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Story of Dominee Seine Bolks tells of pioneering struggles Already in elementary school, I enjoyed salaries and strongly suggested what reading biographies. People’s lives intershould be preached. In less than 20 est me — whether living or dead. Since years, several congregations separated moving to the Orange City, I have found from the church, because the Bible was its history very intriguing. no longer truthfully preached as the word of God. One person especially stands out. Dominee Seine Bolks, the first minister The Bolks family were part of the in Sioux County. I don’t think he kept a group which had seceded from the state journal, so it really is impossible to study church, along with their neighbors the FROM MY this man, who is affectionately referred Gerrit and Hendrika Brouwer family. FARMHOUSE to as “Father Bolks.” Perhaps it was at a church gathering KITCHEN that Seine took a shine to the Brouwer’s He was born more than two centuries By Renae B. daughter Geertje. ago on April 30, 1814 in a small farmVander Schaaf house called the Flierboer near the vilOn July 11, 1838, on her birthday, lage of Linden, Overisel in The Netherlands. His Geertje married Seine, who was at that time father died when he was only eight months old. described as being tall and well built. Their first son Albert was born on Aug. 30, 1839. His mother Zwaantje Bolks stayed on their small farm with her four young children. It definitely In 1840 Seine Bolks was asked by an independent wasn’t easy, but her faith in God was strong. church in Hellendoorn to be their teacher elder. He continued to farm on a part-time basis to support At a very young age, Seine his wife and young son. He also took theological was sent out to the pastures to instruction under Rev. Albertus C. Van Raalte. On tend the sheep. His mother sent Dec. 19, 1841, Seine Bolks was formally installed as a Bible with him to read, which pastor. He preached on Psalm 27:4. he did while the sheep grazed. He had received enough educaThrough much prayer and thought this congregation that he could read. I have tion began making plans to move to America. The often wondered how those days lack of religious freedom, a poor economy and high alone while laboring as a sheptaxes were compelling motivations. herd with the Bible as his only To be a better shepherd to his flock, Dominee book to read prepared him for Bolks took some medical training before they left his future work. their village on Aug. 18, 1847. They boarded the By the time he was 20 years American sailing vessel, Audobon, on Sept. 3, 1847. old, he was appointed by the The voyage took 37 days to reach its destination of local church elders in Den Ham New York. to teach a class in Reformed cat- Dominee Seine Bolks When they left the ship on Oct. 11, they had no echism. He was soon asked to idea of where they were going to settle; only this preach occasionally. He began to feel the call to be a goal of setting up a new fellowship in America with preacher — yet he knew he hadn’t had any formal the Bible in one hand and the plow in the other. education. Since it was winter, they stayed in Syracuse, N.Y. It’s interesting to note that the word “Bolks” is where many found employment. During this time, Dutch for the small white haddock fish. Especially the travelers made the decision to settle in so, when he would spend his life being a fisher of Michigan, near the Van Raalte colony. They left men. Syracuse on May 1, 1848. At that time The Netherlands was experiencing A month later, on June 1, they arrived to an area of turmoil. In the year 1816, King William of the dense forest. This was so different than the Netherlands had placed all church government Netherlands. They were accustomed to well-estabunder state control. The government paid the clergy lished cities with then-modern conveniences. Amsterdam was 700 years old. It was a city with houses, not a wilderness filled with wolves, bears and snakes. Here they had to fell trees before they could even build shelter of any type. Obviously, that first summer was focused on survival. They planted vegetables in any clearing. Those first years were not easy. Bolks preached in the open air during the summer. In the winter, church took place in one of the first huts that had been built. A year later, they constructed a log church. Bolks received no salary. Instead, men of the settlement devoted one day every two weeks of labor to help the Bolks family on their 63 acres which was
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allotted to them. At first they named their new settlement Hellendoorn. Later, in 1851, it was renamed Overissel after their province in The Netherlands. Bolks remained their pastor, physician and economic advisor for four years. Then he helped a church in Chicago which had been without a pastor for some time. For six weeks he preached and encouraged the people. In 1853 he became the pastor for a small congregation in Grand Haven, Mich. It was here that he and his wife experienced a great tragedy in their own lives. Mrs. Bolks mother was seriously ill. She still lived in Overissel. On Sept. 26, 1854, Dominee Bolks, his wife and three of their children left to go visit her. As they were crossing the Pigeon River, their horse spooked. Consequently, the buggy overturned, plunging the passengers into the river. Their three sons, six-year-old Seine Hendrik, four-year-old Hein, and four-month-old Simon drowned. Two other Bolk children would also die at a young age. Four children lived to ripe old ages. Two years later, the Bolks family again moved. This time to the First Reformed Church in Milwaukee. America was in a crisis over the issue of slavery. He studied political affairs and closely followed local and national events and kept his flock informed through congrePhoto by Renae B. Vander Schaaf gational meetings. Bolks First Reformed Church in could read English. Many Orange City had a special of his church family could tombstone made for their not. He did encourage beloved first pastor. them to learn the English language. It is said that Bolks did not inject politics in his sermons, but held strictly to the exposition of the Word of God when preaching. He strongly encouraged people to vote and also told his parishioners, “It is the Christian’s unequivocal duty to exert what influence he can to promote the welfare of his country.” On Dec. 7, 1862 Dominee Bolks was installed as pastor of a settlement south of Chicago called Low Prairie. A week later he also became pastor of another congregation six miles north at a place called High Prairie. His annual salary from the two congregations was $650. Many of his parishioners there were dairy farmers or truck gardeners. Nearby Chicago provided an excellent market for their produce. See FARMHOUSE KITCHEN, pg. 8
