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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
COLE & BRO.,
iX^^gSi The oldest and most reliable
^[pBOOT i SHOE HOUSE
«^^S?^ In tHo City.
The Best of Custom-Made Work constantly on hand.
No. 20 Canal St., GRAND RAPIDS, - - MICHIGAN.
L. A. MERRILL'S
Gem Picture Gallery,
Me, IS Caaal M.,
tTust South of Lyon Street. Call and let the Piefares do the pufflng.
GET THE BEST
m%m% ©iMif fill
H. LEONARD & SON, Agents,
No. 13 Monroe Street, GRAND RAPIDS, - - MICHIGAN.
fcSee A.<lvei'tisejiieiit on Page 151.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY
^^^i)Q)
r%\ ftl-
i
MICHIGAN,
CONTAINING A
|\storg of mt\\ |^oitJnBfii|r, ami \Vt |;tg of irnnd jpti^ ;
The Name, Location and Postoffice Address of all
Residents outside of the City ; a List of
Postoffices in the County; a
Schedule of Population ;
AND OTHER VALUABLE STATISTICS.
COMPILED JJVD PUBLISHED BY
piLLENBACK & LEAVITT,
County, History, Directory and Map Publishers.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.:
Daily Eagle Steam Feinting HotrsK.
1870.
/'/^
^
INTRODUCTION.
The publishers of this work take pleasure in presenting to tlie citizens of Kent County a book that supplies a long-folt need experienced by business men, and which unites with its utility an amount of truly interesting historical mat- ter. At the same time, they pride themselves upon its originality of design and tasty execution — not being altogether blind, however, to its defects. Doubtless errors will be found, whicii, to some may seem almost inexcusable ; but wliere they occur the public may rest assured that they are not the result of careless- ness on the part of the publishers. It can be safely said tliat no book of the kind was ever publislied which was free of errors. In collating the historical matter great care was taken to draw the information from the most reliable sour- ces. As you glance throug* the liistory of your township or city, or any tovvn- aliip witli whose liistory you claim to be acquainted, do not hastily pro- nounce statements errors until you are confident that you are correct and the historian wrong; but remember that some one equally as well informed as you, in regard to the general tacts, has stated otherwise. In a number of instances, the histories of particular townships have been written by residents, who have taken great pains to collect facts into the form in which they ajipear. To this diversity of authorship may be attributed the repetitions which occur in some of the sketches ; similar thoughts in regard to the sufferings and privations of the pioneers being in the minds of all.
The publishers are well aware that a work of this kind, relating, as it does, facts with which purchasers are themselves acquainted, will meet with more or less criticism. Knowing this, they have left no stone unturned which would assist in making the book what the prospectus represented it would be. Besides using every precaution to avoid errors in the matter promised, they have even added to its appearance and utility a very pretty map of the State, which was engraved expressly for this work.
The book purports to contain the name of every man in the county (of twenty- one years of age and upwards) outside of Grand Rapids city, and of every widow
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
owning real estate. The canvassers were instructed to call at every house, and to be as thorough as a census taker.
The names were copied, compared, and arranged in every instance before thoy were placed in the hands of the printer; and where a question arose in the mind as to the correct name, or mode of spelling, it was referred to the canvasser.
Numerous advertisements have been inserted, but in no instance in a man- ner that can be made just cause of complaint. The history is complete in itself, and only here and there have advertisements been placed in the directory mat- ter, and even then uniformly on the right hand page. Further, the advertise- sients are from the best business firms in the county, and if carefully noted, will prove of great value to purchasers.
It has been customary to prepare Directories of cities exclusively, while there has been even greater need of Directories of counties and farming territory. The publishers intend to make this the first of a series of like publications, in this and other States, and, while they hope to increase their facilities for preparing even better books than the present, they trust this will not only meet the present de- mand in this locality, but be preserved as a book containing an account of the sufferings, trials, and achievements of tlie pioneers of Kent county.
The generous patronage and cordial co-operation of all classes of the com- munity have fully justified the publishers' reliance on their intelligence and publie spirit ; and they are under obligations, in every town, to the township officers and old residents for historical and statistical information, always eheerfuUy furnished.
Gkand Rapids, Mich., Nov. 21, 1870.
INDEX TO ADVERTISERS.
PAGK.
Aikin N. J., physician I39
Albert & Krupp, groceries, etc 237
Allyn C. B., dry goods, etc 245
Antisdel A. R., proprietor Eagle Hotel. 189
Antis'del & Hawk, jDroprietors Rathbuu House 211
Antrim Mrs. E., milliner 169
Ayers A. C, general store, (Casnovia) I77
Balis. S., livery , between 136 and 137
Bank, City National I53
Bank, First National 253
Barker Mrs. S. A., proprietress National Hotel 173
Barker Wm. P., dentist I45
Barr & Liesveld, marble works , 267
Berkey Brothers & Gay, manufacturers of furniture Inside of first cover.
Birge & Somers, groceries , 229
Bissonette Chas. A., manufacturer wagons 235
Bole John, job printer 181
Borden A. D. & Co., contractors, etc 213
Budington C. O., Justice of the Peace 309
Burchard C, clothing 103
Butterworth & Lowe, iron works 149
Button R., dentist I75
Childs F. L., books and engravings 313
Cody D. D., groceries between 136 and 137
Cole & Bro., boots and shoes ; 4
Comstock C. C, manufacturer lumber, etc 149
Congdon W. H., quick lime 277
Cox Wm. & Co., Valley City File Works 311
Crosby & Son, insurance and real estate agents. 189
Cross Mrs. Alma, oculist between 136 and 137
Cummings E. H., physician 309
Currier & Putnam, booksellers and stationers 145
Denison W. C, agricultural implements 157-187
Deane G. S. & Son, agricultural implements 313
Dewey H. E., insurance agent , 179
2
10 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
DeVinncy A. F., engraver 261
Dikcmau E. B., jeweler 165
Earle J. E. & W. S., furnishing goods 235
E.itoa & Lyon, booksellers and stationers 159
Eaton E. G., jeweler 227
Eramer Joseph, manufacturer of buggies, «fec 239
Emmer Joseph, Jr., painting 309
Escott E. B., druggist 195
Farwell J. H., undertaker 189
Fiebig & Rathman, manufacturers of carriages 253
Finckler Joseph, groceries 219
Fitch Geo. C, manufacturer of carriages 169
Fox John 197
Fox P. v., & P. N., general insurance agents 307
Fretts G. L., sewing machines 251
Giles John, groceries (Lowell) 1(>
Grady & Smith, carpenters 277
Hull L. A., coiilcctionary 245
llall Francillo, housebuilder 213
Harrison Wm., manufacturer of lumber wagons 143
Hatch & Seymour, fine art emporium between 13() and 137
Heath Fred, photographer 259
HerknerJ. C, jeweler 227
Herrman Louis, manufacturer of baskets and chairs 203
Holdeii, Bates & Co., insurance agents 221
Holmes E. S., dentist 269
Hopkins D. S., architect 239
Horton 0. W., photographer, betwren 136 and 137
Houseman & May, clothing 3
Hovey Wm., superintendent and agent of Gr. R. Plaster Co 159
Humphrey R. J., dentist 267
Hunt & Hoyt, physicians and surgeons between 136 and 137
Husted N. P., proprietor Gr. River Nurseries (Lowell) 177
Lines Wm. P., insurance and real estate agent 203
Ives C. L., livery 269
Johnson W. B., furniture, Lowell 183
Kendall E. M., clothing 183
Kennedy J. M., livery 211
Ketcham S. G., confectionery 221
Ketchum M. D., hotel between 136 and 137
Kingsbury S. O., insurance and real estate agent 155
Kopf John & Co., manufacturer of chairs, Lowell 177
Kreckel & Schroder, clothing 319
Kruger C. J., & Co., manufacturers of harness, etc 175
Kusterer P., groceries, &c 237
Lankester and Sister, milliners 309
Lapham Smith, proprietor of the American House 167
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OP KENT COUNTY. 11
Latourette D. L., banker 175
Leonard H. & Son, crockery dealers 4&151
Loettgert F., variety store 16
Long A. B. & Sons, lumber 311
Loomis & Brown, boots and shoes 169
Manufacturing Company, G. R 219
McConnell, Laoey & Co., manufacturers of Snow's Catarrh Remedy 317
McKay & Son, old books between 136 and 137
McEae Miss C, cloak and dress-making 309
Merrill L. A., photographer 4
Merrill R. S., portrait painter 259
Miller E. T., attorney between 136 and 137
Mitchell A. J., music store 315
Morgan H. & Son, insurance and real estate between 136 and 137
Naegele J., proprietor Michigan House 311
Nelson, Matter & Co., manufacturers ot furniture 147
Newborg D. L., dry goods 313
Nichols & Naysiwitl), manufacturers of doors, sash, &c 237
Osterle F. & Co., manufacturers of carriages, &c 269
Organ Company, Empire • 171
Owen Geo. F., sewing machines 245
Parks S. D., jeweler 147
Patterson James, Valley City Paint Shop 311
Peck H. B., manufacturer of Catarrh Specific 46
Perry Bros., hats, caps, &c 153
Plank James, bee-keeper. Section 8 Cannon 181
Potter Charles J., attorney 311
Powers W. H. & E. K, manufactuaers of doors, sash, etc 2.51
Putnam Alfred, Justice of the Peace betwsen 136 and 137
Pntnam Bros., & Co., confectioners 229
Quintus J., insurance agent 18
Ramsey J. M. and H. C between 136 and 137
Reid & Smith, wall paper, &c 173
Ridell & Co., painters 263
Ringelberg H., groceries, &c 197
Rindge L. J. &Co., boots & shoes 161
Ritter E. P. , boot and shoemaker , between 136 and 137
Robinson, Chapin & Co., grocers (Lowell) 177
Robinson, Solomon & Co., manufacturers of lumber, &c 275
Rose A. J., groceries 235
Rose C. H., dentist on map.
Rusche John A., shoemaker 313
Schenckelberg C, groceries 219
Scheufler F. & Son., hardware 277
Seeley J. M. & Co., perfumers (Detroit; 167
Seymour <fe Waite, general store, mill creek, Kent county and Paris, Mecosta Co 183
ShickeU Peter C, groceries, &g 189
Shinkman & Jenks, insurance agents ,...,...., ,,..,, 307
12 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
Simonds J. C, manufacturer of steam engines 269
Sinclair Bros., & Co., insurance and real estate agents 243
Skinner & Ward, insurance and war-claim agents 139
Soule Geo. H., groceries 267
Siuthwick & Wright, crockery, <fcc 205
Smith, Mosfely & Co., boots and shoes 161
Smiths. C, groceries 221
Spring & Avery, dry goods 319
Squier Milon L., groceries, <tc., (Casnovia) 167
Stang George, foundry 213
Steketee & Kimm, druggists 318
Stephenson H. C, physician (Lowell) 307
Stuart Geo. M., druggist 239
Swensberg «Sb Eobbins, proprietors of Commercial College 141
Thomas Edgar M., manufacturer of bed bottoms 147
Thum VVm., druggist 261
Tooher John E., groceries 227
Tompkins J. H., photographer 309
Topping R. H., general store, (Casnovia) 183
Tucker & Roger-, hardware, &c 173
Tyler, Graham & Co., Yankee notions 197
VdcHou^en & Co., painters, &c • between 136 and 137
Vuorheis & Co., groceries between 136 and 137
Voigt & Herpolsheimer, dry goods, etc between 136 and 137
Widoe John, merchant tailor 317
Wilkins W. L. & Co., dry goods 1.57
Williams U. B., groceries, &c 187
Withey L. H. & Co., manufacturers of lumber, &c 211
Wood Arthur, manufacturer of buggies, etc 159
Woodruff E., physician 161
Wykes, photographer , ,., 187
GENERAL INDEX.
Ada History of, -------_._. 20
Algoma History of, ._.... 23
Alpine History of, ---------- - 29
Bowne History of, -----.-.... 33
Business Directory -----•.._.. 305
Byron, History of, ---------- . 36
Caledonia, History of ---.-----.- 40
Cannon, History of----------- 43
Cascade, History of ----------- 46
County oflicers, list of, ---------- . 15
Courtland, History of -----.-,.-- 53
Directory of Kent County, ---_-.-.- 137
Gaines, History of--- .-55
Grand Rapids Township, History of, ----- - 58
Grand Eapids city, History of--------- I14
Gi'attan, History of--------.-.- 60
Kent County, Slietcli of ---------- 19
Lowell, History of, ----*.-... 64
Map of Michigan, - - between 16 and 17
Nelson, History of, ----------- 71
Oakfield, History of-- 73
Paris, History of--- 78
Plainfield, History of--' 82
Popu\ation, Table of- -- - 17
PostofRces, List of ----------- 18
Solon, History of-.--------- 86
Sparta, History of ----------- 90
Spencer, History of----------- 94
State officers. List of ----------- 14
Tyrone, History of --.---.--. 96
Vergennes, History of------ 99
Walker, History of ---------- 103
Wyoming, History of 107
STATE OFFICERS.
Governor HENRY P. BALDWIN.
Lieutenant Governor MORGAN BATES.
Secretary of State DANIEL STRIKER.
State Treasurer i VICTORY P. COLLIER.
Auditor General WILLIAM HUMPHREY.
Commissioner of Land Office CHAS. A. EDMONDS.
Superintendent of Public Instruction ORAMEL HOSFORD.
Attorney General DWIGHT MAY.
Member of Board of Education WITTER J. BAXTER.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
State Senator BYEON D. BALL.
Eepresentative 1st District JULIUS HOUSEMAN.
Representative 2d District SAMUEL M. GARFIELD.
Representative 3d District ASA P. FERRY.
Representative -tth District NICHOLAS R. HILL.
Judge of Probate BENJAMIN A. HARLAN
Sheriff JESSE F. WYCKOFF.
Clerk DANIEL McNAUGHTON.
Treasurer GEORGE YOUNG, Jr.
Register WILLIAM G. BECKWITH.
Prosecuting Attorney ANDREW J. REEVES.
Dircuit Court Commissioners OMAR H. SIMONDS, JAMES B. WILSON.
Coroners JOHN BRADY, CHARLES G. HYDE.
Surveyor ROBERT S. JACKSON.
16 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
f . mwamMT
Variety Store,
16 CANIL STREET, GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.
Wholesale and Retail Dealer in
FANCY GOODS, WORSTED TOYS
Baskets, Childrens' Wagons, Carts and Sleighs,
Hoop Skirts & Corsets made to Order.
JOHN GILES, Grocer,
Lowell, - - Michigan.
7-44. EEWAED GIVEN. 7-44
All who have got tbat terrible Disease, CATARRH, will get a REWARD by
procuring a bottle of
CATARUH SPECIFIC,
As it was never known to fail in any genuine case of Catarrh, and gives relief the first dose, causing no prostrating ettect on the system. Sold by Druggists.
•7-4,4= XjO^V^ESXjiIj, nVCXOZX. '7-44-
1«AP
of Hie
State of Mich/can
ic^c/r ,t Lec^itf Cot^Ur History J)ij-ect^rv .f Mnf. Publishers Gritnd JinptUs MicIl Merchu^ils LithC
serial tiijtentioit giveit to the preservation of the JVatiiral Teeth.
Satisfaction Guaranteed,
33 ('anal Street, Near Cor. Canal and I^you.
ORANB BAPIBS.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
17
Population of Kent (oounty,
FIRST REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.
Pop. 1870.
City of Grand Rapids, 1st Ward 3,483
" " " " 2d " 4,780
" " " " 3d " 3,906
" " " " 4th " 2,781
" " " " 5th " 1,557
16,507
SECOND REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.
Pop. 1860.
Wyoming Townsliip 1,237 1,787
Paris " 1,314 1,543
Cascade " 892 1,157
Lowell '• ) 1 ^r.^ 1,583
" Village \ -^'^"^ 1,503
Bowne " 743 1,275
Caledonia " 763 1,599
Gaines " 870 1,205
Byron " 1,039 1,328
12,980
THIRD REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.
Alpine " 1,249 1,446
Walker " 1,430 1,675
Plaiufield " 1,240 1,499
GrandRapids" ' 8,085* 1,650
Cannon " 1,061 1,126
Ada " 1,116 1,427
Vergennes " 1,344 1,342
10,165
FOURTH REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT.
Grattan " 1,127 1,298
Oakfield " ■ 1,078 1,092
Courtland •' 947 1,338
Algoma " ) qqq 1,377
Rockford Village ^ * ' * 582
Sparta Township 939 1,668
Tyrone " 172 730
Solon " 393 911
Nelson " 462 1,102
Spencer " 580
10,678
Total , 30,710 50,330
*City and Township. 3
18
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
|
TosUofRces in Kent bounty. |
|
|
KAME. |
TOWNSHIP. |
|
Ada, - - - - " |
Ada. |
|
Alaska, - - - - . " |
Caledonia. |
|
Alpine, ..---■ |
Alpine. |
|
Alto, ------ |
Bowne. |
|
Alton, - - - - - |
Vergennes. |
|
Austerlitz, - - - - " |
Plainfield. |
|
Belmont, - - - - - " |
Plainfield. |
|
Bostwick Lake, - - - - |
Cannon. |
|
Bowue, ------ |
Bowne. |
|
Burcli's Mills, - - - - - |
Algoma. |
|
Byron Center, |
Byron. |
|
Caledonia, - - - - ■ |
Caledonia. |
|
Caledonia Station, - - - - " |
Caledonia. |
|
Cannonsburg, - - - - - |
Cannon. |
|
Casnovia, - - - - ■ |
Tyrone. |
|
Cedar Springs, - - - - |
- Nelson. |
|
Cody's Mills, - - - - ■ |
Byron. |
|
Courtland Center, - - - - |
Courtland. |
|
Edgerton, - - - - ■ |
Algoma. |
|
Spencer Mills, - - - ■ |
Spencer. |
|
Vergennes, - - - - ■ ■ |
Vergennes. |
|
Englishville, - - - - ■ |
Alpine. |
|
Fallassburg, - - - - ■ |
Vergennes. |
|
Gainesville, - - - ■ ■ |
- Gaines. |
|
Grattan Center, - - - - - |
Grattan. |
|
Grand Rapids, - - - - - ^^^^"^ |
Rapids City. |
|
Grandville, ------- |
Wyoming. |
|
Hammond, ------ |
Gaines. |
|
Harris Creek, ------ |
Bowne. |
|
Indian Creek, - - - - - - " |
Walker. |
|
Kelloggville, - - - - - - - |
Paris. |
|
Lisbon, - - - - - - - - |
- Sparta. |
|
Lowell, - - - - - |
Lowell. |
|
Mill Creek, - - - . - - |
Plainfield. |
|
Nelson, - - - - ■ * |
Nelson. |
|
Nortlx Byron, - - - ■ ■ |
Byron. |
|
Oakfield, - - - |
Oakfield. |
|
Pleasant, |
Alpine. |
|
Rockford, - - - - - |
Algoma. |
|
Sand Lake, - - - - |
Nelson. |
|
Sparta Center, - - - " |
Sparta. |
|
Spencer Mills, - - - ■ - |
Spencer. |
|
Vergennes, . . - - |
Vergennes. |
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 19
COUNTY OF KENT.
The county of Kent was organized in the year A. D. 1836. It was at that time very thinly populated, fifteen years only having elapsed since the first white set- tler placed his foot upon its soil. Rix Robinson came in the year 1821, and re- mained several years almost entirely alone, trading with the Indians. In 1826, Uncle Louis Campau settled here, and from that time forward the county has been steadily settling up.
The soil of Kent, considered as a whole, is not as good as that of some of its neighbors; however, it possesses some of the finest and most productive farms in the State. Some individual townships in the county possess as much good land as can be found anywhere within a limit of thirty-six square miles. But in the northern part of the county especially, there is much poor land, the timber being chiefly pine.
Its railroad facilities within a few years have become quite good, and, we are happy to say, are still improving. The Detroit & Milwaukee Railroad passes through the entire county, from east to west, having stations at Grand Rapids, Lowell and Ada. The Kalamazoo Division of the Lake Shore & Michigan South- ern Railroad comes in from the south, passing through the townships of Byron and Wyoming, and has the following stations: Eagle Mills, Grandville, Scudder and Byron Center, with a northern terminus at Grand Rapids.
The Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad passes through the entire length of the county, from north to south, and has the following stations: Cedar Springs, Burchville, Edgerton, Rockford, Child's Mills, Whitney, North's Mills and Grand Rapids, thereby opening up the northern part of the county, whence come most of the lumber and logs in this section. This road has recently been completed between Fort Wayne and Grand Rapids.
The Grand River Valley Division of the Michigan Central Railroad comes in from the south, and passes through the townships of Caledonia, Gaines and Paris, with a northern terminus at Grand Rapids. This road has the following stations: Hammond, Paris and Caledonia.
The villages in the county are all small with the exception of Lowell and Rock- ford; the former having a population of 1503, and the latter 582. Both of these are thrifty, go ahead places, and are rapidly building up.
Grand River enters the county on its east line, and meandering north-westerly and south-westerly, touches in its course eight townships and passes out a little south of a point directly opposite of the place of entrance. At the rapids, in the City of Grand Rapids, it furnishes an immense water power, which has been considerably improved.
Thornapple River forms a junction with the Grand at the village of Ada, the Flat River at the village of Lowell, and the Rouge River at Austerlitz (formerly Plainfield.)
This sketch being intended simply as an introduction, we will leave the more particular history of the county to be treated under the head of the several townships.
20 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
ADA.
Ada township is centrally located in the county ; being bounded on the north by Cannon, on the east by Vergennes, on the south by Cascade, and on the west by Grand Rapids. It was named, — it is said, — after a highly respected lady by the name of Ada Smith, who then resided in the township.
Unfortunately the records of the township are not now in existence previously to the year 1835, which, however, must have been soon after the date of its orga- nization.
The township of Ada originally embraced a large tract of country, including several of what are now the adjacent towns. It was of Ada as it then existed, that Rix Robinson, Esq., was elected the first supervisor. The first entry upon the records, under date of 1835, is to the efi"ect that Norman Smith was elected supervisor by one majority, he receiving in all thirty-two votes.
Supposing that he had but one competitor, — as he probably had, — we estimate the whole number of votes sixty-three. Just think of it ! In an extent of terri- tory where there were at the last election at least one thousand votes polled, thirty-five years ago they could muster but sixty-three. Picture in your mind the sights of a " town meeting " during those times. Here they come, one by one, from the different points of the compass, hard-working, honest men. It is a gala day with them. They meet perhaps for the first time in months. They go early and stay late. They urge their brief political campaign in their homely way. They enjoy as well as jjerform their duty, and then part for the scenes of stern labor. Thus the times count themselves, each year bringing an increase in numljers, until fourth and fifth sub-divisions count more votes than the original united one.
One of the most prominent of the early settlers was Rix Robinson, Esq., the first white man in the township, and one of the first in the country. For a long time he was engaged in the fur trade with the Indians on Grand River. Alone he traversed the forests, and " paddled his own canoe," surrounded with savages by nature, — and sometimes by deed, — but he remained unmolested by them. The spirit of the natives had already been somewhat subdued by the influence of Christianity, and itinerant missionaries were then laboring among them. A tribe of these Indians remained on sections six and seven of the present township of Ada, until about the year 1860 or '61, when they sold their lands, and removed to Pentwater. During the latter years of their residence on these lands, they cultivated the soil, built respectable dwellings, had well organized schools and comfortable churches. They were of the Roman Catholic faith.
Mr. Rol^inson, or " Uncle Rix," as he is familiarly called, during his sojourn and life among the Indians, became quite attached to them ; so much so that he cliose one of their daughters as his partner for life, with whom he now lives. They have but one son, and he is well known throughout Grand River Valley as an energetic business man.
The life of the pioneer is fraught with toil, and peril, and actual sufteriug. It is pleasant for us to sit by the warm fire on a chilly night, and listen while the grandfather tells of the " dark days," as he once called them, in the history of his experience. We have often heard him repeat the story of the nights he
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 21
spent in the woods alone, far from any house; of fording streams in winter; of encounters with wolves and other animals ; of the poor log house with its stick chimney ; of sickness and death in the family, with no attending physician, and so on through the long lists. But we are not the only delighted one. What a change came over the countenance of the aged man as he recounted those scenes ! Ah! yes, he was "dreaming a dream of the olden time." All was not sorrow, hardship and suffering. It may have seemed to him at the time that it was nearly all " rainy weather ; " but as he now calls up their " shadowy forms," he discovers that
" Taking the year all around * * * * There ivasn't more night than day."
Then we have passed through the valley of youth and middle age, and have ascended the hill of years, as we look back into the valley throuo-h which we have come, we shall discover many more scenes of real enjoyment than of dis- content. So it is : whatever may be his experience, wherever he may be in country, town, or wilderness, with pure mind, and a laudable ambition, every individual has his share of the music of life.
The experience of the pioneers of Ada, was similar to that of other townships; they worked hard, they endured much, and they enjoyed much. They lived a noble life, although it was a life perhaps few of us would choose. They lived a noble life, I say, and did a good work. Every stroke of their pioneer axe sounded a note in the song of a " thousand years."
Among the early settlers of Ada in addition to the one we have already mentioned may be named Edward Robinson, who settled in 1830, Torrey Smith A. H. Riggs and Edward Pettis in 1836-7, Peter McLean, R. G. Chaffee, Heze- kiah Howell, E. McCormick, P. Fingleton, Gurden Chapel, John Findlay and J. S. Scheuck, 1840 to 1845.
The principal
RIVERS in the township are the Grand and Thornapple. Grand River crosses the town- ship from the northwest to the southeast, and is navigable for small crafts. Be- fore the completion of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad, steamboats passed up the river as far as Ionia.
Among the
LAKES " Chase's" is the only one worthy of mention. It is located on sections two and eleven, and contains about one hundred and sixty acres.
THE TIMBER is mostly oak.
THE LAND being what is usually termed " oak openings." It is rolling, particularly on either side of Grand River, but becomes nearer level as it recedes from the river.
THE SOIL
is rather sandy, being well adapted to fruit culture. It is well suited also to the production of the different kinds of grain. The citizens of Kent County appreciate the value of good educational faculties.
22 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY 0¥ KENT COUNTY.
No township can be said to be an exception to this statement. The
SCHOOL HOUSES of Ada are located and numbered as follows : School house No. 1 was erected in 1858, at a cost of $600, on section thirty-four. Material, wood. School house No. 2 is located on section twenty, value, $800. Material, wood. School house No. 3 was erected in 1859. Material, wood. School house No. 4 (fraciional Ada, Vergenues and Lowell,) was erected in 1853, at an expense of |200. Ma- terial, wood. School house No. 4 was erected in 1867, at an expense of $800 ; located on section twenty-three. Material, wood. School house No. G was erected in 1854, at a cost of $450 ; on section twelve. Material, wood. School house No. 8 was erected in 1856, at an expense of $800, on section five. School house No. 13 was erected in 1867 at an expense of $1,000, located on section ten. Material, wood.
ADA VILLAGE was laid out into lots by Dalrymple & Dunn when the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad was built, — about the year 1858 ; and although one or more additional plats have been made its growth seems to be quite slow. It is located on sections thirty-three and thirty-four, near the confluence of the Thornapple and Grand Rivers, ten miles, via the railroad, from the city of Grand Rapids. It jjos- sesses a tolerably good water power, which, as yet, has hevn but slightly improved. Two good grist mills are situated on Thornapple River, and appear to be doing a good business. One of them is called the " Ada Mills." It was built in 1856, and cost about $15,000. The present proprietors are E. Bradfield «& Sons. The other, called the " Kent County Mill of Ada," was built in 1865, at an expense of about $15,000. It is situated at the mouth of the Thornapple, River, and is owned and operated by E. Averill & Co.
The Baptist Church, which, by the way, is the only church in the village, is a substantially built and w^ell furnished brick structure. The village also contains a good school-house, two hotels, three dry goods stores, one drug store, two grocery stores, besides various blacksmith, butcher, cooper and shoemaker shops.
ALOOMA.
Algoma lies north of Plainfield, and is bounded on the north by Solon, east by Courtland, and west by Sparta.
It was first settled by Smith Lapham, from Washtenaw county, in 1843. He settled on the east side of Rouge River, in the southeast part of the township, where he now lives in the midst of the village of Rockford, (formerly called Laphamville.)
He was soon followed by the Hunter Brothers and others, in this corner ; but none went farther north or west until 1845, when Joshua Briggs and ftimily, from Yates county, New York, went on the east line of section twenty-five. John Davis and family, from Ingham county, went a mile farther north on the east line of section twenty-four, and Henry Helsel and Henry Shank and fam- ilies, from Ohio, went up the right bank of the river and settled on section twenty-one. Mr. Helsel now has a fine farm of 380 acres, mostly improved ; Mr.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 23
Briggs and his sons have nice farms where they first settled ; and Mr. Davis now lives, on an enchanting spot, on the bank of a roaring brook, which leaps and tumbles over a dam close to his cabin door, two miles west of his old home. Mr. Shank is not now a resident of the township.
Benj. Pettingill, and his son B. N. Pettingill, who came from Ingham county, and settled in the southeast corner of the township in 1845, are now living on a good farm on section twenty-six. The Longs and Turners who came in at an early day and settled in this vicinity, have good farms, with nice farm buildings, orchards, &c.
Among other pioneers in this township we would mention the names of Henry Morningstar and sons, John Boyer, John Jacobs, Jacob Ipe and sons, John M. Smith, James Smith, James Barnes, Andrew House, Daniel Youngblood, James Mosher, and Messrs. Emmons, Hull, Bowers and Christy, all within the first ton years. Mr. Emmons was the first settler on the west line, north of the river. Mr. Morningstar and sons were the first to penetrate the forest and settle on the now thickly settled line, one and one.half miles east of, and parallel with the west tow^nship line. They were soon followed by John Dome and Daniel Younglilood.
They were then three and one-half miles from Mr. Helsel, who was their nearest neighbor.
This is now one of the finest farming regions of the township. The farm of Mr. John Hull being the largest and one of the best. On the south line are some old, nice farms,'among the largest of which are those of Messrs. Jewell and Bennett.
But we must return to the
ORGANIZATION of the township under the present name — Algoma — which was given in honor of a steamer of that name then plying on Grand River, between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven.
Algoma was previously attached to Plainfield. The first annual township meeting of Algoma was held ia 1849, at which time the following were elected as the
FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS :
Supervisor — Smith Lapham ; Clerk— William Thornton ; Treasurer — Albert L. Pickett ; Justices — Morgan Allen, John H. Jacobs and John Hamilton.
The township meetings have generally been held at the school house, one mile south of the center, known as the Helsel school house, or more commonly as the "Gougeburg" school house. By a majority vote of the electors the place of meeting was changed in 1869, to Rockford village.
PRESENT TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. Supervisor— H. N. Stinson ; Clerk — C. E. Blakeley ; Treasurer— Richard Briggs ; Justices — Charles G. Hyde, Benj. W. Soule, William Powell, Oscar House. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. Pine was the prevailing timber of this township, although very much mixed with beech, maple, oak, etc.
There are some small parcels of laud timbered exclusively with beech and maple ; but they are small parcels, and few in number ; and are situated prin- cipally in the west and southwest part.
24 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
In the southeast part, near Rouge River, oak prevails ; but there are only a few farms in the township which are entirely free from pine stumps. The northeastern jjart is still almost an unbroken pine forest, with but little other timber.
As may be inferred from' the timber, there is a great variety of soil. We were told by one man that he could show as great a diversity of soil on twenty acres of his farm, as could be found in the State. There is scarcely any swampy land in the township.
The south part along the river is very much broken, some of the hills being very steep, and nearly a hundred feet above the level of the land along the streams. This is chiefly a sandy or clay soil, intermixed with stone and gravel. In the remaining portions, those parts which are timbered with beech and maple are usually a fine, rich loam, and the parts which are exclusively timbered with pine are generally sandy.
Wc commenced our general description by describing the timber, as that has oeen more valued in the past than has the soil ; but as the timber is being rapidly taken off, more interest is now taken in the latter.
At first it was bought in large tracts by speculators, who generally hold it until the pine can be culled, and all of the best taken off; then it is sold out in smaller parcels to actual settlers. At one time. J. B. Chipman, of the State of New York, owned nearly a thousand acres of land, chiefly timbered with pine, in the northeast corner of the township. In 1854, his son, Walter Chij)man, a lawyer by profession, came to look at the land, and, becoming enamored of " backwoods life in Michigan," settled here, where he still remains, a much esteemed citizen.
Some years previous to coming hither, Mr. Chipman, being obliged, by a de- cline in his health, to give up his profession, joined a regiment of soldiers just starting out for our Western coast, and when he was discharged, remained as a pioneer in California. He was a member of the Convention which framed the Constitution of that State when it was admitted into the Union. Returning to New York, he spent some time with his friends, then went to Vermont, where he engaged in teaching for a year, and at last came here as before stated and became a pioneer in this township. I say pioneer, for although the south part had been settled eleven years, the north part was very new when he came. His brother J. B. Chipman, Jr., came on some years later,
Andrew House, who was one of the first settlers of Plainfield, as well as Algoma, owned, at one time, 700 acres of pine land, in the east part of the town- ship.
John Almy, of Grand Rapids, also owned several hundred acres in the north and northwest. These were among the largest tracts, although there were others who owned parcels of considerable size,
STREAMS, LAKES, &C.
Rouge River is the principal stream of Algoma. It flows in on section thirty, from Sparta ; thence southeast for a short distance ; then northeast, and lastly, south across nearly the whole width of the township, and out, on section thirty-
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 25
six, into Plainfiekl. It is a good sized, rather swift-flowing stream, and furnishes plenty of power for the manufacturing now done, with much to spare. This stream is quite extensively used for running pine logs to the various mills be- low, on this and Grand River.
Cedar Creek comes from Solon, enters the northeast corner of Algoma, flows southwest, to the northeast corner of section sixteen, where it unites with a branch called the Little Cedar, which also comes from the northeast, but further to the south. "From here it flows south, and enters Rouge River on section twenty-two. This stream furnishes good water power in two places, which are used. It might be used in various other places.
A spring creek, sometimes known as Wiched CreeTc, about five miles long, rises in the west part of Courtlaud, flows southeast, crossing sections thirteen and fourteen, and enters Rouge River on section twenty-three. This stream, though but a mere spring brook runs sufficiently swift to furnish power for twelve mills, all of which are within four miles of its mouth ; eight of them in this township, and four in Courtland.
A fine spring brook, two and one- half miles in length, rises in the western part of Courtland, flows across the farm of E. H. Penfleld on section twenty-five, and empties into Rouge River. This stream is remarkable for its nearly uniform size throughout the whole length, and during the whole year. This uniformity is caused by its being so short that it is hardly afi'ected by heavy rains.
In the northwest part of this township, and on the adjoining sections in the southwest corner of Solon, and the northeast corner of Sparta, are a number of small lakes, among which are the following :
Camp Lake is a long, narrow lake, nearly one mile in length, situated in the west part of Algoma, on sections seven and eighteen. Its outlet is a small stream which flows northwest through sections twelve and one of Sparta, and enters Rouge River.
Long Lake is nearly as large, and lies in the southwesterly part of section thirty-one, in Solon.
Round Lake is smaller, and lies on the line between Algoma and Solon. So also do the two Sand Lakes and Big Lake.
On and near the line of Algoma and Sparta are the two Indian Lakes and Squaw Lake. The outlet of these latter lakes is a small stream, sometimes called Indian Creek, which flows across section one of Sparta, and enters Rouge River from the northeast.
These lakes abound in small fish, such as bass, perch, etc., and an eS'ort is being- made to propagate pickerel in some of them.
Marl or Bog-lime has been found on the south side of Big Lake, on the south line of section thirty-two, of Solon, much of which has been burned and used for building purposes in the surrounding country.
The land in this vicinity is rolling, and is said to be good for the production
of fruit.
VILLAGES. Rockford is a flourishing little town of over 500 inhabitants. It is situated on the Rouge River five miles from its mouth, and thirteen miles from Grand Rapids,
4
26 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad. It is in the extreme southeast corner of Al^oma, on section thirty-six, and includes a small piece of section one of the township of Plainfield. The first settler here was Suiith Lapham, pre- viously mentioned as the first settler of tlie township. He came in the year 1843, constructed a dam across the river, and erected the building now used by Mess- more & Watkins as a shingle mill. The mill on the west side of the stream, now used by the same firm, was erected the following year by Hunter Brothers.
In the year 1845 a Postotfice was established here, with S. Lapham as the first Postmaster. The mail being carried by him from Plain field, once a week, in his pockets, for Avant of a mail-bag. ,
In the year 1848, White and Rathbuu, of Grand Rapids, opened the first stock of store goods sold here. A grist mill was erected by Chase and Judson, in 1852, which contains three run of stone, and is now owned and operated by iMessmore and Watkins.
The village was first platted in 185G, under the name of Laphamville, replatted in 18G5, and the name changed to Rockford. It was regularly incorporated by an act of the Board of Supervisors, in June, of the year 18GG. It now contains fifteen stores, one livery stable, two meat markets, three shoe shops, two brick yards, one foundry and two or three blacksmith and wagon shops, etc. Also a photograph gallery, a good supply of lawyers and doctors, and last, but not least, we noticed two or three good looking millinery establishments. There are two good frame hotels, one kept by H. N. Stinson, and the other by Smith Lap- ham ; a steam stave factory, owned by Barker and Hyde, which cuts about three million staves and one million heading per year ; a sash, blind and door factory, run Ijy water power, and owned by McConnell and Addison, who do a good cus- tom business and ship some work north ; beside the grist mill and two saw mills of Messmore and Watkins, before mentioned, and which seem to be doing a good Imsiness.
The Baptist Church is a good frame building, SGxGO feet in size. It was erected in 1858.
The Methodist Episcopal Church is also a frame building, 24xG0 feet in size, and was erected in 18G5.
The schools are on the graded system, consisting of three do2')artments. This is the original district No. 1, of Algoma, and the frame building used for the school, years ago, still stands in the southern part of the village, on an eleva- tion, near tlie river. This building was about 25x35 feet in size, and when the village began to grow up, an addition, nearly the same size, was built on the rear. Suljsequently the wood house was taken for a primary department, and now, these three failing to be sufficient to accommodate the ''rising generation," a fine, large brick school house 60xG3 feet in size, is being erected at a cost of $20,000. This building is on the original site, which has received some addi- tions and now includes nearly a wliole block.
Burchville, situ.ated near the centre of section one, in the northeast corner of Algoma, is a thriving " lumber station," on the Grand Rapids and Indiana Rail- road, five and one-half miles from Rockford, and about eighteen from Grand Rapids.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 27
It was platted iu 1868, l)y John S. Weller, of Ann Arbor, and named in honor of his jjartner, Jefterson Burch, who came here and built the first steam saw mill iu 1866. That mill was totally destroyed by fire in 1867, and a new one erected by Mr. Burch on the same site. This mill is now operated by M. L. Whitney and has a capacity for cutting 15,000 feet of lumber and 15,000 shingles per day. It now cuts only about half that amount for want of logs.
In 1867, George R. Congdon & Co., erected a mill of about the same capacity, which was destroyed by fire in June, 1870, with about $100,000 worth of lumber.
It was at tliat time owned by Isaac Newton & Co., of Grand Rapids, who are now erecting a new mill on the same ground. Newton & Co. have also a small, portable steam mill near by, which cuts 10,000 feet of lumber per day.
Campbell & Stanton have a portable steam shingle mill about one hundred rods west of the station, which cuts 15,000 shingles per day. This mill has been run- ning since October, 1868.
In 1868 a school district was organized here, and a school is kept in a board shanty, although money has once been raised and paid for building a school house. Finding that they were the victims of misjjlaced money as well as mis- placed confidence, the people have voted $910, and let the job to another man, who is to put up a good frame house this summer. It will l)e 30x36 feet in size, with sixteen feet posts.
The present population is probably about two hundred, including those on Congdon 's adilition, recently platted, and which includes all of that part of the village lying south of the Little Cedar Creek.
Edgerton is the name of a railroad station about halfway between Rockford and Burchville, and a little more than half a mile from the east line of Algoma. This place boasts a postofRce and tv\'o groceries. Andrew House is the present Postmaster. This is near the well known " Porter Hollow," which contains the stream that is noted for so many
MILLS, which we now will proceed to descrilje : Going west from the station about a quarter of a mile, we come to the first saw mill built on this stream. It stands on the southwest corner of section thirteen, and was erected in 181:6 by Newton Andrews. It is now run by Charles Fox, and cuts 4,000 feet of lumber or 13,000 shingles per day.
Half a mile southwest of this at the mouth of the creek, is the shingle mill of John S. Doty. This was l)uilt ])y Hiram Davis in 1866, and cuts 10,000 shingles per day.
We will now retrace our steps and go up the creek nearly to the railroatl, and aljout one quarter of a mile from the station, where we come to a grist mill and shingle mill, Ijoth of which are operated by David Munro. These mills were erected )jy Harvey Porter, in 1854, and are now owned by Jones and Johnson. These parties also own and operate a saw mill just above the railroad track, which was erected in 1854, by Seth Porter. The grist mill is principally used for custom business, although thc-y ship some flour and feed north. The shingle mill cuts 10,000 shingles per day, and the lumber mill about 10,000 feet of lum- Ijcr. Up the creek three-fourths of a mile fii.rther, is a shingle mill, capable of
28 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY Of KENT COUNTY.
cutting 10,000 per day, owned and operated by Setli Porter. A few rods farther east, near the Courtland line are the grist mill and saw mill of Coon & Scarvell. These mills were erected by Dennis Porter in 1863. They are small custom mills; the former making some flour and feed for sale. All of these mills except the second are on section thirteen, and that is on twenty-three.
Two miles west of Edgerton, on the Cedar Creek, near the west line of section twenty-two, Jackson and George Coon are erecting a grist mill, on the site of a saw mill which was destroyed by fire some time ago.
One and a half miles up this creek, on the north side of section sixteen, is the saw mill commonly known as the Morningstar Mill. This mill was erected in 1832, by Norman Ackley, and refitted, and mostly rebuilt, in 18G6, by Solomon and Caine, who now own and operate it. Its capacity is about 7,000 feet of lum- ber, or 14,000 shingles per day.
About one and one-fourth miles farther up the Big Cedar, is a large, steam saw mill, which was erected in December, 1868, by Ammon Fox, who still owns and operates it, cutting 14,000 feet of lumber, or 15,000 shingles per day.
There is a portable detached steam saw mill on the west side of section eleven, on the Little Cedar, erected in June, 1869, by McClure & Kidder. This mill cuts 10,000 feet of lumber, or 15,000 shingles per day. It wuU be better known as the " Hodag " mill.
This name was given it, from the fact that an unknown and mysterious animal was heard, seen, and even fired at, in the woods near here, some years ago, and as no other name could be tound for it. it was called " Hodag," and when the mill was built, this was the name given to it by the people of Burchville.
Jacob Long has a small water power saw mill on the northwest-quarter of sec- tion five, near the northwest corner of the townshii). This mill was built by Zimrod Burnham, in 1860, and cuts about 3,000 feet of lumber per day.
. SCHOOL HOUSES.
District No. 2 (fractional with Courtland), organized in 1850, and a small frame house erected, which was used until 1866, when the present frame building was erected at a cost of $500, one half mile east of Edgerton station, on the township line. District No. 3 has a small, wooden frame house, erected in 1852. This school house is one mile south of the centre of the township, and half a mile north of the little collection of houses known as Gougeburg, where a dam was once Imilt across Rouge River and a saw mill erected by C. C. Comstock, of Grand Rapids. The mill burned down, the proprietor failed, and so also did the village, which was springing up around the mill. District No. 4 has a small frame house, which was erected in 1854, on the center of section twenty-nine District No. 6 organized in 1852, and erected a small log house on the south side of section eight. In 1862 the site was changed to the north side of eight on account of a division of the district, and a block house erected the following year, which is still used. District No. 7 has a building called the " House" school house. It is a frame building, and was erected in 1863, on the south part ot sec- tion twenty-three. District No. 8 organized in 1860, and a log house was erected near the north side of section sixteen, on the farm of Calvin Babcock.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 29
The Good Templars are erecting a frame liall 24x36 feet in size, at tlie center of section twenty-nine. Estimated cost $300.
ALPINE.
Alpine is one of the west tier of townships, and is bounded on the north by Sparta, on the east by Plainfield, on the south by Walker, and on the west by the township of Wright, Ottawa county. It retains its original form and size, con- taining thirty-six square miles.
The first settlers were Solomon Wright and family, who came from Wayne county. New York, in the year 1837, and located on the south line, near Indian Creek. The family consisted of the old gentleman and lady and five sons, Benja- min, Solomon, Noadiah, Andrew and Jeremiah, only one of whom remains in the township, and that is Solomon. The old people are both dead, one son lost his life in the recent war, one is living at Lowell, and two are in Walker. In the year 1840 John Coflee and Kichmond Gooding came from Ohio, penetrated the forest nearly five miles beyond the Wright neighborhood and settled on section nineteen, near the west line of the township. For years this was considered the "jumping ofl" place," as they called it, there being no settlements north of them, and in fact no house in any direction nearer than three or four miles. About the same time Jacob Snyder — a German — settled on section thirty-five, and another German by the name of John Platteeon section thirty-six, in the southeast corner of the township. A short time before this, Turner Hills and family came from Vermont, and located in the east part of the township, on section thirteen, where, for several years, they wero the northernmost settlers. Mr. Hills died many years ago, but the widow and two sons remain in the township.
Among other pioneers who settled in various parts of the township, were Noel Hopkins, Baltas Schafi"er, Peter Sclilick, James Snowden, Sherman Pearsall, John B. Colton, A. B. Toms, Thompson Kasson, Joseph Hipler, John Ellis, Edward Wheeler, Hervey Wilder, Joseph BuUen, Moses Ramsdell, John J. Downer, Hiram Stevenson, Artemus Hilton, Henry S. Church, Charles Anderson, Francis Greenley, and the Boyds, Denisons, Meads, Brewers, Davenports, and Cordes, all of whom came before 1850; and most of them yet remain to enjoy the fruits of their early labors and sufi"erings.
Many and varied were the privations endured by these early settlers. We who have never been pioneers cannot fully appreciate the sufferings, the trials, and hardships which were their lot. Think of a journey to Grand Rapids with an ox team, over rough roads, with a grist for the mill ; of a return in the night with its many perplexities, now and then losing the indistinct road, with a consequent delay of an half hour; of finding trees blown across the way, preventing further progress until they have been removed by the use of the ax, and so on through the list.
Again imagine the loneliness of a {amily coming from a thickly settled part of the country, and making a home in the wilderness, with no actual neighbors; with no schools; with no churches; and in fact witli no associations except those of their own fireside. Little time can be spared for social intercourse even at
>0 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
home. The round of duties consumes each day but the Sabbath, which is to them indeed a day of holy rest.
We would not wish to be understood to intimate that there are no enjoyments connected with such a life, for downright satisfaction is always the result of manly toil. Situated, as the pioneer is, in an unbroken forest, with every stroke of the ax, and with every eflfort made toward improvement, he seems to be hew- ing out a little world of his own. Every acre added to the cleared space adds more than its proportionate amount of pleasure to the soul of the laborer. He looks forward to the time when his broad acres shall be seen clothed with the rich yellow grain of a plenteous harvest. He walks by faith and not by sight. The " sweet bye and bye " is anticipated, and that is what incites him to labor and to endure.
Then again much pleasure is found in the little visits which they arc occasion- ally favored with. That peculiar community of feeling which is the characterisuc of persons in depressed circumstances, is enjoyed by pioneers, and early settlers, in an unusual degree. There is a mutual dependence of one upon another, felt by everybody : and this never fails to beget a spirit ot iiiendship between them.
ORGANIZATION.
Alpine Avas united with the township of Walker, until the year 18-47. Its first' independent townshi}) meeting was held at the School House in the southeast corner of the township, on the 5th day of April, 1847; which resulted in the election of the following named persons as officers : Supervisor, Edward Wheeler ; Clerk, C. D. Shenich; Treasurer, Casper Cordes ; Justices, Wm. H. Withey, John Coffee, John Colton, and John Tuxbury. The next annual meeting was held at the house of Edward Wheeler, near the center of the township. Soon after this a small log School House was erected on the corner of Mr. Wheeler's farm, one-half mile east of the center, and was used as a place of holding township meetings until about the year 1860, when a nice, frame, Town Hall building was erected on the northeast corner of section twenty-one.
THE PRESENT OFFICERS
of Alpine are Supervisor, Isaac Haynes; Clerk, Hanson Rogers; Treasurer,
Charles Dole; Justices, John Coffee, Warren Bailey, Charles Waterman, and
Hollis R. Hills.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
Alpine — which is said to have derived its name from the supposition of many of the early settlers, who were near the streams, and in the eastern part of the township, that it was chiefly timbered with pine — is very different from what its name would indicate to a stranger. There was, originally, considerable pine along the larger streams, and in the northeasterly corner of the township. At one time, seven saw mills were situated on Mill Creek, and were doing a brisk busi- ness; but now there is hardly enough imie lett to sustain three.
The source of Mill Creek is Cranberry Lake, which is situated on the line be- tween Kent and Ottawa counties, extending into section six of Alpine. From there to Pickerel Lake on section ten Mill Creek is but a small rivulet. We mention this as the main stream : however there is another Inanch about the
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. Si
same size, which conies in from Sparta, and unites with the former near the north line of section nine. From Pickerel Lake to its mouth it is fed by several small streams, one of which comes from Downer Lake on the southeast quarter of sec- tion ten. The main stream passes about one and one-half miles north of the center of the township:), thence southeasterly until it unites with Grand Kiver in the southwest corner of Plain field. For a distance of five or six miles from its mouth, the water power is sufhciently good for manufacturing purposes. Along this stream is a series of small swamps, extending nearly the whole width of the township from east to west, and bordered on eitlier side by clay bluffs, rising in some places to a height of si.xty or seventy feet.
North of this, and extending into Sparta, is a ridge of high, rolling, timbered land, which is as good as can be found in the county, for farming purposes, fruit growing, etc. On the south is a similar ridge, whicli divides Mill Creek on one side from Indian and Sand Creeks on the other.
One branch of Indian Creek rises near the center of the township, and the other in the western part. These branches unite in the north part of section twenty- eight; thence the stream flows south into Walker, crossing the south line of Alpine near the center.
One branch of Sand Creek rises in the Western part of Alpine, and flows south into Walker, and thence west into Ottawa county. Another branch of the same stream has source in a small lake covering about ten acres, situated on the line between sections twenty-eight and twenty-nine.
Minnie or New Boston Lake is situated on the east line of section twelve, and extends east into Plainfield. The lake and surrounding swamp cover about forty acres. A number of years ago a saw mill was erected on the north side of this lake, and an effort was made to build up a burgh, which was christened New Boston ; but like many other enterprises of a like nature it never went much beyond the paper plat.
THE SOIL
of the beach and maple timbered portions of Alpine — which comprise about two- thirds of the township — is generally clay or loam. Indeed Alpine is a township of good land, well adapted to the production of both grain and fruit. The good looking orchards, and the loads of nice apples, peaches, plums, pears, etc., as well as the excellent yields of wheat and other grain, speak for themselves. The soil of the pine timbered portions is sandy, but it grows fair crops when well culti- vated and improved. Among the largest and best farms in the township, are those of Solomon Wright, A. Downer, Mrs. James Snowden, Judson Buck, L. N. Dennison, David Herrick, Richmond Gooding, and Eberhard Cordes, each of which comprises two hundred acres or more.
MILLS AND MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
Colton's Saw Mill, built in the year 1845 by Colton and Phillips, situated on the south side of section thirteen, is now owned and operated by Gideon Colton. This mill is capable of cutting nearly a million feet of lumber per year ; but on account of the scarcity of pme does a comparatively small business.
The Saw Mill situated on the northeast corner of section twenty-five, commonly
32 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COCNTY.
called Withey's Mill, is manufacturing large quantities of shingles and some lum- l)er. It is owned and operated by Aaron Loland.
Stonehouse's Steam Saw Mill, situated on tlie northeast corner of section twen- ty-five, was erected by John Stonehouse in tlie year 1868, on the site of an old water power mill owned by him, and which was destroyed by fire in the year 1867. The new mill is turning out large quantities of shingles, also some lumber and lath.
Ellis & Brown's Grist 3Iill, situated on section thirteen, on Mill Creek, is doing a good custom business.
The Wolverine Pump Works, S. N. Edie, Proprietor, are situated on section thirty-six, one-half mile northwesterly of Mill Creek Post-otfice. This establish- ment was erected in the year 1868. It is located on a small branch of Mill Creek, whose waters give it motive power. The shop is furnislied with facilities for manu- facturing five thousand pumps per annum.
Orrin Gee owns and operates a small Brick Yard on the south side of section thirty-one.
There is a water power Cider Mill situated on Mill Creek, owned and operated by Gideon Colton, which is wo rthy of notice. The mill is so built on the bluff at the side of the stream, that the ajjijles can be unloaded from the wagon into the hop- per at the top, where they are ground, below which they are pressed, then bar- reled and loaded into wagons at the foot of the bluff without necessitating the lifting of a pound.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
District No. 1 is in the center of the township. Its first School House was built on the farm of Edward Wheeler, on the north side of section twenty-two. The present School Building was erected in the year 1861, and is a substantial frame structure. It stands on the south side of section fifteen, one-half mile east of the Town Hall.
District No. 3 has an old wooden building, commonly known as the Coon School House.
District No. 3 (fractional with Wright,) has a nice, brick building situate on the north side of section thirty. It was erected in 1868 at an expense of $1,000.
District No. 4 (fractional with Sparta,) has a small frame house, known as Rouse School House, situated on the north line of section three.
District No. 6 (fractional with Sparta), has a school house in the northeast corner of section five. It was erected in the year 1864, at a cost of about |1200.
The school house in District No. 7 (fractional with Plainfiekl), known as the Colton school house, situated on the south side of section thirteen, is a neat frame structure. It was erected in the year 1809, at an expense of $950.
District No. 8 has a small, frame house, known as the Pearsall school house, which was erected in 1851, on the northwest corner of section twenty-eight.
District No. 9 (fractional with Plainfiekl), has a very old building, known as the Withey school house, situated on the northeast corner of section thirty-six.
District No. 10 (fractional with Wright), has a small frame house, known as the Boyd school house, standing on the southwest corner of section eight. It was erected in the year 1856.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 33
District No. 11 has a small, wooden building, which was erected in the year 1855, and used until the year 1869, when the Roman Catholics of the district, with the aid of those of surrounding districts, erected a building of their own at at a cost of $1500, in which they now have a German-English school. The de- serted building is situated on the south side of section twenty six, and the new one at tlie center.
District No. 13 (fractional with Walker), has a nice frame building, known as the Johnson school house. It was erected in the year 1859, and stands on the south side of section thirty-four.
District No. 14 (fractional with Sparta), has a small, frame building, which was erected in the year 1852, and is known as the Englishville school house. It is located on the north side of section one.
District No. 15 (fractional with Walker), has a small, frame building, known as the Monroe school house.
CHURCHES.
The Alpine and Walker Baf)tist Church is a good frame building, 36x56 feet in size. It was erected in the year 1859 on the south side oi section thirty-three, at a cost of probably $2000.
The Roman Catholic Church, situated on the north side of section thirty-four, was erected in the year 1849, at a cost of about $1500. It is a frame structure 26x46 feet in size.
HOTELS.
The Alpine House, which was erected in the year 1867 by M. Crill, is a large, commodious, frame building, situated on the south side of section thirteen on the Sparta Center road. This is located in the midst of a little cluster of houses, sometimes called Coltonville. They have a postofBce known as Alpine, also two or three shops, and not far distant on the same section, are the grist and saw mills heretofore described. The " Brick Inn," erected by Joseph Bettes, in the year 1862, on the site of the old " Log Inn," is now owned and kept by Wash^ ington Heath. It is located in the south part of section thirty, on the Newaygo State road.
BOWNE.
Bowne is the southeastern township of Kent County. It is bounded on the north by Lowell, on the east by Campbell, Ionia county, on the south by Irving, Barry county, and west by Caledonia. The surface of the township is rolling in the south part, the western part is mostly timbered openings, while the eastern part is beech and maple land, and is rather level. It is all rich and excellent soil, and well adapted to all kinds of agricultural pursuits. And, although compara- tively new, is fast being developed into fine farms. It is watered by the Cold- water, or Little Thornapple, which enters the township on its eastern boundary on section thirty-six, and flows in a westerly direction through the township, leaving its western boundary on section thirty-one. This is a very rapid stream and would afford five or six mill sites within the limits of this township, only two ol which are improved. One on section twenty-nina, occupied by Patter-
5
34 HISTOEY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
son's saw mill, and one on section thirty-six, occupied by Richardson's saw mill. In the western part of the township is a small stream flowing from the north, called Harris Creek, on which Hon. A. D. Thomas has a grist mill with two run of stone, driven by an overshot wheel with a foil of thirty feet. In the eastern part of the township is another small stream called Duck Creek, which affords in the northeast corner of the township water power for a saw mill, owned l)y Jaspar Kuykcndall.
In 1836, ^Ir. Jonathan Thomas, of Ovid, New York, entered a large tract of land in the southwestern portion of this township, and, in 1837 came on to im- prove it, In-inging vnth him Mr. Frederick Thomson and family, who still reside in Bowne, Mr. Israel Graves and family, and Mr. William Wooley and family. They came by water to Toledo, and thence to their destination Avith ox teams, making the trip from Toledo in about two weeks. Tliey proceeded to build houses and clear up the farm now owned by A. D. Thomas. The first house they built, and the first within the town, is still standing, ar^^l is preserved by Mr. A. 1). Thomas as a relic of the past and as a contrast with the present. It is of logs, about twelve by fourteen feet square, without any chamber, and with only one door and one window and a " shake " roof. Near this Mr. Thomas built two other houses and a small log building for an office for himself. ^Mr. Thomas was taken sick soon after he arrived, and was sick most of the time until the ne.xt winter, when his son-in-law Mr. John Harris came, and they fixed a bed in a sleigh and he started for his home in New York. They made the whole distance with a sleigh, dragging through northern Ohio in the slush and mud. During the first summer, when they got out of provisions, Mr. Thomas, although quite ill' at the time, had his bed fixed in a wagon, and taking his whip started his ox team for Kalamazoo. He was obliged to go a few miles beyond there and buy wheat, bring it back to Kalamazoo and have it ground. Mrs. Thomson says there were a great many Indians on the Coldwater when they moved there. They found them good neighbors when they were sober, but when they could get " fire water" they were quarrelsome, and occasioned trouble at times. One came to their house one day Avhen Mr. Thomson was away from home, and sat down in the rocking chair before the fire and rocked himself over into the fire-place, she pulled him out of the fire and he became enraged and attempted to stab her. But when she picked up an axe, and told him she would kill him if he did not leave, he beat a retreat. Another time, a lot of Indians came up on their ponies, when the men were gone, and ordered Mrs. Wooley to get them something to eat. She ran to her door and called to Mrs. Thomson, who went over, she says, as brave as could be, and talked to them. The old chief ordered her to go back to her wigwam and get him something to eat. She obeyed, trembling with fear all the time, and got the best dinner she could under the circumstances, setting her table with the nicest spread and dishes she had. The chief ate his meal alone at her house and seemed much pleased, told her she was a " brave squaw," and that they would not harm them then, but after a certain numl^er of moons they were going to kill all of the whites in the country. The other families that came with them soon became discouraged and went back, and they were left alone, seven miles at first, from any white neighbors. One time Mrs. Thomson
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. S5
remained alone eight clays. Mr. Thomson went to Kalamazoo to mill, and while there his oxen strayed away, and before he could find them and get home, eight days passed by. She remained at home until nearly noon the last day, when the suspense became so great she could not bear it any longer, and she started, on foot, for the nearest neighbor's, "Leonard's," seven miles distant. After proceed- ing about half way she met a white man. He was very much surprised at meet- ing a woman under such circumstances, and inquired of her where she was going. She told him, and inquired if he had seen or heard of her husband. He told her of his losing his cattle, and that he was on the road and would be along before night, and as it was vei'y warm advised her to either go back or wait until her husband came along, and when she told him " No," she would never stop until she had seen her husband, he said that he was a bachelor, but if he could find a woman who would endure as much and as bravely for him he should certainly marry. They used to see many wolves and bears, but never felt much fear of them. For some years they went to " Scale's Prairie" to meeting, and afterward, when there got to be population enough so that preachers used to come among them, Mrs. Thomson says she used frequently to entertain three or four at a time in their little log shanty, twelve by fourteen feet square.
In the s])ring of 1838 Messrs. Malcolm and John McNaughton commenced " breaking " on section twenty. They broke up forty acres that year and put it into wheat. In the fall of 1838 Messrs. Roswell Tyler, Norman Foster and J. G. Beach settled at the centre of Bowne. They came from Detroit with teams, Tla Gull Prairie, and were about ten days on the road. Mr. Tyler and another man came through from Jackson on foot, following what wus called the Clinton Trail. At this time there were no settlements nearer on the norPKstiiau Ada and Lowell. Among the other early settlers whose names we have been abTe""1W"f5ei;j we find James If. Truax, Jared Miller, William Stewart, Daniel C. McVean, Abraham Lowe, and Messrs White and Cobb, who settled at diilerent times ranging from 1840 to 1845.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
There are eight school houses in Bowne, all frame buildings, situated on sections 29, 28, 24, 12, 7, 4, 22 and 20. Bowne is well supplied with
POSTOFPICES.
Containing three, viz : Bowne, Alto, and Harris Creek. The Bowne postoffice, James C. Johnson, P. M., is located at Bowne Center. AUo postoffice is situated near the centre of section four, and kept by David M. Skidmore. Harris Creek postoffice, Wilbur S. March, P. M., is on the southwest part of section twenty- nine, near Thomas' Mills.
LAKES.
Foster Lake, on section 24, is a fine sheet of water about a quarter of a mile in length. On the northwest corner of section 23, near the residence of Stephen Johnson, is a small lake called Putnam Lake. A small lake near the centre of section 10, is known as Num1)er Ten Lake. Campbell Lake is a handsome lake, about half a mile in length, on section 10. In the north part of the townshiji are several large swamps, inteispc-ised with small lakes or ponds ; one range lying on sections 1, 2, 3, and 4, and one lying on sections 5 and 8.
HIiTORT AND DIRICTORT OF KENT COUNTY.
ORGANIZATION.
The township of Bowne was organized in the year 1848, by the election of the following named gentlemen as the
FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS:
Supervisor — Roswell C.Tyler; Clerk — Daniel C. McVean ; Treasurer — Justus G. Beach ; Justices of the Peace — Jared Miller, Norman Foster ; Assessors — Abijah Poole. John A. Campbell ; Commissioners of Highways — Loren B. Tyler, James H. Truax, Asa. R. Tyler. School Inspectors — Jared Miller, William Gib- son. Overseers of the Poor — Roswell F. Tyler, John Underwood. Constables — Salmon E. Piatt, Henry C. Foster.
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS IN 1870.
Supervisor — A])ner D. Thomas. Clerk — Abel Ford. Treasurer^James M. Nash. Justices of the Peace — Stephen Johnson, Benjamin J. Lee, Levi Stone, Henry D. Francisco. Commissioners of Highways — Loren B. Tyler, Henry D. Francisco, William H. Stone. Constable— Oliver A. Stone.
BYRON.
The township of Byron is situated in the extreme southwestern part of Kent county, with Wyoming on the north, Gaines on the east, Dorr, AUegau count}', on the south, and Jamestown, Ottawa county, on the west.
The surface of it is rolling, being covered with gently rolling swells and small knolls, with the exception of a swamp which commences on section thirteen and extends in a southwesterly direction into Allegan county. Tliis swamp varies from eighty rods to one mile in breadth, and is mostly timbered with tamarack and cedar. The extreme southwestern part of the township is somewhat broken, })ut not enough so to injure its value for farming purposes. The soil varies from argillaceous to sandy ; but is what is generally known to farmers as either clayey or sandy loam. The surface of some of the creek bottoms is underlaid with marl or " bog lime," while the "big swamj) " is a bed of muck, in many jjlaces of several feet in thickness. On section twenty-one, on the tarm of S. S. Towner, is a small swamp timbered with tamarack, through which the track of the northern branch of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad passes, which has several times suak so as to engulf the road bed. This swamp is probably the site of a lake which has become covered with a coating of vegetable matter of suffi- cient thickness to support trees of from fifty to sixty feet in height.
This township is composed of what is known as " timbered lands," comprising within its limits nearly every variety of trees known in this climate, viz . the Oak, Elm, Basswood, Whitewood, Sugar and Soft or White Maple, Blackwalnut, Butter- nut, Sycamore, Peppcrage, Beech, White and Black Ash, Hickory and Bitter Wal- nut, Pine, Cedar and Tamarack. And in some very favored localities a few Hack- berry trees are to be found. Of shrubs nearly all that flourish in this State are found, and in the rich hollows of the heavy timbered lands the Paw Paw flourishes to a considerable extent.
Byron is quite well watered by Buck and Rush Creeks, and the springs and
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 37
numerous small streams that form these creeks. One branch of Buck Creek rises in the extreme southeastern corner of the township, flows a northwesterly direc- tion for some distance, and then north by east until it leaves the town on its northern limits at the center line of section one. Another branch rises in Dorr, Allegan county, and flows northeasterly through the " big swamp '' until it forms a junction with the main stream.
About the center of section twenty-six is a small lake called " JVIud Lake." Rush Creek rises near the center of the township and flows in a northwesterly direction, leaving Byron very near its northwestern limits.
Go back with me reader for a space of thirty-four years, to the summer of 1836. Byron was then an unbroken wilderness. The ruthless hand of the white man armed with that terribly destructive weapon, the axe, had never been laid on natures beautiful forest that crowned the hills and shaded the vales. As the God of nature created it so the grand old forest stood. But the axe, the Pioneer's great weapon, as honored as his rifle, was soon destined to be heard in its depths. During the summer of this year Mr. Nathan Boyntou located a f\\rm on section five, and selected a place to build a house on a little knoll near the banks of Rush Creek. Mr. Boynton returned to Grandville and was taken sick, but in August or September sent his brothers, Messrs. William and Jerry Boynton to build a house for him. All the guide they had was the section line. This they followed until they came to the line between the present townships of Bvron and Wyom- ing, where they, not knowing that there was a variation in the section lines of the diff'erent ranges of townships, lost the line and were sometime findino- the place Nathan had selected for his dwelling. Having found the sjjot they went at work to erect a house. Listen reader while we give you the description Mr. William Boynton gave us. It was built of small logs, such as they could carry and put up, the roof was of small basswood, split in two parts and gutters cut, with an ax, in the flat side. One tier of these was laid with the flat side up and the other with the flat side down, so that the outside edge of the upper tier fitted into the gutter of the lower. The floor and door of the house were made of plank, or as woodsmen usually call them " puncheons," split from basswood trees. The fire place was built of clay, which Mr. Boynton says he mixed by treadino- with his bare feet, and was built np with small twigs ; while the chimney was built of split sticks laid up in the same kind of mortar. This fireplace and chimney were used, and did good service for a goodly number of years. Such was the first house erected in the township of Byron.
Messrs. Jerry and William Boynton soon located farms on sections nine and eight, respectively, and commenced improving their present homesteads, which by their skill and energy they have rendered both attractive and productive. In 1837 Mr. John Harmon settled on section nine. During the same year Mr. Har- mon Kellogg settled on section three, and Mr. James B. Jewell on section nine. We cannot find that any one settled in the township in 1838 except Mr. Ella Judson, who during tliis year settled on section eight. Mr. Judson says that when he built his log house he had to go a distance of four miles for men to help " raise" and only had eight men at that. In 1839 Mr. Larkin Ball settled on section twenty, at which time he was the only man south of the center of the
88 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
township. Soon after, Peter Goldin settled on the same section. Mr. William Boynton says that four of them cut the logs, carried them, and raised Mr. Goldin's house. This house was standing as late as 185!). During this year Mr. Eli Cros- sett settled on section seventeen ; also Mr. Amelek Taylor on the same section. Mr. Alden Coburn on section seven, and Mr. Benjamin Robinson on section six. During 1840 there was but one new settler in the town, Mr, William Olmstead, who settled on section eight. 1841 went by without any augmentation of the numbers of this sturdy band of jiioneers. In 1842 Samuel Hut^bel settled on sec- tion twenty-eight, Joseph Gallup on section thirty-two, and Henry A. Vannest on section five. Mr. William Boynton says that when they "raised" either Mr. Gallup's or Mr. Hubbel's house, he has forgotten which, they did not get it up the first day, and it was so far to go home that they stayed and camped out over night, and finished " raising " tlie next day. And all tliey had for supj)er and breakfast was roast potatoes.
During the year 1843 Mr. Fox was the only man who settled in the "South Woods." Oliver Harris settled on section fourteen aljout this time, but we have not been able to fix the exact date.
During 1844 Mr. Ezekiel Cook settled on section thirty-five, Mr. Tuft on sec- tion twenty-three, and Messrs. E. li. Ide and .James K. McKeniicy on section twenty.
Mrs. Cook tells us tiiat when they moved into the woods they had no neighbors nearer than four miles, they being the first to settle in the southeast part of the township. And their neai-est Post-otfice was at Grand Rapids, a distance of four- teen miles through an unbroken wilderness. At thv, time Mr. Kenney moved on his place there was no road from there to Grandville except as he followed the trails that wound around through the woods. Mrs. McKenney says that they moved into their house the lOth day of November, 1844, and that there were neither doors nor windows in the house, and no floor below. They moved into the loft or chamber, and the next day Mr. McKenney was taken sick and was confined to his bed for two weeks. And Ijefore he was well enough to l)uild a fire- place and chimney there was two feet of snow. And that during all this time she had to do all of her cooking out of doors by a log fire. Mrs. Tuft says that they moved on their place the last day of December, 1843, and all the signs of a house they had was a small sled load of lumber. Mr. McKenney says that for some time he used to carry his "grist" to Jerry Boynton's, a distance of three miles, on his shoulders, get him to take it to Grand Kapids to mill, and when he re- turned, carry it liome again.
During the year 1845 Messrs. Corkins Barney, Clark S. Wilson ami William Davidson settled within the limits of the township. Among the early settlers whose names we have been able to procure are Josiah R. Holden, Bradley Weaver, Daniel Prindle, Carlos Weaver and Prentice Weaver, who settled in Byron from 184(5 to 1849. During 1850 and '51 Messrs. Eli Young and James M. Barney settled on section thirty-two. About this time is tanious among the old set- tlers as the "wolf year." Mr. Young says that he killed one within four rods of his door, with his dog and corn cutter. Mr. William Boynton says that frequently, before this time, iiowever, when he was obliged to work at Grandville to get pro-
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 39
vision for tlie support of his family, he would work all day, get the proceeds of labor in provisions, and at dark start for home, a distance of about five miles, through the woods, while the wolves were howling all around him and sometimes coming almost within reach of the good, stout cudgel which he carried. Mr. James M. Barney says that during the first summer that he lived on his place he had to keep his cow and calf in a high log pen near his house, nights, to keep them from the wolves. He says that one night, after being kept awake until almost morning, he took his gun just at daylight and sallied forth, determined on vengeance. When he went out the wolves retreated for a short distance. But when he came into a thicket of bushes they surrounded him, and he baclced up against a tree, and they kep him there for ai:)Out two hours, until broad daylight. He shot at thorn several times, but the bushes were so thick that he did not kid any, although they would come so near that he could hear them snap at each other. The wolves were never very thick alter this season, and as they decreased, until about 185G, deer increased and. became very thick. Mr. Barney says that he has had during the winter from forty to fifty deer hung up in the woods at one time.
ORGANIZATION.
The first township meeting (the township of Byron then embraced Wyoming also), was held at the house of Charles H. Oaks, in Graudville, on Monday, the second day of May, A. D. 1836. The following officers were chosen, viz:
Supervisor — Gideon H. Gordon. Township Clerk — Isaac A. Allen. Assessors — Eli Yeomans, Ephraim P. Walker and Justin Brooks. Justices of the Peace — Gideon H. Gordon, Robert Howlett and Ephraim P. Walker. Collector— Lorenzo French. Commissioners of Highways — Gideon H. Gordon, Eli Yeomans, and H. Pitts. Commissioners of Schools — Joseph B. Copeland, Sanford Buskirk and James Lockwood. School Inspectors — Gideon H. Gordon, Isaac A. Allen and Eli Yeomans. Overseers of the Poor — Ephriam P. Walker and Justin Brooks. Con- stables— Lorenzo French and Sanford Buskirk.
Ai the first general election held at Grandville, November, 1830, the liighest number of votes cast for electors tor President and Vice President was twenty.
The following are the present township officers, viz. : Supervisor, William P. Whitney ; Township Clerk, Silas L. Hamilton ; Treasurer, Samuel A. McKenney ; Justices of the Peace, William P. Whitney, James M. Brown, George W. Evving and Isaac M. Winegar, Jr. ; School Inspectors, George W. Ewings and William P. Whitney ; Commissioners of Highways, Jerry Boynton, George W. Ewings and John Homrich ; Constables, A. A. Palmer and William D. Tibbits.
The whole number of votes cast at the last general election held at Byron Center. November, 18G8, was 337.
For the first few years the settlement of Byron progressed very slowly. It re- quired a brave heart and a strong arm to encounter the dangers and hardships consequent to the opening up of a new and heavy timbered country. But gradually the forest yielded to the axe of the pioneer ; beautiful fields, thrifty orchards, comfortable dwellings, Bnd well-filled barns have taken the place of the little log cabin and unbroken forest. Byron is now fast becoming one of the foremost agricultural townships in Kent County. With a varied soil, adapted to
40 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
nearly all of the diflferent branches of husbandry, and especially to fruit growing, and the very best facilities for marketing its produce, its farmers must snon stand among the best. Byron is traversed by two railroads, viz. : the northern branch of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern R. R., and the Grand Rapids and Indiana R. R. The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern runs north and south through the town, and has two stations on its line, in Byron, viz. : Byron Center and North Byron. The Grand Rapids and Indiana runs north and south through the eastern part of the township, and hos one stntion near the south part of the town. The present population is 1,328.
Mr. George L. Tobey carries on the manufacture of lumber, at his mill, on sec- tion twelve, and Rosenberger Bros. & Co. carry on the manufacture of flour, feed, lumber and heading, at the village of Cody's Mills, on section twenty-five.
POST-OFFICES.
Codj-'s Mills, Byron Center and North Byron.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
Byron has eight school houses, ranging from first-class to indifferent. District No. 1 has a fair wooden house ; District No. 2 has one of the finest country school buildings in the county ; it was erected in 1858. There is a very good school house at Cody's Mills. The people of this township support their schools liberally.
CALEDONIA.
Caledonia is one of the southern tier of townships of Kent County, and is bounded on the north by Cascade, on the east by Bowne, on the south by Thorn- apple, Barry County, and west by Gaines. It is traversed from south to north by the Thornapple river which divides it into two equal parts. The banks of the river are high and the country on both sides of the river is high and rolling. On the east side of the river the land is what is known as " openings," the soil being sandy and gravelly with a slight mixture of clay, and is timbered principally with oak and hickory. The soil on this side of the river is especially adapted to wheat and fruit, but produces good crops of all kinds of grain and most grasses. There are several lakes on this side of the river. There is a lake on sections one, two, eleven and twelve, about one mile long, and from eighty to one hundred and sixty rods in width. The shore on tlie southeast side is sandy and on the north- west side mucky and marshy. Barber's Kake is on sections twenty-five and twenty-six. Tobey's Lake is on section twenty-three. Lovejoy's Lake is on sec- tion twelve. The Coldwater or Little Thornapple enters Caledonia on section thirty-six and empties into the Thornapple on section thirty-five. Tire west side of the river is all " timbered lands," producing all of the kinds of timber that usually grow in this climate on such lands. The surface of most of this part of the town is high and somewhat rolling, with a clayey loam soil, that is well adapted to all kinds of farming purposes, especially to grazing. All kinds of Iruits grow almost to perfection on this soil. There are a great many fine farms in this town- sliip, and its agricultural resources are being developed very fast.
The Thornapple is a very rapid stream here, and with its high banki is cap*-
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 41
ble of affording a great amount of water power. !Mr. Warren S. Hale informs us that there are at least nine chances for water powers, only three of which are de- veloped, within the limits of this township, with a fall at each of from five to eight feet without overflowing the banks at any place. This river is full of pic- turesque islands, varying in size from one-half acre to three acres. "With the rich agricultural country tributary to it, with its unfailing water power, the time mast come when this town will be the " Lowell " of Western Michigan, when the busy hum of machinery will be heard from its northern to its southern boundary.
Nestled among the hills on the banks of the Thornapple, in the northern part of the township, is the thriving little village of Alaska, formerly known as North Brownville. It has a very pleasant location and is an active, enterprising place. It contains one dry goods and grocery store, one dry goods, grocery aud drug store, one grocery store, one hardware store and tin shop, one flouring mill, two saw mills, one furniture manufactory, which ships a great deal of cabinet work in the white besides finishing for the home market ; one carriage and wagon fac- tory and one hotel, besides the usual number of blacksmith shops, boot and shoe shops, &c. There is not a saloon in the place. Surrounded by a rich agricul- tural country, its growth must be rapid and its future prosperous. EARLY SETTLEMENT.
Mr. Asaliel Kent was the first settler in the township, settling on section thirty- five in 1838. Mr. Kent, and after his deatli Mrs. Kent, kept a public house, which became famous for its good cheer, all over the surrounding country. A gentleman who lived at that time in New York State, tells us that he used to hear people who had been to Grand River tell about " Kent's Tavern," aud when one would return, others who had traveled on this route — the "Gull Trail" — would always inquire after the Kents. Mrs. Kent afterwards married Mr. Peter McNaughton, and the place became equally well known to travelers on the Battle Creek and Grand Rapids stage route, as McNaughton's. And while talking of this subject there are some reminiscences of this stage route that Mr. Edward Campau relates, that we may as well give now, and which will help contrast the mode of traveling in those days with that of the present. Mr. C. says that in 1839, he, then a boy of 14, made the journey with three or four others from Grand Rapids to Detroit, and that they stopped at " Kent's " over night, and he with others of the men had to sleep out in a sort of shed, as the house was so small it would not accommodate them. At this time this was the only house fi-om Ada to " Leonard's," a distance of seventeen miles. About two years after this he commenced to drive stage on this route, and drove for several years. The road at this time wound round through the woods, and it was no uncommon thing to get " stuck " in the mud or to overset. At one time, a very dark, stormy night, they broke an axletree about six miles south of Ada, and the pas- sengers, five or six in number, had to walk through mud and snow to that place, as it was the nearest settlement. At another time Hon. John Ball, Mrs. Thomas B. Church and others were in the stage ; they overset in a mud-hole and the pas- sengers were all landed (?) in the water. It was quite dark, and Mr. Fred. Church, then an infant, was nearly suffocated before they found him. At another time
6
42 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
Hon. Wm. A. Richmond and Hon. Harvey P. Yale were his onlj' passengers, the roads -were muddy and badly rutted out and the night dark. Mr. Yale fell asleep and the wheel striking into a deep rut pitched him out into the mud. After a hearty laugh he resumed his place and they labored along. There is a great contrast between travel over that route, and over the different railroad routes, with their elegant passenger coaches, now leading from tlie Valley City.
To go back to the settlement of Caledonia : Mr. James Minsey settled on sec- tion thirty-six in 1838 or 1839. Among the earlier settlers were Orsemus Rath- bun, Eber Moflitt, Hiram McNiel, Peter McNaughton, Levi Tobey, John Sinclair, O. B. Barber, John Pattison, Henry Jackson, Wm. H. Brown, and Warren S. Hale. ]Mr. Lyman Gerrald was the first settler on the west side of the river. Mr. Wm. H. Brown erected the saw mill at Alaska, now owned by L. W. Fisher, in 1848, and the flouring mill now owned by J. W. Boynton, in 185;i, and is now one of the proprietors of the Caledonia mills, two miles above Alaska, on section twenty-two. Mr. Orsemus Rathbun is the oldest settler now residing in the township.
Among the incidents connected with the early settlement of the township, showing some of the hardships the pioneers had to endure, we have the follow- in^'- : Mr. Wm. H. Brown, previous to his settlement at Brownsville, but after he located his land, lived at " Scale's Prairie " or Middleville. Having occasion to go there one winter, he started from home in the morning on horseback, intend- ing to return the same day. After making his observations and examining his land about where the village of Alaska now stands, he started for home ; night soon came on, and after endeavormg to follow his track for a while he found out that he was lost. He dismounted, and as he had nothing to kindle a fire with, cleared the snow out of a path, with his feet, and some bark from a dry tree, and walked backwards and forwards in it all night. When morning came he mounted his horse and after riding for some time came out at the Green Lake House. His friends had started after him in the morning, expecting to find him frozen to death, and followed his tracks until they found him at Green Lake.
At the mouth of the Coldwater was a great Indian camping ground and burial place. They did not leave here entirely until within a very few years. One of them, old Soh-na-go, or " Squirrel," has been since seen visiting the burial place and the hunting grounds of his fathers, but the "White man's axe" had been there, and it was no longer a home for him.
Caledonia has nine school houses, all wooden buildings, and two churches, viz: The Baptist Churcli at Alaska, and a Catholic Church on section twenty-five, both wooden structures. There are two hotels in this township, the Alaska Hotel, at Alaska, Wm. H. Lock, proprietor, and the Oak Grove House, O. B. Barber, pro- prietor, on section twenty-six. There is a saw mill on section twenty-seven, Jacob Brown, proprietor.
The postoffices are as follows .—Alaska, Warren S. Hale, P. M.; Caledonia, O. B. Barber, P. M.; Caledonia Station, Adam B. Sherk, P. M.
The Grand River Valley Railroad crosses the southwest corner of the township and has a station on section twenty-nine.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 43
ORGANIZATION.
The township of Caledonia was organized in 1840 l)y the choice ot the following named officers :
Supervisor — John P. McNaughton. Clerk — Justus G. Beach. Justices of the Peace — Justus G. Beach, Loren B. Tyler, Malcolm P. McNaughton, Asahel Kent. Treasurer — Norman Foster. Assessors — Roswell F. Tyler, Malcolm P. McNaugh- ton, John A. Campbell. Highway Commissioners — Asahel Tyler, Asahel Kent, Norman Foster. School Insjiectors — Norman Foster, William G. Wooley. Direc- tors of the Poor — Roswell Tyler, John Campbell. Collector — Roswell F. Tyler. Constables — Roswell F. Tyler, Frederick B. Thompson.
OFFICERS IN 1870. Supervisor — Adam B. Sherk. Clerk — Daniel S. Haviland. Treasurer — Sher- man T. Colson. Justices— Adam B. Sherk, Levi White, Hugh B. McAlister, Elijah V. E. Pratt. Highway Commissioners — John Patterson, David Kinsey, Isaac Stauffer. School Insjjectors — Alfred W. Stowe, Levi White. Constables — ■ Fayette Mclntyre, Charles E. Emmons, Eliphalet Scott.
CANNON.
Cannon, originally a part ot Plainfield, lies northwest of Grand Rapids, having Courtland on the north, Grattan on the east, Ada on the south, and Plainfield on the west.
In the year 1887 the first farm was entered within its territory by Andrew AVatson, who came with his family, accompanied by A. D. W. Stout and family, and settled on section thirty, where Mr. Watson and his aged wife yet reside. In the next year came Isaac Tomlinson, Sen., locating upon section twenty-seven, in a beautiful situation commanding an extensive and enchanting view of Grand River and its beautiful valley. In 1839 Wm. ^M. Miller settled upon section nine- teen. Steadily now a tide of emigration set in, rolling the wilderness back by the sturdy energy of tlie liardy and determined i)ionecr, swiftly multiplying farms and broadening cleared acres.
Prominent among the new comers in 1840 were James Thomas, on section twenty-seven, Oliver Lovejoy, on section seven, ^Ir. Rood, and Rev. Mr. Frieze, on section nineteen, the first Minister of the Gospel who took up his residence within the town.
Among the early settlers who bore a conspicuous part in the development and organization of the new town, we would make honorable mention of M. A. Pat- rick, locating on section twenty-six, and Ebenezer C. Smith, on section twelve, m 1844. About the same time Mr. Samuel Steel located five lots for as many sons, in the near vicinity of Mr. Smith, thus fixing the name of Steel's Corners to a most beautiful and productive part of the town. Mrs. John Ilartwell, on section thirty- four, and Demas lliae, on section thirty, settlers of 184o, and James Docker}', on section four, who settled in 184(i.
In 1845 a separation from Plainfield was efiected, and the township was erected
44 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
into a separate town, under the name, by a mistake in the Legishiture, of Church- town, assuming its present name, however, in honor of its principal village, at its first town meeting, held to complete its organization, on the first Monday of April, 1846, at the house of C. Slaght, in Cannonsburgh. At that time it had a population of about 290, and the whole number of votes cast were 64. Its present popuhition is 1,136
FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Supervisor, Andrew AVatson ; Clerk, Henry H. "Worden; Treasurer, Lewis D. Dean; School Inspectors, Loyal Palmer, M. A. Patrick; Directors of the Poor, Ebenezer C. Smith, Martin Johnson; Commissioners of Highway, John Hartwell, Cornelius Wample; Justices of the Peace, Harlow T. Judson, John Bishoj), Demas Hine, Jared Spring; Constables, Robert Howard, Major "Worden, Isaac Tomlin- son, Mindrus Whitney.
OFFICERS IN 1870.
Supervisor, Asa P. Ferry; Clerk, Thomas Noy; Treasurer, Charles A. Provin ; Justices of the Peace, Nathaniel Steel, James Nesbit, Demas Hine, M. A. Patrick ; Highway Commissioner, Wm. C. Young; School Inspector, John C. Chapman; Constables, John S. Baker, John M. Thomas, Charles A. Provin, Henry C. Watkins.
Cannon presents a great variety of surface, soil and productions, being quite hilly and broken along Bear Creek and in the vicinity of Grand River, but in other parts, more gently rolling, or Ijeautifully undulating scenery meets the view. In the southern part there are patches of beech aud maj^le timber land, with a sprinkling of pine along the streams, but, mainly, the town is oak openings, plen- tifully interspersed with hickory. Its main staples raised for the market are w^heat, wool, corn and apples. Of the former, large quantities are exported, and its rolling lands and dry, healthful climate make its wool growing a success. Lying within the great Western fruit belt, and being blessed with a deep, pliable soil, it is eminently adopted to horticultural pursuits ; of this its people are fully aware, and we find in many flourishing orchards. Apples, pears, peaches, cherries and currants abound, while grapes and the small fruits are fast becoming speci- alities.
Whatever may be said of its l)usiness centers, thrift and enterprise mark its rural districts. Comfort smiles from its tasteful dwellings, nestled amid shade and bloom, and an abounding plenty peeps from its well filled and commodious barns. Indigence is scarcely known among its population. All are, to a remark- able degree, independent in worldly goods.
Bear Creek, the exclusive property of Cannon, rises in the northwest corner of the town, on section one, in a large spring having the peculiar power of petrify- ing all substances tliat may chance to lie in its waters. The creek, fed by springs all its length, takes its devious way south and southwest, cutting the town nearly in two, debouching in Grand River on section thirty, the southwest corner of the town. This stream, being fed by springs, presents a never failing supply of water, aud, running rapidly, gives an o^jportunity for a numl)er of mill sites, and excel- lent facilities for manufacturing purposes.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 45
Cannnnsburgh, the only business center of any note within the town was foun- ded in 1842, an Indian war trail its main thoroughflire, and the settler's ax the only key that would open the forest gates that guarded its entrance. In 1844 and 1845 its mills were erected by E. B. Bostwick, H. T. Judson architect, and a store opened. As an inducement to permanent settlement, the village was platted in 1845, and Mr. Bostwick, the enterprising business agent of LeGrand Cannon, its proprietor, (an eastern capitalist and large land holder in the town,) was in- structed to give a village lot to each resident not otherwise provided for ; thus twenty-five lots were given away. The town received the name it now bears in honor of its founder, who testified his appreciation of the distinction conferred by presenting the village with a small ordnance bearing his name and the date. This is treasured as a memento of early times, and used on the 4th of July and other holiday occasions, wakening the echos of memory in many a heart as its thunders reverberate among the hills that completely surround the little village. Cannonsburg is situated upon both sides of Bear Creek. Laterly it has suffered much by fire. It has one store, one grist mill, one woolen mill, with a cider mill attached, one saw mill, one cooper shop, two wagon shops, three blacksmith shops, and one hotel. It has no dedicated place of worship, but the Methodists are about erecting a fine church, to be constructed of wood, 38x(j0 feet in size, and costing $3,300. It has a Union School House, situated on a picturesque bluff overlooking the town; it is built of wood, two stories high, 34x53 feet in dimen- sion. Two teachers are employed in its schools.
Buenavista is situated on section thirty, near the mouth of Bear Creek. It con- sists of eight or ten dwelling houses, and the Bear Creek flouring mill, erected in 1848, and now owned by Carey & Horton, of Grand Rapids. There is nothino- more to be said of it, save that it is located amidst beautiful scenery, and is some- thing of a wheat mart in the fall of the year.
There are several lakes witliiu the town, but only two are worthy of particular note. Silver Lake, on sections nine and ten, lying just north of and touching the line of the Grand Rapids and Ionia State Road, as its name indicates, is a most beautiful sheet of water, containing about 300 acres.
One mile directly east of Silver Lake we come upon Bostwick Lake, a huge crystal, in emerald setting. No more beautiful scene can well be imagined. Its waters are very cold, evidently emanating from springs, as it has no visible inlet or natural outlet. This was a favorite resort in early days for fishing parties, and parties of pleasure coming from the village often camped on its banks and tarried over night. A huge canoe, fashioned by an Indian,' from a white wood tree grown a mile south of Cannonsburgh, was transported with a vast amount of labor to its shores and launched upon its waters. The distance traversed was five miles, occu- pying two days in the transit, and employing four yoke of oxen. There, in the later years, the settlers on lands adjacent to the lake found the deserted canoe, a monster of its kind, over thirty feet in length. Wind and wave have long since done their works upon it; only a fragrant of it remaining as a relic in the family of S. B. Kutz, formerly of Cannon, now a resident of Rockford. This lake also lies north of the State Road, which bends slightly in passing round its southern shore. It contains about 400 acres.
46 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
Ball Hill is a noteworthy eminence on section one. It rises aliruptly trom the surrounding country, and lifting its lofty tower above the forest trees, is visible for many miles away. It received its name from its long time-owner, John Ball, of Grand Rapids. It is now the property of Mr. Cowen, and planted with apple trees to its very summit.
CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS.
There are eight district schools in the town, and two churches. The First Con- gregational Church, (Rev. Mr. Eaton, of Lowell, present officiating i)astor,) is a wooden structure 3Gx50 feet in dimensions. It stands upon a little eminence east of and commanding a beautiful view of Bostvvick Lake. Jt has a small Cemetery attached. The First M. E. Church, at Steel's Corners, one mile east, was erected in the same year. It is also built of wood and is a tritli' smaller than the Congre- gational Church.
The number and prosperity of the scliools and churches in the town are a reflex of the intellectual and spiritual enterprise of the people, speaking more than volumes of history for their useful and moral lives.
It is worthy of record liere, that, of the first si.\ families settling in the town, namely A. Watson, A. D. W. Stout, I. Tomlinson, E. Whitney, Mr. Rood and J. Thomas, both lieads of each family are yet living, and four familes still reside in the town.
It is an eciually remarkable fact that the first two white children were boru in the fiimilies of Mr. Stout and Mr. Watson, on the same day, September 27, 1837. Both were daughters, and there was but two hours dilfurence in their birth. The children were named respectively Mary Stout and .Jeanette Watson.
May G, 1842, the great destroyer entered the family of Mr. Isaac Tomlinson and laid low his little daughter, Martha Jane. This was the first death in the town, occurring among the whites.
Most of the early settlers are living yet. but some are dead. Of those who are o'one, justice demands that, as in a ''roll of honor," should be placed the names of E. B. Bostwick, business agent for Mr. Cannon, who died on an overland journey from the States to California; S. S. Haskins, closely identified with the early his- tory and prosperty of the town, and several years a dealer in dry goods and groceries at Caunousburgh ; Timothy Wetmore, horticulturist, and at one time an efiicient Supervisor of the town, and Benj. Davis, also Supervisor for some years, and dviu"' while yet holding that office. Tliese have passed on, but in the prosperity of the people, and smiling fields from the wihlerness reclaimed, their works do yet remain.
CASCADE.
Cascade lies in the second tier of townshii)s from the south and east line of the county, and is bounded on the north by Ada, on the east by Lowell, on the south by Caledonia, and on the west. by Paris. The Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad passes through this town, entering on the nort-h part of section 12, and following the course of the Grand River Valley through the southwest corner of section 1,
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 47
crossing section 2 in almost a direct line from southeast to northwest, into Ada, \Yliere is located its nearest depot, four miles from Cascade village. GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
Cascade presents a variety of soil, from light sand and gravel to heavy clay, and is greatly diversified by hills, valleys, streams, lakes, springs and marshes. Grand River flows northwest through sections 13, 1 and 3, into Ada, and the Thornapple — one ot the most important tributaries of Grand River —takes its course north through the centre of the township. Entering Cascade from the south on section 34, it flows through 37, 33, IG, 9, 10, 3 and 4 to Grand River, at Ada village. On the east of the Thornapple, a creek rises in section 11, and enters that stream at section 10. Another, one branch of which rises in section 30, Lowell, and the other in section 1, of Caledonia, forms a junction at section 26, in Cascade, and carries its united currents to tue Thornapple at 27 ; furnish- ing, in its route, water power to a saw mill on section 30. On the west side of the river, a creek rising on section 39, forms a junction with it on section 34. Another having its head on section 19, eaters the river at 16. Another, whose source is a large boiling spring on section 6, in its course of two and a half miles attains considerable size, and empties its waters into the Thornajiple at section 9. Remains of an old beaver dam were to be found on this creek, quite recently. On the southeast corner of section 14, is found a lake with a greater depth of water than Lake Erie. The aljorigines of the country have a singular supersti- tion with regard to this lake ; never floating their canoes on its bosom, or eating the fish of its waters, asserting that it is inhabited by an *' Evil Spirit," or, as they term it, a " Great Snake." Another lake is also found on the line of sec- tions 4 and o. Also one in the northwest corner of section 8, matched by one some forty rods directly south.
TIMBER.
This township contains but little pine, which is sparsely scattered along the borders of its streams. The sandy soil is chiefly oak openings ; while the gravel and clay bear some fine sugar orchards and are also productive of beech, elm, ash, hickory, and a meager supply of white wood.
MINERAL WEALTH.
Lime is manufactured on section 35. Brick have also been manufactured on section 3, and a bed of red ochre lying on section 9 was used in painting some of the first buildings and the old red school house on that section. This mineral is not considered pure enough to be profitably worked. The soil also shows traces of bituminous coal, copper and iron. The latter ore, manifesting itself in mao'- netic or mineral springs. One of these, of great power, has been discovered this year, on the farm of James Sutphen, section 26. The water bubbles up from the soil with icy coldness, and flows over a pebbly bed, staining — with brilliant coloring — its stony path. Iron brought in contact with it becomes heavily charged with magnetism. The water has not yet been analyzed. EARLY SETTLEMENT.
This township was at first a part of the township of Ada. Lewis Cook, a
48 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
native of New Jersey, is said to have been tlie first settler witliin the limits of Cascade. He removed from that State to Seneca county, New York ; from thence to Washtenaw county, in this State ; from which he came, a pioneer set- tler to Cascade in 183(3. At or near this time also came Mr. Hiram Laraway to this place from New York. Ilis wife being a sister of Mrs. Cook. But, dis- couraged by the hardships of the wilderness, he soon returned to his native place. In the following year, Edward Linen, a native of Ireland — whose shores he left for America in 1836 — settled in Cascade, where he yet resides, a useful, industrious citizen. During the year 1838, and the subsequent yeai', he was fol- lowed by James May, David Petted, John Farrell, James and William Annis, Michael Matthews, Patrick, Christopher and Michael Eardley, all natives of the same country, most of whom yet survive, orderly citizens of their adopted liome. In 1838, Frederick A. Marsh, of New York, united in marriage with Olive Guild, a daughter of Joel Guild, one of the pioneer settlers of Grand Rapids — and began domestic life in the unbroken wilderness, one mile north, and west of where Cas- cade village now stands. Mr. ]\Iarsh lived to see the forest yield its place to cul- tivated fields and comfortable dwellings, and to have a school house erected on his own land. He was killed by a fall from his wagon in 1856. Mrs. Marsh, afterwards Mrs. Walden, survived her husband eleven years, and often spoke of those days, when her nearest neighbors were miles away, and for three months at a time she did not see the face of a white man, except her husband, while a human being pass- ing over the newly cut road was arelief to her intense loneliness. She died at the old homestead in 1867.
Sometime during 1839 or 1840, Mr. Laraway returned to his Cascade posses- sions, and was frozen to death between that place and Ada, in the winter of 1841. Widow Laraway bravely met the heavy burdens of pioneer life, and trained up three sons and a daughter to lives of usSfulness. While the name of aunt Mary Laraway became a household word in the community and a synonym of virtue and piety. She lived to see her children settled in life, and died suddenly in the summer of 1869. Her oldest son is well known as the proprietor of a stone- cutting establishment in Grand Rapids.
Peter and George Teeple came to Cascade during these years, joining the set- tlers on the west side of the Thornapple, while the eastern side was yet unmarked by civilization, but inhabited on and near sections 23 and 26, by a colony of about 350 natives, known, through the adoption of the name of their missionary, as the Slater Indians.
Iq the year 1841, Peter Whitney, of Ohio, moved his family into that part of Cascade known as Whitneyville, and E. D. Gove, of Mass., selected a site for his future home near the center of the township on sections 22, 15 and 14, to which he brought his family in the summer of 1842. Horace Sears, from Now York, and Zerah and Ezra Whitney, (fother and brother to Peter) accompanied them in their journey and settled in Whitneyville. Mr. Gove yet resides on the laud he first settled, on section 15. But the old homestead on section 21 — being the second house built on the east side of the river, in this township — having sheltered chil- dren and grand children, was burned in the autumn of 1809. Mr. Sears yet lives in Whitneyville ; and Zerah Whitney, elected Justice of the Peace at the first
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 49
township meeting — now an aged man — resides with his son Ezra on a farm south of Grand Rapids. Another son of Zerah Whitney, Oscar, died at Whitneyville in 1849. And the remaining- sons, Peter, Johnson and Martin, now reside in other parts of the county.
In the Sjjring of 1845, Asa W. Denison, and family, of ^lass., (accompanied by a brotlier, Gideon H. Denison, looli lug for a homestead, to which he brought his family the following year,) came to join the settlers on the west side of the Thornapple. Coming in on the State road, from Battle Creek to Grand Rapids, the teams, women and children of the company, were obliged to wait at Ezra Whitney's public-house, for the road to be " chopped out" between that point and the river, theirs being the first teams that passed over the road. At Cascade they forded the Thornapple with their household goods, and found timbers on the ground for the erection of the old Ferry House, (now Cascade Hotel,) which was, at that time, owned by D. S. T. Weller. During that year the house was so far completed as to admit of occupancy, and the first ferry-boat commenced its trips just above where the bridge now spans that stream. D. IS. T. Weller then owned the plat of land now occupied by Cascade village, although first pur- chased by Joel Guild ; and it was at that time staked out into lots of one acre each, as the fine fall on the river gave hopes for the speedy erection of mills at that place, some of the most sanguine settlers phophesying that Cascade would outstrip Grand Rapids in the strife for precedeace. Mr. W. sold out his prop- erty here to W. S. Gunn, in 1846, who held it until after the organization of the township. Mr. Weller ultimately settled in Grand Rapids city, where he re- mained until he transferred his home to Detroit, in 1869.
During the year 1845, a disease, which our old settlers denominate the black tongue, broke out among the Indians near Whitneyville, reducing their number in a few weeks to about 300 persons. The band now became slowly wasted by disease and removal, until less than fifty remained at the time of their removal to the Indian Reservation in 1856. In the year 1846, another family was added to the few settlers, of the east side of the river ; — Jared Strong, the first settler in the forest between E. D. Gove and Ada. The following year a school was opened in a little log house on the river bank, section 27, for the few pupils of that vicinity. Who the young woman was, to whom belongs the rank of pioneer teacher, we have been unable to ascertain, or whether this was the first school taught in the township. It was certainly the first on the east side of the river ; and the lum- ber sawn for the Whitneyville school house, erected i^ 1848, was among the first work done by the old saw mill, on Sucker Creek, then owned by Peter Whitney. Abont this time, also, the Kalamazoo stage made its trips through Whitneyville — via Ada — for Grand Rapids.
ORGANIZATION.
The first township meeting was held at Whitneyville, April 3, 1848, and the following board of township officers was elected :
Supervisor — Peter Teeple. Clerk — John R. Stewart. Treasurer — Asa W. Denison. School Inspectors — James IT. Woodworth, Thomas I. Seeley. Cora-
7
50 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
missioners of Highways — Ezra Whitney, Fred. A. Marsh, Win. Digolia. Justices of the Peace — Leonard Stewart, Zerah Whitney. Assessors— Thomas I. Seeley, Harry Clark. ronsta1)les — Morris Dcnison, O. P. Corson, Wm. Cook, Peter J. Whitney.
Of the above board, Peter Teei^le is yet a respected member of the township. J. R. Stewart, after filling other offices of trust, and teaching for several terms the Cascade school, removed to the city, where he now resides. A. W. Denison, was also a recipient of the various gifts of the voting public, for many years, and died from injury by the kick of a colt, in 1857, aged o3 years, universally mourned by his townspeople. His widow — now Mrs. Johnson — yet lives, and to her are we indebted for much of our information in regard to the early tlays of Cascade. J. H. Woodworth is now engaged in fruit culture in the north part of the township, near Ada village. Of T. I. Seeley we have known nothing since 1853. Messrs. Whitneys and Marsh, we have spoken of in our preceding pages. Wm. Degolia amassed a fine property, and left the county in 18G9. A few months after his removal, his body was brought back for burial. L. Stewart is also with those, who, sleeping, dream not! Harry Clark yet lives, where he first broke ground, a hale old man. Mr. Denison is a thriving farmer on the nortli line ot the township.
About the year 1848, W. H. Chillson came to Cascade and erected a small dwelling house near the hotel ; also a log house just across the river, to which, in 1849, Rev. Erie Prince, of Ohio, brought a small stock of Yankee notions and opened a store, or grocery, for those whose nearest trading point was Grand Rapids. Elder Prince deserves more than a passing notice. He soon identified himself with the religious, and educational needs of the young community. He held at one time the office of School Inspector, and, up to the time of his death, worked actively in the Sunday school cause, as Superintendent in the different neighborhoods, now grown around the first nucleus of settlers. Was a picnic or temperance meeting to be looked after, or were chastened hearts called to lay their treasures in the dust. Elder P. was ever found ready to speak the kindly word, pour forth the earnest appeal, or— with tender thought of sympathy — lead the sorrowing mourner to IHm, who is the " resurrection and the life." The fathers and mothers of the little ones of to-day' remember with affectionate respect the tall, slightly bowed form, the kind face, the searching, yet mild grey eye, and the hand lightly laid on the head, as he passed them with some friendly question, or brief admonition — seed sown in life's morning time I In the autumn of 1853 he w^as called upon to speak before the Kent County Agricultural and Horticultural Society, at Grand Rapids, October Gth ; and his address will l)c found in the records of the society, for that year. About the year 1856, he donated to the township of Cascade the land occupied by the Cascade cemetery ; and there his body lies buried. His grave is shadowed by a young oak, and unmarked — by an explicit clause in his will — by a headstone. He died August 7, 18C2, aged 65. In church connection he was a Presbyterian.
We have been unable to learn the precise time that a postoffice was given this township. We think, however, it was established at Whitneyville, soon after its organization. The first Postmaster was Clement White, who held that position
HISTORY AND DIRKCTORT OF KENT COUNTY. 51
witli only an intermission of one or two years, until the office was discontinued in 1868.
A postoffice WHS also established at Cascade in 1854, postmaster Dr. M. W. Alfred, first resident physician. A store was opened the same year at Cascade by Seymour Sage, and William Gardner. When the drumbeat of the Union echoed through our land in 1801, Cascade was not forgetful of her trusts and privileges as a small member of a great country. It is to be regretted that no complete list of those who donned the soldier's uniform has been preserved. We have called to mind eighty volunteers, and the number is probably about a hundred. Of thoSe who never returned we are also unable to give a perfect record. But, from every battle field of the Republic from 1861 to the close of the contest, came back a voice bidding some heart grow chill with pain, yet glow with hallowed pride, for the .w///,s that were " marching on I "
CASCADE TO-DAY.
Cascade has been an organized township for twenty-two years, and, according to the census for 1870, has 1175 inhabitants. Children, between the ages of five and twenty, by report of public schools, 1869 — 110. Votes cast at the last April election — -227. Property assessed, real estate, $204, lUT ; personal, $32,317.
The following is the present Board of township officers: Supervisor, Edgar K. .lohnson; Clerk, Henry C. Denison ; Treasurer, Geo. W. Gorham; Justices of the Peace, Geo. S. Richardson, John F. Proctor, Lawrence Meach, Hugh B. Brown ; School Inspectors, E. R. Johnson, Chas. F. Holt; Highway Commissioners, Jona- than AY. Sexton, Clinton A. Wood, Chas. M. Dennison; Constables, S. G. Fish, T. J. Hulbert, ^Iiner Spaulding, Warren Streetcr.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
Cascade can claim one or two school houses of decidedly fine appearance and convenience. But many of her school buildings are those erected iu her infancy, and are wholly inadequate to the demands of the i)reseat school population. A movement is being made, however, to remedy this defect iu many districts.
Her present number of districts is ten. District Xo. 10 was organized in 1847. There is a frame house on section 35, built in 181S. District No. 4 was organized in 1847, and built a small frame house on section 1): are now (1870) erecting a fine structure on the same site, on the Cascade and Grand Rapids road, one mile from Cascade village. District No. 1 was organized in 1848, and built a school house in 1849, on section 29, which stood until 1809, when a frame house was erected on the same site. District No. 3 was organized in 1849, and built a small log house on section 10, which yet stands. District No. 12 (fractional district. Cascade and Paris) was organized in 1849, and built a small frame house on sec- tion 31, in 1850. In 1807 a good frame house, painted white, and protected by window blinds, was erected. District No. 3 was organized in 1853, and built a frame house on section 14, in 1854. District No. 8 has a frame school house, jjainted white, built in 1856, on section 8. Fractional District No. 10 (Cascade and Lowell) was organized in 1859, and has a small log house on east side of sec- tion 13. District No. 5 was organized in 1857, and school taught in a small log- house on south side of section 33 ; was reorganized in isyo and log house built in
52 HISTORY AND DIRECTOUY OF KENT COUNTY.
center of section 33. This was burned in 1867, and a temporary building has supplied its place until the present year. A fine house is now in process of erec- tion on section 28. District No. 6 was organized about 1860, and has a nice frame school building, painted white, and fitted with black walnut furniture, on sec- tion 20.
CHURCHES.
Only one church edifice has as yet been erected in Cascade. This has i^een Ijuilt by the Roman Catholic Brotherhood, and stands on the northeast corner of section 31. It was built in 1856, and cost about $1,000. The building is of wood, with a stone foundation. The society worshiping here was founded by Fathers Decunic and Fizaski. The latter was parish priest in 1849, when the church mem- bers were few and worshiped in private houses. Now the church numbers al)0ut 47 families, to Avliom Father Rivers preaches monthly. A Sabbath School is con- nected with tlie church. The M. E. Church also lias two classes in this township, uumbermg about 60 members and worshiping in school houses. The Unitetl Brethren persuasion have a small charge of about a dozen members. And the "Christians" also hold public worship, but the strength of the order we have not ascertained.
We regret our inability to give the number and membership of our Sunday Schools; though nearly every district has one connected with its regular church worship.
CEMETERIES.
Cemeteries arc locatetl on section 31 — Catholic. Section IG — Cascade Burial (iround. Section 35 — "VVhitneyville. Section 7 — West part of township.
CASCADE VILLAGE.
Cascade village is located on the line of sections 9 and 16, on the west side of the Thornapple river. It contains a Hotel, now owned by DeWitt Marsh, where all townshij) business is transacted ; a general store, and Post-office, in charge oi Fi. D. .Johnson ; flouring and saw mills, owned by H. L. Wise and Jacob Kusterer ; a physician's office, occupied by Dr. Danforth; and less than a dozen jDrivate resi- dences. The flouring mill is a large, well constructed building, with a capacity for three run of stone. Dr. Danforth is the resident physician, and is making preparations for opening a drug store in connection with his office. His practice is Eclectic.
Gaylord Holt, profesfeor ami teacher of music, resides one mile north of Cas- cade, on the river road. This was also the former home of Hon. H. H. Holt, now of Muskegon, who has represented his district in the State Legislature.
WHITNEYYILLE.
Wiiitneyville is a point on the old State Road, between Battle Creek and Grand Rapids; and is situated on section 35. A Hotel, erected there in 1853, and famil- iarly known as the Whitney Tavern Stand, yet opens its doors to the public, under charge of S. F. Sliter. James Sutphtiu now owns the old Whitney saw mill on section 20.
IIISTOKV AND DIRECTORT OF KENT COUNTV. 53
COURTLAND.
Courtlaud is bounded on the north by Nelson, on the east by Oakticld, on the south by Cannon, and on the west by Algoma.
Barton Johnson, the first settler of the township, located in May, 1838. He is still a resident, and may be found on the west half of the southwest quarter of section twenty-two. Alexander Dean settled in the township in 1839. He was the first to locate lands, selecting the northeast quarter of section twenty-one. The manner in which this tract came to be located by him is quite amusino-. Mr. Dean and fifteen others came into the country to select homes and lands, with the understanding that the right of first choice should be decided among them by lot. So they drew, and lo and behold the lot fell upon — not Jonah, but Alexan- der, and he therefore exercised the right of first choice by selecting the piece just mentioned.
These sixteen persons located land contiguous to each other, and movinof to the township a short time afterward, organized it, and resided the^e alone for a num- ber of years — or until about the year 1844, or 1845. when they were joined by Horace Colby, Philip Becker, the two Thompsons, and others. The first town- ship meeting was held at the residence of Barton Johnson, in the spring of 1839.
Among the other early settlers of the tpv/nship were the following named per- sons: Thomas Addison, John Austin, Sabin Johnson, Benjamin B()tsford, David Haynes, Lauren Austin, Iram Barnes, Anson Ensign, Philo Beers, James Kin yon, tlie Rounds and Hunting fomilies, Zenas B. White, and others.
The present township of Courtlaud, together with some five other townships, were united under the name of Courtlaud, about the year 1839. Subsequently Algoma was detached from this organization, and still later by a legislative mis- take, Oakfield and Courtlaud were reorganized under the the euphonious name of Wabasis.
The first officers of the township were : Supervisor, Philo Beers; Clerk, Thomas Addison. The records do not give the names of the persons filling the less im- portant offices.
The
PRESENT OFFICERS, are, Sujiervisor, Wu). H. iVlyers; Clerk, Isaac M. Hunting; Treasurer, Frederick C. Stegaman; Justices of the Peace, Joseph Salkeld, Henry D. Burlingame, Wm. H. Myers, Thomas Addison ; Commissioners of Highways, Simon P. Peterson, Ezra Stoner, Jos. Salkeld ; Constables, Robert Carlyle, John Peterson, Peter Cud- ington, Cornelius Richardson ; School inspectors, Nelson Graham, Charles H. Carlyle.
THE SOIL of Courtlaud is mostly good. The southern part is what is called timbered open- ings; the northern part is timbered with pine, mixed with hard wood, and the soil is less productive than the southern part. There are many better townships ; but yet there is some land within its bounds that cannot be outdone in the production of the staple cro])s.
There are many fine farms in Courtlaud, among which are those of Alexander Dean, Joseph F. Hayes, Calvin and Almon Thompson, Philip Becker, Jacob Sny-
54 HISTORY AND DIRKCTORT OF KENT COUNTY.
der, Daniel S. Moore, Edward S. Fuller, Nathan D. Saunders, Zenas \i. AVhitc, Wm. H. flyers, Horace Colby, Robert Cornell and Noah R. Ashley.
THE LAKES.
In this towiiahip are few in number. Silver Lake, the largest, is situated on sections twenty-seven and twenty-eight. It is triangular in shape, being about one and one-half miles in length by one half mile in breadth in the widest place. It has fine gravelly 1)anks, and is one of the most beautiful lakes in the county, .lohr.son Lake, a small, but fine body of water, is situated on the southeasterly portion of section twenty-two. Big and Little Brower Lakes are situated on the southern part of section thirty-four. Both of tliem are small.
THE SCHOOL HOUSES
are numbered and located as follows : The Round's school house, in district No. 8, is located on the south line of section thirty, is a small, red, frame structure, and was built in the year 1860.
The Stinson school house, in district No. 1, is situated on the soutli line of sec- tion twenty-eight. It is a wooden building, painted white, and was built some twelve years ago.
The Shank school house, district No. 2, is located on the north line of section twenty-nine, near the residence of G. Shank. It is a respectable looking, red, framed structure.
The Graham school house, in district No. T. a small, frame Iniilding, painted white, is located on the east line of seetiou twenty-seven.
The Becker school house, in district No. 4, is located on the south line of section twenty-five. It is a small, white, framed structure, and has been built some fifteen years.
The Smith school house, in district Xo. G, i^ built of logs, and is situated on the north line of section two.
The Courtland Center school house, m district No. o, is locatc-d on the nortli line of section twenty-two, one-half mile east of the centre of the township. It is a fine, framed structure, painted white, and his been standing but two years.
The Bcnliam school house, in district No. 5, is located on the west line of sec- tion nine. It is a framed l)uilding, painted red, anil was erected in the year 18(i0.
MILLS.
'J'he Becker Siiingle Mill, Jacob Becker, ])r()prietor, is located on the north line of section twenty-three. It was built in the year 18()8.
The Davis steam saw and shingle mill combined, is located near the centre of section 10. It was erected in the year 18G9. Hiram R. Davis, proprietor.
The Becker saw niill, Garrett Becker, proprietor, is located near the northwest corner of section eight. It was erected in tjie year 18(57.
The Anderson saw mill, .John H. Anderson, proprietor, is locateil near the south line of section 7, on Potter Creek. It was built in the year lS(i(i.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 55
The Porter shingie mill, Dennis Porter, proprietor, is located on I'ovter Creek, noar the centre of section 7. It was bnilt in the year 1868. The
COURTLAXD CENTER HOUSE
is the only hotel in the township. It is situated at Courtland Center, on tlie southwest corner of section 15. It is a fine, framed structure.
GAINES.
The township of Gaiues — town o north, of range 11 west -is situated in the southern tier of townships of Kent county. It is hounded on the north by Paris, on the east by Caledonia, on the south by Leighton, Allegan county, and on the west by Byron.
The first settler in this township Avas Alexander Clark, who located on section 8, in the spring of 1837. He was joined the following autumn by Ale.\ander L. Bouck, who located on section 5, his present homestead, aud Andrew and his son Renssalaer Mesnard, who located on section 17, the place now occupied by Henry Kellcy; and soon after by Foster Kelley, Charles Kelley and Joseph Blain, who located on their present homesteads, on sections 4 and 5. Gaines at tliat time had little to recommend her to the eyes of civilization ; being nothing more or less than 36 square miles of wilderness. Yet to the hardy, enterprising pioneers her heavy forests ot beech and maple, and in some localities pine and oak, abundant supply of fresh water, with an average supply ot bear, wolves, deer, wild turkeys, etc., possessed a charm that was irresistable. And the ice once broken the develop- ment of her resources was only a question of time.
At this time the only thoroughfare within the limits of the territory of Gaines was a road known as the " Old Gull Road," running a zig-zag course from north to south. And the first settlers seemed for evident reasons to strike for the vicinity of this road. And we now find some of the richest farms in the county near its line. It was afterward straightened as the township became settled, to corres- pond with the section lines, and became a stage route from Grand Rapids to Kala- mazoo, until the completion of the plank road in 1854.
Among the first settlers who still reside in the township, and identified with its organization, growth and prosperity, are Daniel Woodward, Stephen A. Ham- mond, John E. Woods. Charles B. Keefer, Benjamin Colburn, R. C. Sessions, Jas. Reynolds, William Kelley, John Wolcott, R. R. Jones, William Hendrick, Aaron Brewer, Thomas and Wilmot H. Blain, William Budlong, James M. Pelton, Orson Cook, Peter Van Lew, Eseck Burlingame, James T. Crumba(-k and Bryan Green- man.
Gaines, aside from her agricultural prospects, oflfered but little inducement to business men. Plaster and Buck Creeks both rise near the center of the town- ship, but were too small during most of the year for mill sites. There was, how- ever, a small water mill erected on the latter stream about the year 1852, by Eseck Burlingame, on section 18, which is still running, and which cut the lumber for some of the first frame buildings in the township.
'>Q HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
Most of the settlers of Gaines, as is usual, were poor, haviug barely means enough to enable them to purchase their land ot tl)e government at $1.25 an acre, get their ftiniilies and household goods transported througli the wilderness, and gain a foothold on their farms. But with persistent energy they sot to work, and the heavy forests began to disappear. It was soon found to be one of the richest tracts in the vicinity for agricultural purposes, and at the present date is one of the best in the county. The north half of the township is gently rolling, is well watered with springs and small streams. The soil is good and of almost every variety. Apple and peach orchards abound. Pears, grapes, (piinccs and cherries are cultivated to some extent and with good success.
The southerH jjortion comprises a range of beautiful hills and table lands, ad- mirably adajited to fruit and vine culture, and although not developed to any great extent, has some of the best orchards in the county. The soil is gravelly, with a mixture of clay and loam, and is well adapted to all kinds of grain.
ORGANIZATION.
The first attempt at organization was as a part of Paris, in 1839. Foster Kelley, Joseph Blain, Alexander Clark and Andrew and Renssalaer Mesnard were among the township otKcers of said organization. In the year 1848, it was organized under the name of Gaines, and the first township meeting was held at the old red school house, on the northeast corner of section 8. Among the laws passed at the first meeting was the following :
"On motion of Orson Cook, it was voted that a tax of two dollars and fifty cents l)e raised for every wolf killed in the township."'
Wolves were rather troublesome neighbors in those days, and the author of the motion probably owed them a grudge for their former depredations. Wolves made frequent visits to the early settlers, and would make the very earth tremble with their bowlings and complaints to the intruders of their time-honored homes, and usually levied a tax before morning. And, like the wolves of the present day, were only satisfied with the best quality of mutton. One occupation of the boys and larger girls of that day used to be to fire the old stumps about the place in the evening to scare away the wolves. About the year 1846, there was a wolf who had her beat from this vicinity to Gull Prairie, in Barry county, and was known as the " Gull Prairie wolf," who usually made the round trip once a week. (Better time than the early stages.) The dogs would not molest her, and she seemed to fear neither man nor beast. She had been caught once in a steel trap, and all cfl^orts to entrap her again were for a long time unsuccessful. Even the children, in time, learned to distinguish her voice from other wolves, and were in the habit of listening for her on certain nights. She seldom disaj)pointed them, and made night hideous with her dismal howls. She finally killed four sheep in one night on the premises of ]\Ir. Mesnard, belonging to Mr. Rice. Mr. R. R. Jones, who lived near, requested the owner to leave one of the carcasses whicli madame wolf had partially devoured, and he did so. Mr. Jones and Orson Cook then held a council of war. It was determined to make one more effort to entrap her. Accordingly two traps were set about the carcass. But on her next visit she contrived to remove the carcass several rods, taking care to avoid the traps. Another council rcsnltod in some more traps. Four were set — placing in the in-
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENXr'cOUNTY. 67
termediate spaces small pieces of iron, which were left in sight, while the traps were carefully concealed. This time they outwitted her. For after visiting two barns in the neighborhood, and trying to obtain a fresh quarter of mutton, she went and put her identical game foot into one of the traps. Early on the follow ing morning, Messrs. Jones and Cook took the trail in pursuit. They obtained a glimpse of their victim near the present residence of Mr. Blake, on section 15, and, after following her to the vicinity of Duncan Lake, in Barry County, suc- ceeded in getting her headed toward home. They followed and overtook hel- on section 23, in Gaines. She " caved in," completely vanquished, and submitted to being bound with bark and slung to a pole ; our two hunters resolving to carry her back alive the the scene of her recent murders. A thing, by the way, much easier resolved than executed. For they were soon satisfied to leave all but the pelt, for which they received one dollar, and ten and a half dollars in the shape of County and State bounties. They soon after caught a neighbor's boy by the heel, in one of the same traps. A large, good natured specimen of the " Genus Yankee," about twenty years of age, who, anxious to become versed in all the mysteries of woodcraft, was peering about to see how a wolf trap was set. He found out — as well as how one was sprung. His cries soon brought his father to his assistance, and gave the wolf hunters no further trouble.
But the wolves, and their allies the bears and wild-cats, have disappeared. The growth of the township has not been rapid. It could not be expected when we consider the difficulties to be overcome. At the first township meeting only 35 votes were polled. Yet in 1888, at the Presidential election, she polled 253 votes, and her present population (1870) is 1,205. Thrifty farms greet you at every turn; comfortable frame cottages take the jjlace of the log hut of the pioneer; roads on section lines traverse all parts of the township ; and, from 36 square miles of wilderness, she has grown in thirty-three years to be an enterprising, thrifty, agricultural town.
The first school was taught in a log house erected by Mr. Clark, on the north- east corner of section 8, about the year 1842. This, in time, gave way to a small frame building, painted red, and known throughout the country as the " red school house," which was succeeded, in 1863, by the present elegant structure on the same site, which takes the name and color of its predecessor. There are, in all, eight school houses in the township — all comfortable frame buildings.
The society of United Brethren built a church on section 28 in 1867, which, although plain and modest, is neat and tasty, an honor to the association and an ornament to the community. It is situated on one of the most elevated points in the township, and can be seen for miles around.
Gaines has been without railroad communication until the present year, (1870) when the Grand River Valley Railroad was constructed through her territory. Hammond Station was established on the farm of S. A. Hammond, on section 11, and a large freight and passenger depot, with telegraph office, erected. Wood- ward & Buckingham have erected a large grain elevator. W. W. Pierce and Philetus Marsh, Esq., have each a small grocery running, and the place already assumes a business aspect.
8
58 HISTORY AND DtRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
ELECTED APRIL 3d, 1848.
Supervisor —Peter Van Lew. Clerk— James M. PeltoQ. Treasurer— Charles Kelley. Justices of tlie Peace — Joseph Blain, Josiah Drake and Robert R. Jones. Assessors— Foster Kelley and Abraham T. Andrews. Commissioners of Highways- Daniel Rice, Levi M. Dewey and William Kelley. School Inspectors — Renssalaer Mesnard, A. T. Andrews. Poor Directors — Orson Cook, Levi Cheney. Consta- bles—Lorenzo W. Sandford, John E. Guild, Foster Kelley, Daniel Williams. PRESENT TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Supervisor— James M. Pelton. Clerk— George Cook. Treasurer— Morris Free- man. Commissioners of Highways— Chester C. Mitchell, John M. Hanna, William B. Pickett. School Inspectors— Abraham C. Clemens, Aaron C. Bowman. Over- seers of the Poor — James M. Pelton, Morris Freeman. Constables — Samuel Zel- ner, John M. Hanna and Thomas M. Read.
GRAND RAPIDS.
The township of Kent was organized April 4th, 1834. There does not appear to have been any certain limits to the organization, but it is supposed to have embraced all the settlements within the present County of Kent. The records fi-om that time to the present are now in the possession of the township clerk. The division, now called the township of Grand Rapids, received its name in April, 1842.
The first township meeting was held at the house of Joel Guild, April 4, 1834. This house stood on the present site of the City National Bank, and was the only frame building in the county except that occupied as a Catholic church. The officers elected were : Supervisor — Rix Robinson ; Clerk — Eliphalet Turner ; Assessors — Joel Guild and Barney Burton ; Collector — Ira Jones. This is the same election that was referred to in the history of Ada, to be found in another place.
At the time of the organization, and for several years thereafter, the taxes were collected by the collector, and paid over to the supervisor, and disbursed by him. In 1839 a treasurer was elected. The first entry on his book reads as follows : " May, 14, 1839, received of E. W. Davis, supervisor, eight dollars, on the Grand River Bank. Three dollars on the Ypsihmti Bank, one dollar and twenty-five cents on the Bank of Pontiac, and sixty-two cents in specie." Amount of taxes collected the year previous, $174.00. This includes all the taxes collected in what is now Grand Rapids town and city, Ada and Paris. The rapid growth and prosperity of the township will be seen when it is stated that the taxes col- lected for the year 1869 in Grand Rapids township amounted to $7,703.00.
The first settler within the present limits of the township was Ezekiel Davis, who located on section thirty-four in 1834. He also erected the first house. During the same summer Lewis Reed, Ezra Reed, Porter Reed, David S. Leavitt, Robert M. Barr, settled in the township. James McCrath, George Young, and Simeon Stewart settled in the year 1836. Robert Thompson, John W. Fisk, and
HISTORY AND DIEECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 59
Mathew Taylor settled in the year 1837. Mr. Fisk erected the first hotel, now known as the Lake House.
THE PRESENT OFFICERS
of the township are : Supervisor —Foster Tucker ; Clerk — Charles J. Manktelow;
Treasurer — Henry B. Davis.
THE SOIL
is of good quality, excepting that in the northeastern part of the township. The land is usually rolling, yet in places is quite hilly. The town is generally adapted to the production of wheat and other grain, and is equally well adapted to fruit culture. There are several small marshes in the town, but the largest and most productive is on section eight, and contains about one hundred and fifty acres. The principal part of it belongs to the estate of Obed H. Foote. Saddle Bag Swamp contains about three hundred acres, and is situated on sections twenty- three, twenty-four, twenty-five and twenty-six. There are a few more swamps, but all of them are small.
There are twelve
LAKES
in the township. The largest is Reed's. This lake is well known to the citizens
of Grand Rapids, being a recognized summer resort for pleasure seekers. Grounds
have recently been fitted up and tastily laid out with walks by the Grand Rajjids
Boat Club, which will add greater attraction to the place. On the north side of
the lake is the " Lake House," whose present proprietor is Delos Drew, Esq.
Boats and fishing tackle are kept by H. B. Miller and John Paul on the south
side, for the use of visitors.
The
MINERAL SPRING
excitement which has run so high throughout the State during the past summer, has not passed us by. One of these "Fountains of Youth " has been discovered on the banks of the lake just mentioned, which is supposed to be of considerable medicinal value. The water has been analyzed by Prof. Kedzie, of Lansing, who makes the following report :
SOLID RESIDUE IN A GALLON, 28.326.
CONSISTING OF
Carbonate of lime 11.59
Carbonate of magnesia 10.80
Carbonate of iron 50
Sulphate of lime 1.49
Common salt 1.50
Chloride of Potassium 95
Silica 1.10
Organic matter and loss. 1.96
Free carbonic acid 17.1-6 inches. The public ,
SCHOOLS in this township are in a flourishing condition, every inhabitant being attached to a regularly organized school district.
60 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
Lake seliool house, in district No. 3, situated on the southeast corner of section twenty-nine, was erected in the year 1859, It is a brick structure, with a bell. The school room is supplied with many of the modern conveniences.
The school house in district No. 8, situated on the southwest corner of section five, was erected in the year 1863. It is a neat, substantial wooden building.
Knapp school house, in district No. 7, situated on section seventeen, is a wooden structure. It was erected in the year 1850.
The school house in district No. 5, situated on section thirty-six, near the resi- dence of James H. Martin, was erected in the year 1853. It is a wooden building.
The school house in district No. 2, situated on section twenty-five, near Perry Hills, is a substantial wooden structure with a bell. It was erected in the year 1869.
The school house in district No. 9, situated on the southwest corner of section eleven, was constructed of wood, in the year 1850. .
The school house in district No. 10, located on section ten, was erected in the year 1860. It was constructed of wood.
The Beckwith school house in district No. 11, situated on section sixteen, was erected in the year 1860. It is a very neat, wooden structure.
The school house in district No. 4, situated on Bridge street, on section number
twenty-one, was erected in the year 1860. Material, wood.
There are two
HOTELS
in the township. The Powers Hotel, aud the Lake House. The former is situated
near the city limits, and is kept by A. Powers. The latter is situated near Reed's
and is kept by Delos Drew. Owing to its proximity to the city this township
has no postoffice, mill, factory, machine shop, store or church.
GRATTAN.
Grattan, one of the eastern tier of towns, is bounded on the north by Oakfield, on the east by Otisco, Ionia county, on the south by Vergennes and on the west by Cannon. It was originally a part of Vergennes, aud was erected into a separate town in 1840. It was largely settled in its southern portion, by emigrants direct from Erin, and in deference to them, the new town was named Grattan, in honor of the great Irish orator, at the instance, and by the influence of Hon. Voluey W, Caukin, now a resident of Sparta.
Its first'town meeting to perfect its organization, was held on the first Monday
of April, 1846, at the house of Converse Close ; and the number of votes polled
was twenty-three, resulting in the election of the following named gentlemen as
its
FIRST OFFICERS.
Supervisor — Milton C. Watkins. Clerk — Volney W. Caukin. Treasurer — Eras-
tusW. Beasom. Highway Commissioners — Thomas J. Morgan, Joshua Fish, Wm.
C. Stanton. Justices of the Peace — Samuel H. Steele, John P. Weeks, William
Byrne, Luther B. Cook. School Inspectors — Samuel H. Steele, Wm. Beaurmann.
Constables — Jedediah H. Wood, Thomas J. Morgan. Overseers of Poor — Luther
B Cook, Samuel H. Steele. Assessors — Anthony King, Barlow Barto.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 61
OFFICERS IN 1870.
Supervisor — Oliver J. Watkins. Treasurer — Joseph Tower. Clerk — George D. "Wood. Justices of the Peace — Joseph Tower, Oliver I. Watkins, Wm. Daniels. School Inspectors — Asa W. Slajton, George C. Adams. Constable — Thomas M. Henry. Commissioners of Highways — Wm. 0. Slayton, Thomas M. Henry.
The number of votes polled at the last town meeting was 340.
By the census returns, the town has now a population of 1,298.
Although the surface is quite broken in consequence of its extraordinary net- work of lakes, there are no ranges of hills, nor prominent highlands in the town, and its soil is remarkably uniform, adapting it to the mixed husbandry of the coun- try, and es2>ecially rendering it the best wheat growing portion of the county. Its wool interests are more than an average, and its productions of hay, corn, oats, potatoes, and neat stock are very fair. Apples, pears, peaches, cherries, curranta and grapes, are a universal success, and much attention is being paid by some to the cultivation and improvement of choice varieties of fruits. Prominent among these stands Asa W. Slayton, audit well repays a lover of rural beauty, and horti cultural enterprise, and success, to visit his pleasant aud tasteful home, situated on section 22, south of the Grand Rapids and Ionia State road.
Formerly, considerable attention was paid to the raising of hops, and some years the returns for this crop reached as high as $10,000, but the reduction of prices has ruined the hop interest here, as in many other places.
Mainly, the town is heavily wooded with oak and hickory, but sections 25 aud 36, and a portion of sections 5 and 35, are rich timber lands.
There are no less tlian twenty-four lakes in this town, covering an area of fi'om 36 to 300 acres each, besides a host of smaller lakes or ponds; but six de- mand especial notice. Nagles, or Murray's Lake, lies on sections 33 and 34 in Grattan, and extending more than half across section 4 in Vergennes, is the largest of these, and is remarkable for its peculiar shape, being nearly divided in two by a long, narrow, promontory of land owned by Mr. W. Fullington.
Crooked Lake, lying on sections 20, 21 and 29, is one mile long, quite irregular in shape, and is noted for its Islands. Round Lake, a pretty sheet of water, on section 21, is one half mile long, and about the same in width, and contains about 80 acres. This lake and Crooked Lake discharge their waters through Seely Creek into Flat River.
Slayton Lake is another small, but beautiful sheet of water, lying on section 28. It takes its name from one of the early settlers whose residence is near its shore.
Musk-Rat Lake, on sections, 4, 5, 8 and 9, is one mile and a half long, and about one-fourth of a mile wide, on the average. It contains about 230 acres, and is bountifully stocked with fish. The kinds caught in it are black, rock and silver- bass, pickerel aud muskelonge.
Pine Island Lake, lying on sections 3 and 10, one mile and a quarter long, and three eights of a mile wide, is the most beautiful of them all. Pine Island, from which the lake takes its name, lies on its bosom like a gem on the wave. The tar sweeping lake with its picturesque shores and forest crowned isle, as seen from the home of Mr. Converse Close, near it, fixes the gaze of the beholder like some enchanted scene, of which we sometimes dream.
62 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OP KENT COUNTY.
Grattan has no water course of any note, exc ept Seely's Creek, the outlet of nine of its principle lakes. It is an insignificant stream, averaging no more than two rods wide, yet, with its numerous, and inexhaustible fountains, supplying water power sufficient for three grist mills and one saw mill, in its short course of half a dozen miles. It takes its rise in a small lake on section 15, just north of the State Roud, three fourths of a mile east of Grattan Center, r unning north one and one quarter miles, through Pine Island Lake, west one and one quarter miles through Musk-Rat Lake, south-east one and one quarter miles through Wolf Lake, where it appears as a small stream running thence due east, passing within 60 rods of its source, and debouching in Flat River, at the village of Smyrna, in Ionia county. It was named after .Munson Seely, a young hunter, who, in early days camped upon its banks and pursued tlie chase through its adjacent forests.
In 1850, Edward Bellamy and Nathan Holmes, brothers in-law, formed a part- nership, and erected a grist mill upon the stream, near its embouchure from "Wolf Lake, on section IG. This was the nucleous of Grattan Center. The mill is now owned by J. A. Adams & Bros. This place is the only business center in the town. It has twelve or fourteen dwellings, one hotel, one cabinet shop, one wagon shop, one cooper shop, two blacksmith shops, one paint shop, one drug store, two dry goods stores, and a fine new church. (Baptist, C. C. Miller, Pastor.) It was erected in 1868. It is built of wood, painted white, costing $5,400.
The Grattan Union School House, a white, two story, frame building, with two departments, is located here, on a beautiful eminence just east of the village. The Metropolitan Cheese Factory, is located just west of here, and its enterprising pro- prietor, Capt. B. >ydison, is opening up an apparently prosperous business for himself and the farmers for miles around, by this new branch of industry. Grat- tan Center is situated in a fine rural district, and its proprietors are wide-awake and enterprising, but altogether too far away from railroads for their own con- venience, or comfort. Within the past year, the place has suffered a severe loss in the sudden death of its esteemed citizen W. L. Atkins, a long time merchant, and efficient business man of the town.
As early as 1848. the Catholics erected a small church in their cemetery, on sec- tion 32, dedicated to St. Patrick. In ten years their congregation had become much too large for the seating capacity of the ho use, and it was moved ujion sec- tion 31, and converted into a School House, and a new and commodious edifice erected on an eminence one fourth of a mile west of the old site.
This building, while undergoing repairs, was accidentally burned in 1868. Im- mediately, scores of teams were put upon the roads hauhng lumber preparatory to tlie buiUling of a new church, which is now in process of erection, and when completed will be an honor to its builders, and an ornament to the town. It is 136 by 50 feet in size ; has a tower 168 feet high, and is lighted with massive windows of stained glass, which show with pleasing effect.
The congregation is very large, and their annual picnic for the benefit of the church has become an " institution" of Grattan. It is noted for its tastefully ar- ranged, and bountifully supplied tables, and the hosts that congregate. Father Rivers is closely identified with the early history and prosperity of this people, but J. P. McMannus is now the resident priest.
Besides the Union School, Grattan has but four district school houses, but, as
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 63
would at first seem, its educational interests are not neglected, as it is completely surrounded by fractional districts.
In 1843, the first settlement was made within the limits of the town, by Dennis and John McCarthy, on section 30, and Richard Giles, on section 33. In 1844, Luther B. Cook built the first house north of Seely's Creek, on section 12. The same year, William Smith, also settled on section 13. Converse Close, on section 11; Jared Watkins, on section 13; Henry Green, on section 13 ; Anthony King, Alan- son King on section 1 ; Volney W. Caukin, on section 9 ; Michael Kennedy, on section 19 ; and William McCarthy, on section 30. Prominent among the settlers of 1845, we may mention John P. Weeks, located on section 35 ; Orson Nichoson, on "^f^c- tion 3 ; William Byrnes, on section 37, and Anson Green, on section 14. In l-<46 Russel Slayton, located on section 14, and Dudley Newton, on section 17. Among the settlers of 1847, we find Martin Mason, located on section 33. Of these old settlers, most reside where they first located, but Anthony King, Russel Slayton and Orson Nichoson, are dead. Marshal King, son of Alanson King, born Decem- ber, 1844, is su23posed to be first white child born in the town. The first death occurred in the fall of 1846, in the family of a Mr. Springer, then living on section 15. Isaac Springer, an interesting little boy of five years, was the first victim, but in less than 18 months, five of the family were laid side by side, and now sleep on the very spot where the Union School House stands.
There are many interesting personal experiences incident to the early settle- ment of a new country, which the limits of this work will not permit us to record, but the circnmstanees attending the first wedding in this town are so peculiar, we may not omit to mention it here. A widely known, and highly esteemed couple, still residents of the town, wished to get married, but there was no functionary in that part of Kent, vested with authority to perform the ceremony. A well known Justice of Ionia county, chanced to be visiting at the house where the par- ties were, and their dilemma was made known to him. Of course he had no jurisdiction in Kent, but the county line was only half a mile away, and a walk through the forest, was proposed and agreed to. The Justice took his stand in Ionia county, and the bride and bridegroom, protesting they would not leave the town to be married, joined hands just over the line, and in the presence of a few friends, gathered beneath the grand old oaks, on the pleasant afternoon of July 38, 1844, the twain were made one to their own gratification and the gratifi- cation and amusement of their friends here, as elsewhere.
In those early days, the settler, with his axe, cut the way for his future home, and in the absence of stores, grist mills and saw mills, supplied, by his own in- genuity, the actual necessities of himself and fixmily. To-day, all the conveniences of civilized life are at his hand, and the well cultivated farms, and the more than ordinary wealth displayed in dwellings and out buildings, are highly significant of the sobriety, enterprise, and consequent prosperity of the people.
Grattan has not only maintained an honorable position in the county, but has also made its record among the dignitaries of the State. Of its first set of officers, Hon. Volney W. Caukin has once represented the Twenty-ninth District, at Lan- sing, and Hon. Milton C. Watkins, its first Supervisor, has been Representative, also Senator in the State Legislature, and now holds an appointment under the United States Government.
64 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
LOWELL.
This township lies north of Bowne, and south of Vergennes. It is one of the eastern tier of townships in Kent county, being bounded on the east by Boston, Ionia county, and on the west by the township of Cascade.
Its soil, timber and productions are greatly diversified. The soil of the south half is mostly clay or loam, lies very high, and is generally level and well adapted to farming purposes, and. on account of its elevation, an excellent fruit section.
The north half is considerably broken ; by Grand River, which crosses the township from east to west, at an average distance of one mile from the north line, and Flat River, which comes in from Vergennes, on the north, and enters Grand River about one and one half miles west from the county line, of Kent and Ionia counties. The river bottoms, from half a mile to a mile in width, are heavily timbered with elm, ash, soft maple, etc., and when cleared make good meadow lauds. Next back of these bottoms, on either side, rise the sand and clay bluffs, which line these streams throughout the greater part of their course in the county. In some places they rise to the highth of nearly 300 feet, and are usual- ly covered with oak, some time quite heavy, but in other places only what is com- monly known as " openings," the timber being light, and the ground covered with a small growth of oak, interspersed with hazel, and other shrubs. These bluffs, somewhat broken by many small brooks which come in from both sides, extend back an average of about a mile on each side, which, on the north side brings us about to the township line, and on the south to the high level tract be- fore mentioned. This latter is partially watered by some small lakes, the largest of which is Pratt Lake, covering about 300 acres on the north part of section 25, near the east line of the township, and about three miles south of Grand River. It is named in honor of William Pratt, who settled on the north side of it about the year 1850. Barcis, or McEwing Lake, on the east part of section 33, is nearly one mile in length, but quite narrow, its greatest width being less than 80 rods. It extends from the northeast to southwest. On the northwest corner of the same section is a pond of about ten acres, called Morse Lake. Between them, and on the south part of the same section, is a small lily pond, hardly to be called a lake. Stoughton Lake is a small lake of 4 or 5 acres, near the center of section 35, and has a tamarack swamj) of about 20 acres on the east of it. There is also a small lake of 3 or 4 acres, and a swamp of about 15 acres on the south side of section 22. A swamp of some 300 or 400 acres lies west of Pratt Lake, on section 26. On the south side of section 33, and extending over the line into Bowne, is a fine marsh of about 40 acres. From Pratt Lake and the swamp already mentioned, to this marsh is a ravine through which is a stream of water in wet seasons, but which dries away in ordinary weather, leaving the lake without any visible out- let. Tlie people along the line have recently petitioned the County Drain Com- missioner to open this natural water course deep enough to form a living stream, to the south line of Lowell township, from which it would flow into a small stream which runs to Thornapple River. Aside from the sources already men- tioned, and some few smaller ponds and swamps, water can only be obtained in this part of the township by digging a depth of 50 to 100 feet. The timber of this southern part was originally sugar maple and beech, interspersed with
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 65
very large red aad white oaks. This township is well supplied with stone for building purposes, and in some parts they are used to some extent for fencing, especially in the northwest corner of the township, and various other places north of Grand Kiver. Fine gravel beds also abound throughout the north part, and the soil is quite gravelly along the road leading down the river from Lowell vil- lage.
PIONEERS.
In the year 1829, Daniel Marsac came from Detroit, and went among the In- dians in the vicinity of the present village of Lowell, as a trader, although a re- gular trading post was not established until 1831, when Mr. Marsac built a log hut on the south side of Grand River, near the present site of J. Kopf & Co.'s ex- tensive chair works.
What changes a few years have made ! When Mr. Marsac first pitched his tent within the borders of Kent county, then an almost unbroken wilderness, the only roads were the Indian trails, and the only means of navigation was the canoe, or " dug out," as it is sometimes called ; or, for more extensive transportion, a raft made of poles, or small logs, fastened togethsr. We do not need to speak of the railroads and other facilities for travel now, as the reader can easily compare the present with the past.
In the spring of 1835, a family by the name of Robinson, numbering in all 44 persons, set out from the State of New York, and arriving at Detroit, embarked on a small vessel for Grand Haven via Mackinaw. On the 7th day of June of that year they reached the mouth of Grand River, and, putting their household goods, etc., on rafts, and " paddling their own canoes," made their way up the river and settled in Kent and Ottawa counties, principally the latter, in the vicinity of Blendon. These were only a part of the Robinsons. Rix Robinson had been trading with the Indians at Thornapple — now called Ada — for several years prev- ious to this, and had one son by the squaw whom he had taken for a wife soon after he came there. A year later, in 1836, another brother, named Lewis, came with his family and settled on the west bank of Flat River, in the south part of what is now the village of Lowell. He was soon followed by Rodney, a brother from the Blendon settlement, who remained one year with Lewis, and then re- moved up the river into the present township of Vergennes, where he and another brother, Lucas, have made good farms. Philander Tracy — a relative of the Robinson family, who now resides at Grand Rapids, and is generally known as Judge Tracy, also came from the State of New York, and was for some time with Lewis Robinson. The timber for their first log hut was cut two or three miles up Flat River, and floated down by the help of Indians, who were always friendly to those who used them well.
There were good and bad Indians, as well as good and bad whites. One Indian, named Negake, who was not, however, a member of either of the tribes then oc- cupying this portion of the State, but a renegade from some Eastern tribe, who had taken up his abode with the Pottawotamies, caused the whites some trouble, and was reported to have killed one of the Government Surveyors some years previous, when an attempt was made to survey and throw into market all lands up to the 43 degree of latitude, which parallel cut across a bend in the river in this
9
66 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
township, and took a strip about a mile in width on the north side, to which sur- vey the Indians objected. Subsequently the river was made the frontier line, and no lands north of the river were put into market until August, 1839.
A tract of land lying on the east side of Flat River, was set apart as University lands. In 1836. Luther Lincoln, from Grand Rapids, formerly from the south part of the State, where he had been quite a wealthy man, came and settled on a small lot of this University land, and built a log house, which was afterwards used by Don A. Marvin, as a tavern. Mr. Lincoln and Rodney, and Lucas Robinson, helped the Indians to fence in a tract of about 100 acres, on the east side of Flat River, and about one mile from Grand River, for a planting ground, to prevent any trouble on account of their letting their cattle run at large on " Uncle Sam's Domain," as the cattle would have been likely to destroy their crops, and this would naturally have led to hostilities.
Mr. Rodney Robinson states that the Indians were usually good neighbors, and even Mr. Lincoln — whose mind was somewhat wandering, and consequently led him into some trouble with the early white settlers, always got along finely with the Indians, and when, on account of some " unpleasantness" with the whites he was obliged to leave this point, he went up the river a long distance and erected a saw mill, right in the midst of the Indian country. They were often employed to work for the early white settlers, and generally well paid, although it was usually best to j^ay them in provisions and other necessaries, rather than in money, for, if they got money, many of them would go off to places where they could get liquor, and" come home drunk, when they would be quarrelsome and dangerous neighbors, until the fire-water and its efl'ects were gone. No liquor was allowed to be sold to them in this vicinity if the settlers could prevent it, although itinerant traders would sometimes undertake to sell it to them in order make it easier to cheat them in their trades.
In 1837, Charles Newton, Matthew Patrick, Samuel P. Rolf, Ira A. Danes, Wil- liam Vandeusen and Mr. Francisco — nearly all of whom were from New York, settled along the north side of Grand River, on the old Grand River Road, from two to five miles west of Flat River. This road came from Ionia, by the way of Fallassburg— at which point the first bridge was built across Flat River, in 1840, previous to which the river was forded — and passed about two miles west of the mouth of the river, thence along down Grand River, near the side of the blufts.
The following bit of school romance is introduced without any apology : In 1837 the people of this vicinity organized a School District, including all the set- tlers on Flat River, and being the only School District between Grand Rapids and Ionia. They erected a log school house in 1838, in the north part of the pre- sent village, on the west side of Flat River, and employed Miss Caroline Beard, from New York State, to teach the first school that summer. The following win- ter the district furnished a cook-stove and provisions, and Miss Beard lived in the school house and kept the school. Caleb D. Page, who had taken up a piece of land near the Fallassburg of later days, took matrimony into his head and Miss B. to his heart, and the bonds of wedlock were entered into by this couple in the school house.
In 1839, William B. Lyon and Ransom Rolf, also from New York, settled on the
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 67
same road, near those previously mentioned. At the time of the sale of lands in this tract, (previously mentioned as occurring in August, 1839) the Indians at- tempted to enter and hold the land they had been tilling, under the pre-emption laws, but, as the agent knew nothing about whether the red man could hold land by those laws, the matter was referred to the General Land office, and, while waiting the decision, Philander Tracy attempted to gain possession by erecting a small hut on it, and sowing the field to oats, which were destroyed by the In- dians. His papers which had been granted were afterward revoked, and, al- though the decision was that Indians could not enter lands in their own name, they lent money to a Frenchman by the name of Nontah, and he bought the land, and afterward, failing to pay back the money, he gave them a deed of it.
The lands were afterward found to be a part of the " University Grant." andso also was the land taken by Lincoln. When Mr. L. left here, he sold his claim to Daniel Marsac, who, in 1847, platted it under the name ot " the village of Dans- ville," which name it retained until about the year 1855. In 1850 Mr. M. sold his claims to Edwin Avery, of Ionia, who then paid the State and obtained a com- plete title to the same. John B. Shear and some others, came in about the year 1844, and settled in or near the present village of Lowell. In December, 1846, Cyprian S. Hooker, formerly from Connecticut, came from Saranac, Ionia county, where he had been a pioneer and almost the only settler. Mr. Hooker erected the first tramed house in the township, which was also the first in the village. His lumber was brought from Saranac. He commenced his house on the 18th day of December, 1846, and on the ensuing Christmas moved into it with his family. This would be called quick work even in these days of steam and electricity. Said house is the one now owned and occupied by Robert Marshall. In 1847 Mr. Hooker erected the grist mill on the east side of Flat River, now owned and since enlarged by William W. Hatch, who erected another large mill on the west side of the river in 18G7. When Mr. H. first erected his mill it was run by an overshot water-wheel — water being brought by means of a race, a distance of about 40 rods from the Island in Flat River. In 1849, Mr. Hooker constructed the dam across the river just below Bridge street. In 1849, the first sermon ever preached in Dansville, was delivered at the h(mse of C. S. Hooker, Esq., by Rev. S. S. Brown, a Congregational Minister. Mr. Hooker also had tiie job of building the first frame school house in the village, which was the first in the east part of the coun- ty. It was built in 1850 and stood on the present M. E. Church site. Soon after this a Sunday School was established by the agent of the Congregational Union Society.
The Lowell post office was established about the year 1848, and took its name from the township, which was organized about this time, and which seems to have been named on account of its prospects as a manufacturing point, although the village was still called Dansville. After Mr. Avery bought Mr. Marsac's claim, he added some territory to the original plat, making in all about 100 aci'es. In 1854 Messrs. Richards & Wickham platted nearly 100 acres on the west side of Flat River, which they named
LOWELL. About the same time Chapin & Booth's addition to the village of gDansville was
68 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
platted, containing about 30 acres, and lying on the east of the original plat, but within a year, by common consent, the whole village was called Lowell, since which the following additions have been platted, and called Additions to the Village of Lowell ; Fox's Addition, lying north of R. & W.'s plat on the west side Flat River, containing 52 acres, platted by James S. Fox. Lee's Addition, on the north of Avery's plat, east of Flat River, containing 48 acres, platted by Peter Lee in 18G8. SneWs Addition, on the west and south of R. & W.'s addition, contain- ing about 50 acres, platted by Mrs. Caroline Snell in 1869. Ellsworth's Addition, lying north and east of Lee's addition, contains 60 acres, 20 of which are within the present corporate limits of the village of Lowell, and the remainder in the township of Vcrgennes, platted by A. M. Ellsworth in 1870.
An act to incorporate the Village of Lowell passed the State Legislature in 1859, but for some reason the village was not then organized. It was re-enacted March 15, 1861, and the organization completed in the summer following.
FIRST VILLAGE OFFICERS. President — Cyprian S. Hooker. Recorder — Charles A. Blake. Treasurer — Simeon Hunt. Marshal — J. Chapman. Assessor — Cyrus Hunt. Trustees — Wil- liam W. Hatch, J. B. Shear and Arvine Peck.
PRESENT VILLAGE OFFICERS.
President — Morris R. Blodget. Recorder — John Huggins. Treasurer — Clark M. Deveudorf. Marshal— Robert Marshall. Trustees -L. B. Lull, John C. Scott and Simeon Hunt.
The village proper now contains 1,503 inhabitants, according to the census of 1870. During the past four years some tine brick buildings have been erected, among which are the large two story block on Bridge street, west of the river, containing live stores below, and a large hall and offices above ; Lee's Block, two story, which contains two stores and a hall above ; King's Block, now used by Joseph Amphlett as a carriage factory, and Graham's Block, three story, contain- ing two stores, printing office and other offices, and which was erected almost en- tirely by Mr. Graham with his own hands. Besides the brick stores there are some very good wooden buildings. The village contains in all between 30 and 40 stores, besides the usual number of meat markets, restaurants, etc. There are two hotels: The Clifton House, part brick, kept by Charles Morse, and the Franklin House, a large frame building, kept by 0. C. Parks.
MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
Hatch & Craw's grist mills are two large framed mills containing three Tun of stone each, and capable of grinding 50,000 barrels of flour per year, besides doing a large custom business. Water power.
The Lowell Woolen Mill, erected by Blodgett Brothers, in 1867, is a good, framed building, now owned by M. R. Blodgett, and does about ^20,000 worth of business per year. Water power.
Wilson, Gardner & Co. have a steam planer, sash, door and blind factory, erected in 18G8, and are doing a good custom and shipping business.
Avery & Johnson have a planer and sash, door and blind factory, which is doing an extensive custom business, and sliipping largely both east and Avcst.
HISTOKY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 69
This factory runs by water power, and was erected in 1868, on the site of their mill which was destroyed by fire the previous year. lu connection with this mill is a machine for the manufacture of wooden eave troughs — a new invention of Mr. E. W. Avery.
FORT'S WESTERN MEDICINE MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
E. M. Fort, the patentee of these medicines, commenced business a few years since on borrowed capital, paying therefor at the rate of 15 jjer cent, interest. Many of our readers will remember having seen his pleasant face on the streets of the various towns and villages of Kent county, when he was sellino- his reme- dies at retail. Tlie business had increased so rapidly and become so popular in Lowell, that in March, 1870, some of the leading capitalists of the town ioined him, and established the above-named stock company with a chartered capital of $100,000, making Mr. Fort the secretary and business manager, with the assist- ance and advice of a board of directors. Since that time they have branched out and are rapidly introducing it in the adjoining states, and money invested in the company's stock must prove exceedingly profitable. Parties who know best think it will soon pay a dividend of 30 per cent, as the sales are already immense and largely on the increase ; these preparations being acknowledgred to be amono- the best medicines in the market, their popularity having gained for them the endorsement of the widely known and popular drug house of Farrand, Sheley & Co., of Detroit, generally admitted to be the largest wholesale drug house in Michigan, who have purchased a large amount of the capital stock of the com- pany, and are acting as their agents for Detroit.
Boyce & Nash have a shop for the manufacture of agricultural imiDlemeuts axes, etc., making about 150 dozen axes per year, and manufacturino- in all about $6,000 worth per year.
Joseph Amphletfs carriage iactory is quite an extensive establishment turn- ing out about 100 carriages and wagons per year.
CHURCHES.
The Methodist Episcopal church building is a fine brick structure 40x60 feet in size, completed and dedicated in 1859. It stands on a little rise of oi-ound on Bridge street, east of the business ijart of the village. Cost over $8,000 includ- ing furniture. Near this is the unpretending Baptist church, which is a o-ood little framed building, erected in 1859. During the present season this church has been tastefully fitted up and newly painted. The Congregational church on th« west side of Flat River is a good looking, framed building, 40x56 feet in size erected in 1858 at a cost of |2,500. There ai;e also two or three church societies and a Masonic Lodge and a Good Templar's Lodge, which meet in halls.
SCHOOLS. There is a good, framed school-house 36x54 feet in size, and two stories hio-h which was erected in 1863 at a cost of about $2,000. It is being repaired the present season, but is small for the size of the district, which takes in quite a large extent of territory, and a larger building will soon be required. There is one ward or branch school in connection with this district, which is the old dis-
70 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. >
trict No. 1, of the township of Lowell. This branch school is located on the «outli side of Grand River, in the vicinity of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad depot, where a village called Segwun was platted by William Chesebro, about the time the railroad was built, but which is seldom known by that name.
MILLS AND FACTORIES.
On the above-mentioned plat is the steam saw mill of C. T. Wooding, erected in 1866 by Knapp & Tucker, and capable of cutting 20,000 feet of lumber i^er day; also, the cider and vinegar manufactory of E. R. Peck, erected in 1869, and capable of grinding 18,000 bushels of apples per year. In this vicinity is also quite a collection of small houses, mostly occupied by laborers in the above- named establishments and on the railroad. Near at hand and a.little east of the depot is the extensive chair factory of John Koph & Co., which has a small cluster of pleasant looking buildings around it, and has withal an appearance of thrift and neatness. This building was erected in 1808, by Seth Cogswell, and the machinery is run by an overshot waterwheel, water being 6btained from a small spring brook which rises about two miles south and comes in through a gorge in the hills.
About a mile distant is the large grain cradle and bed bottom factory of E. W. Tucker. His first mill was a three-story frame building 30x40 feet in size, erected in 1862, in connection with which is a new mill or shop 35x50 feet, erected in 1868. In the one item of grain cradles they have facilities for manufacturing 1,200 dozen per year, besides bed-bottoms and harvesting implements, such as hay-rakes, etc. This is also run by an overshot water-wheel. From 20 to 60 hands are eaiployed.
Ac the head of this stream, and about two miles south of the depot, is a fine bed of marl, on the farm of Alexander McBride, from which Mr. McB. has manufac- tured $4,000 worth of lime within the past four years.
THE GRAND RIVER NURSERIES.
N. P. Husted, proprietor, are situated aljout five miles southwest of the Lowell depot. He commenced planting in 1862, putting out about 40,000 apple trees, 40,000 peach trees, and other stock, since which time he has been gradually increasing until now he sets 300,000 apple and 300,000 peach and other stock every year. Besides this he is giving considerable atten- tion to ornamental stock. The nurseries now cover 130 acres, all closely planted, and the amount of sales is nearly $50,000 per year. From 30 to 60 hands are employed. He is also turning his attention to orchard culture, having at present 1,000 four-year old peach trees, over 500 apple trees, 400 pear trees, 200 plum trees, and 4,000 grape vines ; also, a good assortment of small fruits. The soil is a clay loam, which is well adapted to the growth of hardy, sound, nursury s:ock and profitable orchard culture. There are now over 15,000 orchard trees in the immediate vicinity, all of which have been set within a few years. Peaches have borne well every year.
EARLY SETTLERS SOUTH OF GRAND RIVER.
Among the pioneers in this part part of the county was George Post, who came from Connecticut in 1842 and settled on the northwest corner of section 23, at the
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 71
crossing of the territorial road from Portland to Grand Rapids, and the one from Battle Creek via Hastings, to the trading post then established by Daniel Marsac at Lowell. He was the first, and for three years the only settler south of the pres- . ent line of the D. & M. Railroad, within the township. In 1843, Mainard Chater- don, with his wife and family of three sons and three daughters, came from Cal- houn county, Michigan, (formerly from the state of New York), and went nearly to the southwest corner of the township, on section 31, where his widow and the three sous and one of the daughters still live, and have nice farms. In 1848-9, Harrison Wickham, Peter Hornbrook, Charles Gordon, Mr. Monk, and Mr. Mon- tague settled in the south and southwest part of the township, followed in 1850 to 1854 by John Brannan, William Pratt, John Yeiter, Jacob and Christian Loyer, George Acker, Jacob Yeiter, James Easterby, James Wallace and William Proctor, most of whom were from Ohio, and of Dutch descent, and nearly all of whom are now wealthy farmers, having good farms and buildings.
ORGANIZATION. The township of Lowell was organized in 1848, being previously a part of the township of Vergennes, which originally included all of the east part of the county. The first townshij) meeting was held at the house of Mr. Timothy White. FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS. Supervisor — Cyprian S. Hooker. Clerk — Timothy White. Treasurer — Henry Church. Justices — C. S. Hooker, Daniel McEweu, Samuel P. Rolf and Ira A. Danes.
PRESENT TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Supervisor — Robert Hunter, Jr. Clerk — John Huggins. Treasurer — Webster Morris. Justices — Robert Hunter, Jr., Simeon Hunt, Joseph W. Sprague and Matthew Hunter.
NELSON.
The township of Nelson is one of the northern tier of townships, and is bounded on the north by Pierson, in Montcalm county, on the east by the township of Spencer, on the south by Courtland, and on the west by Solon.
Twenty years ago this townsliip was an unbroken wilderness where wild ani- mals made their homes but little molested by man, and twenty years is a short time in which to make a history. But the stalwart men who are now cutting down its forests and converting the timber into lumber, while at the same time fitting the soil for the growth of grains and fruits are doing a good work, which, if it offers few salient points for the historian, is still of immense value to man- kind. If he who causes a blade of grass to grow where there was none before is a public benefactor, the world must owe much to those who open the wilderness to the uses of man.
We are informed that William H. Bailey was the first white settler in Nelson, having settled there in 1851, some time in July of that year. He still resides in the township on section 8. We are glad to have sold him a copy of this history, and have no doubt he will feel a justifiable pride when he reads the long list of
72 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
residents who now point Mm out as that honored individual " the oldest inhabi- tant." Mr. John S. Jones moved into the township during the same year, and is said to be the second settler. He now resides on section 33.
Among the early settlers, although we did not learn the date of their coming, were John M. Towns, Josiah Towns, N. R. Hill, D. B. Stout, H. M. Stanton, George Stout, Andrew Stout, Riley Smith, Samuel Punches, Joseph M. Clark, Andrew S. Tindall, John N. Tindall, John Dean, Elisha Dean, H. D. Streeter, Thomas Almy, Mr. Ream and his two sous, Bradford Bailey, James Bailey and Joseph Wood.
Wm. C. Benjamin, a bachelor, came to this town several years ago with a *' pocket full of rocks," from California, purchased a fine farm, and improved and beautified it. He also repented of this lonely state, married an intelligent lady and became the father of two children. Last summer, at the close of harvesting, in which he had worked hard, he committed suicide by cutting his own throat, — it is supposed in a fit of temporary insanity. This sad tragedy cast a gloom over the entire community where he lived.
ORGANIZATION.
Nelson was organized as a township by the Board of Supervisors on the 13tli day of October, 1854, and the first township election was held at the house of Charles H. Leake on the first Monday of April, 1855, George Hoyle, John S. Jones and George N. Stoddard, being Inspectors of Election. The following were the
FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Supervisor — George Hoyle. Clerk — George N. Stoddard. Treasurer — Charles H. Leake. Justices of the Peace — Samuel Punches, Simpson Anderson, Cyrus Stillwell, Harlow H. Stanton. Commissioners of Highways — Smith Barrett, Har- low H. Stanton, Moses E. Ross. School Inspectors — Harlow H. Stanton, Ithiel R. Smith. Constables — Bradford Bailey, Josiah D. Townes, Amos Bessey, Peter D. Buck. Overseers of Poor — Church Bailey, Joseph Wood.
From this election we take a step of fifteen years and present the names of the
PRESENT TOTVNSHIP OFFICERS. Supervisor — Mindrus H. Whitney. Clerk — Brownell S. Simmons. Treasurer — David B. Stout. Justices of the Peace — Brownell S. Simmons, Mindrus H. Whit- ney, Jason R. Squires. Commissioners of Highways — Jason R. Squires, Stephen Ferner, Nathaniel Hughey. School Inspectors — Orion Smith, Nicholas R. Hill. Constable — William A. Dean.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION. Pine timber predominates in this township, and in the northeast corner there are many large cedar and tamarack swamps. But the soil, although in many places light, as the presence of pine denotes, is still very productive, where, as is generally the case, beech, maple and other hard wood trees are mixed with the pine. For fruit raising this town promises to be one of the best in the county. Its streams are Black Creek, in the northern part of the township, and Little Cedar and Big Cedar, in the western part. Pine Lake is a fine sheet of water, covering some 100 acres on sections 26 and 35.
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 73
SCHOOL HOUSES.
The scliool house in District No. 1, known as the Clark School House, is located in the center of section 8, and is a fine framed building, painted white.
The school house in District No. 2, is a plain framed structure, standing near the northwest corner of section 20. It was built in 1869.
The school house in District No. 3, a large white, framed building, was erected in 1869. It stands on the southeast corner of section 23.
District No. 4, has a good, white, framed school house on the west line of section 34. It was erected in 18G7 and is known as the " White Dove "' school house.
The Cedar Springs school houses, used for a graded school, are described in the
history of
CEDAR SPRINGS,
which village is located partly in this township and partly in Solon, its descrip- tion being- given under the latter head.
OAKFIELD.
Oakfield, formerly apart of Courtland, lies twenty-one miles northeast of Grand Rapids, having Spencer on the north. Eureka, in Montcalm county, on the east, G rattan on the south, and Courtland on the west.
The first settlement was made within its territory, June 5th, 1838, by Hon. Wm. R. Davis, who located on section 19. There seems to have been no one save himself and family to break the solitude of the wilderness, till June, 1839, when Mr. Isaac Tower, Stephen S. Tower and William Thornton, (ex-Sheriff of Kent county,) with their lamilies, moved in, and become comparatively near neighbors to the hitherto lonely pioneers. Stephen S. Tower and Mr. Thornton locating on section 29, and Mr. Isaac Tower on section 30. There were no more settle- ments till April, 1842, when Thomas Crinnion located on section 18, and David J, Gilbert on section 19, in September of the same year. In 1844, Sheldon Ashley selected a beautiful home on section 36, and in 1845, three brothers, Harry, Giles and Erie McArthur, located respectively on sections 33, 32 and 34. Morris Hart, sections; Nathaniel W. Mack, section 12; John Davis, section 33; Levi White, section 21 ; James Elstley, section 31 ; William Peterson, section 20, and Benjamin Potter, section 21, may be mentioned as among the settlers of 1846 and 1847.
At one time the town was organized under the name of Wabasis, but by sub- division of the territory, was again incorporated with Courtland, and finally per- manently organized under tlie name of Oakfield, through the influence of Sheldon Ashley, in March, 1849. Its first town meeting was held the first Monday of April, 1849, at a little log school house in district No. 1, on section 29. This was the first school house in the town, but the log cabin was replaced in 1852, by a frame structure thirty-six by twenty-six feet in size. This is the famous No. 1, that has educated, and sent forth more, and better teachers, than any other district school in the county. It is known as the White Swan School. Oakfield has six other district school houses : noteworthy among these is the Horton School House, a large frame edifice, painted white. It was erected in 1868, and is used as a church, 10
74 HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
as well as for school purposes. It is located on sections 17 and 18, just across the road from the Ilorton Cemetery, beautifully situated on the southwest corner of section 8. There is no Union School in the town ; but its educational interests are, and have always been of paramount importance in the minds of its people. Its first school was organized with i)ut six scholars — all the children then in town and kept in a private house, with Miss Sarah Davis, now Mrs. Almon Thompson of Courtland, as teacher. When a school house was finally erected, Mr. Harry McArthur was installed as teacher, and to his earnest labors many, not only in this town, but in adjacent towns, owe much of their advancement in knowledge.
CHURCHES.
Religious societies among the people of Oakfield have reached a highly ad vanced, and truly enviable position, if we may be allowed to judge of moral status by success, and pecuniary prosperity. It has three very fine church edifices, and all its places of worship are well attended.
The First Baptist Church of Oakfield, is a fine frame structure, located on sec- tion 3(5. It was built in 1863. and has a fine bell. It cost about $2,200, and the honor of its erection is largely due to Shelden Ashley, one of the oldest inhabi- bitants of the town. C. C. Miller is the present pastor.
The Second Baptist Society of Oakfield was organized in April, 18G5, with some 40 members, under the ministration of Rev. C. C. Miller, pastor, and Stephen S. Tower, Henry Rich, Thomas Jones, Nathan R. Squiers and William R. Jones, Trustees. The house belonging to this Society — the Second Baptist Church, ot Oakfield — a fine frame building, dedicated January 11, 18G8. stands upon on acre of ground purchased from the farm of Robert Olmsted, in the southeast corner of section 19. It is 3G by 56 feet in'size, and has a tower 95 feet in height, which is furnished with a very fine toned bell that cost $400. The whole cost of the church was |4,150, of which the citizens of the City of Grand Rapids generously donated over $500. It has an organ, and an excellent choir under the efficient leadership of Mrs. Samuel Tower. Rev. C. C. Miller, is the pastor.
The First Methodist Episcopal Church, of Oakfield, is also a very fine frame building, located on the south line of section, 9, one fourth of a mile away fr(mi the Second Baptist Church.
The total cost of its erection closely approximated $1,500. It was dedicated April 14, 1809, and is yearly supplied by the circuit with a pastor.
The physical geography of this town i^resents us with a rolling surface, quite frequently broken with lakes and ponds, with a sod much too sandy in the north- ern part, but a rich clay loam in the more southern portions, peculiarly adapt- ing it to wheat culture, wool-growing, and dairying, besides the ordinary pro- duction of corn, oats, potatoes and buckwheat.
Of wheat, large quantities of excellent quality, annually find their way from this town to the markets east and west; and as to wool, Oakfield has some of the best flocks, and carries some of the finest clips to the factories, of any town in the county.
The dairy is receiving more and more attention, and pays exceedingly well, where care and capital are expended.
Horticulture is in its infancy here as in many other towns ; but on some farms
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. ' 75
it has received a share of attention, and the returns in apples, pears, peaches, grapes, cherries, currants and strawberries, show that Oakficld, in fruit raising, may become a peer of her successful sister towns. The timber is mainly oak; but, scattered over the town, there were some fine groves of pine, wliich are fast being decimated by the lumbermen's axe and saw.
On sections 1 and 2 there is a veryfine bed of marl lime,so pure as to be cut from the bed in squar?s, dried and placed immediately in the kiln for burning. To fa- cilitate the mining of this lied, a chain of lakes on sections 1, 2 and 11 were drained. Their natural outlet was through Stack's Lake, which emptied into Black Creek; but, by dint of engineering, an outlet was effected into Wab-ah-see Creek, from the head of the Horse Shoe — a large lake on section 2 — which is thus rendered nearly dry. Of this marl deposit George and John Banks are proprietors.
Besides the above, there are several small
LAKES that demand but a passing notice. Of such is Scrara's lake, and Addis' lake closely connected with it, lying on sections 17, 18 and 19 ; the Zeigenfuss lake on sections 11 and 14 — the outlet from which forms the north branch of Wab-ahsee Creek; and also a number of little lakes on sections 33 and 34, the principal of which is Flat-Iron Lake near the residence of Harry McArthur, Esq. But Long Lake, about on-e-half mile long, and one-eighth wide, situa'ed on section 34, cannot be thus light:y passed by, for on its frozen surface in March, 1843, oc- curred the first death among the whites of this township. Orin Gilbert, brother of Rev. D. Gilbert, in endeavoring to reach his brother's house from Cook's Corners, was overcome by fatigue and cold, and perished on this lake. Soon after Tahanah, an Indian, in passing on the trail, discovered him lying on the snow. The wily Indian did not approach him, but, after circling several times around the prostrate form to make sure that he was dead, sped away to convey the sad intelligence to his friends. Ever after, the Indians called this " Dead Man's Lake."
Wab-ah-see, or Wabasis, as the white people call it, is much the largest lake of the town, or even of the county, being two miles long. It is very irregular in shape, but it is said to average nearly one mile in width. It has excellent fishing grounds, and at certain seasons of the year- -though they are caught at no other time, and even then, are only found in particular places —whitefish are caught in considerable quantities. How they come there no one can tell, and where they disappear to is equally a mystery.
The Wab-ah-see abounds with pickerel, and a gigantic specimen of this variety of fish has frequently been seen by seekers of the finny spoil, so immense in its dimensions as to excite almost as much Avonder as the periodical aj^pearing of the fabulous sea-serpent. Wab-ah-see projects into sections 29, 33 and 34, but lies mainly on sections 27 and 28. It was named after the Indian chief Wab-ah- see (White Swan), who fell under the displeasure of his jseople for selling their lands, and also (as they supposed) for secreting and retaining the gold for the purchase. To obtain this, they deferred his death, and banished him to the shores of this beautiful and ronmntic lake. By some the gold is supposed to be hidden on its shores, and many have sought for it by torchlight and by sun- light, with equal lack of success. Failing to extort money, and maddened by the
76 * HISTORY AND DIBECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
loss of their bunting grounds, the big chief, Ne-ogg-ab-nab, with ahnost fiendish subtlety, induced Wab-ah-see to go beyond bis limits, and, in a drunken frolic, killed him with a firebrand. His broken skull is now in a museum in Connec- ticut, having been sent there by Mr. Hall, of Plaiufield.
The Oakfield grist mills, containing two run of stones, erected in 1864, is lo- cated upon section 15, on Wabasis Creek, the outlet of the lake, which becomes quite a stream, emptying into Flat River in Montcalm county.
The first saw mill in town was built by John Davis, about the year 1846 or 1847. It was located on Beaver Dam Creek, a small stream running into Wab- ah-see Lake. Three times it was swept into ruins by the freshets, and as often repaired, or rebuilt, by the indomitable perseverance of its owner. But at last, patience and capital alike gave out, and a steam mill was erected in its stead. That has since been dismantled, and desolation now reigns where sterling enter- prise once presided. No inhabitant of Oakfield and adjacent to towns, who may read these pages, shall be allowed to forget, for lack of a record here, the history ot the old mill on Beaver Dam Creek, or the vicissitudes of its cheery and brave-hearted owner, who snapped his fingers in the face of the jade. Fortune, when she made faces at him, and went whistling away to the tune of " Old Ragged," despite all adversity. (The foregoing quaint cognomen will be under- stood by every old-time business man of Kent county.)
The Lillie Steam Shingle Mill was built in 1861, on section 3. It was burned on ttie ITtli of April, 18G8, and rebuilt in the same year. The Addis Shingle and Cider mills are located on the northwest quarter of section 20, and were built in 1809; John Addis, proprietor. The Oakfield shingle mill is located on Wab-ah- see Creek, adjacent to the grist mill spoken of above. Near these mills a little village, consistmg of a store or two, a blacksmith shop, and half a dozen dwell- ings, has sprung up within a few years. This is the only business center in the town.
FIRST TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Supervisor — Thoiaas Spencer. Town Clerk — Harry McArthur. Treasurer — Harry Osgood. Justices of the Peace — Thomas Spencer, Harvey D. Pond, David J. Gilbert, Wm. M. Gould. Constables— Nathan II. Gould, Giles McArthur, Wil- liam Cha))man, Jesse Stewart. Commissioners of Highways — Benjamin Morey, W^illiam Peterson, Cyrus B. Thomas. School Inspectors — John Davis, Lafayette Knight. Overseers of the Poor — Sheldon Ashley, Harry Osgood.
PRESENT TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
Su})ervisor — Wm. R. Davis. Clerk — Azariah Y. Rowley. Treasurer — John Ashley. Justices of the Peace — Henry Watson, Oliver R. Lewis, John Ashley, George Cathey. Commissioners of Highways — Henry E. Rowley, Chester A. Liliie, Rutin Caukin. School Inspectors — Wm. H. H. Davis, Henry E. Rowley. Con- stables— John W. Gilbert, Henry E. Rowley, Edward Jones.
The town has now a population of 1,093. Of the old settlers, and men who took an active part in the organization of the town, Isaac Tower and Morris Hart, arc dead ; also Thomas Spencer, the first Supervisor of the town, who
HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY. 77
was toru in pieces by the machinery in a mill, in Montcalm county, in the sprino- of 1867.
The first marriage in the town was solemnized by Rev. James Ballard, August 2nd, 1840. Bride — Miss Hannah Tower, daughter of Isaac Tower; bridegroom — Zenas G. Winsor, now of Grand Rapids.
The first birth among the whites, was "Wm. H. H. son of Wni. R. and Electa M. Davis. Born April 24, 1840.
Among other first things occurring in the town, was the first bear killed, by John, and his brother, Wm. R. Davis, present member ofthe State Legislature, from the Fourth Representative District, and present nominee for the same position. Returning late one afternoon, in the summer of 1842, from mowino- on a marsh on Crinuiou Creek, in the north part of the town, William riding a horse, and carrying some game he had caught through the day, John on foot, equipped with a fine rifle, and closely followed by a faithful dog, were surprised and delighted when within two miles of home, by the discovery of a huge Ijlack bear. The dog gave instant pursuit, closely folloMed by the brothers. Frightened by the bayino- of the dog, the bear was soon treed. The brothers were quickly upon the spot, William, anticipating bruin a speedy victim to his brothers unerring aim ; but what was their chagrin, on examining the rifle, to find that in the hurry of the pursuit, their last cap had been lost from the gun. Here was a dilemma; but necessity is said to be tlie mother of invention, and she did not belie her cliarac- ter in this case. The only expedient was to send William one and one half miles away, to Mr. Crinnion's, the nearest house, for caps, if they could be found, otherwise for fire, while John and the dog kei^t watch by the bear. Mountino- old Dutch, his horse, and furiously flourishing his whijj, William was soon lost to sight, returning in a very short time, not with gun and caps, however, but a burn- ing brand from Mrs. Crinnion's fire-place. He found bruin a few rods from where he left him, in another tree, and John and the dog still watching. It was already dusk ; what was to be done, must be done speedily. Powder was poured into the tube, and John, a splendid marksman, took aim, while William stood by with a live coal, ready to apply at the word fire, which soon came, William asserts, in a trembling voice, bnt whether John's voice trembled, or William's ears, has not been decided to this day ; however, that the sharp crack ofthe rifle rang through the forest depths, and that the bear lay dead at the foot of the tree, are verities not to be disputed.
David J. Gilbert built the second frame barn and dwelling in the town ; Isaac Power having built a frame barn in 1840, and William Thornton a frame house in 1841. In future time, posterity may 02)en its eyes with wonder, asking "of what, then, were other dwellings made ?" and it is therefore well to record that, in the early days, |he woodman's ax was his only saw mill, and the forest, with its treetops waving many feet aloft in the breezes, his only lumber-yard ; conse- quently his house was made of rough logs rolled one above another, his floor of logs, his roof of pieces ofthe same, called " shakes;" his fire place was composed of sticks and clay ; his fire of huge logs stood on end and walked across the floor, a side at a time, and rolled to their place with a hand-spike. The doors were rude oaken