Van Raalte Papers: 1860-1869

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  Letter from A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps. A.C.V.R. is back in Holland. Reference to the gift of Schieffelin. Building plans for Academy buildings.

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  Letter from A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, giving general news about Holland. "I see how difficult it will be to battle with ignorance, sectarian spirits, and leaders full use of the ignorance and prejudices people."

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  Letter from A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte, written from Kinderhook, New York, to Philip Phelps, reporting on his fund raising activity. "Ex-president Van Buren lives here but it will be a wonder if he gives $ 5.00."

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  Letter from A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps

  A. C. Van Raalte

  A letter of A. C. Van Raalte to Philip Phelps, reporting that he did offer to the Classis to go to Africa. "Nobody could deny the flood of slander, suspicions and opposition constantly going on, but they did refuse to send me. The proposal did cause a great commotion." The foundations of the house for Van der Wall were being laid (later called the Oggel house). Things are not going well in the Grand Rapids church.

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  An Excerpt from the Minutes of the Classis of Holland

  A. C. Van Raalte and William Buursma

  An excerpt from the minutes of the Classis of Holland of this date at which meeting the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presented a report on a legacy given to the Holland Academy. The legacy is apparently to be used to support a certain "C. Gardenier," a student at the Academy. This person may be the son or related to the Rev. Wynand Gardenier who established the Dutch immigrant congregation in Kalamazoo for the Reformed Church in America. Rev. Gardenier died in 1856. The legacy amounted to $500 and came from a Rev. Steketee of Nieuw Dorp, Zeeland, the Netherlands. Frans Van Driele of Grand Rapids will guarantee the legacy with a mortgage and pay off $100 a year. The Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen was appointed guardian for C. Gardenier.

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  Letter from A. C. Van Raalte to Christian Van Der Veen

  A. C. Van Raalte and Nella Kennedy

  Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte wrote Rev. Christian van der Veen of Grand Haven, Michigan, concerning letters that needed to be signed by van der Veen and Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen in Grand Rapids. Reimbursement for expenses of sending the letters would come from Classis of Holland fluids. There is no mention of what the content of these letters is.

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  Notice in De Hollander

  A. C. Van Raalte and Henry ten Hoor

  Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, secretary of the Holland Classis, placed a notice in De Hollander that the next classis meeting was on April 4, in Grand Haven, beginning at 9 a.m. Rev. Giles van de Wall would give the opening sermon on the subject, the office of the preacher. Prayer day for crops fell on 29 March.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregational Meeting of the First Reformed Church

  A. C. Van Raalte, G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  The congregational meeting of the First Reformed Church was opened with the singing of the Psalm 25.2, followed a prayer that was offered by the pastor, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. The elders elected were Broek, Hekhuis, Kamper, and Wilderdink. Vork, Rensing, J. van de Luyster and Geerlings were elected deacons. Second ballots were necessary for both elders and deacons since 2/3 of the votes were necessary for election. The singing of Psalm 119.3 concluded the meeting.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  A. C. Van Raalte, 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 newly elected deacons were present, namely, J. van de Luyster, Jacob Vork, Gerrit Jan Rensing, and Arend Geerlings. (Their first names were not in the minutes of the congregational meeting at which they were elected on 15 March.) All were willing to accept their offices. However, Geerlings preferred that no administrative duties be assigned him. In dealing with the legacy of the Widow [Jenneken] Vreede (spelled differently than in the minutes of 9 March meeting where she was called ter Vree) it was noted that the gentlemen who held the note that would be called in was not able to pay the note. Rev. Van Raalte declared that his share could go to the congregation when it came in. More discussion was held about the "flask" case of the Schaddelees. Widow van der Velde was back and as a member of the church needed assistance and was under the care of the congregation.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  A. C. Van Raalte, G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  Having returned from canvassing for funds in January, Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided at a meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church. Gerrit Wakker was again the clerk. The first item of business was to give the materials that came from the collapsed log church to Drost and Deur families who needed new dwellings. Deacons Wilterdink and de Vries were charged with the task of carrying out the decision of the consistory. New members were received from Muskegon and Grand Haven. Rev. Van Raalte and Elders Labots and Wakker were designated to deal with the claim that the foster son of the L. Schaddelee family stole a flask with a silver cover from the Schaddelees.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  A. C. Van Raalte, 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, more discussion was held about the flask with a silver cover. It was reported that the late Mrs. Jenneken ter Vree in her will had left sums of $20 each to Rev. Van Raalte, the First Reformed Church, and Jannes Vriezen. The request to hold English services on Sunday evening was approved. At the upcoming congregational meeting, several consistory members would be retiring. Elder Ploeg wished to be declared emeritus.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  A. C. Van Raalte, 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, considerable time was spent on the L. Schaddelee charge that a foster son had stolen a flask with a silver cover. Another discipline case also came before the consistory.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  A. C. Van Raalte, 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 major time was taken with a discipline case. Four people made confession of faith. They were Albertus van Raalte and Helena van Raalte, nee Hoffman, Wilhelmina Johanna Maria Van Raalte, and Magdalena de Vries. [In other words young Albertus and Helena did not make profession of faith until after they were married.]

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  In a Letter of Anna Van Raalte to Her father, Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte

  Anna Van Raalte

  In a letter of Anna Van Raalte to her father, Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte, she is urging her father to come home soon. Rev. Oggel is helping her write the letter. This approximate date may not be correct because Anna is only four years old this year. Oggel is clearly helping her to write the letter which provides interesting details on daily life in the Van Raalte household.

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  A Report on the State of the Church Was Published in De Hollander w/ an Introduction by Rev. Pieter J. Oggel

  C. Van Santvoord, Pieter J. Oggel, Henry ten Hoor, and Nella Kennedy

  A report on the state of the church was published in De Hollander on this date. The report is given by the "Committee on the Religious State of the Church." This report was presented at the General Synod of the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church which had met in Philadelphia in June. The report was preceded with an introduction by Rev. Pieter J. Oggel. (Is it likely that this report was translated and printed in the local paper due to the agitation created by B. Ploeg?)

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

  John Van Vleck

  A letter from John Van Vleck to A.C.V.R., responding to A.C.V.R.'s letter of the 16th. More on business matters. The spirit is cordial.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Congregation of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  The meeting of the congregation of the First Reformed Church was opened with prayer by Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte after the singing of Psalm 133. Elders Labots, Keppel and Wakker were reelected and D[erk] te Roller, P. de Vries, and P. Naber were elected deacons. K[ommer] Schaddelee was not eligible to be elected because he was under censure. $950.38 was the total of funds collected during the year. The church had an indebtedness of $630.00. A question arose about the future of the school of the church. Its existence was to be continued, it was decided. The congregation approved the placement of a fence around the church.

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  Several matters were dealt with at the meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church at which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided. New members were received. Widow de Frel resigned from membership in the congregation. Rev. Philip Phelps, principal of the Holland Academy asked for permission to use the church building for the upcoming examination of students. The request was put on hold. A student at the parochial school was dismissed for slovenliness. The consistory accepted the responsibility to find him a good Christian home. Finances of the parochial school continue to be a major problem. Since C. Vorst and his wife had their child baptized "at the Secessionists," a committee of Elders Keppel and Wakker was appointed to investigate the matter. A committee was appointed to review the books of the deacons.

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  Meeting Minutes 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, the committee to investigate the Ledeboers had completed its task The objections had been resolved and the protest of Gerrit Wakker, the clerk, was withdrawn. Several people were admitted to the Lord's table. The school committee to which Jan Binnekant was added as a member but who had declined the assignment with apparent hard feelings how the appointment of the committee was handled by the consistory. H. Doesburg declined to serve because he "desired a union with the district school."

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  Meeting Minutes 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 that of "M. van Olionda [sic], nee Shuler, from Canajoharie, New York." (Olinda is the correct spelling of her name.) Pastor Van Raalte and Gerrit Wakker, the clerk, were appointed to admonish Jan Kleijn for sabbath desecration.

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  Meeting Minutes 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, the committee that called on the [Kommer?] Schadeelees reported that this family no longer considered itself in "ecclesiastical connection" with First Reformed Church. This family was now in connection with the Graafschap congregation that seceded from the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church in 1857. New members by transfer and confession of faith were received into membership. The committee that was appointed to visit the C. Vorst family learned that their baby had not been baptized but the family intended to join the Graafschap church. The church building was threatened with sagging because of blowing sand. A member of the consistory was appointed to look into the matter.

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  Meeting Minutes 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, the issue of the parochial school again surfaced. The congregation was having a difficult time in maintaining the school but the consistory "decided to attempt all possible means to maintain the school, and to return to the matter at a future time."

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  Meeting Minutes of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church

  G. Wakker, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma

  Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte was back in town and presided at the meeting of the consistory of the First Reformed Church. A new member was received and a discipline problem was again discussed. Some pledges for the support of the parochial school were reported by the elders who had been visiting members of the congregation.

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  Meeting Minutes 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, the pastor reported that a teacher from Grand Haven was willing to receive the assignment to "be the teacher for the school of the congregation." Miss Zwaluwenberg would be leaving the school. Elder Labots reported that Dr. [Bemardus] Ledeboer wished to become a member of the congregation. In view of the fact that he was a member of the Congregational Church in Grand Rapids, the consistory was uncertain how to proceed. Dr. [sic] Philip Phelps will be consulted by the pastor concerning this matter. Three elders were appointed to consult with J. Vinke "concerning his dissatisfaction with the consistory."

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  Meeting Minutes 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, it was reported that Miss Zwaluwenberg would stay at the parochial school as long as she was needed. Mr. [Roelof?] Pieters indicated that they had no criticism how the hiring of the new teacher was done. (I believe that Pieters and Zwaluwenberg were later married and were the parents of Albertus Pieters. Consult one of his articles about his mother.) The pastor reported on the request of the Ledeboer family to unite with the congregation. They were accepted as members but the clerk, Gerrit Wakker, for reasons of conscience would not vote affirmatively. His opposition held up the request for the time being until the matter could be checked by a committee and then empowered to act. Cor and Aleda Voorst resigned from the congregation. A committee of eight to ten members, half of whom were from the consistory and the other half from the congregation were appointed as a school committee. The members of the committee were Van Raalte, Keppel, Wakker, van de Luyster, and Geerlings of the consistory, and C. Doesburg, H. J. Hesselink, Plugger, Polsma, and Rev. Giles van der Wall from the congregation.