VanLummel, Rev. A. J., 1861-1923

VANLUMMEL, VERGEER, ROUGOOR, COLENBRANDER

Posted By: Lydia Lucas - Volunteer (email)
Date: 4/25/2017 at 22:05:18

From the Rock Valley Bee, May 25, 1923:

Rev. H. Colenbrander arrived home Saturday from Grand Rapids, Mich., where he had been called a week earlier by the sudden death of his stepfather, Rev. A. J. Van Lummel, whose death was caused from heart failure. He was as well as usual the day of his death and made his usual calls. Towards evening a couple called to have him marry them. As he was ready to perform the ceremony, he remarked that he was not feeling well and asked to be excused for a moment. He went into another room and a few minutes later passed away. Rev. Van Lummel was quite well known in Rock Valley, having visited here on several different occasions. He was at one time pastor of the First Reformed church at Boyden.

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From the Sioux Center Nieuwsblad, May 16, 1923:

Hier kwam een telegram dat te Grand Rapids was overladen Rev. A. J. Van Lummel. Rev. Van Lummel is bij de meesten hier welbekend. Ongeveer 25 jaren geleden kwam hij van Nederland en trok met de beruchtte Noordzij en Hoedemaker excursion naar Colorado, waarbij ook velen van onze tegenwoordige burgers waren. In bittere armoede werden de immigranten daar later door Ds. H. Bode weggehaald.

Van Lummel was hier een poosje farmer, maar was daarvoor niet in de wieg gelegd. Hij had eene geode opleiding genooten en had zijne literausche gaven onder toezicht van zijn vader, de bekende schrijver, flink ontwikkeld. Hij begon later te Holland, Mich. de uitgave van het Vaandel, dat evenwel geen lang leven gehad heeft, misschien vooral omdat het financieele steun miste. Mr. Van Lummel werd daarna redakteur van de Grondwet voor eenige Jaren. Hij gevoelde echter roeping voor het predikambt en bezocht de Western Seminary te Holland, Mich. Hij werd alspoedig toegelaten tot het predikmbt en diende voor vele Jaren de zesde Geref gemeente te Paterson. Daarna heft hij eenige aren te Boyden gestaan en vertrok vandaar naar de Zevende Geref. gem. te Grand Rapids.

The newspaper text was a little fuzzy but the gist of the article is this:

A telegram was received here that Rev. A. J. Van Lummel died at Grand Rapids. Rev. Van Lummel is well known here. About 25 years ago he came from the Netherlands and went out with the infamous Noordzij and Hoedemaker excursion to Colorado, among whom were many of our present-day citizens. In bitter poverty, the immigrants were later removed by Rev. H. Boede.

Van Lummel was a farmer here for a little while but was not born for it. He had a good education and had developed his literary gifts under the supervision of his father, the famous writer. He later started the publication the Vaandel in Holland, Michigan, which however did not last long, perhaps mainly because it lacked financial support. Mr. Van Lummel then became editor of the Constitution for a few years. However, he felt a calling to preach and attended the Western Seminary in Holland, Mich. He was admitted to the ministry as soon as possible and for many years served the sixth Reformed parish in Paterson. After that he served in Boyden for a while, and then went to the Seventh Reformed parish in Grand Rapids.

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The Boyden newspaper for May 17, which might have contained an obit, is missing.

News notes in the Boyden Reporter show him to have come to Boyden from Paterson, N.J., in April 1917 to take charge of the Dutch Reformed Church there, calling him a "forceful and eloquent speaker" (April 5, 1917). He went from Boyden to Grand Rapids, Mich. in January 1919, although he subsequently returned to Sioux County several times to preach and conduct services in various area churches.

A family tree on Ancestry.com (inadequately documented) shows him as Arand John Van Lummel, born 10 Nov. 1861 in Utrecht, Netherlands, the son of Hendrik Jan van Lummel and Maria Elizabeth Vergeer. He married Elisabeth Rougoor (1860-1935) in the Netherlands. They came to the U.S. in 1892, and were residing in Holland, Mich. in 1900. Several children are listed, including Gerrit J., Richard A., and Hendrik Colenbrander.

Michigan Death Records 1867-1950 on Ancestry.com has a death certificate for him, giving his name as Arnant John Van Lummel, a minister of the Gospel; born 10 Nov. 1861 in the Netherlands; died 12 May 1923 in Grand Rapids, Mich.; cause Sclurosis[?] Coronary artrosis[?] and acute indigestion; wife Elizabeth; parents Hendrik Van Lummel and Mary E. VerGeer; buried [ashes?] in vault, Oak Hill Cemetery, Grand Rapids.

There is a Wikipedia entry (in Dutch) for his father, Hendrik Jan van Lummel (1815-1877), showing him as a Dutch teacher, drawer/draftsman, and writer; wife Maria Elizabeth Vergeer.