USA > Michigan > Hillsdale County > History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 35
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HOTELS.
Benaiah Jones, Jr., has been mentioned as having built and kept the first hotel in Jonesville. His old log house first served the purpose, and the " Fayette House," built afterwards (1831-32), was the first hotel proper in the place. This latter was destroyed by fire in the summer of 1842. Subsequently the house diagonally opposite, built by Arte- medorus Tuller and afterwards occupied by Dr. Tompkins C. Delavan, was purchased by Henry A. Delavan, then a merchant here, an addition built to it by him, and a hotel opened in it under the old name, "Fayette House." It passed afterwards into the hands of Marvin Strong, who changed the name to the " Waverley House." This hotel was burned in December, 1875 (?).
St. Charles Hotel, known also as the Jonesville House. The first building on the lot occupied by this hotel, in the block east of the Episcopal church and south of Chicago Street, was 16 by 24 feet in dimensions, and was built in 1836 by Monroe and Gardner. They had purchased another man's right to the lot, and in order to hold it were to put up a building within thirty days. The day before the time was out the house was completed. In the spring of 1837 this was purchased by Nicholas Van Alstine, who moved it farther back and built a large addition to it in front, reaching to the street. This he opened as a hotel. Samuel Smith, familiarly known as " Fatty Smith," kept it after- wards, and previously Simon Gay had been its landlord, entering probably about 1839. Numerous others were sub- sequently its proprietors. A dance was held in it in 1840, at which John Hull, afterward sheriff of St. Joseph County, furnished the music.
The present Mosher House was built in 1870 by B. C. Benson, and opened December 26 of that year, under the name of the Benson House, by which it was known for several years. It is a large, three-story brick building, and is the popular resort of the traveling public. Its first (and present) proprietor was Dr. G. W. Mosher.
The other hotels of the place are the Cottage Hotel, on West Street, opposite the woolen-factory, and the Lake Shore House, near the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern depot.
JONESVILLE IN 1839.
From the first issue of the Hillsdale County Gazette, dated April 13, 1839, we make the following notes and ex- tracts. The paper was issued in the form of a five-column folio, with an apology on the third page for its diminutive proportions, and an explanation made accounting for the small size in the fact that the proprietors were disappointed in procuring necessary paper, and promised to improve the next week in both size and appearance. The subscription prices were: "To village subscribers, who have their papers
left at their doors, $2.50 per annum, in advance; $3 if paid within six months, or $3.50 at the end of the year. To mail subscribers and those who call at the office for their papers, 50 cents will be deducted."
Among the advertisers were the following attorneys : Salem T. King, district attorney ; Howell & Murphy, office in Manning & Munro's new building; John Manross, office on Maumee Street.
Other advertisers were Stillwell & Brockway, physicians and surgeons, opposite Public Square ; T. C. Delavan, physi- cian and surgeon, Chicago Street; John Jermain, land- agent, Chicago Street; W. W. Murphy, land-agent ; Theo- dore Manning, agent " Kalamazoo Mutual Fire Insurance Company," office No. 2 Manning & Munro's block ; Fayette House, Rockwell Manning proprietor, Chicago Street ; Jonesville House, N. Van Alstine proprietor, Chicago Street. Seasoned lumber for sale by S. R. Smith. King & Rose advertised to sell dry-goods, groceries, hardware, crockery, boots, shoes, etc., at " extremely low prices, for the ready." James Delavan offered a farm of 240 acres for sale, one and a half miles southeast of Jonesville, having " 170 acres well fenced, with several cross-fences ; two log houses, thirty six acres ploughed, ten acres now sowed with wheat, twenty-five acres more cleared, ready for the plough ; and an excellent mowing marsh of about ten acres."
Messrs. Saltmarsh, Gillis & Co., proprietors of the Mar- shall and Jonesville Stage, advertised, through their agent, Samuel Curtis, to make three trips weekly from Marshall to Jonesville,-Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays,- arriving at the latter place in time to connect with the stage east of Ypsilanti, from whence cars could be taken to Detroit, or at Adrian with cars for Toledo, arriving at either Detroit or Toledo the next day after leaving Mar- shall. Returning from Jonesville, the stage departed for Marshall on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, upon the arrival of the stages from Ypsilanti, Adrian, and Te- cumseh.
Julius R. Howell advertised himself as a mill-builder, being "prepared to build grist- and merchant-mills on the most improved plans, having with him a select set of hands. Mill-sites levelled, and drafts and bills furnished. All kinds of iron boring, turning, gear- and screw-cutting done. Patterns made to order."
S. R. Smith advertised his remaining stock of broad- cloths, cassimeres, satinets, moleskins, superior cotton, worsted, and silk vestings, calicoes, shawls, fancy handker- chiefs, bonnet-trimmings, laces, gloves, hosiery, boots and shoes, hardware and groceries, for sale cheap for cash. Also had on hand and for sale pork, lard, and hams.
John Sinclair was proprietor of a chair- and cabinet- manufactory. Taylor & Smith dealt in agricultural im- plements. And James K. Kinman was a justice of the peace, with his office at the corner of Chicago and West Streets.
W. W. Murphy advertised 12,000 acres of land for sale in Jackson, Hillsdale, and Lenawee Counties.
This first number of the Gazette also contained the act providing for the removal of the county-seat from Jones- ville to Hillsdale, passed March 30, 1839, and to take effect Jan. 1, 1841.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
NEWSPAPERS IN JONESVILLE.
To Jonesville is ascribed the honor of having been the home of the pioneer newspaper of the county, the sheet from which the foregoing advertisements, etc., have been taken, and which was called the Hillsdale County Gazette. C. G. Mckay was the publisher, and James K. Kinman editor and proprietor. It was started as an independent paper, politically, although its publishers were Democrats.
When it was definitely settled that Jonesville should have a paper, it was found necessary to procure a printing- press. Therefore, about the month of March, 1839, W. W. Murphy went to the village of Branch, then the seat of justice for Branch County, and purchased of the executors of the estate of Levi Collier, deceased, a press which had been in use in that place. The people of Branch County were exceedingly loath to have it taken away, and forthwith obtained an attachment against the said Levi Collier, de- ceased, swearing that he had " absconded from the county to the injury of his creditors." The press was taken from Mr. Murphy, although Collier had been dead several months; but the gentleman from Jonesville did not propose to be used in any such manner, and journeyed eighteen miles after a coroner to serve a writ of replevin on the sheriff,-the attachment being of course null and void,- and thereupon a settlement was proposed, which ended by Mr. Murphy triumphantly bearing away the press, while the citizens of Branch " sat down and wept." This was the first printing-press brought into Hillsdale County, and upon it the first issue of the Gazette was printed, April 13, 1839. The office, at first in the Munro & Manning block, was afterwards moved to the Gregory store building, on the southwest corner of the same streets. It was finally taken to Hillsdale, where its publication was continued.
The Jonesville Expositor .- On the 15th day of October, 1840, the " Hillsdale County Whig Association" was formed for the purpose of establishing and publishing a Whig newspaper,-the first in the county,-bearing the above title. The shares of stock were ten dollars each. Of this association Elisha P. Champlin was President ; John T. Blois, Secretary ; and Henry L. Hewitt, Sanford R. Smith, and Henry A. Delavan, Directors.
" At a meeting of the Board of Directors of the Hills- dale County Whig Association, held at the office of the Jonesville Expositor, at Jonesville, Nov. 30, 1840, in pur- suance of previous notice given : Present-Elisha P. Cham- plin, President ; John T. Blois, Secretary ; Henry L. Hew- itt, Sanford R. Smith, Henry A. Delavan, Directors.
" On motion, John J. B. Spooner was appointed agent of the association to procure subscriptions to the Jonesville Expositor, and also fiscal agent of the paper. It was voted that this association rent a building in the rear of Jason Cowles' store, belonging to H. L. Hewitt, at $50 a year, for a printing-office, when the same is properly finished and prepared for the purpose by said Hewitt.
"The president and secretary executed and delivered certificates of stock to the following persons : ..
" To H. L. Hewitt, 10 shares; John T. Blois, 4 shares ; E. P. Champlin, 5 shares; Smith & Champlin, 5 shares ; David Smith, 5 shares; Henry A. Delavan, 5 shares ; Alfred Hopkins, 5 shares."
The following are the remaining stockholders, with shares given :
A. D. Wells, 2; Jed. Wood, 2; John Mickle, 2 ; John Jermain, 5; R. & T. Boss, 2; L. G. Rogers, 2; H. W. Luce, 2; Romeo Dorwin, 2; George W. Abbott, 2; John G. Gardner, 2; Henry Waldron, 2; Thomas W. Stockton, 2 ; Henry Fowler, 1; Harvey Eggleston, 2; Ransom Gard- ner, 2; Jason Cowles, 1 ; J. L. Smith, 5; Hezekiah Mor- ris, 2; Charles Powell, 5.
On the 2d of December, 1840, the material formerly belonging to the Harrisonian printing-office, at Tecumseh, was purchased by Henry L. Hewitt, for the sum of $800. The records of the association are still in the possession of its old-time secretary, John T. Blois, Esq., who has kindly allowed us the use of them. The following documents, or forms of agreement with the publisher, were drawn up in December, 1840, the second one being probably adopted :
"JONESVILLE, Dec. 15, 1840.
" To the Stockholders of the Hillsdale County Whig Association : The undersigned proposes to assume the entire direction and manage- ment of the printing establishment now owned by your company, until the 1st day of January, 1842, from the date upon which this agreement is to take effect, upon the following conditions : the under- signed agrees to conduct the Jonesville Expositor for the period above specified, as a Whig newspaper, and carry on the printing and pub- lishing business at Jonesville at his own expense for the same time,
" Provided, that the entire management of the establishment shall be placed in his hands for the same period, and that he shall become entitled to all the blanks, and all the materials that may be on hand upon the date when this agreement is to take effect.
" The undersigned agrees to pay and discharge all the debts that may be due from the office at the date last mentioned, for the services of the editor and printers, provided that all amounts then due or that may become due to the establishment, from said date until the 1st day of January, 1842, are to accrue to his benefit.
" The undersigned agrees to perfect all the contracts or agreements that may have been entered into by the association, for printing or advertising, previous to the date upon which this agreement is to take effect, provided that all those who have agreed with the association or its agent to receive therefrom a certain amount of advertising or printing are to continue the agreement upon the same conditions as were entered into with the association ; and also provided that those who were to receive such amount of advertising and printing, and have already paid the whole or any part that would be eventually due for the same, are to continue the same arrangement till the labor is performed.
" In consideration of the responsibility and labor assumed in the foregoing articles by the undersigned, the association are to pay (or the members or stockholders thereof) the sum of two dollars upon each of the shares held by its members respectively, in which case and in consideration of such payment to the undersigned, he is to take the control of the establishment for the period first mentioned, and con- duct it during that period without recourse in any manner to the as- sociation for its support during that time, and free from any expense for the use of said establishment.
"Proposal accepted, to take effect on the day of
and from and after that time till the 1st day of January, 1842.
" For the Hillsdale County Whig Association,
PRESIDENT.
SECRETARY.
DIRECTORS."
The second document reads as follows :
" ARTICLE OF AGREEMENT made and entered into this - day of December, A.D. 1840, between John Jermain, of Hillsdale County, and State of Michigan, of the one part, and Elisha P. Champlin, John T. Blois, Henry L. Hewitt, Henry A. Delavan, and Sanford R.
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HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Smith, the board of directors of the Hillsdale County Whig Associa- tion (in behalf of said association), of the other part, witnesseth : That the said John Jermain, in consideration of the covenants and agreements hereinafter mentioned, and in consideration of one dollar to him in hand paid by the said board of directors, does hereby agree to and with the said board of directors to assume the direction and management of the printing-press and appurtenanees composing the printing establishment of the Jonesville Expositor newspaper, owned by said association, on the date hereof, and continue the same for one year from the first day of January, 1841, next following, till Jan. 1, 1842, to print and publish the newspaper called the Jonesville Expos- itor, weekly, during all the said time, and also to carry on the print- ing and publishing business generally during said time, and all other business as was contemplated by the articles of agreement made be- tween the members of the said association. The said Jermain agrees to do the same at his own expense, and to discharge all debts hereto- fore or now due from; or incurred by, the said association and not eaneelled, of whatever kind ; to perfect all the contracts or agreements that may have been entered into by said association for printing or advertising, and any and all other contraets and agreements whatever, previous to the date hereof, and which are not finished, and at the ex- piration of the aforesaid time, viz., the first day of January, 1842, the said Jermain is to restore the printing-press and deliver the same up to the said board of directors of said association, together with the appurtenanees composing the printing establishment of the Jonesville Expositor, in as good condition (except the natural wear and tear in- eident to their use) as when received by him ; which press and ap- purtenanees composing said printing establishment are more partieu- larly mentioned as follows, viz. :
"One printing-press, one stone, one roller, five stands, four tables, twenty-nine eases, four chairs, four iron chases, two moulds for cast- ing rollers, one brass galley, two slide-galleys, two galleys, one trough, one paper-case, two pails, one kettle, one wooden chase, four eandle- stieks, one stove and furniture, wooden cuts, one case brevier type, ten eases long primer type, with italies, one ease piea, with italies, one case great primer, with do., one ease eanon type, with do., one case meridian type, with do., one font of pica full face, one font long primer full face, one font brevier do., do., one font of piea black, one font of long primer do., one font of German text, one font of secretary, one font of brevier open, one font of piea open, German text words Tecum- seh Democrat, six-lines piea open blaek, five columns minion, with italies, one font of pica Gothic, one do. six-lines Gothic, one font great primer Gothic, one font meridian Gothie, one font five-lines pica, one font twelve-lines pica, one font ten-lines antique, six lines number seven border, two lines great primer border, one font minion border, one font nonpareil do., one font brevier do., one font minion number seven, two fonts minion border, eleven column-rules, four feet of double rule, advertising rules, parallel rules, euts, ete.
" The said Jermain agrees with the said Board of Directors to per- form the several things before mentioned in this agreement, without recourse in any manner to said Board of Directors or to any member or members of the said Association, except as hereinafter mentioned. The said Board of Directors, in consideration of the covenants and agreements of the said Jermain aforesaid, promise and agree with him that he shall have the conduct and management of the said printing- press and appurtenances composing the printing establishment of the Jonesville Expositor, from the date hereof until the first day of Janu- ary, 1842, for the purpose of carrying on the printing business and printing and publishing the Jonesville Expositor as a Whig news- paper; that he shall have all the paper, ink, now belonging to said office, and the other materials on hand not# belonging to the printing establishment as the stoek of the said Association ; that he shall have all debts due the said Association at this date, and they are hereby assigned to him, and likewise all such debts as may become due the same, already contracted ; that he is to have all dues that have arisen or may arise from individuals for advertising by the year (and all and every eontraet heretofore made by individuals with the Associa- tion for printing and publishing, is hereby assigned to him for the consideration aforesaid) ; that the said Board of Directors agree, in consideration aforesaid, that each member of the Association shall pay as a bonus to the said Jermain the sum of two dollars on each share he may own of the stoek of the Association, which said Jermain is to collect of the said stockholders individually, without recourse to
said Board of Directors farther than for their individual shares; that said Jermain is to have all the blanks now in the Expositor office, amounting to thirty-one quires, and to return to the said Board of Directors of the Association an equal amount, of equal value, at the end of the year 1841, or to account to the Board of Directors afore- said at the rate of seventy-five eents per quire; that said Jermain shall have all the subscription-list of the Jonesville Expositor, and all moneys due for the subscriptions to the same, or that may become due in the aforesaid time; and at the end of the year 1841 he is to give to said Board of Directors all the subseription-list of subseribers to said Expositor that he may have in his hands, for the benefit of the Association in the then ensuing publication of said newspaper.
" And in ease the said Jermain shall fail to perform his aforesaid agreement and agreements with the said Board of Directors, he hereby promises and agrees to refund and pay baek to each and every stockholder sueh amount of money as he, the said Jermain, may have received of him as a bonus, aforesaid.
"This is deelared to be one of two original agreements, of even date and equal terms, and that the fulfillment of the one shall be the fulfillment of the other.
" In witness whereof, the said John Jermain and the said Board of Directors have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals, on the day and year first above written."
The articles of agreement governing the association were nineteen in number, and were entered into Nov. 7, 1840. At a meeting of the directors held Jan. 20, 1842, it was " Voted, That H. L. Hewitt and Charles Powell be and are hereby authorized to settle with John Jermain and re- ceive from him the printing-press and materials, and take charge of the same, and make such disposition of said es- tablishment as in their judgment they may deem expedient for the benefit of the association."t
Jan. 22, 1842, it was "Resolved, That Mr. Morton, of Monroe, have the use of the Whig Association printing establishment during the ensuing year to print and publish a Whig newspaper in Jonesville, in said county, by a vote of six to three."
The Expositor, after a few years' publication in Jonesville, during which its history was that of early newspapers in general, was removed to Adrian, Lenawee Co., where it is still published as the Adrian Expositor.
The present Jonesville Independent was originally started by W. W. Murphy & Co., under the name of the Jonesville Telegraph. After numerous changes of proprietorship, it is at this time conducted by Messrs. Palmer & Eggleston, and is a live, attractive sheet, well edited, and having a large circulation.}
The new Hillsdale County Gazette was established at Jonesville, March 13, 1878, by James I. Dennis, formerly of the Independent, and is published in the interests of the Greenback political party. It is a seven-column, folio sheet, with fair circulation. A small job-office is managed by the proprietor.
INCORPORATION-VILLAGE OFFICERS, ETC.
The original town of Jonesville is the oldest plat in the county, and was laid out by Benaiah Jones, Jr., the survey being made in August, 1830, and the acknowledgment Jan. 31, 1831. It consisted of 58 lots, and extended from East Street west to the St. Joseph River, while north and south it included from one tier of lots north of North Street to a
t Records of Association.
# For further particulars, see general chapter on the Press.
* Now ?
136
HISTORY OF HILLSDALE COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
tier south of South Street. The plat is laid on a part of the northwest quarter of section 4, town 6 south, range 3 west.
Additions have been made to the village as follows : Tuller's Addition, by William H. Tuller, September, 1836; Lytle's Addition, by John Lytle, June, 1836; Olds' Addi- tion, by James Olds, Dec. 5, 1835; Northwestern Addition, by William W. Murphy, Witter J. Baxter, and A. J. Baker, Aug. 8, 1855 ; Noe's Addition, by Jacob Noe, June, 1856 ; Gallup's Addition, by L. H. Gallup, Oct. 28, 1871; Pack- er's Addition, by Henry Packer, April, 1870.
The village of Jonesville was incorporated by act of the Legislature, passed Feb. 10, 1855. The charter has been twice amended, Jan. 29, 1857, and April 2, 1869. The limits of the corporation at present are thus described in the charter of 1869 :
"SECTION 1. So much of the township of Fayette in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan as is included in the following terri- tory, to wit: The south half of section thirty-three, in township num- ber five south, of range number three west, and the north three- fourths of section four, and the east half of the northeast quarter and the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section five, in town- ship number six south, of range number three west, be and the same is hereby constituted a village corporate by the name of the village of Jonesville.
"SECTION 2. The freemen of said village, from time to time, being inhabitants thereof, shall be and continue a body corporate and poli- tic, to be known and distinguished by the name and title of the vil- lage of Jonesville, and shall be and are hereby made capable of suing and being sued, of pleading and being impleaded, of answering and being answered unto, and of defending and being defended in all courts of law and equity, and in all other places whatever; and may have a common seal, which they may alter and change at pleasure, and by the same name shall be and are hereby made capable of pur- chasing, holding, conveying, and disposing of any real estate and personal estate of said village."
The first election for village officers was held April 10, 1855, and resulted in the choice of the following persons, viz. : President, George C. Munro; Trustees, Ebenezer O. Grosvenor, John G. Gardner, Luther L. Tucker, William M. Hammond, Roswell G. Spaulding; Recorder, Richard Nimocks.
Officers appointed : Marshal, Moses A. Funk; Street Commissioner, Henry Baxter ; Treasurer, Richard S. Var- num. Mr. Baxter declined to act as street commissioner, and Thomas Luce was appointed in his place. A code of by-laws was adopted by the council April 28, 1855. The following is a list of the principal officers of the village, beginning with 1856 and including those up to 1878 :
1856 .- President, Jesse Button ; Recorder, Richard Nimocks ; Trustees, Levi Baxter, Henry H. Sherman, Calvin W. Hampton, James S. Hastings, Willis Tuller.
1857 .- President, Witter J. Baxter; Recorder, Richard Nimocks; Trustees, John S. Lewis, Orlando C. Gale, Stephen Levens, Edwin M. Hale, Haynes B. Tucker.
1858 .- President, E. O. Grosvenor ; Recorder, Richard Nimocks ; Trustees, Daniel A. Wisner, John G. Gardner, George Krapp, Lewis Wales, Seeley Humphrey.
1859 .- President, Lewis Wales ; Recorder, Richard Nimocks; Trustees, George Krapp, Joseph Clark, Richard S. Varnum, Henry Baxter, Haynes B. Tucker.
1860 .- President, William W. Murphy; Recorder, Rich-
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