Veldman, Richard (1889-1975) | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

When Richard was fifteen he moved with his parents from Groningen, the Netherlands, to Chicago, Illinois, on April 16, 1889.  He made profession of faith at the age of seventeen in the First Christian Reformed Church on Chicago's West Side.

The desire to enter the ministry of the Word prompted Richard Veldman to study at Calvin College and Seminary.  When he graduated in 1914, he continued studies at Princeton Seminary and the University of Chicago.  In 1918 he began his ministry of forty years in Prospect Park, Holland, Michigan (1918-1920).  The second church served was Prospect Park, Paterson, New Jersey (1920-1927).  His third congregation was West Leonard, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1927-1949), and the fourth congregation was Estelline, South Dakota (1949-1958).  After his retirement, he and his wife, Hermine, lived in Volga, South Dakota, until he passed away, February 26, 1975.  His wife preceded him in death by four years.

Rev. Richard Veldman wrote meditations for De Wachter from May 1935 until June 1965.  He was active in denominational affairs through delegation to synod three times and served on the Board of Trustees for seven years.

The Veldmans had no children.  They were world travelers.  Their wedding trip in 1921 took them to Holland, Germany, and other European countries.  In 1924, they spent ten weeks traveling in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.  A trip around the world in 1930 was a five-month tour when they visited thirty-three countries.

Collection Description:

Our collection includes many of his sermon notes as well as meditations.  Rev. Richard Veldman made a scrapbook out of the 1857-1857 Centennial book, "One Hundred Years in the New World."  It contains many extra press profiles of ministers and churches.  The pastor wrote special letters for servicemen in WWII.  We have a number of them, handwritten copies in a neat, legible style.  In fact, his Dutch and English sermon notes are all very legibly handwritten.