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 47
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He says these Indian trails ran in all directions in the vicinity of Green-
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vilie and were used by our early settlers as footpaths. The trail from Green- ville to Wolverton Plains was not only the most direct, but by far the best footpath leading north and west from Greenville and it was not strange that it was the route taken by all who were going or coming between the Under- hill mills and Wolverton Plains to and from Greenville. During the lumber rafting season, the tracks of the raftmen's spiked boots were much in evi- dence along this trail. This was a part of the up-river trail which struck this city on the south line near the old brick yard, running nearly parallel with the bank of the river until it reached the high bank northeast of the Pere Marquette depot ; thence northiwesterly until it reached the bend in the river it followed a circuitous course till it led to Turk lake, where in the early days the Indians had one of their favorite camping grounds. From that point it led in a northeasterly direction to Dickerson lakes. This up-river trail was crossed by what was known as the Saginaw and Pentwater trails just above the Washington street bridge at the foot of the Baldwin rapids; from there, it followed a sag between Cass and Washington streets, passing in its course about midway between the Watson house and barn, thence across the ground occupied by the northern store of the group now used by Z. C. Bohrer; crossing Lafayette street, it passed over the ground now occupied by the Eureka block, then in the direction of the Methodist Episcopal church and the residence of the late David Eliot, to the river, which it followed to the site of the Indian village located about a quarter of a mile above the site of the old Merritt mill; thence northwesterly to Bass lake, in the township of Spencer; thence in almost an air line to the point where Pentwater now stands, on Lake Michigan. This Saginaw and Pentwater trail is by far the most important of these carly highways and Mr. Jones suggests that it might be well to mark this trail, in this time of marking places where great events have occurred. There can be no doubt that many a war party passed over this ancient trail when the Chippewas lived in the Saginaw region, and the Pioneer Society of Greenville should be grateful to Mr. Jones for the forethought which prompted him to prepare for the State Historical Society of Michigan, a map of these various Indian trails in this county. So much for the early roads for these first Americans.
Now when Mr. Harroun came to Greenville for the first time in the fall of 1838 he traversed one of these numerous Indian trails, leading him by what is now known as Shaws Corners in Otisco township, down by Wabasis creek and from there by winding ways, or, as he expresses it, "angling through to the site of this city." Prompted by the desire to purchase govern-
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ment land, he wished to see the wild land in this region before purchasing. He came up here to look around, came alone and returned the same day. The distance traversed was eight miles each way. Flat river pursued its same circuitous way-the same Flat river that was later to bear away on its current the millions of feet of lumber in logs to the great mills in this and other vicinities. And to the north of this river were thousands of acres of great pine stretching away far to the north, constituting a part of what is known to have been a considerable portion of the great pine belt of the Lower Peninsula.
On the south side of the river was a fairly level stretch of land, with scattered growth of oak-with here and there a pine and an occasional beech and maple; here and there were open spaces, Mr. Harroun thinks due to early fires or possibly due to the fashioning of nature. The place was an abso- lute wilderness: there was not a settler about here, no white families between here and the mouth of the Flat river, or Lowell. There was no life to be seen but the wild life of the woods, or an occasional Indian who might chance to be passing on the trail.
The Indians were the Ottawas, a sprinkling of Ojibwas, or, anglicized, the Chippewas and an occasional Pottowatomie. Perhaps in this immediate vicinity they numbered one hundred or, at the very outside, one hundred fifty. They spoke the same dialect readily, understanding each other with- out the aid of interpreters. They had intermarried and the tribal distinction had in a great measure disappeared. Doubtless some of the older men had fought as allies of the British against the Americans, for they had once belonged to a brave, intrepid league of Indians who had for a hundred years exercised an important influence over the destinies of the great Northwest, but in this latter time they had. by their defeat and consequent humiliation, degenerated from the type of true warlike Indians, so graphically represented in the histories of Parkman and the romances of Cooper, and were now the broken, spiritless remnant of a once great people.
They had by the provisions of the treaty of Washington, enacted in 1836, sold their lands in Michigan. This sale included the lands in Keene, Orleans and Otisco townships in Tonia county and at least four-fifths of the present Montcalm county, reserving at the same time immense tracts in the far wilds of northern Michigan. The government had given them the right to the use of all their lands, once their own, till they were wanted for actual settlement or had passed from the ownership of the government to individual purchasers; so they remained here, but when the advancing tide of settlers
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came, as they had agreed in their treaties, they went readily, but regretfully, to their new homes in the wilderness of northern Michigan.
The few scattering Indians about here when Mr. Harroun came were perhaps identical with what were later called the Blacksmith Indians, living 11) the river. I cannot be certain of this, but the Indians he saw first when he visited Greenville hunted and fished over this territory, planting their patches of corn at the mouth of Flat river where Lowell now stands. They picked the wild berries, made sugar from the maple trees, roaming about from place to place, as better fishing and hunting demanded. John Wabasis was their chief, a son of the great chief, Wabasis, he of legendary fame. Now the simple truth behind the legend is, he was one of the Ottawa delc- gation who visited Washington in 1836 and who signed the treaty by which the United States obtained the title to their lands; by so doing incurred the anger of his tribe; was accused of keeping an undne proportion of the money paid for the lands. some eighteen thousand dollars, so he was punished by being restricted to certain limits at Wabasis lake, to go beyond which was death. There, with his family, he lived for several years until, in supposed safety, he visited a pow-wow, held in the present township of Plainfield, Kent county. He was then summarily despatched with a club by one Neoga- mah. What he did with his ill-gotten gold was never known, but from that time to this. adventurous boys of Greenville have dug for this pot of gold buried on the banks of Wabasis lake with an ardor worthy a better cause.
These Indians, haunting their old hunting grounds, were of actual service to the early settlers, for they brought to their doors many saddles of venison and a large quantity of maple sugar, which, neatly packed in mococks, was offered for sale at a low price. They also rendered important service in assisting to rid the locality of wolves which killed the sheep of the early settlers. The records show that Hiram Rossman was paid as high as eight dollars for bounty for a wolf scalp. In 1850 to 1860 over one thousand three hundred dollars was paid for wolf scalps alone, the Indians receiving a good proportion of this county money. In passing, I recall an incident told me by J. J. Shearer concerning one of them. He was on a visit out at his farm, situated northwest of Greenville. On looking out, he saw at the front of the house an Indian pony, hobbled, and at the same time an Indian lying on the ground. He did not at first recognize him, but, looking attentively at him, he found it to be an old acquaintance of an earlier day, and, question- ing him, found him to be ill and in distress and poverty. He said to him, "Put your pony in my pasture, choose for yourself where you will stay; you
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are welcome to what you need ; stay here as long as you please, for this land was yours long, long before it became mine."
Now one year later, in the fall of 1838, Mr. Harroun was one of a party of six men, one of whom was a practical surveyor, who had taken the job of surveying ten townships in what was then the unsurveyed territory about the north of this place. The survey of only five townships was accom- plished, two of these being Otisco and Eureka. Three of the party were brothers named Niles, for whom the city of Niles was named. Four of the men worked on the lines, while two cooked and did other necessary work. Bread had to be made every day, without yeast and no conveniences for bread-making. The grease friend from the pork was scrupulously saved to be used for shortening. Dry wood was to be had in abundance and the work was done in comparative comfort till the depth of snow made it impossible to keep the pack horses longer in the woods, so the work had to be abandoned for the winter.
After some time the survey was sent to Washington and accepted, plats made of it, and it was ready for market. The land office was then in Ionia and the price of the land, one dollar and twenty-five cents an acre. Mr. Harroun thinks it would puzzle a good woodsman to follow some of the lines the government paid for at that time. A short time after this, Mr. Harroun, thinking the land was cheap, purchased a tract of it on Flat river, where the Pere Marquette depot now stands, and the old record reads, "Purchased from the government by Charles S. Harroun 71.15 acres, August 9, 1839," this being the first recorded purchase of land in Montcalm county. Five years passed before John Green, the first settler, came to Greenville, in 1844, coming from the state of New York by canal and cars as far as Jack- son, down Grand river by boat and by wagon to Otisco and this place. Not a white inhabitant was to be seen and one must go six miles to find a neigh- bor. Now perhaps this neighbor might have been at that time John Shaw, in Otisco township, who had come a little later than Mr. Harroun, in 1839, who lived at Shaw's Corners, or it might have been Stephen K. Warren, or R. K. Divine, who had located in Eureka township in 1843. At all events, some of these very neighbors were at the wedding of his daughter, which occurred one year later, when Deborah, daughter of John Green, was mar- ried to Abram Roosa, of Otisco, in the city of Greenville, the first wedding which took place here.
The history of the John Green family is the most familiar of the early settlers. His daughter. Josephine, was the first white child born in Green-
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ville. He associated himself with Samuel Demarest and his two sons, Clark and Samuel, and later Josiah Russell, and built the first saw-mill upon what is called the upper or Middleton dam.
John Green died in 1855 and was buried in the city which he founded and which now does honor to his memory in the name it bears.
The second pioneer to arrive was Josiah Russell, who came in Novem- ber, 1844, and found a temporary home with Mr. Green until the following fall. Judge Russell, as he was familiarly known, was the first judge of the county court. The early Russell home still stands and is situated on South Webster street, directly north of the Fred Bremer home at the northeast corner of Washington and Webster streets, though formerly it stood where now stands the residence of Charles E. Henry, on East Washington street.
Judge Russell was deputy postmaster under Abel French, who was Greenville's first postmaster, his commission bearing date of January 20, 1848.
Among the early settlers and pioneers who were associated in the early building of Greenville were. Thomas Myers ( 1845), the first millwright; George VanNess (1845), a carpenter by trade; Dr. Thomas Green (1845). brother of John and the first physician; John Loucks ( 1845) ; George Loucks (1847); Abram Roosa ( 1845), the first blacksmith, who, the same year, married Deborah Green, daughter of John Green; William Weed ( 1845) ; Henry M. Moore ( 1846), merchant. In 1851 the latter was representative in the state Legislature; he had been active in the organization of the county the year previous and, while in the Legislature, secured the passage of the law locating the county seat at Greenville, where it remained for ten years.
Along at about this same period came Nelson Robison. James McCready, Levi Mackley, Hiram Slawson, Roger Vanderhoff and son William, E. M. Stearns, William Backus, Morton Shearer, Stephen Rossman, Joseph J. Shearer, Joseph Burgess, Nathaniel Slaught, Manning Rutan, William M. Crane, Elijah Coffren, D. C. Moore, Samuel and Uriah Stout, Charles C. Ellsworth (the first lawyer and first village president), Rufus K. Moore. Joseph Griffith, John Lewis (one of the earliest lawyers who became a leader in the community), E. B. Edwards, Milo Blair (who established the first newspaper ). Dr. W. H. Ellsworth, an early physician, as were also Doctors Sprague, Richardson. Chamberlain and Slawson. Myron Rider, judge of probate, Hiram Rossman. Bedford Burch, Nathan F. Case and Joel Sanders are all names familiar with the older residents, many of whose descendants still reside in Greenville and locality and whose early activities were so closely
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identified with the development of the city that their memories have been perpetuated.
The early settlers devoted their attentions to clearing up the land and manufacturing the pine into lumber. And until the late eighties Greenville was a busy, thriving lumber town. Each spring there floated down Flat river millions of feet of pine logs and the hunber jack was always in evidence.
The old Detroit, Lansing & Northern railroad, now a part of the Pere Marquette, was the first railroad to be built into Greenville; this important event occurred in 1871. at which time Greenville was also incorporated as a city, L. Judd Macomber being its first mayor. With the passing of the lum- ber industry, the capital and industry of the city were employed in other lines of manufacture, and at this tinte it is a busy, happy, prosperous manufacturing city of more than five thousand, known as the "City of Industries," with keen, active, successful men at the head of their various institutions. Its two large refrigerator factories sell their products all over the world; the Moore Plow and Implement Company enjoys an international trade in plows, gasoline engines and agricultural implements; the C. T. Wright Engine Com- pany and the Greenville Intplement Company do a large business; R. J. Tower Iron Works, with its Tower edgers and Gordon Hollow Blast grates, is known in the lumber world. Much is expected of the Tower Motor Truck Company and the Hart Manufacturing Company, both of which are newly organized corporations. The Greenville Floral Company does a large and constantly-increasing business, while the Greenville Glove Company, Green- ville Fixture Company and other concerns add to the business and manufac- turing activities of Greenville. With the advent of the Toledo, Saginaw & Muskegon railroad, a part of the Grand Trunk system, making a second railroad and affording competitive shipping facilities, began the later develop- ment of Greenville. At about this same time came the installation of a com- plete city waterworks system, furnishing to the citizens pure water, pumped from wells. Then came the first electric light company and the lighting of the city by arc lamps, which are now to be supplanted by the modern boule- vard lights.
It was in 1910, under Mayor Charles H. Gibson, that the city had its first pavement, which is being added to from year to ycar, so that Greenville is keeping pace with the requirements and demands of the times and is modern and up-to-date with all its public improvements. Its streets, schools, churches and public utilities are ably managed and are a credit to the com- munity and the equal of any found in cities of this class.
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With the clearing of the lands adjacent to Greenville and the elimination of the pine, not only here but throughout Michigan, the lands have been con- verted into fertile farms, upon which are raised the finest potatoes in all the land. Greenville is the center from which the bulk of the Michigan potato crop is handled. Millions of bushels are handled through the Greenville buyers, who have buying and loading stations and warehouses throughout the potato belt, and sell and distribute the produce throughout the United States, as far east as the Atlantic seaboard and as far south as the Gulf of Mexico.
The public spirit of Greenville's citizens is everywhere apparent. Its homes are modern, well kept, with beautiful grounds and shrubbery; its streets are lined with magnificent maple shade trees; within its confines lie Baldwin and Manoka lakes, with a beautiful boulevard drive surrounding them; the magnificent, fire-proof, one-hundred-thousand-dollar high school, with library gymnasium and auditorium, is equal to the best. Its church societies have fine buildings and are generously supported, the following denominations being represented: Congregational, Catholic, Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Free Methodist, Baptist, Advent, Lutheran and Christian Science. The different fraternal organizations, led by the Masonic and Knights of Pythias orders, are in a flourishing condition. The commercial organizations are active and harmonious and the spirit of contentment abides with the people.
The span from the first mayor, L. Judd Macomber, to the present mayor, Fred E. Ranney, marks and measures the corporate life of the city; and like- wise, the span from the first postmaster, Abel French, to the present popular postmaster, Percy Edsall, measures the life of this community, which is ever pressing forward, ready and equipped to meet the future because of the inspirations of the past.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
CARSON CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
By A. E. Cook.
[The following excellent history of the schools of Carson City was received too late for insertion in its proper place in the chapter on Education, which had already been printed. ]
The settlers of "Fast Bloomer" held their first school meeting in 1853 and decided to build a school house. As a result a log building was erected where the Miller House now stands. This building was about twelve feet square. It had two half windows of six lights each and split basswood logs set upon pins served for benches. It had a fireplace which was built of stone and mud with a stick chimney on the outside. The first teacher was Almira Miner who, it is said, received one dollar per week for her services and boarded around.
The next school house was a small frame building, just east of where the pumping station now stands Mrs. Jennings, of Pewamo, was the first teacher and the buikling was first used in 1855. It was later used as a church by the "Church of God" people. It is now used as a barn on the L. M. Lyon property.
The next school house to be built is the building now used as the G. A. R. hall. It was finished in 1870 and at first the lower floor was occupied by the school and the upper one used as a church. Two teachers were employed ; at first both taught in the same room, but as the school grew, the superintendent taught on the second floor while his assistant taught below. Mr. George Cagwin was the first superintendent.
In September, 1883. Eugene D. Straight took charge of the school. By dint of unceasing labor, at the close of five years' labor, Superintendent Straight had the satisfaction of "fathering" the first class to graduate from the Carson City high school. At that time the course of study was not as complete as now. but conscientious work was all that would count. The class of 1888 was only a beginning of the educational work to be accom- plished. The county board of examiners granted this class third grade teacher's certificates for one year on their final examination. The "unlucky
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thirteen" they were dubbed -- but yet in the last days of 1915, the superin- tendent and all the members of the class are living. Superintendent Straight is the only school commissioner that Montcalm county has ever elected. In 1913 the class celebrated their twenty-fifth anniversary and the superintend- ent and seven of the class were present, letters being read from the others. The present whereabouts of these first ones are as follow: Mrs. Minnie (Evans) McGuire, National City, California; Mrs. Laura (Burk) Gilliland, Harrington, Washington; Mrs. Lizzie (Gardner) Mercer, Rochester, Minne- sota; Mrs. Lella (Barney) Walker, Denver, Colorado; Mrs. Lois (Jones) Fasbender, Buffalo, New York; Mrs. Bell (Jackson) Hardman, Alpena, Michigan; Mrs. Minnie (Houston ) Gates, Fenwick, Michigan; Mrs. Mamie (Burgderfer) Kennedy, Battle Creek, Michigan; Elmer Jason, F. A. Wright, and Mrs. Lillian ( Dalton) Goolthrite have always clung to their native heath. W L. Wright came, with his family, a few years ago back to the old home town and says Carson City is good enough for him. Flora D. White, after thirteen years absence, thinks there is no state that looks as good as Michigan and no town where there is more true-blue school feeling than Carson City.
Some of the lower grades were taught by Mrs. L. W. Murray (then Betty Goodno), and Mrs. Jennie Davis ( formerly Jennie Sweet), in what is now Mrs. Evey's milinery store. Mrs. L. W. Murray is now a member of the school board, being the first lady to be thus honored.
On account of growth in population and in the school it became neces- sary to build a new school house. The district was bonded for twelve thou- sand dollars, which, with the money received from the sale of the old school property, was used to construct a brick school house. The building, which was opened in 1889, contained six school rooms and an office and class room. At first the class room was used as a store room. The superintendent, Mr. Burrell, was assisted by six assistant teachers. School prospered, but because some dropped out and others were not far enough advanced, there were no graduating classes during the years 1889-1890-1891. A. L. Bemis began in September, 1890, and remained until December when he resigned. Mrs. Bemis continued his work until Mr. Dewitt took up the duties of superintend- ent. There were eleven grades that year. Mr. Hawken began work as janitor the same year and remained eleven years.
In the fall of 1891 A. L. Bemis again returned to take charge of the school. and in the following spring a class of eleven graduated.
Mr. Hetley next became superintendent and remained three years. There were eighteen graduates during the time and all but two are still living.
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Mr. Coddington followed Mr. Hetley and remained four years. Dur- ing this time the library was enlarged and bookcases were placed in the office and upper halls. The laboratory was installed at that time. During his administration. forty-three graduated from the school.
Mr. Lull began his duties as superintendent in 1900 and remained two years. There were seven graduates in each of the classes during this period. He was followed by Mr. Gill who remained but one year. The 1902 gradu- ates were known as the "Naughty Two." Mr. Rundio became janitor at this time and remained one and one-half years.
Mr. Waldron took charge of the school in September of 1902 and remained but one-half year. being followed by Miss Lula Ludwick, who completed the year. There were three graduates known as the "Naughty Three." Electric lights were installed during this year.
Mr. Odle, the next superintendent, remained but one year. Mr. Hawken resumed his duties as janitor and has continued in that capacity until the present time. This makes a period of twenty-two years of service.
A. J .. Chappell took charge of the school, remaining six years. IIe did very much for the upbuilding of the school. The laboratory was remodelled, more bookcases added to the library, the telephone installed and the electric clock secured during his administration. There were forty-five graduates during this period, the class of 1909 being the one which presented the clock to the school. During the summer the old furnaces were removed and a new heating and ventilating system was placed in the building.
F. H. Kinney became superintendent in September, 1912. and remained one year. There were eight graduates.
A. E. Cook became superintendent in 1913 and is the present (1915) superintendent. He is now serving the first year of a three-year contract. There have been two classes graduated, the first containing eleven and the other, the class of 1915. being the largest in the school's history, containing twenty.
During this period the laboratory has been enlarged, another teacher added, a commercial course established, the school placed on the accredited list of the University of Michigan, and a fifteen-thousand-dollar addition constructed. The new addition, now practically completed, is modern in every way. It consists of a high school session room provided with stage and gallery and furnished with the latest type of movable school furniture, a gymnasium forty-two by seventy-two feet, shower baths, double office, com- modious classroom, library room, commercial room and special kindergarten toilet. The library consists of about two thousand well selected books.
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The board of education consists of live wires who have consistently worked for better things for the school. The members of the board of edu- cation are H. J. Garlock, president; Dr. W. E. Adams, secretary ; E. D. Lyon, treasurer; Mrs. L. W. Murray and H. G. Heaton, trustees. These, with F. S. Brooke, who retired from the board in the past July, have all been enthusiastic promoters of the new building.
The present faculty consists of C. L. McCallum, who is principal and has charge of the science department; Mabel Patterson, having the English and Latin; Bernice Walker, the history; Ferol Johnson, the commercial; A. E. Cook, the mathematics; Ruth Laurene, Ruth Stiles. Winifred Cowe and Anna Allspaugh the work in the grades. These teachers are all graduates of either Normal schools or colleges and are well qualified in their special lines of teaching.
With the school building provided as it is for community use, a conscien- tious teaching force, a board of education fully alive to the best things in modern education, and backed up by a community fully as progressive as any in the state the school can look forward to a period of prosperity.
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