USA > Michigan > Cass County > History of Cass county, Michigan > Part 39
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94
JOHN SHAW.
Mr. Shaw was born in Westfield, Chautauqua Co., N. Y., March 10, 1824. He learned at an early age the trade of cabinet-making. In 1853, he went to Cali- fornia where he remained two years. The steamer in which he took passage for his return trip was the ill-fated Yankee Blade, which was totally wrecked near Lookout Point on the Mexican coast. a great many of the passengers losing their lives. He was one of the survivors. In 1856, he came to Cassopo- lis to visit relatives, and while here became acquainted with Miss Eliza, daughter of Maj. Joseph Smith, to whom he was married the same year. He took his wife to his old home, Westfield, N. Y., and remained there one year, when he returned to Cassopolis, where he lived until his death, which occurred June 25, 1878. His wife and only son, Charles W., survive him.
C. C. ALLISON.
C. C. Allison, editor of the National Democrat, was born in Blackberry, Ill., about thirty miles west of Chicago, in September, 1840. He came to Cass- opolis in 1848, and has since resided here. In 1855, he obtained his introduction to the printing business, entering the Democrat office as an apprentice. It was in this school that he obtained the principal part of his education, "picking it out of the case." He worked for about one year in Dowagiac on the Cass County Tribune, under James L. Gannt, and on the present Dowagiac Republican at the time it was founded by Messrs. Jones & Campbell. In 1862, he took charge of the National Democrat as publisher, and, as a matter of fact, as editor, for he did all of the writing except an occasional article from Maj. Jo- seph Smith. When Mr. Allison first became identi- fied with the Democrat, it was owned by a company of stockholders; but, in 1864, he purchased the paper. Since then he has edited and published it and with fine success.
JAMES M. SHEPARD.
Mr. Shepard was born in North Brookfield. Mass., November, 24, 1840, and at a very early age removed to Boston. He is the youngest son of Lucy (Bush) and Rev. James Shepard, of the New England Method- ist Episcopal Conference, and grandson of Gen. James Shepard, of the army of the Revolution. After preparatory study at the Wilbraham Academy, he entered the Wesleyan University at Middletown, Conn., and there received a thorough classical educa- tion. Subsequently he studied medicine and dental surgery at Boston. During the war, he served in the medical department of the United States Navy. Upon
S. Y. Read
RESIDENCE OF S. T. READ, CASSOPOLIS, MICH.
181
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
the 3d of September, 1868, he located in Cassopolis, where he has since resided, following, until 1876, the profession of dental surgery, and since then journal- ism. He has been sole proprietor of the Vigilant since 1878. Mr. Shepard was elected as a Repub- lican to the State Senate from the Twelfth District (Cass and Van Buren Counties), in 1878, receiving 5,257 votes against 1,208 for Josiah R. Hendryx, Democrat, and 4,230 for Aaron S. Dyckman, National· He served acceptably to his constituency and was a valued member of the Senate. He was Chairman on the Standing Committees on the Liquor Traffic, and on Printing, and a member of the committees on Education and Public Schools, Mechanical Interests *and Engrossment and Enrollment. In 1870, Mr. Shepard was united in marriage with Alice, eldest daughter of Hiram and Margaret Silver Martin. They have two children.
A. E. PECK.
Mr. A. E. Peck was, for many years, a resident and prominent man of Cassopolis. He was born in Jefferson County, N. Y., in 1819. Hc moved to Ohio in 1840; to Livingston County, Mich., in 1842, and to Cassopolis in 1846. In 1854, Mr. Peck was elected Register of Deeds, and entering upon the duties of that office in January, 1855, served until 1865. filling the position to the entire satisfaction of the public. For some time sub- sequent to the latter date, he was engaged in business in Cassopolis, and in October, 1874, removed to Gentry County, Mo., where he died July 16 of the following year. Mr. Peck was a very worthy man, and enjoyed the esteem of all who knew him during his long residence in Cassopolis.
JAMES OREN.
James Oren, of Cassopolis, came to the county April 11, 1848, and is, therefore, an eleventh-hour pioneer, according to the rules of the Pioneer Society. He was born in Clinton County, Ohio, January 29, 1825. In the winter of 1848-49, he taught school in what was called the brick schoolhouse, two and a half miles south of Cassopolis, and for five or six years following he continued to teach during the winters in the schools of Calvin Township. He soon afterward made an unfortunate investment in a mill property. In the fall of 1851; he married Angeline Osborn, daughter of Josiah and Mary Osborn. Both were at the time members of the Society of Friends ; but, being mar- ried by a Baptist minister, contrary to the discipline of the church, they were disowned and deprived of the privilege of membership. Their sympathies, low- ever, remained with the Quakers, and the policy of the society being changed in some respects, they were,
nearly twenty years afterward, invited and welcomed back into the church. "One son, James Albert Oren, was the offspring of their union. After his marriage, Mr. Oren settled in Calvin and cleared up a fine farm. He was quite prominently identified with the affairs of the township, being several times elected to the offices of School Inspector, Clerk and Supervisor. Both his son and wife died in 1873, the former upon June 30 and the latter on August 23. Not long after these sad occurrences, Mr."Oren removed to Cassop- olis, and, a year later, married Sarah, widow of Charles Kingsbury and daughter of John Miller.
CHAPTER XXIV.
THE CITY OF DOWAGIAC.
Beginning and Development-Causes Combining to Create a Town- The Paper City of Venice-Grace Greenwood upon Early Dowa- giac-Original Plat and Additions-Some Initial Events- Mercan- tile and Manufacturing History-Banking-Hotels-Post Office- Railroad Station-Amount of Freight Shipped-Church History -- The Public Schools-Lists of Trustees and Teachers-Secret and Benevolent Societies-Ladies' Library-Village Incorporation and City Charter -- Officers from 1858 to 1881-Fire Department-The Large Fires of 1864 and 1866-Burial Places-Fair Association- -Biograpbleal.
BEGINNING AND GROWTH.
"ILLAGES and cities do not come into existence and flourish except through definite cause-a de- mand and a need for their being on the part of the people who occupy the contiguous country, or perhaps a broader commercial necessity. Towns may be pro- jected and established where these conditions do not exist, but they fail to develop unless there is natural reason for development, and either remain as unnour- ished germs or pass entirely out of existence. Their growth cannot be arbitrarily forced.
These general remarks might be illustrated by many examples, but there is one which is particularly ap- propriate.
The site of the flourishing city of Dowagiac was selected at an early day for a village by one of the pioneer proprietors of the land. As early as 1836, the village of Venice was laid off, by Orlando Craine, on the southwest quarter of Section 31, in Wayne Township. The plat was extensive, occupying fully 160 acres of land, and it was .admirably arranged. The ground was well adapted to the building of a hamlet or village, and the proprietor was a popular man, who offered his land to the people at very rca- sonable terms. But, notwithstanding these facts, not a single house was built, the lands remained under farm cultivation and there was no mark established to indicate the ambition its owner had once cherished. The village of Venice had no existence save on paper in the County Register's office and in the imagination
182
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY. MICHIGAN.
of Mr. Craine. There was, in 1836, no need or de- mand for a village at this point. The sparse popula- tion illy sustained the few centers of trade which already existed, and the scanty products of the country required no new outlets or markets.
But in a dozen years the conditions had changed, and a village-Dowagiac-sprang up and flourished on the soil which had proven barren before.
The country had become more thickly settled, and the farms better improved and more productive, but these facts were not sufficient alone to cause the growth of a village in the north western part of Cass County. A new force came into operation-the rail- road-and all along its line through the fertile farm- ing region of Southern Michigan, there were formed new clusters of dwellings, and new places of trade and commerce.
Nicholas Cheesborough (quite widely known through his connection with the Morgan abduction case) had been engaged in 1847 in the purchase of right of way for the Michigan Central Railroad from Kalamazoo to Niles. As soon as it was decided to locate one of the stations of the line at the point now known as Dowagiac, he associated with himself Jacob Beeson, of Niles, and they together purchased from Patrick Hamilton (of whom we shall have much to say in this chapter) a tract of land consisting of eighty acres in the northeastern corner of the Township of Pokagon. Upon a portion of this land they proceeded to plat and lay out the village of Dowagiac, of which they made a record at the Register's office, in Cassopolis, Feb- ruary 16, 1848 .* The land was bought and the plat of the village recorded in the name of Mr. Beeson. This gentleman, although he never became a resident of the village, did much for the welfare of the place in various ways, not the least of which was his gener- osity or shrewd policy in making various donations of land for the use of churches and schools (as speci- fied in the note) and his grant to the railroad
of depot site and adjoining grounds, the latter of which, by an agreement with the railroad company, is forever to remain a park. The railroad, projected by the State, was originally intended to have as its western terminus the town of St. Joseph, but the Michigan Central Railroad Company, by whom it was purchased, greatly increased its value, and pro- moted the growth of the villages along the line by pushing it around the end of the lake to Chicago.
The little village laid out by Jacob Beeson quickly received population. Enterprising men readily saw that a town, situated upon a railroad, in the midst of a rich agricultural region, and with no important stations near it, must become not only a good place for mercantile business, but a shipping-point of con- siderable consequence.
From the very beginning of its life, the success of Dowagiac was assured. Within two years, merchants and tradesmen had assembled in considerable number, and the infant village contained nearly all of the simpler elements of industrial life. It was so clearly perceived that the village was destined to grow and thrive, that men who owned land adjoining the plat proceeded to lay out additions to accommodate its expansion, and profit by it. The first of these was Patrick Hamilton, who owned and resided on a farm in the southeast corner of Silver Creek Township. He laid out what was known as Hamilton's First Addition to the village of Dowagiac, in the spring of 1849, the plat being recorded upon the 14th of April. This addition included the lots along the west side of Division street, extending from Nicholas Bock's Hotel north, and as far northwest as Spruce street. Jacob Beeson made a small addition to the village March 13, 1850, from the Pokagon tract of land, which he had purchased, and Jay W. McOmber added a number of lots from his land in Wayne Township February 19, 1851, while Mr. Hamilton made his second addition to the town plat upon the 5th of the same month, and Erastus H. Spalding enlarged the area of the town by laying off streets and lots from his possessions in the summer of this year. Thus the limits of the town were gradually extended, as the actual or prospective growth of population demanded. From time to time other additions* have been made, until at present the original plat forms only a small fraction of the whole city.
* This plat was bounded by "a line commencing four rods west of the north east corner of Section I of Pokegon Township, running thence west one hundred and sixteen roda, thence conth ninety-pine rods, theoce east to u point from which a line rao north 36° east will intersect the place of begioniog." The streets are described as follows:" Obio etreet, Indiane street, Michigan avenue, New York eveque and Penneylvania avenue, are each four rode wido, and run parallel with Front street. Front street is five rods wide, bounded on the eontu and weet by lands belonging to Jacob Beeson and the Michigan Central Railroad Company. Pine street, Commercial street and Chestont street, are each four rods wide, and run at right engles with Front street nod Pennsylvania avenue. Main street is one hundred and eight feet wide, aod Hight street is five rods wide, both running parallel with Commercial street. The alleys are parallel with Front street, and all are sixteen and a half feet wide.
The plat consisted of ten whole squaree or blocke, end fractions of twelve others, the whole blocks being twenty-four rods long and thirteen rods wide, und euch divided into twelve lots. The entire number of lots was one hundred and eighty-four, and the whole lots measured four by six rods each.
The proprietor made several donations on certain specihed conditions as fol- Jowe: Fractional Lot No. 41 to the First Episcopal Society ; fractional Lot No. 1 to the Firet Methodist Episcopal Society, And fractional Lots No. 7 and 61 to the first denomination other than those named, who should first erect buildinge upon them neither of the buildings to be worth less than $300. It was provided that all or 'either of the luts designated were "to revert to the proprietor, his heirs or aseigos, upon the contracting of or existence for one year of a debt against any one of the congregations or societies " 'Fractional Lot No. 62 WBe given by the proprietor to the citizens of the village for the erection of a school- house, and for their perpetuel use for a boys' school, and fractional Lot Nu. 83 for a girls' school, and for perpetual use as such, and it Was provided that prior to the year 1855, either of the lots might be used for both sexes.
* The additione not mentioned above are the following : Patrick Hamilton's Third Addition, recorded December 12, 1854. Juy W. McOmber's Second Addition, recorded June 2, 1854. Patrick Hamilton's Fourth Addition, recorded October 14, 1856. Brees McConnell's Addition, recorded Jone 23, 1857. Daniel McOmber's Addition, recorded January 20, 1858. Justue Guge's Addition, recorded November 8, 1858. Tuthill und Sturgis' Addition, recorded March 24, 1858.
Jay W. and Daniel M. McOmber's Addition, recorded June 30, 1859. Sarah E. Sulliveo's Addition, recorded .June 19, 1863. Joel H. Smith's Addition, recorded October 2, 1865.
An addition, platted by Elum Harter, Joel Andrews and William G. Blish, recorded January 8, 1867.
183
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN
The town has had, during its thirty-three years of existence, quite an even growth, although in some years the increase of population has been retarded by various causes. Chief among these, perhaps, was the prevalence of typhoid fever in 1852, only four years after the founding of the village, which led many per- sons to think the locality dangerously unwholesome. As a matter of fact, the disease was imported. Lorane McArthur came home from Jackson not feeling well, and a Mr. Coan returned sick from a visit to New York. The first two cases of the fever were in the Dowagiac House. The disease rapidly spread, and many were afflicted. Some people moved away, and others who were stricken down were obliged to send abroad for friends to take care of them. At one time there were scarcely enough well persons in the place to attend the sick. Mr. Coan and his wife and sister died-the entire family. Of thirteen persons attacked, soon after the disease made its first appearance, eleven died-Henry Michael and a Mrs. Bull escap- ing. In the winter of 1857-58, and in the year 1870, there were epidemics of scarlet fever, which carried off many children. The unhealthiness of Dowagiac, however, has probably been no greater than that of the average of towns of its class in South- western Michigan, and the unenviable reputation which it temporarily bore after the epidemic of 1852, has not since attached to it.
The two large fires of 1864 and 1866, which are elsewhere spoken of in detail, caused serious losses ; but they cannot be considered as untoward events, viewed in the light of the great improvements they made possible.
As young as is Dowagiac, it has entered upon what may be called the second era of its life. At first all advancement was in the hard, straight line of utility. There was time for none but the sternly-practical duties of life. Necessities were provided ; luxury and elegance little thought of. The village, when it was ten years old, appeared undoubtedly very crude and painfully new. There was no special natural attractiveness in the site on which it was built, and its residents had not yet devoted their attention to beauti- fying their homes. About the year 1858, the well- known writer, Grace Greenwood (Mrs. Lippincott), paid a visit to her brother, Dr. William E. Clarke, who had settled here a short time before, and during her stay sent to that famous old literary paper of Philadelphia, the Evening Post, a description of the village which considerably incensed some of its peo- ple. The letter was undoubtedly a racy and graphic pen-picture of the Dowagiac of those days, colored all too correctly. The bare, white houses reminded the writer of rocs' eggs lying on the desert sand. She
complained that the people did not plant shade trees in their door yards or the streets, and that the burn- ing sun shone down pitilessly on the grassless ground and unprotected dwellings. The letter, as we have said, caused some ill feeling at the time it appeared, but it had the good effect of setting people at work to beautify the village by planting trees and cultivating grass plats. A very general improvement was noticable in a short time. The village authorities, as well as individuals, took up the work of which they had been rather sharply reminded, and one result of their action we find chronicled in the records under date of 1859, in the item, "Ordered that
be paid 25 cents each for removing eighty-three stumps from the streets." The planting of shade trees was carried on for several years, until the village was well provided with them, and now, having attained a good growth, they make the streets and private grounds very attractive. If that person is a bene- factor who causes two blades of grass to grow where but one had grown before, how much greater a bene- factor is Grace Greenwood who indirectly caused the growth of several hundred beautiful trees where none (or at least a very few), grew before.
SOME OF THE FIRST HAPPENINGS, ETC.
The first preaching in the village was by the Rev. Jacob Price (Baptist), of Cassopolis, who, in July, 1848, addressed an audience assembled in the old freight house. The Rev. Richard C. Meek, a Methodist circuit rider, was probably the next minister who delivered a sermon in Dowagiac, and the Rev. S. H. D. Vaughn, of the Baptist Church, was the first settled pastor.
Noel Byron Hollister was the first resident lawyer.
The first couple married were Joel H. Smith and Sylvia Van Antwerp. This marriage was solemnized by the Rev. James McLarren, a Presbyterian minis- ter then located at Cassopolis.
The first death was that of Bogue Williams.
A son born to Mr. and Mrs. Hulemisky, was the first child which had its nativity in the town. His father was a laborer for the railroad. A village lot was deeded to this young pioneer. The first girl child was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Wares, now Mrs. C. J. Greenleaf. She did not receive any donation of real estate from the proprietors of the town.
The first Justice of the Peace was M. T. Garvey, the first Postmaster, A. C. Balch, and the first rail- road agent, Charles Wood.
In 1850 occurred the first Fourth of July celebra- tion in the new village. This brought the first great crowd which was gathered in the streets of Dowagiac,
184
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
and the first band of music. The latter came from Elkhart, and made the village musical during the two nights they remained there. The celebration of Inde- pendence Day was quite a success. M. T. Garvey was President of the Day, the Rev. Justus Gage the orator, and George B. Turner, of Cassopolis, the reader of the Declaration.
MERCANTILE BUSINESS.
Prior to the building of the railroad, A. C. Balch kept a small stock of goods in a house which stood where Mrs. Stoff now lives. Kendall & Fettiplace opened a store principally for the purpose of supply- ing with goods the hands they employed in building the freight house. Their store was in Ira D. Mosher's house, which is still standing and owned by Francis J. Mosher. Both of these stocks were small. A much larger was opened in January, 1848, by Ezekiel S. and Joel H. Smith. This store was in the building in which John Foster now keeps a shoe store, and was under the management of Joel H. Smith. The store was soon moved into a larger building, but after conducting the business for about a year, Mr. Smith sold out and went to California. Wells H. Atwood, the purchaser, carried on the store for about six years, took in a Mr. Carlin as partner, and finally sold his own interest to Dr. Hale.
G. W. Clark opened a store and carried on business for two or three years, on the corner of Front and Commercial streets.
In 1850, Joshua Lofland built a large brick store on the northwest side of Front street, facing the pas- senger depot, and in this building Mr. Lofland, Henly C. Lybrook and G. C. Jones began a general mercantile business. After five years, Mr. Lybrook sold out and the business was continued by Lofland & Jones.
Ballenger, Wagner & Co. began business in 1851, but were unsuccessful, and after three or four years had elapsed closed out.
About this time also Tuthill & Sturgis, H. E. Ellis, Becraft & Bowling and A. Van Uxen were engaged in the dry goods business, and Azro Jones opened a store in 1855 and carried on a miscellaneous business for twenty years.
F. G. Larzelere & Co. (the company was Daniel Larzelere and Babbitt) established themselves also in 1855 and remained in business about twelve years, being succeeded by Archibald Jewell & Co.
Gideon Gibbs, who began selling groceries in 1851, with Abram Townsend, established himself in the dry goods trade in 1863. With him were associated G. C. and Azro Jones, under the firm name of Jones & Gibbs, until 1869, and after that time G. C. and
Horace C. Jones. In 1873, the firm became Jones, Gibbs & Co., the company being a Mr. Greene.
A. M. Dickon & Co. and Thorp & Greene were in business for a short time.
Oppenheim Bros. opened their dry goods and cloth- ing store in 1871; Dewey (B. L.), Defendorf (Mar- vin) & Lyłe (Daniel) in 1873, and George H. Lyle & Co. at a subsequent date.
In all of the foregoing houses dry goods formed the principal part of the stock.
Mr. Hirsch, now of Chicago, began selling clothing in 1850. In 1859, the firm became Hirsch & Jacob, and in 1875 Hirsch & Phillipson, as it now remains. The senior partner retiring from active management, established the wholesale clothing firm of Hirsch & Meyer in Chicago.
William Houser opened and still carries on a large business in this line.
In the line of hardware, J. C. and George W. Andrews were the pioneers, beginning in 1850, in the basement of the old American House and subse- quently building on Division street. J. C. Andrews sold out in 1853, and George W. carried on the busi- ness until 1877. He moved his building to Front street in 1854 ; was burnt out in 1864 and rebuilt a fine block on the same ground.
F. H. Ross opened a stock of hardware in 1860, where the Republican office now is. He moved to Front street in 1864, and in 1874 first occupied the large store in which he now does business.
Ira Brownell was engaged in the hardware trade for a number of years following 1850.
H. C. Lybrook, G. C. Jones and T. McKinnon Hull, established themselves in this business in 1867. They were succeeded by C. W. Vrooman & Son (under the name of W. E. Vrooman & Co.), and this firm in turn by Bishop & Higginson, who are still carrying on the trade.
Probably the first store in which groceries were exclusively sold or formed the principal part of the stock was that of Benjamin Cooper and Francis J. Mosher. Gideon Gibbs, as has been said, sold gro- ceries in 1851.
Theodore Stebbins and A. G. Ramsey began in this line in 1857. Mr. Ramsey soon after died and the firm became Stebbins & Son, as it now exists. Other grocers have entered the business very nearly in the order here named : Carl Geoding, L. Brewer & Co., Louis Reshore, the Lee Brothers, Henry and Fred, W. D. Jones, Azro Jones, Adams & Hopkins, Jacob Sturr and G. I. Peck.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.