USA > Michigan > Ottawa County > History of Ottawa County, Michigan with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 23
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Mr. Hillibrands has been largely identified in the interests of his locality, having been Township Clerk, Justice of the Peace, and is at present a Notary and Post Master in his village, New Groningen, situated between Holland and Zeeland. He has been very unfortu- nate in his family, for out of ten children only one survives, Anneus C., born Sept. 28, 1861.
CHRISTOPHER NICHOLS was born in Page County, Virginia, Jan. 5, 1818. Settled with his father in Clark County, Ohio, in 1821. Enlisted in the 151st Indiana Vols. in 1865. Served till the close of the war. Settled in Holland Township in 1867. Has been twice married-first, in 1846, to Elizabeth Pence, who died in 1855, leav- ing three children. Second marriage occurred Oct. 7, 1856, to Ada- lante French, who was born in Clark County, Ohio, Jan. 29, 1842.
JOHN COCHRAN was born in Summit County, Ohio, Dec. 8, 1829. Settled in Holland Township, Sec. 21, in 1862. Married Aug. 26, 1855, to Miss L. M. Carrier, who was born in Sterling, N. Y., May 26, 1834. Two children-J. D., born Nov. 20, 1861, and Wilber E., born Sept. 16, 1870.
JAMES A. CROFOOT was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., July 30, 1817. Married in 1840 to Elizabeth Jane Horton, of Ulster County,
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HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
N. Y. As early as 1842 Mr. Crofoot commenced to preach. Set- tled in Kalamazoo County, Mich., in 1854, and in Holland, Ottawa County, iu 1858. Continued as a local preacher till 1865, when he entered the regular ministry, which he still continues. Lives on Sec. 10, Holland Township. His eldest son, James Henry, enlisted Jan. 3, 1864, and died June 25th of the same year, at Chattanooga. His family consisted of four sons and two daughters.
BENJAMIN R. CROFOOT was born in Oswego County, N. Y., Feb. 12, 1847. Settled in Holland Township in 1853. Now lives on Sec. 14, a farmer. Married April 23, 1873, Ada Wartenby, who was born May 8, 1857. Two children-Jefferson H. and Delilah E.
MICHAEL J. CLAPPER was born in Columbia County, N. Y., April 14, 1808. Early learned the trade of carpenter and joiner. Subsequently practiced medicine in the Botanical School for four- teen years. Settled in Holland Township, Sec. 9, January, 1859. Besides being engaged in farming, Mr. Clapper has during his whole life acted as a local preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Married first April 5, 1832, to Mary Ann Phillips, who was born June 8, 1814, and died May 31, 1868, being the mother of ten chil- dren, only two of whom are still living. Second marriage Nov. 22, 1869, to Elizabeth Perrin, who was born May 3, 1824. One son, Martin, who was born Jan. 18, 1836, was killed at the battle of Bull Run.
GEO. B. GILLETT was born in Delaware County, N. Y., Dec. 20, 1826. Settled in Portage County, Ohio, in 1857, remaining till 1863, when he made Holland, Ottawa County, his home. Married Jan. 13, 1859, to Elizabeth A. Moore, who was born in Mahoning County, Ohio, March 31, 1833. One child, Nettie A., born October, 1859, and died Jan. 16, 1879.
G. W. JOSCELYN was born in Seneca County, N. Y., Oct. 16, 1821. Settled in Holland Township, Sec. 4, in 1859. Engaged in farming and lumbering. It was he who built the first saw mill in the western part of the township. Has been Justice and is the present Post Master at Ventura. Married Jan. 13, 1842, to Maria Davis, who was born in Delaware County, N. Y., Dec. 23, 1824.
GEORGE CASWELL was born in Wayne County, N. Y., March 25, 1820. Settled in Ionia County, Mich., in 1856, and in Holland, Ottawa County, in 1861, on Sec. 9, where he now lives. Married Dec. 8,
1853, Sarah M. Crofoot, who was born Oct. 7, 1822. One son, Geo. M., born Nov. 26, 1857.
AARON J. NYLAND was born in the Netherlands Oct. 9, 1828. Settled in Buffalo, N. Y., in 1848, remaining seven years; then set- tled in Kalamazoo, Mich., and engaged as a tanner; remained a year; lived in Van Buren County two years, He then, in 1858, settled in Holland, and engaged in farming for five years, when in 1863 he engaged as foreman in the tannery of Mr. Albee, of Grand Haven, remaining two years, when he commenced tanning on his own account at Grand Rapids; was burned out, and subsequently engaged as foreman for Harlem & Juelott, Milwaukee. In 1873 he engaged as foreman for Cappon & Bertsch, in their tannery at Hol- land, where he now operates. He was married June 22, 1851, to Dinah Schowenaar, who was born in 1831.
B. L. VAN LENTE was born in the Netherlands Sept. 2, 1841. Settled in Holland, on Sec. 32, August, 1847, and now lives on Sec. 12, farmer of 180 acres. Has been Constable, Assessor, School Director, etc. Married April 14, 1840, to Minnie Baarscher, who was born Feb. 21, 1824. His father, Frederik Van Lente, died Feb. 13, 1876.
WILLIAM COCHRAN was born in Summit County, Ohio, July 3, 1842. Settled on Sec. 15, Holland Township, in 1864, where he still lives. Married Feb. 14, 1864, to Maria Carley, who was born in Vermont Oct. 1, 1838. Two children-William, born Sept. 14, 1866, and Frederik B., born July 28, 1869. Mr. Cochran's father, Robert, died in California in 1853. Mrs. Cochran's father, Wm. Carley, was born in Vermont in 1795, and died Dec. 19, 1878.
DARWIN C. HUFF was born in Shiawassee County, Mich., Dec. 5, 1841. Settled in Holland Township, Sec. 3, in 1859. Enlisted Aug. 6, 1862, in the 25th Michigan Infantry as musician. Served three years in the 23d Army Corps; wounded in the hip and thigh at Atlanta; gets a pension. Married Jan. 4, 1866, to Mrs. Melissa A. Green, whose maiden name was Crofoot. Mr. Lyman T. Green, the former husband of Mrs. Huff, was born in New York State, in 1835, and died in the army at Vicksburg, in 1863.
L. LAWRENCE was born in Alamo, Mich., June 1, 1858. Settled with his father in Holland in 1859, on Sec. 9, where he still lives. Married April 24, 1881, to Eliza Nash.
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ZEELAND TOWNSHIP.
Zeeland is one of the southern townships in the county, and is bounded north by Blendon, east by Jamestown, south by Allegan County, and west by Holland, and is about twenty-six miles from Grand Haven. The township was settled by a portion of the Hol- land colony at the same time that Holland was settled. Zeeland was organized in 1837, by taking a portion of the town of Holland, and in 1842 the vote was 141, the largest first vote of any township in the county. The first meeting was held in the church. It has three villages, the principal one being Zeeland, was platted in 1849, and incorporated in 1875. It has between five and six hundred inhabitants, and contains two churches, the Reformed and the True Reformed; five general stores; one clothing store, one hardware, and two boot and shoe stores, two furniture stores. one drug store, one book store, a butcher, wagon and blacksmith shop, two hotels, one tannery, two planing mills, one saw mill, one cooper shop, and an extensive flouring mill. It is situated near the west line of the township, on the C. & W. M. R. R., with a depot and post office.
VRIESLAND
is a small village on the same road, near the northeast corner of the township, and contains two stores, two churches, and a wagon and blacksmith shop, and has from 150 to 200 inhabitants.
DRENTHE,
a small village in the town, southeast of Zeeland, has two stores, one hardware store, two churches, one blacksmith shop, etc. The soil is varied, much of it very low and wet, but under the thrifty cultivation of the Hollanders, it was soon reclaimed, and is very rich and fertile. About two-thirds of the town is under cultivation. It stands first in the production of corn, pork and butter, and second in wheat.
This fine and fertile township is nearly all occupied by settlers from Holland and their immediate descendents. This settlement was similar to that which settled Holland. In 1847, after Dr. Van Raalte had given impulse to emigration from Holland,
THE REV. CORNELIUS VAN DER MEULER
came in with about 400 souls. This man was a marked character, having a history in Holland and in Michigan. He was born at Middlehamus, in the kingdom of the Netherlands, in 1800. His early life was not conspicuous, and his education but common. He engaged in secular business until he was about 35 years of age. During this time he was a free-thinker and man of the world. At this period his mind was turned to religion, and for the rest of his life he was a devout and laborious minister of the gospel.
The religion of the State was too cold for such as he, and as there was at this time a secession from the State church, he joined heartily in it. He was made an elder in the church then established and in 1838 became their pastor. He moved to Utrecht, studied under Rev. H. P. Scholte, was ordained and went to Rotterdam. He became an apostle in the new movement, fearless and self-reliant he preached in fields, barns and private houses. Mobbed and per- secuted he rose in enthusiasm, defying law and popular violence.
In 1847 many Hollanders, for religious freedom, left their country, and he was religious leader of emigrants from Zeeland who founded the village of Zeeland, and with them he labored until 1859 when he went to Chicago, and in 1861 to Grand Rapids, where he . resigned his pastorate in 1873. He died August 23, 1876, and lies buried at Zeeland. He was an admirable man, genial and social, high principled and manly.
Rev. Yupena came in with two hundred into Vriesland, Elders Opholt and Wiggers settled 150 more in the colony of Drenthe; Rev. Bolks colonized Overissel; Graafschap with three hundred was planted by Elder Nierke; these, with the Holland colony, were all in 1847, and were known as the "Holland Settlement."
The first thing they did was to erect log churches, and in 1847 in Zeeland one was built 26x40 feet, next year a block house was built 40x60, and now they have fine churches.
One of the generous men of the colony, deceased since 1870, was E. Vander Leuser, who brought at his own expense eight poor families, left his splendid mansion and farm in Holland to cast in his lot with the colonists. He was a big-hearted man giving away thousands. In 1847 Mr. Roberts erected a small saw mill, K. Smith opened store, and I. Naayen a tavern. In 1848 the settlers had good crops, but their hard times were in 1849, as their money had run out, in many cases, but the next year brought abundant crops.
In 1849 Elias Young was employed as English teacher, was first Supervisor, Justice of the Peace, etc. In 1848 Vander Leuser started Zeeland Village, laying out eighty acres and selling to settlers at $6 to $10 an acre.
The churches, which were all one, became split into "Reformed" and "True Reformed." The schism was commenced in 1856, by Rev. Klyne, pastor at Grand Rapids, but in 1854 we find the True Reformed in Zeeland organizing. Zeeland was organized as a town July 14, 1851, separating from Holland. Ninety-three voters met in the church electing the first officers: E. J. Young, Supervisor, R. M. De Bruyn, Clerk, J. C. H. Van Hees, E. J. Young, J. Nieu- mandorf, Justices. Next year there were 141 voters.
It is a southern township, lying between Holland and James- town, and is full sized. The soil is generally fertile and there are a number of fine farms. and the marshes have been utilized and drained so as to yield abundantly.
Town officials 1881: Supervisor, C. Van Loo; Clerk, J. den Herder; Treasurer, J. Fox; Justice of the Peace, A. Van Zoeren; Commissioner of Highways, S. De Hoop; Superintendent of Schools, P. Borst; School Inspector, J. G. Van Hees.
ZEELAND WAGON MANUFACTORY, OF WICHERS, DE KRUIF & CO.
In 1870 Mr. Wichers commenced on his own account, but sub- sequently took in partners, and in 1876-7 built their large establish- ment, consisting of various shops, a planer and all the machinery necessary for carrying on their business, the machinery being pro- pelled by a 25-horse power steam engine.
The size of the main building is 54x40. Blacksmith shop, 30x42. Engine house, 20x30. Shed for keeping lumber, 20x50,
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HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
and turns out 150 wagons and 60 sleighs annually, employing eight men.
THE DE PREE & VAN BREE PUMP AND CARRIAGE MANUFACTORY
was established in 1875 by its present owners. The size of the main building is 45x60. Lumber sheds, 40x80. The machinery consists of a planer, matcher, two rip-saws, turning lathes and boring machine, propelled by a 25-horse power engine, and turns out 300 pumps, 60 wagons, and a like number of sleighs, annually. The firm also keep on hand an assortment of lumber for custom.
UNITY FLOUR AND CUSTOM MILLS
are owned and operated by Keppel & De Roo. Formerly it was a water mill located about two miles south of Zeeland, but in 1872 it was moved to Zeeland and run by a 65-horse power steam engine. It runs three sets of buhrs, 4, 32 and 3 feet in size, with a capacity of 100 bbls. of flour and two car-loads of feed for each twenty-four hours.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
JOHN DE KRUIF was born in Zeeland, Ottawa County, Mich., May 24, 1850; labored on the farm till 1865, when he learned the blacksmith's trade. Subsequently he carried on business on his own account till 1879, when he entered the firm of Wichers, De Kruif & Co., in the manufacture of wagons and sleighs, who are doing an extensive business in Zeeland. He married Jan. 7, 1865, Maria Van Leeurven, and has three children.
HENRY DE KRUIF was born in the Netherlands July 25, 1817. Emigrated with Dr. A. C. Van Raalte in the fall of 1846, and was among the very first to settle in Zeeland. Having studied the Eng- lish language, he first acted as an interpreter for a year; then he followed the mercantile business for eight years. Subsequently he was the proprietor of a meat market, and built and operated a tan- nery. At present Mr. De Kruif is engaged in farming on Sec. 17, Zeeland Township. He was married Sept. 1, 1843, to Elizabeth G. Van Bekum, who died in 1846. Second marriage March 5, 1848, to Dina Van De Luyster, who was born in the Netherlands Nov. 28, 1824.
DR. DANIEL BAERT was born in the Netherlands May 23, 1839. Settled with his father in Zeeland in. 1848. His father, George Henry Baert, was born Feb. 27, 1810, and engaged after his arrival in Zeeland in the mercantile business, which he followed till his death, which occurred May 30, 1855. The subject of this sketch received his primary education in Zeeland. Studied medicine with Dr. Van Den Berg, and commenced practice in 1862, which he still continues. He has been President of Zeeland village since its in- corporation in 1875. He was married Oct. 15, 1864, to Kate Boon- stra, who was born Feb .26, 1839, and has four living children.
JACOB DEN HERDER, of Zeeland village, was born in Prov. Zee- land, Netherlands. At the age of thirteen emigrated in 1847 with his parents to the United States. The ocean voyage took sixty-three days to New York, and then by scow to Albany and canal boat to Buffalo took fourteen days; thence by steamer to Chicago and by vessel to the mouth of Black River taking again fourteen days, and by flat boat to the forest city of Holland. After a stay there of three weeks with seven families in one log hut, the final trip was taken by ox-wagon eight miles east into the Township of Zeeland. On arrival, not a house was built nor an acre of ground was improved * in the whole township. Very soon, however, log huts were in construction and lands improved under severe hardships. His first occupation till the age of 18 was chopping trees and splitting oak staves; from 18 to 28 years was engaged in teaching school at Vriesland, Mich. In 1856 he was married to Miss Adriana Klasen, who was born in the same province and of same age. Issue thereof still alive, two sons and three daughters. Quitting school teaching, he commenced general country store at same place for about seven years; moved thence to Zeeland into the gristmill business for four years, and thereupon opened a banking office at said place; has for for many years occupied the office of Township Clerk, and for about three years the office of Supervisor. Was in 1876 chosen Presiden- tial Elector for the 5th District of Michigan, on the Republican ticket. After election his citizenship was called in question, and he was by the Congressional investigating committee subpoenaed to ap- pear before said committee at Washington; naturalization papers being found in order, the vote was confirmed.
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JAMESTOWN TOWNSHIP.
This is the most southeasterly township of the county, and contains perhaps a larger proportion of agricultural lands than any otlier, being chiefly hardwood producing, with but little pine. It is essentially a farming community, without large villages or business centers or railroad communication. It has three post offices, Hanley in the northeast, Jamestown Center, and Forest Grove in the soutlı- east. } It is noted for its fine farms with orchards, and a great in- crease in value of marsh lands has been made by the " long ditch " of the drain commissioners. Food was first brought in from Grand- ville, and deer was plentiful, a Mr. Hermit one winter killing eighty- six. The first teacher in 1851 was Elizabeth Bates. First preacher, Elder A. B. Toms, Free Will Baptist. There is a church building for the Dutch Reformed, and organizations of Baptists, Methodists and Disciples. In 1873-4 the treasurer of the town, C. C. Pratt, disappeared. The mystery has not been cleared up, whether he was murdered or ran away.
The Holland element is strong and increasing. It has about 2,100 inhabitants. It has nearly 9,000 acres under improvement, for richness of soil ranks among the best in the county, and is not excelled for general farming purposes, and for the production of wheat excels any township in the county. Its yield of corn and other grains, and potatoes, butter and maple sugar, is very large. There is some pine, but the timber is mostly hard wood of the very best quality. It has no village of importance, but it is a beautiful township, with soil very productive, and will always be a wealthy and influential township.
Jamestown was surveyed as early as 1831, but not till about 1844 did it receive any permanent settlers. In that year James Conkwright settled on Sec. 11, built the first house, and commenced clearing. He was joined in 1846 by S. L. Gitchel, Man- sur Brown and James Brown. Soon after Charles Richardson, James Donnelly, Andrew Friz, Fitch Hill and others settled in the township. The first birth which occurred was Josiah F. Richard- son, Sept. 27, 1848. Among the early marriages may be mentioned Jarvis Lane to Mary Dinsmore, Orzina Clark to Delia Ann Conk- wright, Van Buren Smith to Ella Bender, James M. Conkwright to Adelia Bender. The first post office was established in 1857, S. L. Gitchel, Post Master, and Thaddeus Skeels, Deputy. There are now two other post offices in the township, viz .: Hanley and Forest Grove. In early days the people received their mail from Grandville.
Jamestown was formerly attached to Georgetown, where it re- mained till 1849, when it became a separate organization having within its limits twelve voters. The first town meeting was in April, 1849, and held at the house of James Conkwright. James M. Conkwright and Nathan W. Richardson acted as Inspectors of Election, George W. Donnelly, Moderator, and James M. Brown, Secretary, at which time the following were elected to fill the sev- eral offices for the ensuing year :
James Skeels, Supervisor; James M. Brown, Township Clerk; James M. Conkwright, Treasurer; Geo. G. Donnelly, Chas. Rich- ardson, James Conkwright, N. W. Richardson, Justices; S. L.
Gitchel, D. S. Richardson, Andrew Friz, Sen., Commissioners; D. O. Richardson, A. Donnelly, Andrew Friz, Jr., Constables; N. W. Richardson, Andrew Friz, Jr., School Inspectors; Andrew Friz, Jr., James Conkwright, Overseers of the Poor.
The following named persons have been elected as Supervisors, Township Clerks and Township Treasurers since its first organiza- tion :
SUPERVISORS.
S. L. Gitchel, 1850-1-4-60; James Skeels, 1849-52-3; Wm. Ar- nold, 1855; R. S. Arnold, 1856-7-8; F. P. Stilwell, 1859; Wm. D. Kirby, 1861-2-3-4-7; Robt. R. Wilkinson, 1865-6-73-4; Owen R. L. Crozier, 1868-9; Wm. H. Curtis, 1870-1-2-5-6-7; Sidney M. Seize, 1878; Gardner Avery, 1879-80-1.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
James M. Brown, 1850-3; Andrew Friz, Jr., 1851; N.W. Rich- ardson, 1852; Thaddeus Skeels, 1854-5-6-7-8-9-60-1; Hiram R. Lovejoy, 1862-3-4-5; Wm. D. Kirby, 1866; Benj. F. Sandford, 1867; David S. Spencer, 1868; John Jackson, Sen., 1869-70-1-2-3- 4-5-6-7-8-9-80; Franklin H. Peet, 1875; George F. Richardson, 1881.
TREASURERS.
James M. Conkwright, 1850-2-3-4-5; Clark Yemmens, 1851; F. P. Stilwell, 1856; Datus Dean, 1857; Joseph T. Brown, 1858; Richard S. Arnold, 1859; Judson A. Boice, 1860-1-2; Norman Chamberlain, 1863-4-5; S. S. Chamberlain, 1866-7-8; Albert Whit- ney, 1869-70; Chas. C. Pratt, 1871-2-3; Nicholus DeFries, 1874- 5-6-8; Robt. R. Wilkinson, 1877; Henry H. Chamberlain, 1879-80; Franklin H. Peet, 1881.
Whole number of votes in 1881, 302.
THE REFORMED CHURCH OF JAMESTOWN
has sprung up among the settlers who came into the township from Holland in the year 1867 and afterward, the country then being still, for a great part, covered with the original forest. These Hol- land settlers were at first members of the Reformed Church of Drenthe, but the distance being too great for them regularly to at- tend religious services there, the President of Hope College, Dr. P. Phelps, and the Theological students, offered to visit them and preach for them from time to time, both in the English and Holland languages to accommodate both Hollanders and Americans living in the neighborhood. This proposal was accepted and acted upon, and on intervening Sundays, when there was no preaching, some one appointed by the people read to them a sermon.
In 1869 the congregation was organized under the jurisdiction of the Classis of Holland, there being originally sixteen members, the first Elders elected being Hendrik Van de Bunte and William Veen- boer, under whose supervision the congregation grew till the year 1872, when the present church edifice was erected, with a seating capacity for about 200 persons. About two years afterwards the church sustained a severe blow in the deaths of two of their Elders and prominent men, W. Veenboer and D. DeKleine, who, together
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HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
with the still living Elder, H. Van de Bunte, had done much by their aid and counsel for the up-building of the church. Neverthe- less the congregation took courage to build a parsonage and to call a minister, the Rev. John Vander Meuler, who was installed as pas- tor on May 30tb, 1875, and who still officiates in that capacity. The church has grown from an original membership of sixteen to the present number of one hundred and four members in full com- munion, and has before it a large field of labor, being the first, and, with one exception, the only religious organization in the township, and the only one at present owning a church edifice.
NEW MOON LODGE I. O. OF O. F., NO. 284
located at Jamestown Center was established July 13, 1876, Grand Master Ingersoll presiding. The charter members and first officers were: A. J. Clark, N. G .; L. B. Brown, V. G .; B. S. Gitchel, Sec .; Miles Woolman, Treas .; S. L. Gitchel, O. G .; Orlando Wells, I. G .; H. A. Hudson, Warden; D. Cunningham, Conductor; J. W. Shearer, R. S. N. G.
The Charter Initiates were; George Hammond, Henry Hooper, Wm. Kridler, Geo. M. Pember, Wm. H. H. Wells; Albert Mott, L. M. Wolf and F. H. Peet.
The present officers are: H. Hooper, N. G .; J. Hefner, V. G .; S. Standish, Rec. Sec .; Levi Yemmens, Per. Sec .; R. Avery, Treas. ; Wm. Kridler, O. G .; O. Wells, I. G .; Orin Crofoot, Warden; Herbert Green, Conductor; Eliot Yemmens, R. S. N. G .; Nathan Saddler, L. S. N. G .; James Tibbitts, R. S. V. G .; S. J. Kellogg, L. S. V. G .; E. J. Kellogg and B. Fouch, Scene Supporters; W. H. Taylor, Chaplain.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
THOMAS GARFIELD, brother of the late President, was born in Cuy- ahoga Co., Ohio, Ost. 16, 1822. On account of the indigent cir- cumstances of his parents he never received what might be called a common school education, but spent his whole energy in laboring on the farm " to keep the wolf away from the door." It is perhaps but just to say of him that the late President, James A. Garfield, was largely indebted to him for the advantages which he received for obtaining his education. Thomas labored incessantly that his brother might improve himself educationally, and not unfrequently carried him, when young, on his back through the snow drifts.
Mr. Thomas Garfield remained in the town of his birth till 1853, when he settled in Byron, Kent Co., Mich., but after a stay of three years returned to Ohio, and settled in Solon Township, where he remained till April, 1867, when he made Jamestown, Ottawa Co., Mich., his home, settling on section 11, where he still resides. He never made a success of life financially, which, perhaps, is partly owing to the fact that in youth he toiled so hard as to occasion fits, which have troubled him more or less during his whole life. He was married Oct. 18, 1849, to Miss Mary J. Harper, who was born in Oxford Co., Maine, Nov. 25, 1828; two children, James A. Gar- field, who was born Aug. 26, 1850, and Florence E., born April 26, 1855.
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