Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. I, Part 10

Author: Fisher, Ernest B., editor
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, R.O. Law Company
Number of Pages: 581

USA > Michigan > Kent County > Grand Rapids > Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. I > Part 10

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).

Still another picture of the conditions and those times is given by Mrs. Marion White, in Volume 30, of the Pioneer Collections. In this she says: "From Middleville to Ada, the direct route to Grand Rapids was a dense forest, an unbroken wilderness, without an in- habitant. We were on the direct line (at Yankee Springs) of the great Indian trail running from Detroit to Grand Rapids, which passed directly through Barry County, but we were not long alone. The fur trader and the speculator were abroad in the land, and to fill the increasing demands of the weary traveler our little cottage of two rooms was extended, building after building, until we occupied 'nine stories on the ground,' seven distinct buildings in a row in the front and two additional in the back.

"The extreme ends of the old house were named. The one farthest south was 'Kalamazoo,' and the one farthest north was 'Grand Rapids.' The Kalamazoo was considered the 'best room' and was furnished rather better than the others, and the better class of people occupied it, generally bridal parties, etc.

"The man without money was treated as well as the man whose pocket bulged with the currency of that day. Ministers of all denom- inations, irrespective of creed, were entertained free of charge, but were expected to hold an evening service in our large dining-room, and men were sent out to notify the neighbors to that effect. The first Episcopal service I ever heard was rendered there by Dr. Francis Cuming, who was journeying to Grand Rapids to settle over St. Mark's church in that city.

"We were in very close touch with the people at Grand Rapids in the early days and visited often in their families. Much of our trading was done there and although thirty-eight miles distant from us, we made frequent journeys there. I remember seeing Louis Cam- pau and Rix Robinson-those grand pioneers-the earliest.

"There was a period when the Yankee Springs property was considered very valuable and the Rathbones, in Grand Rapids, wished to exchange their hotel property for our own, we to retain the farm lands. This Grand Rapids property is now worth several hundred thousand dollars, and is the present location of the Widdicomb Build- ing, corner of Monroe and Market streets."

By the end of the year 1835, the population of Grand Rapids was estimated at between seventy and one hundred, and the population in the county outside of Grand Rapids was between twenty-five and

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SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION

fifty. Louis Campau had platted that portion of the town which he had pre-empted and wisely planned to take advantage of the new commercial activities. The Kent company had been formed, and N. O. Sargeant had arrived with his band of workers to dig the canal, as planned by Lucius Lyon ; John Almy was platting the Kent Com- pany land, to be called the village of Kent, and considerable bitter- ness had arisen between the Campau and the Lyon interests. Joel Guild was by this time an "old settler," and, as deputy postmaster, performed the duties of that office for Mr. Slater. The Indians out- numbered the white population more than ten to one, and settlement was retarded by the fact that the vast territory north of the Grand River was still owned by the Indians, so that no white man could gain clear title to any of that land.

The year 1836 was filled with events of interest to the Grand Riv- er Valley, to Michigan, and to the United States. Andrew Jackson, as President, had secured the defeat of the renewal of the charter for the United States bank, and the currency issued by banks chartered under State laws had begun to flood the country. The time of redemp- tion had not come, prices were inflated, pocketbooks were filled to bursting, and there was an eager rush from the East, not only of workers and settlers, but of capital seeking investments. These were days not only of "wild cat" banks, but of "wild cat" schemes of every description. The future looked rosy to all. The West was a field not only for the work of the plow, but for the play of the imagination, and thus hundreds of paper cities were laid out all over the West and Northwest-cities the names of which are only recalled by those delv- ing in the annals of the past. The Erie Canal was one long line of tow boats, bringing colonists to the West, and the rivers and trails of Southern Michigan became alive with the boats or the wagons and teams of would-be settlers. The fact that Lucius Lyon had been elected to the United States Senate, and that he was enthusiastically interested in Grand Rapids, did very much toward directing attention to this locality, and to his publicity work were added the well founded reports of the great water power to be developed, of the wonderful timber lands, and of the deposits of salt and gypsum. Earlier settle- ments had been retarded by the prevalence of "fever and ague," which affected, more or less, all of the newcomers; the epidemic of cholera at Detroit, in which the Governor of Michigan Territory lost his life, and the Black Hawk War which raged throughout Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin, caused uneasiness in Michigan and Indiana, and unbound- ed terror in the hearts of the more timid Easterners. Black Hawk was conquered and imprisoned by 1836; the fever abated as settle- ment grew, and the epidemic of cholera ended at Detroit. So early as Nov. 9, 1831, the Michigan Journal and Advertiser said of this re- gion :

"Land joining Grand River is exceedingly fertile, abounding with prairies of the richest alluvial soil. The largest corn I ever saw was that raised by the Indians on these prairies. Many hundred farms might be conducted here, all of the best kind, and there would be but little choice. A gentleman who is now surveying the country in every part of the Territory, accords with me in the opinion that the Grand River country, taking all its advantages into consideration, is the fin- est portion of our new Territory."

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN

With all these favorable conditions settlers poured into Grand Rapids all through the year 1836. They came along four principal routes. The northern route was via Pontiac and west across Shiawa- see, Clinton and Ionia counties. John Ball came by this route, find- ing it a day's journey from house to house between Ionia and Pon- tiac. The comparatively short portage between Saginaw and Grand River was an item in favor of this route, for water transportation was by far the easiest method known to the pioneer, The other routes were known as the Grand River road, the Territorial road, and the much longer, but more comfortable, route by the Great Lakes. What is called the Grand River road was the shortest from Detroit, but was obstructed by heavy timber. The Territorial road extended west from Ann Arbor through Jackson, Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties, settlers turning off from Jackson, Battle Creek or Kalamazoo to reach their northern destinations. The workmen under N. O. Sargeant, coming in 1835, took this road to Jackson and then floated down the Grand River in flat bottom scows, and this road was adopted by many settlers, and during 1836, the combined effort of pioneers at Bellevue, Marshall and Vermontville had cut a possible road through to Ionia. From the south to Grand Rapids, the road led through the western part of Barry county, and the old Indian trail led from Kalamazoo, through Gull Prairie, to the celebrated hotel at Yankee Springs ; thence down the Thornapple River to the site used chiefly for the transportation of supplies, although a number of Grand Rapids pio- neers came by water.

Another favorable condition to settlement was the nearer ap- proach to real statehood. For the second time in its history, Michi- gan was nominally under two governments. Following the Revolu- tionary War, it was both British and American and, from 1835 to 1837, it was both a State and a Territory. The Ordinance of 1787 pro- vided that when a territory acquired sufficient population it might or- ganize as a State by the adoption of a constitution not at variance with the Constitution of the United States or with other State consti- tutions. Having reached the required population, Michigan had tak- en these steps, in 1835, and, as already noted, had held a constitutional convention and had elected Lucius Lyon and John Norvell, Sena- tors ; and Stevens T. Mason as the first Governor. The question of the south boundary arose and this was complicated by the attitude of the Slave States, which were at all times anxious to delay the admis- sion of a new free State. Lucius Lyon fought bravely for the rights of Michigan to the south, but his superior knowledge of the wealth of the upper peninsula made him more ready to accept the compromise offered by Congress when admission to the Union was at first refused with the boundaries described by the constitutional convention. Presi- dent Jackson, in the face of an approaching Presidential election, was much more favorably inclined to the voters of the state of Ohio than to the voteless inhabitants of Michigan Territory. The full weight of the Democratic party was, therefore, used to urge a compromise and, in November, 1836, the Democratic committee of Wayne County issued circulars favoring the calling of another convention. Governor Mason gave opinion that the consent of the legislature was not neces- sary, and this convention, held by many to have been called without

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SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION

authority, met at Ann Arbor, Dec. 14, 1836, and yielded to the de- mands of Congress. All question as to the legality of this convention was eagerly waived by the Democratic majority in Congress, and Michigan became a real State Jan. 26, 1837, with Ohio receiving the disputed strip and the upper peninsula being added to Michigan; al- though the northern and western boundaries were in dispute between Great Britain and the United States, and between Michigan and Wis- consin for a number of years.

Quite the most important event affecting Grand Rapids as a whole, during the year 1836, was the Indian treaty by which the lands in Michigan north of Grand River were ceded to the United States. The preliminary work of this treaty was done by H. R. Schoolcraft in his work among the tribes of Northern Michigan, much of it in the upper peninsula. As knowledge of the value of the territory for lumbering and agriculture became better known, the eyes of the white men were eagerly fixed upon Northern Michigan, and it was deter- mined to secure this cession from the Indians. From the standpoint of the ultimate good of civilization, and as following the law of the survival of the fittest, there can be no question as to its wisdom, but the Indians were, for a pittance, robbed of their homes and of their rich inheritance. Something of the Indian attitude and the rather questionable methods used to obtain the consent of the representa- tives of the tribes has already been told in the words of Isaac Mc- Coy. As Senator and as a man with large financial interests through- out Michigan, and especially at Grand Rapids, Lucius Lyon was great- ly interested in having this treaty arranged.

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CHAPTER V.

OTHER SETTLEMENTS AND INCIDENTS

POPULATION IN 1836-PROMINENT PIONEERS-WILLIAM HALDANE- WILLIAM A. RICHMOND-ROBERT HILTON-LOREN M. PAGE- LOVELL MOORE-FIRST BOOKSTORE-SOLOMON L. WITHEY-JOHN BALL-BOOM DAYS-LEONARD COVELL-HARRY DEAN-GEORGE YOUNG-JOSIAH L. WHEELER-JOHN T. HOLMES-WILLIAM MOR- MAN-ANDREW WATSON-FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATIONS- CLOSE OF THE YEAR 1837.

Estimates of the population of Grand Rapids at the close of 1836 varied all the way from 500 to 1,000, but it is safe to assume that the smaller number was more nearly correct. Even at that, the population was five-fold that of the preceding year, and during the course of the twelve months, the drifting population was undoubtedly large, as many visited the region, some to return and some to locate in other sections of the West. It would be impossible to give the names of all those who called Grand Rapids their home at this time, but some there were who remained and established themselves and who constituted the dramatis personae of the western village for the next generation. That they were splendid citizens, the great majority drawn from the best blood of New England and New York, is shown by the high percentage of those who achieved lasting reputation, and who, amid great discour- agement, won success. Such a community could not be found in the United States today. The majority of both men and women were between twenty-five and thirty years of age, and upon them fell the responsibilities which now would fall upon much older shoulders. Men over forty-five years were rare, and were regarded almost as patriarchs. There were children, but few youths. Naturally, it was only the hardy and adventurous who had left comfortable homes to face the hardships of the wilderness. They had the buoyancy of youth and magnificent optimism. They were fun loving, full of animal spirits, and some of them, at times, full of spirits frumenti. Whiskey was cheap, poor, and plentiful, and was the chief relief of many from the hardships and from daily toil. It is easy to say that there were no railroads, but it is hard to realize the fact-harder still to vision a Grand Rapids with the patient ox as the chief reliance for overland transportation, and the canoe and mud scow for travel de luxe. Not only were they without electric lights and gas, but the use of kerosene as an illuminant had · not been discovered. Even lard oil was a discovery of a later date, and the tallow dip and the bears' grease candle was the source of light for those foolish enough to remain awake after sundown. Manufac- tured articles of all kinds were scarce and high, owing to transport- ation difficulties. Their clothes were home spun, but not of their own spinning, for they had as yet no sheep, no wool, and no weaving appliances. Books were few, and highly prized; newspapers were almost as rare and valuable ; and not only all this, but food was scarce.

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OTHER SETTLEMENTS AND INCIDENTS

On all sides there were seemingly unending forests, but these must be cleared and planted before crops could be grown, and this was a work of much time, even for the most willing hands. What they had, therefore, was what they brought with them, the little that could be transported under the conditions just indicated, and what they made themselves. That they accomplished so much, that they took the time and gave attention to the founding of churches, and schools, and social institutions, when the conditions of life were so hard and exacting, is one of the things of which their descendants can be most proud. One can readily overlook their follies and even their vices, in view of their great accomplishments and the splendid foundation which they laid for a future civilization.

The most important part of the history of Grand Rapids and Kent County at this time is found in a statement concerning the men attracted to the community who became factors in its life and growth : Amos Hosford Smith came from New York City with Simeon P. and B. Walter Smith, and Edward P. Camp, in December, 1835. He was twenty-three years old when he reached Grand Rapids. The party had come on horseback from Monroe, but at Gull Prairie they had procured sleighs and engaged Robert Scales to guide them. They swam their horses through the icy waters of the Thornapple River, and secured lodgment at the home of Edward Robinson, and the next day had reached Joel Guild's hospitable home at Grand Rapids. Mr. Smith opened a store near the Eagle Hotel, and in merchandising and bookkeeping found employment until 1850, when he was the captain of the steamboat Algoma. One of his first accomplishments was to start the first Sunday School in Grand Rapids, in the room over his store, this being one of the beginnings of the Congregational Society, although Mr. Smith was in later years a vestryman of St. Mark's Episcopal Church. In 1839 he was married to Mary M. Nelson and both he and his wife were prominent in the later history of the com- munity.

William Haldane has been called the father of cabinet making in Grand Rapids. He was but twenty years old when he came here, in 1836, and within a year he had established himself in a frame build- ing on Prospect Hill at the southwest corner of Ottawa and Pearl. He soon returned to Ohio, but came back to Grand Rapids, three years later, with the first machine for chairmaking ever brought to Michigan, and he was engaged in the manufacture of furniture and the undertaking business until 1871. It was upon his return to Mich- igan that he built the first brick house in Grand Rapids, bringing the brick from Milwaukee. This building was torn down, in 1890, to give way for the erection of the Michigan Trust Building. Luman and Lucius Jenison were New York twins, twenty-three years of age, when they first settled seven miles down the river. They were some- what eccentric, and acquired much wealth as lumbermen in Ottawa County. Hezekiah Green was a pioneer of 1836, and with him came his daughter Mary, who succeeded Miss Bond as teacher at the mission schoolhouse, in 1839, in the first exclusive school for white children, and who became Mrs. William T. Blakely, in 1842.

William Almy Richmond, born in New York, in 1808, came to Grand Rapids in 1836, soon became interested with the Kent Company I-6

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82 HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN

and, in later years, was a representative of the Lyon interests here. He was a strong factor in the politics of the community, aided in the construction of the first lattice bridge across Grand River, and that he was recognized from the first as a man of exceptional abilities is shown by the fact that during his first year of residence he was chosen as a delegate from the district of Clinton, Ionia and Kent Counties to the convention at which the terms of Statehood offered Michigan by Congress were rejected. Throughout succeeding pages, Mr. Rich- mond will be mentioned many times. Samuel L. Fuller was but eighteen years old when he came as an assistant to John Almy in making the improvements at Grand Rapids. He was one of the incorporators of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, and of Kent Scientific Institute. He left Grand Rapids in 1840, however, and did not return to this city until 1867, when he entered the banking business with his brother, Edward P. Fuller. Samuel F. Perkins was the pioneer tanner, estab- lishing himself just above Michigan street on the east bank of the river, continuing in the business until 1867, a part of the time in partnership with William Woodward, and the remainder as an indi- vidual. He built up a successful business, in spite of the fact that three times he was visited by disastrous fires. Ebenezer Davis estab- lished himself near Leonard street on the west side of the river, and later became a pioneer of Wyoming Township. With him came his young son, Horace W., who, in manhood, was one of the prominent officials of the city and county. An important addition to the com- munity was the gristmill erected at Coldbrook by Dwight and James Lyman, with Mr. Fish and John C. Stonehouse as millers. Gypsum was ground at this mill, in 1838, and, later, wood turning machinery was added. The foundations for what was long known as the "big mill" were laid in this year as a part of the Kent Company's enterprise. N. O. Sargeant was associated with Lucius Lyon in this, but he sold his interests to Almy, Richmond & Carroll. The mill was completed the year following, by the Kent Company, with Smith & Brownell as the builders, and was operated by James A. Rumsey until 1845.

Robert Hilton was one of the older men of the community, having been born in New Hampshire, in 1799, and thus boasted of thirty-seven years when he first came to Grand Rapids. He was a carpenter, and at once found plenty of work. He farmed on his claim, several miles below the Rapids, and his first work in the city was on the old National Hotel, Judge Morrison's residence, and, later, the store of Nelson Brothers, known as the Grinnell Block. He was early recognized as a man of strong character, and was chosen as a justice of the peace soon after his arrival. Col. Nehemiah Hathaway settled in Grandville, and installed the first trip-hammer at McCray's Machine Shop, in 1840, being succeeded by his son, Charles W., who continued the busi- ness, established a reputation as a maker of fine tools, and was known as the inventor of steel fingers for grain cradles. Israel Victor Harris was a merchant of this year, coming on foot to Grand Rapids, where he was joined by his brother, Silas G. Harris. They entered into the general merchandising business with James M. Smith. Mr. Harris came with a military record, having been captain of a company of New York State militia. He was later a supervisor, and was a member of the State Senate. His brother Silas was a member of the Legis-

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OTHER SETTLEMENTS AND INCIDENTS

lature when twenty-five years of age, and was Speaker of the House, but died in his youth.

Loren M. Page was born in Vermont, in 1811, came to Grand Rapids as a painter, and lived a long and honorable life in the com- munity . Five of his sons enlisted in the Union army, and he took considerable interest in the schools of the city, served as Alderman in 1851. He was also one of the pioneers, in a small way, in the chair- making industry, in 1841, but his chief work was as a painter and decorator, and in this line he was known for nearly fifty years.

One of the most important men coming to the community was Lovell Moore. He was born at Shirley, Mass., in 1797, and in April, 1831, with his brothers, John and Hiram, he made a trip of exploration to Michigan Territory. He practiced law at Comstock from 1833 to 1836, and in the fall of that year came with his family to Grand Rapids, being one of the first lawyers in the city. He lived at the Baptist mission house on the west side of the river and his office was on the east side, so that his Indian canoe, with his name boldly painted on it, was his private ferry. His genial disposition soon made him many friends and he was elected as justice of the peace. In 1840 he removed to the east side of the river, living on the corner of Fulton and Division streets. He was later prominent in the organization of the Republican party and was one of the strong men of the commu- nity throughout his life. Jacob Barns came with his father, in 1836, the family residence being on the corner of Division and Fountain streets, which was then in a swamp, and it was sometimes necessary to use a boat to get home. He early drifted into the printers' trade and helped to raise the first printing press used in Grand Rapids from the bed of Grand River, where it was deposited by an accident. In another ten years he had become a part owner of the Grand Rapids "Enquirer" and later was connected with the "Daily Enquirer and Herald." He was Register of the United States Land Office under Buchanan, and was interested in the Detroit "Free Press" during the war, after which he returned to Grand Rapids and went into an un- successful milling venture with A. X. Cary. His last years were spent at Traverse City, and he was buried in Grand Rapids. Philander Tracy, a sailor by trade, came to Grand Haven, in 1834, and to Grand Rapids in 1836. He was a lumberman and soon removed to Lowell, returning to Grand Rapids in 1840, and being elected associate judge. Oren McClure, a Vermonter, settled at Coldbrook, and Horace Mc- Clure was the competitor of Loren Page as a painter. Kendall Wood- ward was one of the first mechanics and builders and located at the foot of Pearl and Monroe streets. Thomas Sargeant came with his brother, Nathaniel, and may be called Grand Rapids' first landscape gardener, for with his team he built many of the terraces which beau- tified the city. He was also a member of one of the first fire com- panies. Knowlton S. Pettibone was well known as a surveyor and civil engineer and was one of the founders of the Division Street Methodist Church. He followed his profession in Grand Rapids for more than forty years. One of the most influential men, coming in 1836, was Charles H. Taylor, who is spoken of by John Ball as one of the leading lights of the pioneer debating association, and who served as county clerk, member of the Legislature, Secretary of State, Reg-

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN

ister of the United States Land Office, postmaster and editor, and was almost constantly before the public during the course of his long and honorable career in Grand Rapids. Solomon Withey, who was also mentioned by John Ball as the second proprietor of the Bridge Street Hotel, was a very popular newcomer, in 1836. He was interested with Yankee Lewis in the maintenance of mail and stage service be- tween Battle Creek and Grand Rapids.

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Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. I, Part 10

Author: Fisher, Ernest B., editor Publication date: 1918 Publisher: Chicago, R.O. Law Company Number of Pages: 581

Author: Fisher, Ernest B., editor
Publication date: 1918
Publisher: Chicago, R.O. Law Company
Number of Pages: 581