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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Members of the Consistory of the First Reformed Church Met with a Committee of the Classis of Holland of Which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Presided as Chair of the Classis Committee
A. C. Van Raalte, J. Schrader, William Buursma, and Althea Buursma
Members of the consistory of the First Reformed Church met with a committee of the Classis of Holland of which Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided as chair of the classis committee. The meeting concerned the matter of Free Masonry. Van Raalte clearly dominated the discussion. He is quoted to have said that membership "in the Free Masons is not a sufficient reason to excommunicate an individual. Synod would not approve such an action. There must be sins which flow forth from masonic membership, for example, transgression of the Ethical (Moral) Law (before excommunication can take place)." The discussion "was closed without resolution."
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An Indenture Between the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte and the Consistory of the First Reformed Church
Dirk B. K. Van Raalte and A. C. Van Raalte
An indenture between the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte and the Consistory of the First Reformed Church. A.C.V.R. is signing over properties to the church for the purpose of covering the Van Raalte pledge to the Ebenezer Fund (Eben Ezer) for $1,000 as well as for the pledge of $100 by Benjamin Van Raalte and pledge of $100 of D. B. K. Van Raalte with the stipulation "that only the interest of said Capital shall be paid to the Treasurer of Hope College as tuition for the Grammar School of said College, the Capital always to be invested on real Estate. This Capital is transferable to the Council of Hope College when the practical part Reformed Churches, shall have been made this Memorial fund efficient for said purpose and shall have placed it in a condition to be delivered up as a whole and in a tangible form."
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![Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Paid a Bill of $8.80 to A[me] Vennema, a Local Businessman by Ame Vennema](https://digitalcommons.hope.edu/vrp_1870s/1151/thumbnail.jpg "Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Paid a Bill of $8.80 to A[me] Vennema, a Local Businessman by Ame Vennema")
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Paid a Bill of $8.80 to A[me] Vennema, a Local Businessman
Ame Vennema
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte paid a bill of $8.80 to A[me] Vennema, a local businessman.
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H. Walsh, Treasurer, Produced a Receipt for Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Who Made a Donation of $20 to the Y. M. C. A. of Holland
H. Walsh
H. Walsh, Treasurer, produced a receipt for Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte who made a donation of $20 to the Y. M. C. A. of Holland.
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Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Received a Statement On His Account at the Establishment of Heber Walsh, "Wholesale & Retail Druggist, Proprietor of Benjamin's Cordial, Marsh's Cough Syrup, and the Great American Hair Renewer."
Heber Walsh and Erica D. Heeg
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte received a statement on his account at the establishment of Heber Walsh, "Wholesale & Retail Druggist, Proprietor of Benjamin's Cordial, Marsh's Cough Syrup, and the Great American Hair Renewer." The bill amounted to $8.03 for the purchase of items such as quinine, liniment, and prescriptions.
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A Column That Was Published in the New York Observer and Chronicle Reported on the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Founding of Holland, Michigan.
A column that was published in the New York Observer and Chronicle reported on the 25th anniversary celebration of the founding of Holland, Michigan. The article quotes extensively from the speech of Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte at that occasion. The population of the Holland Colony now numbers 15,260 persons.
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In a Copy of the Holland City News On This date, There Appeared a News Item That Informed the Readers That the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Presided at the Afternoon Service and Preached the Sermon for the Dedication of the New Sanctuary of the First Reformed Church hr Grand Haven, Michigan
In a copy of the Holland City News on this date, there appeared a news item that informed the readers that the Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte presided at the afternoon service and preached the sermon for the dedication of the new sanctuary of the First Reformed Church in Grand Haven, Michigan.
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In "Geographical Notes" of The American Educational Monthly, There Was a Report on the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Founding of Holland, Michigan
In "Geographical Notes" of The American Educational Monthly, there was a report on the 25th anniversary celebration of the founding of Holland, Michigan. One statement in the report said that "Dominie Van Raalte was the leader of this one, and still lives to preside over the welfare of the colony."
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It Was Announced in the Holland City News That a Committee Had Been Appointed to Plan the 25th Anniversary of the Settlement of the Holland Colony
It was announced in the Holland City News that a committee had been appointed to plan the 25th anniversary of the settlement of the Holland Colony. The celebration would take on the Fourth of July. The committee hoped to procure Dr. Albertus C. Van Raalte as one of the speakers.
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Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Composed the Ceceipt for Another Gift of Money from the Albany Holland Protective Society for Holland Relief
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte composed the receipt for another gift of money from the Albany Holland Protective Society for Holland relief This gift amounted to $28.75. The signature on this receipt is unclear.
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The Obituary of Cornelius De Wit Was Published in The Holland City News On This Date
The obituary of Cornelius De Wit was published in The Holland City News on this date. Mr. De Wit had died on the 6th of November. De Wit had been in the Dutch army for many years. He emigrated to America in 1847 and served as sexton at the "old log church in this place during the first five years of the colony. The city donated him a house and Dr. Van Raalte, a lot." His age was 92 at the time of his death. His biography had been written but the manuscript was destroyed the previous year in the Holland Fire.
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The Program of the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Founding of the Colony
The program of the 25th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Colony. A parade formed at the Public Square and proceeded to the "Estate of Van Duren, one mile East of Holland City,..." One carriage contained eleven young ladies who represented the eleven provinces of the Netherlands. Speakers included A.C.V.R., Isaac Fairbanks and H. D. Post, Rev. H. Uiterwijk or Rev. C. Van der Veen, Rev. Ph. Phelps or Rev. R. Pieters, Rev. C. Van der Meulen, T. Keppel, B. Ledeboer "and other"! Kommer Schaddelee was "president of the day." The Van Lente choir provided the music along with the Holland bands. Fifteen surviving first Settlers came in a wagon drawn by "2 Yoke of Cattle." By having the celebration east of the city and with Pastor Cornelius Vander Meulen as a participant, there was an attempt to give the appearance of a joint celebration with the Zeeland people.
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Jacob Labots Wrote and Signed the Receipt for Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Who Forwarded $26.27 from the Congregation in Rochester, New York, for the Holland Relief Fund
Jacob Albots
Jacob Labots wrote and signed the receipt for Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte who forwarded $26.27 from the congregation in Rochester, New York, for the Holland relief find.
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Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Received Acknowledgement for the Payment of $50 from the Firm of Barr & Liesveld, of the Grand Rapids Marble Works, for Gravestones
A. E. Barrs and H. W. Leisveld
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte received acknowledgement for the payment of $50 from the firm of Barr & Liesveld, of the Grand Rapids Marble Works, for gravestones. The firm was located at 165 South Division Street. A. E. Barr and H. W. Leisveld were the proprietors who signed the receipt.
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A Document of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America Relating to a Property Transaction Between A. C. V. R. and Samuel B. Schieffelin on May 3, 1864
William Bogardus
A document of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America relating to a property transaction between A.C.V.R. and Samuel B. Schieffelin on May 3, 1864. The mortgage on the property was paid on March 4, 1872 and the document executed on September 5, 1884, William Bogardus, President, involving the John Van Nest trust of the General Synod.
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Henry Bosch Wrote a Receipt for a Gift of $25.00 from the Pastor of the Reformed Church of Rochester, New York
Henry Bosch
Henry Bosch wrote a receipt for a gift of $25.00 from the pastor of the Reformed Church of Rochester, New York. Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte forwarded this gift to Bosch.
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A Letter of John X. Brower, of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America, to A. C. V. R.
John J. Brower
A letter of John J. Brower, of the General Synod of the Reformed Church in America, to A.C.V.R., about a property transaction. Samuel B. Schieffelin is mentioned.
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An Excerpt from the Minutes of the Classis of Holland
William Buursma
An excerpt from the minutes of the Classis of Holland in which are two recommendations from the committee chaired by Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte concerning the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Holland Colony. The first recommendation was to acknowledge God's grace for the twenty five years of God's blessings materially and institutionally. The second recommendation is to sponsor an Ebenezer Fund for the support of the grammar school to serve as an endowment of the school in the amount of $20,000.
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An Excerpt from the Minutes of the Classis of Holland Which States That Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Was Asked to Visit the Reformed Church in Rotterdam, Kansas
William Buursma
An excerpt from the minutes of the Classis of Holland which states that Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte was asked to visit the Reformed Church in Rotterdam, Kansas.
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Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte Paid a Bill of $49.25 On This Date to a John Jacobson for the Purchase of 6,500 Bricks and for Other Building Supplies
A. L. Church
Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte paid a bill of $49.25 on this date to a John Jacobson for the purchase of 6,500 bricks and for other building supplies. The statement does not indicate why Van Raalte purchased so many building materials. The bill was also signed by a Mr. A. L. Church.
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Julia Gilmore Wrote Her Brother, Darius Gilmore
Julia Gilmore
In this letter, Julia Gilmore wrote her brother, Darius Gilmore of Fairview, Illinois, that she has promised to marry Ben Van Raalte and will be going to Michigan to live. She will not be going until fall because Ben is building a new home for them. She also reported that Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte wrote her a "real nice letter." [Van Raalte's letter is dated 15 January and the original is located in the Van Raalte collection of the Holland Historical Trust in the Joint Archives of Holland at Hope College.]
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Julia Wrote Her Brother, Darius Gilmore
Julia Gilmore
Julia wrote her brother, Darius Gilmore, that Ben Van Raalte had been visiting her in Amelia and hence, she had not written sooner. She asked Darius, "What do you think of my choice?" She hopes to be married at her parents' home in Fairview, Illinois, than in Amelia at the home of her brother and his wife. She also said that Ben was very angry when he was in Amelia because he was unhappy with Julia's situation there. If he had the money to rent a home in Holland, he would have taken Julia with him. Julia needs clothes badly but has no money at all. She works for her board and room. She again refers to the letter Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte wrote her saying, "Dr. Van Raalte wrote me a splendid letter approving the choice of his son and acknowledging me as a daughter. I tell you it made me feel real good." In a postscript, Julia seems to indicate that the Gilmores did not treat her well.
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ACTS of the SYNOD of the CHRISTELIJKE GEREFORMEERDE KERK in THE NETHERLANDS Held from June 5 —20, 1872 in GRONINGEN
S. Gravenhage and S. van Velzen Jr.
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Mr. R. K. Heald, Proprietor of the R. K. Heald Company That Manufactured Agricultural Implements and Was Located at Tenth and River Streets, Sent a Statement to Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte That His Bill Had Been Paid in Full.
R. K. Heald
Mr. R. K. Heald, proprietor of the R. K. Heald company that manufactured agricultural implements and was located at Tenth and River Streets, sent a statement to Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte that his bill had been paid in full.
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Charles Hutchins of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions Acknowledged the Payment of $5.00 for a Five-Year Subscription to The Missionary Herald
Charles Hutchins
Charles Hutchins of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions acknowledged the payment of $5.00 for a five-year subscription to The Missionary Herald
