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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It Was Reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, That "Dr. Van Raalte is Not Improving, He Remains a Terrible Sufferer."
It was reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, that "Dr. Van Raalte is not improving, he remains a terrible sufferer."
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It Was Reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, That "Dr. Van Raalte is Still Suffering Intense Pain"
It was reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, that "Dr. Van Raalte is still suffering intense pain." It was also reported that "The General Commencement of Hope College will be held in the 3rd Reformed Church, Wednesday, June 28th, at 7 1/2 P.M. T. Romeyn Beck, Sec's Gen. Faculty."
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It Was Reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, That "Dr. Van Raalte Still Remains a Sufferer, and Apparently Gradually Declining"
It was reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, that "Dr. Van Raalte still remains a sufferer, and apparently gradually declining."
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It Was Reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, That "It is Rumored on the Street That Dr. Van Raalte is Failing, and Will Not Survive Many Days"
It was reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, that "It is rumored on the street that Dr. Van Raalte is failing, and will not survive many days." It was also reported that "The news reached us on Thursday last of the death of Rev. C. Van der Meulen, founder and former pastor of the Village of Zeeland."
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News Items in the Holland City News
News items in the Holland City News, p. 5, reported the following: "The death of Dr. Van Raalte and the election has occupied much of our time during the week, which will account for the scarcity of local items." "Yesterday afternoon we witnessed the most imposing and largest attended funeral that ever took place in this city--that of Rev. A. C. Van Raalte, D.D. The ceremonies were too extensive and elaborate to notice in this issue. Next week we hope to be enabled to give them complete."
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Notice Appeared in the Kalamazoo Daily Telegraph
The following notice appeared in the Kalamazoo Daily Telegraph: ....Rev. Dr. A. C. Van Raalte, the founder of the Holland colonization in this State, and in fact the leader and organizer of the Dutch colonization in American of 1854 [sic] and subsequent years, died Nov. 7th, at his residence in Holland, Ottawa county, of pulmonary consumption.
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Report in the Holland City News
It was reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, that "The health of Dr. Van Raalte is again on the decline, and in the early part of the week he was reported very low."
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Report in the Holland City News
It was reported in the Holland City News, p. 5, that "Dr. Van Raalte is slightly better, the balmy weather of the last few days had a beneficial effect."
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The Death of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte Was Reported in De Hollander
The death of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte was reported in De Hollander. Rev. Roelof Pieters conducted the funeral. Dr. Philip Phelps, Jr., president of Hope College also spoke, using the words of II Samuel 3.38, 'Do you not realize that a prince of Israel has fallen this day?'
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The Invitation to Attend the Funeral of Albertus C. Van Raalte
The invitation to attend the funeral of Albertus C. Van Raalte read as follows: "FUNERAL NOTICE. The funeral of the Rev. A. C. Van Raalte, D.D. will take place on Friday, November 10th, 1876. Prayer will be offered at the residence of the deceased at 1 o'clock P. M. The sermon will be preached at the First Church at 1.30 P. M. Holland, Nov. 9th, 1876."
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![The Leading Sentence in the "Jottings" in the Holland City News of This Date is the Following: Dr. [Albertus C.] Van Raalte is Again Suffering from Rheumatism](https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/vrp_1870s/1265/thumbnail.jpg "The Leading Sentence in the \"Jottings\" in the Holland City News of This Date is the Following: Dr. [Albertus C.] Van Raalte is Again Suffering from Rheumatism")
The Leading Sentence in the "Jottings" in the Holland City News of This Date is the Following: Dr. [Albertus C.] Van Raalte is Again Suffering from Rheumatism
The leading sentence in the "Jottings" in the Holland City News of this date is the following: Dr. [Albertus C.] Van Raalte is again suffering from rheumatism.
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The New York Observer and Chronicle Reported on the Death of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte
The New York Observer and Chronicle reported on the death of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte. "His departure, though long expected, will be greatly mourned by thousands of his fellow countrymen who revered him as a father, and by our whole Church in which his name is a household word."
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This Item Appeared in The Excelsiora, Vol. XII, No. 2, On This Date
This item appeared in The Excelsiora, Vol. XII, No. 2, on this date. This was a hand-written publication of the Hope College student body. The items reads as follows: Rev. A. C. Van Raalte, D.D., born at Wanneperveen, Netherland[s], Oct. 17th, 1811, died Nov. 7th 1876, at Holland Mich. The funeral was held on Friday, Nov. 10th. It was the largest funeral ever witnessed in Holland. Hon. T. W. Ferry, Vice President of the U. S. was present. The death of Dr. Van Raalte is felt all through the colonies.
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The Text of an Ad Which Appeared in De Hollander
Bakker and Van Raalte
The text of an ad which appeared in De Hollander, Februarij 2, 1876, p. column 7, bottom: BAKKER & VAN RAALTE. Fabrikanten en Handelaars in Schoenen, Laarzen, Rubbers, enz. Eenen Grooten Voorraad altijd voorhanden. 8ste Straat, Holland, Mich.
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A Resolution of the Theological Faculty of Hope College Upon the Death of A. C. Van Raalte
T. Komeyn Beck
A resolution of the Theological Faculty of Hope College upon the death of A. C. Van Raalte.
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A Mr. H. Beuker Published an Obituary of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte in De Vrije Kerk. Vereeniging Van Christ Geref Stemmen, Published by P. Van Der Sluys, Jr., 1876, pp. 607-09
H. Beuker and Henry ten Hoor
A Mr. H. Beuker published an obituary of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte in De Vrije Kerk. Vereeniging van Christ Geref. Stemmen, published by P. Van Der Sluys, Jr., 1876, pp. 607-09. Beuker was also the editor of this volume. He mentioned that the Van Raaltes stayed in their home for some days in 1866 when they were visiting in the Netherlands. Van Raalte "was a man with a clear, inclusive, evangelical view, with a strong will and a child-like faith. How unaffected was that little man and how dignified in what he said. People learned from him constantly without his assuming the air of a teacher. With great clarity of ideas and voice he preached a couple of times for me although he was suffering a sore throat."
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On This Date, an Obituary of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte Was Published in De Bazuin
A. Brummelkamp and Henry ten Hoor
On this date, an obituary of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte was published in De Bazuin. Rev. Anthony Brummelkamp wrote the laudatory obituary. Brummelkamp had heard of V.R.'s death from Rev. Roelof Pieters, V.R.'s successor at the Pillar Church. Van Raalte died on 7 November at 7.30 a.m. "His mind was clear to the end." V.R. was hailed as a gripping preacher.
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The Minutes of the Classis of Holland
William Buursma
In the minutes of the Classis of Holland, item 12, "miscellanea," it was reported "Because our beloved brother, Dr. A. C. van Raalte, once again, through suffering, has been hindered in being present, it was decided that the president and secretary be requested to express our sympathy in his time of suffering." The prayer was expressed that his life be spared and health restored.
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A Brief Note in the Allegan Journal, p. 1, That the Rev. Dr. A. C. Van Raalte Died at "Holland City."
Erica D. Heeg
A brief note in the Allegan Journal, p. 1, that the Rev. Dr. A.C. Van Raalte died at "Holland City." "Flags were at half-mast and houses and dwellings were draped in mourning."
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A Brief Note on Page 8 in the Allegan Journal That "The Rev. Dr. A. C. Van Raalte, the Founder of the Holland Colony, is Confined at His Residence with a Serious Illness from Which He Cannot Recover"
Erica D. Heeg
A brief note on page 8 in the Allegan Journal that "the Rev. Dr. A. C. Van Raalte, the founder of the Holland colony, is confined at his residence with a serious illness from which he cannot recover."
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"Dominie Van Raalte. Sketch of the Life of This Famous Hollander," Which Appeared in the Allegan Journal
Erica D. Heeg
"Dominie Van Raalte. Sketch of the life of this Famous Hollander, "which appeared in the Allegan Journal, p. 1. A brief introduction is followed by the report, which appeared in the Grand Rapids Eagle. The report includes a quote, which is also found elsewhere: "Dr. Van Raalte possessed great force of character and executive ability. Had he been placed by Providence at the head of a nation, he would have made a wise and powerful ruler. He would have made a bold and successful general."
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The Christian Intelligencer, the Periodical of the Reformed Church in America, On This Date Published a Full Account of the Funeral of Albertus C. Van Raalte, Which Took Place on Friday, November 10
Erica D. Heeg
The Christian Intelligencer, the periodical of the Reformed Church in America, on this date published a full account of the funeral of Albertus C. Van Raalte, which took place on Friday, November 10. The correspondent reported that the Rev. Roelof Pieters preached on the text of II Kings 2.12: "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horesemen thereof." The correspondent, who did not know Dutch, could not give a summary of the sermon. However, the sermon of Philip Phelps, Jr. was reported on at length. Phelps preached on the text of II Samuel 3.38: "Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?" As Roelof Pieters had been a student of V.R.'s in the Netherlands, Hendrik Uiterwijk, pastor of Third Reformed Church, had been one of V.R.'s catechumens. Uiterwijk gave an address in Dutch at the grave, followed by the prayers of Professor Cornelius E. Crispell. The attendees at the funeral were too numerous to get inside the Pillar Church sanctuary. All present filed past the casket following the service at Pillar Church. Isaac Cappon had been in charge of all the arrangements of the funeral.
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The New York Evangelist Reported That the Funeral of Rev. A. C. Van Raalte Had Taken Place on the 10th of November
Intelligencer
The New York Evangelist reported that the funeral of Rev. A. C. Van Raalte had taken place on the lehof November. "Dominie Van Der Meulen, another pioneer minister of this colony, has recently deceased."
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In the Excelsiora, a Hope Student News Paper, There is a Report of the Death of the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte That Occurred On This Day but Published in Volume VII, Nov. to June, 1877
Rensa H. Joldersma
In the Excelsiora, a Hope student news paper, there is a report of the death of the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte that occurred on this day but published in volume VII, Nov. to June, 1877. The author of the tribute to Van Raalte was R[ensa] H. Joldersma. The news paper/magazine was not published as such but was hand written. This tribute consists of seven pages.
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Hope College Student R. H. Joldersma Wrote a Seven-Page Essay on the Passing of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte for the Student Publication, Excelsiora
R. H. Joldersma
Hope College student R. H. Joldersma wrote a seven-page essay on the passing of Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte for the student publication, Excelsiora. Van Raalte was duly lauded.
