Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-26
CREDlTABlE COtONlS rs.
Flourishing Settlements of Hollanden
Along Michigan's Lakes
Came Here to Avoid Religious rersss
cution-Law Abiding and Thrifty
A world's Fair Days
of The Evening Star.

/
| GRAM RAPIDS, August DC isgs
This city is the center Of the largest set.
ueinent OF Hollanders i'm the country and
ia Aichlsan a larger number OF that ma
uohanty live than any other state In the
Union can claim. In this city. with . popu-
iatlon OF $1,000. II is estimated that there
are l5.cN or 10000 Hollanders. and the hol-
land population OF the county will amount
TO fully 3UOO. In western Michigan, within
radius OF forty miles Of this city chiefly
along the Lake shore. upwards OF 100 600
Holianders. and in the state between lz5,e0o
ana l1OVvO. These figures oincial
nor based on exact statistics but John
SteAetee vice consul TO the NETHERLANDS, 10
authority for their correctness.
Inc coming OF the holanders 20 this
country is an interesting story, and in
some OF It's elements Is ike the conglns OF
,he fllgrim Fathers TO the bleak New Eng
ii. about fifty years ago, the goyerament
Mowned upon those who followed the
aieta,es Of conscience in other than the
manner prescribed by the established
church. Zines were imposed and imIsrlson-
ment was inflicted upon those who eought
ai lt roads TO heaven and life was made
nLiseiabie Tor the shepherds who would
gather their nocks I'm other folds than those
recosnlzed by the government In the fan
anu winter of ls45 meetings were held in
S ,-ss 70 discuss migration 10 more
favored lands. The money market then
MAS stringent employment was scarce ana
sue uines generally were hard ana these
cohuIuohs aggravated the religious tntoI-
efance. Populations were sent 10 the king
land ~ Ie,p ermission to colonize on the Is
me government refused to Sanction The
M no.seInent on the religious basis proposed.
). Arnold were started for this Country on
prospecting tour. those Interested III sra
80 S Seon pan raising the necessary funds
20 aeITay the expenses. The scouts sent
pack yoluminous and very fayoraIle re
pore, ana the agitation for emigratisn he
came general. In September folowfrg ~.
hrst installment of the Nichiean ee,ony
OF holianders started for the land of nrorn
smer smes sailed from Rotterdam on the
party was composed of seventeen fasnil,es'
MN MN rev: Dr. A. c. Van Raalte 81 The
was small In stature but had an ind.,-ss,.
s Que vii nigh executive ability. deem learn-
aity ana ns naa many times suffered the pen
from the established church. The Soyass
consumed forty-seven days ,he yesssi a..
BY stesmer nv w fork on November = Is4s.
pan, Iany' thence by way OF Buffalo ana Tls1a-
=, an ~, 70 ,Detroit, arriving in December. In
where to locate Wisconsin v wss ys, oscsoed
thought c Teaas by us Others , and sun ethers
A1oAes winch they were seeking
Michigan SELECTED.
IN detroit the pioneers were given n cc,u
uiai welcome and the splendid Gilman.
'ne beautiful soil and the commercial "A.
vahtages OF Michigan were 90 eloogent,v
prsessented by Gen. Lewis Carr. C. q srrov.
DR. Van Raalte leaving the others - tn nss
solI most OF them employed. STARE o,,e
nInrs , yuaee keiloeg Of Aliegan on an en-.
a location, Through the woods he e ,r.0 on
eleo 70 Kalamazoo, thence TO Aileeas "a
most Of e the 70 wa the ~ mouth Of Black lake.
guloe. he decided upon the pisce a. -.
,ocauon Tor the settlement Of the nj.
grms and returning TO DETROIT he s,pph-
cred his countrymen together ana MI
sonally led the caravan 10 the css.'...
plaee; The women and children rode in
masohs. Wnlie the men walked and Al All.
iegan the weaker ones were left vbils -.
heaos OF the families went on accomusnteS
=! company OF Allegan pioneers 10 h,nd
homes. So green and unsophistica,ed g.srs
tne newcomers in the WAYS OF the nild<rs
ness tnat they did not even know hevr 70
cnop down tree much less to build los
cabins. but they were apt pupils and nj ~
not long before houses were erected ana lie
won women sent for The colonists built .
ROAD the nrst thing after shelter had heer
provioed and then erected a church. srhich
was also used for public meetiner ana
come settled before additions n the .,,,,'.
arrived, and all through the summer mora
OF them came Many followed in the sfers
OF the first corners through the woods bus
most OF them came around the lale. -
oLncae9 and thence to Holland CITY. az
shea T rnr, sren,es tne settlement A long
the newcomers until better homes covld ~
pro1ded, and In the meantime the work 81
| ed. posn-
First Struggles.
| Inc AFFAIRS of the settlement both te-,nc-
raj and spiritual were regulated by = so
OF town meeting 70 which all the men were
entitled to hold seats and In which ,,,a ,,,
most freedom OF discussion was nllowsS
Under the direction of the town neeti1g
two OF the colonists were sent 70 Sausafuck
| 70 learn the American method Of cafg.hine
| hsh. The town meeting also raisei feoreT
| 70 SEND TWO men 10 Rochester to buy sUrplies
Ior a community store TO carry che settle
| ment through the first winter In also
| raised money 10 buy colony boat 10 ,rsns
immlgrants around the lakes from Rd4alo.
| IL directed where new houses shot,i5 ~
built and ordered the erection n = nv
! church. IL took cognizance of social fairs
as Wei ana sanctioned the early marriages
winter OF 1s47-4s was a severe me Tor re
new corners. The weather was mild hus
with insuinclent clothing. poor shelter and
a scanty supply OF provisions combined with
the effects OF strange climate caused much
illness and suffering and many deaths uc-
| CURED. Failing to find employment IN TiaI-
land in 1Sl7 the new corners began corning 70
the city in search Of work. Holland with fts
neighboring settlement. Nriesland. Iceland
| Jective point for the immigrants, who came
| by the hundreds, but IL was little more
| than a distributing point. the people c6anius
| here from the smaller towns.
| Credftable Citizens.
Ottawa county today has about 1000 Hob
landers, while there are twice as many I'm
| Kent. They prefer the lake region ana ar
l Joseph To Nanistee and Ludh,ton Thew
! scattered all along the lake shore from 81
| form valuable element of population re-
| ing sober, Industrious, iaw-abldtng thirty
and church goers. Wherever they baVa
settled will be found churches and school
houses. well kept farms. coy homes and
| numerous children. In labor centers such
thing as a strike among the Hollapders
| is unknown and they rarely affiliate with
! agftators OF any kind In this city they
| have about twenty-five churches more thar,
any other denomination, and the churches
| are always well attended.
| When the Eollsnders arrive fresh from
| the old country they wear the garb OF the
| Netherlands. the men in high water trous-
wooden shoes. the women in volumlno1gs
| skirts and queer bonnets and often are IN
wooden shoes. For finery the women wear
| lace bonnets a helmet of silver or GOLD
| and the men have earrings. When the new
| corners are well along I'm years they rarely
change the cut OF their clothing but the
younger people are not here long before
they adopt American styles and the tener-
alton born and brought up here are right
| up with the times on clothing The chil-
cren just over are quaint looking little
| ones, miniatures In garb and appearances
| Of their parents and grandparents hut II
| does not take them long 10 discard wooden
shoes when they mingle with American
| children.
At the worlds fair. August 81. win be Oh
] served as Netherlands day and plans are
| now well under way by which several thou
sand Hollanders OF western Michigan win
attend They will meet their countrrnnen