.
Collection Overview
Abstract
Family historian and genealogist. The collection includes the supporting material of the book, The Life of a Dutch American: George Roelofs, i.e., drafts, photographs, letters, and photocopy images of photographs, plus correspondence, family member information, and research material.
[Note: see also Heritage Hall books The Life of a Dutch American: George Roelofs, 1853-1919, of Zwolle, the Netherlands, and Grand Rapids, Michigan: His Ancestry, Life, and Descendants with Photographs, Maps, and Genealogical Charts by Cora Helen Roelofs Verbrugge (CT274 .R635 V47 1994) and Brieven uit het Verleden: Samenstelling en Redactie door Frank Verbrugge (Letters from the Past: Compiled and Edited by Frank Verbrugge) (CT274 .V47 B75 1981). See also Frank Verbrugge. Papers – collection 529]
Biographical Note
Cora Helen Tromp Roelofs (11 Jan 1918 - 09 Jan 2002) was born in Grand Rapids to George (nee Gerrit) Roelofs (1853-1919) and Nellie Tromp (1878-1939). He was a real estate dealer, insurance agent, and editor/publisher of Een Stem des Volks, who had emigrated in 1875. He and his first wife, Mary Dijkema (1857-1912), had five children. In 1913 he and Nellie Tromp married and they had two children, Robert (1914-1985) and Nellie. After George’s death, Nellie married Theodore (nee Tiddo) Wolthorn (1880-1972), whose first wife, Wilhelmina Johnson (1883-1918), had also died.
Cora graduated from Grand Rapids Central High School in 1936 and attended Calvin College, there meeting Frank Verbrugge (1913-1985). The two married in 1940 and in 1946 settled in Northfield, Minnesota, where Frank served on the faculty of Carelton College. In 1956, the family moved to St. Paul when Frank joined the faculty of the University of Minnesota. After helping her husband with his family’s history, Wither Thou Goest: The Life and Story of Jacobus and Maria Verbrugge in Minnesota, she began collecting material about and writing the history of her family, The Life of a Dutch American, George Roelofs, which she finished after Frank died. Frank and Cora had four children—Anne Louise (married Tomas Hughes Martin), Lois Marie (married Elmer Grant Gilbert), Robert Roelofs (married Noreen Elizabeth Hughes), and Martha Helen Verbrugge.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: The Life of a Dutch American, George Roelofs],
[
Series 2: Correspondence],
[
Series 3: Family Members' Information],
[Series 4: Research Material],
[
Series 5: Photographs, People],
[
Series 6: Slides, 1950-1986],
[
All]
- Series 4: Research Material
- Box 3
- Folder 4: Property records --- 1891-1923
- Folder 5: Gerrit Roelofs, Bible information
- Folder 6: Immigrations --- 1870-1910
- Folder 7: De Padvinders/wet
- Folder 8: Nellie Tromp material, reunion --- 1924
- Folder 9: Recollections of John K. Dykema of Port Sheldon --- 1920-1940
- Folder 10: Title abstracts, George Roelofs --- 1919-1923
- Folder 11: F. J. LeLoux files --- 1821-1901
- Folder 12: Thanksgiving service --- 24-Nov-1987
- Folder 13: Blotter collection
- Box 5
- Item 1: Certificates; newspapers
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Autobiographical information
- Folder 2: Greeting cards
- Folder 3: Score for operetta On Midsummer's Day --- 1929
- Folder 4: Poetry --- 1934
- Folder 5: Illustrated English literature book --- 1934
- Folder 6: Correspondence from mother
- Folder 7: Helios publication --- 1933 and 1936
- Folder 8: Bible English notebook, high school project --- 1936
- Folder 9: Account book
- Folder 10: Calvin College poetry assignments, --- 1936
- Folder 11: Central High School yearbook --- 1936
- Folder 12: Book reports --- 1941
- Box 7
- Folder 1: Wedding --- 27-Dec-1940
- Folder 2: Wedding books
- Folder 3: "When 117 Pre-School Mothers Get Together," Parents Magazine --- 1949
- Folder 4: Lists of children's books read --- 1950s
- Folder 5: School programs of children --- 1950s
- Folder 6: List of family trips
- Folder 7: European trip --- 1965
- Folder 8: English assignments, University of Minnesota --- 1964
- Folder 9: Michigan trip --- 1976
- Folder 10: Dutch course, University of Minnesota --- 1979
- Folder 11-14: Memorabilia --- 1989-1992
- Box 8: Correspondence --- 1873-1979
- Box 9: Correspondence --- 1948-1970
- Box 10: Correspondence --- 1972-2000
- Box 11: Family research
- Box 12-17: Family logs --- 1948-1988
- Box 18
- Folder 1: Family members' birthday listing
- Folder 2: News item, move to condo --- 1987
- Folder 3: Ellis Island certificates --- 1992
- Folder 4: George Roelofs estate material --- 1992
- Folder 5: "Tromp Family in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1910-1980" --- 1993
- Folder 6: 75th birthday cards --- 1993
- Folder 7: Thursday Night Regulars meetings --- 1992-1994
- Folder 8: Publication party --- 1994
- Folder 9: The Life of a Dutch American, George Roelofs book review and comments --- 1995
- Folder 10: Memorial service material --- 2002
- Folder 11: Last will and testament and related documents
- Folder 12: Father Goose, children's book
- Folder 13: Photocopy of Nellie Trump album --- 1878-1937
- Folder 14: News clippings
- Folder 15: R.H.C. Tromp baptism certificate; related material
- Folder 16: R.H.C. Tromp genealogy; related material
- Folder 17: Tromp family's passenger lists
- Folder 18: Notarized statement of C. Tromp to N. Tromp --- 1900
- Folder 19: Funeral visitation book for Nellie Tromp Roelofs --- 1939
- Folder 20: Acceptance speech, presidency of Faculty Women's Club, University of Minnesota --- 1968
Browse by Series:
[
Series 1: The Life of a Dutch American, George Roelofs],
[
Series 2: Correspondence],
[
Series 3: Family Members' Information],
[Series 4: Research Material],
[
Series 5: Photographs, People],
[
Series 6: Slides, 1950-1986],
[
All]
