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Description
On this date, Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen wrote to his friends in the Netherlands to give them a report about his settling in the Holland Colony in Michigan. He left the Netherlands on 27 May and arrived in New York 2 July. He estimated there were already 2000 persons in the Colony. Conditions were difficult causing sickness and death but his family was doing well. His congregation was worshipping in the open air. He was so pleased that the acrimony in the Netherlands was not evident in the Colony. The letter is very informative about the early days of the settlement. He, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, and Rev. Marten Ypma are the three pastors serving there currently.
Date
10-8-1847
City
Zeeland, Michigan
Source
The original documents are held in the Van Raalte Institute.
Rights
This digitized material is intended for personal research/study only. The original documents may not be reproduced for commercial use in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from the Van Raalte Institute.
Recommended Citation
Vander Meulen, Cornelius and ten Hoor, Hebry, "Letter from Cornelius Vander Meulen to His Friends in the Netherlands" (1847). Van Raalte Papers: 1840-1849. 156.
https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/vrp_1840s/156
Notes
In Dutch; translated by Dr. Henry ten Hoor.
Description of the document and reference to the Van Raalte Institute by Dr. Elton J. Bruins.
About the collection:
Elton J. Bruins, long-time professor in the Department of Religion at Hope College, spent years collecting documents by and about Albertus C. Van Raalte, founder of Holland, Michigan and early patron of Hope College. Documents were gathered from dozens of public and private collections, making a nearly exhaustive collection of Van Raalte's writings and reflections. It is these documents that make up the "Van Raalte Papers."
Digitizing the Van Raalte papers was supported by the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York. The project was done in partnership with Heritage Hall at Calvin University, which also digitized its Van Raalte collections.