and kick the can.  I also like to play store and be the cast register.  They always said I was a fast runner as a child.  I was a Brownie Girl Scout and took piano lessons until I thought I was too busy as a teenager to practice.  

The chores I did mostly were the dishes, cleaning my bedroom, cleaning up after our dog and some cleaning house.  I know my brother and I both wanted to wash the dishes and would fight over it.  I did not like to iron but my least favorite was cleaning up after our dog, Smudgy.  I always shared a room with my siblings and later just with my sister until I was 18 years old. While living in Richmond (I was age 10 to 16) our bedroom was at the back of the house.  We lived in a neighborhood where some tragic things scary things happened so either my sister or I wanted to be the first to go back there after dark.  My Dad was more cautious than my Mom when it came to hearing noise outside at night.  I remember many times turning all the lights out so we could peek out better.

I was a good, obedient student who never wanted to get into trouble.  My best subjects were math, spelling, art and physical education.  I did not like science as not all subjects were easy for me.  I always felt my brother and sister had more of my Dad’s intelligence but I was more like my Mom, with much less.  I had a speech impediment that gave my voice a nasal sound and I was very conscious of it and this made be very shy.  In grammar school I had to go to special speech classes which I did not like that did nothing for me. It wasn’t until I was in junior high that it was discovered why I talk nasal.  I have no uvula and my palate is paralyzed.  Therefore, I hated current events and would take a ‘F’ rather than get up in front of the class.  I attended grammar school at Dakota St. in East Los Angeles, and for two years in Richmond, Ca.  At the time we moved to northern California, my teacher considered my skipping a grade which later could never understand why.  My middle grades 7 through 9 were at Longfellow Jr. High School and Richmond High School, again in Richmond.  I graduated from Pasadena City College with an associates’ degree in business.  I did not participate enough in any extra circular school activities to mention.  I was in the senior play as a dancer.

I almost always wore bangs that were short in earlier days and in style.  I never had very long hair.  In high school we wore at triangle scarf on our head with the tie at our chin.  Also, small scarves tied at our neck.  We curled our hair with bobby pins.  I always did my mother’s as she thought she could not do it herself.  I worn white suede shoes or brown/white saddle oxfords (Spaulding brand) with socks rolled down to our ankles.  Skirts length was below knee and little on long side.  We never wore pants or shorts to school.  

I don’t recall any high school heroes but did collect pictures of movie stars.  In fact, I wrote to a number to receive an autograph picture.  I never sang because of my bad voice although my mom had a rather good voice.  I liked many of the popular ballads and rock and roll music.  I always loved music and often listened to it.

Our first family dog was a red chow named Tootsie.   We then had a mongrel dog named Smudgy who looked like a shaggy sheep dog.  We found her in a vacant field near our house.  We tried to have a kitten a time or two but they did not last long.  My dad did not like cats.

I remember two childhood friends named Wendy and Courtney when living in the apartment complex.  Typical of three friends, we did not always get along well.  Darlene Durflinger who I met in junior high became a very close friend to this day.  I have kept in touch with several other high school and college friends.

I had no religion growing up and never attended church with my family.  My parents knew an old widow, Laura, who took my brother and me to church a few times when small.  I went a couple of times with a friend as an older child.  The religion was Methodist.  Because I married an LDS man, I was contacted at  different times by missionaries.  Finally in 1967 I was ready to receive them and baptism followed in Walnut Creek on 1 April 1967, the same year our daughter was baptized.  It took me several years (and Jerry too) to be converted to full activity.  We were sealed in the Oakland Temple in 29 July 1972 with our three children.  I have never been without a temple recommend since then.  My membership in the church along, with my family, are my most prized possessions.  Over the years I have served some in Relief Society, more in Primary but mostly in the Young Women Program, about 20 plus years.  In all three organizations it was almost always been in presidencies.  In February 1998 we left for the Philippines Manila Mission to serve as senior missionaries.  It was one of greatest and most rewarding experiences we have had.  We would have served another mission if it weren’t for me being diagnosed with cancer in 2002.  For the past 8 years I have been heavily involved in family history work and receive great satisfaction from it.  I have seen that temple work has been done for thousand of my ancestors, mostly my Dutch line.  I have over 25,000 names in my personal ancestral file.

Grandma and Grandpa's Wedding Announcement

http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=336&dat=19570125&id=pKkuAAAAIBAJ&sjid=WEgDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5345,4476088

More Pictures

Picture of Grandma Bingham

Grandpa used to carry this picture of Grandma in his wallet for 40 years. Grandma is about 17 or 18 in this picture.

Grandpa's Pictures

Grandma and Grandpa with President Benson 1987.

President Bingham with Elder Howard W. Hunter March 1987.