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 79

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 79

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There was noticed in the vicinity of Grand Rapids, on the night of Feb. 11, 1827, a meteor, that resembled a ball of fire more than meteors usually do. In its passage a sound was heard, which on its appearance above the rapids resembled an explosion. This alarmed the Ottawas, who ceased not to consider it an omen of im- pending disaster. When Campau arrived, the chiefs related to him all they knew of that wandering light, and he, of course, explained to them that it was merely sent to announce the coming of the Wimitigoji, or Frenchmen. Uncle Louis understood the Indian character too well to leave even the phenomena of nature unturned to his advantage.

In 1828 the Campau trading-house was located on the river front, above the head of Island No. 1, near the foot of Bronson street. Regarding this time, the following characteristic story is related. It appears that two years after W. L. Coffinberry settled here, busi- ness required him to visit his old homestead in Ohio. On his ar- rival there he met one of the old neighbors, named McBride, who inquired after his health and where he was living. He answered, " At Grand Rapids, Michigan." McBride looked at him earnestly, repeated the name, " Grand Rapids," and then asked, "Is that the name of the town?" He answered in the affirmative. "I must tell you a story about that place," said he. " When we used to manufacture whisky in 1828-'29, the article accumulated on our

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hands to such an extent that we considered it advisable to take a boat load across the lake to Detroit, which was then a very small place. Our cargo entirely stocked the market, and was not half sold. We were advised to go to Mackinaw, which advice we took, and, procuring a passage on a vessel, sailed with the whisky for Mackinaw. We stocked the market also at that place, and we were advised to go to Milwaukee, then containing only 30 or 40 inhabit- ants, whom we supplied and yet had a few barrels left. Chi- cago was the next point of importance, and there we determined to sell out, if possible. However, after stocking that port, we had still 10 barrels on hand, and with this cargo proceeded to Grand river.

" We got our 10 barrels on board a vessel and slipped over to the mouth of Grand river, then got a scow and poled up to the foot of the rapids. When we arrived there, we found one white man, a Frenchman, slightly lame, a tall, rather slender gentleman, who could speak very good English, and to him I sold out the entire balance of my cargo. I was forced to ask him, ' Who will you sell all this whisky to?' His reply was, ' If you stay all night with me, you will see.' I concluded to stay. While loitering around I saw the Indians beginning to come in. They were coming from nearly every direction. Some had empty bottles, some had tin pails, others had birch-bark baskets, brass kettles, stone jugs, and every vessel which might hold fluid. To cap the climax, two Indians brought a canoe as the only means of carrying away the precious liquor. They purchased a whole barrel, placed it in the canoe, and then pushed off from the shore into deep water, near the head of a small island, where there was a kind of an eddy in the eastern branch of the river, and there stopped. The boat lay very still for the time being, and the men laid down their paddles, one being in each end of the canoe, and the precious barrel in the midship. They caught the barrel by the chine, and lifting it above the sides of the canoe, gave it a quick turn, which resulted in placing it across the little boat, resting on the sides. They then rolled it over until the bung came on the upper side. In this position one of the fellows held it, while the other struck on the staves with the paddle until the bung came out. This accomplished, one caught the barrel by the ends, and crouching down, drew the barrel down- ward, bringing the bunghole to his mouth, when he took a first-rate, good, long drink. He then surrendered his place to Indian No. 2, who entered on the same performance when Indian No. 1 began to feel so happy that he wanted to yell,'and in doing so, gave the boat a very slight motion, which resulted in an upset, precipitating its whole contents into the river. They all disappeared for a moment under the water, but presently up came the barrel, the Indian still hold- ing by the chine. As soon as he got his head out of water, he again clapped his mouth to the bung to save the whisky. Other Indians came to their assistance and rescued barrel and savages from a wa- tery grave.

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

"That night was the most musical night of my whole life. I never heard so much noise in one night, nor so many unearthly howlings. 'And that place you say is now Grand Rapids, and has 4,000 inhabitants!' " "Were McBride to revisit the county-seat of Kent to-day, what would be his surprise? The Indians and Uncle- Louis are gone. The island and the eastern channel have disap- peared. McBride, the old Ohio distiller, might, indeed, be surprised at the changes, and still have canse to wonder at the temperate- character of a community of over 32,000 people.

The Black Hawk war excitement, which filled the new American settlements with alarm, was unnoticed in Kent county. Gen. J .. W. Brown sent a letter to Louis Campan in 1832, asking him to- accompany Col. Wm. McNair, Major Davis Smith and Lt .- Col. Dan. Pittman to the front. The command left Tecumseh for Niles early that year; but Campau, failing to see the necessity for such an expedition, refused to go.

The first location of the lands at the rapids of Grand river, ceded. to the United States, was made by Louis Campau on the east front. of northeast quarter of section 25, town seven north, 12 west, con- taining 72.15 acres, Sept. 19, 1831. Ten years later the old trader patented the islands known as No. 1 and No. 2, containing 3} acres .. The patent for this land was issued Aug. 10, 1841. In 1869 the separating channel was partially filled up and the land so formed was .. platted under the name, "Island Addition."

THE FIRST AMERICAN SETTLERS.

In the county history it is laid down that Madame La Fram -- boise, Rix Robinson and Louis Campau were the pioneers of Kent county; that David Tucker, Luther Lincoln, Joel Guild, Eliphalet .. Turner and family, and others, were the pioneers of American set- tlement. This order of settlement is considered correct by almost the entire number of the surviving old settlers. However there are a few who state, evidently convinced of the justice of such state- ment, that Eliphalet Turner arrived at Grand Rapids Aug. 11, 1833; while Joel Guild did not come until 24 hours after, or on August 12th, of that year. With a view of doing justice to those brave men who led the vanguard of civilization into the wilderness. at the Rapids, by locating each in the order of time and place, a full inquiry was made by the writer, and he, with others, who ought to be acquainted with the subject, have concluded that the following statement may be considered sufficient to settle the matter:

Henry Little, of Kalamazoo, who lived here for a time 40 years ago and upward, says that Leonard Slater was born in Worcester, Mass., and his wife, whose maiden name was Mary F. Ide, was born in Brattleboro, Vt. They were married May 29. 1826. Soon after- ward they started for Michigan, reaching Carey Station Sept. 27 of the same year. In the following spring they came to the mission at the Grand river rapids. Here three children were born to them.

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GRAND RAPIDS CITY.

-Sarah Emily, Aug. 12, 1827; George L., Feb. 9, 1829; Frances I., Dec. 29, 1832. Isaac Briggs and wife (maiden name Sarah Andrews) with five children, came to the Rapids in the spring of 1832 from Gull Prairie, having previously emigrated from Pelham, Mass. Mr. Briggs was an overseer on the mission farm. H. Rush, the mission blacksmith, wife and child, were early on the ground, and R. D. Potts and wife came with Mr. Slater as teachers of the mission school. Several other white men were employed about the mission- ary grounds. Two of these families, and probably more, were, as Mr. Little says, " Yankees of the first water." There were enough of them to constitute quite a colony, to accommodate which Mr. Slater received the appointment and served as Postmaster. These, however, were on a special enterprise, and their stay, for the time, was in Indian Territory, on a missionary reservation. Of the set- tlement proper, the establishment of the agricultural and business community of Grand Rapids, accounts heretofore given are substan- tially correct.

April 25, 1833, a company of emigrants started from a point near Utica, N. Y., for Michigan; the party left Buffalo, where it was joined by the Winsor family, May 7, came by steamer to Detroit, and on May 14 struck into the wilderness from Pontiac and headed for the Grand river country. As they journeyed they camped out, and a portion of the way had to cut their road through the woods. They arrived at Ionia on the 28th of May -- some 60 persons in the company-the Dexters, Yeomanses, Arnolds, Guilds, Winsors, Dr. Lincoln, Fox, Decker, and probably some others. Most of these stopped for a time at Ionia, and some settled there permanently. But Louis Campau made a trip to Ionia with bateaux, carrying supplies for the Dexters, and brought down Joel Guild and family -himself and wife, one son and six daughters-who arrived in Grand Rapids June 24, 1833, which is the date of the settlement proper; though some years previous Rev. McCoy visited this vicin- ity, with the view of starting a Baptist mission, and between that time and 1833 his and a Catholic mission were established; also, Louis Campau had a trading post established here in 1827. Mr. Guild immediately set about building a small frame house, where now stands the City National Bank, and moved into it that same season. Edward Guild and family soon followed, and the same season of 1833, Eliphalet Turner, and Jonathan F. Chubb, with their families, and probably some others arrived. The first town- ship meeting was held at the house of Joel Guild, April 4, 1834. The Winsor family moved down from Ionia a year or two later. Mrs. Harriet Burton, residing near this city, and her brother, Con- sider Guild, of Georgetown, Ottawa Co., are the only ones now living of this pioneer family. This statement is borne out by the fact that Louis Campau visited the Dexter colony shortly after its arrival, made a short stay, and returning, brought with him the Guild family.

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

The Turner family may well lay claim to the honors attending the American pioneers. Eliphalet, the head of the family, arrived, as has been stated, in August, 1833, and entered at once upon the work of the settler in the wilderness. David Tucker and Luther Lincoln came in 1832; but did not settle permanently until a year later. Myron Royce, Hiram Jennison, Wm. R. Goodwin, J. B. Copeland, Henry West, James Vanderpool, Jonathan F. Chubb, Ira Jones, Barney Burton, Daniel Guild and Rev. Frederick Baraga came in 1833 and settled near the Rapids.

In June. 1833, Louis Campau built the first frame house, on the east bank of the river. It is said that previous to his visit to Ionia he conceived the idea, and laid the foundation for the struct- ure. On returning from that visit, with the Guild family, he pushed forward the first frame warehouse or store building. Joel Guild, who came in 1833, bought a lot opposite the Campau store house, where now is the City National Bank, and erected a dwell- ing house thereon, in July and August, afterward known as the Guild House. In June of the same year, Rev. Frederick Baraga arrived and located the Catholic mission, on the west side of the river, near the foot of the rapids. Here he erected the first frame building west of Jackson, which was used as a church until its removal, at the instance of Louis Campau to a location above the foot of Fulton street on Waterloo street. This summary eject- ment of the learned and Rev. Father Baraga was effected in Janu- ary or February, 1834, and the house moved across the river on the ice by Barney Burton. The block houses of the Baptist mission, comprising a blacksmith shop, school and dwelling-house were ranged along the west bank of the river opposite Louis Campau's old post, south of the foot of Bronson street, opposite Huron street.

After the arrival of the Turner family a saw-mill was erected on Indian creek. This primitive manufacturing concern stood one- half a mile above the location of Wonderly & Company's modern mills. Close by this little mill was the great mandaminikitigan, or corn-field, of the tribe, which, however, was then uncultivated. During the year Campau was in a very excitable condition: he desired to manage the affairs of the settlers, and this desire he entertained with the best intentions: he wished to do all in his power for them, and so long as the settler would abide by his ruling, the greatest friendship existed; but the moment Uncle Louis' acts were questioned, war was declared.

The Toledo war for the possession of the six-mile strip may be said to have begun and ended in 1834. Gov. S. T. Mason and Gen. Brown, on the part of Michigan, and the terrific Lucas, Governor of Ohio, were the principal actors in this unbloody campaign. Uncle Samuel's regular troops came on the scene at the proper moment and had very little difficulty in urging the soldiers of Michigan and Ohio to retire. In this peculiar affaire de guerre the men of Kent took little stock.

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GRAND RAPIDS CITY.

In 1834 Richard Godfroy, who arrived here to settle early that year, built a store at the corner of Pearl and Canal streets, 66 feet south of Lovett block, and subsequently a residence at the corner of Monroe and Ottawa streets, where the bank building now stands. This site he sold to Rev. Andrew Vizoiski for the Catholic congregation. Robert Barr, Lovell Moore and Louis Moran arrived shortly after Mr. Godfroy. That year Kent was organized as a township and attached to Kalamazoo. The meeting was held at Joel Guild's house, April 3, when no less than 17 town officers were elected. The whole number of votes cast at the first town meeting was but nine, but as there were 17 positions to fill, every man present was accommodated with an office, three of them two offices apiece, while Barney Burton and Luther Lincoln were dec- orated with three each.

'After each of the American pioneers was loaded down with official honors, one at least seemed determined not to rest content there. He asked Miss Harriet Guild to marry him, and the lady being willing, the contract was formally perfected by Mr. Slater. Mrs. Burton now resides near Reed's lake, and is still young in spirit. After this happy introduction to real life in the Valley Settlement, the prospect of the colony grew brighter, and even Campau felt that the era of improvement had dawned. In August, 1834, he employed all the men then settled in the neighberhood to build a large frame house, north of his store house as erected in 1833. This building was completed during the fall and winter, and the land in its rear converted into a neat garden by the close of the spring of 1835. This was a two-story building, compara- tively well finished. It was located near the corner of Waterloo and Monroe streets, where is now the Rathbun House. In after years this building was raised, and now actually forms the second and third floors of the front part of this popular hostelry.

Darius Winsor, whose son, Eugene, was the first male child born to American settlers in this county, arrived in 1835. He was accompanied by Edward Guild, another member of the Dex- ter colony, and a brother of Joel. Jefferson Morrison and Charles Shepard, now residents of the city, Lucius Lyon, Antoine Campau, A. Hosford Smith, James Lyman, Wm. H. Godfroy, Julius C. Abel. N. O. Sargent, John Almy, Leonard G. Baxter, John Cramp- ton, Martin Ryerson, Demetrius Turner, Dr. Wilson, Horace Gray, Rev. Andreas Vizoiski, Wm. M. Livingstone, John W. Pierce and Andrew Robbins came to the settlement in 1835. From this period forward, even through the panic years from 1837 to 1843, the greater number of those men labored to build up not only a city, but also a prosperous county.

Nor were politics forgotten. The settlers had merely made themselves dwelling-houses, when a meeting was held (1835) to elect delegates to form a State constitution, the number of votes recorded being 41. In April, previous to this election, the vote for Kalamazoo county officers reached 26. Before this political

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

business was entered upon, Asa Fuller, who appears to have come in early in 1835, determined to give his attention to a matter of greater ersonal interest. His fate may be inferred from the fol- lowing notice :

KENT, March 12, 1835.

This day Asa Fuller personally came before me at my office and applied for license to be granted him to be joined in wedlock with Susan Dwennel, both of this place, and being duly sworn as to bis lawful right to be joined in wedlock to the above named Susan Dwennel, and finding no legal objections thereto, I there- fore granted license for any proper person to join Asa Fuller and Susan Dwennel in wedlock.

Given under my hand the day and year above mentioned.

ELIPHALET H. TURNER, Town Clerk.

Toward the close of 1835, there were 13 frame buildings erected within the present boundaries of the city

The settlers of 1836 included John Ball, Robert Hilton, Sylves- ter Granger, Philander Tracey, Wm. A. Richmond, Aaron B. Turner, Isaac Turner, J. M. Nelson, George Coggeshall, George C. Nelson, W. P. Mills. George Young, Billins Stocking, David Burnett, Asa Pratt, Hiram Hinsdill, Stephen Hinsdill, Harry Eaton, Charles H. Taylor, William M. Morman, John Thompson, Samuel Howland, J. Mortimer Smith, Anthony Borden, Edward Carveth, Hezekiah Green, William Haldane, Truman H. Lyon, K. S. Pettibone, Abram Randall, George Coggeshall, John J. Watson, L. Beebe, Jacob Barnes. George Martin, Capt, Stoddard, Solomon Withey, sr., and Joel Sliter.

The improvements effected this year may be said to begln with the building of the National Hotel, on the site now oc- cupied by the Morton House. This house was built by Hilton G. Spangler for Myron Hinsdill. George Coggeshall erected a house on the north side of Kent street, with a western frontage, in 1837. The Nelson brothers built a store, in 1836, opposite the Eagle Tavern, on Waterloo street; southwest of this was A. Hosford Smith's store and Charles H. Taylor's tailoring rooms, and below still the Campau warehouses. Darius Winsor, then postmaster, had his office on the heights of Justice street, now near the corner of Ottawa and Fountain streets. John Almy built the offices of the Kent Company, together with a few small houses, on Canal and Bronson.

The first celebration of Independence Day took place July 4, 1836, in which about 25 or 30 persons participated. A dinner was given on the top of Prospect Hill, where Ledyard's block now stands, and at an altitude equal to the height of that building. Among those present were Louis Campau, Antoine Campau, Robert Hilton, Aaron Sibly, Wm. Morman, Toussaint Campau, Lorin M. Page, John Hart, John Thompson, the Lyman brothers, Doctors Wilson and Shepard, Edward Carveth, Anthony Borden, Alva Wanzy, Crampton, George Mills, Eliphalet Turner, with a number of ladies, among whom were Mrs. Randall and Mrs. Burton. The only members of that party who are living to-day

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GRAND RAPIDS CITY.

are: John Hart, Wm. Morman, Anthony Borden, Dr. C. Shepard, Mrs. Randall, Mrs. Burton and Robert Hilton.

In 1836 Richard Godfroy built the first steam boat, the "Governor Mason," which July 4, 1837, made her first trip. At one time the boat was started for Ionia, and when partly over the rapids her en- gines were unable to propel her. A messenger was sent to Mr. Slater, who brought out two yokes of cattle, which towed the boat to the head of the rapids. On the return trip the boat ran from the head of the rapids to the lower island in two and one-half min- utes, her course being close to the west bank.

The site of Sweet's Hotel was formerly a mill-pond, and the dam erected was considered such a nuisance to navigation that the grand jury found an indictment against the owner. When the case came before the court a young lawyer addressed the magistrate : " May it please the court, the d-d old saw-mill " "Tut, tut!" said the magistrate; "I mean the old saw-mill dam."

Justice Beebe erected a small building immediately south of " Grab Corners," nearly opposite the old Campau residence. In this building Dr. Wilson made his office and his home also. The Guild House, the same as erected in 1833. was converted into a hotel, while a small log house stood on the side of the hill nearly opposite, where is now the Leppig block. A frame addition was made to this log house in 1835 and converted into a hotel by Hiram Hinsdill. One of the stores erected by Jefferson Morrison, next the Campau store, was occupied by him, while Antoine Campau's store stood close by. The river ferry and ford was between Islands Nos. 2 and 3, below the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad bridge. Toward the close of the year a number of French mechanics ar- rived, and entered upon the work of settlement.

The arrivals in 1837 included Rev. James Ballard, James M. McCrary, H. K. Rose, James Scribner, C. P. Calkins, Samuel F. Butler, Gains S. Deane, Noble S. Finney, Henry Dean, Aaron Dikeman, Geo. W. Pattison, William I. Blakely, James H. Ram- sey, Luman R. Atwater, Wm. A. Tryon, Robert Morris, Leonard Covell, John F. Godfroy, Simeon Johnson and Harry H. Ives.

In this year the Grand River Bank was inaugurated, with John Almy, President, and Lucius Lyon, Cashier. This banking company issued bills, and would doubtless have benefited each stockholder and the settlement generally had not the panic of that year, and the financial embarassments which it brought on, milita ted against success. It is stated by some old settlers that Wm. A. Richmond was Cashier. The "Peoples' Bank," or as it was then known, "Geo. Coggeshall's Bank," was inaugurated with Louis Campau as President and Simeon Johnson, Cashier. Notwith- standing the fact that this cashier borrowed a few thousand dollars of Rix Robinson, for the purpose of displaying the "great re sources of the concern " to the Bank Commissioner, the bank was not licensed, and its affairs were placed in possession of John Ball. Uncle Rix is said to have lost all the money he loaned Johnson

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HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY.

The old wing dam was another offspring of enterprise. It appears that in 1837 the Government appropriated $5,000 for the improvement of the navigation of Grand river, Grand Rapids be- ing at that time a port of entry. The appropriation was all ex- pended in the construction of a wing dam, running from the head of Island No. 1, in a semi-circular form, toward the center of the river. The east end of the dam, which began at the head of the island, was four or five rods north of where Pearl street bridge now stands, while the west end of the stone semi-circle dropped down the river and ended about its center and just at the upper edge of the bridge. The object of this curved dam, with its back up stream, was of course to deepen both the east and the west channels, by confining the water to narrower spaces. The work done, as in case of most appropriations, was ridiculously small compared, to the amount of its cost.

This dam long remained a notable feature of the river scenery, but after Grand Rapids ceased to be a port of entry, during Presi- dent Buchanan's administration, the wing dam gradually became a convenient and cheap place to obtain stone for building purposes -especially for foundations along the river banks. Through this system of adoption the old dam gradually grew smaller and beau- tifully less, until for a number of years past strangers would never have suspected, when gazing up the river from Pearl street bridge, that lying at their very feet were the last sad remains of Uncle Sam's $5,000 improvements.

The last remnant of the old dam was removed Aug. 17, 1881. The last two remaining stones were taken out of the river to form part of the foundation of the addition to the Michigan Iron Works, corner of Louis and Campau streets.

By the way, there is an interesting incident connected with the abolition of the Grand Rapids port of entry, and consequently its sinecure collectorship, with its $600 salary attachment. At the time of the Lecompton constitution rumpus in Congress, Wm. H. Godfroy was Collector, and on account of his supporting Senator Douglas in his opposition to the Lecompton measure President Buchanan removed him by wiping out the office and the port together.

In Chapter VIII, the history of the hydraulic canals is given.

The steamboat "John Almy" was built in 1837 by Aaron Peck, assisted by Wm. I. Blakely, and - - Ferguson, for the naviga- tion of the upper waters of Grand river. It reached the confluence of Flat river on its first trip, in 1838, when it collapsed. During the same year Aaron Dikeman opened a watchmaker's and jewel- er's store on Monroe street, being the first or pioneer jeweler of Western Michigan, and among the first in the State. The Bridge Street Hotel was built in 1836-'7 by John Thompson, its first op- erator. The Grand River Times was issued April 18th, and the Wadsworth saw-mill erected at the foot of Canal, a little north of Pearl street, in 1836. During the early part of 1837 the prospect.

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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 79

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