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Beside the Rev. Scholte there were many pastors and sympathizers who left to go to America. The Afscheiding (Separation) from the Reformed church (Nederlands Hervormde Kerk) in 1847 was one of the foremost reasons to emigrate. In a number of American states new congregations were founded where there was freedom to preach. We've chosen to give a short biography of this special group of people because otherwise the purpose of this series of articles would not be met. The following 11 pastors joined the Scholte Club and founded new congregations in the Netherlands and the often untouched prairies of America.
In translation I have used Reformed church for Nederlands Hervormde Kerk, a good translation but not the same denomination as the Reformed church (R.C.A.) we know in North America. The R.C.A. had long been independent of the mother church in the Netherlands when the Separated church people came to the U.S.A. Though the irritants that had caused the Separation in the Netherlands were not present in North America, other differences existed--which was only to be expected, given the Americanization of the Reformed church for some 250 years. Apart from some religious issues like lodge membership there was also the difference in language and the fact that old Reformed churches were a long way from the midwest. Perhaps some day the two denominations will reunite.
He was born on October 17, 1811 in Wanneperveen Overijsel, son of Albertus van Raalte and Catharina Christina Harking. On March 11, 1836 in Leiden he married Christina Johanna de Moen, born in Leiden on January 30, 1815, the daughter of Benjamin de Moen and Johanna Maria Wilhelmina Menzel.
On September 24, 1846 Albertus Christiaan van Raalte with his wife and 5 children left the Netherlands, departing as passengers on the Southerner with 53 members of his congregation. The family had a total of 11 children.
Dr. Albertus Christiaan van Raalte was the founder of Holland, Michigan. He died on November 27, 1876 in Holland, Michigan where his wife had died on June 30, 1871.
Daughter Johanna Maria van Raalte, born on October 19, 1838 in Genemuiden, married in 1861 in Holland, Michigan the Separated pastor Pieter Jan Oggel. He had been born on June 18, 1829 in Axel, the son of Johannes Pieter Oggel and Adriana Maria de Pree. Pieter had left the Netherlands on April 29, 1856 aboard the ship Revenue. He died on December 13, 1869 in Holland, Michigan and Johanna Maria died there on January 22, 1897. Worth mentioning is that Pieter officiated at the wedding of Dettje Bakker (age 20) and Piebe Klaver (age 31) in 1849.
Dettje Bakker was a daughter of Willem Jeltes Bakker and Etje Okkes Okkema. The Willem Jeltes Bakker family left in 1847 with 9 children from Janum, Dantumadeel to go to America. Dettje Bakker was born on February 27, 1829 at Janum and died on May 28 1901 in Ottawa county, Michigan.
He was born on October 14, 1811 in Amsterdam, the son of Johannes Brummelkamp and Anna Henrietta Hesselink. Father Johannes ran a tobacco store. On August 16, 1834 Anthony wed in Leiden Maria Wilhelmina de Moen, daughter of Benjamin de Moen and Johanna Maria Wilhelmina Menzel. She was born in Leiden on January 12, 1808. Her first wedding to Caspard Tieleman occurred on March 2, 1826 in Leiden. He died on June 21, 1828 in Leiden. Caspard Tieleman was a blankets manufacturer and had been born on September 11, 1806 in Leiden, the son of Hendrik Willem Tieleman and Johanna Margaretha Howaarde. From this first marriage 2 children had been born.
Anthony Brummelkamp also joined the Scholte club but did not decide to emigrate. He was co-founder of the Theological school of the Separated congregations and served it as a professor. He died on June 2, 1888 at Kampen where his wife had died on December 21, 1873. The couple had 11 children.
He was born on August 26, 1810 in Minnertsga, the son of Anne Ypkes Ypma and Jeltje Anes. On February 11, 1843 in the municipality of Barradeel he married Jetske Jobs van der Tol. She was the daughter of Job Pieters van der Tol and Maaike Jans Heerema and was born at Welsrijp on January 23, 1820.
The Ypma family, with daughter Maaike, departed in 1847 from Rotterdam aboard the vessel Vesta to go to America. Here Marten founded the village of Vriesland, Michigan. Before arriving at their destination many people aboard the Vesta lost their lives, including daughter Maaike. In Vriesland 5 more children were born.
Marten died on May 1, 1863 in Alto, Wisconsin; 2 years later, on September 15, 1865, Jetske died in south Holland, Illinois. Rev. Marten Ypma and his wife Jetske are buried, according to their wishes, in the colony that they founded: Vriesland, Michigan.
Cornelis was born on December 15, 1800 in Middelharnis (Zuid Holland), the son of Jacob van der Meulen en Anna de Rijk. In 1826 Cornelis married Elizabeth Geertrui van de Roovaard.
Cornelis and his wife and 6 children left from Goes in 1847, accompanied by a large group of people from the province of Zeeland to go to Rotterdam where they boarded the Princess Sophia, which took them to New York on the Hudson river.
Cornelis founded Zeeland, Michigan in 1857.
The van der Meulens had 12 children. Cornelis died on August 23, 1876, his wife a few years earlier on February 7, 1869. They were buried at the cemetery in Zeeland, Michigan.
A wedding performed by Rev. Cornelis van der Meulen [who was called the Minister of Gospel] on February 7, 1856 in Kalamazoo, Michigan united Wijnand Gardenier and Aaltje Strik. The occasion is of interest because the Revs. Albertus van Raalte and Marten Ypma attended. The Separated ministers retained their close bonds after emigrating to America.
Simon was born on the 14th or 25th of December, 1809 in Amsterdam, the son of the boarding school keeper Simon van Velzen and Neeltje Johanna Geselschap. On August 16, 1834 (the same wedding date as Anthony Brummelkamp) he married in Leiden Johanna Maria Wilhelmina de Moen. She was the 3rd daughter of Benjamin de Moen and Johanna Maria Wilhelmna Menzel to marry a Separated minister. She was born on October 18, 1816 also in Leiden.
Simon van Velzen became pastor in Drogeham, Leeuwarden and Amsterdam, among other places, and later was professor at the (Separated) Theological Seminary in Kampen.
Simon's wife, Johanna Maria Wilhelmina, died at a young age in Leeuwarderadeel on May 25, 1837. From this marriage 1 son had been born, who was also named Simon.
On June 2, 1838 Simon married for a second time in Hattum Johanna Alijda Lucia van Vos, daughter of Tetso van Voss and Hendrika Christina van Langen. She was born on August 14, 1811 at Hardenberg and died before September 1, 1841 because on that date Simon married for a 3rd time.
This time the bride was Zwaantje Stratingh whom he wed in the municipality of Delfzijl. Zwaantje was the daughter of Jacobus Lucas Stratingh and Grietje Harmannus Bos and was born on May 21, 1814 at Appingedam; she died in 1872 at Kampen. From this marriage 3 daughters were born.
On April 8, 1896 Rev. Simon van Velzen died, also in Kampen, after a much troubled life. He was an important Separated preacher with a very difficult personality which often caused him grief.
Seine Bolks was born on April 30, 1814 in Den Ham, Overijsel. He was the son of Albert Bolks and Zwaantje Gerrits. In 1847 he emigrated with a group of sympathizers from the area of Hellendoorn to America.
Aboard the ship Oudubon they set their course for New York. In 1848 he founded the village of Overisel, Michigan.
Seine Bolks married on July 11, 1838 in the municipality of Den Ham Geertje Brouwer. She was a daughter of Gerrit Brouwer and Hendrike Brouwer and was born on July 11, 1814 in Den Ham. A tragic moment in the life of the Rev. Seine Bolks is undoubtedly the day that 3 of his children drowned at Port Sheldon.
In 1871 he moved to Orange City, Iowa where Sjoerd Aukes Sipma, Jelle Pellmulder and Henry Hospers wanted to start a new colony. He remained there as pastor until he retired. He was quite active in building this new colony and was the founder of Northwestern College. He died on June 16, 1894 in Orange City, where his wife had died a few years earlier on September 10, 1888. Both are buried at the West Lawn cemetery in Orange City, Iowa.
Hendrik de Cock was born on April 12, 1801 in Wildervank, Groningen. He was the son of the well-off farmer Tjaarda de Cock and Jantje Hindriks de Boer.
Hendrik was the pastor who stood at the root of the Afscheiding (Separation) of October 13, 1834 that led to the formation of independent Reformed congregations outside of the Reformed church (Nederlands Hervormde Kerk).
After having studied in Groningen he became pastor at, in succession, Eppenhuizen, Noordlaren and Ulrum. In Ulrum he broke with the Reformed (Nederlands Hervormde Kerk). Together with his entire consistory he signed the Act of Separation or Return (Acte van Afscheiding of Weederkering).
Hendrik married on February 11, 1824 in the municipality of Wildervank Frouwe Hillenius Venema, daughter of Hillenius Derks Venema and Eelbren Edzes Tonkes. She was born on the 4th or 15th of May, 1803 also in Wildervank. The de Cock family had 5 children.
Rev. de Cock was sentenced to a 3 month jail term for "disruption of the peace" and with his family was evicted from the church manse. In a short time his followers numbered in the thousands and were sneeringly called Koksianen by others.
Hendrik de Cock died on November 14, 1842 at the age of 41, from a lung ailment, in Groningen; his wife died on September 24, 1889. They were both buried in the Zuiderbegraafplaats (South cemetery) in Groningen where to this day a monument reminds us of their lives.
He was born 1810 at Rhenen, the son of the beer brewer and alderman Willem Buddingh and Suzanna Antonia Sandbrink.
After completing his studies his first congregation was Biggekerke. He joined the Scholte group and left in 1848 from the north of the Netherlands aboard the Garonne to go to America where he remained until 1851 when he returned to the Netherlands. His popularity among the people of Zeeland was the main reason for his return. He became pastor at Goes till he died on November 10, 1870 at the age of 60. Rev. Huibert Jacobus Buddingh remained unwed.
Anthony was born on July 19, 1813 in Utrecht, the son of Jan Betten and Jacoba Klomp. He married on February 19, 1834 in Utrecht Jacoba Harmiena van der Hagt, daughter of Hermanus van der Hagt and Jacoba van Steenwijk. She was also born in Utrecht.
The Bettens with 5 children left the Netherlands in 1847 aboard the Nagasaki and settled in Pella, Iowa. In 1835 and 1940 2 sons of Anthomy Jacob Betten and Jacoba Harmiena van der Hagt had already died. Anthony died on December 6 1900 at Orange City; it's not known when his wife died.
In The Centennial Book of Orange City, Iowa 1870-1970 there is a large picture of Hotel Betten, so that we may conclude that beside being a pastor Rev. Anthony Jacob Betten was also a hotel owner.
George was born on November 1, 1806 in Leiden, the son of Adrianus Hendriksz Meerburg (blanket manufacturer) and Francina Petronella Maria van Heyningen. He married on May 13, 1837 in the municipality of Emmikhoven and Waardhuizen with Johanna van der Beek. She was a daughter of Govert van der Beek and Aletta Branderhorst and had been born on April 12, 1814 inKoudekerk.
George studied theology in Leiden and became the Reformed pastor in Almkerk and Nieuwendijk until the Reformed church (Nederlandse Hervormde Kerk) removed him for being unsuitable. The couple left 5 sons and 2 daughters; 2 of the sons became ministers.
George Frans Gezelle Meerburg died on December 12, 1855 in Almkerk. His wife, Johanna van der Beek died during a communion service on August 26, 1883, also in Almkerk.
He was born on September 30, 1808 in Rotterdam, the son of the well-off trader Bernardus Lambertus Ledeboer and Anna Christina van den Ende. He was a descendant of the German noble family Von Ledenbur. He studied theology in Leiden and joined the Scholte Club who walked out of the Reformed church [Nederlands Hervormde Kerk]. Many of his followers called themselves Ledeboerianen and started Ledeboeriaanse congregations that were formed around his person and work. He died at the age of 55 on October 21 in Benthuizen, Zuid-Holland. Rev. L. G. C. Ledeboer remained unwed.
His best known pronouncement, from August 13, 1859, is:
[This is in verse and hard to translate since allegory is involved; however. I'll give it my best shot.]
God breaks the pillars down, the house begins to sink,
The carriers become few, the ones that did not go,
God blows out the lights, that here and there did blink
And then He takes his own, what then remains but show?
In Dutch:
God breekt pilaren af, waardoor het huis gaat zinken.
De dragers worden min, zo er nog enk´le zijn,
God blaast de lichten uit, die hier en daar nog blinken
En daar Hij neemt het zijn, wat blijft er dan de schijn?
There are many more preachers that could be named such as the Revs. Christiaan Daniel Louis Bähler, Gerrit Baai, Pieter Zonne, Johannes Hendricus Donner, and Jakob de Liefde, but the above 11 are the best known and most important of those that joined the Scholte Club.
NOTE: Correction from Jan Koops (jankoops@planet.nl) in August 2010: "About the others I do not know but C.D.L. Bähler did not take part in the separation. Although his brother Pierre Benjamin did but did not belong to club Scholten."
This article came about through the help of these people, all from the USA: Wilma Vande Berg, Linda Ziemann and Greta Thompson
If you have corrections or additions I would like to hear them
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