Pella Historical Society hosted scholars and guests from around the globe for a conference about Pella’s founder 150 years after his death.
Dr. Ronald Rietveld is among numerous individuals who have researched the life of Dominie Hendrik Pieter Scholte, and tells KNIA/KRLS News his family was directly connected to the founding of the Tulip City.
“My great-great-great grandfather was one of the leaders of the colony with [Scholte],” Rietveld says. “He worked with Scholte to organize it in 1846, my grandfather stayed with the program of bringing the people together for the boats shipping over, my grandfather was in charge of one of the four that landed in Baltimore.”
“He became a part of the search committee in St. Louis to pick this actual site of Pella, so for me, personally, my grandfather was part of the initial movement with him, and stayed his friend all through the rest of Scholte’s life.”
He says it was a special experience to see new life given to research of Scholte and to hear what those from other parts of the world were learning at the conference.
Hear more about Scholte and a ceremony to remember his life on today’s Let’s Talk Pella.