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 63

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 63

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635

BYRON TOWNSHIP.

1858, and Emma E., April 25, 1862. The latter died Aug. 29, 1864. Mr. Winchester was one of the earliest pioneers in the tp. When he settled within its borders it was almost wholly unbroken forest with here and there an inhabitant. Mr. W. served in the Army of the Cumberland. He enlisted under Capt. Thomas G. Templeton at Grand Rapids, Aug. 15, 1864, in Co. I, Mich. Engin- eers and Mechanics, and was mustered out at Jackson, June 6, 1865. Three of his brothers were in the Union army, one with him in the same company. Republican in politics.

Jerome L. Winchester was born in Marcellus, Cattaraugus Co., N. Y., Dec. 9, 1830. He is third son of Layden and Clarissa (Camp- bell) Winchester. When two years old his parents went to Chester, Geauga Co., O., where they purchased a farm. At 16 he learned the trade of blacksmith and pursued it until 1873. At the age of 23 he went to Grand Rapids, and a year later returned to Ohio and was married July 4, 1855, to Lucinda M. Smith. She is the daughter of Joseph and Laura (Stowe) Smith, and was born at Madison, Lake Co., O., Oct. 20, 1837. Six children have been born to them at Byron, as follows: May A., Jan. 12, 1864; Tracy A., Oct. 16, 1867; Emma L., July 5, 1870; Bertha C., June 30, 1874; Chloe A., Aug. 25, 1861, died Sept. 9, 1880; Homer A., July 23, 1866, died Sep. 21, 1866. Mr. Winchester was in the Army of the Cumberland eight months. He enlisted in Chicago, March 20, 1865 in Co. M (Capt. Avery), 9th Ill. Cavalry, and received his discharge in October, 1865, at Spring- field, Ill. He began pioneer life in Byron in the summer of 1855, locating on 80 acres which he had parchased two years before. He now owns 95 acres (secs. 14 and 15), 65 of which are in fine tillable condition. He has a splendid brick house, barn and other build- ings costing in the aggregate $2,100. He belongs to Lodge No. 244, I. O. O.F. Mrs. W. is a member of the Church of the Disci- ples.

Isaac Winegar, son of Isaac and Leah (Vosburgh) Winegar, was born Jan.12, 1816, in Chenango Co., N. Y. He is a descendant of Ulric Winegar, the earliest ancestor to whom the family have been able to trace kinship with directness and certainty. The latter, " pioneer and patriarch" of the Winegar family in America, was a native of Switzerland. In 1710, he came to America with the colony known as the " Palatines," under the protection of Queen Anne. The tract of land on which he settled on Hudson river is known to this day as " Winegar's land." He went in 1724 to Ob- long, now Amenia, Dutchess Co., N. Y., where he died in 1750, aged 102 years. He left several daughters and one son, Garrett Wine- gar, who was born in Germany in 1702, and at the age of 22 married Catherine Snyder. He also settled at Oblong, where he built the first saw-mill and died in 1755. His will made provision for his wife and 14 children, nine sons and five daughters. Samuel Winegar, seventh son of Garrett Winegar and grandfather of Isaac Winegar, died early in the present century, leaving the following children: Asenath, Jeremiah, Gideon, Thomas, Isaac, Susan and

636

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

Polly. He was also a miller by occupation. Isaac, the youngest son, was the father of Mr. Winegar, of this sketch. The latter was reared to agricultural pursuits and at 22 engaged in harness-mak- ing, taking it up from choice, without previous instruction in its details ; afterward worked at it as a journeyman, was acknowl- edged to be a superior workman. His shop was at Crane's Cor- ners. Afterward he began to work as a carpenter independent of an apprenticeship, and has followed it since 1845. He did a great amount of work on his own residence, and planned and built his barn, a structure 32 by 44 feet and 16 feet from sill to plate. Mr. Winegar was married in Litchfield, Herkimer Co., N. Y., Dec. 31, 1840, to Sarah F., daughter of Alden and Susannah W. (Gess) Whit- comb, born in Litchfield, Feb. 18, 1826. Of five children born to them, two are living-Isaac M., born in Litchfield, Apr. 11, 1842 and Edith M., born in Byron, Sept. 8, 1866. Mr. Winegar came to Michigan in the fall of 1845 and bought 80 acres of land, perfectly wild, with no traces of civilization. He now owns 100 acres on sec. 28 and 532 on sec. 29, with 80 acres 'under improvement, the result of his own labor. He also owns two lots and a residence on Main street, at Byron Center. Mr. Winegar received a limited ed- ncation and set out in the world without aid; has earned for him- self a comfortable independence and a name that will pass to his posterity as that of a man without reproach. He was a Lieut. in the 27th Reg. N .. Y. State Inf., commissioned in 1844. He is and has been for a number of years Justice of the Peace, and is con - nected with the Odd Fellows Encampment at Salem Center. Mr. Winegar's portrait appears on another page.

Philander B. Wright, M. D., eldest son of Philander and Mary W. (Brackett) Wright, was born in Milwaukee, Wis., June 7, 1841. His father was born in Northampton, Mass., Jan. 7, 1805, of English and French ancestry. His mother was born in Lan- caster, N. H., March 16, 1804, of English and Welsh parentage. In the 17th century three brothers by the name of Brockett came to America, and wishing to establish new names and histories with the new country, the eldest retained that of Brockett, the second took the name Brickett, and the third called himself Brackett. The family, of which they were members, had received orders of knighthood, and Dr. Wright has a copy of the original coat of arms. Dr. Wright was a student at various places in Wisconsin, and had been engaged in the study of medicine a year, when he enlisted in Grant Co., Wis., in Co. C, color Co., 2d Wis. Vol. Inf. (Capt. McKee) and served three and one quarter years. His company was part of the Iron Brigade. He served in the Army of the Potomac, was at the first battle of Bull Run, and in all the engagements between that and Gettysburg, except Antietam. He was wounded at first Bull Run in the ankle, at second Bull Run in the knee, and at Gettysburg in both arms, right leg, left hip, right side and on the top of the head. He enlisted as a private, and when wounded, was Color Sergeant, and before his discharge at

639

BYRON TOWNSHIP.

Baltimore, Md., was promoted to 1st Sergeant. On his return to Milwaukee he resumed the study of medicine, alternating his studies with teaching. He entered the Eclectic Medical Institute at Cincinnati, O., where he graduated Feb. 11, 1868, and com- menced practice in Corinth the following spring. He has 40 acres of good land with 25 under tillage and a handsome residence; also owns twolots corner Sycamore and Lafayette streets, Grand Rapids. He owns 80 acres respectively in Dorr and Leighton, Allegan county. His wife, Victoria A., daughter of Nicholas and Sarah Peck, was born in Bedford Co., Pa., July 24, 1839. They were married in Kenosha, Wis., March 4, 1868, and have six chil- dren-Lillian B., Paul E., Lawrence O., Max G., John M. and Harry P. The Dr. has been Health Officer three or four years and is a member of the Masonic fraternity.

CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP

Caledonia, or township 5 north, range 10 west, is watered by the Thornapple. Owing to the rapid drainage of this portion of the Peninsula, the waters literally tore through the land, ultimately settled in deep channels, leaving the prairie of former times marked by deep ravines. The land east of the Thornapple is what is known as "oak openings," possessing a sandy loam and very productive. West from the river, and some distance from its channel, the township is comparatively level, clothed in a few places with valuable timber tracts. The township is one of the best wheat districts of the county.

Thornapple river flows through the center of the township from south to north, and is here a very rapid stream, shut in frequently by high hills or bluffs, that reach almost to the water's edge, leaving no bottom lands. For some distance on either side of the river the surface is much broken, and indeed a large portion of the sur- face of the town is quite rolling. There are some eight or ten small lakes in the town; the largest, lying about one and a half miles east of the village of Alaska, is about one mile in length, and one-quarter to one-half mile in width, and well stocked with a variety of fish. Emmons lake, near Caledonia Station, is a small, picturesque sheet of water. On the east side of the river oak openings prevail and the soil is sandy, and in many places full of gravel, but seemingly quite fertile. West of the river a heavier or more clayey soil prevails. There are several tamarack swamps nestled among the hills. Agricultural pursuits meet with as good returns in this town,'perhaps, as any where in the county. A large portion, particularly of the west half of the town, was heavily timbered.

The G. R. Valley railroad crosses the southwest corner of the town. A small village is there, which has made a beginning in the way of using the power at its disposal.

On the farm of Edward Campau is a noted beaver-dam, which once made a pond of several acres. The dam is in two parts, one 80 and the other 60 yards in length. Its height was apparently three feet or more. By the rotting of the material, and the tramp- ling of cattle, it is now a simple ridge of earth, a foot or more in height. It is built on a spring marsh. Near the middle of the dam is a kind of island of solid earth. Taking the height of the dam on that, and where at the ends it is on solid earth, the general height must have been three feet.

(640)

641

CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP.

PATENTEES OF TOWNSHIP LANDS.

Among the first purchasers of United States lands in Caledonia, the following may be named: Wm. H. Brown, sec. 3, June 16, 1835; Edwin C. Litchfield, sec. 5, Dec. 6, 1836; Samuel Hubbard, sec. 11, Sept. 12, 1835; Nathan Townsend, sec. 14, May 6, 1836; John W. Edmunds, sec. 17, Dec. 6, 1836; Hiram Shearman, sec. 20, Nov. 8, 1836; Wm. M. Halstead, sec. 23, Sept. 26, 1836; Isaac Parker, sec. 26, Sept. 12, 1835; James V. Leonard, sec. 28, May 21, 1836; John M. Webster, sec. 31, Nov. 7, 1836; Luther H. Trask, sec. 34, March 5, 1836, and Benjamin H. Silsbee, sec. 35, July 8, 1835.

Asahel Kent was the first settler, locating on sec. 35 in 1838. Ten years later Wm. H. Brown erected a saw-mill at Brownsville, now Alaska, and five years later, in 1853, built the flouring mills. Lyman Gerold was the first settler on the west bank of the Thorn- apple.

A few of the persons whose names appear among the first land- buyers never became residents of the town; they merely patented the lands, and held them until the incoming settlers offered a rea- sonable price.

The following historical reminiscences of early settlement, re- lated by Prof. Everett, form a valuable addition to this sketch of the township history: "In 1838 Asahel Kent conceived the idea of a public house in the wilderness on the Battle Creek trail. He accordingly came to Caledonia, then merely township 5 north, range 6 west, and opened the 'Kent House,' which soon became famous. And why ? There was the jolly landlord, and his smiling dame, ever ready to welcome the weary traveler to a good fire, a smoking dinner, and a home-like, social visit. What though the house was of logs, and the lodgings perhaps a shed, the welcome was genial, the fare good, and . 'Kent's Tavern' became an insti- tution where one was sure of good cheer, and where he 'stopped again.' The viands were not dealt out on the principle, so man- ifest at some of our restaurants, where each waiter seems to think he is a priest, administering the sacrament. The table was ' heaped' with what was good, and the beaming landlord, having cut the meat into huge slices, would say, 'Lay to, and help your- selves, gentlemen and ladies; no ceremony here.' It seemed to be his delight to feed the hungry. The greater their appetites, and the faster his victuals disappeared, the more beaming was hislook. He loved to see his guests enjoy themselves, and the long breath of perfect satisfaction and fullness, as they withdrew from the table, was music to his ear.

"Kent, the bountiful, soon passed away, with many blessings on his head, and his widow (as widows often do) married again. But she didn't leave the house. No. She and her husband, Peter McNaughton, still kept up the establishment, which became as fa- mous as 'McNaughton's' as it had been as 'Kent's.' This tavern is a thing of memory. The opening of other lines of travel caused

642

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

the Battle Creek trail or road to be deserted, and the tavern died the death of the righteous.

"After a while, one after another, dropped in the settlers who came to live from the soil. Kent had fed the hungry and lodged the weary, his residence alone breaking the monotony of inter- minable woods. James Minsy came in 1839. Soon followed Orse- mus Rathbun, Lyman Gerold, Hiram McNiel, Eber Moffit, Peter McNaughton, Levi Tobey, John Sinclair, Henry Jackson and War- ren S. Hale. Some of them were after 1840. The names already given are probably all who were in Caledonia and Bowne, at the time of its organization as a town. For a number of years but few came to stay, though many passed that road, for it was on the ' Battle Creek Stage Route.' Fancy not that this 'stage route' was a smooth McAdam road, with its toll-gate once in 10 miles. It was merely a trail in the wilderness, with here and there an otherwise impassable place made passable. The stage was a heavy wagon, covered with painted cotton cloth. The road was dotted at long intervals by the settler's cabin. There were Gull Prairie, Slater's Indians and Yankee Springs, on the way; as for the rest, it was 'timbered lands' and 'openings.' Yet this was the ' thoroughfare ' until the opening of the Kalamazoo plank road, in 1852. Then the genial landlord, Lewis, at Yankee Springs, had to go to the Legislature, or be forgotten; for his famous log tavern was deserted. Then the McNaughton house ceased to pay. Cam- pau and the other drivers cracked their whips for the last time, and looked to some business other than driving and tipping over stages for a living.

"Many are the adventures on that route, our own among the number. Among others we note that of our fellow-citizen, H. P. Yale. He went to sleep on the way, and in the midst of his pleas- ant dreams, the stage gave a lurch and landed him, heels up, head and shoulders in the mud. He gathered up the fragments of him- self, rubbed the mud from his eyes, and laughed, of course. At another time the driver had the honor, in a dark night, of tipping into a mud-hole John Ball, Mrs. T. B. Church and her baby Fred. Fred came near being drowned, or smothered in the mud; and then the country would have lost an embryo soldier, who was too proud to accept office, though commissions were thrust upon him; and art would have lost one whose quaint conceits are a part of the spirit of Harper. Our own adventures on the route might be passed, as perhaps of every day occurrence- a simple break-down, where a jolly song by Capt. Parks was cut short at the second verse, and to this day remains unsung. The driver was the same Edward Campau, whose pleasant residence is now where he can overlook the scene of that catastrophe. There he, with his fair wife, Yankee Lewis' daughter, his cattle and his herds, is a well-to-do. farmer; and is happy to welcome to his home those whom he tipped over on the Battle Creek road. Long life to you, Edward ! And may your soul never be less open, or your home less blessed.

643

CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP.

" We must, at one fell swoop, come down to 1846, when a man arrived 'who meant business;' who, seeing the fine water-power afforded by the Thornapple river, determined to monopolize that power; and to a great extent he did. Where he saw power he pur- chased the land. His name was William H. Brown. Among his doings was putting up the first saw-mill; and, in company with W. S. Hale, the first grist-mill, around which has sprung up the vil- lage of Alaska. Brown laid out the village in 1866.

"This Mr. Brown had an adventure, which, at the time, he wished he was well out of. Returning in the winter from his pos- sessions in Caledonia to his home in Middleville, in a night of darkness and storm, he got lost. In the snow he lost the trail; and had no way but to leave his pony to its instincts. But he soon found himself sinking into that sleep which is the precursor of death from cold. He dismounted, and walked backward and for- ward until morning. to keep himself alive. With the coming of light, he trusted to his horse; for he himself had no idea of di- rection. His horse took him to Green Lake. There he was tracked, and found by those who searched for him, expecting to find him dead. We are not told what vows of reform he made in this dismal journey, but it is presumed that they were many and sincere. Neither are we told that he had any evil ways to reform. But how natural it is in trouble to think over all our sins, promis- ing reformation, if spared, with time effectually to repent. Who ever knew of a blaspheming reprobate who did not pray and promise when he saw death looking him right in the face ? And whoever knew the halter to press the neck of one who had not re- formed and become a saint? What a good thing is danger to bring sinners to their knees ! A pious negro woman had in vain tried to make her little woolly-headed sinner of a son say his prayers. But the reprobate would sing 'Jim along, Josy,' instead of, with eyes closed and clasped hands, saying, 'Now I lay me down to sleep.' She had exhorted him, whipped him, prayed at him, scolded him, and taught him to say his prayers; but he wouldn't pray, and she was forlorn. One day she heard him screaming, and running to the door, she saw the old cow had him between her horns, butting him against the fence, and he was screaming in his fright, '( Lordy ! O Lordy !' She clapped her hands with de- light, and said, Bress the Lord ! the old cow has brought him to his prayers,' and left the cow to finish his conversion in her own way. History does not tell whether Johnny became a saint; but it is to be presumed he did; and that he was swung into heaven at the end of a rope."

ORGANIC.

The first town meeting was held at the house of John P. Mc- Naughton, May 4, 1840, with Justice G. Beach, Moderator, and Malcolm McNaughton, Clerk. The election of township officers resulted as follows:

644

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

John P. McNaughton, Supervisor; Justus G. Beach, Clerk; Norman Foster, Treasurer; Justus G. Beach, Loren B. Tyler, Malcolm McNaughton, Asahel Kent, Justices of the Peace; Ross- well F. Tyler, Malcolm P. McNaughton, John A. Campbell, Assessors; Asahel Kent, Asahel Tyler, Norman Foster, Commis- sioners of Highways; Norman Foster, Justus G. Beach, Win. G. Wooley, Inspectors of Schools; Rosswell Tyler, John A. Camp- bell, Directors of the Poor; Rosswell F. Tyler, Collector; Frederick R. Thompson, Rosswell F. Tyler, Constables.

The meeting resolved to raise $100 to defray township ex- penses for the year 1841-'2, and also that the pay of township officers should be one dollar for each day's service. In the follow- ing list the names of town officers down to the present time are given:

SUPERVISORS.

John P. McNaughton 1840-41

Wm. H. Brown. 1861-62

Norman Foster ..

1842-43

Wm I. Wood. 1863-64

Rosswell F. Tyler

1844

Adam B. Sherke. 1865-67

Wm. Gibson

Wm. I. Wood.

1868

John A. Campbell 1845

Marcus Buell. 1869-70

Justus G. Beach 1846-47

Robert S. Jackson .1871

Reuben H. Smith. 1848

Wm. I. Wood 1872

Wm. H. Brown.

1849-53

Martin Whitney 1873-76

Lyman Geaurld.

1854-56

Austin W. Hill 1877

Zabin Williams. 1857

Marcus Buell. 1878

Wm. H. Brown.

1858-59

Sherman T. Colson. 1879-81

CLERKS.

Justus G. Beach.

1840-44

Geo. Fox. . 1866

Wm. Gibson.

1845-47

H. B. McAllister. 1867

Daniel C. McVean.

1848

Sherman T. Colson. 1868

P. D. McNaughton.

1849-52

D. S. Haviland 1869-71

Henry Jackson.

1853

H. H. Smith. .1872

Theo. Nelson.

1854

James Malcolmn. .1873

P. D. McNaughton.

1855

Frank E. Campau 1874

Lewis M. Culver.

1856

D. S. Haviland. 1875-76

Warren S. Hale.

1857-58

Albert Bowman. 1877

David Hendershott 1859-61

W. S. Hale.

1862-64

F. Eugene Hale

.1881

Wm. H. Brown

1865

TREASURERS.

Norman Foster 1840-41

La Fayette Lybarker 1858-59

Rosswell F. Tyler

1842-43

W. I. Wood ...

1860-61

Henry C. Foster

1844

David Hendershott ..

1862-64

Elias Law. .

1845

La Fayette Ly barker 1865

John D. Sinclair. 1846-47

Edward Dunham. 1866

Justus G. Beach. 1848

John A. Beamer. 1867

Eber Moffett.

1849

La Fayette Lybarker 1868

John D. Sinclair.

1850-53

Sherman T. Colson 1869-78

John Williams. .

.1854-56

John McQueen 1879-80

Daniel Dunham

1857

Alfred W. Stow 1881

Warren S. Hale.

1860

Tobias Bergy 1878-80

645

CALEDONIA TOWNSHIP.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

J. G- Beach, L. B. Tyler. M. Mc-

Naughton, Asahel Kent ...... 1840

J. A. Campbell, W. G. Wooley ... 1841 Malcolm P. McNaughton .. .1842

John Verinuel. .. 1843

L. B. Taylor, Reuben H. Smith Norman Foster. . 1844

Michael Thomas, Orsemus Rath-

bun. .. .1845

Malcolm P. McNaughton .. . .1846

M. P. McNaughton, O. Rathbun. . 1847 Alanson Calkins, Norman Foster. 1848 W. H. Brown, Levi Tobey, L. Geaurld .. .1849

J. D. Sinclair, W. H. Brown. .1850

Gardner Eddy, J. D. Sinclair, L. Tobey. 1851

L. Geaurld, O. B. Barber. 1852

Z. Williams, O. B. Barber. 1853

John B. Marsh, H. P. Green. 1854

Levi Tobey.

1855

Sheldon Barlow, A. J. Whitney. . 1856

Eben Duncan, A. W . Blood. . 1857

D. R. Fox, T. Nelson, J. Joles .. .1858

Abram J. Whitney, John B. Marsh,

R. G. Curver, Phillip Jones. . 1859

O. Barber.

1860

W.S. Briggs

1861

D. R. Fox.

1863

Levi White

1863

Warren S. Hale, Oscar B. Barber .. 1864

W. S. Hale, Zabin Williams. 1865

J. B. Sherke, Geo. Fox. 1866

Levi White ..

1867

David W. Dutcher. 1868

H. B. McAllister, E. V. A. Pratt. 1869 Adam B. Sherk .1870

Levi White.

1871

R. G. Culver. .1872

Hugh B. McAllister 1873

Adam B. Sherke

1874

James McGarry.

1875

E. V. A. Pratt. 1876

H. B. Marsh, L. C. Rathbun. .1877

Adam B. Sherke. 1878

Levi C. Rathbun. 1879

Marcus W. Carr. 1880

Hiram Palmer. 1881

SCHOOLS.

The school was one of the earliest institutions of the first settlers. The interest in education has been advancing gradually, until it may be said that every decade since the date of settlement has added a new school-house to the township. _ The present condition of the schools is as follows:

DISTRICT

OENSUS.

DESCRIPTION OF|VALUE OF BUILDING

PROPERTY

NO. OF TEACHERS TEACHERS

SALARY OF EXPENDIT 'R'S

FOR 1881.

No. 1

frame

$ 150

$108

$204.33

frame

800

124

200.06

131

frame

2,000

440

880.65

4 fr.

frame

700

240

496.68

frame

150

250

327 53

frame

400

138

210.31

frame

800

198

542.71

183

frame

2,000

765

955.37

frame

600

251

334.41

697

nine

$7,600

$2,514

$4,152.05

The village known as

" CALEDONIA STATION "

was platted for David Kinsey. Aug. 20, 1870, by R. S. Jackson. April 11, 1874, the first addition to this plat was made, and on March 29, 1880, the second addition was platted by R. S. Jackson, for the proprietor. The village is distant 15 miles from Grand Rapids, and 16 miles from Lowell. The manufacturing industries

646

HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

are represented by a flour-mill, ax-handle factory and wooden-ware factory. The postmaster is A. B. Sherk. The United Brethren and Methodists built their churches here, and the M. C. R. R. Co., Am. Ex. Co., and W. U. Telegraph Co. have offices in the village. The business men of the village comprise M. & A. Bechtel, flour millers; Tobias Bergy, Henry Hess, Lieblier & Herner, J. A. Lie- ber, Williams & Colburn, storekeepers; C. Crawford, druggist; H. Johnson and D. Winegarden, tin workers; Konkle and Peck, wood- enware manufacturers; J. Chase, ax-handle manufacturer: E. W. Clark, harness- maker; G. Burkhart and G. Ford, wagon-makers; Henry Taborer, machinist; Jonathan Wood, Abram Shantz and Geo. Cress, carpenters; John Colburn, shingle-manufacturer; J. Hawk and Geo. Weitz, shoemakers; N. W. Peck, watch-maker; P. Giel, and Wm. Sibert, blacksmiths. The professions are represented by I. H. Corbin, lawyer; W. O. Barber, dentist; E. T. Marston, J. C. P. Negley and Wmn. Towsley, physicians. The population of the village, as given in the census returns of June, 1880, is 500.

The prospects of this village are bright indeed. Even now, in its infancy, it shows a stability remarkable in itself. The mills, factories, stores and mechanic shops are all proofs of a steady and prosperous business. The rich agricultural country surrounding the village, and the continual growth of the agricultural and man- ufacturing interests of the district leave little room to doubt the great improvements which a few years will bring round. In and about the village there are resources to be developed; there are men with just sufficient enterprise to draw forth these resources; and with such material it is not too much to say that within a few years the prosperous little village of the present will be trans- formed into a large and busy town.

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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 63

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