USA > Michigan > Kent County > Grand Rapids > Grand Rapids and Kent County, Michigan: History and Account of Their Progress from First. Vol. I > Part 64
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Let me say a word of my personal recollection of each of these two men. I came to Grand Rapids, Oct. 1, 1856, and found employ- ment immediately with the Winchester Brothers, boarding at a small place on Bond street, where stands the Bertsch Building. My me- chanical instincts led me down to the sawmills on the canal in the evening after the work of the day. There, in a planing mill on the
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south side of Erie street where now stands the Bissell Company's of- fice, I saw a fine looking, stalwart young man feeding pine strips into a flooring planer. As I watched the work with much interest the young man greeted me pleasantly, and I remarked that I had worked some in a planing mill at Havana, N. Y. I made other visits to him during the Fall, and thus my acquaintance with Julius Berkey began. From that day to his death our acquaintance was intimate and pleas- ant, Mr. Berkey's courtesy and ability always commanding my re- spect and esteem.
Before the war days Elias Matter was working as a chair maker in the Winchester shop where I had found employment, and during the winter months, when business was dull, he took up the occupation of school teaching-was a successful country district school teacher and, as I clearly recollect, a man of exceptional energy. I recall when he was teaching district school at what is now known as Ra- venna, then Crockery Creek. He taught school for $18 a month and five evenings out of the seven gave writing lessons in several district schools from two to six miles distant from his own school, at $1 per term of twelve lessons. Mr. Matter would walk this distance each evening after his own school was closed, teach the writing school un- til 9 o'clock and walk back to where he happened to be boarding un- der the old system of "boarding 'round" for the teacher. Mr. Matter accumulated a modest sum in this manner, and this was the money which enabled him to become Julius Berkey's partner, his capital be- ing about the same as the value of Mr. Berkey's machinery, which had been made almost entirely by his own hands. I will have a word or two more to say later on regarding Mr. Berkey's vigorous person- ality and the manner in which he so successfully developed his busi- ness.
Buddington & Turnham made an effort at manufacturing some time in 1862. The early residents yet living will recall the Commo- dore who conducted an auction store on Monroe street in a little building adjoining the Rathbun House. As I was in the war I have no knowledge of what persuaded the Commodore to enter into a busi- ness of which he was totally ignorant, unless it were Mr. Turnham's persuasions. They were an illy assorted pair and did not continue long in existence, but did produce two of the capable furniture manu- facturers of our city, E. H. Foote and John Widdicomb, who, when they came from the army, took their earlier lessons there.
The first directory of Grand Rapids was published in 1865. It shows William Widdicomb the only additional name to those which I have already mentioned, and Berkey & Matter changed to Berkey Brothers & Company. This directory has an interesting account of our earlier days by Prof. Franklin Everett, descriptive of our prog- ress to a city of then about 10,000 inhabitants ; yet in all of this long article there is not a single line about furniture manufacturing. It is evident our infant industry was not of sufficient moment to command any attention from the professor.
The next directory, issued in 1867, notes Berkey Brothers & Company as Berkey Brothers & Gay, through the addition of George M. Gay to the firm. Widdicomb & Capen and Spanjer & Son are listed as manufacturers and E. W. Winchester resumes business.
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In 1869 our City Directory mentions Widdicomb Bros. & Rich- ards, "Manufacturers of Bedsteads" at Fourth street and G. R. & I. Railroad, and Atkins, Soule & Company, corner Ottawa and Fair- banks streets, as manufacturers of chamber furniture. The five men composing this firm were a partnership of workmen from Nelson, Comstock & Company's. They were not successful and made an as- signment, in 1870, to William A. Berkey. Mr. Berkey continued the business for a time, eventually organizing out of it the Phoenix Fur- niture Company as manufacturer of parlor furniture, which was the origin of the present Phoenix Furniture Company.
Several changes occurred at about this time: Elias Matter with- drew from Berkey Brothers & Gay to enter Nelson, Comstock & Company through the purchase of T. A. Comstock's interest, and that firm became Nelson, Matter & Company. The two junior partners, Mr. Pugh and Mr. Colson, died and their interest was purchased by Stephen S. Gay.
In 1872 William A. Berkey withdrew from Berkey Brothers & Gay, devoting his entire attention to the Phoenix Furniture Compa- ny's affairs. More, Richards & Company also appear, composed of More, Richards, DeLand, Foote and Baars, doing business at the cor- ner of old Canal and Trowbridge streets. Richards and DeLand re- tired and More, Foote & Baars continued the business on Butterworth avenue, building the factory premises now occupied by the Valley City Desk Company. The Grand Rapids Chair Company was incorporat- ed in October of 1872 and the buildings were erected in 1872 and 1873.
For a time the City Directory was published intermittently, and the directory for 1872 in its announcement says, "A good directory is a necessity in a city like this and the town is large enough to re- quire an annual publication"; yet this necessity was not so urgent as to call for a classified list of its business concerns and industries. I did not find any additions to the manufacturing for that year.
In 1873 Berkey Brothers & Gay were incorporated as the Berkey & Gay Furniture Company, and Widdicomb Brothers & Richards as the Widdicomb Furniture Company.
In 1874 we find More, Foote & Baars changed into the Grand Rapids Furniture Company, Fred Baars withdrawing from the firm and taking an interest with the Widdicomb Furniture Company. That year lists several additions to the business: Sylvester Luther & Co., Michigan Furniture Co., and John Bradfield, upper Monroe street, the origin of the Luce Furniture Co.
Some six or eight workmen not mentioned in the directory formed a co-operative concern, in 1875, which did not continue long in existence. It is peculiar that no manufacturing of this character has succeeded in this city, while nearly all the manufacturing estab- lishments of Jamestown and Rockford originated in this manner.
I must now take time for historical mention of the new concerns or additions and changes to those already established for each year to 1918, as follows :
1876-No additions; strenuous times. 1877-Wm. A. Wight, Erie street. 1878-E. A. Roberts, 28 Mill street. 1879-Folger & Ginley, 28 Mill street; George W. & Hiram Gay, 434 Canal street ; Roberts Brothers succeed E. A. Roberts. 1880-Wolverine Furniture
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& Chair Co., Pearl street ; Kent Furniture Co., North Front street, L. H. Randall president, J. H. Wonderly vice-president, C. W. Wat- kins treasurer, E. C. Allen secretary; McCord & Bradfield, R. C. Luce president, T. M. McCord vice-president; New England Furni- ture Co., succeeding Ward, Skinner & Brooks, sash and door manu- facturers; Sligh Furniture Co., L. H. Randall president, Chas. R. Sligh secretary ; Stockwell, Bryne & Co .; John Waddell & Co .; Stow & Haight. 1881-Wm. A. Berkey & Koskul, Lyon street; F. L. Fur- bish ; Oriel Cabinet Co., North Front street. 1882-The Folding Chair & Table Co .; Ford Furniture Co., Wm. Winegar president, J. L. Shaw vice-president, Chas. H. Hooker secretary and treasurer ; The Luther & Sumner Co .; Worden Furniture Co., Henry Fralick president, A. E. Worden secretary and manager ; Winchester & Moul- ton. 1883-Stockwell & Darragh Furniture Co .; Nathan Strahn; The Union Furniture Co .; Fogg & Higgins. 1884-Stephen Cool & Co., Fourth street ; S. E. Allen, 44 Mill street; Peninsular Furniture Co. 1885-West Michigan Furniture Co., Third street ; Wm. A. Ber- key Furniture Co., succeeding Berkey & Koskul. 1886-Stow & Da- vis; Strahn & Long, composed of Harry W. Long, John E. Moore, Nathan Strahn; Union Furniture Co., Grand Trunk Junction, succes- sors of S. Luther & Company, with A. S. Richards, E. G. D. Holden and Cyrus E. Perkins as officers; Grand Rapids School Furniture Co .; E. F. Winchester & Co., 34 Mill street. 1887-Wm. T. Powers again enters the furniture business; I. C. Smith, J. C. Darragh and Jos. Penny doing business as the American Dressing Case Co, Canal street ; Empire Furniture Co., 32 Mill street; S. L. King, Pearl and Front streets ; Welch Folding Bed Co. 1888-Clark & Hodges Fur- niture Co., North Canal street. 1889-Valley City Rattan Works; J. H. White, T. Bedell and H. Bedell, doing business as the Crescent Cabinet Co .; Grand Rapids Cabinet Co., M. C. Burch and B. DeGraff, officers ; Grand Rapids Parlor Furniture Co .; Grand Rapids Table Co .; Martin L. Sweet. 1890-Klingman & Limbert Chair Co .; Birge & Shattuck ; Grand Rapids Enamel Furniture Co .; Universal Tripod Co., the original of the Royal Furniture Co .; Michigan Chair Co. 1891-C. E. Amsden; Richmond & Lyman Co .; Standard Table Co .; Valley City Table Co. 1892-Stickley Bros. Co .; Central Furniture Co .; Mueller & Slack Co .; Royal Furniture Co .; McGraw Manufac- turing Co. 1893-C. A. Berge Upholstering Co .; Grand Rapids Church Furniture So. 1894-C. P. Limbert & Co .; Valley City Desk Co .; Grand Rapids Wood Carving Co .; Ryan Rattan Chair Co .; Grand Rapids Carved Moulding Co. 1895-J. A. Anderson & Co .; Grand Rapids Seating Co .; H. N. Hall Cabinet Co .; Grand Rapids Standard Bed Co .; Hansen Bros .; Retting & Sweet. 1896-Hake Manufacturing Co .; Arlington Cabinet Co .; Grand Rapids Bookcase Co .; Grand Rapids Fancy Furniture Co .; Luce Furniture Co., suc- ceeding McCord & Bradfield; Fred Macey Co .; Michigan Art Carv- ing Co .; Grand Rapids Wood Carving Co. 1897-Reuben H. Smith ; John Widdicomb Co. 1898 Novelty Wood Works; Boyns-Morley Co .; Gunn Furniture Co .; Wernicke Furniture Co. 1900-Chase Chair Co .; Raymond Manche Co .; Chas. F. Powers Co .; Wage- maker Furniture Co. 1901-Furniture City Cabinet Co .; C. S. Paine Co .; Standard Cabinet Co .; Van Kuiken Bros. 1902-Century Fur- niture Co .; Grand Rapids Show Case Co .; Grand Rapids Table Co .;
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Nachtegall & Veit; G. S. Smith. 1903-Burnett & Van Overan; Ideal Furniture Co .; Imperial Furniture Co .; Linn-Murray Furniture Co. 1904-Grand Rapids Cabinet Co .; Greenway Furniture Co .; Hetterschied Manufacturing Works; Michigan Order Work Furni- ture Co. 1905-Cabinetmakers Co .; C. A. Greenman Co .; Michigan Desk Co .; Retting Furniture Co., succeeding Retting & Sweet ; Shel- ton & Snyder Co. 1906-Veit Manufacturing Co .; Grand Rapids Cabinet Furniture Co .; Grand Rapids Parlor Furniture Co .; Kelley & Extrom; Luxury Chair Co .; John D. Raab Chair Co .; Raab- Winter Table Co .; Sweet & Biggs Furniture Co. 1907-Grand Rap- ids Upholstery Co. 1908-Criswell Keppler Co .; Dolphin Desk Co .; Michigan Seating Co .; Rex Manufacturing Co. 1909-Adjustable Table Co .; O. G. Burch; Fritz Mfg. Co. succeeds Fritz & Goeldel Mfg. Co .; Johnson Furniture Co .; Kelly, Extrom & Co. succeeds Kelly & Extrom; Charles P. Limbert Co .; Marvel Manufacturing Co .; Snyder & Fuller; Sterling Desk Company; Welch Manufac- turing Co .; Wilmarth Show Case Co. 1910-Bungalow Furniture Co .; Colonial Furniture Co .; Criswell Furniture Co. succeeds Criswell-Keppler Co .; Grand Ledge Chair Co .; Grand Rapids Art Furniture Co .; Grand Rapids Wood Carving Co .; Heyman Co .; Keil- Anway Co .; W. A. Kelley succeeds Kelley, Extrom & Co .; C. B. Robinson & Sons succeed Robinson Furniture Co .; Snyder Furniture Co .; Steel Furniture Co .; White-Steel Sanitary Furniture Co. 1911- Grand Rapids Bungalow Furniture Co .; Michigan Cabinet Co .; Prac- tical Sewing Cabinet. 1912-The Ainway Co .; Davies-Putnam Co .; Gilpin Furniture Co .; Kindel Bed Co .; Metal Office Furniture Co .; Valley City Chair Co .; Welch Mfg. Co. 1913-Binghampton Chair Co .; W. H. Chase; Fisher Show Case Co .; Grand Rapids Sheraton Furniture Co .; Kelley Chair Co .; Peter Lindquist ; Lundeen & Bengt- son ; National Seating Co .; Practical Sewing Cabinet Co .; Charles Vander Laan. 1914-Alt & Batsche Mfg. Co .; American Mfg. Co .; Grand Rapids Studio Furniture Co .; Lindquist Furniture Co. succeeds Peter Lindquist; Quality Furniture Co .; Rockford Chair & Furni- ture Co. 1915-Boyce Brothers; Grand Rapids Book Case & Chair Co .; Lanzon Furniture Co .; Lindquist Furniture Mnfrs. succeed Lindquist Furniture Co .; Lundeen & Bengston Co. succeeds Lundeen & Bengtson; Nowaczyk Handcraft Furniture Co .; Wallace Furniture Co. 1916-Grand Rapids School Equipment Co .; Paalman Furniture Co. 1917-Brower Co .; Asa U. Chase; Grand Rapids Fibre Furni- ture Co .; Kelley Furniture Co .; L. H. D. Fibre Furniture Co .; McLeod Furniture Co .; Special Furniture Co .; Welch Furniture Co .; Windsor Upholstering Co. Total 1917-64.
The surprising number of manufacturing efforts with the moder- ate number that have survived is, perhaps, a true indication of the vicissitudes which attend the furniture manufacturing business. I might mention further that not more than three or four new institu- tions for the manufacture of fine grades in furniture have been suc- cessfully established in the United States within the past ten years. There is no business demanding such unremitting personal attention as our industry, and it may well be asked, "Why was the business so successfully established in Grand Rapids? What peculiar condition or circumstance has given this town its prominent position?" We had
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no natural advantages originally. Lumber was abundant, but it was equally abundant anywhere and everywhere in the Northern country. Water power was as free as the lumber, yet water power was to be found also all over the Northern States. Not only did we have no special natural advantages, but we were placed at an exceedingly in- convenient location for manufacturing furniture, with but one rail- road and that terminating at the lake upon one side and Detroit upon the other, with no connections whatever to other portions of the United States, the river and lake our only practicable method of transportation to the then growing West.
When, eventually, we did have a connecting railroad with the Michigan Central and Lake Shore & Michigan Southern our whole product was freighted through towns where many well-established competitors were located. Upon the Michigan Central were Buchan- an and New Buffalo, both manufacturing upon a larger scale than ourselves. Upon the Lake Shore were to be found Laporte, Misha- waka and South Bend, each having one or more successful furniture factories. Chicago was the distributing point, and there were, as at present, other and stronger competitors, yet the city of Grand Rapids rapidly passed all of them.
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During these same days Boston was the Eastern manufacturing point for all fine chamber furniture, and Cincinnati was equally prominent. Several large and eminently successful concerns were in operation in both cities which eventually passed out of existence, the Boston people maintaining that this was due to the ruinous competi- tion of Grand Rapids and one or two other Western towns-competi- tion they could not meet; yet they had all the advantage in prior pos- session of the field, abundant capital, fine factories and a near location to the market. In the face of all this, Grand Rapids steadily devel- oped, both in the character of its product and the magnitude of its works.
It is one of my theories that it is not so much location or natural advantage that secures exceptional business success, but, rather, the personality of the men who happen to originate and develop it, and to this very feature do I ascribe the importance which Grand Rapids achieved in furniture manufacturing. Fortunately for Grand Rapids, its pioneer furniture manufacturers were the happy possessors of those important characteristics required for success in their own in- dustry, and among them no one man displayed such pre-eminence in energy, industry, originality and business prudence-all the factors that are demanded for our business-as Julius Berkey. Mr. Berkey had all of these to a marked degree, and I doubt whether he knew the meaning of the word "discouragement."
George W. Gay was equally capable. While Mr. Gay may have had at first but indifferent technical knowledge in manufacturing, he did possess the talents which make men prominent among their fel- lows. He had shown energy and earnest zeal in business affairs up to the time he entered the Berkey & Gay Company, and the years im- mediately following Mr. Gay's entry were epoch making for the in- dustry which was to render Grand Rapids so famous. Within a short time, from 1866 to 1873, Berkey Brothers & Gay developed into an in- stitution of such magnitude as to warrant capitalization at a very
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large figure. When I glance back over those days-days that cover the early struggles of our industry-I cannot refrain from amaze- ment that such work could be accomplished so rapidly. I see them occupying the original factory on the canal, then occupying the upper floors of the buildings at 116-118 Monroe avenue; from there to sev- eral buildings on old Canal street opposite Crescent, receiving first premium at the State Fair, opening a branch in New York City, tak- ing a high position in the Eastern trade, and all this prior to 1875.
Mr. Berkey possessed the instincts of the manufacturer to a marked degree and Mr. Gay gave evidence of equally keen insight into the mercantile portion of the business while rapidly acquiring skill and exceptional judgment in the artistic designs for which they were widely known. They also had that quality of human nature which enabled them to employ men successfully, securing their good will, their earnest co-operation; in fact, they were indefatigable in their attention to all the details of the business; nothing too large to grasp, nothing so small but it received attention. For those early stages both Mr. Berkey and Mr. Gay developed exceptional originali- ty and enterprise. They were the first to introduce expensive im- provements in machinery, the first to display originality in design, the first to employ skilled designers and the first to bring skilled mechan- ics from other sections of our country, and even from foreign lands ; no difficulty ever deterred them when they had once decided their business required improvement and skill beyond which our own work- men could furnish. Their ability and progress were a stimulus to every other manufacturing concern in Grand Rapids; their competi- tion of that straightforward business character every fair-minded man is willing to meet. I give especial credit to that firm for our develop- ment in those early days. Very soon equally capable men appeared, organizing and conducting other concerns, which added to the strength and individuality of our business and our progress was steadily pro- moted until the position of Grand Rapids before the United States was assured.
CHAPTER XLI. THE RETAIL INDUSTRY.
FIRST RETAIL TRADE-INDIAN TRADERS-TRADING POSTS-SPRING OF 1837-THE DRUG BUSINESS-HARDWARE-MERCHANTS OF THE VLLAGE PERIOD-SYNOPSIS OF RETAIL INDUSTRY.
Grand Rapids is pre-eminently a manufacturing city, but in the birth, growth and development of any community it is the retail in- dustry that first appears. And it retains its importance in the indus- trial life of the community, coming in contact, as it does, with the in- dividual units which constitute the great body of citizenship. It would be exceedingly interesting, were it possible, to give a complete his- tory of the development of the retail history in Grand Rapids, but for obvious reasons this cannot be done, and our efforts must there- fore be confined to a general outline, with a few individual mentions, and these will be selected on account of their long and continued ex- istence and their relative importance.
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The first retail trade of Grand Rapids was by the Indian traders who brought goods into this vicinity to exchange for furs. This was carried on for many years at certain seasons, even before Grand Rap- ids became a regular trading post. Joseph La Framboise commenced making regular trips to the Grand River Valley, about 1796. The late Richard Godfroy once said that in 1834 he was informed by the older Indian chiefs here that a Frenchman named La Framboise es- tablished a trading post by their village at these rapids, and built a cabin there, as early as about 1806. The chiefs described the hut as built of logs and bark, chinked with clay, and about thirty feet in length, and said they assisted him in making it. Probably the exact date of the coming of that trader is beyond verification, but it ap- pears certain that Madame La Framboise had a trading hut on the north side of Grand River, some two miles below the mouth of Flat River, in the early years of the Nineteenth century. The post was stocked by the American Fur Company.
It was told by the late W. M. Ferry that as early as 1810 Pierre Constant, an agent of the American Fur Company, established a trad- ing post on Grand River, a little distance from its mouth. Not many years later, a French trader named Rudell was in or near the Indian village on the west side of the river, near these rapids. He died there, leaving a family, in which were two or three daughters. Rix Robin- son was the successor of Madame La Framboise. He came to the mouth of the Thornapple River, in 1821, as the agent of the same company, purchased her stock and outfit, and besides the post at Ada had several other trading stations. Louis Campau came to Grand . Rapids in 1826 and engaged in the Indian trade, under a Government license, and for the next seven years there was a brisk retail trade with the Indians, with an occasional sale to white men who were mis- sionaries, surveyors or land-lookers, until the first settlers came, in 1833. The Indian trade continued for many years after the coming of the white men, and for many years both white men and red men traded over the same counter and called for the same goods.
For many years Louis Campau, Antoine Campau, Toussaint Cam- pau, and Richard Godfroy carried on a retail trade with the settlers as well as with the Indians. In November, 1833, Jonathan F. Chubb became a settler and brought with him a small stock of goods for trade. Mr. Chubb was a very active and it might be said a versatile man. In 1852 he opened a store for the sale of farming implements. Stone, Chubb & Co., about 1854, opened a factory and sales-rooms at the corner of old Canal and Huron streets. W. S. H. Welton was not a manufacturer, but opened an agricultural warehouse and seed store on Monroe street at about the same time. Jefferson Morrison came with a stock of goods, in 1835, and commenced trade in buildings that stood facing what is now Campau Place. He continued in trade there, with but a brief intermission, until 1866, when he retired from business. He had a checkered experience, sometimes successful, both in trade and speculation, and again the victim of reverses. In his earlier business life he had an extensive acquaintance with the Indi- ans, who named him Poc-to-go-ne-ne. His name and credit were known and trusted throughout the State in the dark days when banks broke, and when he, with many others, was compelled to resort to the issue of personal notes, or "shinplasters," to keep trade alive.
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James and Dwight Lyman opened a small store on Market street, opposite the Eagle Hotel, in 1835, but in the following year they sold the stock to George C. Nelson. The first drug store was opened in 1836 by William G. Henry. The first book and stationery store was opened by John W. Peirce in 1836, at the corner of Bond avenue and Crescent street, where now is the engine house. In 1844 he removed his business to the west side of old Canal street, corner of Erie, where he remained in mercantile trade thirty years. In 1853 he built the first brick store on old Canal street, a handsome building, for the front of which he imported cream-colored brick from Milwaukee, the first importation here of that sort. While he suffered two or three severe losses by fire, he accumulated a fair competence.
A glance at the retail business of Grand Rapids in the Spring of 1837 is interesting. At what is now called Campau Square, Antoine Campau was selling teas, groceries, wines and liquors, and at the same time trading in furs and Indian supplies; also pipes, tobaccos, ci- gars, oils, brushes, "mould and dip candles," and "other articles too numerous to mention." He had the entire confidence of the Indians, with whom he dealt largely. Across the way from this store, where the Lovett Block stands, was Orson Peck, "wholesale and retail deal- er in groceries." The wholesale trade was chiefly giving a small dis- count on a large sale. In later years, Peck lived at Lowell. Next south of Antoine Campau's place was Jefferson Morrison, dealing in all sorts of goods then marketable. Over Morrison's store was a paint shop, where 7x9 and 8x10 glazed sash were for sale by the painter, John Beach. In the first newspaper issued, Mr. Beach ad- vertised himself as a "house, sign, carriage and ornamental painter, imitator of woods of every description, paper-hanger and glazier." He alone, doubtless, was able to attend to the wants of the people in the painting line, when there were not probably more than fifty houses worth painting within ten miles. Down Market street, oppo- site the Eagle Hotel, was James M. Nelson & Company, with dry goods, hardware and groceries, and on the next corner below was the store of A. H. Smith & Company, stocked with clothing, dry goods, hats, boots and hardware. Nearby Toussaint Campau had a similar store, and Richard Godfroy another. Martin Ryerson began in this region as a clerk in the Godfroy establishment, and later in life became wealthy at Muskegon and Chicago. Up Monroe street there were a few shops and stores not advertised in the newspaper of that time. William G. Henry and N. H. Finney were at or near the place where the Morton House now is. Over in "Kent," as the north part of the hamlet was called, was the Kent Bookstore, at which was advertised a mixed assortment-books, stationery, pocket compasses, lucifer matches, snuff boxes, maps, razors, oysters, cigars, ready- made clothing, drugs and medicines and boots and shoes. E. W. Emerson dealt in hardware, crockery and groceries on old Canal street, "opposite the mammoth mill." J. J. Hoag had a drug store near the corner of Bond avenue and Crescent street, and over it was the shop of "C. H. Taylor, draper and tailor." Samuel L. Fuller was a surveyor and drafter, and Hopkins S. Miles, surveyor and map maker. There were several parties proffering bargains as real estate and insurance agents. Carroll & Lyon were selling saws, chains, 1-32
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