A History of Northern Michigan and Its People, Volume I, Part 31

Author: Perry F. Powers
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: Lewis Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 597


USA > Michigan > A History of Northern Michigan and Its People, Volume I > Part 31


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57


299,246.68


Total land warrants entries 319,135.27


Entered with agricultural scrip


155,768.37


Entered with cash


320,794.13


Whole amount purchased 795,697.77


Entered as homesteads


1,048,101.91


Grand total of entries at Traverse City.


1,843,101.91


TRAVERSE CITY INCORPORATED


The question of incorporating the village was agitated for two or three years and finally in the winter of 1881 a bill was passed "to con- stitute a village corporate and known by the name of the village of Traverse City."


The first charter election was held the third Monday of April, 1881; 229 votes were polled, and the following non-partisan ticket elected : President, Perry Hannah; clerk, Thomas W. Browne; treasurer, M. E. Haskell; assessor, Henry D. Campbell ; street commissioner, John Kelley ; constable, William J. Moody ; trustees, Smith Barnes, Seth C. Moffatt, Homer P. Daw, Joseph B. Haviland, James Lee, Joseph E. Greilick.


The Traverse City fire department dates back to the year 1877. On March 16th of that year a meeting was held at Leach's hall for the purpose of effecting an organization. A few months prior to that time a fund had been raised by subscription, and two small engines pur- chased. Two hose carts had also been ordered. At this meeting the Traverse City Fire Department was organized and officers elected, as follows: Fire marshall, S. Barnes; assistant H. D. Campbell; chief engineer, W. V. Harvey; fire inspectors, Charles Duprey and John Stevenson. Officers for the engines Wide Awake and Invincible were also elected. Other business relating to buildings, location, etc., was also transacted. With the introduction of water works in 1881 the fire protection of the village was completed.


The fire department now consists of two modern steamers, two com- bination wagons, one hose and ladder trucks, one chemical engine and four hose carts, and seven paid and seventy-five volunteer members.


The Boardman River Electric Light and Power Company, which furnishes the city with illumination and many of its factories with power, was incorporated in 1903 with a capital of $100,000.


PUBLIC SCHOOLS


The first regular teacher of a Traverse City school was Miss Helen Goodale, daughter of the pioneer physician, Dr. David C. Goodale, of


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Vermont, who came to the place in 1853 to keep the boarding house of Hannah, Lay & Company, and incidentally to practice. It was a part of the contract between the enterprising doctor and the firm that his daughter, then fifteen years of age, should teach school for one dollar a week and board. In those days there were nothing but subscriptions schools and Hannah, Lay & Company promised Dr. Goodale that if the people failed to pay the teacher's salary they would make up any deficiency. As yet, there had been no legal organization of a school district, and the best that could be done to provide Miss Helen with accomodations was to clean out a tumbled-down log stable that had been used by Mr. Spencer, in the winter of 1851-2, while getting out logs and timber. The building stood in what would now be the eastern part of Traverse City. But the school was opened with eleven pupils, Miss Helen afterward went to Chicago to better fit herself to instruct the boys and girls of the infant settlement, and finally became Mrs. T. A. Hitchcock, a highly respected and deeply beloved member of the com- munity. District No. 1 was formed May 11, 1854, and the public sys- tem may be said to have been established in Traverse City and Grand Traverse county.


The seven city schools as now organized comprise the High and Cen- tral school with an average attendance of 26 and 317, the latter figure covering eight grammar grades; Boardman Avenue school, 264; Elm- wood Avenue, 316; Oak Park, 330; Union school, 284; State School for the Deaf, 6, and Booneville school, 16. L. L. Tyler became superintend- ent of schools in 1911, and G. H. Curtis is principal of the high school. Ten men and fifty-six women constitute the teaching force. Be- sides the usual courses taught in advanced high schools, the Traverse City institution has taken somewhat of a departure in establishing a department of agriculture and horticulture, including practical botany and soil analysis.


TRAVERSE CITY CHURCHES


The credit for arousing interest in religious matters and founding the first Sunday school in Traverse City rests with Mrs. A. T. Lay and Mrs. D. C. Goodale. In the early summer of 1853 they induced Han- nah, Lay & Company to furnish an old log house for the purpose, and when the school finally met eight children reported and three teachers, Messrs. A. T. Lay and L. Schofield and Mrs. Goodale. The meeting was rather unsatisfactory, and on the second Sabbath the teachers assembled but no children appeared. At length Mrs. Goodale offered to go out and look for them, and, sure enough, she found them near by picking and eating huckleberries. They were gathered in from the hedges, but the Sunday school soon disbanded and no further attempts were made in that direction until the summer of 1858, when Rev. D. R. Latham, a Methodist minister and the first regular pastor, located at Traverse City.


The first Methodist class in Traverse City was organized by Mr. Latham April 11, 1858, and consisted of William Fowle, Mrs. Goodale Vol. 1-17


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and five others. The first meetings were held in the district school house which had recently been built.


The First Congregational church was organized February 1, 1863, Rev. C. E. Bailey, of Benzonia preaching the opening sermon and re- ceiving ten members which formed the society. Rev. J. H. Crumb was the regular pastor and Elvin L. Sprague the first deacon.


Other pioneer churches were the First Baptist, organized in 1870; Grace Episcopal, 1873, and St. Francis Catholic, 1877. It should be stated regarding the activities of the Catholics that Father Mrack came to Traverse City as a missionary priest as early as 1855; that others visited the place and that in 1871 Father Herbstrit, of Sutton's Bay, built a small church in Traverse City. The first resident priest, how- ever, was Rev. George Ziegler, who assumed charge of St. Francis Cath- olic Society in 1877.


Traverse City has now twenty or more churches-three Methodist, two Lutheran, two Roman Catholic, two Congregational, two Disciples and two Christian Scientist, and representatives of the Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Free Methodists, Seventh Day Adventists, Friends and Latter Day Saints. It is also strong as a center of the secret and benev- olent societies. The Masons, Knights of Pythias, Eagles and Elks all have large and well furnished halls, as does the Salvation Army which is well entrenched in its work.


THE LIBRARIES


In a notice of the forces which have worked for the uplifting of Traverse City, both morally and intellectually, too much stress cannot be placed on the Ladies' Library Association, and we therefore cheer- fully accord its history a generous amount of space. On a July after- noon in the year 1869 a little company of Traverse City women met in the old Leach hall, on the corner of Front and Park streets, to organize a Ladies' Library Association, for books were scarce and prized in those days in a way that would be unappreciated by readers in these days of an over-abundance of reading-matter. At that time Flint had the only Ladies' Library in the state.


.


Mrs. Morgan Bates presided as chairman of the meeting. Mrs. Reu- ben Hatch, Mrs. T. T. Bates and Mrs. C. K. Buck were appointed a committee to draft a constitution and by-laws and the meeting ad- journed for one week.


At the second meeting, the following officers were elected for a term of two years, dating from October, 1869: President, Mrs. Morgan Bates, Sr .; Vice-president, Mrs. Oscar L. Noble; secretary, Mrs. H. R. Hulburd; treasurer, Mrs. S. W. Arnold; librarian, Mrs. T. T. Bates; assistant librarian, Mrs. B. D. Ashton; corresponding secretary, Mrs. Reuben Hatch.


From its organization the association has been largely composed of members who have its welfare at heart and who have given freely of money received from yearly dues and some entertainments, in the their time and talents in its service. By careful management of the earlier days, valuable property has been gained. There has been one


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legacy of $3,000 from the late Smith Barnes. The first real estate was purchased in 1871; following this several purchases and sales were made until in 1878 a building was erected on Front street just east of Cass, at a cost of $1,940; this property they sold in 1909 for $10,000. The building was a good investment in every way, for the first floor furnished ample room for the library as well as offices which always brought in good rental. The upper floor was known as The Ladies' Library Hall, for years the largest and best entertainment hall in the place, being used for parties and all theatrical performances until the City Opera House was built some twenty years later.


Having sold this building the association decided to build a perma- nent home upon their lots on Cass street, for which lots they had paid $1,800 and shortly after the purchase had refused $2,200 for them.


The cornerstone for this building was laid with impressive cere- mony by the Grand Lodge of Masons of Michigan, on July 23, 1909, in the presence of a large number of people. The history of the asso- ciation was given by the two women who had been members continu- ously since its organization, Mrs. Reuben Hatch of Grand Rapids and her sister, Mrs. Edwin S. Pratt; Mrs. Hatch has since passed away, on February 24, 1911; so Mrs. Pratt is the only living continuous mem- ber. She has been president since January, 1910, and always an active worker.


When the building was completed a large reception was given to the husbands of the members and their friends, all of whom united in de- claring it a most attractive, homelike place. It contains parlors, li- brary with some four thousand volumes of carefully selected books, dining room, kitchen and toilet-room, all with the latest conveniences.


Every two weeks during nine months of the year a "social after- noon" is held which the ladies greatly enjoy as many new ideas are exchanged over their pretty needlework, a short musical and literary program is given and last but not least all adjourn to the dining-room to partake of delicious refreshments prepared by a committee of seven, this committee changing with each time.


It is also believed that at a not far-distant time the rooms may be kept open oftener and the work of the association broadened.


In October, 1911, there are 175 members and the following officers: President, Mrs. Edwin S. Pratt; first vice president, Mrs. Arthur Wait; second vice president, Mrs. Thomas D. McManus; secretary, Mrs. J. V. McIntosh; financial secretary, Mrs. R. L. Corbett; treasurer, Mrs. C. J. Kneeland; librarian, Mrs. Callie Thacker, who has held this office many years. Board of Directors: Mrs. L. Soule, Mrs. J. B. Haviland, Mrs. Frank Kafka, Mrs. C. F. Hunter, Mrs. B. Thirlby and Mrs. O. P. Carver.


Traverse City has also a convenient and well arranged Carnegie li- brary of some eight thousand volumes, which is a further credit to her enterprise and intelligence. Miss Helen Stout is the librarian. The City Library is also a tribute to the women, having its origin in the Woman's Club of the Carnegie Library organized in 1891.


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BOARD OF TRADE


Traverse City can point to no one agency which is doing more for her advancement all along the line than her Board of Trade, which is the outgrowth of a Business Men's Association that was formed in 1886 and was carried on until it was permanently organized as a Board of Trade in 1899, with C. E. Hale as secretary, since which time the following gentlemen have filled that important office: Thomas Smurth- waite, J. W. Hannen, W. H. Umlor, M. S. Sanders, H. Montague and now M. B. Holley, who is the first paid secretary that it ever has had. The work was growing so fast that it was found that a paid officer was


BUREAU OF INFORMATION D OF TRADE


THE BUREAU OF INFORMATION


absolutely necessary. Former Mayor A. V. Friedrich was one of the active presidents, as were Mayor John R. Santo and W. H. Umlor, judge of the recorder's court. The Board has a neat building of its own at the foot of Cass street. It is designated "Bureau of Informa- tion, Board of Trade," and if ever a structure was well named it is this one. Mr. Holley, the secretary, is a storehouse of information, and the Traverse City Board of Trade is one of the most energetic publish- ing houses in Northern Michigan.


THE BANKS


The Traverse City State Bank is the oldest of the solid financial institutions which assist so materially in maintaining the good stand- ing of the place. It is also a child of Hannah, Lay & Company. When that firm entered the banking business in 1856, it was composed of Perry Hannah, A. Tracy Lay, James Morgan and William Morgan. For


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a period of thirty-six years, or until 1892, this private bank as man- aged and controlled by its founders was a financial stronghold, its in- tegrity never questioned, and safely passed through all panics and business disturbances. The duties of the partners were divided, Mr. Hannah looking after the interests in Traverse City and Mr. Lay the interests at Chicago, where their extensive lumber yards were located. In 1892 the private banking house of Hannah, Lay & Company was re- organized and incorporated under the laws of the state of Michigan as the Traverse City State Bank, with a fully paid up capital stock of $100,000. The first officers were Perry Hannah, president; A. Tracy Lay, vice president; J. T. Hannah, cashier, and Samuel Garland, as- sistant cashier, and they together with James Morgan and William Morgan subscribed for the stock. In 1903 the capital stock was in- creased to $200,000. In 1904, upon the death of Perry Hannah, his son, J. T. Hannah, assumed the responsibility of the local management. In 1905, when Providence called this young and promising son to join his father, A. Tracy Lay was elected president, R. Floyd Clinch, vice president, and Samuel Garland, cashier. The present officers are A. Tracy Lay, president ; R. Floyd Clinch, vice president; Harry C. Davis, vice president, and A. J. Maynard, cashier, the last named assuming his position upon the recent death of Mr. Garland. The resources of the Traverse City State Bank were $381,000 in September, 1911; its cap- ital stock, $200,000; surplus and profits, $105,000, and deposits, $1,- 887,000.


The First National Bank of Traverse City first opened for business in the old Leach building, April 9, 1885. During its entire history the bank has had only three presidents: John C. Lewis, who was elected at the time of its organization, acted until 1894, when John T. Beadle was elected the first time. H. S. Hull was president from 1896 to 1902, at which Mr. Beadle, the present incumbent, was again chosen. There have been four cashiers of the bank: C. A. Hammond, W. L. Ham- mond, Frank Welton and the present cashier, Leon F. Titus, who has held this position since 1903. When the bank was established, it was capitalized at $50,000; in March, 1905, the capital was increased to $100,000, under a renewed charter granted by the United States gov- ernment.


In the spring of 1906 the bank purchased the lot on the northeast corner of Front and Cass streets where its present building was erected. The cornerstone of the new First National Bank building was laid on July 30, 1908, under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the state of Michigan. The ceremonies were di- rected with appropriate dignity by Grand Master Montague of Trav- erse City. Next to the opening of the new building, the laying of the cornerstone was the most significant event in the history of the bank. The resources of the First National Bank in September, 1911, amounted to $1,046,000, and its liabilities as follows: Capital and surplus, $125,- 000; bank note circulation, $100,000, and deposits, $821,000.


The Peoples Savings Bank was organized in November, 1902. Its resources amount to $406,000; capital stock, $60,000; surplus and un- divided profits, $2,800; deposits, $342,000. Present officers: H. S.


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Hull, president; A. V. Friedrich and Charles Wilhelm, vice presidents ; M. O. Robinson, cashier.


NORTHERN MICHIGAN INSANE ASYLUM


The Northern Michigan Asylum for the Insane at Traverse City was organized in 1881 and the first patient received November 30, 1885. Its first cost was $522,430.68 and its present value is $1,046,862.46. The property consists of forty-two buildings, occupying a site of 728 acres and the asylum cares for 1,384 patients.


The trustees of the Northern Michigan Asylum are: Thomas T.


NORTHERN MICHIGAN INSANE ASYLUM, TRAVERSE CITY


Bates and H. C. Davis, Traverse City; W. W. Mitchell, Cadillac; M. F. Quaintance, Petoskey ; W. Lloyd, Manistee, and E. S. Wager, Ed- more. Resident officers: Drs. James D. Munson, medical superintend- ent; A. S. Rowley and W. D. Mueller, assistant superintendents ; R. E. Wells and Adah Epperson, assistant physicians. Rev. D. Cochlin and Samuel Garland, both of Traverse City, are respectively chaplain and treasurer. The evolution of the hospital has been along many lines-development of its grounds, clearing and additions to its farms, and enlargement of the hospital by the construction of cottages and extensions to the main building. There has been a broadening out in the care of the insane; isolated provision is made for the treatment of tubercular patients, training school for nurses has been established and maintained. a dietician employed to look after foods and their prep- aration, and skilled men placed in charge of the gardens, green houses, orchards and other farm departments.


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COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY


Grand Traverse county has a growing medical society with a mem- bership of about 25. It was organized in 1902 with the following offi- cers: Drs. A. S. Rowley, president; O. Kneeland, vice president; O. E. Chase, secretary, and F. P. Lawton, treasurer. Present officers : Drs. E. B. Minor, president; F. Houseworth, vice president, and R. E. Wells, secretary-treasurer.


VILLAGE AND TOWN HISTORY


The village of Kingsley, formerly Paradise, was brought into exist- ence by the building of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad and was named in honor of Judson W. Kingsley, an early settler of Paradise township who came into the region about 1865. He was the first mer- chant and postmaster of the village, which was platted in 1882 by Dr. Myron S. Brownson, a pioneer physician, large land holder and founder of many early industries in the southern part of Grand Traverse county. Kingsley is a growing little place, with four churches, flour and plan- ing mills, bank, electric light and water plant, and a good school.


The village of Fife Lake was brought into being by the building of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad. In the spring and summer of 1872 two villages were platted, called respectively "North Fife Lake" and "Fife Lake." The latter was made in June, 1872, by L. L. Shaw and others of Grand Rapids, and the north town was platted about the same time by Thomas T. Bates, who purchased the land of Hon. Mor- gan Bates. All contentions between North Fife Lake and Fife Lake were settled by the incorporation of the village under the latter name in 1889. It has now several churches, a fine school, weekly paper and a well established bank and is quite a shipping point for lumber prod- ucts and potatoes.


Traverse and Peninsula townships were organized at the time of the county, in 1851; Whitewater in 1859; Grant in 1866; Mayfield, East Bay, Long Lake and Blair in 1867; Paradise in 1870; Fife Lake in 1873; Garfield in 1882; and Green Lake in 1883.


David R. Curtis, a cousin of Gen. Curtis, settled near the present site of Yuba postoffice in what is now the town of East Bay in 1852.


In 1853 Messrs. Voice & Nelson built a sawmill at the head of East Bay, and the following year sold the property to Green & Holden who added steam to the water power.


Captain F. Mullerty settled near the present site of Acme post- office, in 1853, and was followed the next year by Isaac Love, W. H. Fife, Gilbert Ainslie, Orrin B. Paige and A. T. Allen. Among those who came soon after were the Pulciphers, Joseph Sours, Enos Peck, George Brown and H. S. Beach, who settled in what are now East Bay and Whitewater townships.


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CHAPTER X


CHARLEVOIX COUNTY


DIVERSE ADVANTAGES-THE COUNTY STATISTICALLY- THE PINE LAKE REGION-HOLY ISLAND-KNOWN THREE CENTURIES AGO-RULE OF KING STRANG-THE COUNTY AND THE COUNTY SEAT-ORGANIZATION OF TOWNS-CHARLEVOIX AS A VILLAGE-THE CHARLEVOIX AND CHI- CAGO RESORTS-CHARLEVOIX AS A CORPORATION-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-BANKS-BOYNE CITY-EAST JORDAN-OTHER COUNTY COMMUNITIES.


Charlevoix county, northeast of Grand Traverse bay, is one of the most prosperous and progressive sections of Grand Traverse region, and has attained its standing through several channels. In fact, per- haps of all the counties in western Michigan none presents more diver- sified advantages than Charlevoix. It has a national fame as a resort for seekers after health and recreation and its business houses feel the effects of the stimulation of the summer months throughout the entire year. Much of her permanent settlement has been derived from vis- itors who came only as transients but were charmed into lifelong resi- dence.


COUNTY'S DIVERSE ADVANTAGES


Boyne City, with its 5,000 people, and East Jordan and Charlevoix, each of about 2,500 population, are also industrial centers which turn out all kinds of lumber products, leather, cement, flour, beet sugar, agricultural implements, fruit packages, chemicals and various iron fabrications.


As a fruit-raising and an agricultural section Charlevoix county has taken her first steps, albeit she is far advanced in horticulture. With an area of 270,720 acres, 109,000 acres are already devoted to orchards and farms; and it is estimated, that another 100,000 acres are available for cultivation.


The surface of Charlevoix county is gently rolling, dotted here and there with beautiful lakes and veined with streams well stocked with fish. Its remaining timber is mostly hardwood, which supplies many of the factories with their raw material. Fruit growing can nowhere be carried on with better assurance of success, as the influence of the lake usually keeps frosts off until the beginning of winter, and as her harvests are later than those of Southern Michigan during the last of


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the seasons her pears, berries and apples bring unusually high prices. The county also enjoys good home markets, particularly in the warm seasons. Outside of fruits, the large and standard crops are potatoes and seeds of every variety, with sugar beets as close competitors. Dairy- ing and poultry raising are also growing and already profitable indus- tries.


All of which goes to prove the original statement, that perhaps the strongest characteristic of Charlevoix county is the diversity of her advantages.


Two organizations which are doing much for the development of the region are the County Chamber of Commerce and the Charlevoix County Agricultural Society. The former is an association of Boyne City, Charlevoix and East Jordan business men and farmers who work in harmony to inform the public as to the true "inwardness" of the county and all its institutions.


Organized in 1885, the Charlevoix County Agricultural Society has held a creditable fair each fall since, each annual exhibition increasing in variety, size and interest. Some years ago the society acquired forty acres of ground near East Jordan, and erected buildings which were then ample for the housing of the exhibits, but with the rapid progress in horticultural and agricultural matters of recent years in 1910 it was found necessary to erect the modern and up-to-date buildings which now stand upon the grounds.


THE COUNTY STATISTICALLY


The best idea of the comparative wealth of the townships and cities of the county is obtained from the 1911 assessment of real and personal property.


Townships and Cities


Acres


Real


Personal


Total


Bay


10,064


$ 125,665


$ 11,690


$ 137,355


Boyne Valley


22,334


251,440


63,800


315,240


Chandler


23,039


230,670


49,350


280,020


Charlevoix twp.


3,871


170,630


8,150


178,780


Evangeline


6,938


58,235


932


59,167


Eveline


15,856


207,760


11,770


219,530


Hayes


19,030


214,705


27,650


245,355


Hudson


22,226


162,850


36,280


199,130


Marion


16,020


252,025


23,935


275,960


Melrose


19,016


351,650


52,568


404,218


Norwood


11,512


176,165


24,770


200,935


Peaine




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