Community Corner

Farmers With Family Ties To Rembrandt: The Van Zandt's Family History

Van Zandt Hook shared unique stories of his family's history in Grayslake during a recent presentation at the Grayslake Historical Society.

Van Zandt Hook of Rockton, formerly of Grayslake, talked about his family, the Van Zandts, and showed historic family pictures during the March meeting of the .

His grandfather Fred worked on and rented Lake County farms before purchasing an 80-acre farm on Route 120 the early 1900s. It was located just east of Atkinson Road in Grayslake, near the current location of Rockenbach Chevrolet.   

Hook related that the Van Zandt family has roots in Europe and some artistic family members were involved in 1627 with the famous artist, Rembrandt. There are also Mayflower descendants in the family tree, Hook said.  

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He told an interesting story about his great-grandfather, George Jones of Chicago. Hook said that with a common name of George Jones, his great-grandfather was often confused with others. Through some bizarre circumstances and a $25 fee, George Jones had his name changed to George Van Zandt. 

Hook's grandfather Fred was born in Chicago and was in the boat-building business in Lake Geneva, Wis. He worked on a farm and rented a farm in Lake County before purchasing the farm in Grayslake. He retired from farming in 1944, Hook said, and worked for several years at the Grayslake Gelatin Co.  

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Fred Van Zandt married Viola Edic and they had seven daughters, including Margaret, Van Hook's mother. Margaret married R. Orville Hook, her classmate at Warren Township High School.  

Margaret Hook was a homemaker and worked at the State of Illinois Vocational Rehabilitation Department. Her husband was a printer and shop foreman at The Grayslake Times (Lakeland Publishers). 

The family lived in homes on South Seymour Avenue and Belvidere Road (Route 120) in Grayslake. At the age of 13 and for a few years thereafter, Margaret played the piano for the silent movies shown at the Star Theatre. Later, phonograph records were used. The entertainment center was established by Pete Newhouse in 1920 and was located at what is now Charlie's Tavern on Center St. It closed around 1929.  

Margaret Hook was also one of the founders of the United Protestant Church in Grayslake and was a well-known pianist playing for many church and social gatherings. Van Hook's presentation included many portrait photos of family members and historical photos of Grayslake and Van Zandt farm and family life.    

The Grayslake Historical Society meets monthly to conduct society business and present a program of historic Grayslake significance for members and guests alike on the second Wednesday evening of the month in the . The meetings begin at 7:30 p.m.  

Future scheduled historical sessions include programs on the Goshgarian family of the Grayslake and Round Lake areas on April 11 and a presentation about the former Frank Sullivan Co. manufacturing plant in Grayslake on May 9.   

The Grayslake Heritage Center and Museum is open from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and during downtown community events.

Contributed by the Grayslake HIstorical Society.  


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