This page is wrtiiten by Mr. Cornelis for his uncle Jule J.Cornelis (25.6.1914-24.7.1999) who sent me this article when I published the first Cornelis-family-book :"Love is ... a little bit of what follows"

Moline, Illinois, and its environs, constitute one of the largest Belgian-American settlements in theUnited States. Most authorities agree that Detroit is the first, Chicago the second and Moline the third.

Emigrants from Belgium were attracted to the Moline area as far back as 1840, according to available records. Economic conditions, plus social, political and religious problems that flared up in the motherland were some of the reasons why many Belgians came to America, and to the midwest country.

Why the midwest ? Undoubtedly because here was fertile farmland such as they left in Belgium; also, because industry was developing rapidly and many workers were needed. Belgian emigrants came largerly from the farms and small towns of the Flanders. They had little difficulty finding jobs on farms and in factories.

Situated in the Valley of the famous Mississippi River (Father of Waters) Moline and surrounding country were once the happy hunting grounds of several Indian tribes, chiefly the Sax and the Fox. Tepee villages were scattered in this part of the country. There were also many battles between the Indians and the white settlers, wo where pushing westward in the first half of the nineteenth century. Western Illinois was one of the fiercest battle grounds between the settlers and an Indian army of 500 warriors led by Chief Black Hawk, who was finally routed across the Mississippi River in 1832. A state park near Moline is named after Black Hawk in memory of this battle.

Originally a river village, Moline’s early history depended much upon steamer and barge traffic on the Mississippi from St.Paul, Minnesota in the north to New Orleans, Louisiana, on the Gulf of Mexico in the south.

John Deere, a yankee blacksmith from Vermont, envisioned the opportunities of industrial development in the Mississippi valley when he brought his family westward in a covered wagon. He stopped at Grand Detour, Illinois where he spent a few years before deciding upon Moline.

Deere invented a steel plow, first of its kind, that would turn the heavy clay soil of the midwest. This was what the farmers needed.

From a small shop where this new plow was made, a huge industrial giant was developed, and today Deere and C° is second only to the International Harvester C°, in the manufacture of farm and industrial machinery, known around the world for its products.

Several mills to produce lumber from the nearby forests were located along the riverfront, and it has been surmised that Moline derived its name from the french ‘Moulin’.

Moline today (1977) is an industrial city of about 50.000 people. With the adjoining cities of Rock Island and East Moline on the Illinois side of the Mississippi and Davenport, Iowa on the opposite banks, constitutes a combined quad-city metropolitan community of about 350.000 persons.

It was to this area that many of the early Belgian immigrants came, as well as from other European nations, principally Sweden, and later from Poland, Italy and Germany.

First a trickle of Belgians to the New World, then in droves they came, enduring much hardship enroute. Breaking family-ties and starting a new way of life and unfamiliarity with the new language caused suffering and difficulties.

Although records of early Belgians in Moline are meager, it is known that from 1840 to 1850 some Flemish families had arrived, namely Bernard van de Kerkhove and Jacobus Cattour from Lembeke; Constant Van Wambeke from Tielt; Karel Van de Moortele, Bruno De Clercq, Edward D’Huyvetter and Bernard Van den Berghe from Lotenhulle. On an Island in the Mississippi River, now Rock Island Arsenal Island, lived Karel Goethals and Leo Schatteman of Lotenhulle and Frans Rommelaere from Beernem. Other earlier settlers included Willem and Ambrose Van Landschoot, Jan Lodewijck and Ferdinand De Baets of Aalter. Alidor Vereecken of Lembeke arrived in 1857. Jan Vanhetzel and his wife Felicita of Sinte-Margriete came here in 1847.

Baptismal records show the first child born in Moline of Flemish parents was Clementia, daughter to Mr. And Mrs. De Pauw, on October 16, 1856, and baptized in Rock Island on October 20.1856. The second was a daughter , Maria Theresia to Antoon Bouhuys and his wife Maria Theresia Van Landschoot, in Rock Island, November 1.1856.

Among those arriving in Moline during the period 1890 to 1905 were Karel (Charles) and Edward Coryn of Lotenhulle; Mr. And Mrs. Alberic De Poorter of Poeke; Mr. And Mrs.Edward Andries of Wingene, Camiel Bonte of Brugge and Adiel Carton of Pittem.

Other early-comers were Pieter Veerdegem of Ijzendijke in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Angelis De Jaegher and his brother Frans from Oudeman, Henri Braem of Aalter, Jan de Sutter of Sint-Laureins, Ferdinand Van de Voorde of Lotenhulle, Jan Beirmaert and Franciscus Thienpondt of Sint-Niklaas and Bruno De Jaegher of Lembeke.

Some of the foregoing group of immigrants remained in Moline but others moved on to other nearby towns of Atkinson, Annawan and Kewanee in Illinois and Long Grove in Iowa, where they found work on farms. Many of the above mentioned names are still familiar around Moline today, no doubt descendants of these early-arrivals, also offspring of many of the early settlers are still engaged in farming in these area.

With the rapid growth of the Belgian community came the need for churches.

In the summer of 1896, a newly ordained Belgian priest, Alfons De Poorter, younger brother of Alberic, came here and placed himself under the direction of Bishop Spalding of the Peoria diocese. For a few years he served in various churches of Annawan, Atkinson and Kewanee and in 1897 Bishop Spalding asked him to go to Rock Island to look into the possibilities of establishing a Belgian church. In 1900, the Bishop appointed him pastor of the St.Anthony’s church in Atkinson. One Sunday afternoon in 1909, he was seriously injured in an automobile accident riding with two other priests on a country road near Atkinson. One of the priests had won the car in a church raffle in Davenport a few months earlier. Father De Poorter died from the accident injuries at the age of 37 and is buried in the Atkinson church cemetery.

An interesting account of establishment of a Belgian parish in Moline appeared in a souvenir book printed in the Flemish language by the Belgian Club of Moline in 1910. Titled, ‘De Belgische Kerk van Moline’, the story stated in part :

"The first Catholic Church in Moline, named in honour of Sint-Anthony, was located at 1624 9^th Avenue and among his founders was a Belgian Bernard Van Kerkhove of Lembeke.

The first pastor was Reverend father H.Greve.Baptismal records in this first Moline Church reveal that a son Henry-Felix was born to Mr. And Mrs. Constantinus Van Wambeke on February 14.1858 and a son Henry to Bruno De Clercq and Frederica De Baets on February 22.1858.

First Holy Mass was celebrated by father Greve in the church June 14.1875. At that time Moline was still part of the diocese of Chicago but in 1881 it was transferred to the diocese of Peoria. Father Greve was of German origine and under his wise management the parish grew quickly. So did the number of Belgians, with whom he could easily talk Flemish to the satisfaction of all.

But St.Anthony’s was soon too small and in 1878 a building was acquired at the corner of 10^th Street and 4^th Avenue that was transformed into a church under the title : St.Mary’s Church. The first Holy Mass was celebrated here August 11.1878 and a school was soon added.

When father Greve, who was liked and admired by all, was transferred to Peoria in June 1898 and an English speaking priest was appointed in his place, the need was felt to have also a Flemish speaking priest. Therefore the Reverend Walters was appointed associate pastor.

He was later succeeded by Reverend Francis Conrad. When the latter was sent to Rock-Island to found a Belgian parish, he was replaced by the Reverend Charles Francken.

The need for an independant parish for the Belgians was felt more and more, and therefore the members of the new organized Belgian Club addressed a petition to his Eminence bishop Spalding of Peoria. The request was granted and in September 1906 the Reverend Father Culemans was asked by the bishop to found a new parish. Father Culemans had arrived from:Belgium not long before that time and he remained pastor of the new Sacred Heart Church, erected at 16^th Avenue and 13^th Street until his death in 1943.

On Passion Day 1907 the first Holy Mass was celebrated in the new school hall, which also served temporarly as a church. The school opened in September that year under direction of the Franciscan Sisters of Peoria.

The new church became a realty in 1920. Ground for it was bought at the north-east corner of 17^th Avenue and 13^th Street and the auspicious cornerstone laying was held in 1919 with his Eminence Cardinal Mercier from Belgium (World War I patriot and hero) laying the cornerstone in the presence of several thousand persons. It was a memorable occasion not only for the Belgian people but also for the entire community. Cardinal Mercier had come to Washington D.C. on an official post-war visit and in conjunction with his American visit he accepted the invitation from his former Louvain University pupil, Father Culemans, to visit Moline for the new church ceremony."

The Belgian Club, organized in 1903 had imported influence in the special life of the early Belgians. Those with theatrical talents formed a theater section which each year gave the Flemish speaking group "Magnificent Galas" and other activities where Belgians could meet to get acquainted socially.

For many years the Club had a third floor hall in the farmer Gazette van Moline-building on the corner of 3^rd Avenue and 15^th Street. As the oldtimers dwindled in numbers and with the formation of two new Belgian organisations, Friends Circle and East-End Club, the Belgian Club was dissolved, ironically in 1953, its 50^th anniversary.

The heavy influx of Belgians to Moline in the century created its own problems. They couldn’t speak english, they had no jobs, many didn’t have places to live. The man they turned to for help was Ed Coryn, who had arrived in 1881 and was already an oldtimer when the newcomers came. They went to Mr.Coryn for all kind of advice, for immigration problems, to find jobs. This came to the attention of the Belgian Government and in 1913 King Albert bestowed upon Mr. Coryn the coveted medal of the Order of Leopold.

After World War I, the Belgian Government established the first consulate in Moline and appointed Mr. Coryn its consul. Upon his death January 21.1921 the position went to his brother in law Cyriel De Vogelaere who came here from Ruyselede. Mr. De Vogelaere died in 1929 and Edward Andries was appointed his successor. Mr. Andries retired in 1953 and upon his recommendation Ralph De Poorter was named his successor, in recognition of his work on behalf of the Belgian community.

In 1963 Mr. De Poorter was instrumental in organize the center for Belgian Culture of Western Illinois. This group soon attracted the attention of a new class of people who were interested in perpetuating the cultural heritage of Belgium. One of its major projects has been the sponsorship of annual charter air flights to Belgium, directly from Moline, making it possible for people from the area to make home-coming trips to their families in Belgium at greatly reduced costs.

On Armistice Day 1968, the center promoted a special program to honor Belgian Veterans of World War I. This event was distinguished by the presence of Baron Louis Scheyvens, Belgian Ambassador to the United States, who was guest speaker at the dinner in the American Legion Hall.

Consul De Poorter retired from office in 1973, after serving 20 years and was knighted with the order of Leopold II by Belgian Consul General Jacques Melsens of Chicago at a testimonial program at Short Hills Country Club June 30.1973.

On this occasion Dr. Dolores Bultinck was installed as the new consul, marking the first time the Belgian Government appointed a woman to a consular position. Mr. De Poorter recommended Mrs. Bultinck as his successor in recognition of her untire work in behalf of the Belgian community as well for the numerous civic activities. Times changes things and thus many changes are observed in the Belgian community from the early days of immigration to this present period of the Seventies. Whereas most of the early immigrants were obliged to ‘dig in’ the hard way, over the years they and their families have become firmly integrated into the lifestyle of the community.

Through education, they are taking they roles in the social and business and civic life . Today there are doctors, dentists, lawyers, and business people from Belgian ancestors. They are in politics; in fact one of the area’s most prominent men of Belgian ancestry was Charles Carpenter of East Moline, who served with distinction as Illinois Secretary of State. He was being prominently considered for Governor at the time he became ill in 1964 and died of a heart attack April 6^th that year. He was 67.

Edward Coryn, it must be noted was one of the first to become an active civic leader among the early Belgians. He operated a grocery business for a number of years, served 11 years as city alderman and was also Moline postmaster. At the time of his death, he was Vice President of the former Moline Trust and Savings Bank.

The people of Belgian ancestry are today highly regarded, as they always have been, as hard-working, industrious people, owning their homes and acknowledged for their inborn habits of thrift and honesty. They are determined to give their children good education, so they can take their places in the world of today.