USA > Michigan > Montcalm County > History of Montcalm County, Michigan its people, industries and institutions...with biographical sketches of representative citizens and genealogical records of many of the old families Volume I > Part 13
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47
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more difficult to pick his way homeward, he could see them crossing and recrossing his way in front, while a hungry pack were steadily coming nearer behind. Deeming, in view of these circumstances, discretion the better part of valor, he took to a tree, and through the night listened to the chorus of their voices. With the first break of day they dispersed, and he returned home. much to the relief of his wife, who had watched for his coming all night and had been similarly entertained. This family soon after left the mill, and William Castel was employed.
The mill next came into the possession of Ira Ryder, in 1854, who became one of Evergreen's most prominent citizens, and who owned it dur- ing the settlement of the most of this part of the county. He brought a wife and three children to the township. On the 21st of October, 1854, William Morgan and his brother-in-law, R. D. Smith, came in and found employment at the mill referred to. They worked here and at other mills until September, 1855. when William Morgan entered the east half of the northwest quarter of section 32. He built a cabin here, but owing to a mistake in the description or minutes of his land, lost his claim and improve- ments the following spring. He at once entered another piece, upon which he lived for a long time. R. D. Smith returned to the township and remained until entering the Union army.
The next settler was Robert Bennett, who settled on the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of section 29, and built his cabin in September, 1855. His house was the second built in the township aside from those at the mills. He did not bring his family from his former home in Northplain until the following spring.
In the winter of 1855-56 William Phinesey, from Orange, Ionia county, came in and built a small "shingle shanty" on land adjoining Mr. Bennett. to which he brought his family the following spring. He was a soldier of the Mexican War and also of the Rebellion.
FIRST TAXPAYER.
The township was regularly organized in the spring of 1856, and the first assessment roll bears only the following names: Ira Ryder, William Phinesey, Amos Setter, Robert Bennett, William Morgan.
During the summer several new settlers reached the township, among whom were Joseph Allen and two sons, Zene and Samuel, who located in section 28. He remained in Evergreen about fourteen years, when he dis- posed of his property and went to Bloomer.
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In September, Mortimer Gilleo, from New York, came in and settled on section 36. Hugh Callahan settled on the same section a little later.
William Thompson moved from Northplain, where with his family, he had resided a number of years. His wife died on the way from Eng- land and was buried at sea. His family consisted of five children, four of whom were daughters. They settled near Phinesey lake, on the farm later owned by George Holland. William Thompson died in 1862, and his remains were the first interred in the cemetery on section 32. This ceme- tery was laid out on land owned by Augustus Derrick, from whom it was purchased by the township for twenty-five dollars. This sum was raised by direct taxation, and the condition upon which the vote passed and men- tioned in the deed was that any resident of the township should have the privilege of selecting a lot when needed for burial purposes.
Augustus Derrick and his two sons came in 1856, and settled on sec- tion 32, where they resided a number of years. They subsequently moved to Muir. About this time Philemon Hoisington, Joel Washburn and George F. Case became residents. The latter engaged in lumbering. John Arntz settled in Bushnell in 1857, He had been a soldier of 1812, in the Pennsyl- vania Volunteers, under Captain Culverson, and stood guard over the maga- zine at Baltimore for forty-eight hours in succession during the campaign there. In common with the soldiers of that war he received a land war- rant, with which he, in company with four sons, sought the frontier and located land on section 2, as before stated. In the War of 1861-65 his sons, John and Henry, took part. Sylvester Arntz, another of the four, came to Evergreen and purchased land of William Stone on section 35.
George Holland, a native of England, and formerly engaged in the mercantile business in Toronto, came to Evergreen for his health and engaged in the lumber business.
Evergreen did not escape the windfall of 1855 nor the frosts and fire of 1856. The consequent suffering which nearly depopulated other town- ships was experienced here in all its severity. True, these times are not now often referred to, for those who endured the toil and privations have all passed away. The fire swept through the township and, ere checked by the rains and snows of winter, destroyed nearly all the improvements of the settlers. The frosts of August left them without provisions for present wants, and without means to procure, even when possible, sustenance for themselves and cattle. Many families at once left the country, others had invested all their means in land and the necessary farming implements
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and were compelled to remain. The wild hay and underbrush, upon which the cattle heretofore had wintered, was burned, and as a consequence the stock nearly all perished during the winter. Month after month wore away; provisions were very dear, a farm could not be mortgaged for sufficient to sustain a family a month. In many households cornmeal and water was the only food for many weeks, until at last the state voted aid, and the suffering was relieved. At this time Sylvester Arntz who still resides on his farm in the township went to Ohio, south of Toledo, and collected a small debt due his father, walking the entire distance both ways.
For several years Ionia, Palo and Greenville were the places patronized by the inhabitants of Evergreen. When the mills and stores were built at Amsden, that place being nearer, received considerable trade. The first store in the township was the one opened in Sheridan by Jonathan Forbes. The first blacksmith shop, and the only one for many years in Evergreen, was that of William Bells, who settled on the shore of Loon lake in an early day.
The first sermon preached in the township was by Elder John Van Vleck, of the Baptist church, at the home of Robert Bennett. He was fol- lowed by Eller Randall, who preached in the school house. This society did not then form a church. The Methodist Episcopal church organized a class a number of years afterward. Elder Swim being on the circuit, but it continued only a short time.
SHERIDAN.
Sheridan is located at the conjunction of four townships, Evergreen, Sidney, Bushnell and Fairplain. It lies on both sides of the state road which separates Evergreen and Sidney townships. It was incorporated by the Legislature on March 30, 1877. The population of the village in 1910 was 436, an increase of 58 since 1904.
In 1904, the date of the last official state census in Michigan, the popu- lation of 378 consisted of 191 males and 187 females; also, there were 362 native-born citizens and 16 foreign born. The ratio of foreign born and native born population probably does not differ much today from the ratio in 1904.
The first saw-mill in Sheridan was built and run by John Winsor, and it stood on the east shore of Bass, now Pearl lake. After a number of year this mill was destroyed by fire and Mr. Winsor then built another
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mill, which he sold to Ham Stanton. A company subsequently was formed by Mr. Winsor and Charles and George Stanton. The first was afterwards dissolved and the mill purchased by D. T. Fargo. E. P. Brown, in the meantime, had built a shingle-mill and sometime after the erection of the shingle-mill, a saw-mill. With the decline of the lumber industry, the mill- ing business at Sheridan disappeared.
The first dry-goods store at Sheridan was opened in 1864 by Jonathan Forbes in a little room in the wing of his dwelling, which was the first frame dwelling in Sheridan. Mr. Forbes was appointed postmaster and was the first citizen of the village to hold this position. He was succeeded in 1864 by Erastus P. Brown, who was appointed to the place on October 14, of that year. Charles H. Stanton succeeded Brown on August 10, 1869, and Edgar A. Clarke, July 24, 1874. Stanton was again appointed August 20. 1874, and served until March 19, 1877, when John S. Manning was appointed. Clifton H. Clement, who is one of the pioneers of the commun- ity and is still living at Sheridan, is one of the few Democrats before the present national administration, who has served as postmaster of the vil- lage. He was postmaster during Cleveland's second administration. George Holland is also a former postmaster of the village.
Some time after Jonathan Forbes opened his store at Sheridan, he enlarged his house for the accommodation of travelers, but afterwards sold it to Mr. Keene, who enlarged it further and called it the Keene House. This was the first hotel in the village. In the meantime, Lyman Smith, who owned the ground where the principal part of the village now stands, had begun the sale of lots, which was very rapid. The business interests of the town developed rapidly. The Keene House eventually came to be called the Keen Exchange, but it has long since been abandoned. For a number of years John Dolan conducted the Hotel Dolan, at Sheridan. The Hotel Dolan was, prior to the time Mr. Dolan obtained possession of it, the Davis House and during that period was owned by W. B. Davis. There are two hotels in Sheridan at the present time, the Central hotel, operated by T. C. Houghtaling, and the Sheridan hotel, operated by E. A. Rutherford. Frank Wilson, who ran the Hotel Wilson, is still living at Sheridan.
After Mr. Forbes' store, another store was opened in the building later owned by Lewis, who kept a hardware store in it. It was kept by O. S. Stebbins, who also served as one of the postmasters of the village. W. B. Stone, another early citizen of Sheridan, operated a store, shingle-mill and saw-mill for some years.
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George W. Stanton, whose death occurred about 1905, was a prominent lumberman and farmer of Sheridan during his life. Dan T. Fargo, who was a lumberman and saw-mill operator, died about eight years ago. John W. Prestel, who was in the lumber business at Sheridan, and an extensive mill operator, died in December, 1914, at Payette, Idaho, and is buried there. E. J. Barkham and Jesse Summers operated a grist-mill at Sheridan for a long period, Summers died in 1905 and Barkham is still living at Sheridan. The grist-mill was torn down when the new elevator was built, in 1915.
C. H. Clement, who ran an elevator at Sheridan for some time, sold the elevator of E. A. Rutherford on August 14, 1910, and this elevator burned in 1915. Mr. Rutherford rebuilt on the same site with the old grist- mill, which he had purchased. Mr. Clement, who is a native of New York state, and a veteran of the Seventeenth Regiment, Michigan Volunteer Infantry, came to Sheridan in 1883, and for a long time conducted a general mercantile store. He sold out to the J. G. Cutler & Company, March 27, 1905. J. P. Conley, who was in the elevator and produce business at Sheri- dan for many years, died at Seattle, Washington, in 1908, after he had gone there to regain his health. The elevator which Mr. Clement sold to E. A. Rutherford was purchased by Mr. Clement from Mr. Conley. Milford Gray, another of the early merchants of Sheridan, moved to Alma and died there about 1895. Andrew A. Greenhoe, who was also in the mercantile business at Sheridan many years, died there in 1907.
The present business people of Sheridan are as follow: R. E. Lower, J. G. Cutler Company and C. P. Leddick, general merchandise; A. E. Steb- bins, furniture and undertaking. Mr. Leddick is also the present postmaster; A. M. Stebbins, jewelry, cigars and tobacco; A. M. Russell, hardware; W. IT. Wood, druggist; A. E. Davis, groceries; S. E. Almack, groceries and notions; E. E. Thayer, confectionery ; E. A. Rutherford, hotel, livery and elevator ; T. C. Houglitaling, hotel; Genette Ford, millinery; Frank Sebring and Robert Harrigan, barbers; Sike Pitcher, pool room; F. M. Wycoff, produce; Eugene Rich and N. C. Caratensen, blacksmiths; R. A. Fuller, meats; J. C. Gallagher, motion picture show; George Edwards, coal, and E. E. Stoddard, editor and publisher of the Sheridan Advertiser.
The Sheridan fire department, which is a volunteer organization, has an equipment consisting of a hose cart and ladders. The main streets are well kept and the sidewalks are made of cement. The village is electrically lighted. There are no industries of any great proportions in Sheridan, though Albert McGuire & Company have a salting station in the village.
Practicing physicians at Sheridan include Drs. L. E. Bracey and W. E.
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Lee. Dr. Ed Perkins is a veterinary surgeon. Dr. R. H. Blaisdell and Dr. S. M. Gleason were two of the early physicians of the village, but both are now deceased.
Wesley Stearns and Harmon W. Taylor have both filled county offices. The former resides near Sheridan on a farm. He served two terms as treasurer of Montcalm county. The latter served one term as county clerk. Ephraim Follett, school teacher and lawyer, who came from Bellevue to Sheridan and who died at Sheridan a few years ago, at an advanced age. was a well-known and prominent citizen.
The present officials of the village of Sheridan include Elmer E. Stod- dard, president of the village; Bert Crawford, clerk; Edward Greenhoe. treasurer, and Watson Courter, assessor. The trustees of the village are F. A. Rutherford, William Rassmussen, George Edwards, Ed Holmes, Zary Greenhoe and Iliram Taylor. A. E. Stebbins is the present postmaster.
FISHVILLE.
Fishville is a small hamlet located in the central part of section 14. At one time a saw-mill was located here, which was the beginning of a settle- ment in this place. A store was also kept for the convenience of the mill hands. The present store in Fishville is owned by Robert Evans, and as there is no other store in the township closer than Sheridan and Stanton, Mr. Evans carries on a good country trade. A huckster wagon is also run from Fishville over a scheduled route for the convenience of the country people.
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CHAPTER XII.
FAIRPLAIN TOWNSHIP.
Fairplain was the second township established in Montcalm county and the initial step for the organization of this township was taken before the official organization of the county was made. The petition for the erection of this township was drawn in the fall of 1849 and presented to the Legisla- ture and it was properly acted upon and duly erected on March 28, 1850, and the first election was called on the first Monday in April, 1850. The meetings which were held for the steps towards organizing this township and selecting a suitable name present a rather humorous side and are here related by one of the carly settlers: "The inhabitants of this territory met in the fall of 1849 for the purpose of selecting a name, preparatory to being organized into a new township the following spring. As is usual in such meetings there was a multiplicity of names, and, as usual also, every one thought his name the most appropriate. A committee was appointed, how- ever, to draw up a petition, and signers to it were secured whereby the Legislature was prayed to set off town 9 north. range 7 west, as the 'Town- ship of Ringgold.' It was intended when the name was proposed to name it after Major Ringgold, whose bravery in the Mexican War was still fresh in the minds of the people. But the committee, intentionally or otherwise, omitted one 'g' in order to gain time. As a motion would then be necessary to change the name, at a subsequent meeting, this motion was passed, but the chairman of the committee, Nelson Cole, by the advice of several parties, among whom was John Hamilton, instead of inserting the missing letter, inserted the name Fairplain. The petition was forwarded, and in due time, to the astonishment of every one, and the chagrin of those petitioners who wanted the name of Ringgold, the township of Fairplain was erected."
Fairplain is situated in the southern part of Montcalm county and is bounded on the north by Sidney township, on the south by Ionia county, on the east by Bushnell township and on the west by Eureka. It originally consisted of timbered tracts on the northern, eastern and southern portion, while the plains, rendered almost circular by the general direction of Dick- inson creek, consist of the most fertile and productive oak openings. Since
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the timber has been removed this entire area has been turned into an agri- cultural community and the entire section of land rivals any in the county. These farms are among the fairest and most fertile tracts in the state. This is evinced by the high state of cultivation under which the farms are at present, the good public buildings and the comfortable homes.
Dickinson creek is the only stream of any importance in this township. It enters the township from the west of section 6, and meandering east. south and west, leaves the township near the southwest corner. A small stream enters the township from Sidney and unites with Dickinson creek. These streams furnish excellent natural drainage for the township and also served the early pioneers in water power to run the early mills.
ORIGINAL LAND ENTRIES.
Those who purchased from the general government lands situated in this township are shown in the following list. Many did not become settlers, others did, but remained only for a brief period, while among others are the names of some of the most respected citizens of the township at the present time.
Section I-Chester Coates, Alanson R. Cornell, Levi Grainard, Spencer Skeels, Erastus P. Brown, Edmond Hall. Section 2-Erastus P. Brown, Merritt Wade, Valancourt Northrup, Norman Hamilton, Daniel L. Welch, Emanuel Royer, David Ford. David M. Hickok, Peter Thompson. Section 3-E. Hall, John Snow, Clayburn Harris, George W. Gregory, R. Helton, David Balde, Lydia B. Taylor, Joel and William Hall, Frederick Hall, David Ford. Section 4-Joseph C. Bailey, John W. Anderson, E. B. Burrington. John Porter, Osmond Tower, Ilenry F. Brayton. Section 5-Henry F. Brayton, Joel and William Hall, Thomas Seeley, Charles O. Reed, Daniel R. Hartwell, Myron Laverty, Daniel Tomlinson. Section 6-John S. Will- son, Betsey Willson, James Grant, Charles O. Reed, R. Hilton, C. B. White, Wesley Smaggard. Section 7-William M. Porter, George Loucks, Nor- man Hamilton, E. H. Sherwood, David Wilson, F. Rossman, Benoni Bent- ley, John S. Wilson. Section 8-Myron Laverty, David R. ITartwell, Dewitt C. Chapin, David Morris, Francis K. Getter, James B. St. John, Miner Por- ter, James Porter. Section 9-Mathias Smith, James Grant, Philo Town- send, Henry Holford, Henry M. Moore, Abel Avery, George Mathews, F. B. Peck. Section 10-George Mathews, Asa Houghton, Osmond Tower, Frederick Hall, Enos T. Peck, Aaron A. Dudley, E. B. Barrington, Daniel Austin, David Balde. Section II-David Balde, Aaron M. Gaylord, Martin
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Follett, T. G. Amsden, Simon E. Allen, Abijah Noyes, Erastus P. Brown, Nathan Johnson, C. E. Shephard, William R. Bates, Isaac Throop. Sec- tion 12-Chancey Beckwith, Aaron M. Gaylord, John Shilling, Thomas Patterson, Calvin Palmer, Thomas Cornell, Walter II. Wright, David Balde, Hiram Hathaway. Section 13-Chancey Beckwith, Aaron M. Gaylord, John Shilling, James Gould. John A. Rashbuck, David Balde, Henry H. Scoville, Moses M. Inll, Alonzo Hubbell, John Shilling, Henry Holford, Humphrey Holford, Charlotte M. Gould. Section 14-Abel Avery, Louis Smith, Isaac B. Cadwell, Alonzo Hubbell. David Balde, John W. Balde. Section 15-Asa Houghton, E. B. Harrington, Frederick Hall, Orin Chapin. Caleb Huffin, Edward G. Decker, Freeman A. Decker, Zimri Moon, Henry Holford, Tyler M. Burley, Ebenezer Salyer, Gerard Willson. Section 16- Josiah Bradish, John N. Voorhies, John Lindell, David Barnes, William M. Shepard. N. J. Shepard, Mary Ann Rose, David Balde, Josiah Bradish. Section 17-John P. Knapp, Darius A. Wilmarth, Ira Porter, Christopher Cormis, Richard Porter. Section 18-James Porter, Minor Porter, Ira Porter. Dewitt C. Chapin. Section 19-Daniel W. Tomlinson, William Kitts, Sarah Case, George W. Sherwood, Ira Porter. Section 20-Ira Por- ter. Caleb Kniffin, Richard Porter, Sarah Case, Richard Tom, Adam Roof. Section 21-Adam L. Roof, Samuel P. Youngman, Ebenezer Salyer, Ira Porter, Luther R. Jenks, James Grant, Freeman A. Decker, Edward G. Decker. Section 22-John F. Wyman, Caleb Kniffin, J. Willson, Marietta Clark, John Patrick. Section 23-Erastus Brown, George Mathews, George W. Paul, Sylvanus Weed, Philo Beers, Joseph P. Powell, Miles Porter, Charles Chambers, Charles Bisby, Seth C. Barnes, John H. Child. Section 24-William P. Johnson, Edward Cheny, Edward Decker, William H. Hall. Thomas Patterson, Calvin Palmer, Thomas Brown, William F. Goff, Will- iam H. Leman, Stephen Brown. Section 25-William H. Linfield, David J. Gleason, George B. Fuller, Daniel B. Hibbard, Thomas J. Blackwell, W. H. Rumsey, David Gristwood, Mathew Gore, Simon Gristwood, Moses Ben- nett. Section 26-C. Shepard, D. Bald, Charles Chambers, Charles Bisby, John C. Ball, Joseph B. Powell, Hiram Clark, Ald Avery, Norman J. Shep- ard, Hiram Bristol, Sally Harrington, Clarence Gavitt. Section 27-James J. Breese, Hiram Bristol, Ira Porter, Cyrus Lovell, Joseph P. Powell, Joseph C. Bailey, James Grant, George Mathews. Section 28-James Grant, Gerard Willson, John F. Wyman, Joseph C. Bailey, Samuel P. Youngman. Sec- tion 29-Samuel P. Youngman, James Grant, Daniel W. Tomlinson, Charles Grant, Samuel Dowley, Sarah J. Noyes, Lewis E. Smith. Section 30
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Francis Crawford, William Kitts, Ira Porter. Section 31 -- William Wells, Richard Dye, Frederick Hall, John Almy. Thomas Cornell, Alexander N. Loomis, Ira Porter, William Meguiernon. Section 32-O. Smith. W. Tompkins, James M. Kidd, Ira Porter. Clarence Gavitt, Joseph C. Bailey, Charles .\. Smith, Bostwich Leech, Jesse Leech, J. 1 .. Fields. Section 33- Charles Alehin. O. Smith, George Davis, Henry McGlockine, Ira Olds, George W. Paul. Section 34-Samuel King. George W. Paul, John P. Salyer, Louis Smith, Norman G. Cornell, Abel Avery, William J. Face, Sally Harrington. Section 35-David S. Jenks. John Knowlton, Abel Avery, William Osterhaut, William M. Clark. Spencer Hewitt, Joseph P. Powell. Section 36-Solomon Bacon, Samuel C. Alderman, Ora B. Stiles, Hawley White, Lucinda Schambling. Rosalier Comstock, Joel Sonle.
THE HAMILTON FAMILY.
In the month of April, 1844, Benjamin Hamilton, assisted by his son, Jolm Hamilton, set out from Lyons with five yoke of oxen and three wagons. loaded with the families and household goods of William Hamilton ( another son ) and George Gibson, both married, the latter having a large family of children. Previous to this time they had visited the township, and it is not strange they were delighted with the beautiful plains which afterwards gave the township its name. A large tract of land had been entered by Ira D. Porter, a lawyer in Ionia and connected with the land office in that place. To him they applied and purchased. Gibson buying the south half of the southeast quarter of section 18, and Hamilton taking the west half of the southwest quarter of section 17. These lands were bought on part payment, a bond being given for the balance to be paid in three years.
After purchasing the land the two men raised the body of a log house near the southwest corner of Hamilton's land. Then they returned to Lyons. When the party before spoken of reached Kiddville, the road terminated, and from this place their journey was slow and wearisome. During the last day of their journey the rain poured down almost incessantly, and the entire party, drenched and uncomfortable, the men wading along through the mud and slush of April, the women and children shivering in the wagons, reached the body of the house before referred to in the middle of the afternoon. The house was without a roof. floor, door, window or fireplace, and the bare logs promised little shelter from the inclemency of the weather. It was a gloomy prospect for the whole party, and a cold and cheerless one for the
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women and children. But while some were engaged in taking the wagon boxes apart and placing the boards in one end of the cabin-if such it may be called-as a shelter for them, Mr. Hamilton succeeded in building a large fire in the middle of the cabin. He watched it all night, adding fuel when necessary. The next morning being clear, a team was dispatched to get a load of lumber, which had been brought to the township by a man who had purchased a part of the northwest quarter of section 19. This man had purchased this land intending to build a house, marry and bring his young wife to Fairplain. But being aware, it seems, of the uncertainty of matri- monial bonds, he concluded to marry first and build a house afterward. His misgivings seem to have been well founded, for his wife refused to become a pioneer. He therefore disposed of this lumber, which furnished means to partly cover the cabin of William Hamilton.
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