USA > Michigan > Kent County > History and directory of Kent County, Michigan > Part 12
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FLAT RIVER
passes into Vergennes from the east, three-quarters of a mile south of the north- easterly corner of the township, when it curves and passes back into Ionia county, at a point about three-quarters of a mile south of the place of entrance. It re- enters on section thirteen, and, meandering southwesterly, passes out near the
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
quarter post, on the south line of section thirty-five. It forms a junction with the Grand at the village of Lowell.
THE LAKES
in Vergennes are nearly all small. Eagle, or Nagle, or Horse Shoe Lake, projects a short distance into the town. Eagle was once the most familiar name. It was thus christened, after a bird of that species, which built its nest in a large oak, on an island or peninsula in the lake. From its resemblance to a horse shoe it some- times passes by that name. It has an outlet called Lake Creek, which is a tribu- tary of Flat River.
OdelI Lake is situated near the center of section twenty-nine. It is fifty rods in width, and has an average depth of thirteen feet. The lake and surrounding swamp cover about eighty acres.
Cole's Lake, situate on the east half of section thirty, is a shallow sheet of water, covering about ten acres. Miller's Lake, situate on the west half of sec- tion twenty-nine, is quite deep, and covers four or five acres.
Long Lake, situate on section nineteen, is a fine body of water, about three quarters of a mile in lengthi, with an average width of thirty rods. It is fre- quented by pleasure seekers in both summer and winter.
Vergennes has good educational facilities. Its
SCHOOLS
are well organized, and are supplied with competent teachers. The school build- ings are generally good, though not costly, and present a tidy appearance.
The Valley School house, situate on the south part of section twelve, is a plain, wooden structure. It was once white, but the elements have produced their usual effects upon it, until now it presents a wood-colored appearance.
Bailey School house, situate on the northeast corner of the northwest quarter of section twenty-nine, is a plain, white, wooden structure. It was built in 1855.
The school house at Fox's Corners is a beautiful, new, wooden building, is situate on an eminence at the southeast part of section twenty-seven, and was built in 1870. The MePherson school house is situated on the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of section eighteen. It is a white wooden building, built in 1861.
The Aldrich school house, situate at the center of section nine, is constructed of logs, is quite old, and, to all appearance, is becoming unsafe. The people of the district intend to build a new one ere long.
The Kelsey school house, situate on the northeast corner of section thirty-two, was erected in 1852. It is a red wooden building.
Barto school house, situate on the northeast corner of section two, is a plain, white, wooden structure. It was built in the year 1856. The Godfrey school house, situate on the south half of the southeast quarter of section two, is an old red wooden building. It was built about twenty-five years ago.
The Water's school house, situated on the northwest corner of section twenty- three, is a neat wooden structure, painted white. It was built in 1868.
There are two
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
CHURCHES
in Vergennes, outside the village of Fallassburg. The First Methodist Episcopal church is situated on the southwest corner of section twenty, within a short dis- tance of Long Lake. It is a substantial wooden building, painted white, and has a capacity to seat three or four hundred persons. The present pastor of the con- gregation who worships there, is the Rev. Charles Chick. The First Christian Church of Vergennes, situated at the southwest corner of seetion two, was built in 1868, and is a substantial wooden structure, painted white. The Wesleyan Methodists in this vicinity also hold their meetings in the same building.
There are two grist
MILLS
and one saw mill in Vergennes, outside the village of Fallassburg. The Foster grist mill is situated on Flat River, on section twenty-six. It is a three-story wooden structure, painted white. Proprietors, T. W. Fox & Co.
Alton grist mill is situate on the northeast corner of section ten, on Wood's Creek. It is a two-story wooden building, used exclusively for mill purposes : Proprietor, Thomas B. Woodbury.
Ring's Saw Mill and Wagon Shop, are situated on the northwest corner of sec- tion ten, on Wood's Creek. The mill contains one upright saw. Proprietor, Edmund Ring.
There are
BLACKSMITH SHOPS
at the following places : Northwest corner of section twenty nine ; northwest corner of the southwest quarter of section fifteen, (Lewis Smith, proprietor) ; and northwest corner of section thirty-four.
WALKER.
Walker is in the western tier of townships, being bounded on the north by Alpine, on the east by Grand Rapids townshp and city, on the south by Wyom- ing, and on the west by Talmadge, Ottawa county. It was originally six miles square; but, owing to the course of Grand River, which has become the estab- lished eastern and southern boundary, it is now quite irregular. The corpora- tion of the city also takes five and one-fourth sections out of the southeasterly part.
The division line between the township of Grand Rapids and Walker, was for- merly what is now Division street, in the city ; therefore, a list of the carly settlers of Walker would include those who located west of that line. However, as the history of the city will be made a special theme, in this we will refer to that part only which lies within what are now the bounds of Walker.
In the year 1836 Samuel White, then a man fifty years of age, came with his family from Canada, and settled on section twenty-three. He had five sons and several daughters, one or two of whom were married. The family purchased of the Government about six hundred acres of land on sections ten, fourteen, fifteen and twenty-three. Mr. White built the first frame barn west of Grand River ; and soon after this, with the assistance of his sons, Milo and James, erected a saw mill
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
on Indian Creek, on the north side of section fifteen. Mr. and Mrs. White are still living on the old homestead, and can now count a family of over sixty chil- dren, grand children, and great grand children, notwithstanding the loss of one son in the Mexican War, and one in the recent War for the Union.
Later in the year 1836, Jesse Smith, who was also from Canada, settled on Bridge street, about two miles west of the river. He had a large family of sons and daughters, some of whom were married, and who settled in different parts of the township. One of the elder sons, Benjamin, commenced at an early day on the south side of section ten, where he built a small grist mill and machine shop on Indian Creek. The parents are now deceased, and the family scattered.
During the same year, a Frenchman, by the name of John J. Nardin, who had served in the French army under Napoleon the First, came from Detroit, with a large family, and settled in the southern part of the township, west of where the Eagle Plaster Mills now stand. The parents are still living on the old farm, while near them reside two sons, John and George, and two daughters, Mrs. Roger Atkinson and Mrs. James Sawyer. Late in the same year Zelotis Bemis and Robert Hilton went still further south, and located on the north bank of the river, two or three miles below the plaster mills. A portion of the Bemis farm, now owned by Jolın N. Butterfield, was formerly an " Indian Planting Ground." Soon after he settled, Mr. Bemis commenced raising wheat quite extensively, the harvestIng of which furnished employment for some of those that came a year or two later.
The following named persons settled in the township soon after those just men- tioned : Henry Helmka, Wm. W. Anderson, Joseph Denton, John Hogadone, and Harvey Monroe, from Canada ; John Harrington, of Vermont, and Patrick O'Brien, Stephen O'Brien and James Murray, from Ireland. The family of Edisons also came at an early day, and settled on what is now Bridge street, of which family John Edison is now the only representative on that street.
There are many others who could hardly be classed as first settlers, but who are known as old residents; among whom are Thomas MeMan, David Waters, Wm. C. Davidson, Jonathan Blair, Martin Wheeler, Bernard Courtney, and Quigley, in the south part; Samuel Westlake, the Schermerhorns, Phillips, Escotts, Burds, Samuel Corporon, Thomas Cotney, Asa Pratt, Thales Dean, Daniel Stocking, and the Armstrongs, near the central part; the Matthews, A. C. Bailey, Samuel Root, Miner Johnson, John Miller, Peter Huwer, Andrew Loomis, Tenny, the Chappells, Fullers, Tabors, Covell, and Dean in the north ; and Palmerlee, Tryon, Berry Wait, Devendorf, and Lamoreaux, in the west.
ORGANIZATION.
The first township meeting was held in the month of April, 1838, at the Mission School House, which stood on the west bank of Grand River, near the present jail site. The records indicate that this was the only school house then in the township, for it was spoken of as " the School House of Walker."
THE FIRST OFFICERS
of the township were: Supervisor-Lovell Moore. Clerk-Isaac Turner. Treas- urer-Harry Eaton. Justices-Robert Hilton, Isaac Turner, Ira Jones and Isaiah Burton.
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
About three years after the organization of the township, a log school house was erected on the north side of section twenty-two, and the township meetings were, for a time, held there. Alpine was detached from Walker in the year 1847 ; for a year or two previous to which time the meetings were held at the Simond's School House, and afterwards at the center. In the year 1867 a nice brick building, in size 26x36 feet, was erected on the north side of section twenty-two, for a Town Hall.
THE PRESENT OFFICERS
of the township are: Supervisor -- Ezra A. Hebard. Clerk-Henry O. Schermerhorn. Treasurer-George Weaver. Justices-Thomas Healey, Nathan Earle, Bernard Courtney, and Daniel Schermerhorn.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
The soil of Walker is strangely diversified. On the east and south, along Grand River, is a tract of low land, from eighty rods to a mile in width, extending from the northeast to the southwest corner of the township, which is underlaid with a strata of lime stone, lying from two to ten feet below the surface. Above this is a gravelly loam, which, in some parts, is filled and covered with large boulders. Back of this is a series of hills and sandy bluffs, rising to a height of fifty or sixty feet. The sandy belt also extends diagonally across the township from northeast to northwest, and varies in width from one-half to two miles. The original timber of the former was elm, black oak, soft maple, hemlock, cedar, etc., and of the latter, pine and oak. .
We next come to what is commonly called timbered land ; the timber being chiefly beach and sugar maple, with considerable valuable oak interspersed through some portions. This timbered land extends throughout the remainder of Walker, and northwest into the adjoining townships of Ottawa county. The soil of the northwestern portion is chiefly clay, with some small parcels of rich, black, sandy loam. The face of the country is gently undulating, with but few hills and swamps.
Walker is as thickly settled as any township which contains no village. The southeasterly part is mostly divided into small lots, containing from five to forty acres, and which are usually devoted to market gardening and fruit-growing. The westerly and northwesterly part is devoted principally to farming purposes. In that locality are to be seen some quite large, as well as fine, farms. Stephen O'Brien owns two hundred and eighty acres, situated south of Bridge street, two miles west of the plaster quarries, two hundred acres of which is in a good state of cultivation. Mr. O'Brien informed us that he raises from nine hundred to one thousand bushels of wheat per year, besides other general crops; and that he has sold as high as one hundred tons of hay as the result of one year's yield. P. F. Covell, N. C. Wright, and Daniel Schermerhorn, near the center ; Haines Edison and B. F. Woodman, in the northern part of the township ; and MeCarthy and Davidson in the southern part, have farms containing from one hundred and sixty to two hundred and sixty acres each. Peaches, apples and other kinds of fruit are raised in abundance on the sandy belt, and on most parts of the clay land. The low lands along the river produce good crops of grass and grain.
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
The greatest elevation in the township is the high rolling swell of land extend- ing from section thirty-two in the southwest, passing through the central part, broken by Brandy Creek, near the residence of William Dunnett, continuing northward on the west of Indian Creek, and afterwards crossing the line into Alpine. On the highest part of this ridge, near the center of section nine, is a lake covering about four acres, situated in the middle of a swamp of about twenty acres. This lake is about one hundred feet above the level of Grand River, and has no visible outlet. Poles have been run down sixty feet without striking any solid bottom.
There is a swamp of about one hundred acres on Bridge street, three and one half miles west of the river, lying mostly on section twenty-nine. There is also one about the same size in the southern part of section six. We found one of rather small dimensions on section eiglit ; also, one on section thirty-four. There are other small swamps in different parts of the township, some of which are being drained and cultivated, and are fast becoming rich meadow land. In all, there are, probably, about four hundred acres of swamp land in the township.
Of the streams in Walker, Indian Creek, formerly known as Indian Mill Creek, is the most important. It derived its name from a mill which was erected near its mouth by the Indians, or for them-we have not learned which-many years ago. (The site of this mill was near the present junction of the Detroit & Mil- waukee with the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, on section thirteen.) The source of the stream is in Alpine. It enters Walker from the north, near the pres- ent location of the Indian Creek post office, and passes through sections ten, fifteen, fourteen, and thirteen, and unites with Grand River near the D. & M. Railroad bridge. There was once considerable pine along its banks, and during the first ten years of the early settlement of the township, five saw mills were erected. In the year 1850, three of them remained. Now, the pine is very nearly gone; and at the time we went through the township (May, 1870), but one of the mills was running.
Brandy Creek, which is a branch of Indian Creek, rises on section sixteen, and flowing north easterly, enters the latter on the south side of section ten.
Black Skin Creek-so-called after an Indian chielf of that name-rises in the southern part of the original township, and flowing south alongside the plant- ing ground before mentioned, enters Grand River on the south side of section five.
Sand Creek flows through the northwesterly part of the township, and passes out into Ottawa connty on the west.
There are several other small creeks in the township, but none demanding special notice. :
RAILROADS.
Walker is crossed by three railroads. The Detroit & Milwaukee passes through the northern part of the township ; the Kalamazoo, Allegan & Grand Rapids division of the Michigan Southern runs through the southeasterly part; and the Grand Rapids and Indiana runs parallel with the river through the northicasterly part.
14
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
MILLS AND MANUFACTURING ESTABLISHMENTS.
In the year 1845, Joseph Bullen erected a saw mill on the eastern part of sec- tion 4. It is run by an overshot waterwheel ; the water being conveyed from the pond on Indian Creek, near the residence of Solomon Wright, in Alpine, a dis- tance of nearly ninety rods. The mill possesses the facilities for sawing one mil- lion feet of lumber per year ; but on account of the scarcity of pine, it does a much smaller business. The mill also contains one run of mill-stones for grind- ing "feed," etc. The present proprietors are McNitt & Wilder.
The plaster mills and quarries on section thirty-four, two and one half miles below Bridge street, in the side of the bluff near the river, are on the east part of section thirty-four. Plaster was first discovered here by R. E. Butterworth, of Grand Rapids, who then owned the land. He opened the first quarry in the year 1852, which was operated under the superintendence of Bernard Courtney. This is the mine now known as " Plaster Cave," or " Hovey's Cave," and is operated by the Eagle Mills Plaster Company. They have large mills and extensive works for grinding the rock for land plaster, and also for the manufacture of stucco.
SCHOOL HOUSES.
The school houses of Walker are generally good, although, perhaps, not quite equal to those of some other townships, nor quite as good as should be expected of a wealthy class of inhabitants near a city of the size of Grand Rapids.
District No. 4, commonly known as the " Walker Center" district, was organ- ized in 1841, and then included a territory of about fifteen squire miles. Their first house was a log building, and stood on the north side of section 22 ; the next was a small wooden building standing at the original geographical center of the township, on the northeast corner of section twenty-one. This building was used until 1867, when a nice frame building was erected at a cost of $1,000. This is the best school house in the township.
District No. 7 .- Bridge street-has a good wooden building, which was erected in the year 1860. Cost, $400. It is located on the south side of section twenty- two.
District No. 8 was organized in the year 1845. A log house was built, which was used until the year 1858, when the present frame structure, which is gen- erally known as the O'Brien school house, was erected at a cost of $400. Loca- tion, south side of section twenty-nine.
District No. 2 is the oldest district now in existence in Walker. A log buildl- ing was first used. The present frame building was built in the year 1860, at an expense of about $300. Location, near south side of section thirty-three. This district is about to be divided to form a new one in the vicinity of the plaster mills.
District No. 3 has a small frame building on the northeast corner of section nineteen, near the residence of Henry C. Hogadone.
District No. 12 has a small frame house on the north side of section seventeen, near the residence of A. T. Liscomb.
District No. 6 was organized about the year 1840, and a small frame building crected, which was used until 1858, when a large frame house was erected at a
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
cost of $700. This house is located on the south side of section three, and is com- monly known as the Simonds' school house.
District No. 11 was organized in the year 1850, and a small frame house built on the west side of section twelve, known as the Wait school house.
In District No. 5, the first school house was built on the farm of Andrew Loomis, on the southwest corner of section six. The present building-a small frame structure-stands on the northeast corner of section seven.
There are several fractional districts, partly in Walker, of which the school houses are in the adjoining townships.
CHURCHES.
Walker contains none yet, but one is being built by the Wesleyan Methodist society, on the southeast corner of section two, which is to be a wooden building 28x44 feet in size. The estimated cost is $1,500 to $1,600.
HOTELS.
The Walker House, owned and kept by Solomon Pierce, was erected in the year 1856, by N. C. Wright. It is a three-story frame building, and stands on the north side of section ten, four miles from the city.
WYOMING.
Wyoming is one of the western tier of townships of Kent county. It is bound- ed on the north and northwest by the city of Grand Rapids and the township of Walker, on the east by Paris, on the south by Byron, and on the west by George- town, Ottawa county.
The soil of this township is diversified, a portion of it, extending from the northern, northeastern part of the township in a southwesterly direction, with a breadth of about two miles, and a length of about five miles, has a gravelly soil, timbered with burr and white oak. It is now principally under cultivation, and is especially adapted to wheat growing. Adjoining this, on the westerly side, are the Grand River bottoms, varying in width from one-fourth to one-half of a mile; and on the east is a large swamp and open marsh. . Parts of this swamp are densely timbered with cedar and pine, with an occasional island hemlock and maple. East of this is a large tract of sandy openings, timbered with white and yellow oak. The soil is light, but affords a fair quality of farming lands. South of this is Buek Creek, with its bottom lands; adjoining which on the south is a strip of pine, of about one mile in width, extending from the south line of the township in a north, northwestery direction, to within about two miles of its west- ern border. South of this is a strip of beech and maple land, varying in width from one mile at its eastern extremity to three at its western.
Buck Creek enters Wyoming from the south, about the center of section thirty- six, and flows northwesterly, entering Grand River on section seventeen. This stream affords three good mill sites within the township, which are occupied as follows: One by Fisher's Saw Mill, David Fisher, proprietor, on section twenty- seven ; another by Dewey's Saw Mill, on section twenty-one, Egbert Dewey, pro-
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HISTORY AND DIRECTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
prictor ; and the third by the Wyoming Flouring Mill, at Grandville, HI. O. Weston, proprietor.
Plaster Creek enters Wyoming from the cast, on section twelve, and flows northwest, leaving the township just before it reaches Grand River.
There are numerous small spring brooks throughout this township, one of which, entering it from Paris, on section one, and flowing west into Plaster Creek, affords water power for running the plaster mills.
TIIE VILLAGE OF GRANDVILLE
is located in the western part of this township, on the left bank of Grand River, and contains a population of about 300. It contains five dry goods and grocery stores, two drug stores, two blacksmith shops, one wagon shop, one boot and shoe store, and one harness shop. It has two churches ; one Cangregational, which was erected about the year 1855, and a Methodist Episcopal, now nearly finished. The first Congregational Society was organized at Grandvillee in 1838, and Rev. James Ballard was the first pastor. The Grandville Union School House, erected in 1867, is a very fine building. It is thirty feet in width, by sixty in length, with a transept sixteen by thirty feet in size, has two stories above the basement, and is surmounted by a tower. The cost was $10,000.
David Tucker built the first frame house in Graudville. ' It stood a little north of the present residence of II. O. Weston.
PLASTER.
The existence of gypsum beds, on Plaster Creek, was known to the Indians at the time when the first white settlers came to this township, and gave the stream its name. A portion of the rock was exposed in the bed of the creek at the site of the first plaster mill, where George H. White & Co.'s works are now located. Douglass Houghton, State Geologist, visited the place in 1838, and gave the first published account of the deposits. Prior to that time the 80 acres of land on section two, on which the plaster was found, had been purchased by Mr. De- garmo Jones, of Detroit, with a view to its mineral worth.
The first mill for grinding plaster was built in the winter of 1840-1, by Mr. Daniel Ball, of Grand Rapids. It was driven by a large water wheel, and con- tained but one run of stone. The last remains of this building, in use until a few years ago, were torn down in 1869. Mr. Ball leased the bed of Mr. Jones, and paid him in plaster, delived in Detroit via Grand River and the lakes. Mr. Henry R. Williams bought the lease of Mr. Ball in 1843, and during the same year built an addition to the works, putting in another run of stone for custom flouring. Mr. James A. Rumsey entered these works in 1842, and has been connected with the business since that time, being now employed as foreman by George H. White & Co. The plaster produced for the first four years found a market principally at Detroit, but by dint of wise exertions on the part of the proprietors, who sold it, and often gave it away to farmers for trial, its use as a fertilizer became quite general in the southern part of the State. It was often conveyed on sleighs for use on farms, from 30 to 100 miles distant. George H. White & Co. now own the 80 acres on which the first mill was built, and land adjoining, to the amount of 425 acres in all, of which about 300 acres is underlaid with plaster. The stratum
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