USA > Michigan > Calhoun County > History of Calhoun county, Michigan, With Illustrations descriptive of its scenery > Part 24
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Marshall Commandery, No. 17, Knights Templar, was instituted under dis- pensation August 27, 1866; John T. Vernor, Jr., being the E. C., Lyman Sleeper, Geno., and Jerome B. Warner, C. G. The first meeting was held De- cember 5, 1866, there being present besides the officers first named Sir Knights H. G. Filkins, J. W. Fletcher, George J. Barrett, N. F. Blossom, W. A. Coles, Nath. P. Aldrich, E. Bouton Lusk, S. B. Smith, and P. H. Budlong, who were charter members, all of whom except Smith and Vernor received the orders in Jacobs Commandery, No. 10, Coldwater. At the first election under the charter, held July 3, 1867, the following officers were elected: John T. Vernor, Jr., E. C .; Seneca B. Smith, Geno .; J. B. Warner, C. G .; H. G. Filkins, Prelate; John W. Fletcher, S. W .; Erwin Ellis, J. W .; H. F. Blossom, Treas .; T. J. O'Brien, Recorder; J. Lusk, Stand. Bearer; E. Boughton Lusk, Swd. Bearer; Lyman Sleeper, Warder. The charter was granted June 5, 1867, and command- ery constituted and officers installed August 4, 1867, by Past R. E. Grand Com- mander Seaman L. Dart, the ceremonies closing up with a banquet at the Forbes House. Theron Hamilton and Henry R. Cook, of Lafayette Chapter, No. 4, received the order of Red Cross January 7, 1867, and Cook received the order of K. T. on February 6, and Hamilton on February 13, 1867, being the first can- didates received. Sir Knight Vernor was in command of the asylum and com- mandery, 1866-67 ; S. B. Smith, 1868; Edw. J. Bronson, 1869-72; John W. W. Fletcher, 1873; Wm. Powell, 1874-76. William A. Coles filled the position of Recorder under dispensation, and from 1868 to 1783, both years inclusive, and J. S. Dobbins, 1874-75; Charles A. Gardanier, 1876. The present officers are John Adams, E. C .; Lyman Sleeper, Geno .; Charles F. Walter, C. G .; William Powell, Prelate; Wm. A. Coles, Recorder. Eighty-seven members have received the orders in the commandery, and been admitted by limit. The Masonic hall is owned by St. Albans lodge, Lafayette Chapter, and Marshall Commandery. The main hall is thirty-six by sixty feet, spacious and accessible. Banquet-room, anterooms, and armory are neatly fitted up, and give ample space for all needs of the several bodies which meet therein.
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Peninsula Lodge, No. 5, I. O. O. F., was organized August 19, 1844, by Dis- trict Deputy Grand Sire S. Yorke Atlee, who installed the following as the first officers of the lodge: James Wright Gordon, N. G .; E. C. Noble, V. G .; Benj. Vernor, Sec'y; John B. Frink, Treas. The first initiates were Mr. Chamberlain, A. O. Ayde, and Geo. Cogswell, who were admitted the same evening of the in- stitution of the lodge. R. G. Stimpson, of Detroit, was appointed to represent this lodge in the formation of the grand lodge of Michigan. At the first election of officers under the charter, held September 30 following (1844), the following officers were chosen: E. C. Noble, N. G .; Benjamin Vernor, V. G .; John B. Frink, Sec'y; Abram G. Butler, Treas., who were installed October 5 by the Dis- trict Deputy Grand Sire Atlee. There have been three hundred and forty-two members initiated and admitted by card during the existence of the lodge, and sixty-four members are now in good standing in the same. The present officers are Frank C. Stuart, N. G .; Rudolph Rohr, V. G .; James M. Servoss, Rec. Sec'y; Z. S. Ames, Per. Sec'y; Fred. Karstaedt, Treas. .
Marshall Encampment of Patriarchs, No. 2, was instituted October 20, 1844, with the following officers and members: J. Wright Gordon, C. P .; Abram G. Butler, H. P .; A. O. Hyde, S. W .; E. C. Noble, Peter D. Hudson, John B. Frink, Benj. Vernor, S. S. Alcott, and Geo. Cogswell. The encampment, after a lapse of several years, ceased to work, and was resuscitated February 24, 1870, or thereabouts, with the following members : Isaac G. Evans, N. G .; C. D. Clarke, H. P .; Z. S. Ames, S. W .; M. A. Cunningham, Scribe; Charles Fisher, Treas .; Ed. C. Smith, J. W., and Frank Baker. Since the resuscitation the encampment has flourished, and has now a membership of thirty.
The Knights of Honor are a society organized for life insurance purposes prin- cipally, though each lodge can adopt such regulations as it pleases relative to mutual benefit in case of sickness or casualties among its individual members. It has been organized but some four years or so, but has grand bodies in several States, and a supreme lodge in the nation. But two salaried officers are connected with the entire organization, the Supreme Treasurer and Secretary, who notify the subordinate lodges of all assessments and pay all losses incurred. Ten per cent. of the gross receipts of the subordinate lodges are paid into the supreme treasury for running expenses, and a widow and orphans' benefit fund is raised by assessment on every member, from which every loss is paid at once on due proof of death. No one can receive more than two thousand dollars, and the option rests with the members to pay one-half of the assessments only, and have one thousand dollars secured to their heirs in case of death. The admission fee is fifteen dollars, and annual dues four dollars. The assessments are made in advance, and covered into the supreme treasury by the subordinate lodges, who also levy their assessments in advance, thus keeping the money on hand ready for any emergency or call. There must never be less than two thousand dollars in the supreme treasury at any time, but several assessments have, so far, been kept on hand. The amount of losses already paid by the order is quite large. The assessments are graduated on members according to their age at the time of admission, those between twenty-one and forty-five years paying one dollar on each assessment, and running up as high as four dollars. Membership qualifications are soundness in body and morals. The lodge at Marshall is the Mutual Lodge, No. 403, and was instituted December 2, 1876, with the follwoing officers and members: John W. Fletcher, Past Dictator; W. L. Buck, Dictator; John Adams, Vice-Dictator; C. F. Walters, Assistant Dictator; W. H. H. Minot, Guide ; T. E. Ferguson, Financial Reporter ; James Miller, Reporter ; C. A. Gar- danier, Treasurer ; H. L. Joy, Chaplain ; O. L. Johnson, Guardian ; Henry Tillot- son; Sentinel ; George S. Barrett, Lyman Sleeper, Wm. Powell, W. H. Faulkner, J. H. Saunders, John Baldwin, and Samuel J. Burpee. The above-named officers are the present incumbents. There are twenty-two members in the lodge at present.
The Sacred Temple is a secret order, whose active members are exclusively ladies. They have taken the cue from their Masonic and Odd-Fellow husbands and brothers, and graciously allow such of these latter who are Master Masons to be admitted to a fifth (honorary) degree; but the real cream of the institution, its charities and beneficent works, the ladies wisely keep in their own hands. The order was instituted in Hillsdale, Michigan, in 1867, but has spread into some of the neighboring States. It has a grand body, called "The Supreme Sacred Temple of Michigan." The four degrees monopolized by the ladies " teach and exemplify woman's duties in the social, and especially the domestic, circle." The fifth " Honorary Brotherhood" degree, which alone is attainable by the " tyrant man," confers upon his eminence no special privileges or secrets outside of that especial degree; and though he has fully entered therein, yet he finds inscribed over the portals of the " Sacred Temple," outside of which he must ever remain, the legend over Paradise,-" Procul, O procul este, profani !" The Sacred Temple of Marshall, No. 7, was instituted February 4, 1870, under dispensation, being chartered the following October, with the following officers and members : Mrs. S. A. Peterman, Worthy Mistress ; Mrs. R. E. Sleeper, F. C. ; Mrs. M. E. John-
son, Treasurer; Mrs. Jane Leach, Secretary ; Mrs. Houghton, Mrs. Sayles, Mrs. Bruce, Mrs. Lathrop, Miss Wilson, Mrs. Millard, and others. The organization now numbers forty members. The society planned a hall, and had it arranged according to its needs, and occupy it exclusively, and have furnished it in accord- ance with the original idea of a temple, as propounded by the founder of the order (a lady), though it is not quite complete at the present time. The society has occupied the hall since July 9, 1875. Mrs. Peterman has held the office of Worthy Mistress since the organization of the temple, and Mrs. Sleeper has served three years as F. C., and has also been the Grand Secretary of the Supreme Sacred Temple one year. Mrs. Peterman has held the position of Supreme Matron three years, and Grand Treasurer one year. The present officers of the Marshall Temple are : Mrs. S. A. Peterman, Worthy Mistress ; Mrs. H. Sayles, F. C .; Mrs. R. E. Sleeper, Treasurer ; Miss E. Paddock, Secretary.
Marshall Grange, No. 83, Patrons of Husbandry, was instituted October 1, 1873, and includes the consolidation of the North Marshall Grange, No. 99, and Eckford Grange, No. 100. The first Master of Marshall Grange was Devillo Hubbard ; the second, George R. Mckay; and the third, J. A. Davis. The grange now numbers three hundred and twenty-four members. Its present officers are-Henry L. Day, Master ; W. F. Hewitt, Overseer; A. Hosmer, Lec- turer ; George S. Woolsey, Secretary ; Putnam Root, Treasurer ; Mrs. Lucy Huggett, Ceres ; Mrs. J. Leonard, Pomona ; Miss Hattie Hosmer, Flora.
Marshall Division, No. 18, Sons of Temperance, was organized May 18, 1847, with fourteen charter members: James A. Way, W. P .; E. D. Ladd, W. A. ; J. W. Wilder, R. S .; W. R. McCall, F. S .; F. F. Quinn, Treasurer. It continued to work flourishingly for some years, but finally suspended in April, 1853. It had a large membership at one time, among which were some of the best citizens of the village, and, as one of the old members says, " some of the hardest cases," most of whom were wholly reclaimed.
Marshall Division, No. 7, S. of T., was organized in July, 1859, for a special object, and ceased to work as soon as its purpose was accomplished. The promi- nent men of the old division were the prime actors in the new division.
Marshall Lodge, No. 410, I. O. G. T., was organized July 20, 1866. This was a reorganization of the first Good Templars' lodge, and it continued for some years, and then ceased.
Marshall Lodge, No. - , I. O. G. T., was instituted in January, 1855, with fifteen charter members : S. Steele, W. C. T .; Seth Lewis, W. V. T .; W. A. Wilder, Secretary ; George B. Murray, Treasurer. The lodge ceased working August, 1856.
Charter Lodge, No. 508, I. O. G. T., was instituted April 20, 1867, with a goodly number of members, among whom were F. H. Burgess, W. C. T .; Mat- thew .Gill, W. V. T .; I. D. Mccutcheon, W. S .; J. R. Ferguson, W. T. It worked contemporaneously with Marshall lodge, No. 410, and ceased its meetings May 5, 1868.
The Reform Club of Marshall, the offspring of the " red ribbon movement" inaugurated in Michigan by Dr. Reynolds, in 1877, was organized in April of the latter year, and now numbers some three hundred members of all classes of the citizens,-teetotalers by nature and practice for years, temperate drinkers previously, and common drunkards. The movement has swept over certain cities and villages in the State like the tides of the sea, carrying whole communities before it. It has met with encouraging results thus far in Marshall, and the club formed here have reading-rooms and hold frequent meetings. Its officers are as follows : John Smith, president; Robert Donally, first vice-president; John Mc- Hugh, second vice-president; Frank Warmington, corresponding secretary ; V. M. Randall, financial secretary ; G. W. Steele, treasurer. There are from three hundred to three hundred and fifty members.
The temperance movement of 1838-40, and the Washingtonians of 1842, were ably seconded by the people of Marshall ; Rev. J. P. Cleveland, the president of the Marshall college, being the foremost man in both movements.
The Marshall Section of Cadets of Temperance was organized by the youths of Marshall in 1847, with F. T. Quinn, W. P .; William Hobart, W. A .; Charles Houston, V. A. ; Robert Cross, T. ; P. Crissey, A. T. ; Alonzo Crissey, Secretary ; William Phelps, A. Secretary ; Luther Hays, Guide; F. Austin, Usher ; James Sergeant, W .; James Bentley, Sentinel. It was in active operation but a short time.
The New England Society of Marshall was formed December 22, 1846, and adopted a constitution and by-laws, confining the membership to natives of New England. The following officers were elected: Joseph Chedsey, of Vermont, president ; Jarvis Hurd, of the same State, Dr. A. L. Hays, of New Hampshire, Hovey K. Clarke, of Massachusetts, Charles T. Gorham, of Connecticut, Ran- dall Hobart, of Vermont, and Charles Dickey, of New Hampshire, vice-presi- dents ; James M. Parsons, of Massachusetts, secretary ; and Henry C. Bunce, of Connecticut, treasurer. The society hold reunions on the anniversary of the
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
landing of the Pilgrims, and very enjoyable occasions are had. The present officers are W. R. McCall, president, and George S. Wright, secretary.
The Marshall Dramatic Association was formed in the winter of 1862, the first appearance of the same being before a Marshall audience March 12, 1862. Messrs. Duer, Hollon, Wilkinson, J. E. Miles, and J. W. Fletcher were " leading men" at that time.
During the war the association was maintained, and included a fine array of native talent, and contributed no little to the people's pleasure, as well as aided materially in supplying the soldiers' aid society with funds for its works of mercy. After the war the association was maintained during the winter season for some years, and, though not actively engaged in rehearsals, the members are ready to respond to any call for home pleasure or assistance, and can and do produce their pieces creditably.
Messrs. Edward Way, Frank Phelps, M. S. O'Keefe, and others of the young men are among the present material of the company, and a goodly number of the young ladies of the city, among whom are some of decided histrionic talent, are also of the company.
The Marshall Boat-club was organized May 13, 1876, and reorganized Febru- ary, 1877. The present officers are S. J. Burpee, president ; John Adams, vice- president ; Charles A. Dibble, treasurer ; Will A. Coles, secretary ; Ed. C. Way, captain. The club was organized for amusement and exercise only, and are not members of any association. The Kalamazoo river, for a distance of three miles, affords them ample opportunity for their field of usefulness ; while the more mus- cular find an excellent course for one and one-half miles, or from the lower buoy to Cold Springs. The club have a lease of Tucker's grove or Cold Spring grove, distant one and one-half miles from the city, which is reached by the river or carriage road, or by the Michigan Central railroad, whose cars pass the grove. The grove contains about six acres, and is one of the most beautiful grounds for pleasure purposes to be found in the State, and is being fitted with suitable build- ings for refreshment, camping, or pleasure purposes. Swings and the usual amuse- ments, croquet-grounds, etc., are always to be found, while the lovers of aquatic sports can find good boats for rental. There are, at the present writing, forty-five members. The club are owners of the ten-oared barge "Wawahtasse," built by La Chapelle, Detroit, Michigan, at a cost of four hundred dollars ; it is fifty-one feet long, four feet seven inches beam, and has capacity for twenty-five persons ; also, four-oared outrigged barge, "Coquette," built by Hubbell Brothers, at a cost of one hundred and fifty dollars ; length, thirty feet ; thirty-one inches beam. Carries coxswain.
A suitable boat-house is also owned by the club, length, sixty by twenty feet, fully equipped, with lockers, etc., wherein are stored the barges. The Centennial boat-house, sixty feet by eighteen feet, contains the private boats of the members, which are as costly, and, without doubt, as fine pleasure-boats as are in the State. The barge. crews are finely uniformed. Four steamboats are among the property of the members of the club, viz. : "S. J. Burpee," built at Marshall, thirty- six feet long, fifteen horse-power, screw propeller, owned by Captain John Cawood, is a steamer first-class in all respects, and has capacity for carrying seventy-five persons with safety. It is used for picnic purposes. Steamer "Comfort," Captain ' Myron O'Keefe, owner, built at Marshall, is also used for pleasure and picnic pur- poses ; her length is twenty-five feet, accommodations for twenty persons, three and one-half horse-power, screw. Steamer . , Captain W. H. Elston, eighteen feet long, has a rotary engine, three horse-power, propelled by screw, is elegantly fitted and equipped, and is used for pleasure purposes only. Master Lou. Joy also has a small boat propelled by steam.
The private gymnasium of the president of the club, S. J. Burpee, is placed at the use of the members of the boat-club by that liberal-souled gentleman. He has equipped it with ladder, trapeze, parallel bars, health lift, Indian clubs, dumb bells, pocket gymnasium, etc., and it forms a most excellent adjunct to the club's exercises.
The Gyre Club, which was organized as a shooting-club, also has its club rooms near by the gymnasium, where a good billiard-table, etc., are free to the members at all times, all provided for by the liberality of Mr. Burpee.
MILITARY.
In May, 1858, a military organization was effected, called the Marshall Light Guards, with Horace Phelps captain, K. A. Hunton (afterwards lieutenant-colonel of the Engineers and Mechanics regiment in the war for the Union), first lieu- tenant; Frank Dickey, second lieutenant, afterwards major of the Eighth Michigan cavalry ; H. C. Hawkins, third lieutenant.
A company was subsequently formed among the German citizens, Charles Heine being captain, who was afterwards captain of the Fourteenth battery of Michigan light artillery.
DISASTROUS CONFLAGRATIONS.
Many times has Marshall been visited by fires by which property of considerable value has been destroyed. The more noted and disastrous conflagrations are the following : May 31, 1861, Perrin's block and several adjoining stores and their stocks were destroyed or badly damaged. September 18, 1861, the planing-mill and sash-factory of Church & Webster, and other buildings, and a large stock of lumber were destroyed, creating a loss of ten thousand dollars. On the 28th of the same month, the Davis bakery, Devereux store, and other buildings were de- stroyed, entailing a loss of eight thousand dollars. In 1869, a fire occurred in Perrinville, by which a large amount of property was destroyed, and again in 1872, another disastrous conflagration destroyed the stone and frame flouring-mills, the Novelty Iron Works of John Adams, the sash-, door-, and blind-factory of J. L. Dobbins, a large boarding-house and grocery and two private dwellings, in Perrinville. In 1840, F. A. Kingsbury's furniture factory was burned, and all his stock and tools; and the stone mill on the Kalamazoo was burned once before its last destruction, and so too was the frame flouring-mill, which had been rebuilt. On December 28, 1861, a fire destroyed Hyde & Joy's drug-store, Charles Kil- lian's and Knight's boot and shoe stores, and the " Red White and Blue" hard- ware-store, a heavy loss being incurred.
Among the many disastrous conflagrations which have visited Marshall, the most terrible one was that by which the Herndon House was destroyed, and made calamitous by the loss of life occasioned thereby. The fire broke out Friday morning, September 24, 1875, its origin being undiscovered. Claude G. Avery was suffo- cated, his wife being saved by his heroic efforts and those of Ed. Elliott. Antoine Graber, an employee of the New England Cigar Co., was burned. Eliza King, a servant in the house, was killed by falling from the fourth story, in endeavoring to cover her form, she being almost nude. The cook also was injured, so that she afterwards died, by jumping out of the window. Eleven other persons were more or less seriously injured. The scenes were heart-rending in the extreme, and no calamity has visited Marshall in all of her history so dreadful as this. George W. Watson was the proprietor of the hotel at the time, his loss being six thousand dollars. The loss on the Herndon was seventeen thousand dollars, and on the store adjoining, six thousand dollars. The guests lost everything they had, and some of them suffered heavily. Two of the firemen were injured, William R. Lewis being struck on the head by a falling ladder, and Rudolph Wirtz had his wrist severely cut by hot glass.
THE MUNICIPALITY.
The village of Marshall was first incorporated October 28, 1837. At the meet- ing held for deciding the question of incorporation, Dr. A. S. Hays and Sidney S. Alcott were judges of the election, and David L. Johns the clerk. Henry Hewitt, a justice of the peace, administered the oath of office to the officials. There were thirty-seven votes polled, Sidney S. Alcott receiving thirty-five of them for president of the corporation, and Dr. Hays, David L. Johns, Chas. T. Gorham, Chas. D. Smith, John Hutchinson, and Luther W. Hart were elected trustees, and Cyrus Hewitt recorder. These officials were in no indecent haste to assume their brief authority, as they did not qualify by taking the oath of office until January 6, 1838, Esquire Hewitt "swearing them in." On the 19th of July following, the president and trustees Johns and Hays were appointed a com- mittee to draft a code of by-laws and ordinances for the government of the board and its officials, and they reported on the 23d of the same month, providing for more officials, to wit : a treasurer, assessors, marshal, street commissioners, and fire-wardens. Householders were directed under rigorous penalties to keep their sidewalks (?) clear and take especial care of their ashes. Grocers were prohibited from selling their " wet groceries" on the Sabbath-day, and exhorted vigorously to prevent "loafing" about their premises on the same day, and to prevent all un- necessary noise thereon. General hygienic rules and observances were adopted; cattle, horses, and hogs were denied the right of free commoners about the streets. The board adopted a remarkably early hour for their meetings,-at eight o'clock A.M. on the first Tuesday of each month,-for what reason no "whereas" on the record indicates. The board elected C. M. Brewer treasurer, Marvin Preston and Peter Chisholm assessors, J. G. Dean, Isaac Murdenburgh, street inspectors, Man- lius Mann, B. K. Cressey, and Edward Butler fire-wardens. Recorder Hewitt removed from the village, and S. H. Preston was elected to fill the vacancy. The first sidewalk was ordered January 12, 1839, the specifications requiring the same to be made of plank, three feet wide, and commencing at the west end of the court-house square, continuing across the same, and along the north side of State street to the east line of the corporation, with cross-walks at the National, the post-office, and the street east of Gorham & Brewer's store, and at the market ; and the president and trustees Gorham and Hutchinson were placed in charge of
RESIDENCE OF JOHN ADAMS, MARSHALL AVE . MARSHALL, MICHIGAN.
RESIDENCE OF WM. POWELL , 13 MADISON ST. MARSHALL, MICH.
Bought by John Butler in 1880.
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HISTORY OF CALHOUN COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
the work. January 25 the streets in the village were named, the northernmost one of those running east and west being called Prospect, and followed south by Mansion, State, Green, Hanover, and Spruce; the easternmost one of the north and south streets being called Eagle, and followed west by Grand, Kalamazoo, Sycamore, Mulberry, and Forest. The street running southeast from the court- house was named Monroe, and the alleys on the court-house square were called the Northwest, Southwest, Northeast, and Southeast alleys, respectively.
The second election was held May 6, 1839, and Luther W. Hart was elected president, Chauncey M. Brewer recorder, Edward Butler treasurer, Charles Dickey marshal, and Charles T. Gorham assessor. In July of that year the board discounted one-half of the taxes it had levied, and ordered Marshal Dickey to collect the other half at once. The committee on sidewalks did not do the work to suit the new board, and their powers were revoked and the marshal ordered to finish the job. The taxes on the Bank of Marshall were annulled.
At the election of 1840, Joseph C. Frink was elected president, and John A. Van Horne recorder, forty votes being polled. One hundred dollars were levied for current expenses. No licenses were granted to sell ardent or spirituous liquors ; on motion of trustee Wm. R. MeCall, but two were granted to sell beer, ale, and cider. The board also refused to license a bowling-alley. April 6, 1841, the board voted to issue shinplasters on the Bank of Marshall for six and a quarter cents, twelve and a half cents, eighteen and three-quarters cents, twenty-five cents, thirty-seven and a half cents, and fifty cents each, the bank to redeem them in current funds when presented in sums not exceeding ten dollars.
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