History of Kent County, Michigan, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 27

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1434

USA > Michigan > Kent County > History of Kent County, Michigan, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens > Part 27

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).

272

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

Francis Letellier, born at Antwerp, Belgium, July 25, 1839. E. E. Judd, born at South Hadley, Mass., Sept. 13, 1841. Geo. Gray, jr., born at Detroit, Mich., March 8, 1854. Charles Hoffman, born in Germany, Aug. 15, 1842. Geo. E. Doe, born in New York, April 23, 1842. John E. Judd, born in Massachusetts, March 23, 1838. . Milo B. Stewart, born at Cascade, Mich., June 12, 1852. W. P. Williams, born at Grand Rapids, Dec. 15, 1857. Mrs. Minerva Elliott, born at Walker, Mich., Sept. 28, 1848. E. B. Tanner, born at Bristol, R. I., Oct. 29, 1837. Arthur Sharp, born in England, Aug. 10, 1847. J. Emmer, jr., born at Grand Rapids, Nov. 26, 1849.

F. J. Wurzburg, born at Westphalia, Germany, April 6, 1845. M. L. Fitch, born at Grand Rapids, Aug. 6, 1845. A. D. Noble.

Milan L. Northup, born at Lysander, N. Y., Nov. 6, 1848.

A large number of the Junior Old Settlers are natives of Grand Rapids. Many have immigrated here from the Empire State. Ireland, Bohemia, England, Holland and the Canadas are repre- sented on the roll of the association ; but the date of their arrival in this county has not been ascertained except in a few instances. Together with the members born here, there are 62 enrolled who immigrated here between 1838 and 1856, and four who arrived since that period.

Such a society, in possession of well-kept records. is a most valuable addition to the social circles of the county. That it can- ' not claim a greater age is to be regretted, for such an organization does honor to the children of the pioneers, and should be inaugu- rated before those children begin to emigrate, so that the names of all would appear upon the record. As it is, the people of the county and the association have to be congratulated on the prog- ress of this young society since its formation in 1879. To the president of the organization and its energetic honorary secretaries the thanks of the people are due ; for to them, undoubtedly, belongs the credit of urging the Junior Old Settlers to place their names on the records of the county, and thus hand them down to the future as principals in the drama of settlement and progress.

CHAPTER VIII.

EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS IN EARLY TIMES.

Looking back to the years immediately succeeding the advent of the American pioneers, the fact of their industry and enterprise becomes manifest. They came to conquer, and within a decade wrought such changes, made such great improvements, that men of the present active times dwell in astonishment upon all their labors brought into existence, while yet the high road was almost unmarked, machinery scarce, and communication with the world beyond the Peninsula slow and uncertain. The pioneer mill- builders taught the great lesson that in order to be prosperous and happy a useful occupation must be pursued, and each one in- structed to labor for the country while benefiting himself.

The few years succeeding the year 1833 were characterized by a rapid increase of population, and consequently inflated specula- tions. The 40 acres of land lying north of the Campau plat, on the east side of the river, were then owned by the "Kent Com- pany," and was called the "Kent Forty." This company com- prised Lucius Lyon and N. O. Sargeant. The office was in a little frame building, with a huge projecting porch, which stood on the south side of Bridge street, midway between Kent and Canal streets subsequently, having formerly occupied the corner of Kent and Bridge streets. This building was architecturally neat, and with two other buildings constituted the village of Kent. At this time a few buildings were in the village of Grand Rapids, on the " Campau Forty," clustered around Monroe street. The third and fourth stories of the present frame portion of the Rathbun House formed the trading store of Louis Campau. Having erected this trading post, he moved into it from his little log cabin which he erected at the foot of Huron street in 1827. Mr. Rathbun raised the old Campan House in after years to four stories. The Godfroy brothers had their stores in the neighborhood of what is now Waterloo street. W. P. Mills carried on a saloon near the location of the brick block which he erected on Pearl street in 1867. A tailor shop stood at "Grab Corners;" while a frame building, the first of the kind built at Grand Rapids, was located midway between Jarvis' hat store and Pearl street, then occupied by Joel Guild.

In 1833 the saw-mill for the Indians was built on Indian creek, immediately above the site subsequently occupied by Wonderly & Co.'s mill.

A saw-mill had been erected in 1834-'5, near where the First National bank of 1867 stood. The power was derived from a

(273)

274

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

coffer dam, built across to the head of the first island. This mill was scarcely in operation when a freshet swept it down the river.

During the year 1834 Gideon H. Gordon built a saw-mill on section 17, Wyoming; Roswell Britton erected a saw-mill on sec- tion 21, near the site of the Denny Mills; Ball and Wright built their mills in 1834 close by the Britton industry.

George Ketchum completed a saw-mill, the erection of which was begun in 1835 by Fetterman. The same year Gideon H. Gordon built his second saw-mill on section 27, Wyoming.

The first furniture factory was established in Kent by Robert Hilton and Sylvester Granger in 1836. The shop was located on Kent, at the corner of Hastings. Mr. Vosburg was the principal mechanic employed.

In 1836 Samuel White, with his sons, Milo and James, built a saw-mill on the bank of Indian creek, section 15, Walker.

Josiah Burton erected a saw-mill in 1836. It was located on the site subsequently occupied by Rumsey's plaster factory. In 1836 the first turning lathe was erected by Robert Hilton and Sylvester Granger. It was located on the bank of the river below the old ship yard at the foot of the Rapids.

In 1837 Benjamin Smith, son of Jesse Smith, built a machine shop and grist-mill on section 10, Walker.

George Ketchum erected a flouring-mill at Grandville in 1837, which he put in operation the following year. This mill was de- stroyed by fire in 1843 ..

The first furnace and machine shop on Grand river was built at Grandville by Ketchum and McCray in 1837. Horace Wilder made the first casting.

Early in 1837 Robert Hilton and Archibald Salmon established the first chair factory. It was located on the corner of Fountain and Ionia streets. Salmon was the the superintendent.

In 1838 the boring for the State salt well was commenced under the direction of Dr. Douglass Houghton. This well was sunk in the saline marsh near the bridge of the L. S. & M. S. R. R., on section 3, in Wyoming township.

In 1839 the Hecox saw-mill were erected in Vergennes. The same year Lucius Lyon commenced boring a salt well on the river bank just above the site of the Valley City Mills. For a time his enterprise was successful; he erected vats, and carried on the manufacture of salt for several years. The motive power required for pumping was derived from the canal.

SALT MANUFACTURE.

During the year 1840, $5,000 were appropriated for continuing the work at salt springs. In 1842 a further appropriation of $15,000 was made to foster the salt industry on the Grand river and in Midland county. In 1841 Lucius Lyon entered upon the

A.R. Hvag

277

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

work of sinking a salt well west of the canal. This well, referred to in previous pages, promised great results; but when the manu- facture of salt was undertaken in 1843, it required only a few years to point out the impracticability of such an enterprise. It is. supposed that this venture resulted in a loss of $20,000.

James Scribner, J. W. Winsor, W. T. Powers, C. W. Taylor, Ball & McKee were among the successors of Mr. Lyon in the- effort to create this industry at the Rapids. Between the years. 1858 and 1864 they established the fact that brine of sufficient strength and in sufficient quantity existed here to justify the man- ufacture of salt; however, the advantages which the Saginaw Val- ley spring afforded could not be equaled, and the industry fell to the ground.

The Fallasburg grist-mill was built in 1840. This was a three- story frame building, located on Flat river, Vergennes township. Gideon H. Gordon built the first milling concern in the town of Plainfield as early as 1840. At that early day it was used as a saw and grist mill. This little industry was carried on on section 15. The first plaster-mill was built on Plaster creek, Wyoming township, in 1840-'41, for Daniel Ball. A remnant of this pioneer structure stood until 1869.

In 1841 mills were erected where the Kent Flouring Mills were subsequently built.

In 1842 James Nelson built a saw-mill on the bank of the canal opposite the location of the Kent Mills.

The Cannonsburg Mills were built in 1844-'5 for E. B. Bostwick. Six thousand acres of land were appropriated by the State toward the construction of a free bridge over the rapids of Grand river in 1844. Under this authority this bridge was built at the Bridge Street viaduct. In was burned in 1856 or '7, and a toll bridge erected.

Colton's saw-mill was built on section 13, Alpine, in 1845. Jo- seph Bullen built a saw-mill on section 4, Walker, in 1845. A few years later a run of stone was placed therein and a small grist-mill added to the saw-mill.

Newton Andrews' saw-mill was built on section 13, Algoma, in 1846. John Davis built the first saw-mill in Oakfield in 1846-'7. Years later, the Lillie shingle mill and other industries were intro- duced. The E. B. Bostwick mills formed the first industries of the township of Paris.

Cyprian S. Hooker erected a grist-mill on the east side of Flat river in 1847. This was the first manufacturing concern in Lowell. Twenty years after, W. W. Hatch was not only the owner of the Hooker mill, but also of one which he built in 1867. Winsor & Roberts erected a saw-mill on section 2, Plainfield township, in 1848. The Alaska saw-mill was built by W. H. Brown in 1848. Five years later the Boynton Flouring Mill was erected by this pioneer miller.

Bear Creek Flouring Mill, in Cannon township, was erected in 1848. The Whitney saw mill on Sucker creek, Cascade township. was erected in 1847-'8.

278

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

Edward Bellamy and Nathan Holmes built a grist-mill near Wolf lake, Grattan, in 1850. Robert Konkle erected a saw-mill near the mouth of the Rogue river in 1850.

The plaster-mills of Walker may be said to date back to R. E. Butterworth's times in 1852, when he first operated the quarries. The "Morning Star Saw-mill " was built on section 16, Algoma, in 1852 by Norman Ackley. He disposed of his interest to Caine & Solomon in 1866. The new owners enlarged the building and introduced new machinery. Chase & Judson erected a new grist- mill at Rockford in 1852.

In 1854 Harvey and Seth Porter erected grist, shingle and saw- mills in Algoma.

The Spencer Mill, erected on section 27, was built in 1855 by Thomas Spencer. This industrial concern was destroyed by fire in 1861.

In 1856 H. Van Wickle built a saw mill on Black creek, near the south line of section 25, Spencer. Egbert Dewey erected the Wyoming Mills in 1856. The Ada Mills were built on the banks of the Thornapple in 1856, at a cost of $15,000. Nine years later the Kent County Mill was built at the mouth of the same stream.

Seth Cogswell built a mill in 1858, which was afterward known . as Koph's chair factory, one of the principal industries of Lowell.

Burnham's mill, built in 1860, is a small water-power saw-mill, located on the northwest quarter of section 5, Algona township.

Denis Porter built saw and grist mills in 1862, a short distance from the mouth of Little Cedar creek.

E. W. Tucker erected a frame structure in 1862 for manufactur- ing purposes.

John Stonehouse erected a water-power saw-mill in 1863 on section 25, Alpine, which was burned in 1867. A year later the Stonehouse steam saw-mill was built. The Wolverine Pump Works on section 36 were built at the same time.

A steam saw-mill was built at Casnovia Corners in 1864.

John H. Anderson built a saw-mill on section 7, Courtland, in 1866. In 1866 H. B. Childs & Co. built a paper-mill on section 2, Plainfield, which was burned in 1869. This was rebuilt, and is operated by the same company.

Knapp & Tucker erected a steam saw-mill at Lowell in 1866, which subsequently passed into the hands of C. T. Wooding.

Solomon Ipe erected a small steam saw-inill in 1866 on section 23. Solon township.

At the mouth of Little Cedar creek, Hiram Davis built a shingle- mill in 1866, subsequently belonging to John S. Doty.

Burch's saw mill, erected in Algona township in 1866, was burned the year following. In 1867 Burch rebuilt on the site of his first mill. George R. Congdon also built a steam saw-mill the same year, which continued in operation until its destruction by fire in June, 1870. In 1868 a shingle-mill was established in Algoma, which continues in operation.

279

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

The Becker saw-mill was built on section 8, Courtland, in 1867. The Lowell woolen-mill was built by Blodgett Bros. in 1867.

W. B. Powell erected a steam saw and shingle mill on the shore of Lincoln lake, section 27, Spencer, in 1867.

In 1868 Jacob Becker erected a shingle-mill on section 23, Courtland.

Denis Porter constructed a shingle-mill on Porter creek the same year.

In 1868 the sash, door and blind factories, together with the planing-mills of Lowell, were built.

The Parks & Griswold steam saw-mills were built in 1868. The former was located on section 7, and the latter on section 29.

The French Mills were erected by George French, in 1868, in Solon township. The same year a steam saw-mill was built on section 1, which was burned a year later. Wagner's mill is located on its site.

McClure & Kidder erected a saw-mill on section 11, Algoma, in 1869, which was known as the Hodag Mill. The concern was destroyed by fire ultimately.

Hiram R. Davis constructed a saw and planing mill on section 10, Courtland, in 1869.

In 1869-'70, George Coon erected a saw-mill on Cedar creek, two miles west of the village of Edgerton.

The first established industries of Grand Rapids are noted par- ticularly in the history of the city.

BOATS OF EARLY TIMES.

The first pole boat on the river was the "Young Napoleon," built by Lyman Gray for Louis Campau in 1836.

The "Cinderella," a river pole boat, was launched at Grand- ville in June, 1837.

The first trip of the steamboat "Gov. Mason," built for Richard Godfroy in 1836, was made between Grandville and Grand Haven July 4, 1837. The boat was commanded by Capt. Stoddard, and continued in service until wrecked off the mouth of the Muskegon in 1839.

The steamboat "John Almy " was built in 1837 for the river trade above the rapids by Capt. Powers. Like the "Alpena " of later days, it went down in mid-channel before the completion of its first trip.

The "Empire," a large, well-proportioned boat resembling a lake boat, was built by D. Ball & Co. This boat was sold to a Saginaw company, and was commanded there by Capt. Meddler.

The " Algoma," rented by Henry Williams, ran on the river under Capt. Rose. She was a slow-running boat, and was gen- erally used as a tow-boat.

The "Owashtenong." a flat-bottomed freight boat under com- mand of Capt. Tom White, was called the "Poor House." She

280

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

was a well-known river boat. She sunk in the bayou, which then formed the center of Grand Haven.

The steamboat " Humming Bird " was blown up Aug. 30, 1854.

The " Olive Branch," built at Grand Rapids for a city stock company, plied on the river between this city and Grand Haven, grounded above the latter place and became a wreck.

These old boats are well remembered by the old settlers. It is said that, perhaps, one million games of euchre were played by the happy passengers.

UTILIZATION OF THE WATER-POWER.

The Kent Company commenced operations on the canal or mill- race in 1834, on the east side of the river. In 1836 N. O. Sar- geant disposed of his interest in the company's property to Charles H. Carroll, John Almy and W. A. Richmond. The mill-race was excavated from the head of the present east-side canal to the site now occupied by the Valley City Mills. A small wing dam was built into the river at the head of the canal to facilitate the entrance of the water. This wing formed a part of what is known as the old dam. The same year the company made preparations for constructing a saw-mill, and proposed to run 100 saws. The number was subsequently reduced to one, and the 99 left over for future demand. This mill stood where the old flouring mill known as the "Big Mill " was subsequently erected. It is supposed that H. P. Bridge & Co. were the founders of the "Big Mill."

In 1839 the State Legislature made an appropriation of $25,000 for the improvement of the canal and rapids.

Daniel F. Tower contracted in 1840 for completing the canal to the basin near Butterworth's works and cleaning out the basin. This work he completed in two years.

In 1847 the Legislature authorized the Board of Supervisors of the county to construct a canal around the rapids of Grand river, and granted 25,000 acres of land for the purpose of meeting the expenses of construction.

At a meeting of the Board of Supervisors, held Sept. 9, 1847, W. R. Godwin moved that A. D. Rathbun, District Attorney, A. F. Bell and L. Patterson be requested to examine the proposed contract for the construction of a canal with James Davis, compare it with the notice of the board, and the law making the appropri- ation. The contract was reviewed and reported with a few amendments. The document was then signed. At the session of the board held Jan. 8, 1848, Davis applied to alter the contract, to which the board assented. A series of resolutions was then carried, resting on the preamble, that as the contract was let to James Davis, and the requisite security given for the completion of the work, he is to receive in consideration for such work 25,000 acres of land, appropriated for that purpose. A resolution

281

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

of the board, passed Feb. 17, 1848, empowered the contractor to select the lands, and report to the Commissioner of State Lands. The day succeeding a resolution of the board gave him the privi- lege of constructing the canal on the east side of the river, in the event of a right of way being denied on the west side. .

The result of all these resolutions and negotiations was, that on April 22, 1848, a contract of 14 articles was entered into between Rix Robinson, Daniel Ball, Fred Hall, Commissioners, and James Davis, contractor, which was signed in presence of Philander Hines and Geo. Martin. The bond was set forth as follows: " Know all men by these presents, that we, James Davis, of Walker, Kent county, Mich., as principal, and Amos Rathbun, C. W. Taylor, J. M. Nelson, W. D. Foster, Amos Roberts, J. Morrison, J. M. Fox, Ebenezer Davis, T. H. Lyon, and John L. Clements, are held and firmly bound anto Rix Robinson, Daniel Ball and Frederick Hall, Commissioners appointed by the Gov- ernor, by virtue of an act approved March 28, 1848, and their successors in office, in the penal sum of $32,000, for the payment of which well and truly to be made, we, and each of us, bind our- selves, and each of our heirs, executors and administrators, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents."

The following releases conveyed to the State the right of way, on condition that the canal should be built on the bed of the old canal, and on the east side of the river. They were executed by the following named land-owners: Charles H. Carroll, Mar. 16, 1848 ; Louis Campau, Peter Godfroy, and Lucius Lyon, Mar. 4, 1848; Peter Godfroy, Isaac P. Christiancy and W. W. Clark, Mar. 14, 1848; Arthur Bronson and Lucius Lyon, Mar. 24, 1848; Chas. W. Taylor, Mar. 4, 1848; James Davis and wife, May 5, 1848 ; Joshua Coit and Benj. Curtiss, May 18, 1848; Daniel W. Coit, May 8, 1848 ; Henry H. Coit, June 5, 1848.

The history of the canals at the rapids may be said to begin with the Legislative enactment approved Feb. 20, 1847, and amended Jan. 29, 1849. Under this act, Frederick Hall, Rix Robinson and Daniel Ball were appointed commissioners to su- pervise the work of the contractor, James Davis. In a report tendered to the State Land Commissioner Oct. 30, 1848, the com- missioners certified that the contractor had completed one-half the work in accordance with the terms of the act. A. V. Berry, ap- pointed by the supervisors of Ionia county to make estimates on the Grand Rapids canal, under Legislative authority, given March 31, 1849, reported May 31, 1849, that James Davis, the contractor was then entitled to 7,673.25 acres of land for the amount of labor performed on the canal in proportion to the total amount for the completion of the work under contract. On the 13th of June fol- lowing, Berry further certified that the work performed since May 31 entitled Davis to a further grant of 2,725 acres. Again, Oct. 5, 1849, a certificate issued from Mr. Berry's office showing the contractor to be entitled to 6,359 acres for labor performed from

282

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY,

June 13 up to that date. This last document was duly signed by A. V. Berry, Engineer ; Alexander F. Bell, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors of Ionia county; and by Allen Goodridge, Deputy Commissioner, bearing testimony to the fact, that up to Oct. 5, 1849. James Davis was entitled to 16,761 acres of public lands in consideration of labor actually expended on the work of canal construction at the rapids of Grand river.

The commissioners named in the act of 1847 examined the work Jan. 25, 1850, and reported that the canal from the lower end of the basin to its connection with the dam was entirely completed, with five and one-half feet of water in the channel.

The mill-race merged into a canal, affording power for many mills and factories. It required daily repairs, and to provide for these, each mill-owner resolved to repair his section of the canal at his own expense.

James Davis was bound by his contract to complete the dam across the river, and enlarge the mill race as far as the basin, at which point he was to construct a regular canal lock into the river below, to enable boats to pass the rapids. Davis built the upper dam, enlarged the canal, and let the water into the present basin. In accomplishing so much he exhausted his funds, and left the district .without completing his contract. The lock pro- posed was never built.

The canal does not vary in appearance from that which it pre- sented when Mr. Davis gave up the works. Of course it looks more ancient, and shows marks of substantial improvements made by the Water Power Company of Grand Rapids, composed prin- cipally of the millers and manufacturers who operate the indus- trial concerns along its banks.

In 1866, the Water Power Company, in conjunction with Wm. T. Powers, owner of the water-power on the west side, built the dam which crosses the river a short distance below the old dam. This dam affords a supply for both canals, and was the commence- ment of the west-side water-power improvement.

In 1867 Wm. T. Powers entered upon the work of utilizing the water-power of the river on the west side of the rapids. His in- terests extended along the river front from Ann street to the foot of the rapids, with the exception of the Congdon property, and a strip of land 80 feet wide from Third street to Bridge Street bridge. The length of the canal is 3,250 feet, with a fall of seven feet at the upper and of 17 feet at the lower end. The work was completed in 1868, at a cost of $96,000.

CHAPTER IX.

ORGANIC.

As early as 1821 the first American settlement was made in the territory now known as Kent county by Rix Robinson, who ar- rived here within a few days after the negotiation of the Chicago treaty of 1821. A period of over five years elapsed before this pioneer of the Grand River Valley could claim a white neighbor, and he came in the person of Louis Campau, from the great Indian camp on the Saginaw. Toussaint Campau was the youthful "pio- neer " of the valley. Those pioneers were joined before the close of 1830 by Edward Robinson and Daniel Marsac. Capt. John Farley, Samuel McCloskey, Patrick Connor, Richard Godfroy and Whittemore Knaggs were occasional visitors. Jacob Smith, the trader of the Flint, visited the settlement about 1829, and expressed his intention of coming here. His untimely death, however, pre- vented the carrying out of this intention.

David Tucker, Gideon H. Gordon, J. B. Copeland, Hiram Jen? nison, W. R. Godwin, Joel Guild, Luther Lincoln, Mrs. (Guild) Burton, Consider Guild, Eliphalet Turner, Ira Jones, Jonathan F. Chubb, Rev. Dr. Baraga, Darius Winsor, Barney'Burton, Myron Roys, Henry West, Daniel Guild, James Vander Pool, and per- haps one other settler, came here in 1833. Richard Godfroy, Rob- ert Barr, Louis Moreau, Lovell Moore, Ezekiel Davis, Lewis Reed, Porter Reed, Ezra Reed, David S. Leavitt, Robert M. Barr, Ros- well Britton, Julius C. Abel, Ephraim P. Walker, Abraham Bryant, J. McCarthy, Robert Howlett, George Thompson, Rev. A. Vizoisky and Alvah Wanzy made settlements within the pres- ent boundaries of the county before the close of 1834.

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.

History of Kent County, Michigan, together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, Part 27

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago) Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co. Number of Pages: 1434

Author: Leeson, M. A. (Michael A.); Chapman, Charles C., & Co. (Chicago)
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago : C.C. Chapman & Co.
Number of Pages: 1434