COLL/079 Guide to the German Immigrant Papers Collection German Immigrant Papers 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 German Immigrant Papers Collection 1847/2007 Heritage Hall, Hekman Library Overview of the Collection German Immigrant Papers Collection 1847-2007 COLL/079 3.00 1.25 cubic ft. 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
The collection includes letters, memoirs, and recollections from Germany. The materials are written in German, Dutch, and/or a dialect. This mixture of languages is due to the geographic proximity of Germany and the Netherlands, plus the historic border alterations. Part of the collection has been transcribed and translated. Also includes a booklet entitled "Beloved family and friends: letters between Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany and America," Volume 1, 1847-1914. Compiled by Swenna Harger and Loren Lemmen, 2007 (with surname index).
Access Terms

This Collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Geographic Name: Germany -- Emigration and immigration United States -- Emigration and immigration Topical Term: German Americans -- Correspondence German Americans -- Personal narratives German Americans -- Social life and customs
Arrangement of Materials:

Folder level description

Detailed List of Contents id15327 Last Name: A id15328 1 id15329 1 1 Arends, Geert. Memoirs and letters: 11 p., photocopy, translation only. Uelsen, Germany - Graafschap, Michigan; G. Arends to children 1881-1892 id15330 1 2 Augenstein, Matthew. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, translation only. Lowell, Ohio - Germany; M. Augenstein to W. Bischoff 1880 id15331 Last Name: B id15332 1 id15333 1 3 Baker, Sue. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Osterwald, Germany - Holland, Michigan; Grete to Sue Baker 1978 id15334 1 4 Baumann, O. J. Letters: 4 items, photocopy, with translations. Bunde, Germany - Holland, Michigan; O.J. Baumann to Sue Bakker 1947-1948 id15335 1 5 Beckmann, Harmina. Letters: 9 items, photocopy with translations. Itterbeek, Germany - Graafschap, Michigan; H. Beckmann to B. Hindrick 1902-1949 id15336 1 6 Beckmann, Zwenne. Letters: 6 items, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Itterbeek, Germany - Saugatuck, Michigan; Z. Beckman to her son, Jan. 1901-1918 id15337 1 7 Beckman, S. Letters: 5 items, photocopy, with translations. Itterbeek, Germany - Saugatuck, Michigan; S. Beckman to relatives 1947-1948 id15340 1 8-10 Bielefield Family. Letters: 43 items, photocopy, with translations. Grafschaft, Bentheim - Holland, Michigan. Bielefield family to relatives 1887-1954 id15341 1 11 Boerrichter, Johanna. Letter fragment: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Osterwold, Germany - Graafschap, Michigan; J. Boerrichter to relatives undated id15345 1 13 Bouws, Gerrit. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Holland, Michigan -Emmelenkamp, Germany; G. Bouws to Harm Bouws 1847 Title:

Bouws, Gerrit - Letter

id15346 1 14 Bouws, Rieks. Recollections: Translation only. Grafschaft Benthiem, Germany - Graafschap, Michigan 1881 Title:

Bouws, Rieks - Recollections

id15347 1 15-16 Brandorf. Letters: 33 items 1873-1990
id15338 2 id15339 2 39 Beerlink, Aleida Oortman. Letters: 7 items, photocopy (3), with translation. Nordhorn, Grafschaft Bentheim - Lamont, Michigan. A. Beerlink to Hindrikin (Hattie) Harmellink Harmsen and other relatives 1946-1948
id15342 Last Name: K id15343 1 id15344 1 12 Kunn, Koene. Letters: Clara City, Minnesota - unknown [1940s] id15375 2 id15376 2 9 Knoll, Memo. Letter: 1 item, photocopy with translation. Vollenerfehn, Germany - Holland, Michigan; M. Knoll to Baker family 1947 id15377 2 10 Koning, D. Letters: 4 letters, photocopy, with translations. Itterbeck, Germay - U.S.A.; D. Koning, to Beckman family 1947-1948 id15378 2 11 Koning, H. Letters: 2 items, photocopy,with 1 item translated. Itterbeck, Germany - U.S.A.; H. Koning to relatives 1905 - 1909 id15379 2 12 Krake, Albert. Letter: 1 item, transcription, with translation. Kalamazoo, Michigan - Bentheim, Germany; A. Krake to sister 1876 id15348 Last Name: D id15349 1 id15350 1 17 De Frel, Rieka Ensing. Letters: 13 items, transcription with translation. Graafschap, Michigan - Kleinringe, Germany 1874-1968 id15351 Last Name: E id15352 1 id15353 1 18 Elbert, Fritz. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Osterwald, Germany - U.S.A.; F. Elbert to relatives 1948 id15354 1 19 Elbert, U.V.G. Letters: 11 items, photocopy. Itterbeek, Germany - U.S.A.; U.V.G. Elbert to friends 1904-1912 id15355 1 20 Ensing, Harm. Letter: 1 item, transcription with translation. Fremont, Michigan - Laar, Germany. 1891 id15356 1 21 Ensing, Hillegien Arens. Letter: 1 item, transcription with translation. Graafschap, Michigan - Nelsen, Germany. 1920s. id15357 1 22 Ensing, Lucas. Letter: 1 item, transcription with translation. Graafschap, Michigan - Kleinringe, Germany; L. Ensing to brother and sister 1899 id15358 1 23 Ensink, J.H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Haar, Germany - Holland, Michigan; J.H. Ensink to Sue Baker. 1977 id15359 Last Name: G id15360 1 id15361 1 24 Geerdes, H.H. and R. Autobiographies: 1 booklet, 35 pages, illustrated, transcription in English. Weenermore, Germany - Freeport, Illinois and Kit Carson, Colorado 1863-1955 id15362 1 25 Gemmen, Gerhard. Letter: 1 item. photocopy, with partial translation. Germany - Holland, Michigan; G. Gemmen to brother 1882 Title:

Gemmen, Gerhard - Letter

id15363 1 26 Gemmen, J.A. Letter and army discharge attestation: 2 items, photocopy, with partial translations. East Saugatuck, Michigan - Germany; J.A. Gemmen to Gerhard Gemmen 1884, 1877 Title:

Gemmen, J. A. Letter

id15364 1 27 Genzink, Albert. Letter: 1 item, transcription with translation. Graafschap, Michigan - Achterhorn, Germany; A. Genzink to a friend 1874 id15365 1 28 Ghurt, J. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Jhrove, Germany - U.S.A.; J. Ghurt to unknown 1947 id15366 1 29 Grüppen, Hermannus H. Letters: 16 items, photocopy, with partial translations. Graafschap, Michigan - Emlichheim, Germany; H.H. Gruppen to family 1898-1934
id15367 Last Name: H id15368 2 id15369 2 1-4 Halger, John. Letters: 86 items, photocopy. Germany - Holland, Michigan; Family and friends to J. Halger 1901-1920 id15370 2 5 Heetderks, Bernhard. Letters: 6 items, photocopy, with translations. Campen, Germany - Holland, Michigan; B. Heetderks to Baker family 1948-1950 id15371 2 38 Heinz, Deinem (sp.?). Letter: 1 item, original. [?] - Grand Rapids, Mich. D. Heinz to L. Hengst (sp.?) 1948 id15372 2 6 Hellendorn, L. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Vorwald, Germany - Holland, Michigan; L. Hellendorn to Geesje Reinink undated id15373 2 7 Hensen, Gerhard. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Coopersville, Michigan -Emlichheim, Germany; G. Hensen to family 1922 id15374 2 8 Hinrichs, Etta. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, transcription with translation. Grimersum, Germany - Holland, Michigan; E. Hinrichs to Jane Baker 1948 id15380 Last Name: L id15381 2 id15382 2 13 Lambers, Fenna. Letters: 2 items, photocopy, with translations. Getelomvor, Germany - U.S.A; F. Lambers to relatives 1948 id15383 2 14 Lefers, H.J. Letters: 2 items, photocopy, with translations. Picardie, Germay - U.S.A.; H.J. Lefers to relatives 1906 - 1913 id15384 2 15 Litzman, Lodewijk. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Litiz, Pennsylvania - Oostburg, Germany 1824 id15385 Last Name: M id15386 2 id15387 2 16 Masselink, G.H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Edgerton, Minnesota - Germany; G.H. Masselink to family 1920 Title:

Masselink, G. H. - Letter

id15388 2 17 Meier, H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Emlichheim, Germany - unknown; H. Meier to relatives 1952 id15389 2 18 Meyer, Ida Karsjens. Article: 1 item, photocopy. “My Life Story”. Hanswehrun, Germay - Iowa 1888 id15390 2 19 Minge, Engbert. Letters: 2 items, photocopy, with translations, Pathuis, Germany - unknown; E. Minge to family 1947-1948
id15391 Last Name: N id15392 2 id15393 2 20 Nordhof, G. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Wilsum, Grafshaft Bentheim - Michigan; G. Nordhoff to relatives 1891 id15394 Last Name: O id15395 2 id15396 2 21 Overweg, J.H. Letter fragments: 3 items, photocopy, with transcription. Oak Harbor, Washington - Germany; J.H. Overweg to Hensen family 1912 id15397 Last Name: P id15398 2 id15399 2 22 Palmbos, A.H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Gelsenkirchen, Germany - U.S.A.; A.H. Palmbos to sister 1909 Title:

Palmbos, A. H. - Letter

id15400 2 23 Palmbos, A.W. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Gelsenkirchen, Germany - U.S.A.; A.W. Palmbos to brother and sister 1809 Title:

Palmbos, A. W. - Letter

id15401 2 24 Palmbos, L. and M. Letters: 2 items, photocopy. Gunnigfel, Germany - U.S.A.; L. and M. Palmbos to brother and sister 1906-1908 Title:

Palmbos, L. and M. - Letters

id15402 2 25 Plesscher, Z.H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Clara City, Minnesota - Germany; Plesscher to relatives 1914 id15403 2 26 Plesscher, H.H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. East Saugatuck, Michigan - Emlichheim, Germany; H.H. Plesscher to J. Hensen 1882
id15404 Last Name: R id15405 2 id15406 2 27 Ruirink, J.H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Klein Ringe, Germay - Holland, Michigan; J.H. Ruirink to Susanna Baker 1947 id15407 Last Name: S id15408 2 id15409 2 28 Scholten, Albert. Letter: 1 item, translation. Graafschap, Michigan - Bentheim, Germany; A. Scholten to brother 1870 id15410 2 29 Schubert, Dirk. Letter excerpts: Newspaper clippings, photocopy 1856 id15411 2 30 Spykman, Albert. Travel account: 10 pages, photocopy, transcription, and translation. Emlichheim, Germany - Holland, Michigan 1924 id15412 Last Name: V id15413 2 id15414 2 31 Veldink, Lukas. Letter: 1 item, photocopy transcription. Zeeland, Michigan - Emlichheim, Germany; L. Veldink to relatives 1881 id15415 Last Name: W id15416 2 id15417 2 32 Wolters, Joe. Letters: 12 items, photocopy, with translation. East Friesland, Germany - Holland, Michigan; J. Wolters to relatives 1947-1948 id15419 Last Name: Z id15420 2 id15421 2 33 Zagers, Evert. Articles: 2 items, photocopy 1944, 1987 id15422 2 34-36 Zondag, J.B. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, transcription, and partially translated. Bentheim - Ostfriesland 1847 id15423 2 37 Zwafink, Zwenna. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Bakelde, Germany - U.S.A; Z. Zwafink to Gerd and Berend Hendricks 1948 id15424 Misc. id15425 3 id15426 3 1 Beloved family and friends: letters between Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany and America. Volume 1. Compiled by Swenna Harger and Loren Lemmen, 2007 (with surname index) 1847-1914 id15427 3 2 Rundschrift. Pamphlet 1902