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The Man in Bearskin
A fascinating story about Dutch Settlers in Western Michigan of the Van Raalte
colony of 1847
by J. Keuning
In the middle of the 19th century a band of Dutch immigrants, under the leadership of the
Reverend A. C. Van Raalte, came to Michigan to establish their homes in a place now called Holland.
Among these early pioneers were Gerrit Kolf, his wife, and four children.
Food was scarce those first few months, but the Kolf family were often supplied meat or corn meal
by a mysterious, solitary individual who wore a bearskin cloak and who refused conversation with
anyone.
For months the man remained a mystery. But through the influence of Jacob, Gerrit Kolf's son, the
“Man in Bearskin” finally made himself known. The story reaches a dramatic climax here, as it
portrays the reunion and reconciliation of two brothers who had been estranged years before through
an act of trickery.
To read this book is to gain an appreciation of the unconsciously heroic attitude of these people
in their new and difficult life. The wildness of the country, the meagreness of their resources,
and the lack of medical care make it at first a sheer struggle for survival.
The story is an unusual and skilful blending of mystery, adventure, and history. It casts a spell
of long-ago, when Michigan was a primeval forest where Indians, bears, and deer lived as its
rightful tenants. Here is the contrast of the rude little huts in the clearings, and the carefully
polished shoes of the Sunday church-goers. One is reminded of the Puritans and their first year in
a wild, strange land.
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Subject: Dutch Settlers in
Michigan
Retail
Price: US$12.95
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