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Note: from HISTORY OF SAN JOAQUIN COUNTY, written abt 1922
Among the more recent acquisitions to the contracting and building industry of the Ripon section of San Joaquin county is Clarence Van Til, who located in this section of the county in 1919, where he purchased a ranch and other valuable real estate. He was born in Groningen, Holland, June 18, 1891, ason of Ite an Til, a native of the same place and a famer all his lifetime. The family, consisting of father, mother, seven girls and two boys, left their native land in 1903 and arrived at Grand Rapids, Michigan April 15, the same year. In the fall of 1903 the father and two sons located on a farm near Ellsworth, Michigan, where the family resided for a number of years. Clarence attended school but a short time. At eighteen years of age he left home and became an apprentice to learn the carpenter's trade at Holland, Michigan, where he worked for one year; then he worked for a contractor for fifteen months, receiving for his work one dollar per day, but out of this saved enough money to return to his home on a visit. In 1911 he went to Grand Rapids, where he worked at his trade for two years. With the money that he was able to save from his two years work, he removed to Denver, Colorado, but one year later returned to Grand Rapids, where he did his first contract work, erecting five residences for J. Van Polen, who later became his father in law. Our subject's mother passed away at the family home at Ellsworth during February, 1905.
On April 5, 1917, at Denver, Colorado, Mr. Van Til was married to Miss Sena Van Polen, born Spetember 7, 1890, in Feerwerd, province of Groningen, Holland, a daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Jongsma) Van Polen, both natives of Friesland, Holland. Jacob Van Polen was a successful merchant in Grand Rapids for twenty-five years. Mr. Van Til continued his contract work in Colorado, working in Denver, Seibert and Cope, where he erected many residences and some business blocks. In Cope, Colorado he erected the bank building and a $10,000 residence for the president of the bank. He then sold his property in Colorado and removed to California, locating at Ripon and during his three years residence in this section he has been active in building. The family are active members of the Christian Reform Church.
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