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Start Over You searched for: Repository University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library ✖ Remove constraint Repository: University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library Level Collection ✖ Remove constraint Level: Collection Subjects Dutch Americans -- Michigan. ✖ Remove constraint Subjects: Dutch Americans -- Michigan. Date range 1850 to 1859 ✖ Remove constraint Date range: <span class="from" data-blrl-begin="1850">1850</span> to <span class="to" data-blrl-end="1859">1859</span>Search Results
9 linear feet (in 10 boxes)
The collection includes the correspondence and business papers of Paulus den Bleyker, papers of his son John den Bleyker and John's wife Anna Balch, Paulus' daughter, Martha, and other family members and descendents. Much of the correspondence is in Dutch, but an English calendar of these letters (in box 1) has been prepared by Harry DeVries and Effa Zwier.
Many of the papers for the years 1828-1851 are on affairs in Holland and the den Bleyker settlement near Kalamazoo. For the years 1851-1856, the correspondence deals with personal affairs, the building of a flour mill and a saw mill and land transactions. For the years 1856-1857, there are many letters from family and friends but the bulk of them concern den Bleyker's real estate dealings. For 1872 to 1936, the correspondence is of John and Anna Balch den Bleyker and relates to family and business.
Of special significance in the collection is the file of letters exchanged between Paulus den Bleyker and A.C. Van Raalte, the founder of the Dutch community in Holland, Michigan.
1 linear foot
The collection of photocopied letters has been arranged alphabetically by the name of the city in Michigan which was home to the immigrant family, and thereafter by family name of. Most of these cities were in western Michigan.