Résumé

Principal, Enoch A. Van Dalsem, Building Contractor, San Jose, CA, 1892. (See San Jose, California, City Directory, 1892, p. 472.)

Conductor, presumably of a street railway in San Jose, 1896. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1896,; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 126; FHL Roll Number: 977290, accessed 07/18/2023.)

Relocation

The carpenter and building contractor Enoch Van Dalsem was born c. 1836 in IN. The 1850 US Census found Enoch living with his father Samuel Van Dalsem in La Porte, IN. The household included Enoch's siblings Louisa Van Dalsem (born c. 1827 in IN); Henry Clay Van Dalsem, Sr., (born 09/01/1830 in IN-d. 07/23/1869) then a teamster; William Van Dalsem (born c. 1833 in IN), also a teamster; Enness Van Dalsem (born c. 1840 in IN), who was in school; and Joanna Van Dalsem (born c. 1843 in IN), then 7. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M432; Residence Date: 1850; Home in 1850: La Porte, La Porte, Indiana; Roll: 157; Page: 269b, accessed 07/18/2023.)

Enoch had relocated to San Jose, CA, by at least 1860. He likely traveled to CA with his elder brother Henry Clay Van Dalsem, Sr., and Henry's wife Henrietta Burnell Galyean (born 02/02/1832 in IN-d. 05/29/1890 in San Jose, CA). A child of Henry and Henriietta, Henry Clay "Harry" Van Dalsem, Jr. , had been born in CA in 1858, suggesting that Enoch may have been in the state by this time.

In 1860, Enoch Van Dalsem lived with Henrietta and Henry Clay Van Dalsem, Sr., in San Jose. Both Enoch and Henry worked as carpenters. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives in Washington D.C.; Record Group: Records of the Bureau of the Census; Record Group Number: 29; Series Number: M653; Residence Date: 1860; Home in 1860: San Jose, Santa Clara, California; Roll: M653_65; Page: 318; Family History Library Film: 803065, accessed 07/18/2023.) Voter records of 1867 indicated that Enoch worked as a carpenter and lived in San Jose. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1867; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 124; FHL Roll Number: 977287, accessed 07/18/2023.)

Henry Clay Van Dalsem died in 1869, and the following year his widow Henrietta Galyean Van Dalsem continued to live with Enoch A. Van Dalsem.The 1870 US Census located the Van Dalsem household in San Jose, and it included carpenter Enoch A. Van Dalsem, Henrietta Burnell Galyean and his nephew Harry Van Dalsem (born c. 1859 in CA), niece Jennie Van Dalsem (born c. 1865 in CA), and nephew Enoch Van Dalsem (born 1867 in CA). After his brother Henry's death, Enoch helped to raise his children with Henrietta Burnell Galyean: Henry Clay Van Dalsem, Jr. and Enoch Van Dalsem.

By 1880, he lived with his wife Ada M. Van Dalsem (born c. 1846 in OH) and their 15-year-old daughter Laverne A, Van Dalsem on 9th Street in San Jose's 3rd Ward. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1880; Census Place: San Jose, Santa Clara, California; Roll: 81; Page: 33B; Enumeration District: 243, accessed 07/18/2023.)

In 1892, Van Dalsem lived at 297 East Saint John Street in Santa Clara County. CA. (See San Jose, California, City Directory, 1892, p. 472.) He remained living at this location in 1896, according to voter records. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1896,; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 126; FHL Roll Number: 977290, accessed 07/18/2023.)

In 1892, Enoch A. Van Dalsem, (born 1867-d. 06/29/1939 in San Rafael, CA) also worked as a carpenter (perhaps for his uncle) and lived on Latewana Street near Saint James. (See San Jose, California, City Directory, 1892, p. 472.) By 1910, nephew Enoch A. Van Dalsem, lived at 114 D Street in San Rafael, CA, with his second wife Henrietta C. Shoberg Van Dalsem (born 05/14/1869 in KS-d. 08/02/1921 in Martinez, CA) and their son Burnell Van Dalsem born 07/27/1907 in San Rafael, CA-d. 10/16/1977 in San Rafael, CA). He continued to work as a carpenter at the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: San Rafael, Marin, California; Roll: T624_88; Page: 32a; Enumeration District: 0047; FHL microfilm: 1374101, accessed 07/18/2023.)

In 1892, Enoch's nephew, Henry Clay Van Dalsem, Jr., lived on Latewana Street near Saint James Street, likely with the younger Enoch, and also was a carpenter. (See San Jose, California, City Directory, 1892, p. 472.) His brother Enness F. Van Dalsem also worked as a carpenter, and resided at 323 East San Antonio Street in 1892. (See San Jose, California, City Directory, 1892, p. 472.) The Van Dalsems may have worked as a building crew for Enoch's contracting firm.

He died at age 61 on 11/18/1897 in San Jose. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Archives; Sacramento, California; Index to Records of Death, v. A - C (1873 - 1905); County or Organization: Santa Clara County; GSU Film Number: 1468515, accessed 07/18/2023.)

Parents

His father Samuel Brevoort Van Dalsem 08/18/1801 in NJ-d. 1856 in IN) worked as a La Porte, IN, machinist in 1850. He wed Enoch's mother Judith Harrison Arnold (born 02/24/1804-d. 04/10/1845 in IN) on 03/18/1822 in IN. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. Indiana, U.S., Marriages, 1810-2001 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 07/18/2023.) Judith passed away prematurely at age 44.

By 1870, Samuel lived with his daughters Joanna and Louisa and her husband Franklin Atkins (born c. 1830 in MA), a saloonkeeper in Valparaiso, IN. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Valparaiso Ward 1, Porter, Indiana; Roll: M593_351; Page: 131B, accessed 07/18/2023.) It appears that Samuel was retired by age 69.

According to Santa Clara County will and probate records, siblings of Enoch may have included: Henry Clay Van Dalsem, Sr., (born 09/01/1830 in IN-d. 07/23/1869 in CA), Catherine Atkins, Arvilla J Van Dalsem, Elouisa Atkins, Eunice Winchell, E.F. Van Dalsem, William Van Dalsem, and Enness Van Dalsem. (See Ancestry.com Source Citation Will Books and Probate Records, Ca. 1850-1912, With Index; Author: California. Superior Court (Santa Clara County), accessed 07/18/2023.)

Spouse

He wed Ada M. Van Dalsem (born c. 1846 in OH). Records are scarce about Ada, although she lived in Stockton, CA, in 1901, after Enoch's death, residing at 7 East Magnolia Street. (See Stockton City and San Joaquin County, California, City Directory, 1900-1901, p. 230.)

Children

It appears that he had one daughter with his wife Ada, Laverne Van Dalsem (born c. 1865 in CA).

Biographical Notes

Voter records of 1896 listed Enoch Arnold "Van Dalsen" as standing 5-feet, 10-inches tall, with a "medium" Caucasian complexion, blue eyes and gray hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1896,; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 126; FHL Roll Number: 977290, accessed 07/18/2023.)