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 6
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Soon after Mr. Miner brought his family another settlement was com- menced in the eastern part of Bloomer, the leading members of which were Joseph Roop, Hiram Hunt and William Sherman. These with their fam- ilies settled on land now in the limits of Carson City, or vicinity. They immediately built cabins and settled down to earnest work, and were among the best citizens of the township. Mr. Roop settled on what is now known as the Goolthite addition to Carson City. He cleared this land and placed it in a good state of cultivation, after which he sold it to Thomas Hoag. His. son. Clark Roop, who afterward married Clarinda Hunt, came to the township with him, and also cleared a farm.
Hiram Hunt came from Erie county, New York, and settled near Pewamo, whence he moved to Bloomer, as stated. He settled on the north half of the southwest quarter of section 12. His family at that time con-
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sisted of a wife and two children. William Sherman settled the south half of the southeast quarter of section 12, later owned by R. M. Affott.
A VISIT TO CRYSTAL LAKE.
Mr. Hunt once related that at an early day a little company consisting of ten or twelve individuals resolved to visit Crystal lake which had already become somewhat noted. None of these, however, had ever been there, and without knowing its exact location, started early one morning in the direction indicated by a gentleman who had entered a tract of land in the vicinity, and whose glowing description made them still more impatient and desirous to see it. When near the Bloomer and Crystal line the entire com- pany were brought to a sudden halt by one of their number, who, being a little in advance, held up what appeared to be the bones of a human hand. In a few moments, when the amazement gave way somewhat to curiosity, the opinion of a young man from Gratiot county, who represented himself as a physician, was demanded. He turned the immense "hand" over several times, and then with two or three nods and a long breath (in the manner of an experienced physician who has made out a satisfactory diagnosis of his case ), handed it back, and as he did so, said, "Yes ; that's what it is." "What is it?" came from half the party. "A man's hand." replied the would-be doctor. ITe asserted with confidence something about which he knew noth- ing whatever. Then came the search for the body, or any clue to solve the manner and mystery of death. All efforts were unavailing.
The party, which up to this time had been one of extreme merriment and hilarity, became at once the counterpart of a funeral procession and as they passed on their way the moody silence was occasioned not through fear for personal safety, but melancholy theories with which each tried to satisfy his own mind. Some of these were advanced for the good of the rest. "Some one had lost his way, had wandered about until exhausted, had sunk down and had been devoured by bears or wolves, with which the woods were infested." The theory that some one had first been shot by a lurking savage or border ruffian was less credited. But they kept on their way, and when in the vicinity of the lake came to a level space. evidently not long since the camping ground of a large band of Indians. Here after a successful hunt, they had gorged themselves on bear and venison, the bones of which were scattered in every direction. On one side there was a little stack of the bones of bears' feet that would fill an ordinary wagon box, evi-
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dently the collection of several years, and upon examination it was found that they corresponded exactly with those found on the way. They con- cluded, therefore, that they were thrown away by some Indian who had made a repast of tender roast bear's paw.
OTHER PIONEERS.
In the fall of 1853, C. R. Dickinson, a native of Addison county, Ver- mont, came to Bloomer and purchased the east half of the southeast quarter of section 28, this being part of the entry made by Alden Giddings. Mr. Dickinson subsequently married Hannah Terrell, daughter of H. Terrell, who settled on section 29. Mr. Terrell having collected and prepared material for a commodious log house, was requested by Mrs. Terrell (pre- paratory to raising the same) to go to Ionia and procure meats for the occa- sion. The morning before the raising however, he and his sons, Reuben and James, went into the woods not far distant, and in less than an hour each killed a fine deer.
In 1854 Hiram Roop, from Fulton county, Ohio, became a resident of the township. The same year a Mrs. Bishop came to Bloomer and bought the southeast quarter of section 13 and the northeast quarter of section 24. She was a lady of most estimable character and always retained the esteem of those who knew her. In the fall of the same year John and Paul Mur- ray, who afterwards purchased a part of this tract, came to the township; they were from the "Province of Quebec, County of the Two Mountains. Scenery of the Argent Isle, Town of La Chute, Canada."
In May. 1855. H. M. Robinson came in and bought the farm of John Murray. Paul Murray paid for his first cow by felling the timber on five acres of ground, and gathered his first harvest on a sled.
G. W. Palmer, a native of England, settled on a farm in this township on the 19th of May, 1855. This was a part of the tract owned by Mrs. Bishop, as was also the land later owned by J. Barrett and Peter Goolthite. Mr. Palmer also bought forty acres from John M. Gordon, who had entered four hundred acres in this vicinity.
Isaac J. Burt, who also settled in this vicinity, married the daughter of William Sherman. He first settled in the town of North Shade. The land originally settled by Daniel Parker was later occupied by H. F. Blanch- ard, who opened the first stock of goods in Matherton.
In the meantime, while these settlements were being made in the eastern and southern part of the township, other localities received many additions,
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some before and some later. in the person of such men as R. Bogart, C. E. Decker, in the south; Jonathan Boyer, T. Cliffe, J. Grace, A. S. Richardson and C. Smith, in the center; N. L. Otis, A. Boyer, S. T. Richardson, J. Mitchell, C. Fowler and H. II. Fowler, in the west; and C. King, A. R. Isham, P. Long and E. Benton, in the northwest. These immediate local- ities, and especially in the vicinity of Miner's Corners were hives of industry and activity.
Mr. Miner had opened a blacksmith shop ( the first in Bloomer ), and often he and his son, Winfield, were pounding away from early morning till late at night. To repair the chains and others implements necessary in clearing and improving a new country is an important item in its welfare.
Schools had been started in the eastern and central parts, and religious meetings were regularly attended, but these were not the only indications of permanent prosperity. A saw-mill was built in the township of Crystal ( then a part of Bloomer ). from which timber was drawn in considerable quantities, and improvements from this time were more rapid.
There is record of the marriage of James Covel to Miss Fairbanks, which was the first wedding in the township, and also the birth of the first child, Nathan W. Cole, son of Edward Cole, who had settled on the north- west quarter of section 30. The next birth was that of Frances, daughter of Winfield S. Miner.
The first postoffice was kept by A. K. Richardson in a little cabin which stood on the southeast corner of section 21. The mail was carried from Greenville to Ithaca by a man named Godfrey O. Morgan. He was subse- quently killed in a dense undergrowth by a hunter who mistook him for a deer. From the list of early settlers should not be omitted the name of George Benjamin. an engineer from Chicago. He was the first supervisor of the township. After two or three days' hard labor he succeeded in fell- ing a large tree (probably the first in his lifetime) and after endeavoring as much longer to convert it into ashes, with hands blistered and clothes torn, he concluded that farming for one's health was a failure, and left the township.
CARSON CITY.
Carson City, Bloomer township, which is situated on sections 12 and 13, on land originally entered in part by Joseph Roop. July 2, 1850, was founded by Thomas Scott and two nephews, John and Thomas LaDue. about 1867. Scott had returned from Carson City, Nevada, in its boom days and gave its name to the village in Montcalm county.
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The patent for the land entered by Joseph Roop was granted on May 8, 1851, and covered the west half of the southeast quarter of section 12. Abram Ely entered the east half of the same quarter on December 20, 1851. These lands were later occupied by R. M. Abbott. The cast half of the southwest quarter of section 12 was entered on November 2, 1836, and the patent therefore received was dated on November 2, 1837. Robert McClel- land's patent for the west half of the same quarter bears the same datc. It was entered on November 8, 1836. The northwest quarter of section 13 was entered by James R. Langdon on December 16, 1836, and by Darius C. Larkins on August 13, 1849. The northeast quarter of section 13 was also entered by Joseph Roop and Abram Ely. The former took the west half and the latter the east half.
Carson City was platted on land owned by R. M. Abbott, Delia Miner and H. T. Sherman, October 10, 1866, and recorded on February 28, 1872. The first lot was sold to Thomas Scott and John and Thomas LaDue, as above noted, who under the firm name of Scott & LaDuc, built a saw-mill in the fall of 1868. It was the first in the village. They also built a grist- mill about two years afterward. These enterprises gave the village an impetus and the building and business interests in general grew up very rapidly.
This mill built by Scott & LaDue, has had an interesting history. Shortly after Scott's death. William Youngs obtained an interest in the enter- prise and E. C. Cummings, now a well-known banker of Carson City, bought ont Youngs' interest and operated the mill for a time in partnership with Thomas LaDue. Subsequently, Mr. Cummings bought out Mr. LaDue and he traded the mill to Lorenzo M. Lyon and Luther M. Jones for two farms. Mr. Cummings had made money out of the enterprise. After operating the mill for a number of years, it came into possession of F. D. Lyon, a son of Lorenzo M. Lyon, and George M. Jones, an adopted son of Luther M. Jones. George M. Jones was succeeded in the business by George K. Dan- iels and the enterprise is now operated by Lyon & Daniels, who have a splen- did local trade.
Luther M. Jones died at Carson City, April 28, 1911, at the advanced age of eighty ycars. Lorenzo M. Lyon and George M. Jones were still living in 1915.
Addison H. Mack, who bought a lot and built a small store building near the grist-mill, opened the first stock of goods in the village. Mr. Mack was soon succeeded by H. P. Miller who opened a good assortment of gen-
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eral merchandise. Mr. Miller, who died in the nineties at the age of sixty- five, also had built the Miller House which took the place of Hinds' Tavern. Mr. Miller's daughter and son-in-law operate the house today. In this con- nection it may be said that the old Laphan hotel, which was operated for many years, was a landmark. The first hotel, however, was built by Hiram and Daniel Hunt, father and son.
The first hardware store was opened by Sullivan E. Felch, in the large building which was known as the Proctor store building, the property of Alonzo Proctor. Augustus Barnum, Elmer Lewis and Anson Davenport were connected with the early business interests of the village.
Brower & Howe built up a planing-mill and sash- and blind-factory. which was subsequently owned by Lacy & Acker. in whose possession it was at the time it burned. This was a serious loss to the town. Lacy & Acker also erected a saw-mill which proved a failure and resulted in the dissolution of the partnership. A siding- and shingle-mill was built by John Taft which was subsequently moved to the north of Edmore. In 1878. another sash- and blind-factory was built by H. T. Sherman, which was equipped with machinery and modern appliances. This establishment is now extinct. A steam saw-mill and car factory, which was a valuable addition to the vil- lage, was moved to Saginaw. During his life, Hiram Roop operated a large apiary.
BUSINESS ENTERPRISES.
Carson City, while not a manufacturing center, has several thriving enterprises at the present time, all of which are duly noted in the chapter on Montcalm county industries. Here. however, it is well to enumerate themn. A planing-mill and machine-shop is run by J. T. Waters; a large elevator by the Rockafellow Grain Company; a cheese factory operated by Frank H. Miner; electric light plant operated by the Rockafellow Grain Company, and the flour-mill operated by Lyon & Daniels.
Francis A. Rockafellow, who was the founder of the Rockafellow enter- prises in Carson City and who died there on February 23, 1904, at the age of fifty-five, was a prominent man in the life of the village for twenty years or more.
Sheldon H. Caswell, who founded the business in furniture and under- taking now operated by his son, F. S. Caswell, in a magnificent building in the heart of the village, was born in Oneida county, New York, February 15, 1846. He removed to Portland, Michigan, at the age of twenty-one and engaged there in the shoe business. After his store burned, he came to
FARMERS AND MERCHANTS STATE BANK, CARSON CITY.
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Carson City in November, 1872, and engaged in moving buildings and sell- ing sewing machines. In 1874, he purchased a furniture and undertaking business and managed this enterprise until 1894 when he removed to Newark, New York. There he remained fourteen years and in 1908 removed to Los Angeles. F. S. Caswell succeeded to the business in June, 1894.
George A. Thayer was in the general mercantile business where the Carson City State Bank now stands. Although he retired a great many years ago, he is still living.
George R. Gibbs, former postmaster of the village, was prior to his term as postmaster a blacksmith and wagon manufacturer. He came to Carson City just before Sheldon H. Caswell. Mr. Gibbs has been retired for many years.
Fletcher Reasoner, who died at Carson City on December 28, 1914, at the age of seventy-two, was in the general mercantile business for many years.
John and Paul Murray, brothers, were prominent in the business life of Carson City for a long time. The former died on July 25, 1888, and the latter, the father of L. W. Murray, present manager of the Rockafellow Grain Company, died on December 14, 1883. John Murray was fifty-eight years old at the time of his death, and his brother, Paul Murray, was forty- nine.
Among the thriving enterprises of Carson City at the present time are The Gittleman Company, I. Krohn, Carson City Produce Company, A. E. Gunther. W. O. Canouts, Brooks & Sons, Patrick J. McKenna, Chester R. Culver and John Brice.
Carson City, which was incorporated in 1887, has an assessed valuation at the present time of approximately $900,000. Its population is given as 808 by the 1910 census but it is now estimated at nearly 1, 100. In 1904, the census gave the population as 891 of whom 419 were males and 472 females. At this time, 832 citizens were native born and fifty-nine foreign born. In 1904 Carson City enumerated. 247 children of school age, five to nineteen years, of whom 115 were males and 132 females. Of these chil- dren, 243 were native and four foreign born. The character of the popula- tion has probably changed very little since that time, 1904 being the last official state census.
COUNTRY TRIBUTARY TO CARSON CITY.
Carson City lies in the center of a rich agricultural country where the land is worth from $100 to $150 an acre and where corn, wheat, oats, hay.
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beans and sugar beets are raised in abundance. The farmers living in the country adjacent to Carson City and, in fact, in the country tributary to it, are splendid farmers who have gone on from year to year improving the land by every method known to modern agriculture. Bloomer township was a pioneer in road building and as a consequence the farmers enjoy the nse of roads second to none in the county. They have always been liberal spirited in the expenditure of money for this purpose. Good roads have made marketing easy and especially the marketing of the products of their dairies which are sold to the cheese factory, operated now by Frank H. Miner. but established by Henry Fitzpatrick. The dairy industry has made not only the village but the country surrounding it. extremely prosperous.
The Carson City Town and Country Improvement Association, organ- ized in February, 1915, succeeded the Carson City Boosters' Club and is well organized for the purpose of improving the village, bringing factories to the community, and keeping the town clean. There is an executive committee for the town section and one for the country section. The former consists of E. B. Stebbins, Ira Cummings, L. W. Murray, E. S. Brooks, Charles H. Adams. F. S. Caswell. William E. Adams, H. E. Cowdin and William Hutting. The latter consists of William T. Hill, T. M. Wilson. Walter Herrick, O. W. Wilson, Martin Grace, Valois Todd, R. W. Brice and M. H. Kipp. The president is Dr. J. P. Taylor: vice-president, E. D. Lyon ; secretary, Chester R. Culver, and treasurer, Will L. Wright.
This association advertises that Carson City is "the best and biggest little city in the state, located in the heart of the best agricultural district in the state, in Bloomer, the best township in Montcalm county, and which has an assessed valuation of $2,013,005." The association also points out that Carson City has a modern brick school house, built in 1891, with a $15,000 addition, built in 1915; an up-to-date course of study with nine teachers and is on the approved list of the University of Michigan. St. Mary's Academy, built in 1907, has a faculty of five members and a special music department. The town has a Woman's Club of sixty-six members, the usual fraterna! societies and a fine theatre seating five hundred people. The vil- lage is equipped with electric lights and has its own water system. There are five churches, Methodist, Congressional, Catholic, Baptist and Seventh- Day Adventists. The Carson City State Bank and the Farmers and Mer- chants State Bank have combined resources of $556,045.49. Moreover, the village is located advantageously with reference to other points, being twenty- two miles from Greenville, twenty miles from Stanton, twenty-three miles from Alma, twenty miles from Ithaca, twenty-eight miles from St. Johns
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and twenty-five miles from lonia. The Carson City Gasette, owned and published by HI. E. Cowdin, is an excellent newspaper.
Carson City is located on a division of the Grand Trunk railway, which was built through the village in 1887. At one time a railroad was projected through Carson City running north and south, generally, and called the Marshall & Northern. Although the roadbed was graded for many miles, it was never completed.
Carson City people are very proud of the care with which the ceme- tery laying to the northwest of the village and consisting of some acres is kept. The cemetery is managed and maintained by the East Bloomer Ceme- tery Society, organized on February 21, 1867, at the Roop school house. At the first meeting of this society, William S. Everest was elected presi- dent and Hiram T. Sherman, clerk. Hiram Hunt was named as treasurer and William Roop as sexton. The society was incorporated in 1867 and, eight years after its charter had expired, was re-incorporated in 1905. The president of the society is Mrs. A. L. Luce, the secretary is F. S. Caswell, and the treasurer, Ira Cummings. The trustees include, besides the officers, Mrs. L. W. Murray, Thomas Gardner, Mrs. J. Tennant, Mrs. Julia F. Chamberlin, Mrs. Emma Sweet and W. L. Wright.
The village of Carson City is what might be called a "Saturday night town." Generally the streets are filled with people at the close of each week's work. Although the streets are not paved, they are well graveled and the sidewalks are built of cement. About ten years ago there was a somewhat protracted controversy over the grading of the main street. The grade was first changed in order to furnish surface drainage to citizens liv- ing in the west end of the village but the old grade lines were practically restored after a bitter fight and considerable litigation.
Numerous fires have occurred in Carson City, but by all odds the worst fire occurred on August 29, 1904, about nine o'clock in the morning, when the tank of a gasoline stove used in W. M. Harden's lunch room exploded. Before the alarm could be sounded the whole building was in flames. They spread rapidly and in two hours the business places from P. J. McKenna's store to that of F. A. Wright were in ruins. The total loss amounted to about $50,000. Since that fire, the whole section of the city has been rebuilt with modern, well-equipped store buildings.
PROMINENT CITIZENS.
Among the prominent citizens of Carson City, who belong to a past generation, several may be mentioned here. Others, still living, will receive
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brief mention. Charles II. Morse, who served as state labor commissioner, as a representative in the Legislature from Gratiot county and also as a state senator, was a colonel in the Civil War. He died on March 21, 1914, at the age of seventy-six. Mrs. Morse lives in Carson City.
Charles Dickinson, who was supervisor from Bloomer township for twenty-five years, was a resident of Carson City. His son, Charles Dickin- son, is president of the Montcalm county board of supervisors at the present time.
Spencer G. Millard, who for many years was superintendent of the Carson City schools, studied law and was admitted to practice in Ionia county. He later removed to California where he was elected lieutenant- governor and where he was a candidate for United States Senator. He is now deceased.
Eugene D. Straight. although reared in Gratiot county, a short distance from Carson City, taught school at Carson City for five years. Mr. Straight is at present school commissioner of Montcalm county and has held the office for many years.
Robert Montgomery. former register of deeds in Montcalm county. lives at present five miles southwest of Carson City in Bloomer township.
A. I .. Bemis, who edited and published the Gasette for many years died . at Carson City on August 5, 1912, at the age of fifty-four.
Ophir R. Goodno, who served many years as treasurer of Bloomer township and who was otherwise prominent in local politics, died August 4, 1906, at the age of sixty-five.
William C. Fife, who was repeatedly elected to the office of township treasurer of Bloomer township, died on April 13. 1912, at the age of thirty- three.
The Rev. Peter K. Shutter, who died on December 1, 1901. at the age of seventy-four, served many years as postmaster of the village and was also one of the first ministers of the Baptist church.
The pioneer physicians of Carson City and Bloomer township as well as old-time attorneys, have received mention elsewhere in this volume.
Needless to say, the public affairs of Carson City are well managed: the streets are kept in good repair; the fire department, which consists of. two hose carts, a hook and ladder wagon and fifteen hundred feet of hose, is well organized; the village is kept scrupulously clean and the village well attains its claim of being "the best and biggest little city in the state."
NEW HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, CARSON CITY.
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CARSON CITY OFFICIALS.
The present officials of the city include Edward D. Lyon, president ; R. E. Brooks, clerk; Jess R. Combs, treasurer; H. G. Heaton, assessor, and C. H. Adams, Jay Dean, A. C. Mccrary, R. H. McDougall, C. F. Wright and C. A. Sweet, trustees. The village attorney is A. B. Goodwin, who is also the present postmaster.
Carson City, as stated heretofore, was incorporated in 1887. The presidents of the village elected since its incorporation and the dates of their election are as follow : John W. Hallet, 1887; Thomas T. Dixson, 1889; Peter K. Shutter, 1890; George A. Thayer, 1891; DeGayler L. Straight, 1892; Thomas T. Dixson, 1893; George W. Caldwell, 1894; Joshua Ten- nant, 1896; A. Y. Sessions, 1897; William C. Smith, 1899; Thomas T. Dixson, 1900; Vinal B. Luce, 1901 : Alfred B. Loomis (appointed to fill vacancy ), 1901 ; Henry G. Heaton, 1902; George W. Cadwell, 1903; C. F. Fowler, 1904; George K. Daniels, 1908; P. Morris Netzorg, 1909; A. B. Goodwin. 1910; Tra Cummings, 1912; E. S. Brooks, 1913; E. D. Lyon, 1915.
The roll of clerks of the village since 1887 follows: Ophir R. Goodno. 1887; Samuel J. Smith, 1889: William J. Shutter, 1890; William J. Loomis. 1893; C. F. E. Luce. 1896: A. B. Goodwin, 1897; L. A. Lyon, 1906: Fred Gunther, Jr., 1908; R. E. Brooks, 1913.
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