USA > Michigan > Kent County > Grand Rapids > Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. I > Part 42
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 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73
CHAPTER XXX. TYRONE TOWNSHIP
WHEN CREATED-CONDITIONS-MRS. LOUISA SCOTT-EARLY SETTLERS -FIRST RELIGIOUS SERVICES-KENT CITY-CASNOVIA-WATER COURSES-BEAVER DAM-LIST OF SUPERVISORS.
The organization of this township was provided for on Jan. 10, 1855. The act creating it provided that "all that part of the county of Kent designated in the United States survey as township number ten north, of range number twelve west, be and the same is hereby set off from the township of Sparta, and erected into a township by the name of Tyrone." The school house "near Mrs. Louisa Scott's" was designated as the place for holding the first township meeting, and the date thereof was the first Monday of April, 1855.
The township of course is in the form of a square, bounded on all sides by straight lines, six miles in length. The soil is exceedingly rich, and is not surpassed in fertility by any land in the county. The River Rouge furnishes the drainage of the township, taking a south- erly course through the eastern part. The Pere Marquette Railroad also traverses the township, with important stations at the villages of Kent City and Casnovia. The township is abundantly supplied with well kept roads. In the early days its territory was a popular hunt- ing ground, the heavy timber affording excellent cover and favorite resorts for all the larger game found in the State. Even after the general settlement had progressed for some years, large game was plentiful, and foreign hunting parties frequently visited the locality, and were well rewarded for their efforts. About three-fourths of the township was originally timbered with pine, which extended along the Rouge River in the east, and across the north part in connection with the great Muskegon belt. The southwest portion was timbered with beech and maple, interspersed with some pine throughout nearly the whole extent-there being but two sections, 30 and 31, which had none.
I-21
Hosted by
322
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN
In 1849 Mrs. Louisa Scott and family arrived to board workmen on the State road then being made on the west line of this township, by John Brooks, of Newaygo, who had the contract from the State. The family were deprived of the father, by insanity, a short time after going into the woods; but, owing to the great perseverance of Mrs. Scott, they remained and succeeded in building up a good home, and a fine farm on Section 31, in the southwest part of the township. In 1850, Lot Ferguson, from Hillsdale County, went about one mile farther and settled on the southwest part of Section 19, where the village of Casnovia now stands. Alfred Bonner settled on Section 30, but remained only a short time. In 1852, Jacob Smith, from Cleve- land, Ohio, and Harlow Jackson, from Branch County, Michigan, settled one mile east from the State road, and a mile north from the township line, on the State road from Cedar Springs to Muskegon. There was not a white settler east of them nearer than Greenville. In 1853, John Thompson came into the same neighborhood, from Tioga county, New York, and about the same time Joseph Kies came from Hillsdale County, Michigan, and settled near Mr. Ferguson. In 1855, Uriah Chubb, who had been living for a few years in Ottawa County, settled on the west part of Section 30, and Leander Smith, from Otsego County, New York, went into the Jackson neighborhood. About this time, Asa Clark and family, from Steuben County, New York, penetrated the forest northeast from Sparta Center, or Nash- ville, as it was then called, and built their cabin on Section 36, in the southeast part of the township. Here they had no neighbors, except those who came for a few months at a time to cut pine logs along the river, and during the Civil War they were the only regular settlers in the east part of the township. James Blackall, from Sparta, also went on Section 32, in 1855. From that time to the commencement of the Civil War there were many additions, and after the close of the war the population of the township increased very fast.
The first sermon preached in the township was by the Rev. Francis Prescott, the meeting being held at the pioneer school house on Section 31, in 1854. After that a missionary preacher, a Meth- odist, held meetings once in two weeks. In the first year, Elders Bennett, Congdon, and Smith held meetings. A Sabbath School was started at an early day, and William N. Wylie officiated as superin- tendent. The first school was taught by Miss Susan Field, who be- came the wife of Myron Buck, of Cedar Springs. The next winter the school was kept by Miss Nettie Wetmore, of Grand Rapids, who subsequently married D. Amos Rood. As early as 1853 a postoffice was established at Casnovia with Daniel Bennett as postmaster.
The village of Kent City is situated one mile north of the south- ern border of the township, on the Pere Marquette Railroad. It dates its settlement from 1874. The postoffice was formerly known as Ball Creek and the station as Tyrone. It has a public hall that will seat 1,000 people, Baptist and Methodist Episcopal Churches, a bank, a newspaper, and good public schools. The village is surrounded by a fine farming country. It was incorporated in 1908, and is an im- portant shipping point. Casnovia is a thriving little village on the line between Kent and Muskegon Counties. It was first settled by Lot Ferguson in 1850. He was the first to open his doors for the ac-
Hosted by Google
323
TYRONE TOWNSHIP
commodation of travelers, and he soon put out his sign and kept a regular country tavern. In a short time his little one-story log cabin became too small for the accommodation of his guests, and for that purpose he erected a good frame building, which was afterward kept by Mr. Mizner, and later by Mr. Heath, who erected a large hall ad- joining. The first store goods were sold in the village by H. Hamil- ton.
Rouge River, as stated before, is the principal stream in Tyrone township. It rises in Rice Lake, in the township of Grant, Newaygo County, about three miles north of the township line, enters Tyrone about one and one-half miles west of the northeast corner of the town- ship, flows a little east of south, and then flows out near the southeast corner into Sparta township. It is fed by several small streams, among which Duke Creek, which flows through Solon and comes in from the northeast on Section 36, is the largest. Ball Creek has its headwaters in several small streams in the west part of the township, flows southeast, and passes out into Sparta near the middle of the township line. A curiosity was plainly visible on this stream in an early day, on Section 33. It was no more nor less than an old beaver dam. This dam was about sixty rods long and rose to a height of three, four, and even five feet in some places. It was built in a zig- zag form, the sections being uniformly about two rods in length. It must have been built a long time ago, for large trees were found growing on the embankment. Where the pond was, the timber had been killed by the flowage, leaving nothing but a marsh. This pond had apparently covered from ten to fifteen acres, and perhaps more. The remains of trees, cut down by those curious and wonderful ani- mals, were found there, and it is said that they yet showed plainly the marks of teeth in the wood. The stream had broken through in three places. South Crockery Creek, in the southwest part of the town- ship, rises in Sparta, flows northwest through two small lakes, on Section 32, thence across 31 and out into Muskegon County, on the west. There is a lake of about twenty acres on the line of Sections 17 and 18, the outlet of which flows southeast, across the township into Rouge River. Another, nearly as large, near the center of Sec- tion 22, also has a small stream flowing from it to Rouge River. Orig- inally, there was considerable wet, swampy land in the northeast part of the township, and a few small swamps in various other parts, but they have all been successfully drained and are now excellent agri- cultural land.
The following are the names of those who have filled the position of supervisor of Tyrone township from the time of its organization down to the present: 1855, Uriah Chubb; 1861, Albert Clute; 1862, Milan L. Squier ; 1863, Joseph Keyes; 1865, Uriah Chubb; 1868, Charles T. Smith; 1869, James M. Armstrong; 1872, Augustus C. Ayers ; 1873, Henry C. Wylie; 1875, Henry J. Barrett; 1877, Henry H. Wylie; 1878, George Hemsley; 1881, George Snyder; 1887, Wil- liam W. Fenton ; 1889, George Snyder; 1891, Herman Coburn; 1892, Joseph Holben ; 1894, William W. Fenton; 1895, Joseph Holben ; 1896, William O. Holmes; 1897, William W. Fenton; 1898, William O. Holmes ; 1900, Charles S. Parks; 1903, William O. Holmes; 1905, Joseph Holben; 1908, William O. Holmes; 1909, Albert Jackson; 1914, William O. Holmes, present incumbent.
Hosted by
.
324
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN
Milan L. Squier was born near Oswego, N. Y., Nov. 6, 1835. With his parents he settled in Calhoun County, Michigan, in 1843, and afterward went to Hillsdale County, where his father died in 1873. Mr. Squier was bred a farmer, but at the age of twenty-five went to Kalamazoo and worked for a stage company two years ; then, in partnership with a man named O. C. Willard, he purchased the line between Grand Rapids and Croton, by way of Newaygo. They oper- ated the route until 1862, and during the Civil War Mr. Squier was in the southern part of the State in a boot and shoe store. He removed from Kent County in 1862 and returned in 1866, built a store at Cas- novia and embarked in the sale of general merchandise. In 1867 he was appointed postmaster, and he held the office of supervisor one term.
Henry H. Wylie was a native of New York, a son of Henry C. Wylie, also a native of the Empire State, of Scotch descent, and who was a predecessor of his son in the office of supervisor. In 1846 the family settled in Sparta and in 1859 they came to Tyrone, where the father died in 1877. Henry H. pursued farming the most of his life, although he gave considerable attention to the breeding of cattle and sheep-shorthorns and thoroughbreds. He enlisted in the Civil War, in 1864, in Battery A, First Michigan artillery, and served eleven months, when he was mustered out at Jackson. He held the position of supervisor one year.
CHAPTER XXXI. SOLON TOWNSHIP
ORGANIZATION-FIRST SETTLED-EDWIN G. ROGERS-FIRST TOWNSHIP MEETING-LAKES AND WATER COURSES-CEDAR SPRINGS-LIST OF SUPERVISORS.
The organization of this township dates from Jan. 7, 1857, on which date it was set off from the township of Algoma, with boun- daries described as follows: "Township 10 north, of range 11 west." And the Board of Supervisors, being empowered to designate the meeting place for the first township meeting, selected the house of Walter Rowe, which was considered a central location.
The surface of the township is generally rolling, and pine origi- nally predominated in the forests. The pine of course was inter- spersed with some grand old oaks in some parts, and in others with beech and occasionally a little maple. There were bears, deer, wolves, and wild-cats in great numbers, which afforded great sport for the local hunters in pioneer days.
The township was first settled in 1854. Some of the earlier resi- dents claimed that a Mr. Beals, who remained but a short time, was the first settler, and others that J. M. Rounds, who afterward resided in Algoma, was in advance. They were soon followed by John and Martin Hicks, from Indiana, and also Robbins Hicks, from Ohio. In 1856 and 1857, the Jewells, Smiths, Roys and Whispels came, pre- ceded in 1854 by Ansel Rogers.
Hosted by
325
SOLON TOWNSHIP
Ansel Rogers was born in Fabius, Onondaga County, New York, Sept. 16, 1806. He was reared to farming, and about 1853 came to Michigan, lived in Eaton County one year, and in 1854 purchased eighty acres of land in Solon township from the government at the regulation price of $1.25 per acre, the deed bearing date of April 1, 1854. This was the second farm taken up in the township, the Beal farm, near Cedar Springs, being the first. Mr. Rogers had made but a small start toward clearing away the heavy growth of beech and maple timber, when his son, Edwin G., arrived to render him valu- able aid in this toilsome work. The father was soon afterward called away, dying in April, 1865, and his remains were interred in the So- lon cemetery.
Edwin G. Rogers, who thus became in early life one of the pio- neers of Solon township, was born in Wyoming County, New York, March 15, 1839. At the age of seventeen years he came to Michigan, but remained only a short time, when he returned to New York, where he worked by the month at the rate of $7 a part of the time, and finally brought his sisters to the forest home which his father had entered in Solon township. The mother had died in 1852. There being no habitation as yet on the farm, young Rogers was forced to find shelter for himself and sisters with Elihu Brayman, a nearby neighbor, until they had erected a little log cabin, 16x20 feet, with mud and stick chimney. The whole of Solon township, then known as North Algoma, was an almost impenetrable forest, and Mr. Rog- ers' little trading was done at Rockford, thirteen miles distant, and then known as Laphamville. This long trip he made on foot, and on one occasion carried two 16-pound cakes of maple sugar on his back. On his return trip he journeyed via Porter's Hollow and took home a 50-pound sack of flour in a similar manner. One occasion an Indian came to the cabin of Mr. Rogers, asked for pen, ink, and paper, wrote in a legible hand a note to a neighbor of Mr. Rogers, and requested that it be delivered, per address, at the first favorable opportunity. Seeing that Mr. Rogers was surprised, the Indian explained as fol- lows: "I am an educated Indian; have been a college student, and am chief of this tribe."
J. D. Watkins, later a resident of Alpine township, settled on Section 26 in 1855. A steam saw-mill, capable of cutting 10,000,000 shingles and 2,000,000 feet of lumber per year, was erected by George French, of Rockford, on the southwest corner of Section 12, in 1868. A first-class steam saw-mill, on the north line of Section 1, was erect- ed in 1869 on the site of one built the year previous and destroyed by fire. The capacity of this mill was 20,000 feet of lumber and 16,000 shingles per day. The early mills in Solon township were generally run by steam, notwithstanding the fact that good water power could have been obtained on almost any section where the mills were lo- cated.
In accordance with the provisions of the resolution establishing the new township, the first township meeting was held on the first Monday in April, 1857, and officers were elected as follows: Edward Jewell, supervisor; John E. Roys, clerk; John D. Watkins, treas- urer ; Andrew Fluent, Munson Robinson, and Obadiah Smith, justices of the peace.
Hosted by
326
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN
John E. Roys was born Aug. 3, 1824, in Massachusetts, and he received his education in the high schools of that State. His early life was spent on a farm, and at the age of twenty-two he enlisted in the Mexican War, in the United States marines, on the ship "Inde- pendence," but most of his service was on land. He served four years before being finally discharged in 1850, after which he landed at San Francisco, Cal., and went into the gold mines. In 1853 he started for the States via Mexico, but on landing in that country he was stricken with the yellow fever and lay nigh unto death for some time. On his recovery he continued his journey and, in 1854, landed in New York, and the same year came to Michigan and settled in Kalamazoo for one year. In 1855 he came to Solon and settled on Section 35, on government land. He was the clerk of the meeting when the town- ship was organized. In 1862 he enlisted in the Twenty-first Michigan infantry, in Company H, and was with his regiment in five very se- vere battles, among them being Missionary Ridge. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Bentonville and was kept in confinement un- til the final surrender, when he was regularly discharged and re- turned home to his family.
Munson Robinson was born in New York, March 24, 1820. In early life he lived in Indiana, where he obtained a common school education, and in 1854 came to Solon township and settled on Section 20, where he spent the remainder of his life. All was then in a state of nature, and Mr. Robinson cut through four miles of woods to make his way to his place. He was one of the first justices of the peace in Solon township, and he also held other offices.
Obadiah Smith was born in Ontario County, New York, in 1832. His early education was obtained in the common schools, and most of his active life was spent in farming and lumbering until 1877, when he engaged in the practice of medicine. In 1855 he "took up" eighty acres of land on Section 11, and was also one of the first justices of the peace in Solon township, besides holding other township offices.
There is a small lake on the north line of Section 4, lying partly in Newaygo County, generally known as Gilbert Lake. One and a half miles east of this, on the northwest corner of Section 2, is a large, flowing spring, which is the source of White Creek. This stream flows southeasterly through three lakes, the first being on the lines of Sections 2 and 3, the next near the center of Section 2, and the third on the south line of Section 2 and partially in 7. This stream then flows a little east of south, to the north part of Section 24, where it unites with Duke Creek, flowing in from Nelson township. At the junction of these two streams, Messrs. Wellman & Company con- structed a dam in 1856, at a cost of $1,000, with the intention of erect- ing a large saw-mill, which, however, was not built. From this point Duke Creek flows in a southwesterly direction across the township and passes out on Section 30, into Tyrone township. It is fed by sev- eral small streams, the largest of which comes from a small lake near the center of Section 14 and known as Reed's Lake, and flows into the main creek on the north side of Section 28. In an early day this stream was much used for running logs to the Rouge River and thence to Grand River. There is a small lake on the north line of Section 15, known as Mud Lake, and the size of all of these lakes va- ries from ten to 100 acres each.
Hosted by Google
327
SOLON TOWNSHIP
The village of Cedar Springs was platted in 1859 and was incor- porated in 1871. It is situated twenty miles northeast from Grand Rapids, on the line of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, and lies about two-thirds in Solon and one-third in Nelson, one mile from their south line. The first settler here was Robbins Hicks, who came in 1855, and he has been previously mentioned as one of the early resi- dents of the township. There were but few inhabitants and but a very limited amount of business in the village until 1867, when the railroad was completed to that point. This immediately infused life into the place, and it continued to grow rapidly, as it was the north- ern terminal of the railroad for about two years. Since that time it has steadily progressed, and with an east and west road, the Grand Trunk, as a shipping point it has but few equals in rural regions. It has Baptist, Methodist Episcopal and Free Methodist Churches, a $20,000 school building, public hall, an opera house seating 500, a bank and two weekly newspapers-the "Clipper" and the "Liberal."
The following is a list of the supervisors of Solon township from its organization down to the present time: 1857, Edward Jewell; 1859, Nicholas R. Hill; 1860, Edward Jewell; 1862, Nicholas R. Hill; 1863, Edward Jewell; 1864, Edward Pryce; 1865, Oliver P. Jewell ; 1866, John J. Dean; 1867, Reuben W. Jewell; 1868, Mindrus H. Whitney ; 1869, Asel B. Fairchild; 1871, Benjamin Fairchild; 1872, Edward Pryce; 1878, Asel B. Fairchild ; 1880, Oliver R. Lewis ; 1883, Albert G. Rose; 1884, Jeremiah Payne; 1888, Edmund C. Wood- worth; 1897, Lewis G. Sevey; 1901, Adelbert Birch; 1903, Edmund C. Woodworth; 1907, Lewis G. Sevey; 1909, Dennis J. Verburg ; 1911, John B. Maynard; 1913, Walter Spaeth; 1915, Dennis J. Ver- burg ; 1916, Lewis G. Sevey, present incumbent.
Oliver Perry Jewell was born in Hector, Schuyler County, New York, March 22, 1825. His education was mainly obtained in the common schools of his native town, and he learned the trade of printer in the city of New York, where he spent his spare time at Cornelius Institute. He taught five terms of district school, and came to Cedar Springs in the fall of 1857, and in connection with his father pur- chased a farm. The following fall he brought his family, made some improvements and partly built a house, but owing to the ill health of himself and wife returned to New York State, in August, 1859. In 1860 he was engaged on the Seneca County Sentinel, published at Ovid, N. Y., and on the breaking out of the Civil War he became the publisher of the paper and labored ardently in behalf of the Union cause. A year later he disposed of the office and engaged as a jour- neyman printer at Syracuse and Penn Yan, N. Y. He returned to Michigan in 1863, on the death of his father. In 1864 he was en- gaged a few months on the Grand Rapids "Eagle," and in 1867 went to Chicago, where he worked at his trade about five years.
John J. Dean was born in Warren County, New York, Nov. 26, 1819. He was reared a farmer's boy, and obtained his education in the common schools. At the age of twenty-two he learned the black- smith trade and followed it until 1864, when he came to Courtland township, Kent County, and subsequently to Cedar Springs, where he pursued his trade.
Asel B. Fairchild was born Nov. 5, 1826, in New York. He was educated in the common schools of Michigan and Indiana and was
Hosted by Google
328
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN
sent to an academy two years. He was by trade a machinist and passed many years in its pursuit. He served in the Civil War as a veterinary surgeon and remained until 1864. He settled at Cedar Springs in 1865, and entered trade, and two and a half years later commenced lumbering. At the expiration of ten years he turned his attention to farming and breeding horses. He served in several offi- cial positions in Nelson and Solon townships.
Jeremiah Payne was born in Niagara County, New York, in 1827. He was educated in his native state and reared on a farm. He was ordained as a minister at the age of twenty-nine and commenced his ministerial work. He organized 100 societies of the United Brethren Church and dedicated thirty churches. His first year of ministerial work was spent in Wisconsin, where he itinerated, traveling afoot and preaching wherever opportunity served, sometimes under shelter, sometimes in the open air. He did most of his work in Ohio and Wis- consin, chiefly in the latter state. In 1871 he settled in Solon, where he developed a well improved farm.
Adelbert Birch was a native of Sterling, Cayuga County, New York, and was born Dec. 27, 1863. He was an infant when brought to Michigan by his parents, and the major part of his life was conse- quently passed in Solon township. He received a good common school education and was reared to farming. For eleven years he was identified with lumbering operations when the pine timber was being cleared from this section of Kent County, running logs down the river in the spring season.
CHAPTER XXXII. SPENCER TOWNSHIP
LOCATION AND BOUNDARIES-FIRST WHITE INHABITANT-NAMES OF EARLY SETTLERS - ORGANIZATION AND FIRST OFFICERS - EARLY LUMBERING ESTABLISHMENTS-LIST OF SUPERVISORS.
Spencer is in the northeastern corner of Kent County, with the township of Nelson for its boundary on the west, Montcalm County on the north and east, and Oakfield township on the south. It com- prises Congressional township 10, range 9 west, and contains of course thirty-six sections of land. The only water course of note within this township is a small stream called Black Creek, which en- ters from the northwest and passes southeasterly through the town- ship. It was of sufficient width and depth during the lumbering days to float logs, and a number of millions of feet were run out every year. It has several small tributaries, among which are Clear and Butternut Creeks. Not unlike the other townships of Kent County, especially the region of country north of Grand River, there is very little rough, untillable land, and the greater portion of it has been cleared of its native timber. The valleys of the streams are very productive, and this is equally true of the higher lands. A reasonable portion of the fields is given over to pasture for the various kinds of live stock, which are very extensively raised. It is one of the best
Hosted by Google
329
SPENCER TOWNSHIP
agricultural districts in the county, and yields large crops of wheat, corn, oats, etc. The farmers are mostly well-to-do and possess fine residences and comfortable homes, as a trip through the township will readily make manifest. Although possessing no railroad facili- ties, Cannon and Spencer being the only townships in the county without this means of travel, nor having any large commercial mart within its borders, it has a rich soil, an enterprising population, and all the elements of a thrifty farming district.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.