History of Ottawa County, Michigan with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.

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HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.

In 1857 Holland Academy was separated from the public school,
and the Synod appointed a Board of Superintendents, consisting of
a minister and an elder from each Classis in the Synod of Chicago,
to conduct examinations, etc.
Up to 1851 the five acre lot donated by Dr. Van Raalte, was thle
only property of the school. At this time the needs of the school
demanded a building. Dr. Van Raalte made three tours East for
the purpose of collecting money for building, and succeeded in raising $12,000, which was expended on a three story brick building
50x40 feet. The building was constructed under the personal supervision of Mr. Van Vleck. The building still remains upon the
college campus and is used as residence and dormitory.
In 1859 Mr. Van Vleck was obliged to resign his position on
account oSf ill health. He was succeeded by Rev. Philip Phelps, Jr.,
of Hastings-upon-Hudson, N. Y. Mr. Phelps began his work with
thirty-three students, and among the first things he did was the work
of classification. It was during this year that the campus was enlarged by the addition of eleven acres, making in all sixteen acres.
In 1860 a building to be used for a dwelling house was erected,
and in 1862 a gymnasium was built. The building is now used for
a chapel. In this year the first college class was organized.
In 1863 a more complete Board of Superintendents was organized by the General Synod, to consist of two ministers and one elder
from each of the Western Classes. In 1864 two new professors were
-added to the corps of instructors, Rev. T. Romeyn Beck, of Chicago,
and Rev. P. J. Oggel, of Pella, IowaL. The same year a plan was
inaugurated for raising an endowment fund of $100,000. In 1865
the work of raising this money was undertaken. Another teacher,
Rev. John Mason Ferris, of Grand Rapids, was added this year.
In 1866 Hope College was incorporated, and the first college
class of eight members graduated in July of this year. The college
Faculty was organized with Rev. P. Phelps, Jr., D. D., as President,
Rev. P. J. Oggel, Rev. T. Romeyn Beck, Rev. Charles Scott, Rev.
Cornelis E. Crispell, as Professors, and Cornelis Doesburg and
H. B. Gilmore as Tutors. The same year the Faculty were authorized to give instruction to a class in theology.
In 1867 two new buildings were erected, and Rev. C. E. Crispell was appointed Professor of Theology by the General Synod.
In 1869 the theological department was regularly constituted
by the Synod, aud its Faculty made up from the clerical teachers in
the College. Near the close of this year Prof. Oggel died.
From 1859 to 1867 the affairs of the college were not interrupted by any special event. The prosperity of the institution was
good, and the people of Ottawa County gave to the school a good
degree of support.
In 1867 Dr. Van Raalte donated the College 70 acres of land
within the corporate limits of Holland, and thirteen more were purchased. In 1869, 837 acres at Point Superior, on the north side of
Black Lake, were purchased. Toward the payment of the last tract
James Suydam, of New York, donated $5,000. The object of this
purchase has never been clearly apparent, as it has been a burden
rather than a help to the institution. Of late, however, an effort has
been made with some success, to dispose of a portion at least of this
unfruitful possession.
In 1877 the College was found to be heavily in debt, and the
theological department was suspended. So much money had been
invested inll land and in the publication of -)e Iopye and printing of

fice, that the op rations of the College were crippled. In 1878 the
affairs of the College were investigated by the General Synod and
it was found to be over $30,000 in debt. A committee was appointed to receive the resignations of the faculty and to reorganize
the Council or Board of Trustees. The Board was reorganized
under a new constitution. The former professors were reappointed

with the exception of Drs. Phelps and Crispell. Rev. G. H. Mandeville, D. D., of New York, was appointed President with special
charge of the finances, and Rev. Charles Scott, D. D., Vice-President and acting executive officer.
In 1880 Rev. Mr. Scott was appointed to succeed Mr. Mandeville, and is at the present time at the head of the College. Nearly
one-half of the debt has been paid, and during the present year it is
hoped that the balance will be liquidated.
The suspension of the theological department was a severe
blow to the friends of the College, but unfortunate as it may have
been, was an unavoidable circumstance. In 1878 females were admitted to the institution. The present number of students for the
year 1881 was one hundred and ten, which is a very flattering increase. Under the present wise and careful management of the
College, it is enjoying a good degree of prosperity and is certainly
deserving of encouragement and support. It should be a source of
pride to its friends in Ottawa County that such an institution has
endured and surmounted the obstacles that beset its early history,
and has attained to such a degree of excellence and prosperity.
THE ACADEMIC FACULTY.
REV. T. ROMleYN BECK, D. D.,-Professor of the Greek and
Latin Languages and Literature. In charge of Logic and the Elements of Criticism.
REV. CHARLES SCOTT, D. D.,- Professor of Chemistry and Natural History. In charge of History, Mental and Moral Philosophy,
and Constitutional Law.
CORNELIS DOESBURG, A. M.,-Professor of Modern Languages
and Literature.
WILLIAM A. SHIELDS, A. M.,-Professor of English Language
and Literature, and of Rhetoric. In charge of Latin with the
Freshman Class.
GERRIT J. KOLLEN, A. M.,-Professor, of Mathematics, Natural
Philosophy and Astronomy. In charge of Political Economy.
Business manager of D)e 'Top)e.
THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL FACULTY.
Prof. Cornelis Doesburg, Prof. William A. Shields, Secretary
of the Faculty; Prof. Gerrit J. Kollen, Henry Boers, A. B., teacher
of Latin, etc., in the Preparatory Department; John H. Kleinheksel,
A. B., teacher of Mathematics, Greek, etc., in the Preparatory Department. The Professors assist in this department as they find
opportunity. Rev. D. Van Pelt, in charge of Sacred Literature,
and of the religious instruction of the students.
REV. CHARLES SCOTT, D. D.
Rev. Charles Scott was born Dec. 18, 1822, at Little Britain,
in the township of New Windsor, Orange County, N. Y.. and was
the second son of Alexander and Miriam (Buchanan) Scott, both of
Scotch-Irish descent. Francis Scott, the grandfather of Alexander,
came to America from Longford, Ireland, in 1729, with Col.
Charles Clinton, and after marriage with Eleaner McDowell, settled
as a farmer at "Bloggs Clove," Orange County. Robert Buchanan,
the grandfather of Miriam, immigrated about the same time, perhaps a little earlier with his father James, and settled on a farm adjoining the "Clinton Place." Thlis is a well-known historical spotthe homestead whence came Gov. George Clinton, Gov. James Clin

ton, and the still more celebrated Gov. DeWitt Clinton, the originator of the Erie Canal (Clinton's Ditch.)
Alexander Scott was also a farmer in moderate circumstances, and hence Charles enjoyed only the advantages of a commonschool education in the country. He succeeded, however, in fitting
himself for college, and in Sept, 1840, became a freshman at Rutgers, in New Jersey. The same year he was appointed to a cadet

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