Dutch Immigrant Papers Collection, 1786-[ongoing] | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

Collection Overview

Title: Dutch Immigrant Papers Collection, 1786-[ongoing]

ID: COLL/078

Arrangement: Folder level description

Subjects: Canada - Emigration and immigration - Biography, Dutch Americans - Correspondence, Dutch Americans - History - Sources, Dutch Americans - Personal narratives, Dutch Americans - Social life and customs, Netherlands - Emigration and immigration - Biography, United States - Emigration and immigration - Biography

Abstract

The Dutch Immigrant Letter Collection includes a wide spectrum of Dutch immigrant experience-Protestant, Catholic, and secular-and it is the only major collection of its kind. To assemble the Immigrant Letter Collection the archives conducted four major manuscript collection campaigns in the Netherlands and the United States between 1976 and 1990. These efforts accumulated at least eight thousand items-letters, travel accounts, immigrant memoirs, and photographs.

Of the 4,970 letters gathered (1838-1958), 2,793 were American postings and 2,179 were from the Netherlands to the United States. Half of the letters from immigrants cluster between 1873 and 1893, accurately reflecting the numerical configuration of Dutch immigration. Moreover, immigration peaks in 1848-1857, 1867-1888, and 1892-1915 are followed a year or two later by peaks in correspondence.

Unfortunately we acquired no useful examples of two-way correspondence. Furthermore, the immigrant letters represent at best 0.0032 percent of an estimated 889,000 letters mailed from the United States to Holland between 1890 and 1930.

All names reflect the original spellings, so try variants spellings (i.e. ij / y); variant spacing (i.e. vanden / van den); and variants of v.d. names (i.e. van de / van den / van der).

The collection includes letters, diaries, travel accounts, memoirs, recollections, and journals. These sources provide a wide range of viewpoints and materials for discovering the spirit and character of the immigration experience. Herbert J. Brinks, curator of the Archives from 1972-1995, collected and used the letters in the research for the following books: Schrijf Spoedig Terug, 1978; Write Back Soon, 1986; and Dutch American Voices, 1995. Nearly all the material in this collection has been transcribed and translated. This is indicated for each item in a separate alphabetized guide, Dutch Immigrant Papers Guide, and on our web site: http://library.calvin.edu/guide/collections/hh/in_house_resources/immigrant_letters/dutch_letters. Additions continue.

Subject/Index Terms

Canada - Emigration and immigration - Biography
Dutch Americans - Correspondence
Dutch Americans - History - Sources
Dutch Americans - Personal narratives
Dutch Americans - Social life and customs
Netherlands - Emigration and immigration - Biography
United States - Emigration and immigration - Biography

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Last Name: A],
[Series 2: Last Name: B],
[Series 3: Last Name: C],
[Series 4: Last Name: D],
[Series 5: Last Name: E],
[Series 6: Last Name: F],
[Series 7: Last Name: G],
[Series 8: Last Name: H],
[Series 9: Last Name: I],
[Series 10: Last Name: J],
[Series 11: Last Name: K],
[Series 12: Last Name: L],
[Series 13: Last Name: M],
[Series 14: Last Name: N],
[Series 15: Last Name: O],
[Series 16: Last Name: P],
[Series 17: Last Name: Q],
[Series 18: Last Name: R],
[Series 19: Last Name: S],
[Series 20: Last Name: T],
[Series 21: Last Name: U],
[Series 22: Last Name: V],
[Series 23: Last Name: W],
[Series 24: Last Name: Y],
[Series 25: Last Name: Z],
[All]

Series 12: Last Name: L

Box 35

Folder 20: Laarman, Hendrik. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Linde, Overijssel - Overisel, Michigan. H. Laarman to the Rutgers family. --- 1850
Folder 21: Lahuis, Kasper. Letter: 1 item. Zeeland, Michigan - Grand Rapids, Michigan. K. Lahuis to F. ten Hoor. --- 1902
Folder 22: Lakeman, Cornelis. Letter: 1 item, with partial transcription. Pella, Iowa - Netherlands. C. Lakeman to relatives. --- 1847
Folder 23: Lambers, Siep and Suzy. Letters: 2 items, photocopy. Ardrie, Alberta - Veendam, Groningen. S. and S. Lambers to relatives. --- 1950-1953
Folder 24: Lambers Heerspink, Toos. Letters: 3 items, photocopy. Vroomshoop, Overijssel - Pella, Iowa. T. Lambers Heerspink to Bertha Van't Sant. --- 1947-1948
Folder 25-26: Lambrecht, Olympe L. J. Letters: 62 items, photocopy. Groningen, Rotterdam, Oosterbeck, Hellevoetsluis Gouda -Middelburg. Relatives and friends to O. L. J. Lambrecht. --- 1844-1880

Box 36

Folder 1-2: Lambrecht, Olympe L. J. Letters: 62 items, photocopy. Groningen, Rotterdam, Oosterbeck, Hellevoetsluis Gouda -Middelburg. Relatives and friends to O. L. J. Lambrecht. --- 1844-1880
Folder 3: Lambregtse, A. Letters: 14 items, photocopy. Rilland, Zeeland - Byron Center, Michigan. Parents and relatives to A. Lambregtse. --- 1949-1953
Folder 4: Lambregtse, K.J. Letters: 4 items, photocopy. Marknesse, Flevoland - Byron Center, Michigan. K. J. Lambregtse to A. Lambregtse. --- 1949-1952
Folder 5: Lambregtse, Marien. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Emmeloord, Flevoland - Byron Center, Michigan. M. Lambregtse to A. Lambregtse. --- 1953
Folder 6: Lampert, A. Letters: 3 items. Dirksland, Zuid Holland - USA. A. Lampert to relatives. --- 1979
Folder 7: Langereis, Lucy. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Kralingen, Zuid Holland - Beaverdam, Michigan. L. Langereis to Susan D. Langereis Scheele. --- 1895
Folder 8: Lankester, Peter. Letters: 9 items, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Veere, Zeeland. P. Lankester to J. M. Kuiler. --- 1850-1867
Folder 9: Lanning, Hinderik. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Holland, Michigan - Sleen, Drenthe. H. Lanning to Remmelt Lanning. --- 1847
Folder 10: Lanning, Hinderik. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Drenthe, Michigan - Aalden, Drenthe. H. Lanning to Hinderikus Lanning. --- 1860
Folder 11: Larson, Leslie S. Letter: 1 item. Schweighausen, Germany - Downers Grove, Illinois. W. K. Jung to L. S. Larson. --- 1951
Folder 12: Last, J. Letters: 2 items, photocopy. Soerabaia, Indonesia -[Grand Haven, Michigan]. J. Last to relatives. --- 1941
Folder 13: Lautenbach, Jan and Antje Herrema. Letters: 9 items, photocopy, with transcription and partial translation. Grand Rapids, Michigan - Tzummarum, Friesland. J. and A. Lautenbach to Sijds Lautenbach. --- 1882-1826
Folder 14-22: Lebbe, Cornelius Johannes. Letters and poem: 237 items, photocopy. Den Helder, Noord Holland - Grand Haven, Michigan. C. J. Lebbe to Nell Lebbe Schornagel Lehman. --- 1938-1957

Box 37

Folder 1-9: Lebbe, Cornelius Johannes. Letters and poem: 237 items, photocopy. Den Helder, Noord Holland - Grand Haven, Michigan. C. J. Lebbe to Nell Lebbe Schornagel Lehman. --- 1938-1957
Folder 10: Leegstra, Johannes. Letter: 1 item, with translation. Dokkum, Friesland - Hudsonville, Michigan. J. Leegstra to Douwe Leegstra. --- 1925
Folder 11: Folder 11: Leenhouts, Jannis and Elizabeth Huisheere. Letter: 1 item. Ottawa, Michigan - IJzendijke, Zeeland. Jannis Leenhouts and Elizabeth Huisheere to Pieter Huisheere. --- 1850
Folder 12: Leenhouts, Pieter. Letter: 1 item, translation. Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Schoondijke, Zeeland. P. Leenhouts to family. --- 1848
Folder 13: Leep, Andrew K. Recollections: 1 item, 13 leaves, photocopy. St. Annaparochie, Friesland - Chicago, Illinois. --- 1893-1958
Folder 14: Leep, Harry and Edith Alberda. Recollections: 1 item, 26 leaves. Chicago, Illinois - Manhattan, Montana. --- 1902-1977
Folder 15-17: Lehman, Nell Lebbe Schornagel and Ton Schornagle and Louis Lehman. Letters and documents: 32 items, photocopy. Grand Haven, Michigan Noord Holland; Zuid Holland; Toronto, Ontario - Grand Haven, Michigan; Netherlands. N. Lehman and husbands to relatives and vice versa. --- 1941-1970
Folder 18: Leijnse, B. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Middelburg, Zeeland - USA. B. Leijnse to relatives. --- 1946
Folder 19: Lemmen, Gerrit and Kaatje. Document: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Allegan, Michigan. Agreement between G. and K. Lemmen and Hendrik Ten Brink. --- 1877
Folder 20: Lemmes, J. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Zeeland, Michigan - Yerseke, Zeeland. J. Lemmes to friend. --- 1917
Folder 21: Levenkamp, John A. Letters: 2 items, photocopy and microfilm, with transcription and translation. Sioux Center, Iowa - Borculo, Michigan. J. A. Levenkamp to H. Harm Avink. --- 1909
Folder 22: Levenkamp, John H. Letters: 10 items, photocopy and microfilm, with transcription and translation. Sioux Center, Iowa - Barchem, Gelderland. J. H. Levenkamp to W. Bouwmeester. --- 1891-1903
Folder 23: Levenkamp, Teunis. Letters: 3 items, photocopy and microfilm, with transcription and translation. Sioux Center, Iowa - Barchem, Gelderland. T. Levenkamp to Bouwmeester. --- 1897-1903
Folder 24: Lie, Mado. Letters: 5 items, photocopy. De Haag, Zuid Holland - Grosse Pointe, Michigan. Relatives to M. Lie. --- 1979-1980
Folder 25: Ligterink, W. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Chicago, Illinois - Aalten, Gelderland. Published in De Graafschaps Bode, 24 Oct 1970.Anonymous to relatives. --- 1868
Folder 26: Lingbeek, H. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Inwood, Ontario - Veendam, Groningen. H. Lingbeek to family. --- 1913
Folder 27: Lion, Jan and Alida Westerhof. Letters: 4 items, photocopy. Holland, Michigan - Garnwerd, Groningen. J. and A. Lion to relatives. --- 1912-1951
Folder 28: Lohuis, Roelof and Johanna. Letters: 4 items, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Lime Springs, Iowa - Netherlands. R. and J. Lohuis to relatives. --- 1869-1901
Folder 29: Loman, Hendrik. Letter: 1 item, translated photocopy. Groningen, Michigan - Netherlands. H. Loman to friends. --- 1869
Folder 30: Lootsma, Geertje Armour. Letter: 1 item, 8 leaves. Terneuzen, Zeeland - Hoboken, New Jersey. --- 1945
Folder 31: Louis. Letter: 1 item, photocopy. Winterswijk, Gelderland - USA. Louis to sister. --- 1945

Box 38

Folder 1: Louwenaar, W. J. Letter: 1 item. St. Jacobiparochie - Paterson, New Jersey. W. J. Louwenaar to Rinsche Spoelhof. --- 1947
Folder 2: Lubbers, Marge. Letters: 2 items, photocopy. Chicago, Illinois - Groningen, Groningen. M. Lubbers to Theo G. Hoekstra. --- 1946-1947
Folder 3: Lubbers, Nellie. Letters: 3 items. Holland, Michigan - Ripon, California. N. Lubbers to Alice Nykamp (Mrs. John W.). --- 1939
Folder 4: Lucasse, William J. Letter: 1 item, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Kalamazoo, Michigan - Netherlands. W. J. Lucasse to relatives. --- 1885
Folder 5: Luidens, Jacob. Letter: 1 item, photocopy,with transcription and translation. Grand Rapids, Michigan - DenHelder, Noord Holland. J. Luidens to Jan Alberts Bakker. --- 1905
Folder 6: Luinenga, Engberd. Letters: 3 items, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Grand Haven, Michigan - Groningen, Groningen. E. Luinenga to relatives. --- 1881-1884
Folder 7-8: Lummen, Marinus. Recollections: 1 item, 131 leaves, with transcription. Netherlands - Fremont, Michigan. --- 1881-1884
Folder 9: Luurtsma, K. Letter: 1 item, with transcription and translation. Chicago, Illinois - Spijk, Groningen. K. Luurtsema to friends. --- 1877
Folder 10: Luteyn, Izaak Adriaan, Letters: 1 folder, letters and documents. Nanton, Alberta Canada to IJzendijke, Zeeland, Netherlands. Adrian Luteyn to his family and items following his death due to drowning. --- 1953-1955
Folder 11-12: Lycklama a Nijeholt, Jelle (James) and Wemkje (Wilma) Boonstra. Diaries: 2 volumes (65 pages), photocopy, with translation. Comlachie, Embro, Burlington, Ontario - Blija, Friesland. Jelle and Wim Lycklama a Nijeholt to Wypke Lycklama a Nijeholt and Renske Algera. --- 1948-1958
Folder 13: Lyklema, Sjirk (Chas). Letters: 6 items, photocopy. Maywood, Illinois - Oudega and Nijland, Friesland. S. Lyklema to Johannes Lyklema. --- 1914-1922