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.
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Pamphlet "Eene Stem Uit Pella"
Hendrik P. Scholte
A pamphlet by Hendrik P. Scholte, entitled, Eene Stemuit Pella, Amsterdam, Hoogkamer & Company, 63 pp. The appendices include: The Christian Intelligencer note regarding the settlement in Michigan under A. C. Van Raalte; in the same publication, a note from the Classis of Illinois which wants to help the large number of Dutch immigrants coming to the Middle West; notes from a letter of Rev. Thomas De Witt, of New York, January 27, 1848, to Scholte; an Act of the Iowa Legislature, authorizing elections in the Township of Lake Prairie [where Pella is located?], Jan. 22, 1848; a map of the State of Iowa, showing the County of Marion and the settlement of Pella; and a map of the Townships 76 and 77, Rage 18 North where Pella was located.
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"Tweede Stem Uit Pella" Pamphlet
Hendrik P. Scholte
A pamphlet by Hendrik P. Scholte, entitled, Tweede Stemuit Pella, met twee platen. Te' Bosch, bij II. Palier en Zoon. No date is given but "1848" is written by hand on the title page. In avoorwoord, the date, 29 November, 1848, is given. Detailed maps of both Amsterdam and Pella are appended to the pamphlet.
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Letter Reporting from George N. Smith to William A. Richmond
George N. Smith
In a report to William A. Richmond, Acting Superintendent of Indian Affairs at Detroit, Michigan, Rev. George N. Smith wrote that he again taught school the past winter. There were 15 Indian scholars and 7 white scholars. Meetings on the Sabbath were well attended. The cause of temperance has not advanced. The Indians have become dissatisfied with this location and wish to move farther north. They plan to move next spring and have begun selling their land for three to eight dollars an acre.
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A Deed of Land Purchased by Van Raalte from Several Indians at Old Wing Mission
George N. Smith and Arvella A. Smith
Photostatic copy of a deed of a land purchase by A. C. Van Raalte from several Indians at Old Wing Mission. George N. Smith and Arvella A. Smith are two of the witnesses. Smith also signed as Justice of the Peace.
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Letter from E. C. Southworth to Governor E. Ransom
E. C. Southworth
A letter of E. C. Southworth to Governor E. Ransom. The writer says that "believing thus Mr. Littlejohn bill for appropriation of Land for the benefit of the Holland Colony will receive that attention at the hands of the Legislature which we in this part of the state think it merits and thus a commissioner will be appointed to cary [sic] out the design of the law. I would respectfully solicit the appointment to that office if it can be done consistiently [sic] with your feelings and with a view to the public good,..."
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Record of Land Purchase by Van Raalte of 80 Acres for $100.00
State Land Office of Michigan
A record of a land purchase by Van Raalte of eighty acres for $100.00, at the government price of $1.25 per acre. The purchase was made at the S‘te Land Office in Marshall, certificate no. 2850.
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Record of Land Purchase by Van Raalte of 80 Acres of $100
State Land Office of Michigan
A record of a land purchase by Van Raalte of eighty acres of $100.00, at the government price of $1.25 per acre. The purchase was made at the State Land Office in Marshall, certificate no. 2646.
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Record of Land Purchased by Van Raalte of 40 Acres for $50.00
State Land Office of Michigan
A record of a land purchase by Van Raalte of 40 acres for $50.00, at the government price of $1.25 per acre. The purchase was made at the State Land Office in Marshall, certificate no. 2854.
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Letter from Chas. E. Stuart to A. C. Van Raalte
Chas E. Stuart
A letter of Chas. E. Stuart to A. C. Van Raalte. Stuart is responding to a request of A.C.V.R. for a post office in de Kolonie.
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Letter of Recommendation for Commissioners
C. H. Taylor, S. G. Harris, and Rix Robinson
"To his excellency, Gov. Ransom: We hereby recommend Floris J. Littlejohn and John A. Brooks as suitable persons to be appointed commissioners under the acts appropriating lands for the benefit of the Holland Colony and also for building a bridge across ? Muskegon River etc." Signed by C. H. Taylor, S. G. Harris and Rix Robinson.
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Report of the Meeting of the General Synod of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North America
The Board of Domestic Missions and John Gosman
A report is made at the meeting of the General Synod of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in North America (RCA) of the "Western Department" by the Board of Domestic Missions, John Gosman, chairman and pastor of the Reformed Church of Hudson, New York. Excerpts from the report: The missionaries speak particularly of the necessity of sustaining our enterprise at Grand Rapids, not only on account of the importance of the place, but also because a large colony of Hollanders, consisting of some three thousand souls—to which, during the present season, there will be large accessions—have located themselves in that vicinity. Other denominations are using active measures to bring them under their influence, while we, who are of the same origin, springing from the same branch of the Reformation, and adopting the same standards, are doing nothing but exposing them to be swallowed up by men of every name and every creed. These settlers are for the most part men of property and of the highest moral and religious character, and have come over with strong preferences for the Reformed Dutch Church. (p. 425) At the conclusion of the report, it was made known who had been elected from the double slate to the Board of Domestic Missions. The list contains some of the most distinguished members of the RCA: Thomas De Witt, Isaac Ferris, Mancius S. Hutton, George W. Bethune, Abraham Messler, John Garretson, William J. R. Taylor, Isaac N. Wyckoff, James Romeyn, and Theodore Frelinghuysen for a total of 24 men. John Garretson later became the executive secretary of the board with whom Albertus C. Van Raalte had much correspondence. The whole report indicates the struggles of the RCA to enlarge its mission work in the United States in spite of limited funds and personnel.
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Eight Abstract of Title Records
The City of Holland, Ottowa County, Michigan
Eight abstract of title records. The first one records the sale of property to the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte by the United States government; the second, dated July 21, 1848, is the sale by the trustees of the village [A.C.V.R., J. Van der Vere (sic) Jan Slag, J. A. Verhorst, and J. Schrader] of Holland to "The Public." The others are Isaac Merritt to Susan Hart, Henry and Klaas Brouwer and wives to Pieter and Jantje Kok, A.C.V.R. to George Harrington, George Harrington to Charles P. March, John P. Marsh to John Roost, and John Roost to Peter Van A[an]rooy. The handwriting is identical on all the records.
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Law No. 32, An ACT Appropriating Certain Internal Improvement Lands for the Benefit of the Holland Colony, and Other Immigrants, Now Settling in the Counties of Ottawa and Allegan.
The State of Michigan
Law No. 32, AN ACT appropriating certain internal improvement lands for the benefit of the Holland Colony, and other immigrants, now settling in the counties of Ottawa and Allegan. Section 1. Four thousand acres are appropriated for the construction of a "suitable and substantial wharf or pier upon the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, at the mouth of the north Black River....to induce and facilitate the landing from steamboats and other vessels, of all emigrants. Sec. 2. "In addition to the above, three thousand acres are hereby appropriated from the internal improvement lands, for the purpose of laying out, opening and improving certain roads in the counties of Allegan, Kent and Ottawa. The roads from Grand Haven, Grandville and Allegan will be "terminated at such point or points, within the limits of the present settlement of the Holland Colony..." There are five more sections dealings with the details of carrying out the law including the appointment of a commissioner who shall receive a salary of $3.00 per day.
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Letter from A. C. Van Raalte to John Ball
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of A.C.V.R. to John Ball, Grand Rapids, on business matters.
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Page of Van Raalte's Account Book
A. C. Van Raalte and Henry ten Hoor
A page from the account book of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte which states that he owes [Jan] Binnekant $97.68 for property, lumber, and potatoes.
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Letter from Albertus C. Van Raalte to John Ball
Albertus C. Van Raalte
A letter of A.C.V.R. to John Ball, Grand Rapids, on business matters. In only a year after the founding of the Colony, A.C.V.R. is able to conduct some business matters in the English language and able to write in English.
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Letter from Albertus C. Van Raalte to John Ball
Albertus C. Van Raalte
A letter of A.C.V.R. to John Ball, Grand Rapids, on business matters. He is writing on behalf of two people who wish to buy property from John Ball.
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Letter from Albertus C. Van Raalte to Theodore Romeyn
Albertus C. Van Raalte
A letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to Theodore Romeyn, of Detroit, in which Van Raalte expresses regret that now "you are gone." The letter implies that Romeyn has left Detroit. V.R. remembers fondly the hospitality of Romeyn when V.R. and his wife were there. V.R. particularly thanked Romeyn for the part he played in the decision to stay in Michigan and settle in western Michigan.
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Letter from Albertus C. Van Raalte to Andries N. Wormser
Albertus C. Van Raalte and Walter Lagerwey
A letter of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte to Andries N. Wormser of Amsterdam, about Michigan's weather. One day there is deep snow and the next, a soft wind will melt it all. V.R. also heard about the disaster on Lake Michigan when the steamship, the Phoenix, burned with great loss of life. Many immigrants from Varseveld and Winterswijk were on board. Van Raalte has had much trial of soul but he writes: "Oh may He now plant this people to the praise of His name, and grant us knowledge and godliness in providing for our material needs."
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Classis of Holland Meeting Minutes
C. Vermeulen and J. A. Verhorst
The fall meeting of the Classis of Holland, held in the home of elder H. Broek. Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen [spelled Vermeulen] is president and J. A. Verhorst is clerk. Art. 8 reads: By Rev. Van der Meulen the assembly is informed that an invitation has been received from the Dutch [Duitsch in the original] Church, or the Old Holland church, to attend their Synodical assemblies. However, although it is acknowledged that we should seek greater intercourse with one another, and that it is a requirement of love to exercise fellowship; nevertheless, at this moment it is difficult to do so, because of the pressure of local business and the difficulties connected with a new settlement.
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Letter to the Editors of the Grand River Eagle
J. Walker
A letter to the editors of the Grand River Eagle from a Mr. J. W--- (whom, I assume is, Walker, the school teacher in Zeeland. The letter was written October 2nd, 1848. The writer claims to write to the Yankees who need a better understanding of what is going on in the Colony. He particularly says much about the crops and produce, deploring the mistakes many Hollanders made in their farming methods, many of which don't work well in America. There seems to be no shortage of foodstuffs in the Colony. Walker gives quite a different kind of report than those which appear later in the Eagle. The letter is full of important information about the Colony.
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"The Hollanders and the Colony" Report in the Grand River Eagle
J. Walker
A report on "The Hollanders and the Colony," which appeared in the Grand River Eagle, p. 2., mainly from a Mr. J. Walker, an American school teacher in Zeeland. This gentleman's students are mainly adults learning the English language. There is also a school using the Dutch language. The village of Zeeland contains "50 to 100 houses". The area is "fast becoming a garden of the choicest kind." The colonists are a "reading and writing people." "When these people arrive, the first thing done is to buy a piece of land; the second is to commence chopping; the third to plant and make a fence, and lastly build a house.
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Article Written by Peter Waukazoo
Peter Waukazoo
An article written by Peter Waukazoo and quoted by Hyma, p. 162. About a land sale to A.C.V.R.
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Letter from A. N. Wormser to J. A. Wormser
A. N. Wormser and Walter Lagerwey
A long letter written by A. N. Wormser to J. A. Wormser, providing much information about the family migration to Iowa in considerable detail. A. N. Wormser paints a very negative picture of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte and his colonizing efforts in Michigan, negative to the point of being slanderous. A.N.W. also writes negatively of Rev. Hendrik P. Scholte. Wormser takes a very dim view of the American way of doing things. Attached to his letter is a description of a cattle round-up.
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A Deed for the Purchase of 1,656.5 Acres from Courtland Palmer by Van Raalte for the Sum of $3,840.47
A deed for the purchase of 1,656.5 acres from Courtland Palmer by Van Raalte for the sum of $3,840.47.
