Suitcase of Memories Hollanders Create Butler Township Legacy
By Carmen McCullough & Francine Guck
Suitcase of Memories Hollanders Create Butler Township Legacy By Carmen McCullough & Francine Guck
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“George and Johanna (Ruys) Boogaard with Grandchildren,” mixed media collage.
Acknowledgements Many thanks to those who helped make this book possible: Rethos: Places Reimagined History Museum of East Otter Tail County Holy Cross Catholic Church Minnesota Historical Society New York Mills Regional Cultural Center Otter Tail County Historical Society Springboard for the Arts
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“Marie and Ted Van Erp Wedding,” mixed media collage.
Table of Contents Introduction 6 Dedication 9 Overview 10 History of Butler 15 Holy Cross Community 27 Memory Lane 47 What’s Your Story? 62
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Introduction “Suitcase of Memories” was created by Francine Guck and Carmen McCullough, sisters and descendants of the early Dutch settlers in Otter Tail County. The inspiration to create this book came from an assortment of vintage family photographs and newspaper clippings discovered in a worn, blue suitcase from their Grandmother’s past. The contents of the suitcase told the story of a group of Hollanders who came to the United States to settle in what is now known as Butler Township in Minnesota.
Carmen McCullough and Francine Guck
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The worn, blue suitcase.
“Suitcase of Memories” was made possible through the Rethos: Places Reimagined - Otter Tail County Story Mapping Project. Much has been lost to time. However, as local Story Mappers, the sisters were able to share their account of the Hollanders’ settlement in Butler Township. While the topic is historical in nature, it is also quite personal. The mixed media collage artwork throughout the book favors their ancestors specifically (Boogaards and Van Erps), and the Memory Lane section documents the sisters’ memories of this Dutch legacy, generations later.
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“Marie (Boogaard) Van Erp and Barn,” mixed media collage.
This book is dedicated to our Grandmother,
Marie (Boogaard) Van Erp Without her adventurous spirit and determination, we would not be here today!
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Overview Unrest due to the looming World War was a major factor that led the Dutch to consider moving to America. Others hoped to improve their condition by owning their own land or by participating in the fur trade.
These early settlers came to Minnesota with great courage and little knowledge of the potentially harsh climate. It was the promise of rich farmland that enticed them to travel to the Butler area. Upon arrival, they were not impressed with their dismal surroundings. The living quarters consisted of tar shacks and only two or three farmhouses existed at the time. Their first tobacco crop was destroyed by hail, and insects ruined their potato plants. Some of the settlers returned to Holland, and some left to find work elsewhere.
Despite impassable roads, mosquitos, potato bugs, snakes, and strange languages and customs, many stayed to make a life in Butler Township. Those resilient individuals then convinced their friends and relatives to also make the trip to Butler. Eventually the community began to thrive.
A church was built, the land was farmed, and through the many hardships, they survived. They became a close-knit community who encouraged each other through difficulty and celebrated each other during the good times. Their heritage of faith, perseverance, and stability was important to Butler Township, Otter Tail County, and to Minnesota.
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Letter from Francis Murray, 1910.
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Dutch settlers arriving in New York City in 1910. The photo was taken in Chicago, as they transferred trains on their way to Butler, Minnesota.
“Across the Ocean,” mixed media collage detail.
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“Hollanders Arrive in Butler,” mixed media collage.
History of Butler
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Otter Tail County plat book map of Butler Township, 1912.
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Butler Township Butler Township was officially organized in July 1883. It is located about 15 miles north of New York Mills, Minnesota, on Otter Tail County Road Hwy 67. The Township is named after Stephen Butler, an Otter Tail County deputy sheriff, who also served as the county treasurer for 16 years. Petitioners wanted to name the township Red Eye, for the river that runs through the area, but Wadena County had already claimed the name. In 1890, Butler township’s population numbered 179. The first settlers included immigrants from Holland, Belgium, and Germany, as well as those of American birth. The township became known as a settling ground for a Dutch Colony in 1910. At the 2010 census, the population was 283, and several descendants of the first settlers still lived in the township.
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Johnston Stock & Farming Co. employment report, 1910.
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Johnston Stock & Farming Co. The Johnston Land Company was instrumental in bringing the Hollanders to Butler Township. After having taken the good trees in the Butler area for lumber, the company wanted to sell the land. The company promised cheap land that, when cleared, would be ideal for raising tobacco. To promote farming in the area, they built a modern dairy farm with a large stock barn, a general store, and creamery. The Dutch settlers helped make Otter Tail County one of the largest dairyproducing areas at that time.
What remains of the Johnston Stock & Farming Co. stock barn in 2021.
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“Johanna Van Erp and Catherine (Van Erp) Lachowitzer,” mixed media collage.
Post Office & Store The Butler post office was established in the fall of 1897. Butler had no rural delivery service, so people went there to pick up the mail, shop, and visit. It was located inside the Butler store until about 1953 when the mail was then handled directly from New York Mills. Sunday at the Butler store was a community tradition. The store, built in 1898, served as a gathering place for people throughout the years. Some came to buy, and some came just to talk. Eventually, better roads and the automobile made it easier for people to go to New York Mills or Perham for their purchases.
The Butler store on a Sunday afternoon, 1913.
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“Johanna Van Erp and Boyd School in Sisseton, South Dakota,” mixed media collage.
School Districts None of the Hollanders arriving in 1910 could speak English. However, they eventually learned the language and sent their children to one of three one-room schoolhouses; Bear Creek School District #165, or School District #228 or #263.
Because there were no school buses, some students had to walk up to four miles to school. The teachers boarded in the student’s homes. It is said that school children would bring raw potatos from home and put them in the ashbox. The potatos would be cooked and ready to eat at lunch time. Around 1953, the one-room schools were consolidated and Butler students were bused into New York Mills.
School District #263, Class of 1912.
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“George Boogaard (on left),” mixed media collage.
Bear Lake In the northwestern part of the Butler settlement, you will find Bear Lake. The lake area was abundant with wildlife for hunters and trappers. The Dutch settlers caught fish from the lake, including crappies, northern pike, and largemouth bass. Bear Lake was the place to be for fishing, boating, and swimming. It was also used for ice harvesting in the winter months, before electricity came to the area in 1939.
Bear Lake, 2021.
Making ice on Bear Lake for the Butler store.
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“Watch Over Me (Johanna Van Erp),” mixed media collage.
Holy Cross Community
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Church is Built Dedicated and courageous, the Dutch settlers developed a closeknit community in Butler, and Holy Cross Church was their center. Francis Murray was instrumental in bringing the group of Dutch colonists to Butler in 1910. Murray was serving as an agent for the Johnston Land Company. To encourage the sale of land, Murray contacted Father August Van Den Heuvel, to inquire about setting up a Catholic colonization program to help find colonists for the land in Butler. While on a visit to Holland, Father Van Den Heuvel (a native of Uden, Holland) found there was a possibility to have a Dutch priest of the Crosier order come with future colonists. Knowing there would be a priest there from their homeland, would be a great help in recruiting more people for the colony.
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The first Sunday for the colonists was Easter Sunday. They held Sunday mass in the Modern Woodmen Hall, which was owned by the Modern Woodmen Insurance Co. of America.
In April of 1910, the Johnston Land Company began to build the first wood frame church and rectory on the forty acres of land that was eventually given to the Holy Cross Church as their property. As more families settled in the Butler area, the church was getting too small. In the fall of 1928, digging began for the basement of a new church. The original church building and adjacent parish house were removed. The new church was completed in August of 1929. At that time, there were about 50 families attending. Dutch was spoken often in Butler. The sermons in church were given in Dutch until the 1940’s.
Holy Cross catechism class, 1951.
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Church Burns Down Butler’s Holy Cross Church burned down after being struck by lightning on Mother’s Day, May 10, 1999.
One of the historical artifacts destroyed by the fire included the four-foot by six-foot photograph of the parish founders just after they arrived from Holland in 1910. The fire also destroyed a wooden trunk with the names of the original parishioners carved on it. That trunk was full of Dutch letters and manuscripts, an assortment of paintings, wooden shoes, and other items brought from Holland. These items had been safely stored in the church basement for over 100 years.
Ruins of Holy Cross Church, 1999.
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Church Is Rebuilt Butler’s Holy Cross Church was rebuilt just south of where the previous church stood. The new church opened with a Christmas Eve Mass on December 23, 1999. The new church was dedicated the following March, only ten months after the fire.
Among other features, the new church is known for its distinctive stained-glass window located behind the altar. The window, acquired from a church in southern Minnesota, depicts Jesus as the Good Shepherd with his sheep. The old tower bell was among the items saved from the old church. It has since found a home right outside the new church.
Tower bell rescued from the old church, 2021. Left: Altar view in the new church.
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“Behold the Lion (Holy Cross Cemetery),” mixed media collage.
Cemetery The Holy Cross Cemetery was started in 1912. Henry Dupont was the first of the Holy Cross parish to die in Butler in September 1912. Dupont had helped to build the first church and parish house in 1910.
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Scholte headstone.
George and Johanna Boogaard headstone and markers.
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Theodore and Marie Van Erp headstone.
Holy Cross Cemetery
Catherine and Peter Van Erp headstone.
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Johanna Van Erp headstone.
Memorial Monument In 1985, a memorial monument was built for the 75th Anniversary celebration of the Holy Cross parish. It was built to honor the first parishioners who came from Holland in 1910. The memorial faces Holland and is located on the spot where the altar was situated in the original parish church. The altar of stone and cement was designed and built by William Scholte. Built into the monument are windows which hold memorial cards of some of the deceased members of the Butler parish. Some of the earlier members have their names written across the windows as there were no cards available. Within the construction of the altar is a large piece of concrete which was a part of the foundation of the original church. It is located in the front of the altar, under the words, Holy Cross.
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Memorial monument, circa 2016.
Memorial cards in the monument windows.
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“Shine (Johanna Van Erp),” mixed media collage.
Holy Cross Grotto The Fatima Grotto was designed and built by William Scholte.
It is dedicated to the Dutch Immigrants who settled in the area.
The grotto in full bloom, circa 2012.
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“Irene Seifert and Marie Van Erp,” mixed media collage.
Fall Festival The annual Fall Festival was held the second Sunday in September at Holy Cross Church. A dinner was served following the morning Mass, to raise funds for the parish. The parishioners would also hold the annual “Butler Shoot” during the festival. It was an occasion for hunters to practice their skills for the upcoming duck season. They shot at a target and whoever hit the bullseye won a live chicken. The Fall Festival started in 1929 and was held every year, except during World War II when many of its members served in the army.
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“Mary Ann (Van Erp) Seifert and Bernice (Boogaard) Messer,” mixed media collage.
Church Choir The Holy Cross Church choir was organized in 1910 with Joseph Fick as organist. Fick purchased and donated the first organ to the parish. Later, Mary Holzer served as organist for many years. Holzer was also a farm housewife and mother of ten children.
Holy Cross Church choir, 1963.
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“She Would Bake (Johanna (Ruys) Boogaard),” mixed media collage.
Memory Lane
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Dutch Cuisine The diet of the average Dutch settler was fairly simple. Meals generally included bread, pancakes, and, occasionally, fish caught from Bear Lake. Potatos were served with salt and a little butter or lard and were often eaten at every meal. They were peeled and boiled for lunch, and then warmed and mashed for dinner, with leftovers saved for breakfast. Common meals included zuurkoolstamppot (sauerkraut and potato mash) and groentensoep (vegetable soup). Borrimuise, a mixture of mashed potatoes and kale, was also served.
The settlers enjoyed other vegetables grown in their gardens including beets, turnips, carrots, and kohlrabi.
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Marie and Ted Van Erp, 1959.
Our grandparents had an amazing garden. The huge cabbages provided an abundance of sauerkraut, which was stored in large crocks in their three-season porch.
Grandma’s mashed potatoes, gravy, and stuffing were the best around! Even though her recipes still exist, she had a special way of making ordinary food delicious that has been difficult, if not impossible, to replicate.
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“Historic Event,” mixed media collage.
Lilacs Because lilacs need cold winters, they are perfect for the Minnesota climate. At their home in Butler, our grandparents planted a row of lilacs at the edge of their lawn, next to the corn field. We fondly remember enjoying the scent of those pretty plumes when they bloomed each spring.
In April 2021, lilacs still exist on the property that used to be our Grandparent’s farm.
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“Mary Ann (Van Erp) Seifert and Peter Van Erp,” mixed media collage.
Wooden Shoes It rains a lot in Holland, so wooden shoes were worn to keep feet warm and dry. However, there was no need for wooden shoes in Butler Township in 1910. It was the driest year ever recorded in the county at the time.
We remember playing “dress up” with a pair of small wooden shoes at our grandparent’s home. The novelty of walking in those shoes quickly wore off once our feet grew too big to fit.
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“Johanna Van Erp,” mixed media collage.
Sinterklaas For centuries, the Feast of Sinterklaas, on December 6th, has been unique as a Dutch event, honoring St. Nicholas, patron saint of children.
The feast is celebrated with the giving of gifts on St. Nicholas’ Eve (December 5th).
Up until the 1940’s, children would awake to find a present in their shoe.
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“Ted and Marie Van Erp on the Farm,” mixed media collage.
Tobacco & Baseball Growing tobacco was one of the original agricultural plans for the Butler area. Records show that in 1919, the Butler settlers grew a beautiful tobacco crop. Unfortunately, that same crop was destroyed later in the season by a hailstorm. We remember our grandfather, Theodore Van Erp, smoking his pipe after dinner. He made it a ritual of sorts, as he would pack his pipe with tobacco and enjoy a leisurely smoke. We never saw Grandpa angry, although he would occasionally let out a few expletives in Dutch if things weren’t going as planned. Grandpa also enjoyed watching baseball games and in his younger days, he was a member of the Butler baseball team.
Butler baseball team with Theodore Van Erp (front row, on right).
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Barn on Ted and Marie Van Erp’s homestead, (date unknown).
The Farmstead Our grandparent’s farmhouse was built in 1905, so it pre-dates the group coming from Holland in 1910. Though we were pretty young when our grandparents lived there, we have fond memories of the place. In 1975, a tornado wiped out the barn, but the house still stands in 2021.
The farmhouse, 1955.
The farmhouse, circa 2012.
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“Strange Farm Girls,” mixed media collage.
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What’s Your Story? Do you have a story to tell? Why not tell it through mixed media collage? It’s a fun and easy way to tell a story with paint, paper, fabric, and found objects, You don’t even need to know how to draw! Here are some quick tips to get started:
Be Inspired!
#1
This book project was born on the New Moon with a pair of thrift store wooden shoes, a red candle, and a bottle of “Writer’s Block” wine. What inspires you? Pay attention… you might be surprised!
Vision Board
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To create a vision board, collect images, items, and a color palette that speaks for your collage. Aren’t quite sure what to choose? The act of gathering your favorite treasures will spark your creativity. So that’s a good place to start.
Tell Your Story You’ll find this old Germanic text in the background of many of the collages created for this book. What elements can best tell your story? Your Grandmother’s recipe collection? Buttons from your Mom’s pink, vintage coat? Include only treasures that make you smile.
#3 Have Fun! I purchased a rubber stamp using this favorite image of my Grandmother. It didn’t quite work for this project, but it sure was fun to try.
#4
Others can sense the energy you put into your artwork. So make it fun and make it yours!
For more collage tips and inspiration, visit my website at: www.StrangeFarmGirl.com
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My Artistic Muse - “Johanna Van Erp, circa 1950” mixed media collage.
What was in the Suitcase? The inspiration to create this book came from an assortment of vintage family photographs and newspaper clippings discovered in a worn blue suitcase from our Grandmother’s past. The contents of the suitcase told the story of a group of Hollanders who came to the United States to settle in what is now known as Butler Township in Minnesota. This book commemorates the Dutch immigrant arrival in 1910 and their following settlement in Otter Tail County. As a scrapbook of sorts, it includes copies of newspaper clippings, photos from the past, and mixed media collages created with gratitude and respect for those who came before us.
©2021 by Carmen McCullough All rights reserved.
