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 28
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Having already given an account of all the white settlers of Kent up to 1834, when the entire county was organized as the township of Kent, we will proceed to give the organic history of the county.
In the early organization of the State, and particularly at the close of the Territorial days, the counties formed principalities in ยท themselves. The first study of the pioneers after making a settle- ment, was that relating to the organization of the district in which they located. They soon became conversant with all the formali- ties required by the Territory in organizing a county, and were not slow to take advantage of their privileges.
The Territorial Legislature, in an act providing for laying off the country adjacent to Grand river into counties, approved March 2, 1831, decreed that all the territory west of the line between ranges 8 and 9; east of the line between ranges 12 and 13 west of
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
the meridian; south of the line between townships 8 and 9, and north of the line between townships 4 and 5 north of the base line, containing 16 townships, be set off into a county under the name of Kent. This name was selected by the inhabitants in honor of Chancellor Kent, a New York lawyer, who died 19 years pre- vious to the organization of this county, while yet the people showered honors upon him.
The Legislative Council, in an act approved March 7, 1834, authorized the organization of all that part of Kent county lying south of Grand river, into a township to be known as Kent, and further directed that the first township meeting should be held at the dwelling-house of Joel Guild, a settler who came to the county at the instance of Louis Campau and purchased from him the lot on which the City National Bank building now stands. The meet- ing was held, in accordance with the terms of the act, 24 days after its approval, when Rix Robinson was elected Supervisor; Eliphalet Turner. Town Clerk; Ira Jones, Treasurer; Barney Bur- ton and Joel Guild, Assessors. The new township was attached to Kalamazoo for judicial purposes.
The first and extra session of the Legislature of Michigan, 1835-'6, enacted that the county of Kent be organized, and the in- habitants entitled to all the rights and privileges extended to the people of other counties. The act further provided that suits, prosecutions and other causes then pending before any record court, or before any of the justices of the county to which Kent was attached, should be carried through to final judgment and exe- cution, and all taxes heretofore levied should be collected in the same manner as though the act of organization had not been passed, and further provided that the unorganized counties of Ottawa, Ionia and Clinton should be attached to Kent county for judicial purposes. The act was approved March 24, 1836, and ordered to take effect the first Monday in April of the same year.
Kent county originally comprised but 16 surveyed towns, the same as Ionia, but in 1839 or '40 a few settlers had gone into town 9 north, range 10 west, who petitioned the Legislature to take from the county of Oceana and attach to Kent the other eight town- ships, forming the north part of Kent county, so that from that time it has consisted of 24 townships, which by the United States survey are townships 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 north, of ranges 9, 10, 11 and 12 west from the intersection of the base and meridian lines of the State of Michigan.
When the election for representative took place in the fall of 1837 there were but five organized townships in the four counties: none in Ottawa, for the voters had to come to Kent to vote, and in that county but two-Kent and Byron, the latter comprising townships 5 and 6 north, range 12 west, and Kent the rest of the county south of Grand river, for the country north of that river was purchased from the Indians only the year before, and had not yet been surveyed. In Ionia, range 9, was the town of Maple; the rest was Ionia; and the county of Clinton made the one town of
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De Witt. In the whole district there were some 700 or 800 votes, all told.
Kent county settled slowly until after the lands granted by Con - gress for internal improvements were put into the market by the State in the summer of 1843. The nominal price was the same as the Government lands, $1.25 per acre. Bat the obligations called warrants, taken in payment for these lands, could be purchased for 40 cents on the dollar, which brought the cost of the lands at 50 cents the acre. This low cost of lands attracted the attention of the immigrants, all then bound through Michigan to what were thought better lands farther west. But on looking at these lands they were so well satisfied that they concluded to go no further. Cheap as these lands were, there was no disposition to buy on speculation. The settlers had the whole field, and inany were soon located on these fertile lands.
The grant was forany surveyed, unsold land belonging to the United States in Michigan, so that the State had procured a selec- tion of only the better lands. Those selections comprised almost half the area of that part of Kent county north of Grand river, and a considerable tract south of the river. This selection was made by John Ball, acting under instructions from Governor Barry. The selection created much dissatisfaction among the settlers; but after all the action turned out fortunately, as working men invested State script in these lands. For example, Mr. Farrell bought several hundred acres at 40 cents per acre, while Mr. O'Brien pur- chased a large tract at 60 cents.
Under an act approved March 23, 1836, the township of Byron was organized, and the first town meeting ordered to be held at the house of Charles H. Oakes. The district, as organized then, comprised townships 5 and 6 north, of ranges 12 and 13 west.
In March, 1849, the township of Wyoming was organized. That portion of Byron known as town 6 north, of range 12 west, was detached and erected into a separate township to be named Wyoming. The first town meeting was ordered to be held at the house of Dwight Rankin.
Ada township, comprising townships 5, 6 and 7 north, of range 10 west, United States survey, was set off, under authority of an act approved March 6, 1838, and the first meeting ordered to be held at the house of John W. Fisk, in April following.
The township of Cascade was organized under an act approved March 9, 1848, directing that town 6 north, of range 10 west, lying south of Grand river, should be detached from the township of Ada, erected into a separate township under the name of Cas- cade, and the first town meeting held at the house of William S. Gunn, the first Monday in April of that year.
Walker was organized under authority of the Legislature, granted Dec. 30, 1837. directing that all that portion of Kent county lying north of the Grand river should be set off as a sep- arate township, and that the first meeting should be held at the school-house of the missionary station.
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
The township of Alpine was organized under Legislative au- thority given in an act approved March 16, 1847, setting off from he township of Walker all that district known in the United States survey as town 8 north, of range 12 west. directing at the same time that the first meeting should be held at the house of Abram Konkle.
Caledonia, comprising township 5 north, of ranges 9 and 10 west, was organized as a separate township, under authority granted in an act approved March 30, 1840, and the first town meeting ordered to be held at the house of Colin McNorton.
The township of Bowne was organized under an act approved March 15, 1849, setting off from the town of Caledonia all that territory known as town 5 north, of range 9 west, and organizing it into the township of Bowne. The first meeting was held at the school-house of district No. 1, in April following.
The township of Plainfield was organized under authority given in an act approved March 6, 1838. It comprised all that part of township 8 north, of ranges 10 and 11 west, lying north of Grand river.
Under an act of May 11, 1846, township 10 north, of range 11 west, United States survey, was attached to Plainfield.
Churchtown township was organized March 25, 1846. It in- cluded township 8 north, of range 10 west, and formed a portion of Plainfield township up to that date. The first meeting was held at the house of Cornelius Slack.
In March, 1847, the Legislature enacted that the name formerly given to town 8 north, of range 10 west, should be changed from Churchtown to Cannon. The first meeting held in the township under its new name was that of April, 1847.
The name of Kent township was changed to Grand Rapids under Legislative authority, granted Feb. 16, 1842.
A part of the township of Grand Rapids, comprising all of town 8 north, of range 11 west, was detached and added to the township of Plainfield, under authority given in the act of March 16, 1847.
The act of March 9, 1848, authorized the setting off of town 8 north, of range 10 west, lying south of Grand river, from the town- ships of Grand Rapids, and the addition of that territory to the town of Plainfield.
The organization of Algoma was authorized March 15, 1849. All that, territory known as town 9 north, of range 11 west, and town 10 north of range 11 west, was set off from the township of Plainfield and organized into a township under the name of Algoma. The first town meeting was held at the school- house of district No. 3.
The township of Solon was organized under authority given by the County Board, Jan. 7, 1857. The territory known in the United States survey as town 10 north, of range 11 west, was set off from the township of Algoma, and erected into a township under the name of Solon. The first meeting was held at the house
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
of Walter Rowe in April, 1857, with Reuben W. Jewell, Edward Jewell and Martin Hicks, Inspectors of Election.
Paris was organized under authority of the Legislature, granted March 21, 1839. It comprised originally townships 5 and 6 north, of range 11 west. The first meeting was held at the house of Hiram H. Allen.
The organization of Gaines was authorized March 9, 1848, when the Legislature directed that town 5 north, of range 11 west, be detached from the township of Paris, erected into a separate town under the name of Gaines, and the first meeting held at the school-house of District No. 4.
Vergennes township, comprised in townships 5, 6, 7 and 8 north, of range 9 west, United States survey, was organized March 6, 1838, and the first meeting ordered. to be held at the house of Lewis Robinson.
Grattan township, comprising townships 8 north, of range 9 west, was set off from Vergennes, March 25, 1846, and organiza- tion perfected at the first town meeting held at the house of Volney W. Calkins in April following.
The township of Lowell was organized under Legislative author- ity given March 9, 1848, detaching town 6 north, of range 9 west, from Vergennes, and erecting the territory into a separate township to be known as Lowell. The first town meeting was held at the house of D. A. Marvin.
Sparta, including the unorganized territory known in the United States survey as towns 9 and 10 north, of range 12 west, was set off under anthority granted by the Legislature, March 25, 1846, and the first township meeting was held at the house of Clark Brown the same year.
The supervisors of Kent county in session Jan. 10, 1855, consid- ered the recommendation of the committee on township organiza- tion, then comprising Thomas Spencer, Foster Tucker and Asa P. Ferry, and ordered that the territory known in the United States survey as town 10 north, of range 12 west, be set off from the town of Sparta, and erected into a township to be known as Tyrone. The first meeting was ordered to be held at the school-house, near Mrs. Louisa Scotts, the first Monday in April, 1855, and Bela Chase, John Thompson, and Patrick Thompson were appointed Inspectors of Election.
The boundaries of Courtland township as organized in 1839, were extended so as to include township 9 north, of range 9 west, by the Legislature in session March 22, 1841. This town was organ- ized as a division of Oceana county, and comprised township 9 north, of range 10 west. The first meeting was held at the house of Barton Johnson, the first Monday in April, 1839. By an act approved March 9, 1843, the line of Courtland was further ex- tended so as to include township 9 north, of range 11 west. Un- der the act for the organization of townships approved March 25, 1846, that portion of Courtland designated in United States survey
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
as township 9 north, of range 11 west, was detached and made a por- tion of the town of Plainfield. Under authority of an act ap- proved May 11, 1846, those portions of Kent county known as town 10 north, of range 9 west, and 10 north, of range 10 west, were at- tached to Courtland township.
An act passed by the Legislature approved March 16, 1847, pro- vided that the townships known in the United States survey as town 9 north, of range 9 west, and 9 north, of range 10 west, in Kent county, should be detached from the township of Courtland, and organized as a separate township under the name of " Wa- bacis," and directed the first meeting to be held at the house of William R. Davis. The name Wabacis was changed to Court- land under an act approved March 9, 1848, and the territory known as town 10 north, of range 10 west, and town 10 north, of range 9 west, be attached to the territory formerly organized as Wabacis, and all formed into a township to be known as Courtland.
The township of Nelson was organized under authority granted by the Board of Supervisors Oct. 14, 1854. Previous to that time a petition signed by 17 freeholders, asking for the organization of town 10 north, of range 10 west, into a separate township, was pre- sented. In acceding to the prayer of the petitioners, the board set off the territory described above from the town of Courtland, under the name of Nelson, ordered the first meeting to be held at the house of Chas. A. Leake, and appointed Geo. N. Stoddard, Geo. Holyband and John S. Jones to act as inspectors of the election to be held the first Monday of April, 1855.
Oakfield was organized under authority granted by the Legisla- ture, March 15, 1849. The new township comprised all that ter- ritory formerly belonging to the township of Courtland, known as town 9 north, of range 9 west, and town 10 north, of range 9 west. The first meeting was ordered to be held at the school- building of district No. 5.
The township of Spencer was organized under the name of Celsus Oct. 13. 1860. John Davis, then a member of the County Board, moved that the latter name be bestowed upon it in lieu of the former. This motion prevailed ; but the citizens applied to the board to squash the name Celsus, and, Jan. 9, 1851, the supervisors resolved to change the word Celsus to Spencer. The town as organized comprised the territory known as township 10 north, of range 9 west, formerly a portion of Oakfield. The first meeting was held at Spencer's Mills in April, 1861, with Thomas Spencer, Shephard B. Cowles and Matthew B. Hatch, Inspectors.
An act incorporating the village of Grand Rapids was approved April 5, 1838. It provided for the organization of all that tract of Kent county beginning at a point on the east side of Grand river, where Fulton street, as laid down on the original plat of the village recorded in the registrar's office of Kalamazoo county, intersects the river, and running east on the south bounds of the village to the southeast corner of a tract known as Hatch's addition, thence north along the east line of this addition, and north to the
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
point where Hastings street, as laid down in the village plat of Kent, being also an addition to the village of Grand Rapids, if ex- tended would intersect the same, thence west along Hastings street to the west line of Canal street to the point where the same strikes Grand river and along the shore of said river to the place of . be- ginning.
Under authority granted by the Legislature Jan. 16, 1843, the boundaries of the village of Grand Rapids were altered and made to include the southwest corner of a certain tract known as Hatch's addition, instead of the southeast corner as mentioned in the act of 1838.
In the foregoing pages the various acts of the Council of the Territory, of the State Legislature, and of the Board of Super- visors, affecting the erection, alteration or division of the town- ships of Kent county, are summarized. Previous to 1854, it may be said with truth, that the governing bodies of the State were slow to grant new privileges to the people. The fact of almost all the townships of this portion of Michigan being organized by the Legislature, points out such a state of feeling to possess some re- ality up to that period. In 1851 an unwilling effort was made to be more liberal ; but not until 1855 was a full measure of relief from disability in this connection conceded.
The Legislature extended the powers of the Board of Supervisors in the act of April, 1851, by conferring upon it certain local, legis- lative, and administrative powers. This act was amended Feb. 10, 1855, so that it became the privilege of each County Board to di- vide, alter or erect a township within the limits of the county. Under this authority the supervisors of Kent ordered the organi- zation of the new townships. Previous to 1851 the Legislature was the only agent in granting authority to erect a new township or alter or divide those already organized.
Among other acts dealing with this county, are many that should have never passed for discussion beyond the council room of the county. In the following synopsis of Legislative measures, the acts connecting themselves with the first decade of the county's existence are noted :
The Legislature passed an act, which was approved July 26, 1836, establishing a State road from Grandville to the village of Allegan ; from Bronson, now Kalamazoo, via Middle Village, in Barry county, to Grandville ; from Paw Paw to Grand Rapids; from Middle Village to Robinson's Trading House on Grand river; from Grandville to the mouth of North Black river ; a State road from Battle Creek to Grandville was authorized March 24, 1838; from Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids, Jan. 29, 1838. Ives, of Plain- field, was appointed one of the Commissioners; from Grand Rapids to Muskegon, March 9, 1838-Lovell Moore, E. H. Turner and Alfred Ilodge, Commissioners ; from Grand Rapids to Muskegon lake, March 27, 1838, with Charles Shepard, B. H. Wheelock, and Wm. Bailey, Commissioners.
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
John W. Fallas and Nathaniel Davenport were empowered to build a dam across Flat river ou fractional lot No. 1, section 23, and lot No. 1, section 24, in town 7 north, of range 9 west. The dam was not to exceed three feet in height above low-water mark.
An act approved Dec. 30, 1837, commissioned Thomas C. Shel- don, Thomas Fitzgerald, Theodore Romeyn, E. P. Deacon and Alexandre H. Jaredon to open the stock books of the Port Shel- don & Grand Rapids Railroad Company, in the town of Kent, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions to the capital stock, which was placed at $250,000, in shares of $100 each. As soon as 200 shares of this stock were paid up, the subscribers, with such other persons as associated with them, were to form a cor- porate body, having for its object the construction of a railroad from Pigeon lake on Lake Michigan to a point in the town of Kent.
Thomas B. Church visited Port Sheldon to find it tenanted alone by Abram Pike, sent there as custodian for the mortgagees. Then there were three streets well built up, a magnificent hotel, and a few large church buildings. In later years he visited the place, but could not see a vestige of Port Sheldon. The railroad was never built.
An act authorizing the Supervisors' Board of Kent to borrow $10,000 at an interest not exceeding seven per cent. per annum, for a period of not less than five years and not exceeding 15 years, was approved Feb. 28, 1838. It was provided that the money should be expended in accordance with the act of March 20, 1837, authorizing the supervisors to borrow money for the purpose of erecting county buildings.
Under an act approved March 28, 1838, prisoners apprehended within the counties of Ionia and Ottawa were ordered to be placed in the Kent county jail. Ottawa county was organized under act approved Dec. 29, 1837.
An act to secure a pre-emption right to the purchase of certain lands to Robert Hilton was approved Feb. 22, 1843.
By an act approved March 7, 1844, Kent county with the ad- joining county of Ottawa, were attched to the Third Judicial Circuit.
In an act approved March 11, 1844, the following named citizens of Kent were constituted a corporation under the title, "The Trustees of the Grand Rapids Academy:" Daniel Ball, John Almy, James Ballard, Francis H. Cumming, Jonathan F. Chubb, Charles Shepard, Samuel F. Butler, Amos Rathbun and Truman H. Lyon.
By an act of March 11, 1844, the time for completing the Grand Rapids bridge was extended to Jan. 1, 1846, provided that such extension of time should not prevent the County Board from building a free bridge.
Arad Melvin and John Scales were authorized to build a dam across Flat river at section 13, township 7 north, of range 9 west. This act was approved March 19, 1845; it provided that the dam should not be higher than four feet above low-water mark.
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
The county of Newaygo, as designated in the United States sur- vey, was organized as a township of Kent county, March 26, 1846, and the first town-meeting held at the house of John F. Stearns in April of the same year. All this territory was attached to Kent for judicial purposes with the exception of township 11 north, of range 14 west.
OTHER ACTS OF ORGANIZATION, ETC.
The charter to the Grand Rapids Toll Bridge Company was granted in 1837. Ionia county and all the northern territory at- tached to Kent for judicial purposes was set off and organized sep- arately. The year following, the ,Grand Rapids & Port Sheldon Railroad Company was incorporated. In 1839, $25,000 was ap- propriated for the construction of canals and improvement of the river. In 1840 the Legislature appropriated $5,000 toward the continuation of the work on the salt spring ; two tiers of northern townships were added to the county; Mecosta and Newaygo coun- ties were attached to Kent for judicial purposes; State roads were authorized, and a general course of internal improvements sanc- tioned. The appropriation of $15,000 toward the propagation of the salt industry at Grand Rapids and in Midland county, charac- terized the Legislative work of 1842.
The supervisors were au- thorized to raise $1,000 for the construction of a bridge at Ada in 1843. In 1844 the State appropriated 6,000 acres of land toward the construction of a free bridge at Grand Rapids, and authorized the laying off of roads from Lyons and Gull prairie to the rapids of the Grand river. A year later the road from Barry, Muske- gon river, Muskegon lake and Grand Haven to points at or near Grand Rapids were authorized to be laid off. In 1846 the Grand River Valley railroad, a proposed line between Grand Rapids and Jackson, was chartered. In 1847 the Legislature authorized the Board of Supervisors to build a canal round the rapids of Grand river, and appropriated 25,000 acres of land toward the enter- prise; The Kalamazoo & Grand Rapids Railroad Company re- ceived the charter, and the Battle Creek & Grand Rapids railroad charter was amended.
In 1848 land appropriations to foster internal improvements were the order. The township of Plainfield received 1,000 acres toward building a new bridge; Ada, 1,000 acres for the same pur- pose ; Cascade, 600 acres, and 400 granted for bridging the Thorn- apple, -- in all 3,000 acres of public lands granted to the county to encourage the bridging of rivers and streams. All these bridges were erected by Robert Hilton. During the years 1849, 1850,1851, 1852, the work of the Legislature, so far as it concerned this county, may be said to be purely organic. In 1855, the improvement of Grand river was considered. Two years later the name of the vil- lage of Danville was changed to that of Lowell, and 5,000 acres of land appropriated for the improvement of Flat river at that point.
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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
In 1859 the act of the supervisors in ordering the incorporation of the village of Lowell was confirmed by the Legislature, and the act ordered to take effect in April, 1861. During this year the act to quiet titles, necessitated by the destruction of records in the fire of 1860, was passed. Four years later Scranton's Abstract of Titles was acknowledged as evidence of title.
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