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 29
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The act to quiet titles was intended to empower the owners of real estate, the copies of whose deeds were burned in the fire of 1860, and who were not in possession of original patents or deeds, to make a new record after fully establishing their claims as own- ers. A court of claims was established, and a general record of deeds made. The " Scranton Abstract," a book of titles compiled by Registrar Scranton during his years of office, and saved from the fire fiend of 1860, was considered reliable in every respect, and by Legislative enactment approved in March, 1865, was placed among the standard records of the county to be received as evidence in all cases of disputed title to property. The bill to effect this was introduced in the House by Thomas B. Church.
THE ACTS OF THE SUPERVISORS.
It is impracticable to deal with all the acts of the Supervisors' Board in this chapter, particularly in the absence of a record of their early proceedings. In dealing with township history, how- ever, this want may be supplied, leaving this notice as a mere in- troduction to an account of the labors of a local Legislative body that has contributed so much to the advancement of the county.
The first record of the Supervisors' Board, now in possession of the county clerk, does not extend farther back than Oct. 13, 1845. The first entry merely shows that seven members of the board met and adjourned. On the 14th Win. R. Goodwin, Supervisor of Byron; James Davis, Walker; Amos Chase, Ada; Clinton Shoe- maker, Paris; John Campbell, Caledonia; Arbor Richards, Ver- gennes; and John Austin, of Courtland, assembled, conversed on the subject of granting an appropriation toward building a bridge across the canal at Bridge street, and postponed the discussion of the question. The third day, however, the work of equalizing the assessment rolls was undertaken and completed. The fourth day was occupied in discussing the canal bridge appropriation, the pro- priety of renting the C. H. Taylor store for county purposes, and the insurance of the court-house building. The question of selling the building stone on the Court-house Square was decided affirma- tively, and James Davis appointed a committee to superintend the sale.
The appointment of George Coggeshall as commissioner to lay out, and construct a State road was made by the board Oct. 17, 1845. March 12, previous, John Ball was appointed to this position by the State Legislature: but failing to file his oath of office within the 90 days succeeding, the supervisors declared
Nº Postono
293
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
the office vacant and made the appointment referred to. The new commissioner subscribed the usual oath Nov. 13, 1845.
In 1846 the wolf-slayers of the county formed a numerous band, and during that year the $10 bounty was paid. The acceptance of the new bridge over Grand river took place in January, 1846, and may be termed the first link in the chain of progress.
In following up the history of the county the labors of the super- visors will be noticed in their proper connection.
Under the act of 1837, the county was authorized to borrow money to build a court-house. Under this authority a court- house was erected on what is known as the " Park," or " Court- House Square." It was a wooden structure claiming some archi- tectural beauty. It was swept away by fire within a few years. A plain building was erected afterward, which was used as a court-house and high school. In 1848, this was abandoned, moved off, and used as a blacksmith shop; and the county has ever since hired rooms in private buildings for the use of the court. Soon after the fire of 1861, the fire-proof building was erected for the county offices. An addition was built to it in 1874.
.
The jail was a temporary affair until 1870, when the present building-the "Sinner's Palace"-was erected on what was the "Island." At first, a cellar on Canal street was the retreat of pris- oners; afterward, a wooden building on the west side, without even the pretense of architectural display, was all the county af- forded for the accommodation of those who were its guests; now the beautiful building on Campau street offers a rus-in-urbe home to evil-doers, and perhaps often fosters a desire in the naturally vicious and unprincipled portion of the people to perform some peculiar feat that would win for them an invitation to this well- ordered cage of criminals.
THE COURT-HOUSE SQUARE.
The history of this recreation ground of the citizens is one of change and public solicitude. The law firm of Hughes, O'Brien & Smyley, acting with Fred. A. Maynard, Prosecuting Attorney, in investigating the title to the square, elicited the following his- torical fact:
Louis Campan, being the proprietor of the north half of the square, platted it, together with the land east, west and north of it, in 1835, dividing all the property into blocks and lots except the square (north half ), which he marked " public square." This plat was recorded about that date. There is some evidence also tending to prove that this same square had been selected as the seat of jus- tice for this county by commissioners appointed by the Governor in 1833, while the title was still in the Government, but that selec- tion was not legal and conclusive inasmuch as it required the approval of the Governor, which was not given, so far as the records show. Although in this plat made by Campau the ground is
18
296
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
marked " public square"-which does not necessarily imply a " court-house" square-it can be shown by evidence that a court- house square was the " public" use for which he intended it.
In 1838 a court-house was built upon this square near the center, and certainly extending upon the north half of it, which remained until 1843 or 1844, when it was burned and another one built in its place, which remained until 1852 or thereabouts, when it was sold by the county to Campau for $175.
About this time the Board of Supervisors located the county seat upon the west side of the river and caused a jail to be built there, and rented a building in which to hold court; and from that time on for several years there was much discussion in the board as to the title of the county both to the grounds chosen on the west side and the public square. It seems also that about 1847, and from that on to 1852, Louis Campau claimed that he had not intended this for a court-house square, but only for a public square, city or village purposes, and notified the Board of Supervisors and also the Common Council of the city of his claim, and, finally, about the time that the court-house was moved off, or a little before, quit-claimed to the city his title to the north half of said square for the sum of $500, and the city has claimed to own the same ever since, and has at times caused it to be fenced and directed the planting of trees upon it for ornament.
It will be seen from these facts that the only ground for contro- versy as to the north half of the square is between the city and the county. It is evident that Campau originally intended to give, and dedicated, it to the county for court-house purposes, and offered it to the county for that purpose. It also seems quite plain that the county accepted it by erecting thereon a court-house and maintain- ing it there for about 14 years. The city's claim arises from its possession since about 1852, founded upon its quit-claim deed from Louis Campau. This leaves the title to the north half in great doubt as between the city and the county, but it is quite certain that the city can hold it for public grounds if the county cannot for court-house purposes.
The south half of the square stands upon a different footing. On and prior to 1843 it was owned by Tilitson, Sheldon and Daniels, and had been platted by them, but it seems that their plat had not been recorded. About this time Tilitson petitioned the court of this county for a partition and division of the property. Commis- sioners were appointed by the court to partition it-Louis Campau being one of them-and said commissioners soon filed their report. stating that in attempting to divide the property they had found that the parties had previous to that time platted the property, and they adopted said plat as one from which to make the partition, made it a part of their report, and as such it was subsequently recorded. Said plat distinctly designated this public square as "court-house square." The lands east, west and south of it were all divided in blocks and lots by this plat, and the commissioners divi-
297
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
ded all the property among the tenants in common by said plat except the court-house square, which was not divided or otherwise mentioned. This report was affirmed by the court, and afterward each one of the parties sold lands by deeds thus set off to them, describing it in the deeds according to the plat adopted by the commissioners. These deeds amount to full recognitions by the owners of the plat, and this action constitutes an offer by the then proprietors of the land in question for a court-house square, if it had not been offered by them before that time. A court-house had already been located there since 1830, and about this time, 1843 or 1844, it burned, and another one was built upon this square, and the county continued to use it until about 1852, as before stated; and this, we think, constitutes an acceptance by the public of the dedication as offered, and made the title complete in the county. It is proper to mention that the city has also had possession, either for themselves or for the county, in connection with the north half, since about 1852; but there has never been any offer of it for public purposes except for a court-house square, and the city has never had any deed of the property.
The attorneys state it as their opinions, that the title of the south half is in the county for court-house purposes, and that if the county should conclude to erect a court-house upon it, neither the city, nor private persons claiming to hold the original paper title, could raise any valid objection. If, however, the county should finally reject the public square and actually build a court-house upon some other site, there might be ground for saying that the title would revert to the original owner who dedicated it.
In concluding their report they advise the county, by its super visors, to take some action calculated to provoke a hostile claim to title if any one intends to contest it. They think that the county should take possession by enclosing it or erecting a building upon it, so that other parties claiming it might bring an action to assert their rights; or if any outside parties should interfere with the possession of the county, it could bring an action to quiet its title. This title perfected, a public building worthy of the city and county will take the place of the unsightly offices now in use.
GROWTH OF THE SUPERVISORS' BOARD.
The first attempt at organizing a county, as laid off in 1831. was that made in 1834, when it was set off as the township of Kent. At the meeting held in April of that year, Rix Robinson was elected Supervisor, and made his official visits to Kalamazoo, then the county seat. Two years later, Gideon H. Gordon was elected Supervisor of Byron, and took his seat with Mr. Robinson as members of the County Board. In 1838, Herman Smith, Su-
298
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
pervisor of Ada; Rodney Robinson, of Lowell; Zenas G. Winsor, of Plainfield; Lovell Moore, of Walker, and Lewis Robinson, of Vergennes, took their seats as Supervisors. Philo Beers, of Court- land, and Joel Guild, of Paris, were added to the board in 1839; John P. McNaughton, of Caledonia, in 1840; Edward Wheeler, of Alpine, in 1841; Henry McCormac, of Grand Rapids, in 1842; Lewis W. Purdy, of Sparta; Andrew Watson, of Cannon, and Mil- ton C. Watkin, of Grattan, in 1846 ; William R. Godwin, of Wyoming, in 1848; Peter Teeple, Cascade, in 1848 ; Roswell C. Tyler, Bowne, 1848. Thomas Spencer, Oakfield, took his seat in 1849 ; Sinith Lapham, of Algoma, 1849; Roswell C. Tyler, Bowne, 1849; George Hoyle, of Nelson, 1854 ; Uriah Chubb, of Tyrone, 1855 ; Edward Jewell, of Solon, 1857 ; Freeman Van Wickle, of Spencer, 1861. On the organization of the city, another member was added to the board, representation grew with the city until now it elects eight supervisors, who with the 24 township supervisors, form a board of 32 members. In 1845 the equalized valuation of the organized townships of the county was as follows : Grand Rapids, $127,520.50; Plainfield, $40,437.32 ; Vergennes, $68,775.32 ; Caledonia, $40,625 ; Byron, $69,563 ; Walker, $56,480; Courtland, $27,923.40 ; Paris, 54,357; and Ada, $52,947. The entire valuation of the county 36 years ago was only $538,628.93. .
In 1846 the townships of Sparta, Churchtown and Grattan were organized. The equalized valuation of real and personal property in the first named was $14,925.22; in the second, $21,145.33; and in Grattan, $18,457.92. The aggregate valuation of real and per- sonal property was $573,452.39.
From that period forward the county grew in population and wealth. In 1847 it entered upon the era of progress and continued o advance toward greatness until the present time, when another era of development appears to reign over the land. In the follow- ing table the aggregate valuation of real and personal property is given from 1845 to 1881:
1845-$
538,628.93
1858-$ 6,987,968.00
1871-$ 9,506,026.00
1846-
573,452.39
1859-
7,120,088.00
1872-
10,483,659.00
1847- 586,072.00
1860-
6,823,105.00
1873- 10,999,160.00
1848 767,201.00
1861-
6,431,483.00
1874- 20,000,157.00
1849
809,962.00
1862-
6,364,112.00
1875- 19,999,908.00
1850-
914,180.44
1863-
6,524,707.00
1876- 19,409,028.00
1851-
987,600.68
1864
6,591,137.00
1877- 19,409,027.00
1852
1,059,773.32
1865
6,642.942.00
1878- 18,500,000.00
1853
3,563,553.00
1866
6,933 974.00
1879- 18,000 000.00
1854-
4,396,519.00
1867-
6,978,960.00
1880- 17,992,748.00
1855-
5,763,038 00
1868-
7,207,507.00
1881-
18,013,810.00
185(i-
6,556,737.70
1869-
8,587,066.00
1857-
6,942,289.00
1870- - 8,617,615.00
299
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
The following is a fair exhibit of the financial condition of the county to-day :
TOWNS.
No. of acres.
Real.
Personal.
Aggregate as Equal- ized.
Ada.
22,546
$311,650
$43,230
$340,830
Algoma
22,493
241,465
39,510
250,000
Alpine.
22,925
410,280
40,470
437,750
Bowne
22,921
272,732
36,523
299,000
Byron .
22,469
281,850
34,990
283,840
Caledonia.
21,963
292,270
41,200
328,470
Cannon
21,841
351,165
46,165
346,000
Cascade .
21,682
362,335
36,290
325,625
Courtland Gaines
22,108
359,134
39,985
364,119
Grand Rapids.
19,973
730,760
50,620
689,000
Grattan.
22,377
319,710
51,890
350,000
Lowell
20.932
478,855
89,241
588,096
Nelson .
22,023
179,460
36,725
208,500
Oakfield.
21,761
265,825
28,665
290,000
Paris ..
22,303
592,800
67,780
625,000
Plainfield.
22,912
340,505
32,210
342,000
Solon.
22,828
149,505
30,125
195,000
Sparta.
22,833
373,720
82 185
414,000
Spencer
22,089
103,445
17,604
118,000
Tyrone
22,494
136,065
14,075
143,500
Vergennes
22,115
408,195
36,290
364,000
Walker.
21,000
428,835
61,635
527,970
Wyoming
19,650
351,694
26,215
415,160
528,192)
$8,035,600 $1,018,948
$8,556,560
City of Grand Rapids, aggregate real and personal, as reviewed and equalized by Board of Review.
9,457,250
Total.
$18,013,81C
The various wards of .Grand Rapids city, as equalized by the supervisors in 1881, have these aggregate valuations: First, $727,- 985; second, $2,931,333; third, $1,844,259; fourth, $1,831,231; fifth, $617,572; sixth, $280,163; seventh, $524,196; eighth, $700,- 511.
The amounts added by the supervisors to the Board of Equaliza- tion's valuation of the several wards are as follows: First, $38,- 360; second, $154,458; third, $97,179; fourth, $96,492; fifth, $32,542; sixth, $14,763; seventh, $27,621; eighth $36,911.
There is added to the assessed valuation of Lowell township, $20,000; to Solon, $15,370; of Walker, $36,863, and to Wyoming, $37,171-making a total to additions to townships of $109,404.
In deductions from assessed valuations Grand Rapids township shows the greatest, $92,580, and Spencer the least, $3,049. Walker gets $80,485 deduction; Cascade, $73,000; Sparta, $41,905; Cannon, $51,230; Ada, $14 050; Algoma, $32,980; Alpine, $13,000; Bowne, $10,225; Byron, $33,000; Caledonia, $5,000; Courtland, $14,968, Gaines, $35,000; Grattan, $21,600; Nelson, $7,685; Oakfield,
22,954
293,345
35,325
310,700
300
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
$4,490; Paris, $35,580; Plainfield, $30,715; Tyrone, $6,640. The total deductions from townships are $607,612.
The aggregate township valuations, as assessed, were $9,054,548, of which $8,035,600 was real and $1,018,948 personal property. The number of acres assessed in townships was 528,192.
COMPARISON.
For the purpose of showing the relation which this county bears to the eastern counties of the State as well as to Wayne, Washtenaw and Jackson of the older organized counties, the fol- lowing review of equalized valuation is given:
The aggregate valuation of the entire State, real and personal, is raised from $630,000,000 in 1876-when the last State equaliza- tion was had-to $810,000,000 in 1881. The following table shows both, the old and the new, valuations of some of the counties of the States. The increase in value of real and personal property in Kent county within the five years, ending June, 1881, is estimated at $2,000,000. Under the old equalization Kent's proportion of the entire State taxes was about five per cent., while under the new deal it is only four and one-fourteenth per cent. of the total.
Some remarkable increases are shown in both the east and north of the State. Detroit shows an increase of $33,000,000; St. Clair an increase of $6,750,000'-over SO per cent .; Bay, an increase of $11,000,000, or 157 per cent. increase; Saginaw also shows an increase of $9,000,000, or 56 per cent.
The present total equalized valuation of the county is only equal to the increase of Wayne county and Detroit city during the last five years; yet it is sufficiently large to place Kent as the second county in the State in point of wealth. Conceding the figures to be correct, the value of the county, if reduced to money and equally divided among the people, would yield to each inhabitant of the county $1,133.06.
The progress of clearing and improving land is shown by the record of acres assessed at the different periods of equalization as follows: 1856, 12,167,812; 1861, 15,166,010; 1866, 17,111,110; 1871, 20,515,388; 1876, 27,605,262; 1881, 28,306,820. The assessed acreage, it will be seen, has nearly doubled in 20 years.
The total valuation of the State as equalized by the State Board has been as follows for the different periods mentioned: 1851, $30,979,270; 1853, $120,362,474; 1856, $137,663,009; 1861, $172,- 055,808; 1866, $307,965,842; 1871, $630,000,000; 1876, $630,000,- 000; 1881, $810,000,000.
Between 1871 and 1877 there was a great depreciation in values of some kinds of property, notably those connected with the iron, lumber and navigation interests, and the aggregate valuation was left unchanged. Since 1876 there has been a great increase in values. Pine lands have in many cases doubled and trebled in market value, the mining interests have greatly revived, manufact- uring industries have been prosperous, and real estate, both in
301
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
city and country, has been greatly enhanced in value. The State Board of Equalization, for 1881, has put the total amount at $810,- 000,000, a considerable addition to the aggregate of $654,005,885 as equalized by the county Boards of Supervisors.
GROWTH SHOWN BY POPULATION.
At the period when the French explorers of the Peninsula vis- ited this land, the number of Indians in the neighborhood of Grand Rapids was estimated at about 3,000. The number inhabiting the district now comprised in the county was estimated at 7,000. Years rolled by and the story of the Frenchmen's travels were re- peated in every Indian lodge; thousands went south and west to the sunny lands, other thousands were swept away by the small- pox. Emigration and disease thinned their ranks, until at the pe- riod of Rix Robinson's advent the Indian population of the county did not exceed 900, and even this number decreased to 800 before the settlement of Louis Campau. Then the American settlers be- gan to pour in, and even as the white population grew apace.º so did the savage decline until now scarcely a vestige is left to tell of their possession of this land.
In the section of this work devoted to the pioneers and old set- tlers, the names of the men who settled here up to the close of 1837 are given. Those, with the members of their families and the In- dians, numbered 1,200 at the beginning of 1838. In the following table the census returns from 1845 to 1874 are given, showing a steady advance of population:
1837
1845
1850
1854
1860
1864
1870
1874
Ada
497
593
746
1,116
1,094
1,427
1,351
Algoma.
233
570
993
992
1,959
2,591
Alpine
...
618
861
1,248
1,194
1,445
1,348
Bowne
...
309
637
1,042
1,145
1,328
1,504
Cannon.
127
99
301
762
923
1,599
1,680
Cascade
358
526
803
940
1,157
1,050
Courtland.
400
406
703
957
1,388
1,340
1,287
Gaines.
319
515
868
961
1,205
1,298
1,:50
Grattan. .
461
872
1,021
1,053
1.651
1,941
Grand Rapids City
1,510
2,686
4,278
8,090
8,772 16,508
25.928
Lowell
214
473
1,200
1,417
3,086
2,826
Nelson .
Oakfield.
645
643
1,079
912
1,092
1,080
Paris
485
521
789
1,327
1,443
1,543
1,816
Plainfield.
565
659
807
1,240
1,126
1,499
730
866
Tyrone.
. ..
Vergennes
850
876
1,042
1,347
1,210
1,342
1,129
Walker.
1,122
823
756
1,430
1,279
1,675
1,884
Wyoming.
...
543
788
1,239
1,195
1,787
2,008
Total
1,200
6.049|12,016 17,869 30, 721 |33,458 50,410 62 671
1,666
1,587
Sparta
309
531
941
1,032
209
580
662
Spencer.
393
391
911
1,310
Solon.
....
...
173
257
1,275
1,240
Byron.
493
696
874
1,061
1,142
1,205
1,205
Caledonia.
1 273
648
800
1,127
461
430
1,102
2,361
1,499
. .
. .
.
357
745
814
1,141
Grand Rapids.
302
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
The following returns are taken from the census bulletin in pos session of General Pierce, the Superintendent of Census for this district in 1880:
TOWNSHIP.
VILLAGE.
VIL. POP.
TOTALS.
Ada.
Ada.
340
1,441
Algoma
Part of Rockford
669
2,100
Alpine
1,378
Bowne
1,387
Byron.
Byron Center.
115
1,712
Caledonia.
Alaska
225
1,964
Cannon
Cannonsburg
130
1,220
Cascade.
Cascade
58
1,195
Courtland.
1,330
Gaines
Hammond
61
1,369
Grand Rapids.
Grand Rapids City.
1st ward .
.....
60
2
66
3,297
،،
66
3
5,998
66
66
66
3,520
66
6
66
2,163
66
66
7
3,617
8
3,406
32,015
Grattan.
1,238
Lowell
Lowell
1,538
3,037
Nelson.
Sand Lake.
581
2,599
Oakfield.
1,112
Paris.
2,038
Plainfield.
Part of Rockford
147
1,608
Solon.
Part of Cedar Springs.
624
1,693
Sparta.
Lisbon
124
2,103
Sparta
507
1,196
Tyrone.
Casnovia
101
1,319
Vergennes.
Alton
20
1,148
Walker. .
1,876
Wyoming.
Grandville
548
2,117
73,253
66
4
66
5,094
5
66
Part of Cedar Springs.
517
Spencer
The population of Cedar Springs in Nelson and Solon townships is 1,141, and of Rockford in Algoma and Plainfield townships, 816.
During the six years ending June, 1880, the advance in popula- tion was almost equal to that attained during the nine years of immigration ending in 1854. The figures do not show such an ad- vance as those dealing with the period after the war to 1870; yet they are sufficiently significant to show that the county has not at all attained her full strength,-that each decade for a century to come will mark a similar if not a greater progress.
During the year 1880 there were recorded in the County Clerk's office no less than 1,720 births, 846 deaths, and 635 marriages. The greater number of the births were registered during the latter half of the year. During the first six months of 1881 there was still a greater number of births and fewer deaths than recorded for
3,058
4,920
6
Caledonia Station
340
303
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.
the corresponding period of 1880 ; so that from this source alone it may not be too extravagant to estimate an addition to the popu- lation, since June, 1880, of 1,000 souls, giving full credit for the number deceased. The growth of the population within the past year is considered to be over 2,000, which, with the number given in the census returns, would place the present population of the county at about 76,000.
The population of the county is large compared with the other divisions of the State. Still it will not be a matter of surprise to the people of the near future to learn that the population has been doubled. Albert Baxter, speaking on lands, says there are good chances for farmers wanting to settle in new homes throughout the western and northern part of Michigan-room enough and good lands enough for many times the present population. As for prices, they vary greatly, according to location and amount of im- provement. Farmers with from $1,000 to $5,000 can get good places within easy reach of Grand Rapids, though there are many improved farms worth much more. Wild lands to the north- ward of Grand Rapids vary in price from $2 to $10 or $15 per acre. It is now a good time to invest in real estate in Michigan. The cities and villages of Kent are growing steadily. Money judi- ciously invested in farms within 15 or 20 miles of Grand Rapids, will probably prove better than loans at high rates of interest in the advance in value alone, together with the support of families gained from them, for years to come, as they are steadily rising in value.
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