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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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, two actions were taken in regard to Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. The congregational meeting was postponed because the consistory wished to speak with the former pastor now that he returned home. The second action was to continue to pay the salary to Rev. Van Raalte, if possible, "as long as we do not have our own pastor. This will be subject to the approval and affirmation of the local Third Church, whose pastor is partially involved in the work."
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Meeting Minutes of the School Board of the Holland Academy
Adrian Zwemer
At this meeting of the School Board of the Holland Academy, Dr. Phillip Phelps Jr. was present although Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte was not present. There were several representatives from the Classis of Wisconsin including Rev. Roelof Pieters of Alto. The board was again in debt in the amount of almost $1,400. A special committee was appointed to deal with this problem. Representatives were chosen to visit the churches in the respective Classes for the promotion of the cause of Education.
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A Traveler Who Visited the Holland Colony Published a Report of His Visit in the Prairie Farmer
A traveler who visited the Holland Colony published a report of his visit in the Prairie Farmer. He was very impressed with the town and area. He reported that the population was now at 12,000. He had great admiration for what the Dutch has accomplished in the settlement. His report included business establishments and the economy of the area. He assumed that fruit culture would soon be underway and be as profitable as it was in the St. Joseph area. The enrollment at Hope College now numbered seventy students.
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Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Preached in the Reformed Church of Fulton, Illinois.
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte preached in the Reformed Church of Fulton, Illinois. Notes from the minutes of the Holland Reformed Church of Fulton City, Illinois, a congregation founded 28 October 1866 by Rev. Hendrik G. Klijn.
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The Minutes of the Consistory of Hope Church
In the minutes of the Consistory of Hope Church, there is a full transcription of the letter that Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte, President of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church, wrote to the Consistory of the Hope Church, urging that congregation not accept any new members in the church who were Masons.
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A Copy of an Abstract of a Property Transaction of Albertus C. Van Raalte
Abstract Office, Grand Haven
A copy of an abstract of a property transaction of Albertus C. Van Raalte.
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The Minutes of the Consistory of Hope Church
W. B. Gilmore and Judy Tanis Parr
In the minutes of the Consistory of Hope Church, Holland, Michigan, a copy of a letter from the Consistory of the First Reformed Church is inserted. Hope Church is urged not to accept Masons into the life of the congregation. The Consistory responded in a letter to the Consistory of the First Reformed Church on 9 April 1867, that says "The majority of us do not see the subject in the light that you do." It is a matter on which Christians may differ.
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A Letter of B. Grootenhuis to Moses Hopkins
B. Grootenhuis
A letter of B. Grootenhuis to Moses Hopkins about the incorporation of the city and the need not to have the Van Raalte property inside the city limits.
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Albertus C. Van Raalte Renewed His Subscription to the New York Observer That Will Run from October 1865 to November 1867
New York Observer
Albertus C. Van Raalte renewed his subscription to the New York Observer that will run from October 1865 to November 1867. The subscription cost Van Raalte $8.00.
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An Abstract of Title of a Part of Lot 15, in Block 14 in the South West Addition to the City of Holland
Ottawa County Abstract and Title Company
An abstract of title of a part of Lot 15, in Block 14 in the South West Addition to the City of Holland. Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte deeded this property to the public on this date. The lot was between Maple and Washington Avenues and 14th and 15th streets. There are many Van Raalte family names in the document. The property was at 191 West 15th Street, owned by Elton and Elaine Bruins from 1968 to 1988.
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The Minutes of the Consistory of Hope Church
Wm. A. Shields and Judy Tanis Parr
In the Minutes of the Consistory of Hope Church, this Consistory agreed on the following recorded resolution: "Resolved, That the Consistory admonish these brethren belonging to the Order of Free Masons to cease their connection with that body, in order that peace and harmony may prevail among us and others of our brethren who deem such connection contrary to the Word of God."
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A Letter to Mr. Moses B. Hopkins from George G. Steketee
George G. Steketee
A letter to Mr. Moses B. Hopkins from George G. Steketee In regard to the incorporation of the city, Steketee does not want the property of A. C. Van Raalte left outside of the confines of the city. His English is crude but he claims: "A. C. Van Raalte wishes to be left off I am against this and hope you will not alowe it for we want the Swamp Sand in he has made him Self Rich out of us poor duchman and there fore it's no more than Right that he should help to base the Esspence of the city and in this way our taxes would be lower."
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A Brief Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
A brief meeting of the executive committee of the Council of Hope College was held in the college library to discuss permanent improvement of the campus. Pres. Phelps chaired the meeting. Members present were Rev. Abel T. Stewart, Henry G. Decker, Dr. Bernardus Ledeboer, and Rev. Peter J. Oggel. Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte is not yet a member of the this committee.
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A Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
At a meeting of the executive committee of the Council of Hope College, it was resolved that the Zwemer House be used for recitation rooms for the theological students. A bill from the W. H. Schieffelin & Co. for chemicals for the laboratory was ordered to be paid.Pres. Phelps was authorized to hire a janitor. [Samuel B. Schieffelin, a major donor to the Holland Academy and Hope College, was a member of the W. H. Schieffelin firm.]
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A Special Meeting of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
A special meeting of the Council of Hope College was held to deal with several matters. A major decision was "that Hope College be raised to a University & that the corporate name & style of our Institution be changed from that of Hope College to Hope Haven University. "Pres. Phelps would then resign and be reappointed as president of Hope Haven University. It was reported that a farm had been purchased for the establishment of a Scientific Department. A goodly number of persons were present at this meeting. Pres. Phelps was in the chair. Other attendees were Rev. Seine Bolks [Zeeland, Michigan], Rev. James Demarest Jr. [Chicago, Illinois], Rev. John S. Joralmon [Fairview, Illinois], Rev. Edward P. Livingston [Bushnell, Illinois], Rev. Peter J. Oggel [Hope College], Rev. Roelof Pieters [Holland, Michigan], Rev. Abel T. Stewart [Holland, Michigan], Rev. Cornelius Vander Meulen [Grand Rapids, Michigan], J[acob?], Van Der Meulen [Kalamazoo, Michigan], Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte, Elders Dr. Bernardus Ledeboer [Holland, Michigan], and [Hessel?] Yntema [Zeeland, Michigan].
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Meeting of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte was a representative of the Particular Synod of Chicago at this meeting of the Council of Hope College. Pres. Philip Phelps Jr. was in the chair.
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Minutes of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
The Council of Hope College met in special session and was attended by local people only: Pres. Philip Phelps Jr., Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte, Rev. Seine Bolks, Rev. Peter J. Oggel, Rev. Abel T. Stewart, Elder [Hessel] Yntema and Dr. Bernardus Ledeboer. Discussion centered on funding the farm property on the north side of Black Lake at Point Superior. Van Raalte requested that half of the proceeds from a thirty acre plot he donated be designated for theological instruction and the other half to funding the Female Seminary and the Primary School.
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The Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
The Council of Hope College was convened in the library of the college by Pres. Philip Phelps Jr. The meeting had been scheduled for the previous day but could not be held for lack of a quorum. Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte was present. Many actions were taken. One was: "Let the East half of the 60 acres on the South Side of Black Lake donated by Doctor Van Raalte be deeded to the Council of Hope College in trust for their Grammar School." Action was also taken to establish a Primary Department. The minutes of this meeting are incomplete. Page 67 is missing.
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The Executive Committee Meeting of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
At the executive committee meeting of the Council of Hope College in the college library, it was reported that the deed had been obtained for the "sixty acres of land given by Doctor Van Raalte."
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The Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Council of Hope College
Abel T. Stewart
At the meeting of the executive committee of the Council of Hope College, Pres. Philip Phelps Jr. was in the chair. Attenders were Rev. Peter J. Oggel, Henry G. Decker, Rev. Abel T. Stewart, and Rev. Seine Bolks. Bemardus Ledeboer, M.D., was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Solomon Cumings, M.D. Van Raalte was not present and apparently was not a member of the executive committee.
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Rev. Douwe J. Vander Werp Write to Dirk Postmain South Africa
Douwe J. Vander Werp
Rev. Douwe J. Vander Werp write to Dirk Postma in South Africa severely criticizing Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte for uniting with the Reformed Church in America. A portion of this letter was quoted by Janet Sjaarda Sheers in her book, Son of Secession Douwe Vander Werp, page 141.
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A Letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to His Good Friend, Theodore Romeyn
A. C. Van Raalte
A letter of Albertus C. Van Raalte to his good friend, Theodore Romeyn, whom he met in Detroit in 1846 and an attorney, stating that he is very sorry that the Van Raaltes cannot entertain him in their home. Mrs. Van Raalte is not well and their daughter-in-law who is staying with them expects a child shortly but they do invite him and his party to tea when he is in the city. The Rev. Abel T. Stewart, pastor of the "2nd Reformed Church" [Hope Church] is arranging a place for him to stay.
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Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Purchased 1,080 Acres in Ottawa by Paying the Delinquent Taxes on the Properties in the Amount of $77.58
A. C. Van Raalte
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte purchased 1,080 acres in Ottawa by paying the delinquent taxes on the properties in the amount of $77.58.
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There is a Report of the First Reformed Church in Holland in the Minutes of the Classis of Holland
A. C. Van Raalte
There is a report of the First Reformed Church in Holland in the Minutes of the Classis of Holland Dr. E. Wm. Kennedy who has annotated these minutes believes that the report on the life of the congregation was written by the pastor, Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte. The revival of 1866 was mentioned. Kennedy's pertinent remarks about the report are as follows: "This largely gloomy, emotional report of the Holland church contrasts sharply with the mainly happy tone of the previous year's statement, and, whether Van Raalte actually penned these words himself (which he almost certainly did, given the complex, florid style), they probably reflect his despondency about the C[hristian] R[eformed] C[hurch] attacks on him and the R[eformed] P[rotestant] D[utch] C[hurch], into which he had led his followers. Van Raalte would resign as pastor of the Holland congregation this same year."
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News Item in De Hope
A. C. Van Raalte and Nella Kennedy
....re meeting of the Anti-Scret-Societies meeting in Ourora, Ill
