USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History and directory of Ionia County, Michigan: containing a history of each township: the name, occupation, location, and post-office address of every man in the county, 1872 > Part 6
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The village of Pewamo has a good school building, which cost $1,800. Two teachers are employed.
RIVERS, STREAMS, ETC.
This township is well watered by the Grand and Maple Rivers, and Stony and Libhart Creeks. Grand River enters the township on the southwest corner of section thirty-three, flowing northeasterly to the northeast corner of the section, where it passes on to section twenty-nine, running northwesterly to the southwest corner of N. W. ¿ of E. ¿ , thence southwesterly till it enters section twenty-eight on S. E. 4, and bearing nearly north, pases out on the N. E. }, and running northerly nearly across section twenty, it bends regularly to the southwest and passes out on the S. W. 4, and entering the S. E. ¿ of section nineteen and running
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF IONIA COUNTY.
nearly to the center of the section, it sweeps around to the northeast and enters eighteen ; making a curve northwesterly, it passes out of the township on the west quarter line precisely at its junction with Maple River. This river, the Wash-te-nong of the Red men, is truly one of the grandest streams in the State. Its high, wooded banks and beautiful shady islands, pure water, and rapid current, together with the gradual sweeping curves, presents a picture on which the eye delights to dwell.
Maple River is a slow, sluggish stream, with low wooded banks, that enters the town on the north side of section two. Running southwesterly through 3, 10, 9, 8, 17 and 18, it leaves the town at its junction with Grand River. This stream presents no attractions, having no water-power, but used chiefly for the transportation of pine logs from the extensive pineries on its banks near its head in Clinton County, and from Fish Creek in Montcalm County. Stony Creek is a fine rapid stream that enters the town on section thirteen. Running northwesterly through 13, 14, 15 and 16 it empties its waters into Maple River near the center of section nine. This stream affords several fine powers, one of which was improved at an early day by John Gee, an old pioneer. The extensive hard-wood mills of Wm. Woodworth, Esq., are located on the old site. The whole power of Stony Creek must eventually be brought into use, as it can be made available at much less expense than on larger streams. The banks are high and the bed rocky, making the process of damming much easier than in many other localities. Its natural advantages must surely invite capital when thoroughly understood.
Libhart Creek runs through a portion of section thirty-six and empties into Grand River on section twenty-four, town of Ionia. On this creek was erected the first saw- mill in the county, by H. V. Libhart, Esq.
RAILROADS.
The township of Lyons is traversed by three lines of railroad, two of which are in operation,-the Detroit & Milwaukee railroad and Detroit, Lansing & Lake Michigan railroad, and one under construction from Coldwater via Marshall, Olivet, and Lyons, and thence north to its terminus. The D. & M. road enters the town on section thirteen and passes nearly west, passing out on section eighteen. There are two sta- tions in the town, Muir and Pewamo, both of which are doing an extensive freight business.
The D., L. & L. M. road enters the town on section thirty-one and passes out on section thirty, having a station on section twenty-five,-the township of Ionia being just out of the corporate limits of the village of Lyons. The Coldwater road is being rapidly constructed, and will be ready for business carly in the season of 1873. Our citizens contributed nobly for the enterprise, and will undoubtedly reap abundantly from the investment, as this is looked upon as being the road for Lyons. It runs in close proximity to our water-power and manufacturing establishments, and our business men will find it much more convenient shipping produce and receiving goods than hauling one mile to either of the other roads. To the untiring energy of H. V. Libhart and A. B. Rob- inson, directors of the road, and the great liberality of our citizens, are we obligated for the success of the enterprise ; and last and not least of all, to the generous hearts of the noble ladies of Lyons, who contributed largely by subscription to the stock. The road has now become a fixed fact, and when completed, with three competing lines of railroad running through our town, the advantages to be derived cannot be accurately computed. Property has already advanced and we hear of many sales and transfers of real estate at figures far in advance of the expectations of the most sanguine. Many persons from a distance, hearing of our prosperity and great advantages from railroad communication, and our extensive and almost inexhaustible water-power, are looking at our town and negotiating for homes with us.
NORTH PLAINS.
N ORTH PLAINS is the northeast corner township of Ionia County, and is bounded on the north by the township of Bloomer, Montcalm County, on the east by the township of Lebanon, Clinton County, on the south by the township of Lyons, on the west by the township of Ronald. The soil of this township is quite variable, from sandy to heavy clay, though generally sandy or gravelly loam. It would be difficult to locate the different varieties of soil, as there is hardly a section or quarter of a section without all the different kinds. On the west side of the town was a beautiful plain, just rolling enough to avoid the appearance of flatness, known by the name of North Plains, and from which the township afterwards took its name. When this plain was first settled it was free from underbrush, presenting the appearance of a prairie, with an occasional burr, white, and black oak tree of a second growth. These trees in many places, in the night-time, had the appearance of on old orchard.
North Plains was bordered by timbered land, generally known as timbered open- ings, excepting northwest and west, which was a continuation of plains known as Long Plains, Round Plains, etc. This plain is now under cultivation, and furnishes some of the very best farms in the State. Nearly all of the town, aside from this plain, is occupied by the actual settler, and more or less improved ; and is of a deep, rich, and fertile soil. It can hardly be said that North Plains is second to any other township in the State, if judged in the state of nature. By the census of 1870 it stands fourth in production. Sections one, two, and eleven have been timbered to some extent with pine, though there are but few trees left now excepting stumps, some of which are very large. The balance of the timber was beech, maple, and other woods common to tim- bered land. All that portion of the town lying south of section one and east of Fish Creek, is what is called timbered openings. West of Fish Creek and north of Maple River is a strip of timbered land varying in width from three to four miles. That por- tion of the town southeast of Maple River is timbered openings, excepting about one hundred and sixty acres on sections twenty-five and thirty-six, which is a part of East Plains, and a cedar swamp on section thirty-six of about forty acres. The surface of the land in the township is generally level, though rolling enough to afford easy drainage. There are numerous swales, small swamps, and marshes, though, when drained, there are few but become arable. On either side of Maple River, between the high land and river flats, it is more or less hilly and broken ; also at the division between the high land and river flats it is very stony. The town is all drained by Fish Creek and Maple River, except a small portion on the west, that makes into Prairie Creek. The principal streams are Maple River and Fisk Creek. The former enters the town on the east side, about two miles north of the southeast corner, runs a south westerly course, and passes out of the town about one and one-third miles from the southeast corner. Maple River rises in Shiawassee County and empties into Grand River in the township of Lyons. The Maple has but little fall, consequently is a very sluggish stream, with wide and low flats, averaging in this town about one-half mile in width. Fish Creek enters the north side of the town nearly a mile west of the east line of the town, running a little east of south, emptying into Maple River on the
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF IONIA COUNTY.
county line, where the Maple enters the town, running the distance of over four miles in the town. Fish Creek is a very rapid stream and has two water-powers already improved, and three more within the town yet to be improved, with sufficient head of water to drive any kind of machinery. It has but little if any bottom lands. Stough- ton Creek, as it is commonly called, rises in the town and empties into Fish Creek on section twelve. It is fed by several branches, one of which heads on section twenty- four, one on seventeen, and two in the town of Bloomer. It furnishes a good water- power near the mouth, on section eleven, owned by Bartholomew Curry.
VILLAGE OF MATHERTON.
In the year 1842, Beckwith & Co. made a commencement on section twenty-four, clearing ten acres of ground, and building a log house on the land where Asaph Mather's brick house now stands. They also commenced building a saw-mill on Fish Creek on the same section. The mill was completed the next spring. They sawed considerable pine lumber, the most of which they rafted to the mouth of Grand River. Some of the lumber was taken over Lake Michigan in rafts, they being dependent on Chicago, mostly, for a market for their lumber. From 1842 to 1845 there were several small dwellings built, mostly for or by laborers. Asaph Mather bought out Beckwith & Co. in 1844, moved his family on during the next year, continued the business, and in 1848 built a flouring-mill with two run of stone. A postoffice was established in 1850, called Matherton, Asaph Mather, Postmaster. About the year 1851 a company from the East, mostly from Massachusetts, entered into the lumber business quite extensively, cither renting a saw-mill or going in company with Mr. Mather. The same company afterwards removed two miles up the stream. W. Z. Blanchard started the first general dry-goods store at Matherton, in the year 1851. The saw-mill was destroyed by fire a number of years ago, and was subsequently rebuilt by A. Mather. Matherton has one flouring-mill, with two run of stone, Messrs. Tyler & Shipman, pro- prietors ; one saw-mill, one dry-goods store, one carding machine, one cabinet shop and furniture store, D. Allen Bangs, proprietor, and one hotel, situated just east of the county line. There is a district school-house situated on the hill, a frame building, in which is kept a good school.
VILLAGE OF HUBBARDSTON.
Hubbardston is situated on Fish Creek, in the town of North Plains, on sections twelve and thirteen, and sections seven and eighteen in the town of Lebanon, Clinton County. In this village Fish Creek furnishes a superior water-power. There is on this stream the grist and flouring mill of Sunderlin & Reynolds ; also a sash and blind shop. There are one steam saw-mill, seven dry-goods and grocery stores, two drug stores, one jewelry store, two millinery establishments, two hardware stores, three churches, Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, and Catholic, three hotels, one foundry and machine shop, one furniture store, two blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, two boot and shoe shops, and other conveniences of a thriving village. The village school- house, situated on the west side of Fish Creek, is a wooden building which will seat about two hundred scholars, but does not meet the wants of the district. The district have purchased about three acres of land on the east side of Fish Creek, in a beautiful location, and will undoubtedly build a house worthy of the village.
The Methodist Church is a wooden structure about 44x60 feet in size, and was built in 1868. The Congregational Church is a fine wooden structure 40x64 feet in size, with basement. The upper room is not finished. The outside, however, is complete, presenting a fine appearance. The St. John's Catholic Church was built in 1868. It is a very fine wooden edifice, and at the time it was built was supposed to be the largest church in the county.
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF IONIA COUNTY.
RAILROAD.
The Marshall and Coldwater Railroad runs through the village of Hubbardston. Its construction is now going on. It passes through Muir, thence to Matherton, Hub- bardston, Carson City, Estella, and Elm Hall, Elm Hall being the present northern ter- minus of the work.
NEWSPAPER.
The newspaper and printing office is situated on Hanover street. near Main street. The Advertiser is a first-class country paper, printed weekly, A. V. Phister, publisher, and has a circulation of 550.
MAMMOTH SAW-MILL.
Prominent among the manufacturing establishments of the county is the immense steam saw-mill of the Hubbardston Lumber Co., located on Fish Creek, in the village of Hubbardston. Mr. N. F. Rogers is secretary, treasurer, and managing director of the company, and the mill was designed and constructed by Mr. J. W. Miles, of Hub- bardston, practical engineer and builder. The whole building and machinery are alike creditable to the enterprise of the company and the talent and skill of Mr. Miles.
The mill is 36x135 feet in size, two stories high, and unusually high between joints, the frame being made of massive oak timbers, thickly set and firmly braced. In the upper story is a recess floor for the edger, bringing the top of the lumber rollers six inches above the edger table, to obviate the necessity of raising lumber. The mill con- tains an upright saw, a fifty-six inch circular saw, an edger, three cutting-off saws, a lath-mill, and shingle-mill. Two sets of saws are kept, and the saws are changed for filing, the change being effected in three minutes time. The capacity of the mill is upwards of 40,000 feet of lumber per day.
Below, in the brick engine-room, we find three forty-four-inch boilers, each twenty feet long, standing on a front of superior construction, designed by Mr. Miles, and cast in the Hubbardston foundry. These boilers furnish steam for an engine with a cylinder sixteen inches in diameter and thirty inches long, which moves the whole machinery, driving from a drum nine feet four inches in diameter, carrying a thirty-inch, endless, six-ply rubber belt to a shaft twenty-four feet long and five inches in diameter, with drive- pulleys forty-seven inches in diameter and a thirty-inch face, making two hundred revolutions per minute. The upright, edger, and large circular take their motion from this shaft. It also communicates motion, with an eighteen-inch, five-ply rubber belt, to a counterline shaft, two and one-half inches in diameter, thirty feet long, running across the mill, which drives two log-turners, one back and one forward, for the upright and large circular. From this shaft is driven a line shaft of the same diameter and with the same sized pulleys and belts, extending one hundred feet at right angles, from which are driven the lath-mill, shingle-mill, and all other motions or belts extend- ing across the mill. Power is derived from this shaft, reduced down to forty-one revolutions on two short continuances, for running the lumber-rollers and carrying cants from upright to circular. The slabs are carried on these lumber-rollers directly to the slab-saws without lifting or changing ; when, at the proper length for lath, the slab is caught up by a lifting frame, operated by the foot of the man at the saw, and cut off, leaving the rollers still running, upon which the remainder of the slat is dropped, and carried another four feet to be again cut off. The section cut off is dropped,-by drawing it back two inches,-down, the slab-slides to the lath-mill, the wood and waste passing out of the mill. This obviates all necessity of handling slabs, which, as every mill man knows, is the worst form of work in a saw-mill.
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF IONIA COUNTY.
The company own large tracts of land up Fish Creek, and have an abundant supply of timber to last many years. They have also very superior booming accommodations. The mill was commenced about January 1st, 1872, and did not begin operations till October, since which time its complete success has been demonstrated by actual trial.
FOUNDRY AND MACHINE SHOP.
The foundry and machine shop of Lusk & Stuck is situated just above the business part of the village. It was entirely destroyed by fire last May, and has since been rebuilt by Lusk & Stuck, and is doing a large business in manufacturing plows, drags, cultivators, and all kinds of machinery.
FLOURING MILL.
The great flouring-mill of Sunderlin and Reynolds is situated on the west side of the track, has three run of stone, and is doing a large and paying business.
SASH AND BLINDS.
The Hubbardston Sash and Blind shop is situated near the steam saw-mill, runs by water, a good power and machinery.
INCORPORATION.
The village of Hubbardston was incorporated by Act of the Legislature in 1867, and its charter revised in the spring of 1871. Present village officers : President, Alfred A. Proctor ; Trustees, Carlos E. Hait, Edwin Perry, Charles H. Hunter, Henry W. Hitch- cock, George A. Chatterton, Wm. H. Lewis; Clerk, Albert V. Phister ; Assessor, John B. Abbott ; Marshal, Linus Van Alstine.
THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF HUBBARDSTON.
Joseph Brown purchased two hundred and forty acres, with water-power, of Reed & Langdon, in the year 1851, and commenced erecting a dam and saw-mill. Mr. Brown's means were limited, and the work went on slowly, but in the year 1852 he had succeeded in getting the mill started and a small boarding-house built. In the year 1853 Thomas Hubbard (in honor of whom the village was named), Wilson Homer, Noah Hitchcock, and N. W. Taylor, all residents of the Eastern States, purchased the mill and land of Joseph Brown, they having a number of lots of pine land upon Fish Creek and its tributaries. In 1854 they enlarged and partly rebuilt the saw-mill, and commenced manufacturing pine lumber to quite an extent. They too were embar- rassed and labored under many difficulties for a time, though most of them were men of means. The company business did not seem to pay expenses. Yet as the country became more developed things took quite a different turn. In the year 1854, Daniel F. Hunter came here. About the same time J. C. Howard and family came. J. F. Holbrook came the next year. All these were from Massachusetts. In the course of a few months, J. F. Holbrook and D. F. Hunter erected the first frame building in the village (excepting the saw-mill) occupying it for a number of years as a store, doing a large and successful business. About the year 1855, Hubbard, Hitchcock & Company built a dwelling-house and barn on the west side of the creek. Soon after, the company put a steam engine in the saw-mill dispensing with water power. In the year 1856, J. C. Howard built what was then called a large hotel, calling it after his own name, the Howard House. The same year there were other buildings put up, and quite a number of shanties. Warren A. Sherwood came on and took charge of the business of Wilson Homer & Company, about the year 1857 and built a two-story building on the ground
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF IONIA COUNTY.
now occupied by Sunderlin's brick store. Dr. Wilson first occupied the building ; putting into it a stock of dry goods, groceries and drugs. The same year there were several buildings put up, dwellings, shops, &c. Wm. Patrick came on as one of the firm of Wilson, Homer & Company. The flouring-mill was built; Hubbardston began to grow and have the appearance of a village in fact. Hubbardston has been visited by a number of destructive fires within the past nine years, that seemed to al- most consume its growth, yet it has made progress steadily onward. The people of Hubbardston, ever awake to enterprise, seeing the need of a railroad, in August 1869 some of the enterprising men went to work, and not being able to perfect an arrange- ment with any other company took legal steps and organized a railroad company called the Westphalia, Hubbardston, and Northern railroad company, and got their charter, but met with difficulties, though not giving up until the people in this part of the township had perfected an arrangement with the Marshall and Coldwater railroad company. The people on the line of this road are indebted to the untiring efforts of certain men, among whom are Dr. E. W. Dodge, N. F. Rogers, Wm. Reynolds, A. G. Russell, and others.
LIME.
On the farm of Isaac M. Jessup, on section twenty-five, there is a ledge of lime of excellent quality, and, as far as known, inexhaustible, though the strata recedes into the hill, and will perhaps be found to lie considerably below the surface of the ground back of where they are now at work. There is a very nice spring in the side hill, quite a number of feet above the road near this lime, affording quite a stream of water. Mr. Jessup thinks it an extra place for a cheese factory.
SCHOOLS AND SCHOOL HOUSES.
The schools of North Plains are generally well organized, and taught by qualified teachers. The houses are all frame buildings and in very good repair. Some of the houses are quite old ; though some have been rebuilt. The whole number of school districts in the town is ten. The whole number of school-houses is nine. The school- house in District No. 9 was destroyed by fire during the past year and not rebuilt. There is a graded school at Hubbardston. The total valuation of school-houses and grounds is $6,827. The number of scholars that can be seated in all the school-houses is 746. Total number of scholars of school age, 707.
EARLY SETTLERS.
Mr. Hiram Brown, the first settler in North Plains, settled on section thirty-one, arriving there on the 8th of October, 1836, with his wife and two children. They lived in a tent until they could build a house. Mr. Hector Hayes arrived four days later, and settled on the same section. Messrs. Hayes and Brown came from the same neighbor- hood, and loft Oneida County, New York, together, but by accident got separated at Pontiac, Michigan. Mr. Brown arrived in Lyons October 3d, the same night that Mr. Hayes arrived at Dewitt. On the morning of the 4th there was about four inches of snow on the ground. Mr. B. waited three days, and then went on his land. Mr. Hayes was detained at Dewitt four days on account of the snow, and being three days on the road, arrived four days later. Mr. Joy Olmsted settled on section thirty-one in February, 1837. Major Mills settled on section 17, in May, 1837, on land located the September before. Nathaniel Sessions settled on section twenty-three, about the same time. Moses Dean settled on section thirty-six, July 5, 1837. Ansel D. Glass, of the State of New York, his family, consisting of a wife and two children, settled on section five in the fall or early winter of 1837. Giles Crippen settled on section thirty in 1837. Wm. Vance settled on section twenty-five in 1837. A few others
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF IONIA COUNTY.
moved to different parts of the town during the year 1837. Mrs. Elizabeth Palmer and sons settled on section fourteen in May, 1838. In October, 1838, Samuel E. Stoughton settled on section ten. In January, 1839, Wm. W. Edmister moved on his land on section fifteen; he built his house the June before. About this time, though perhaps a year later, there was a man by the name of Bartly Dunn Norton and some others, not more than three or four, settled in different parts of the town, who have since died or gone away. George D. Kellogg settled on section fourteen in the fall of 1839, after which the settlement progressed slowly for a few years. Geo. W. Germain settled on section twenty-nine in June, 1843. Mr. Germain was elected to office at the town's first election, and has held other and higher offices since. John McKelvey came to Lyons with his father January 10th, 1834. His father settled on the old McKelvey farm near Lyons in 1834, and sowed the first wheat ever sowed in Ionia County. John settled first in the town of North Plains in the year 1842, made some changes in the next few years, and finally settled on section thirty, where he still lives. He has carried on a farm and practiced law ever since he first settled in the town. The next few years were not marked with any particular events, except toil, hard work, and low prices, with a generally scarcity of money in the country. In the year 1849, John W. Cowman came in town and made an opening on section eleven, he being the first Irishman in town. It was not long afterwards, however, when others came, and they have been coming from time to time until the town is nearly one-quarter settled with Irish people. Among them there are some very prominent citizens ; among whom might be mentioned Bartholomew Curry, who lives on section twelve.
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