Groninger Hoek Chicago

Chicago's Groninger Hoek

From: Robert P. Swierenga, "Chicago's 'Groninger Hoek:' The Origins and Development of the Dutch Colony on the Old West Side in the Nineteenth Century":

The first Hollander to live in Chicago is unknown but Dutch settlers drifted into the "Windy City" in ones and twos as early as 1839, only two years after the city's founding.[6] The first city directory, published in 1839, listed Leonard Falch (Valk), a soap maker and chandler on La Salle Street, who is identified in the 1850 federal population census as Dutch-born. (The 1850 census was the first to record the nationality or state of birth of all inhabitants.) Falch and his Dutch-born wife had four children, the first (Charles) was born in Chicago in 1840. Falch was worth $10,000 in 1850 and was the wealthiest Hollander in Illinois. Falch was still a soap maker in the 1860s, living near the north city limits at Hubbard and Fullerton Streets.[7] Leonard Falch and his wife was likely the first Dutch family in Chicago and their son Charles was the first Dutch child born in the city.

From: The Groninger Hoek: Chicago's West Side Dutch

Dr. Robert P. Swierenga

A.C. Van Raalte Institute, Hope College

Talk for Senior Citizen Fellowship, Faith Christian Reformed Church, Elmhurst, IL, Oct. 26, 1999

Introduction

Peter Huizenga

Jan and Katrijn Swierenga

Historical Sources

Dutch Catholics in Chicago

Father George Beemsterboer, St. Francis of Rome Parish, Cicero

Jesuit Arnold Damen, Holy Name Church, St. Ignatius College

Dutch Jews in Chicago

Henry S. Haas, Joseph Israel Van Baalen

Groninger Hoek--meaning and locations

First Reformed Church of Chicago, 1848-1856--Randolph Street

Elder Albert Kroes

Foster Street Groninger Hoek--1856-1880s

First Groninger families--Nicholas Ronda, Cornelis Bos, John Kooi, and John Evenhouse

Revs. Cornelius Vander Meulen, Seine Bolks, H.J. Klyn

Spiritual conditions in Chicago--good or bad?

Rev. A.C. Van Raalte, Henry Lucas

Strong denominational loyalties in Chicago

Harrison Street Groninger Hoek--1860s-1890s

True Dutch Reformed Church, 1867-1883--Gurley Street

Elders Gerrit Vastenhouw and Arie Van Deursen

Hendrik De Cock of Ulrum, Groningen, father of 1834 Secession

Rev. Jan Schepers first pastor

purchased Old Fourteenth Street Church, 1883

• Bernardus de Bey at First Reformed (1868-91)--Harrison and May St

penned articles for Provinciale Groninger Courant

"Yankee preaching" and American style revivals

Religious outlook of Chicago pastorates

Afscheiding pietism, not Kuyperian kingdom-building

Abraham Kuyper's Doleantie of 1886 and Rev. John Van Lonkhuizen of First CRC (1918-28), editor of Onze Toekomst

Ashland Avenue--the heyday

The "real" Groninger Hoek

Benjamin Essenburg (1929-45) of First CRC