The Dutch Monster surname can be either a topographic surname, derived from a place name in South-Holland, or it might refer to a monstrosity.
Arie Monster was born on 17 December 1890 in Pella, Iowa, USA. His parents are Jacob Monster (1853-1899) and his wife Adriana “Jana” Klijn*, daughter of Arie Klijn and Neeltje Klein. Jacob Monster had always had poor health and died at the age of 45, when Arie was 8 years old.
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| Registration Card of Arie Monster of Pella |
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Arie Monster was tall and stout with grey eyes and light blond hair. He married on 19 December 1912 in Oskaloosa, Iowa, Gezenna Schakel, born on 18 August 1889 in Bussey, Iowa. She died, aged 85, on 26 October 1974 in Pella, and was buried at the Oack Wood Cemetery. Arie Monster died on 3 November 1892 at Pella Community Hospital. He was 91 years old. He left no issue.
* The birth of Adriana “Jana” Klijn is registered at OpenArchieven.nl, FindAGrave.com and WikiTree.com as 11 March 1854 in Nieuwland. However, I've looked up the birth records of March 1854 in Nieuwland at the FamilySearch.org website, and there is no record for Adriana's birth at that date at that place. Neither in Leerdam, nor in Lexmond.
Sources: FindAGrave.com, WieWasWie.nl, FamilySearch.org.
