DEGROOT, JERRY, a prosperous farmer and stock raiser, stands very well among the Cass County agriculturists for he is a man of ability, experience and pleasant social qualities. He owns eighty acres of valuable land on section 29, township 18, range 8, which he has improved to a considerable extent. He was born in Menard County, Ill., January 31, 1868, a son of Joachim and Anna (Aden) DeGroot, natives of Germany. The father was a farmer and he and the mother came from Germany at an early day, locating first in Menard County, Ill., but later moving to Cass County, Ill., where both died.

Jerry DeGroot was educated in the country schools and brought up on his father's farm. Having devoted his life of hard work to agricultural pursuits, he understands this line of endeavor thoroughly, and naturally is an expert in it. On March 10, 1897, Mr. DeGroot was married in Cass County to Nellie Masten, born November 16, 1878, who died August 16, 1914. She was a daughter of James and Nancy S. (Combs) Masten. The Masten family history is given elsewhere in this work. Mr. and Mrs. DeGroot have had the following children: James, Anna, Joachim, Silas and Nancy Pauline, all of whom were born in Cass County. In politics Mr. DeGroot is a Republican, but has held no offices. He is not connected with any religious denomination.