Holland City News, Thursday, August 15, 1917

Shortly after retiring for the night, Benjamin Van Raalte, Sr., died Tuesday night at his home two miles east of the city. Mrs. Van Raalte discovered about 11:30 that something was wrong, and when Benjamin Van Raalte, Jr., was called, he found that his father was dead.

Mr. Van Raalte had not complained during the day of not being in his usual robust health, and he went to bed at about eleven. Heart failure is supposed to have been the cause of his death, and he passed away quietly in his sleep.

A peculiar co-incidence is the fact that Tuesday was the fifty-fifth anniversary of Mr. Van Raalte being mustered into the service in Company 1, 25^th Michigan Infantry, and it was on that anniversary that he was "mustered out."

Mr. Van Raalte was the only surviving son of Dr. A. C. Van Raalte, the founder of the Holland Colony in Michigan. He was born in Ommen, The Netherlands, in 1840, and in 1847 he came to America with his parents. Since his seventh year he has always lived either in Holland or Holland Township.

In 1873 he was united in marriage to Miss Julia Gilmore. Her death occurred in 1910. In November, 1912, he was united in marriage to Miss Abbie Connel, of Grand Haven. Besides her, two children survive, Benjamin Van Raalte, Jr., of this city and Mrs. O. S. Reimold of Chicago. Mrs. C. V. R. Gilmore is a sister of the deceased.

Mr. Van Raalte’s war record is a very good one. His old comrades in arms speak of his untiring energy and bravery and declare that he was always ready for duty no matter how difficult or dangerous it might be. When Company 1 was organized in 1862, he was among the first to enlist, when he was at the age of 22. He went with the company to Kalamazoo, which was the rendezvous of the 25^th Michigan Infantry, where it was mustered into the United States service on Sept. 23, 1862. He served during the war until the regiment was mustered out at Salisbury, N. C., on June 24, 1865.

Among the many incidents that make up the history of the regiment, the following is told of Mr. Van Raalte. It is quoted from the volume that is dedicated to the 25^th Michigan Infantry: "At Utoy Creek, Georgia, the regiment lost two color bearers and the regimental colors were left on the field when the Union troops were driven back. Van Raalte, during the night, crept through the Confederate lines, secured the colors, which he brought back to the regiment, and carried them until the close of the war."

When the company was organized, he was elected sergeant. He served as the second commander of the A. C. Van Raalte Post, G. A. R., named after his father, succeeding in command the late John Kramer. Until recently he attended all the encampments, both state and national, and on one or two occasions he was appointed aide de camp on the staff of a national commander.

"All his life he was a true soldier, taking pride in keeping his military record clean," one of his comrades in arms said today when the news of his death spread.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 1:30 from the home.

(Buried in Pilgrim Home Cemetery)