John William Van Ingen was born 21 May 1906 at Zeeland, Ottawa Co., Michigan, a son of Louis A. and Anna Van Ingen.
        Louis and Anna Van Ingen were immigrants from The Netherlands, departing Rotterdam, Netherlands, on 10 January 1902 aboard the Holland-America Line steamship Rotterdam, arriving at New York City on January 21. According to the passenger manifest, their residence in The Netherlands had been The Hague. Their passage was paid for by J. Brouwer, a friend who lived in their intended destination of South Haven, Michgan. Louis was 24 at the time, occupied as a "smith," and able to read and write; Anna, 26, also able to read and write. Making the trip with them were children Louisa 4, Johanna 2, and Louis, a few months old. 

        John W. Van Ingen first appears in the 1910 census of Holland, Michgan, where his family was enumerated at 304 First Avenue. That year the household consisted of Louis and Anna, and children Louise 11, Anna M. 10, Louis 8, Alice C. 6, John W. 3, and Harold 1.
        In the 1920 census of Holland, the Van Ingens were living at 325 West 14th St. Louis indicated that he had been naturalized in 1914, and was working in a shoe factory. Both he and Anna spoke Dutch as their native tongue. Children in the home included Louis A. 17 born in Netherlands, Alice 15, John 13, Harold, 10, Dorothy 6, Carl 4 yrs 4 mos, and Anna 2 yrs 2 mos, all born in Michigan.

Passenger manifest of the Rotterdam showing the Louis Van Ingen family.

        John enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard in 1929 at Holland, Michigan. The 1930 census of Park Township, Ottawa Co., shows him as a 23 year old surfman living with several other Guardsmen. He reported his birthplace as Michgan and his parents' birthplace as the Netherlands.
        On 27 August 1938 at Zeeland he married Ruth Eva Goozen, born 1 July 1910, in Holland, Ottawa Co., Michigan.
        John eventually received orders for Rock Island Station, where he acted as keeper from July 1952 until July 1955, when he retired. The following recollections come from his son, John Curtis Van Ingen, who was eight years old when his family was transferred to Rock Island:

        "My father enlisted in the Life Saving Service at the Holland Station in 1929. He had black trousers, black tie, white shirt and black uniform double breasted jacket. He wore a dress hat that had a life saving service badge on it (crossed oars over a lifering) rather than the CG shield over anchor. Dad didn't have but one uniform he kept, and it was his best one, as he wished to be buried in it....

        "I recall the man my Dad replaced, CBM Frank Ward, telling him no one had lived on the island in years....I remember how full of cobwebs the place was and how thick the dust and dirt was everywhere inside. Pretty grimy....Dad never went into the dwelling much when I was out on the island with him. I recall some retired Marine Corps officer leased the dwelling from the gov't and Mom & Dad reached some sort of agreement with him to clean it up. Mom and Dad found a place to live there [at Fisher's Landing] for two years after we had lived in Clayton for one year.

        "At the time Dad was there, there was a boathouse on the south side of the island, the dwelling, a workbuilding/office, a metal generator bulding and a large buoy shed. At one time I believe three men were assigned there...."

        John Van Ingen was relived from duty at Rock Island in July 1955 by Dennis "Pat" Carroll. Carroll recalls Van Ingen, who had lived on the mainland under the Coast Guard's "subsistence and quarters" program, told him that the house at Rock Island was unliveable and "condemned" during his tenure.

Van Ingen being relieved from duty at Rock Island by Pat Carroll.

        After retirement, John and Ruth resided at Holland, Michigan. On 7 December 1976, John died at Grand Rapids, Kent Co., Michigan. Ruth died on 12 May 2000 at Holland.