I was not the first Cora to enter into the Pruim family by marriage. I was the second. I entered my marriage in 2013. That was 92 years after Cornelia “Cora” Klein Pruim.

I would love to have met Cora. People have told me that their grandmother’s name was Cora. For the longest time, I never knew another person named Cora. I thought I was the only one. It was not until I was over 30, I was at a shop, and someone was saying “Cora, Cora, Cora,” but no one I knew was around. No one was even looking at me. I believe, if I remember right, the lady was looking for her young daughter. That was the first time I had heard of someone my age or younger with the same name as me.

There has been only one time I met another Cora. I lived in Michigan for about a year and a half. A company was walking around checking on their customers. The lady was training on her first day when she came to my door! It was weird for me to meet another person with the same name. Many people might not feel the same way as me, but they probably know many people with the same name. There are a lot of Roberts, Sarahs, Rachels, etc. Not many Coras to even get personalized items like key chains, necklaces, etc.

So let’s talk about the first Cora Pruim, as far as we know, in my husband’s family.

Cornelia “Cora” Klein Pruim

A few months before Cornelia was born, the 1900 United States Federal Census for Henry and Mary Klein was taken on the 1st of June. Henry and Mary were renting a house at 93 Merril Avenue. At that time, Henry was a Coachman. They were both from the Netherlands. Mary probably immigrated at the age of 6 in 1882 with her family. Henry might have immigrated in 1866 or 1867 when he was 21. In 1900, both of Cornelia’s parents could read, write, and speak English¹.

Cornelia was born on 6 September 1900 in Muskegon, Michigan. She was the first-born child: her parents, Hendrik “Henry” Cornelius and Maartje “Martha” Klein². Henry was 33, and Martha was 24 at the time.

By the time of the 1910 U.S. Federal Census, 4 more girls and 1 boy were born. The family had moved to 143 6th St in Muskegon within the previous 10 years. Henry owned the house for free. Henry and Martha spoke Dutch since they were from Holland. He was the driver of a bakery wagon around 1910. Cornelia’s parents could read while Cora and 2 of her sisters, Martha, and Rena, were in school. All the while, Cornelia’s youngest 2 sisters, Nellie and Tresa, and her brother Cornelius are at home³.

The foreign performers, trained animals, and incredible stunts of the Adam Forepaugh and Sells Brothers Circus probably awed Cornelia in 1910.

In 1913, Cornelia lived in Muskegon, Michigan, when a devastating storm furiously slammed the Great Lakes. This storm was the deadliest and most destructive natural disaster to hit the lakes in recorded history. The Great Lakes Storm killed more than 250 people, destroyed 19 ships, and stranded 19 others. All that happened around a year before her brother Garit was born. Then about a year later, her brother Derk H. was born. 

Cornelia’s brother Henry C. Jr was born⁴. She may have witnessed one of the “Palmer Raids” during the first “Red Scare,” probably read the newspaper accounts about the Paris Peace Conference nationalization of 4-H programs happened. This was before the 1920 U.S. Federal Census. In 1920, Cornelia still lived with her parents at 10 John St. She worked as a liner at the motor works, possibly Continental Motor Works, with her father. Henry worked as a machinist, both for wages, not salary⁵.  

Married Life

Cornelia married Tammo “Thomas” Pruim in Muskegon on 2 June 1921. She started using the nickname Cora at this time. They were married by Pastor Harry Bultema. He wrote the book “Maranatha.” It was ruled in conflict with the confession of faith. He was removed as Pastor of the First Church o-f Muskegon. He started the Berean Church in Muskegon. Thomas and Cora may have been one of the 260 families that stood with the Pastor and left the denomination. The Berean Church was later known as Anchor Point Bible Church⁶. Here is the history of the church https://anchorpointbiblechurch.com/about-us/.

Six months later, Cora’s brother Garit died from a hemorrhage from either the spleen, liver, or kidney from an auto accident⁷.

Cora gave birth to 1 daughter, Maribell, and 4 sons, Clarence Donald; Henry R.; Lawrence; and Robert J., in the next 8 years. On March 15, 1930, Cora’s mother died at the age of 54⁸. Cora lived at 1387 Sixth Street with Thomas and the children. They own this house valued at $2,000 which would cost a little over $31,000 today. They did own a radio set. Cora was probably a homemaker as she had no occupation, while Thomas was a cabinet maker in a factory⁹.

Cora may have been part of the majority celebrated in Muskegon when the 21st Amendment ended national alcohol prohibition on December 5, 1933. Also, she may have assisted while living in Muskegon when the government programs started by the first “New Deal.” Two years later, her daughter Dorothea M. was born. That is right around the time Cora likely faced hardships like joblessness and scant resources during the Great Depression. 

During the 1940 Census, the enumerator (the one who asked the questions) had spelled their name Pruine. I have seen the last name spelled differently; this is not the first, nor the last time I will see Pruim spelled wrong. They had all 6 children living in the home at the same house.  By this time, Thomas was an inspector at a refrigeration plant. His income was about $1,000 ($15,597.25 today)¹⁰. Cora’s life probably revolved around the war effort during World War II. 

Cora’s father, Henry, passed away on January 7 in 1941, at 73¹¹. She most likely lived in Muskegon when the United States declared war on Japan just one day after the attack on Pearl Harbor that killed 2,400 Americans. Cora’s family and friends probably worked hard in Michigan to support the war effort and defeat the Axis powers from 1941-1945. She was likely shocked when Harry S. Truman suddenly became president of the United States in 1945. Then at the close of World War II, Cora might have taken part in V-J Day celebrations in Muskegon.

Cora’s son, Clarence Donald, passed away on April 27, 1961¹², seven months before his son was born. About a month later, on May 27th, Cora passed away at 60 years old. She is buried in Muskegon, Michigan, at Oakwood Cemetery¹³.

1. 1900 United States Federal Census, Muskegon Ward 6, Muskegon, Michigan; page 2, family 24, dwelling24, lines 31-32; June 1, 1900; FHL microfilm:1240734
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2. Michigan, County Births, 1867-1917,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6793-78S?cc=1923472&wc=4VWM-MPG%3A218910201%2C218953201: 11 September 2019), Muskegon > Births 1899-1902 vol 6 > image 48 of 168; various county courts, Michigan.
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3. United States Census, 1910,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRNL-JWR?cc=1727033&wc=QZZQ-735%3A133637101%2C141027101%2C141070101%2C1589089862: 24 June 2017), Michigan > Muskegon > Muskegon Ward 6 > ED 90 > image 29 of 58; citing NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.) ↩︎
4. Ancestry.com during the next couple of years. U.S., Dutch Christian Reformed Church Membership Records, 1856-1970 [database online]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015 ↩︎
5. United States Census, 1920,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRX7-K5F?cc=1488411&wc=QZJ5-FJW%3A1036472001%2C1039188501%2C1039237001%2C1589332929: 11 September 2019), Michigan > Muskegon > Muskegon Precinct 13 > ED 136 > image 29 of 48; citing NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.) ↩︎
6. Michigan Department of Community Health, Division of Vital Records and Health Statistics; Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan, Marriage Records, 1867-1952; Film: 158; Film Description: 1921 Midland-1921 St Joseph ↩︎
7. Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFQK-ZM3 : 13 March 2018), Garit H Klein, 16 Dec 1921; citing Muskegon, Muskegon, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,973,035. ↩︎
8. Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/134963781/mary-klein : accessed 15 January 2021), memorial page for Mary Klein (1876–15 Mar 1930), Find a Grave Memorial ID 134963781, citing Oakwood Cemetery, Muskegon, Muskegon County, Michigan, USA ; Maintained by butterfly (contributor 48255501) ↩︎
9. United States Census, 1930,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GRHD-7G8?cc=1810731&wc=QZF3-PL7%3A648805801%2C651110301%2C651118701%2C1589282354 : 8 December 2015), Michigan > Muskegon > Muskegon > ED 27 > image 38 of 46; citing NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002). ↩︎
10. 1940 United States Census, Muskegon City, Muskegon, Michigan;p:5A, family 99, dwelling 1387, lines 12-19; April 10, 1940; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls. ↩︎
11. ”Michigan Death Certificates, 1921-1952,” database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KFQK-ZMQ: 13 March 2018), Henry Klein in the entry for Garit H Klein, 16 Dec 1921; citing Muskegon, Muskegon, Michigan, United States, Division for Vital Records and Health Statistics, Lansing; FHL microfilm 1,973,035 ↩︎
12. ”United States, GenealogyBank Obituaries, 1980-2014,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QKRD-QGG8: accessed 20 January, 2021), Clarence in the entry for Robert J Pruim, Michigan, United States, 07 Aug 2007; from “Recent Newspaper Obituaries (1977 – Today),” database, GenealogyBank.com (http://www.genealogybank.com: 2014); citing Muskegon Chronicle, The, born-digital text. ↩︎
13. Find a Grave, database and images (www.findagrave.com/memorial/148167460/cornelia-k.-pruim: accessed 15 January 2021), memorial page for Cornelia K. “Cora” Pruim (1900–23 May 1961), Find a Grave Memorial ID 148167460, citing Oakwood Cemetery, Muskegon, Muskegon County, Michigan, USA; Maintained by butterfly (contributor 48255501) ↩︎