USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 20
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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
THE VILLAGE INCORPORATED.
Under the general law the village of lonia was incorporated by the board of supervisors, October 13, 1857. The corporate limits were described as "all that tract of country situated in the township of lonia. in the county of lonia, and being the whole of section 19. north of the Grand river, and the west half of section 20, lying north of the banks of the Grand river. all in town 7 north, range 6 west." The villagers never took very kindly to the charter, as it was generally undertsood that it was not what was needed. Nevertheless, there was a show of organization, and until 1860 elections were held. A. F. Bell was chosen village president in 1857: A. B. Clark. village clerk, and Francis B. Minier, village marshal. So little interest was taken in the progress of the corporation history after 1857 that the village
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records were cast aside as worthless and lost, and, as memory fails to supply the record, no data can be given touching what the village did as a corpora- tion between 1857 and 1860. When the period for holding the election of 1860 loomed up. it was discovered that the village clerk. A. B. Clark, had resigned, and as under the law the village clerk was the party ordained to call the election, the outlook for an election appeared to be dubious. In this condition of things public sentiment seemed to incline towards doing nothing about it : and nothing being done about it. the corporation collapsed, and the village resumed its former position as a ward of the township.
INCORPORATED BY THE LEGISLATURE.
After maintaining an inactive existence until 1865. the village was rein- corporated by legislative act approved February 17, 1865. The limits incor- porated are described in the act as follow: " All the tract of county sit- uated in the county of Ionia, being in township 7 north, range 6 west, com- mencing on the south bank of the Grand river where the same is inter- sected by the west line of the township of lonia; thence easterly along the south bank of the Grand river to the point where the north and south quar- ter line of section 20 intersects the south bank of the Grand river; thence northi on the quarter line to the north quarter post of section 20; thence west along the north section line of section 20 to the northwest corner thereof: thence north on the section line between the sections 17 and 18 to the southeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 18; thence west along the center line running east and west in section 18, to the township line between the townships of Ionia and Easton: thence south on the town- ship line to the south bank of the Grand river."
The first election was ordered to be held at Amphlett's hall on the first Monday in March ensuing, and it was further provided that the officers to be annually elected should be a president, trustees and marshal.
INCORPORATED AS A CITY.
The act incorporating lonia as a city was approved on March 21. 1873. The territory set off to the city is described as "all that tract of land in lonia county located within the following limits, to-wit: Commencing at a point eighty rods north of the north quarter post of section 20, in town 7 north, rang 6 west: thence running dne west to a point eighty rods west of the west township line of Ionia : thence due south to the center of the Grand
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river : thence along the center of the said river easterly to a point where the north and south quarter line of section 20, if extended across said river, would intersect the center of the river; thence due north to the place of beginning."
The first election in the new city of lonia was held on April 8, 1873. and resulted in the election of the following gentlemen as the first corps of city officials: Mayor. Frederick Hall; city clerk, Hiram \. Chapman ; treasurer, Joseph I .. Hudson; collector, Charles W. Stone; justices of the peace, John M. Stacy, Sylvester Taylor, William B. Thomas, Henry Mit- chell ; constables, Daniel P. Chapman, Henry Ramlow, Andrew J. Welch, Oscar Dean. Aldermen: First ward. G. F. D. Wilson. A. B. Morse: sec- ond ward, George McMullen. John 11. Tubbs; third ward, Osmond Tower. John L. Taylor; fourth ward. F. H. Hutchinson, William W. Mitchell : supervisors. Mason Hearsey, Chauncey Waterbury.
MAYORS.
The mayors chosen from 1874 to the present time are as follow : George W. Webber, 1874-75: James M. Kidd, 1876-78; E. 11. Stanton, 1879-80; Jamies M. Kidd. 1881: A. B. Morse. 1882; A. J. Webber, 1883: George S. Cooper, 1884; Colley B. Wisner. 1885; John Doyle, 1886; Thomas F. McGarry, 1887: Humphrey R. Wagar, 1888: Michael L. Steele, 1880; Adolphus A. Ellis, 1800-01; F. M. Davis, 1892; George Gundrum. 1803: John B. Chaddock, 1804: Gregg Williams, 1805-06: A. A. Ellis. 1897-09: James Scully. 1900-01: John F. Bible, 1902-03: F C. Miller, 1904: F. F. Gallagher, 1905: Robert Baerd, 1906; J. F. Bible. 1907: George P. Winch- (11, 1908; R. A. Redemsky. 1900: Harvey E. Kidder. 19IO-HI: Fred F. Workman. 1912: Fred W. Green, 1913-16.
SUPERVISORS.
The supervisor for the first and second ward has been :
Sylvester Taylor, 1874-76: E. R. Chubb. 1877: Sylvester Taylor. 1878- 1900-04. In 1905 there was a supervisor elected from both the first and second wards and they have continued to be represented by a separate super- visor since that time. Heury Voelker represented the second ward from 1905-09: J. C. Taylor. 1910-13: James 11. Laden, 1914-16. The first ward has been represented since 1905 by the following: Alfred H. Geck. 1905:
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Henry G. Wright, 1906-07: William 1. Amphlett, 1908: Fred R. Caine, 1909-16.
Beginning with 1874 the supervisor for the third and fourth wards has been: Chauncey Waterbury. 1874-83: Charles K. Calkins, 1886-87: James L. Jennings, 1888; Gregg Williams, 1889-92: David C. Crawford. 1893-95: John 1. Taylor. 1895-1901: James A. Sage, 1902: Benjamin R. Covert. 1903: William W. Inman, 1904. In 1905 William W. Inman was chosen to represent the fourth ward, which had been given a separate super- visor just as the first and second. Mr. Inman is still serving this ward in the same capacity. Since 1905 the following have been elected from the third ward: Benjamin R. Covert. 1905-14; A. T. Montgomery, 1915-16.
MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENTS.
In the forty-four years since lonia became a city great advancement has been made in the way of municipal improvements, and the feeling is that the city in a general way has been well governed; the expenditure of public money has been carefully and consistently looked after to the end that the city has received as good value as possible for all moneys paid for public necessities and improvements.
In municipal improvements the city of lonia is fully up with other cities of her size, and to a considerable number of them sets an example of what may be accomplished by thrift, enterprise and plenty of public spirit.
The public schools of the city are unexcelled in any place of equal size in the state of Michigan. and this excellent educational system has won much praise from the outside world.
The city has a very complete water system for domestic purposes and fire protection : a strong and thoroughly equipped fire department furnishes excellent protection and makes insurance rates as low as can be found in any city of like size in Michigan.
Main street has been paved with brick for a distance of over one mile. The city has gas and electric light companies engaged in the business of public and commercial lighting. The Western Union and postal telegraph companies reach fonia, while the Citizens' and Michigan Bell telephone com- panies maintain exchanges here.
THE CITY HALL.
The Ionia city hall, which is located just across from the federal build- ing, was the first public structure erected in the county of fonia. In April.
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1907, the bonds of the city for $20,000 were voted for the erection of the city hall. This election was carried and plans were immediately begun for the erection of building which would house all of the city officials. Just at this time, however, the armory question came up and it was decided to use half of the money to bring the armory to lonia. In consequence, the plans for the city hall had to be revised. The plans which were approved pro- vided for a bnikling seventy by fifty feet, which woukl cost in the neigh- borhood of $12,000. Several of the officers' rooms were to be on the first Hoor, while the second floor was to contain the council room and board of education. The contract was let to Banhagel Brothers for approximately $12,000. The corner stone was set on September 11. 1908. On September 30, 1909, the dedicatory services for the city hall were held.
THE SOLDIERS AND SAILORS MONUMENT.
The following is taken from the report of the October session, 1886, of the board of supervisors: "To the board of supervisors of Ionia county, we, the undersigned members of the Grand Army of the Republic. ask of your honorable body the privilege of the erection of a soldiers and sailors monument, in honor of those killed in the Civil War, in the court house grounds. Said monument to be fifty feet square and cost not less than $3.000. Signed. 11. Miller, Plyn William. A. H. Eleath, C. A. Cornell. D. A. Jewell, William B. Thomas." This petition was granted and the monument erected.
COUNTRY CLUB.
The Country Club of lonia was organized in 1915 by Fred W. Green. Thad B. Preston, H. B. Webber, George W. Webber, Fred A. Chapman, George E. Nichols, Thane Benedict and W. B. Heath. These men, realizing the need of recreation for the business men, such as provided by the game of golf decided to form a club for the purpose of providing grounds suitable for this sport. Although the organization is not yet complete it has reached a point where the success of the undertaking is assured.
.At present the members have purchased ninety- four acres of ground which are ready for seeding in the spring of 1916 and a substantial club house has been erected. A nine-hole golf course has been laid out and this work was carried on under the supervision of Donald Ross, the great Scotch golf architect, and it is pronounced by him to be one of the best courses in the country. It is hoped that the course will be ready for use by the fall of
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1916. It is not only the desire of the members of this club to furnish suitable amusement for themselves but they also hope to make the club as democratic as possible and the people of lonia county are welcome to mem- bership.
IONIA GAS, LIGHT AND COKE COMPANY.
The lonia Gas, Light and Coke Company was first organized in 1882, a thirty-year franchise being obtained from the city at that time, and a plant erected at the foot of Depot street, with a capacity of 50,000 cubic feet per day. The business prospered from its inception and in 1902 it was found necessary to build a new and modern plant, as the business had outgrown their facilities. In that year the present plant was erected, with a capacity of 125,000 cubic feet per day, and with modern and up-to-date buildings of sufficient size that the present capacity may be doubled without the erection of other buildings.
The machinery installed in the new plant, and now in use, is of the very latest pattern, and the service given the people of this city is of the very best. a fact that is shown by the consumption of gas, it being admitted that more gas is used in the city of lonia than in any other city of its size within the state. Under the terms of its charter the company was allowed to charge $2.50 per thousand feet for gas, but entirely of their own free will the price has been reduced by the company from time to time until today they are selling at $1.25.
The company maintains up-town offices and salesroom, in which will be found a complete stock of all modern appliances for lighting and heating with gas, and which are furnished the consumer at the lowest prices. The officers of the company are: President. 11. B. Webber; vice-president and manager, E. F. Gallagher : secretary and treasurer, J. H. Smith.
IONIA WATER POWER ELECTRIC COMPANY.
Electric lighting in fonia dates from 1888, the Ionia Water Power Electric Company being organized in March, of that year, and commencing business that fall. The original stockholders of the company were H. R. Wager. L. B. Townsend. J. E. Just, of this city, and C. J. Ramsey, of Muir. The original officers of the company were L. B. Townsend, president, and J. E. Just. secretary and treasurer.
Originally the business was conducted from a steam plant, located on Third street. where the gas works now stand. In 1898 the company pur-
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chased flowage rights near Lyons and constructed a dam across Grand river. and in the spring of 1899 abandoned the steam plant and commenced sup- plying electricity from the water power plant. In 1904 the dam and power house were reconstructed and enlarged, being equipped with all modern and up-to-date appliances for commercial lighting.
Since 1895 the affairs of this company have been in the hands of H. R. Wager as president. O. S. Wood was secretary and treasurer until his death. in 1915. Fred J. Owens is manager at the present time, and E. T. Merritt, secretary and treasurer. This company is today equipped for fur- nishing electric power and lighting according to modern methods, and few cities of the size of lonia can boast as good service at as moderate figures.
SOROSIS GARMENT COMPANY.
The Sorosis Garment Company was organized on December 15, 1888. under the name of the Michigan Overall Manufacturing Company. The first officers were: William Steele, president; F. A. Sessions, vice-presi- dent: F. E. Kelsey, secretary and treasurer. Its business was the manufac- turing of overalls, pants, shirts and jackets. On November 30. 1891. the name of the firm was changed to the Michigan Clothing Company, which company continued the manufacturing of the same lines of merchandise, and added duck coats, mackinaws and sheep-lined coats.
During the year 1901 this company took up in a limited way the manu- facturing of women's garments, and a small force of operators were started at work making up women's petticoats. Those were the pioneer days of the ready-to-wear women's garment business. The business soon grew to such an extent, however, that it was decided to gradually discontinue the manu- facturing of men's garments and confine the activities of the firm to the manufacturing of women's garments exclusively. About this time the name Sorosis Garments Company was adopted as the name of the firm, and its products were trade-marked "Sorosis." Under that name they are known from coast to coast. During the past two years the firm has added aprons and house dresses to the line of products it manufactures. The capital stock of the company is $50,000. The present officers are: Thane Benedict. president ; C. B. Wardle, vice-president ; Thad B. Preston, secretary and treasurer.
CITIZENS TELEPHONE COMPANY.
The Citizens Telephone Company. the general offices of which are located at Grand Rapids, has exchanges in lonia county at lonia, Portland.
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Lake Odessa. Saranac, Belding and Clarksville. At Jonia there are 463 local subscribers and 277 farm subscribers: at Portland, 367 local, 191 farm and 6 switching subscribers: at Lake Odessa. 97 local and 125 farm sub- scribers: at Saranac. 125 local, 178 farm and 9 switching subscribers: at Belding, 396 local and 160 farm subscribers; at Clarksville, 56 local and 110 farm subscribers. The company, therefore, has a total of 2,560 subscribers of all classes in Ionia county. The Saranac exchange is the only one which has been purchased from a local company. This exchange was bought in 1906, and previously had been operated locally under the name of the Saranac Telephone Company.
HAYES-IONIA COMPANY.
The Hayes-Ionia Company, of lonia, manufacturers of automobile bod- ies, was incorporated in 1910, with HI. Jay Hayes, president ; H. H. Smith. vice-president. and W. J. Loomis, secretary-treasurer and general mana- ger. Since the organization of the company. H. B. Webber has succeeded W. J. Loomis as secretary-treasurer and general manager. The Hayes- lonia Company, which employs 350 men, owns a plant valued at $300.000. The company is capitalized at $150,000 and has an output annually amount- ing to $1,000,000.
YPSILANTI REED FURNITURE COMPANY.
Another one of the thriving industries of lonia is the Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Company, which was incorporated in April, 1900, and which now has a capitalization of $300,000, of which $200,000 is common and $100,000 is preferred stock. The Ypsilanti Reed Furniture Company makes a spec- ialty of manufacturing reed furniture and has an extensive trade extending throughout the United States and into several countries of South America. At this time the company employs 376 persons.
BARRETT CIGAR COMPANY.
The Barrett Cigar Company, of lonia, which was organized first as a co-partnership in April. 1901, with Patrick Barrett and Anthony Scully as partners, as a matter of fact still continues under the well-known name of Barrett & Scully. In January. 1911, William H. Barrett succeeded to the interest of his father, Patrick Barrett, and on October 15. 1915, Mr. Barrett (15)
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bought out the interest of Mr. Scully. The company employs forty-eight persons and has an output annually amounting to $65.000. The product of the factory is sold in nine different states, but mostly in Michigan. The value of the plant and equipment is estimated to be worth $7.500.
E. 11. STAFFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
The E. H. Stafford Manufacturing Company was first organized in 1890 as the E. H. Stafford Company, with a plant at Muskegon, Michigan. The original capital stock was placed at $75,000, but in 1904, when the com- Dany was reincorporated under the laws of Illinois as the E. 11. Stafford Manufacturing Company, the capital stock was raised to $200;000. This company makes a specialty of the manufacture of school, church, opera and office furniture and has gained quite a reputation along that line. There are at present three plants controlled by this company and are located at lonia, Michigan, Sandy Bay, Michigan, and Paxton. Illinois. The present officers are E. H. Stafford, president : E. G. Bentley, vice-president, and E. M. Stafford, secretary. The factory at lonia employs from 250 to 300 persons.
CHAPTER XX.
CITY OF BELDING.
The city of Belding is beautifully situated on the Flat river, in the heart of one of the richest agricultural districts in Michigan. The city has a population of 5.200. broad, well-kept and shaded streets. In the residence district, with its handsome homes, fine old trees and beautiful yards, it recalls the picturesque old towns that nestle among the hills of New Eng- land and New York state. In its business districts, Belding has all the aspects of a modern, up-to-date city, with attractive and well-stocked stores. representing all lines of trade, a first-class hotel, three good banks, streets well paved and well lighted and the evidences of enterprise and activity everywhere in sight. The city has all the modern, present-day conveniences. It has gas, electricity, pure water with an excellent waterworks, both tele- phone systems and is situated on the main line of the Pere Marquette rail- road, with ten trains daily. It is likely that the city will soon see the erec- tion of a handsome new depot, which will be in keeping with the other beau- tiful structures of the city. The city has beautiful parks, and the Flat river, with its winding course, overhung with fine old trees, is delight for canoeing. which here is a favorite summer recreation.
BELDING SUPERVISORS.
In 1893 the city of Belding was divided into three wards and given a supervisor for each. The first ward has been represented by the following : Frederick L. Spencer, 1893: Charles Eddy. 1894-98; William M. Foote. 1899-1905: Fred L. Spencer, 1906-16. The second ward has been served by the following: Louis L. Holmes. 1893-94: Joseph T. Angell, 1895- 1907: B. C. Curtiss. 1908-14: William B. Travis, 1915-16. The third ward has been represented by the following: George W. Moulton, 1893-94; William .1. Wilder, 1805: Lewis H. Stone, 1896: William A. Wilder, 1897- 1916.
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FIRST SETTLEMENT.
The history of Belding rightfully is divided into two parts, the period of early settlement and the period after the erection of the silk mills. Charles Broas, originally of Broome county, New York, seems to have the claim on the first settlement where the city of Belding now stands. Broas came to this county and picked ont four lots of eighty acres each in Otisco town- ship, in sections 10 and 1!, in the year 1838. He was piloted to the place by Thomas Stockington, who was at that time making ready to occupy a tract of land south of Broas' tract. In February, 1839. Mr. Broas settled his family in the eleven-by-fourteen cabin which he had just completed with the aid of his son, Levi. In 1840 Broas, assisted by a few other settlers, built a bridge across the Flat river at the present site of Belding. In 1842 Broas constructed a wing-dam and race and erected a saw-mill where the Luther & Wilson mill was later located.
About the year 1842 Lucius Patterson came to this locality with his father-in-law, Alexis Loomis, and, buying an interest in the Broas mill, joined the latter in throwing a dam across the river. The mill enterprise did not flourish and after a time it was abandoned. Charles Broas thereafter devoted himself exclusively to farming, and in 1855 died upon the place he had cleared in 1838. Meanwhile, the mill property was suffered to lie neg- lected, but, in 1856, Lucius Patterson renewed possession. He then engaged Volney Belding to build a new dam and materially improve the mill, after which he set it once more in motion. In 1855 Hiram Belding came in and purchased a tract of land of Levi Broas.
In the year 1857 a postoffice was established and given the name of Patterson's Mill. Previous to this it had been known as Broas Rapids. E. M. Stevens became the first postmaster. The mail was brought over from Cook's Corners for a year and at the expiration of that time the office at Patterson's Mill was discontinued.
In 1858 S. S. Brown, a carpenter, came to Patterson's Mill and found there only three houses, which were occupied by Daniel T. Fargo, Lucius Patterson and Flam Murray. In the same year Brown built a house for Hiram Bekdling, who was living on the hill nearby, on the present village site. and Belding moved into it in 1859.
In 1862 the postoffice at Patterson's Mill was re-established with a stage mail, and S. S. Brown was appointed postmaster. In the same year Patter- son disposed of his mill interests to James Cochrane. In the following year Cochrane sold an interest to William AA. Knott, and a little later Knott
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became sole owner. In 1864 Hiram Belding opened a small store on the main street and after retaining it for a short time sold to J. B. Vincent, who kept it in its former location until 1869. when he erected a better and more commodious store building. In 1870 S. S. Brown built a tavern and opened it as Brown's hotel. Three years previous, however, William A. Knott had erected a grist-mill. The second store-keeper in the village was Alnert E. Weter, and the first village physician was Doctor Roming.
In 1871 there were in Belding only thirteen families and but seventeen school children were drawing publie money for the schools. In that year the firm of Wilson. Luther & Wilson, of New York, purchased of William A. Knott a mill site at Belding and erected a saw-mill on the newly-acquired site. This mill was forty by one hundred and twenty-five feet and had a capacity of from fifty to sixty thousand feet of lumber a day. The intro- duction of such an important enterprise, which naturally gave employment to a number of persons and also involved a great amount of capital. gave the little village a decided "boom" and it began to develop at a rapid stride. In 1872 a branch railway connecting Belding with Kiddville was completed and added another impulse to the many others which Belding had received at this time. This completes the first step in the history of the city of Beld- ing. The next step will be the taking up the silk industries and the history of the Belding and Richardson mills. Belding is rightfully called the "Silk City." and in accordance with this ocenpation with this cognomen the indus- try will be treated in its fullest extent.
BELDING BROTHERS AND THE RISE OF THE SILK INDUSTRY.
The story of the rise of the immense silk industry which bears the name of Belding Brothers is in reality a part of the history of the growth and advancement of the city of Belding. The founders of every great enterprise contribute directly or indirectly to the comforts of thousands of their fellow men. A study of the lives and careers of such men is invaluable to the young, inculcating in them the paramount value of labor and stimulating them to that earnest and sustained effort, without which no permanent suc- cess can be obtained. Thus it is in keeping at this point to give the history of the lives of these four brothers who were responsible for the organization and growth of this gigantic company. It is no exaggeration to say that America in all its varied record of commercial success cannot furnish a more remarkable or interesting story than the rise and progress of these four penniless Yankee boys to business triumph.
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