THE LAND — MAY 27/JUNE 3, 2022
www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
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Story of Dominee Seine Bolks tells of pioneering struggles Already in elementary school, I enjoyed on Aug. 30, 1839. reading biographies. People’s lives interIn 1840 Seine Bolks was asked by an est me — whether living or dead. Since independent church in Hellendoorn to be moving to the Orange City, I have found their teacher elder. He continued to farm its history very intriguing. on a part-time basis to support his wife One person especially stands out. and young son. He also took theological Dominee Seine Bolks, the first minister instruction under Rev. Albertus C. Van in Sioux County. I don’t think he kept a Raalte. On Dec. 19, 1841, Seine Bolks journal, so it really is impossible to study was formally installed as pastor. He FROM MY this man, who is affectionately referred preached on Psalm 27:4. FARMHOUSE to as “Father Bolks.” KITCHEN Through much prayer and thought this He was born more than two centuries congregation began making plans to By Renae B. ago on April 30, 1814 in a small farmmove to America. The lack of religious Vander Schaaf house called the Flierboer near the vilfreedom, a poor economy and high taxes lage of Linden, Overisel in The Netherlands. His were compelling motivations. father died when he was only eight months old. To be a better shepherd to his flock, Dominee His mother Zwaantje Bolks stayed on their small Bolks took some medical training before they left farm with her four young children. It definitely their village on Aug. 18, 1847. They boarded the wasn’t easy, but her faith in God was strong. American sailing vessel, Audobon, on Sept. 3, 1847. The voyage took 37 days to reach its destination of At a very young age, Seine New York. was sent out to the pastures to tend the sheep. His mother sent When they left the ship on Oct. 11, they had no a Bible with him to read, which idea of where they were going to settle; only this he did while the sheep grazed. goal of setting up a new fellowship in America with He had received enough educathe Bible in one hand and the plow in the other. tion that he could read. I have Since it was winter, they stayed in Syracuse, N.Y. often wondered how those days where many found employment. During this time, alone while laboring as a shepthe travelers made the decision to settle in herd with the Bible as his only Michigan, near the Van Raalte colony. They left book to read prepared him for Syracuse on May 1, 1848. his future work. A month later, on June 1, they arrived to an area of By the time he was 20 years dense forest. This was so different than the old, he was appointed by the Netherlands. They were accustomed to well-establocal church elders in Den Ham lished cities with then-modern conveniences. to teach a class in Reformed cat- Dominee Seine Bolks Amsterdam was 700 years old. It was a city with echism. He was soon asked to houses, not a wilderness filled with wolves, bears and preach occasionally. He began to feel the call to be a snakes. Here they had to fell trees before they could preacher — yet he knew he hadn’t had any formal even build shelter of any type. Obviously, that first education. summer was focused on survival. They planted vegeIt’s interesting to note that the word “Bolks” is tables in any clearing. Those first years were not easy. Dutch for the small white haddock fish. Especially Bolks preached in the open air during the sumso, when he would spend his life being a fisher of mer. In the winter, church took place in one of the men. first huts that had been built. A year later, they conAt that time The Netherlands was experiencing structed a log church. turmoil. In the year 1816, King William of the Bolks received no salary. Instead, men of the setNetherlands had placed all church government tlement devoted one day every two weeks of labor to under state control. The government paid the clergy help the Bolks family on their 63 acres which was salaries and strongly suggested what should be allotted to them. preached. In less than 20 years, several congregaAt first they named their new settlement tions separated from the church, because the Bible Hellendoorn. Later, in 1851, it was renamed was no longer truthfully preached as the word of Overissel after their province in The Netherlands. God. Bolks remained their pastor, physician and ecoThe Bolks family were part of the group which nomic advisor for four years. Then he helped a had seceded from the state church, along with their neighbors the Gerrit and Hendrika Brouwer family. church in Chicago which had been without a pastor for some time. For six weeks he preached and Perhaps it was at a church gathering that Seine encouraged the people. In 1853 he became the pastook a shine to the Brouwer’s daughter Geertje. tor for a small congregation in Grand Haven, Mich. On July 11, 1838, on her birthday, Geertje marIt was here that he and his wife experienced a ried Seine, who was at that time described as being great tragedy in their own lives. Mrs. Bolks mother tall and well built. Their first son Albert was born
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-yearold Seine Hendrik, fouryear-old Hein, and fourmonth-old Simon drowned. Two other Bolk children would also die at a young Photo by Renae B. Vander Schaaf age. Four children lived to First Reformed Church in ripe old ages. Orange City had a special Two years later, the tombstone made for their Bolks family again moved. beloved first pastor. 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 congregational meetings. Bolks could read English. Many of his church family could not. He did encourage 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 See FARMHOUSE KITCHEN, pg. 8
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