COLL/159 Guide to the Cornelius Kuipers Collection Kuipers, Cornelius Collection

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Hekman Library 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI, 49546 URL: http://archives.calvin.edu Email: crcarchives@calvin.edu Phone: 616-526-6913 Fax: 616-526-7689
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Guide to the Cornelius Kuipers Collection Heritage Hall, Hekman Library Overview of the Collection Cornelius Kuipers Collection 1882-1992 COLL/159 Cornelius Kuipers, 1898-1989 1.00 Heritage Hall, Hekman Library
Hekman Library 1855 Knollcrest Circle SE Grand Rapids, MI, URL: http://archives.calvin.edu Email: crcarchives@calvin.edu Phone: 616-526-6913 Fax: 616-526-7689
Minister of the Christian Reformed Church and missionary to Zuni, New Mexico. The collection includes minutes, reports, correspondence, speeches, bulletins, commemorative pamphlets, and a taped interview with transcription. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]
Biographical Information:

Cornelius Kuipers’ name has become synonymous with missionary to Indians. Since 1927, his ministry as lay-missionary and later as ordained minister has been among the Zuni and Navajo Indians of the Southwest. Before his ordination, he served at Zuni as principal and acting missionary. Ordination (according to Church Order Article 8, which provides for ordination under special circumstances) took place September 17, 1950, in the Peoria Christian Reformed Church.

During his ministry in Zuni, Cornelius Kuipers studied and wrote four books on Zuni culture. He earned a master’s degree in psychology from the University of New Mexico.

When he moved to Brigham Young City, his work among Native Americans continued but it now involved Navajos, especially Navajo students. The Friendship Letters in the collection are the products of this period.

Cornelius married Lois Nelson; they had four children. Lois died in 1945. In 1947, he married Martha Vos who had served two terms as a teacher in the Zuni Mission School. One daughter was added to the Cornelius Kuiper family.

After retirement, Kuipers continued to fill Indian assignments. He lived in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1985.

Administrative Information Related Materials:

The Christian Indian from the C. Kuipers collection was placed in the Calvin Theological Library periodical collection

Arrangement of Materials:

Folder level description

Detailed List of Contents id36325 Mission Materials id36326 1 id36327 1 1 Biographical and family materials 1947-1992 id36328 1 2 Bulletins of the Brigham Young Christian Reformed Church Jan-Dec 1961 id36329 1 3 "Friendship Letters," by C.K. from Brigham City 1956-1965 Scope and Contents

[incomplete]

id36330 1 4 "The Christian Reformed Mission to Reservation and Urban Indians: A Sociological Analysis," Part I, Calvin College 1975 id36331 1 5 Letter from the Christian Reformed Board of Missions to Zuni, New Mexico 1930 id36332 1 6 "My Adventure in Zuni," by F.H. Cushing in Century, Dec 1882, Feb, and Mar 1883 id36333 1 7 Indian Council minutes, guides, and other material 1973-1978 Scope and Contents

(incomplete)

id36334 1 8 Minutes of the General Conference, Gallup, New Mexico Mar 1950 - Dec 1951 id36335 1 9 Speech by A. Vander Wagen, at the cornerstone laying at Mission Church in Zuni, New Mexico August 31, 1926 id36336 1 10 "Een Stem uit de Wildernis," by A. Vander Wagen, articles in De Wachter 1941 id36337 1 11 Historical Highlights of the Indian Mission of the Christian Reformed Church by Mrs. Louis Berkhof undated id36338 1 12 Publication commemorating seventy-five years of Indian Missions 1896-1971 id36339 1 13 Zuni Speaks, a publication by the Women's Missionary Union of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Christian Reformed Church undated id36340 1 14 Dedication of Mission in Zuni. Press clipping 1972 id36341 1 15 Three Indian Tribes of the Southwest, by Gordon Oosterman (National Union of Christian Schools) 1973 id36342 1 16 "Reizen en Onderzoekingen in Noord-Amerika," by H.F.C. Ten Kate. Chapter on the Zuni 1885 id36343 1 17 Indian art undated id36344 1 18 Rare gems of literature: facsimiles of original manuscripts undated id36345 1 19 Written interview between C. Kuipers and J.H. Brinks undated id36346 1 20 Christian Entertainment: Dialogues and Recitations undated id36347 1 21 Christian Youth: Dialogues, Original Plays and Selected Recitations undated id36348 1 22 Personal correspondence with Lois Nelson Kuipers (wife) 1923-1928 Scope and Contents

[typed transcription]