Van der Werp, Henry (1846-1918) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Henry Van der Werp was born in Bedum, Groningen, Netherlands on March 20, 1846.  Van der Werp passed his examination for becoming a school teacher and for five years he was a tutor for a family in Rotterdam. He then went off to pursue an education in ministry and enrolled at the Theological School of Kampen, graduating in 1878.  His first charge was with the congregation of Beverwyk in the Netherlands. The congregation was small and poor without even a church building. Rich friends of Zion came to aid the small congregation and they were able to erect a church. In 1879 Van der Werp was ordained as well as got married.

At the end of 1881 Van der Werp accepted a call from a struggling church across the Atlantic in the United States. On January 8th 1882 Rev. Van der Werp became the pastor for the congregation of Noordeloos, Michigan. Van der Werp went on to serve a number of other churches in America including: Drenthe, MI (1883-1886); First Roseland, Chicago (1886-1892); First Fremont, MI (1892-1899); Cincinnati, OH (1899-1905); Harrison, SD (1905-1908); Zutphen, MI (1908-1913). In 1913 Rev. Van der Werp was granted emeritus status.

Van der Werp an avid writer, wrote articles for the De Wachter and published several volumes of poetry and prose. On March 20, 1918 Rev. Van der Werp passed away in Grand Rapids, Michigan.