Skip to main content

Veenschoten, Henry M. (1892-1974). Papers, 1912-1974.

 Collection
Identifier: W88-1078

Scope and Contents

The collection is a valuable account of the RCA work in Amoy, China, between World Wars I and II, and in the Philippines in the immediate World War II period. A large assortment of personal letters from Mrs. Veenschoten to her parents and to her children, as well as correspondence among the children, provides human interest, as well as information. Insights into the family life of missionaries in China in the early decades of the 20th century abound.

The collection also contains voluminous correspondence from son-in-law and daughter Jack and Joanne Veenschoten Hill, who served as medical missionaries for the Reformed Church in America in China from 1947-1951 and in the Philippines from 1951-1964. Of special interest are the cassettes/reel-to-reels of conversations and reminiscences between Mr. Veenschoten and his son, Girard.

Dates

  • Creation: 1912 - 1974

Biography

Henry Michael “Nelson” Veenschoten was born in Orange City, Iowa, on February 4, 1892.

Veenschoten graduated from Hope College in 1914 and from Western Theological Seminary in 1917. He served the Reformed Church in America as a missionary from 1917-1951. During World War II, he was a prisoner of Japan from 1941-1943. In the Korean conflict, he was a prisoner of the Chinese Communists from 1949-1951.

He died at Iron River, Michigan, on June 9, 1974.

Extent

12.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Chinese

Abstract

Minister and missionary of the RCA. Mission materials from Amoy, China, between World Wars I and II, the Philippines immediately following World War II, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, and India. Chinese hymns and music tapes, a Chinese manuscript, sermons, correspondence among and to her children, from Mrs. Veenschoten to her parents, and letters and diary from Veenschoten’s time in prison. Slides, photographs, scrapbooks, audio cassettes, and reel-to-reel audio tapes of conversations and reminiscences between Mr. and Mrs. Veenschoten and their son, Girard. Six glass photographic negatives of sights around Fukien province, China, between the World Wars.

Photographs

2,032 images (Boxes 5-8, 11-13, and 15)

Provenance

Henry M. Veenschoten

Status
Completed
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Hope College Archives and Special Collections Repository

Contact:
Van Wylen Library
53 Graves Place
Holland Michigan 49423 United States
616-395-7798