USA > Michigan > Ionia County > History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, Volume I > Part 44
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The next year Mr. Dexter made a large improvement in conditions by putting in a small run of stone to his saw-mill-these being about thirty inches in diameter. For water power to run this mill, Mr. Dexter used the water of West creek that now runs underground along Dexter street. com- bining with it the water from East creek by making a canal that ran from the East creek along the base of the hills, which was in evidence for many years, and this water was carried over Main street in a large flume, set up on stilts, and, as one grandson said, it made a fine, slippery place for his grandchildren to wade in. Lovell Place, for many years, was a beautiful large yard surrounding the home of Judge Louis S. Lovell. Around it grew a beautifully-kept evergreen hedge and along the southern side were two rows, between them running the water from East creek that had supplied the course mentioned. The first wheat ground in this new way belonged to Asa Spencer, and it was a proud and joyful moment in the new settle- ment, as it was a welcome relief from a great burden.
Mr. Dexter had sold his farm in Herkimer county for $12,000 in silver
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and gold- a larger sum for those days than it would be now-and a large sum to bring into a new country. For safety it was packed in kegs, labeled "AXES" and two men took turns in watching it, night and day, though they appeared to pay little attention to them on the journey, making the excuse that there was lack of funds to pay for so many lodgings, or lack of room in settlers' houses. Mr. Dexter was very generous in the use of this money for the upbuilding of the new community here in which he was so much interested and many owed their first start in life to him. His princi- pal business was milling, although he held many positions of trust in the community until his death.
EARLY CRAFTSMEN.
The pioneer mechanic was Oliver Arnold, who set up a blacksmith shop on the south side of the river, near where his descendants carry on manu- facturing at the present day. Erastus Yeomans devoted himself to farm- ing at first, but for years filled many high official positions in the fast-growing community. Dr. W. B. Lincoln was, of course, the first physician, and for many years the only one in the county, and had his hands full from the start. He was called here, there and everywhere, and rode over a stretch of territory extending from Grand Rapids and Greenville on the west to De Witt on the east and as far north and south. His was a most interesting and valuable life of constant service in the growing country and he lived always an honored member of the community with whom he had cast his lot.
The first year or more was the hardest time for the settlement. largely on account of the difficulty in getting provisions. In the autumn a man who had just made a settlement at Lyons came and proposed to supply the colony with such articles of provision as they would need to be brought in from Detroit early in the winter, and to this they assented, and so made no arrangements for themselves, in that way devoting all their energies and time to building necessary shelter.
In November, that same fall of 1833. there was a welcome and import- ant addition to the colony in the coming of Alfred Cornell and family, num- bering twelve persons in all, from Madison county, New York, and all hands here turned in and built a log house for them, which had to have bed-quilts and blankets for doors and windows, as there were no others to be had. The Cornells had brought west with them as far as Detroit a considerable stock of supplies and provisions, but lack of transportation prompted then to move on and get settled. then come back for the supplies later, when snow
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had come and sleds could be used. But the weather kept mikl and no show came. and finally the colony saw a thinning out of the stock of supplies, and as the plan of the Lyons man failed to materialize, they became very anxious for snow and cold weather, so that Mr. Cornell could get to Detroit and hurry back with necessities. Cold weather did not come until the middle of January, and then just enough to cover the river with a thin sheet of ice. To hasten the solidifying of a road, over the river, which would have to be crossed at the very beginning of the journey, members of the settlement worked two weeks carrying water and pouring it on the ice, so it might become thick enough for oxen and sleds to cross. Some came at length, and three of the Cornell brothers started for Detroit, which they reached after a while, loaded up and started back. They had only been a few days on the road when the snow disappeared and they could get no further, and were held up for six weeks, and meanwhile the settlers here had consumed by the last of January all available provisions. The Indians occasionally brought them supplies of venison, fish, etc., but for several weeks they lived almost wholly upon coarse Indian meal that had been ground in the big coffee mill. and maple sugar the Indians brought them. In March, 1834. the ox-sleds got back and fed up the community.
A JUNE FROST.
Later in the spring there was another shortage of provisions, so an expedition was fitted out to proceed by pole-boat down Grand river, then down the Thornapple as far as Middleville. The craft could carry about fifteen tons, and was in charge of Erastus Yeomans. Provisions had been purchased at Gull Prairie, in Kalamazoo county, to be delivered at Middle- ville, where Mr. Yeomans and his crew packed them on board their craft and poled home with them. Until the first crops were raised it was hard business getting wheat corn and supplies of all kinds from Detroit, Pontiac and Kalamazoo. And then came the frost of June, 1834 -- a sad blow, indeed. for the settlers were anticipating an end to all their trouble in the prospective harvest of growing crops, when an unexpected and unseasonable biting frost left large destruction and consequent discouragement in its wake. Was this a usual thing for a Michigan summer and was it for this that they had left good homes in the East? But with the grinding of the first wheat, hard luck, in the way of provisions, seems to have taken itself away. But it had been a hard year, and the settlers needed all their faith in eventual prosperity to bear them up. And it came largely from settlers upon land and their consequent
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needs. In the year 1836 there came the United States land office to lonia. and that could not help but add greatly to the new community. The rush for lands was remarkable, and applicants were frequently compelled to wait weeks for entry. Such a crowd was hungry and must be fed and lodged. New supplies of provisions had to be brought in often, and heroic exertions had often to be made, as when the ground was frozen and roads or trails hard to travel, thirty days for a round trip to Detroit was not considered a long time.
Ionia trade was hampered on account of the lack of transportation, as it was expensive business getting wheat to market by the way of river and lake. for at Grand Rapids everything had to be taken off from boats, hauled overland around the rapids and then reshipped. Wheat. therefore, brought a low price here. Cash could not always be obtained by the purchaser, and goods were high for the same reason wheat was low-on account of the difficulty of transportation. Merchants used to figure that it cost more to get the goods from Grand Haven to lonia than from New York to Grand llaven. Pole-boats were used until 1847, when small steamboats were put into commission for towing barges between Grand Rapids and Lyons. The "Humming Bird" in 1817. was the first boat up. Daniel Ball, who was engaged in river marine, put on a line of steamboats and used them until the coming of the railroad, in 1857. lle built a warehouse for wheat on the south of the river near the bridge and shipped large quantities of grain. But with the putting through of the railroad in 1856-7 the troubles the settle- ment had striven under for twenty-three years were over.
SAMUEL DEXTER AND ANNA ( FARGO ) DEXTER.
Hon. Samuel Dexter, founder of lonia, Michigan, was born in Smith- field, Rhode Island, on December 15, 1787. His father's name was Sanmel Dexter and his mother's maiden name was Candace Winsor, both old his- toric names in that locality, many of both names living there today. His father was born in Smithfield, Rhode Island, in 1757, and his mother was born in the same place in 1758. His father was sixth in descent from Sir Gregory Dexter, the first of the line in America. Gregory Dexter was of Welsh descent and was born at Olney, England, in 1610. As a young man he established a printing business in London, England. Roger Williams, famous as the founder of the state of Rhode Island, also of the first Baptist church in America at Providence, Rhode Island, had written a dictionary of the Indian language, called a "Key to the Languages of America," and one
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other book, and he returned to London in 1642 to get these books printed and also to procure a charter for his colony. In this way he became acquainted with Gregory Dexter, who printed his books, and one copy of the dictionary or "Key" is among the very rare books in the Congressional Library at Washington, D. C., it being about one-half the size of an old Sanders spell- ing book. The two men formed a close and sincere attachment for each other and Williams persuaded Dexter to remove his printing business to the new country and he came to Providence in 1644. According to Thomas's "History of Printing," as found among the manuscript papers of President Stiles, of Yale College, he was the first accomplished printer in America. He printed the charter of the colonies, and is named in the second by Charles 11, in 1663. Ile also printed the first almanac for the meridian of Rhode Island. He also studied for the ministry and succeeded Roger Williams as second preacher in the Baptist church at Providence, Rhode Island. He lived to be ninety years of age. In January, 1916, the writer received a letter from Providence, stating that it was authentically recorded that he never laughed in his life, and rarely ever smiled.
The line of descent from Gregory Dexter is traced as follows: His son, Stephen Dexter, born at Providence, Rhode Island. in 1047, married Mary Arnold, born at Providence, Rhode Island, in 1648. His son, John Dexter. born at Providence, Rhode Island. in 1670, married Mary Field. born at Providence, Rhode Island, in 1676. His son. John Dexter, born at Smith- field. Rhode Island, in 1701. married Mary Browne, born at Providence. Rhode Island, in 1702. His son. William Dexter, born at Smithfield, Rhode Island, in 1728, married Rhoda Warner, born at Smithfield, Rhode Island, in 1730. Ilis son, Samuel Dexter, born at Smithfield, Rhode Island, in 1757. married Candace Winsor, born at Smithfield, Rhode Island, in 1758. The last named being the parents of the founder of lonia, Michigan, and they were the parents of thirteen children, namely: William, born on November 14. 1778; Prudence. November 2, 1779: Ann, March To. 1781 : John, Janu- ary 23, 1783; Darius. November 20, 1784: Mercy, August 19. 1786: Sam- uel. December 15, 1787: Betsey, October 7. 1791: Winsor, September 1. 1793; Otis, June 3. 1705; Warner, March 15. 177: George Washington. August 4. 1798; Stephen, October 19, 1801.
Samuel and Candace Dexter removed to Herkimer county, New York. where they built a large house, as an inn, along a post road such as was used by travelers in the early days, and from there many of their children started
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out in life on their own careers, some of which have at this late day become known here. John and Darius started a lumber business on Chatauqua lake. New York, and founded the village of Dexterville, now a suburb of James- town, New York, and the house in which Darius lived while there is still standing. Their brother, Otis, was associated with them for a while, but left and became captain of a steamboat on the Ohio river. W. T. Wil- son, a grandson of Otis, lives at Logansport, Indiana, a man of high mental attainments, a graduate from Princeton University in 1874, later from Columbia Law School, and then from a business college in Pittsburgh, and is now a lawyer and banker. Darius and John both gave up business on Chatauqua lake and "went west" in 1838. Darius settling in Pike county. Illinois. One of his daughters married James Baird and one of his chil- dren is the wife of Hon. William Jennings Bryan. of Lincoln, Nebraska. John at the same time located land that is now known as "Dexter Farm" five miles from Kenosha, Wisconsin, where he built in 1840 a large house of seventeen rooms, and used to accommodate travelers in the early days. John had one son and a daughter. The daughter died when a young girl. The son married and had one son and then died soon afterward and this son, Walter, was reared by John, his grandfather, and Walter Dexter is head of the "Dexter Farm" today. He has three sons and three daughters. In 1855, the year before Samuel Dexter died at lonia, Otis, Darius and Samuel all went east and attended the New York Exposition and before they separ- ated they visited their brother, John -- and Walter Dexter, then a boy of thirteen, can well remember the four white-haired brothers standing before the big fireplace. That was the last any of their families heard of Samuel Dexter until the year 1913, when lonia celebrated her eightieth birthday. The old home that John Dexter built was the pride of the family, filled with old historic furnishings, but caught fire about five years ago and everything in it was lost but an old historic family deed that had been framed.
Winsor and Warner Dexter accompanied the colony to lonia, but left soon after. It has been learned that Warner had one son who was a jeweler in Chicago for many years but died leaving no children. George W. and Stephen Dexter, the two younger children, came to Michigan soon after their brother Samuel, and settled with their families at the north end of Whitmore lake, north of Ann Arbor, but in about two years came to lonia and settled in Easton. Stephen afterward coming to Ionia and dying at his home on Lincoln avenue. His youngest child was Mrs. Harriet Dun- ham, of Adams street, who died in 1913, the last of her generation.
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CANDACE ( WINSOR ) DEXTER.
During the celebration of the eightieth anniversary of the coming of the Dexter colony, which occurred in 1913 and was attended by six of Mr. Dexter's grandchildren from different points, a fact came to light that had been completely lost track of in the passing of the years, even by her descendants living here, and that was the fact that the mother of Samuel Dexter came with her son on that memorable trip of the colony, being at that time seventy-five years of age. the first white woman of anywhere near her advanced age to first come into the wilderness of central and western Michigan. Feeling sure that she came with her son to live here. and must have died here. and in that case must have been buried here, the writer made a search for her grave and found it, on the Dexter plat in the old part of Oak Hill cemetery. A well-preserved stone is simply marked, "Candace Dexter, died November. 1846, aged eighty-eight years." What varied experiences she had passed through. She came from distinguished ancestry, whose genealogy has quite lately been obtained from the files of the Rhode Island Historical Association, at Washington, D. C.
(1) In the fifteenth century. Lord Edward Windsor. a Roman Cath- olic was beheaded, on account of the religious troubles of those times in England.
(2) Family records still existing state that in the reign of Henry VII. Windsor Castle, with the land about it, was presented by the family to the reigning monarch, who converted it into a royal castle and residence, and in honor of the donor continued its ancient name. (This is the present royal residence of the English king ).
(3) Under Henry VIII, Robert Windsor, a Roman Catholic knight. probably a son or grandson of Lord Edward Windsor, raised an army against the Protestants. The name and arms of the family were brought to America by Joshua Windsor, who came to Providence in 1638, and who dropped the "d" out of his name, which form has been adopted by his posterity. Joshua was a grandson of Robert Windsor. le came to Provi- dence in 1638 and was one of twenty who paid thirty pounds, which had been previously paid the Indians by Roger Williams, for land purchased when Williams was banished from the Massachusetts colony. These twenty persons were admitted by Roger Williams as equal sharers with twelve others who had come to Williams' asylum, and therefore became the first settlers, after Williams, in Providence.
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(4) Joshua had one son, Samuel, who married Merey Waterman, the widow of Resolved Waterman, of Warwick, she being the daughter of Roger Williams. A grandson of theirs, Rev. Esek Winsor, was the father of Candace Winsor. Rev. Esek Winsor was chaplain of Colonel Lippett's Rhode Island regiment during the Revolutionary War, Samuel Dexter being an officer of the same regiment.
It will always be of interest to lonians, to know that this woman, a descendant of lordly intimates of kings, closely connected by ties of blood with well-known names in the early history of our nation, father and his- band both in the War of the Revolution, her own sons fighting in the War of 1812, should at the advanced age of seventy-five years join a colony to establish a home in the wilderness far from civilization, spend the first sum- mer in an Indian wigwam purchased from them by her son for the use of his family, and live for thirteen years in the midst of this growing com- munity.
The day her grave was found by the writer-on May 27, 1913-a sprig of live-forever and a little tree with two leaves on and about three inches high was taken from off the grave and sent to her descendants in Kenosha, and they were placed on the grave of her son, John, who is buried in the private cemetery on his own farm and both tree and plant are grow- ing nicely.
CHILDREN OF SAMUEL AND ANNA DEXTER.
Samuel Dexter, the founder of lonia, married Anna Fargo, when or where cannot be learned. She was a small and very refined woman and lived about eighteen years after the death of her husband, in August, 1856. Samuel was a man of affairs in Herkimer county, New York, having been a member of the state Legislature and had also taken a contract for buikl- ing a large part of the Erie canal near his home at Little Falls. His wife went with him to superintend the care of the large force of men he had doing that work-a niece coming into the home to see to their own family and care for his father and mother. His father. Samuel Dexter, declared the Erie canal would never be a success, but he lived to ride upon it.
Samuel Dexter and his wife, Anna, were the parents of ten children. five sons and five daughters, but in the fourth generation there is no son to carry down the family name in his branch. Ilis sons were: Lorenzo, who lied in California, has a grandson at Winters, California, father of two daughters, all that is left of his descendants: Stephen, deceased, who also went to California, has one son, Czar, at Eddy, Montana, unmarried ; Harvey
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died in the Civil War; Riley, died on the way to lonia in 1833: John C .. who was fifteen at the time his parents came to lonia, gradually took his father's place in the milling business here, shipping flour and wheat, filled also several political positions, being county treasurer and state senator, was also receiver of public moneys in the United States land office, appointed by President Lincoln. His home is the one occupied for many years by Mrs. Dr. Logan, corner Rich and Washington streets. In 18;1 he trans- ferred his business to Evart. Michigan, and died there, leaving no son. Celia, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dexter, married Alonzo Sessions, at one time lieutenant-governor of Michigan, and also president of the First National Bank. Their home was the finest in the county at the time it was built. llis large farm in Berlin is now the lonia county home for its unfortunate poor. Mary married Jonathan Tibbetts, who at one time owned the Vanderheyden brick yard and whose farm for years adjoined the Sessions' farm on the east. Emmeline married Don Jones, whose home for many years was the one, now remodeled, that stands on the east corner of Main street and Ellis lane. It was with them that Mrs. Samuel Dexter spent her declining years. Prudence was first married to William Dallas, elected the second registrar of deeds in 1838. In 1840 he was succeeded by John C. Dexter, but Mr. Dallas was again elected in 1842. It was during this term that he died, his term being finished by Fred K. Hall. His widow afterward married Daniel Tower. Helen, the youngest daughter, was born in lonia, married Chauncey Elwood and removed to Illinois where she died many years ago. Samuel Dexter was cousin to Oliver Arnold and Mrs. Erastus Yeomans, who were brother and sister. They had a brother, Dexter Arnold, who came to lonia later, who was father to William and Walter D. Arnold.
Mr. Dexter gave the west half of the court house grounds to the county of lonia for a court house site, as he also gave ground to Kent county for the same purpose, out of the land he located there. He also gave the ground to the Baptist Church Society to build a church upon as he and his wife were two of the first six members of that society at its formation, the 24th of June, 1834. The meeting was held at the home of Erastus Yeomans and the other members were Alfred Cornell and Nancy, his wife, Erastus Yco- mans and Phoebe, his wife. Mr. Dexter died suddenly, in lonia, in August. 1856, in his sixty-ninth year, at the home occupied by him for many years. across the street from his mill fon the corner west of the armory, now known as Dexter Park ) and is buried in Oak Hill cemetery, a beautiful spot overlooking the little city he founded.
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OLIVER ARNOLD.
Oliver Arnold was born on March 16, 1793, at Smithfield, in the state of Rhode Island. and later moved to Herkimer county, New York, and from that place came to Michigan in the spring of 1833 with the Dexter colony. Samuel Dexter had come to Ionia in the year 1832 and located one hundred and sixty acres of land. a part of which is the present site of the Hayes tonia factory, and the land extended north to near Lincoln avenue, near the Arbeiter hall. Mr. Dexter had told the colonists, that they could cut all the hay wanted for their cattle in his dry prairie. the prairie alluded to being the muck land north of the Hayes factory, where celery is now raised. The year before must have been a very dry year, so Mr. Dexter got the impression that this marsh was dry, but when the colony arrived they found it a frog-pond. This discouraged Mr. AArnold and things did not look as he expected. and he looked for land on the north side of the river for two days but found nothing that suited him. On the morning of the third day Mr. Arnold was at the river near the north end of the present iron bridge and an Indian was passing in his canoe. Mr. Arnold motioned that he wanted to get across and the Indian took him in and landed him on the south bank. At that time the present Arnold creek flowed into the river at this point. near the south end of the present bridge. Mr. AArnold followed the creek-the timber was large sugar maples-he having no knowledge that the river overflowed its banks, it all looked good to him, and he decided that he would make his future home there. ITe located one hundred and sixty acres of land, the northeast corner being near the south end of the present bridge, and the southwest corner is the present Loomis school house lot, Mr. Arnokl later deeding this lot to the school district for school purposes.
Mr. Arnold built his log cabin about ten rods east of the present Arnold factory, on the northwest part of lot 12, of Crawford's survey, in the north half of section 30. Later he built a house on lot 6. of same survey, and in this house Oliver Arnold died on May 26. 1859. aged sixty-six years, two months and ten days.
Oliver Arnold had three wives, the last surviving him. His first wife was a daughter of Elder Silas Barnes, formerly from the state of Con- necticut, and she departed from this life in Herkimer county, New York, July 7. 1822, aged twenty-seven years, three months and ten days. By this
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union five children are known to have grown to manhood and womanhood. Horace Barnes Arnold, born April 3, 1813. died in the state of New York, October 31, 1890, a dentist by profession. Silas Dexter was born on Febru- ary 18, 1815, and died on October 18. 1892, aged seventy-seven years and four months. He died at the home of William Lord, three miles north of lonia. Mrs. Lord was his adopted daughter. Anthony Phylena Arnokl was born on July 10, 1817. and died on April 8. 1893, aged seventy-six years, eight months and twenty-nine days. She was the wife of Doctor Lincoln and is buried in lonia. Anthilda H. Arnold was born on September 4, 1819, and was married to Mr. Teft, dying in New York ( date unknown ). Oliver Edison Arnold was born on June 6, 1822. and died in Lockhart. Texas, on July 1, 1894. aged seventy-two years, twenty-five days, a dentist by profession.
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