Van Raalte Papers: 1850-1859

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  Letter from John Van Vleck to A. C. Van Raalte

  John Van Vleck

  A letter from John Van Vleck to A.C.V.R., responding to A.C.V.R.'s letter to him, dated November 12. Van Vleck has now moved to Kingston. Apparently A.C.V.R. promised to pay him what the Academy owed and, therefore, the tone of the letter is more cordial. He hopes that AC.V.R. will see him in Kingston.

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  Letter from John Van Vleck to A. C. Van Raalte

  John Van Vleck

  A long, nine-page letter of John Van Vleck to A.C.V.R., in which Van Vleck outlines his grievances with A.C.V.R. A.C.V.R. had accused him of "abusing his countrymen in my writings.- Van Vleck denies the charge although he admits he does not like a few of them. Van Vleck also had to clarify Academy finances. Wynand Wichers refers to this letter in A Century of Hope, pp. 50-52. This is an important document. Unfortunately, the letter is not in good condition and parts of it are missing.

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  Letter from John Van Vleck to A. C. V. R.

  John Van Vleck

  A letter from John Van Vleck to A.C.V.R. on business matters. The Academy still owed Van Vleck money for his services in the amount of $956.10. Van Vleck is writing in a formal style.

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  Letter to the Editor Published in the Christian Intelligencer

  Samuel A. Van Vranken, William H. Campbell, and Samuel M. Woodbridge

  A letter of this date to the editor was published December 8, 1859 in The Christian Intelligencer endorsed the Holland Academy. The writers are professors at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary. They conclude their letter by saying, "In closing, the undersigned declare their strong conviction, that there have been as few errors of judgment in the management of the Holland Academy as could be expected in any business which fallible men managed." The signers are S[amuel] A. Van Vranken, W[illia]m H. Campbell, and S[amuel] M. Woodbridge.

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  Letter from A. C. V. R. to Philip Phelps

  A. C. V. R.

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps about the Van Vleck lots. The lots are needed for the Academy. A.C.V.R. has plans also to remove the street through the Academy grounds.

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  Letter from A. C. V. R. to Philip Phelps

  A. C. V. R.

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting that Rev. Thomas de Witt visited the Colony. Also, "the lots of the Misses Van Vleck were given to me by them in the way of a present for the instruction of my children,..."

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  Letter from A. C. V. R. to John Roost

  A. C. V. R. and Simone Kennedy

  A letter of the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte to John Roost who is canvassing people in the East hoping to sell them bonds for the development of the Holland Harbor. Roost had written from Albany, New York, on July 11 concerning his efforts. Van Raalte sent this letter to the General Synod board rooms at 61 Franklin St. in New York City, in care of a Mr. W. Ferris. V.R. reported on the crop situation. He adds a cryptic sentence: "I did not yet talk to anybody, so I have not been tempted to relate our unfavorable circumstances." This may refer to the difficulties Roost has had with the township board which accused him of not turning over all the funds Roost collected the previous year for the harbor.

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  Letter from A. C. V. R. to John Roost

  A. C. V. R. and Simone Kennedy

  A letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to John Roost who is canvassing out East on behalf of the Holland Harbor bond program. He also sends this letter to the Synod board rooms on Franklin Street, which I assume are in New York City. A Rev. Strijker of New York was in Holland and Van Raalte showed him the progress being made on the development of the harbor. Rev. Thomas De Witt is expected to visit Holland next week. V.R. has been sick but he is writing this letter at 11.30 p.m. on Saturday night. He wants to get this letter written so that he can send it along with Philip Phelps who was leaving for Albany on Monday. V.R. acknowledged receipt of two sums of money in the amounts of $600 and $650. The drought in Holland is "critical."

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  Letter from Mr. J. C. Waal to A. C. Van Raalte Published in De Hollander

  J. C. Waal and Henry ten Hoor

  A Mr. J. C. Waal of Kalamazoo wrote the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte on 9 July saying that "our Minister" (Rev. Hendrik C. Klijn, pastor of First Reformed Church) suffered a broken hip, having fallen through loose boards on a sidewalk after conducting a funeral. He will be incapacitated for several weeks and may have a permanent injury requiring the use of a crutch. The letter was published by editor H. Doesburg in De Hollander on 21 July.

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  Meeting Notes on the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, H. Broek, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte was not present, Elder Broek was chosen to preside. A letter from the pastor was read. Matters of business and church discipline were discussed.

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  Meeting Notes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte had returned from his trip to Pella and was again able to preside at the consistory meeting of the First Reformed Church. A few routine matters were dealt with, followed by a report by the pastor on "the spiritual and temporal state of affairs in Pella..."

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  Meeting Notes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, new members were received including William and Peter Moerdyk. [Apparently they were students in the academy at this time; they became key leaders in the RCA during their ministry.] It was reported that the new well would cost $28.50. It was ordered that the sermon preached by the pastor at the classical meeting in Grand Rapids be printed and 175 copies ordered for the congregation.

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  Meeting Notes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, a dispute of two members had to be settled about business matters. One party had expressed ill will against the consistory. Both men apparently were owed money by the church. One member owed money said that he had experienced "enough grief' in the building of the church and the wounds were not yet healed.

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  Meeting Notes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a consistory meeting of the First Reformed Church at which Elder J. Labots presided because the pastor, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, was absent with notice. Gerrit Wakker served as clerk. The consistory decided that 75 cents a week was sufficient for the care of an orphan child by a family of the church. The foster parents asked for $1.25 a week. The carpenters who built the church are asking for interest on the amount owed them by the congregation. Wakker was assigned the task of catechising in the absence of the pastor.

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  Meeting Notes on the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, the pastor made a lengthy plea for adequate support for the parochial school. If the school lets go of this school, the children will receive their education "by the world." Mrs. Christina Van Raalte made a plea on behalf of a member who was in desperate need because a member of the church did not pay his bill. Three women of the congregation, representatives of the Ladies Society, appeared before consistory, one of whom was Mrs. Van Raalte, requesting that a well be placed near the church necessary for cleaning purposes. Consistory agreed and expressed their thanks to the ladies for their ongoing concern for cleanliness. The deacons were assigned the task of getting the well dug.

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  Notes on the Meeting of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church, Elder J. Labots again presided because it was mentioned that the pastor, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, had departed for Pella, Iowa. G. Wakker served as the clerk. The case of a fraudulent land deal was brought to the consistory for judgment. The consistory delivered its opinion and told the gentlemen involved to settle their differences. The hour was late and time to end the meeting.

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  Meeting Notes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, Keppel, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte was not present, Elder Keppel was chosen to preside. Rev. Giles van de Wall was present because of matters which would be coming up at the congregational meeting. A difficult domestic matter had been settled. Another one was presented. A meeting was to be arranged with a person who has been accused of theft. Monies collected on Thanksgiving Day were designated for the poor and the academy. It was decided to make improvements on the school of the congregation and if possible, build a new building for it.

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  Meeting Notes on the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, T Keppel, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte was not present due to his fund-raising trip out East, Elder Teunis Keppel again presided. More time was spent on the alleged theft of a church member. Some witnesses were also present. The issue was settled with a decision by the consistory.

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  Meeting Notes on the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, T. Keppel, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church of Holland at which Pastor Albertus C. Van Raalte was not present, Elder Teunis Keppel presided instead. Much of the time was spent with a lengthy report about an alleged theft on the part of a member of the congregation. A committee of consistory was appointed to meet with this person separately. G. Wakker, the clerk, and Teunis Keppel were appointed the committee.

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  Meeting Notes on the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, T. Keppel, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a consistory meeting of the First Reformed Church, Elder Teunis Keppel presided in the absence of the pastor, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, who was still out East fund-raising. Rev. Giles van de Wall was present. The pastor requested the consistory's permission to stay longer out East. "The consistory judges that this request must be granted. Some of the brothers, however, express their consternation, because no permission was asked and no time specifically specified. Whereupon, it was decided that the resolution will contain language expressing this feeling." Van de Wall wrote the resolution that was accepted by the consistory. Van de Wall would also help out with the preaching as well as Rev. Pieter J. Oggel if he were staying around. The pews will be rented out this year on 31 December. Members who cannot afford to pay are to check with Deacon Te Roller prior to that date.

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  Meeting Notes on the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, B. H. Ploeg, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided, consistory voted to raised the pastor's salary to $800 per year of which $100 was for housing. Since it would be difficult to meet this salary, it was proposed to ask the Board of Education of the denomination for a stipend of $200. This was not agreed to; rather the subject would be taken up at the next congregational meeting.

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  Meeting Notes on the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, G. van de Wall, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  At a meeting of the congregation of the First Reformed Church, a report of the finances was made. Apparently Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte was not present but Rev. Giles Van de Wall was. Total expenditures amounted to $948.06. The poor and school funds were short. Van de Wall "powerfully addressed the meeting" about the salary of the pastor. Then it was discussed how the goal could be reached. The amount of $800 for the pastor was approved unanimously with the exception of one negative vote. Negligent members were to be admonished to pay their share. The motion to enlarge the school of the congregation was voted down.

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  Printed Flyer Asking for Donations

  Isaac N. Wyckoff

  A printed flyer asking potential donors to loan money to the Holland colonists in order to complete the harbor project in the amount of $2,000. $9000 has already been raised. The state government has already assigned a tract of land to support the project. The list of six men whose names appear at the bottom of the document is headed by the name of Isaac N. Wyckoff, pastor of Second Reformed Church. It is likely that he wrote the materials.

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  Letter from Adrian Zwemer to His Family in the Netherlands

  Adrian Zwemer and Harry Boonstra

  A letter of the Rev. Adrian Zwemer to his family in Zeeland Province, the Netherlands, reporting on his family's life in America. It is a very full letter of interesting comments such as comments about his education in the Holland Academy where he studied for two and one half years in preparation for the ministry. Upon the advice of Van Raalte, he got a dispensation from studying at the seminary and was ordained by the Holland Classis. He then gives his view of the secession of 1857. Rev. Klijn realized he made a mistake in joining the secession. There is a small secessionist group in Vriesland who do nothing but quarrel. The Vriesland church called him and he was ordained on April 18, 1858. He gives a description of Vriesland and its people. He also writes about the Classis and its work. When the Classis met in Milwaukee, he met David Lankester who traveled to America on the same ship he did. He met other Zeeland people in Wisconsin. He also gives a brief overview of the Reformed Church in America. Life in Vriesland is interesting. There are still wolves and bears around.

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  Column "Republican Meeting in Holland. The Hollanders Awake for Freedom" in the Grand Rapids Daily Eagle

  A column in the Grand Rapids Daily Eagle, p. 2, entitled, "Republican Meeting in Holland. The Hollanders Awake for Freedom." it was reported that "The first Republican meeting ever held in Holland assembled on Friday evening, the 6th inst., and was called to order by that true Republican and indefatigable worker for the interests of the Colony, John Roost. Nicholas Vyn was chosen chairman and Mr. Hoogesteger, secretary." People elected to the County Convention were John Roost, A. Flietstra, Nicholas Vyn, H. W. Verbeek, Isaac Capon [sic], E. Vanderveen and P. Salsman.