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 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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
217
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
son. J. B. Quick ( now of Seattle ), with a stock of drugs. There was a doc- tor's office overhead. Next west of the alley was a building owned and occupied by Mitch Hewings with a grocery. Adjoining it was a big L-shaped building, owned by Dan Miller, running back about seventy-five feet and turning east, facing the alley, in the rear of the corner building. Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Townsend occupied this for a restaurant and bakery. The next two lots were vacant, and on the corner, across from Coburn's Exchange, was a two-story frame building, which was at that time occupied by a saloon. owned by W. H. Lovely. South from Broas & Collins' store were three buildings owned by Solomon Lisk. All were destroyed.
Howard City was no laggard in those days. Its citizens were men of action, and before the embers of the great fire had cooled preparations were on foot looking to a rebuilding of the burned district in a more substantial manner than before.
The village council met and promptly enacted a fire ordinance. estab- lishing fire limits within which the erection of no wooden building would be permitted, and had this been rigidly enforced the town would be the better for it today. In the main it was observed, and a majority of the new blocks built thereafter were fine looking, substantial, two-story brick structures, which stand today a credit to the enterprise and pluck of their owners. In a number of instances, however, petitions were made by those who had lost all in the fire, for permission to put up frame buildings for temporary use, to later be replaced by brick stores. After more or less contention these requests were granted and although seventeen years have since elapsed the little frame buildings, more or less surreptitiously added to and improved since, still stand and are likely to for years to come. They furnish a place to do business, it is true, and to have denied them the privilege of construc- tion would have been rather severe upon the builders, but had all been treated alike and the ordinance adhered to. Howard City would have today one of the handsomest business streets of any town in Michigan of like popu- lation.
John B. Quick, Frank O. Lord, John C. Collins, R. H. O'Donald, Peter Stevens. A. P. Thomas, O. J. Knapp and Richard Perry erected fine two- story brick blocks the year following the fire, and the next year Henry Hen- kel also put a fine block of the same character on the west lot, adjoining the alley. IT. G. Coburn also built the big skating rink which was afterward converted into a livery barn.
Another destructive fire was that which occurred on Sunday, May 19, 1889, starting in a back room of a grocery store owned and occupied by
218
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Casper Schutt, next east of where Engleman's store now is, on the south side of Edgerton street. east from White street. There were four store build- ings in this block and a brick church owned by the Free-Will Baptists, on the next corner east, where the Congregational church now stands. There was also a solid block of frame buildings on the opposite side of the street, from White to Lincoln streets, including the big opera house block, and these were all destroyed, as were also the residences of A. C. White and S. V. Bullock, where now stands the homes of A. O'Donald and H. M. Gibbs : also the residence of John D. Morton, where IT. Steenman's house is; the residence of .A. Booth, on the lot now occupied by that of John Collins. Sr., and the residence of J. W. Bullock and a vacant building owned by James Milne, on White street. Other buildings caught fire several times but were saved. Those destroyed in the south side business block were J. W. Lovely's hardware store, on the corner, N. W. Mather's bank, with Dr. J. Olds' dental office and living rooms overhead, the S. C. Fell building, occu- pied by the Robbie Sisters' millinery store and the American Express office and Bell telephone exchange on the ground floor and for living rooms on the second floor by Mr. and Mrs. C. H. Weidman. Next east of this was the store of Casper Schutt. where the fire started. He lived over the store, but with his family was visiting in the country when the fire occurred.
Next cast of this was a warehouse owned by J. W. Lovely, and next following the intervening vacant lots, was the Free-Will Baptist church, with a small frame house in the rear. On the north side of the street, on the corner, where now stands the two-story brick store of C. A. VanDenberg. with the office of the Howard City Record on the second floor, was the store building owned by Mrs. Carrie King. and occupied by D. N. Cornell's meat market. Dr. S. E. Morgan lived upstairs. Alex Denton's grocery was in the next store east, where the old postoffice and Col. J. Burtch's drug store had formerly been. Next came Gaylord & Pipp's hardware and shoe store in the west room and Mrs. M. L. Gaylord's dry-goods store in the cast one, Dr. James Totten's office. D. C. Mosher's law office, the Grand Army of the Republic post hall and the opera house on second floor.
John C. Coats had a blacksmith shop next on the east, followed by J. R. Abbott's news depot and residence. Then came C. W. Perry's law office and Adams Express office, conducted by Merton J. Hills, who was also city clerk. Next was August Fuhrman's shoe shop and residence and on the corner was a two-story building with residences in the rear, owned by A. II. Ayers. The store was occupied by Dr. H. P. Fuller and the second floor
210
.
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
contained the living rooms of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Lavene. Fred Booth lived in the residence in rear of store.
Following this fire the people began to arouse to the importance of getting fire protection. The Record, which came under the control of B. J. Lowrey, in the autumn of 1885, had long advocated this, and shown the practicability of a municipal ownership of waterworks in villages, and the village council decided to submit to the people a proposition to build a water- works system. Horace M. Menkee was village president at that time and C. C. Messenger, B. J. Lowrey, J. A. Collins, Fred Ashley, G. M. Doty and Henry Kinnee, the board of trustees.
A special election was called, to be held on November 27, and a propo- sition was submitted to the people to bond the village for $8,000 to be expended for the purchase and laying of a system of waterworks. The usual contention followed, vigorous opposition being put up by those who thought it would enormously increase taxation. The question was submit- ted, however, and carried overwhelmingly. The vote was a very light one, only 195 ballots being cast. Of these 137 voted in favor and only 58 against. C. C. Messenger, B. J. Lowery and J. A. Collins were appointed by the council as a committee to visit a number of places having waterworks to learn what kind of a plant would be most desirable to purchase. The com- mittee visited Alma, St. Louis, Clare, Farwell and Reed City, and after care- ful investigation reported in favor of iron pipes for water mains, a direct pressure system and two large pumps each with a capacity, when operating alone, equal to any ordinary demand that might be made upon the system. Later, bids were advertised for, and a contract let to M. Walker for $12,000 for furnishing and putting in a waterworks system, equipped with two of his high pressure pumps, each with a pumping capacity of 750,000 gallons every twenty-four hours, and so arranged that either one can be worked independ- ently of the other, or both at once, with a combined capacity of 1,500,000 gallons in twenty-four hours.
In the original plant there were two miles of water mains, principally ten, six and four-inch and a small quantity of two-inch on short circuits on side streets. Another mile was laid later. The building was erected, the pumps, boilers and equipment put in, the mains all laid, hose cart and hose and hook and ladder outfit purchased and the works were tested and accepted the following spring.
Later it was voted to bond the village for an additional $3,000 for completing the plant, and two extensions of the mains have since been made,
220
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
so that nearly every portion of the village has fire protection. Payment of the bonds has been in progress for several years, so that the entire bonded debt of the village today is only $5.500. The waterworks are now self- sustaining, and have several times saved the town from threatened annihila- tion. The Grand Rapids & Indiana and Pere Marquette railroads take the water supply for their engines and depot property from the village and pay therefor an annual rental.
THE TOWN OF TODAY.
Howard City has today a population of 1,100 people. The town is no longer a lumber town. The Inmiber cut was finished years ago and its last saw-mill is long since gone. Tamarack river, which has swept many mil- lions of dollars worth of logs toward the mills, has forgotten the turbulency caused in its water in those days and is today stocked with beautiful speckled brook trout, where the anglers make splendid catches of that best of all game fish every spring.
The business blocks are mostly substantial two-story brick structures with commodious basements and beautiful plate-glass fronts and some of the best and largest stocks of goods found north of Grand Rapids are found therein. The streets are broad and well shaded and the town contains many beautiful and substantial modern homes with tasty and well-kept lawns. The town is lighted with electricity in both business and residence districts. There is a private system of sewerage in the business section and in portions of the residence sections of the town. Howard City is one of the leading potato markets in this part of the state, and this county, Montcalm, is third in Michigan in the magnitude of this great Michigan product. The crop of 1901 in this county is in excess of one million bushels.
The waterworks system comprises an equipment of a size usually found only in towns 8.000 to 10.000 population. Five streams 100 feet high can be thrown continuously at the same time.
In the way of railroad facilities, the Grand Rapids & Indiana. ( the fishing line) running direct to Mackinaw, Petoskey and the other northern resorts, passes through the town and is intersected here by two lines of the Pere Marquette system -- one from Howard City to Detroit. the other from Howard City to Saginaw. The Pere Marquette also has a line surveyed from Howard City west to strike Lake Michigan at Ludington to the north and Muskegon to the south. Right-of-way on this extension was purchased and the indications are that the road will be built.
221
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
As a trading point Howard City has few equals and no superiors in this part of the state. There is a cash market for everything produced within the trading radius, prices rule high and on the other hand goods in the stores are sold on close margins and trade is correspondingly large.
THE BESEMET HOME.
One of the remarkable institutions of Howard City is the "Besemet llome." which has come into existence in response to the actnal needs of the community. Parents came to Mr. and Mrs. Besemet and implored them to take their children, and thus the home grew to its present propor- tions. Parents who had children in the home spread the goods news among others. During the past five years eighty children have been cared for. The Besemet Home has a state license, but the institution is not incorpor- ated. It frequently happens that a home is broken up by the death of one of the parents or by desertion of the father or mother. In such cases Mr. and Mrs. Besemet take the children and accept whatever is proffered by way of aid to support. When conditions have changed and the home can be re-established, the children are returned to their parents or parent. While children remain at the home they are properly clothed. provided with good. wholesome food and sent to the public school and to Sabbath school. No solicitations for assistance have ever been made.
CONGER.
Conger, which lies in section 12. of Reynolds township, on the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad. was platted on March 5. 1872. This was platted for John Conger. proprietor, (hence the name ) by A. F. Upton, surveyor. At the time of the laying ont of this town it was the location of a saw- mill, but owing to the nearness to Howard City, which is only three and one- half miles away, and, with the exhaustion of the timber, it ceased to exist as a commercial point, and at present exists only in name.
CHAPTER XX.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.
The petition asking for the detachment of township 12 north, range 5 west, from Ferris township, and organizing it into a separate township, was dated on November 3, 1869, at Ferris. This bore the following names : Jacob C. Schoonover, George Hanes, John E. Evans, Joshua Painter, Rufus Sanders. Levi Johnson. Homer Hart, George Campbell, Elias Corder, Ben- jamin Brace, Samuel Zink. John M. Daniels, F. D. Throop. S. S. Woodard. Egbert 1. Heath, Isaac Swain, Edmond Hare, John Shaffer. James Finch, Samuel Shaffer, Gilbert I. Chatfield. C. M. Woodard. Christopher Hare. Samuel Corder, Archibald Washburn, Daniel F. Hare, Ahimanz Boston, Andrew Zuver. Joseph Laughlin and N. B. Scott. The name chosen was Richland, and the first election was held at the house of Joshua Painter, with Jacob B. Schoonover, John E. Evans and Samuel Zink acting as elec- tion judges. At this first election the following persons were elected : Super- visor. Jacob Schoonover: clerk, John E. Evans; treasurer, Sammel Zink; justices of the peace. Samuel Zink and Joshua Painter.
Richland is the northeast township of Monteahn county. It is bounded on the north by Isabella county, east by Gratiot county, south by the town- ship of Ferris, of which, until 1868. it formed a part, and on the west by the township of Home. it is known as town 12 north, range 5 west.
The Pine river, the source of which is in the northeast quarter of sec- tion 17, where two small streams, known, respectively, as the north and south branch, unite to form it. flows eastward across sections 16. 15. 14 and 13. The only bodies of water of any considerable size are Deaner lake, named after the first settler in the township, and situated on the north part of section 35 and the south part of section 26: Bass Rock lake and Pickerel lake, both partially situated on section 20. The township presents every variety of soil, as is indicated by the great variety of timber. In the south- western part it is light and sandy, and the timber is almost exclusively pine. This part of the township has been the scene of several severe forest fires, by which much valuable timber was destroyed. Nearer the river the soil becomes a black sandy loam of wonderful productiveness. North of the
223
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
river beech and maple are the leading varieties, and the soil, though in places light. is generally excellent. The lumberiug interest was the principal source of employment when the township was first organized, and the demand for farm produce has consequently furnished a good market for home produc- tion.
ORIGINAL LAND ENTRIES.
Section 1-Samuel Mott Leggett, Joshua Dunn, James B. Roberts, Morris Dunn, Amasa Rust, James C. Davenport. Warren A. Sherwood. Section 2-Samuel M. Leggett. Ezra Rust. James Hay. Ammi W. Wright, James Hay. Warren A. Sherwood, Ezra Rust. James Hay, Valorous A. Payne, Dellway Jones, Solomon Lapaugh. Section 3-Valorus A. Payne, Joshua Dunn, Daniel Strayer, Ezra Rust. James Hay, Solomon Lapaugh. Hampton Rich. Section 4 -- Ambrose I. Soule, Valorus A. Payne, James 11. Ilill, Joshua Dunn, Charles Merrill. Section 5 --- David Rust, Ambrose 1 .. Soule, Sansford F. Wilder. Ambrose I .. Soule, Frederick Dunn, Morris Dunn, Israel E. Richardsen, Joshua Dunn, Charles Merrill. Section 6- William 11. Walker, Joshua Dunn. George W. Young. Alexander F. Bell, Charles Merrill. Section 7-Ambrose Soule, Joshua Dunn, Alexander F. Bell, John Groufant, John W. Dunn. William C. Mckenzie, Chester Wal- ker. Section 8-Frederick Dunn, Israel E. Richardsen, Joshua Dunn. Sec- tion 9-William .A. Alvord. Joshua Dunn, Israel E. Richardsen, John W. Dimm, Charles Merrill. Section 10-Elijah B. Benton, Eleazer Blackman. Valorus A. Payne, Solomon Lapaugh, Hampton Rich, S. A. Fuller, Nelson
M. Schoonover. Section 11-James Hicks, - Robbennolt, George W. Deming. Valorus A. Payne, Anni W. Wright. Section 12-David W. Rust. Charles Merrill, Lucy Pritchard. Wesley Castle. Section 13-1. Rust. David W. Rust, Charles Bradley, Lansford F. Wilder, Josiah Rogers, George W. Myers, George W. Wright. Section 14-Aloney Rust. David W. Rust, James Nichols, Elijah Gray, Levi R. Watkins, David Dutt. See- tion 15-Aloney Rust. Amasa Rust. Elijah B. Benton, Eleazer Blackman, William A. Alvord, Josiah Painter. Section 16-Valorus A. Payne, Ammi W. Wright. Hamilton Pritchard, Isaiah Swain, Jabez Hawkins, Jacob W. Stinchfield, Charles H. Davis, John W. Doane, Minerva Pritchard, Eugene Chappel. Section 17-Charles Merrill, Loren K. Hewitt, Lorenze B. Cur- tis. Jabez Hawkins, Section 18- - Ambrose S. Soule. Joshna Dann. Section 19-Charles Merrill. Warren A. Sherwood, Samuel M. Leggett, Joshua Dunn, Frederick Dunn. David Paddock, Daniel R. Sullivan. Section 20 -- W. 11. Lillie, George W. Bennett, David Paddock. James Nichols, Charles
224
MONTCALM COUNTY. MICHIGAN.
Merrill. Frederick Dunn, David R. Sullivan. Section 21 --- Charles Merrill. Ambrose Soules, Lyman Hoover, Valorus .A. Payne. Joshua Dunn, Fred Dunn. Andrew N. Lyon, Henry 1 .. Holevink, Phineas Borten. Section 22- David W. Rust. William A. Alvord. Joshua Dunn, Robert Wood, Auntwine Mier. Ammi W. Wright. William A. Alvord. Henry L. Holcomb, E. A. Rip- ley. Section 23 -- Aloney Rust, David W. Rust, Eleazer Blackman. William .1. Alvord, Valorus A. Payne, Joshua Dunn, Christopher Cleverton, Charles Merrill. Section 21- Money Rust, David W. Rust. John .A. Robbins, Will- iam W. Murphy, James Nichols, Josiah Newman. W. A. Alvord, Valorus A. Payne, Charles Merrill. Section 25-Aloney Rust. Elizabeth McNabb. John A. Robbins, Almon Townsend, Ransom Phelps. Section 26-Samuel M. Leggett. Elizabeth Me Nabb, Charles Deaner. Joshua Dunn. Section 27 --- Samuel M. Leggett. Joshua Dunn. Auntwine Mier, John W. Dunn, Henry I. Holcomb. Section 28- Ambrose L. Soule, Valorus A. Payne. Joshua Dunn. Morris Dunn. Samuel Zink. Geritt S. Ward. Section 29-Samuel M. Leggett, Valorus A. Payne, Ralph Ely. Section 30-Samuel M. Leg- gett, John M. Daniel. Armand Rhodes, John M. Daniels, Philander Howe. George B. Isham. Joshua Dunn. Joshua Fair. Amasa Sheldon. Section 31 ... Hevey R. Woodworth. E. K. Wood. Section 32-Samuel Daniels. Peter Strink, Erastus Edgett. E. K. Wood. Ralph Ely. John W. Doane, Emma A. Ripley. F. H. Patter. M. Quince. William A. Murray. Section 33- - George Hanes. Rupell Waterman. Benjamin D. Brace. Samuel Zink. Elias Cordu. Section 34- Samuel M. Leggett, Eli Benton. Stephen D. Francis. Jacob Schoonover. Section 35- Ezra Rust. James Hay, Ambrose L. Soule, Ches- ter Baxter, Eli Benton. Ezra Rust. Charles Merrill. Section 36- - Aloney Rust. Ambrose I. Soule. Chester Baxter. Almond Townsend. Frederick Dunn. Joshua Dunn. Henry M. Martin. Nelson Green.
EXPERIENCE OF CHARLES DEANER.
Charles Deaner was the first settler in the township of Richland. He was born and reared in Wurtemberg, Germany, whence he came to New York City in 1840. There he remained several years, and having acquired a slight knowledge of the English language, ventured to remove to Erie county, New York. After a number of years he moved to Fonia county. Michigan, and by frugality saved sufficient means to procure a yoke of oxen. a year's provisions, and eighty acres of land at seventy-five cents per acre. which he entered in the summer of 1860. and which was situated on the south part of section 26, in Richland township. In order to establish his
225
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
claim it was necessary that he build a cabin and pass one night in it. Being entirely unacquainted with the use of the axe, this cabin was an exceedingly primitive structure, comprised, as it was, of poles laid up something in the form of a corn crib, with a small opening for a door, and covered with brush. After remaining in this cabin the required time he returned to Ionia, where he remained until the next May. when he employed two teams to fetch his family and goods to the new home. Upon reaching Bell Town the driv- ers unloaded his goods and on account of the bad roads, would go no farther. Mr. Deaner then employed others to complete the journey.
Upon reaching the house of David Strayer, in Gratiot county, this being the end of the road. Mr. Deaner was compelled to underbrush a road from this place to the land which he had entered. Mrs. Deaner walked the entire distance, carrying the youngest child, then but six months old, and leading a little boy of five years. Nearly exhausted they reached their destination, the land of promise in a wilderness of woods, three miles from their nearest neighbor. But their troubles were not yet ended. The teams, which were soon unloaded, set out immediately to return. They were scarcely out of hearing when the cabin, in which everything of use had been stored, took fire and was destroyed. With much difficulty a barrel of pork and some other articles were saved from the flames. As it was, their bedding, wearing apparel, dishes and household utensils were destroyed, which was a most serious loss to them with their limited means. The accident occurred from a fire which had been kindled by Henry Meller, the father of Mrs. Deaner, who. wishing to light his pipe, had indiscreetly applied a match to a brush heap near the house. From this the fire spread rapidly, and threatened at once to envelop the neighboring timber. but after the destruction of the cabin it was checked.
The first night passed by a white family in Richland, therefore, was one of extreme hardship. The air was cold. and the rain at intervals poured down in torrents. With no covering or shelter the situation may better be imagined than described. The inability of Mr. Deaner to use the axe has already been referred to, but by the assistance of Joshua Strayer, who helped him at first in getting a description of his land, and who ever after proved a sincere friend. he stretched some sheets over poles, thus making a passable hut in dry weather, but a very poor protection from wind and rain. In about three weeks he succeeded, without a helping hand, in raising a cabin and covering it with shakes. It served without a floor during the summer.
(15)
226
MONTCALM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
The first season Mr. Deaner planted some potatoes and garden vegetables. but being planted late they barely returned the seed.
The next spring he set out the first fruit trees in the township and planted coru and potatoes, which yielded abundantly. Having as yet no plow, and the ground being full of roots and brush, he chopped with an ok! axe little square holes in the ground and thus planted each hill of corn and potatoes. The next winter several parties of men having camped in the vicinity and engaged in getting out logs for the Saginaw market, he found a ready sale for all he could spare. Thus, while many others have made their homes within the limits of Richland, and have soon become discouraged and removed, thus losing time and the benefit of several years of labor and privation, Mr. Deaner closely adhered to his original purpose and became entirely successful. Some years after his arrival a great many settlers came to the township, but comparatively few remained long enough to make any permanent improvements. A man named Waterman pre-empted one hun- (red and sixty acres and built a cabin, but soon sold his claim to Elias Cor- der, who also soon after sold and removed from the township. George Haynes settled on the southeast quarter of section 23, and remained long enough to girdle the splendid pine trees on about twenty acres and sowed it to wheat among the standing trees. He remained but four years.
The next two settlers, Joshua Painter and John E. Evans, were more permanent. and remained in the township. Painter entered forty acres on the southeast quarter of section 15: Evans took the adjoining forty acres on section 16. They also, together, purchased a number of other traets. Mr. Evans was extensively engaged in lumbering, having put in the Sagi- naw market, in the aggregate, twenty millions of feet. He joined the army from Ohio, being in the One Hundred and Twenty-eighth Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, more than two years. Mr. Painter engaged in business in Vestaburg. Another settler, Levi Watkins, settled in the east part of the township in 1866. Samuel Zink came in shortly afterward and later moved to Vestaburg.
VESTABURG.
The village of Vestaburg was named after the wife of its founder. G. W. O'Donnell. It is situated on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 23, on land formerly owned by Morris Dun, a lumber merchant of Seville, Gratiot county. In August, 1874. Mr. O'Donnell pur- chased this quarter, and came with his family to the township and started a
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.