USA > Michigan > Ottawa County > History of Ottawa County, Michigan with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 8
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HER ADVANTAGES.
Grand Haven is favored in the way of transportation, as she has two strong railway lines, independent of each other; one trav- ersing the regions to the north and south; the other, the east and west, and connected with the fine line of steamers of the Goodrich Transportation Company, who are constantly adding splendid new steamers to their line to Milwaukee and Chicago. We doubt if there is in the United States a more magnificent steamer than the "Milwaukee," under the efficient management of Capt. Smallman. The city has, besides, a priceless heritage in her noble harbor, and her water communication by the lake to the west and the river to the east.
Then in her great lumber business, which is assuming enormous proportions, and which is good for many years yet, Grand Haven is to be congratulated. The product has risen from 58,000,000 feet in 1876 to to 191,000,000 in 1881. The figures in feet, from 1873 to 1880, are:
YEAR.
FEET.
1873
117,535,000
1874
80,964,000
1875
83,150,000
1876
58,500,000
1877
80,805,000
1878
80,000,000
1879
120,795,000
1880
135,919,000
1881
.
191,000,000
A city, turning out annually about 200,000,000 feet of lumber, has good reason to be proud of her standing as a producer of that great staple. We shall, however, speak hereafter more in detail. Suffice it to say here that it has within its limits the greatest shingle mill in the world-that of Boyden & Akeley.
38
HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
In manufactures there is promise of a great future. The Wait Company, the Stearns Company, the Bryce & Co. Foundry, the Creager Factory, the Ottawa Iron Works (for Ferrysburg is but a suburb, and with Spring Lake, an allied village, and the whole three places may be regarded as one), are all institutions creditable to the rising city.
The two shipyards have done a large business in the past, and are capable of doing more in the future.
But one of the most important factors in the future of a city is its hotels, and in the Cutler House Grand Haven possesses an insti- tution of which she may well be proud, and which is a monument to the public spirit of Dwight Cutler, its proprietor. The Cutler, one of the finest houses in Michigan, and the beautiful Sanitarium, opposite, under the charge of the celebrated Dr. Paine, with its health-giving mineral waters, baths, and multiform appliances to restore health, will continue to attract increased numbers of tourists in search of health and pleasure.
Then on lake and river there is pleasant surf bathing or boating, with excellent fishing to attract the tourist, with the alternation of a pleasant drive into the country.
The fruit interest gives promise of steady improvement, both on Peach Plains and around Spring Lake.
In churches the city offers variety and abundance. So numer- ous are the church edifices that it appears like the city of Brooklyn on a small scale.
In schools Grand Haven can boast of as fine a central school building, with as efficient a staff of instructors as can be found in any city of its size in the State.
Taking all these advantages into consideration, we are led to predict a prosperous future to Grand Haven, which for a number of years in its early history had rather a slow growth. Its extended railway and water communication, the development of the surround- ing villages and towns, and the rise of the city to be a popular sum- mer resort, all augur well for its future. Its climate and situation are favorable to its steady growth as a center of population.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
In the progress of our history we have had to allude to matters connected with the early settlement of the first point in that settle- ment-the county seat-which, lying at the mouth of the river, was naturally the first to be chosen as a trading post and site of a village, either by those approaching from the lake, or coming down the river from the Rapids.
Itjis unquestioned that Rix Robinson was the first to occupy Grand Haven, he' having pre-empted a quarter-section on the water front in 1825.
Early in 1833 Zenas G. Winsor came in from the Rapids as Robinson's clerk, and his office was near the "Ferry" warehouse. He still resides in the city, hale and hearty.
THE REV. WM. M. FERRY
may be considered as the first settler who came in with his family and all his interests to make it his permanent home. As he may be considered as the founder of the village, it may be well to give, as we did in the case of Rix Robinson, a more extended notice. One whose personal history is identified with the early history of the county, whose life was identified with the business, social, moral and relig- ious interests of the Grand River Valley, merits more than a pass- ing notice.
Mr. Ferry was no common man, although modestly ranking himself as"such. As long as he lived he was looked up to by the
community as a leader, and he was felt to be a power. Briefly sketched, the record of his life is this:
Born at Granby, Mass., September 8th, 1796; the son of a sterling farmer, who, by honest toil, reared a large family, and by example and precept enforced the principles of virtue. He had also the advantage of a noble and devoted mother, whose wise counsels he early learned to appreciate.
He was a slight, frail youth, not fitted for the rugged toil of a farmer's life. He looked to the gospel ministry as his future field of action, and the serious question arose, "How shall I enter that field?" His father's means forbade a hope for his assistance, and his father's pride wrung from him a promise that he would under no circumstances solicit aid from any one, but would rely upon his own endeavors.
Compelled for a time to abandon his cherished hope, he en- tered the store of his brother as clerk, studying as he could find opportunity. At eighteen he became tutor in a female seminary under his uncle, Mr. Joseph Montague; taught one year; went to Plainfield, Mass., where he prepared for college, at the same time- teaching the academy at Ashfield.
He entered at twenty-one the sophomore year at Union Col- lege, and through the kindness of Dr. Yates, one of the professors, who furnished him employment sufficient to pay his expenses, he graduated in his twenty-fourth year, pursued a theological course of two years at Brunswick, N. J., and of six months with Gardiner Spring, D.D., of New York; was licensed and ordained by the New York Presbytery in 1822.
He was appointed to explore among the Indians of the North- west, which resulted in the establishment of the Mackinaw Mission, where he remained one year laying the foundation of his work. In 1823 he married Miss Amanda White, of Ashfield, Mass., and with her returned to Mackinaw. To this mission he devoted twelve years of incessant toil among the Indians and whites at Mackinaw. None but one gifted as he was could have moulded into usefulness such elements as were then adrift on the borders of civilization.
Much to the regret of the Mission Board, in the early part of 1834 he entered into business arrangements which resulted in his settlement at Grand Haven in the fall of that year. We shall not particularly follow Mr. Ferry from this point, as his doings are blended with those of others, and will be noted in the history of the settlement. He became more known as a leading business man than in his early character as a Christian teacher. He built up an immense business, somewhat diversified in its character, becoming the central point of business in Grand Haven; which position he held until his death. Notwithstanding his apparent absorption in business, he never forgot that he had consecrated himself to God. For eighteen years he preached to the people of Grand Haven, chargeable to no one. A generation grew up who revered him as their spiritual teacher. In his ministrations he was the calm, quiet teacher, unostentatiously striving to lead in the ways of truth and righteousness. Only the older residents can appreciate the benign influence of the calm, cool preacher, Ferry.
He died at Grand Haven December 30th, 1876, and rests in the cemetery at that place. The simple inscription on his mon- ument is,
"First toil-then rest: First grace-then glory."
Among his bequests were $12,000 to a fund to be known as the "Ferry Missionary Fund," the interest to go to the support of the gospel in destitute places in Michigan; $20,000 to Lake Forest University, Ill .; $15,000 for a female seminary at Lake Forest; $30,000 to the American Board of Foreign Missions; $30,000 to the American
39
HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
Bible Society; $15,000 to the American Tract Society; $15,000 to the' Presbyterian Publication Society.
It was the happiness and good fortune of Mr. Ferry to be as- sociated with a woman of uncommon intellectual and moral worth. By their children they were looked up to with veneration; a feel- ing alike honorable to them as it was to the object of such filial love. Mr. Ferry was a man of medium height, had the air of a quiet, rather taciturn gentleman, more inclined to listen than to talk; was simple in his habits and tastes; made no display of wealth; was strong [in purpose and persevering in his course. He lived to see hisTaims accomplished, and died in the full faith of a humble Christian.
After this brief notice of the founder of the city, we resume our narrative of its settlement.
Robert Stuart, a noble-minded Scotchman in the employ of the Fur Company, with which John Jacob Astor was connected, and who had led an adventurous life among the Indians of the Northwest and the Pacific slope, was converted to Christianity under the ministration of Rev. Mr. Ferry, and ever after regarded that devoted missionary with a feeling of gratitude and warm personal friendship. Having purchased a half interest in Rix Robinson's pre-emption at the mouth of Grand River, he placed several thou- sand dollars in Mr. Ferry's hands to go down there from Mackinaw and look after his growing interests on the Grand River. He had met Mr. Ferry in the East, where he had gone for a time to recruit his broken health.
Mr. Ferry associated with him his brother-in-law, Nathan H. White, and they came in from Detroit by land, arriving September 15th, 1834, in a canoe with two Indians, furnished by Mr. Slater, of the Grand Rapids Mission. They found Rix Robinson and his *family there; also a Frenchman, at the "Lower Diggings,“ as agent of Louis Campau. Robinson was busy getting ready for his fall campaign, yet he spent several days in showing his pre-emptions, of which one-half had been purchased by the Grand Haven Com- pany, consisting of Robinson, Ferry and White as equal partners.
Having completed his business arrangements, Mr. Ferry started for his family at Mackinaw in a birch canoe with two Indians. Return- ing, he brought a number of persons, mostly Indians and half-breeds. Robinson returned about the same time, bringing with him Mr. Lasley. With Mr. Ferry came his bosom friend, P. C. Duvernay, and family. They arrived on Sunday morning, November 23d. They landed none of their stores, but in Mr. Robinson's log store, like the Pilgrims 214 years before, they united in solemn worship, Mr. Ferry taking for his text Zachariah iv. 10: "Who hath despised the day of small things?" They stopped with Robinson during the winter, and twenty-one persons lodged in a log house 16x22 feet, part sleeping in the loft of the cabin, and part in a vessel that wintered in the harbor. Neighbors, we may almost say, they had none. To the north none nearer than Mackinaw, to the west the lonely lake, to the east a few families in Kent County, to the south thirty miles off one family, no other white settlers in all Ottawa County, then an Indian reserve and wilderness.
The Grand Haven Company immediately set to work to lay out the village of Grand Haven, built a mill, bought large tracts of land, bought two mills at Grandville, employed George and Dexter Ranney and Nehemiah Hathaway to log at the mouth of Crockery Creek. In 1838 they built on too large a scale a stern-wheeler, the "Owashtenaw," which, after running at a loss for a year or two, was burned at the same time as the log mill.
The company continued business five or six years, operating in land and lumber, and managed to use up instead of making money. At one time a raft of 200,000 feet of lumber was lost in the lake;
at another 30,000 logs. After sinking $100,000 they divided the property by friendly arbitration.
In 1835 Nathan Troop and family arrived from Canada; T. D. Gilbert, Thos. W. White and Miss Mary White; also forty-two Robinsons, kindred of Rix, who came in a schooner from Mackinaw, and settled in Robinson Township and along the river.
Dr. Eastman came in the same summer. William Butts and William Hathaway, both from Canada, commenced building at the Haven a steam mill, which was afterwards owned by Troop and Ferry. Troop being a carpenter built a warehouse for Campau at the "Lower Diggings," which, with the land on which it stood, has been carried away by the encroachments of the river. Captain David Carver came to trade with Clarke B. Albee as clerk, but failed in 1837, went West and perished in Fremont's expedition.
Warehouses were erected, one by Robinson, White and Williams in 1835, and one two years later by Carver. Albee's warehouse was built by J. F. Stearns, afterwards a lumberer on the Muskegon. The "Lower Diggings" warehouses were first occupied by Thomas Lewis and Peter Andree, of Detroit.
Luke A. White returned East in the fall of 1835, bringing Dr. Stephen Williams, and they, with Robinson, formed the first mer- cantile firm in the village.
Col. Hathaway came in the fall of 1836, and acted as lumber agent of the Grand Haven Company, afterwards removing to Grand- ville. James Clydesdell arrived at this time with seven children, twelve shillings in money, and some portable effects, but did not remain poor, thanks to his industry and pluck. In the winter of 1835-6 the little colony was threatened with starvation. The com- pany had money, and had purchased ample supplies, but these were all lost, the vessel being wrecked in which they were being imported. The position of the colony seemed desperate. No roads to the southern settlements, no bridges, and nothing but a desperate effort could save them from starvation. But Nathan White was found ready with the money in his pocket to face the dangers of the way. He started in a cold, stormy time, nearly lost his life in crossing the Kalamazoo River, but dripping and freezing he got out, and reach- ing the farming settlement at Battle Creek, bought 200 bushels of wheat, 100 hogs, and a lot of corn for the hogs, and hired men and teams to bring them to Grandville. White, with his caravan of men, teams, and hogs, wended his way through the snow, to Grandville, where a part of the supplies were left for those depen- dent on the company there; the rest were taken on the ice to Grand Haven. The river had fallen, leaving the ice on the banks sloping, so that the hogs once on could not get off, and they had no discre- tion but to go to the knife at Grand Haven.
Having seen teams and hogs safely on the ice, White arranged for his own triumphant entry into Grand Haven. He made a collar and tugs for his horse, of hay, lashed a cross-pole to the bow of a canoe, placed his saddle in the stern, with a bed-cord , kindly fur- nished by Mrs. Oakes, for lines, he harnessed his horse with the hay- bands hitched to the cross-pole. He mounted the saddle, kissed his hand to the fair Mrs. Oakes, waved his hand to the by-standing crowd, and shouted, "Git up!" Like an Esquimaux he shot over the ice, passed the teams midway on the river, and was hailed at Grand Haven, not with the booming of cannon for they had none, but with the hearty "God bless you" of the whole little community.
FIRST FRAME BUILDING.
On Second Street near Washington stands the first frame build- ing ever erected in the city, dating back to 1835, the old school house, used for many purposes, including county house, meeting house, church and Sunday school. It is a small plain one-story structure, and now stands denuded of its porch. It is the oldest landmark of
C
40
HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
the Haven. The history of the Presbyterian Sunday school, now one of the largest and best managed in the State, is connected in- separably with the old school house; for here in the autumn of 1835 it was opened to receive 9 children belonging to three families viz .: Wm. M., T. W., and Noah H. Ferry; Francis, Peter and Louise Duvernay; Mason, George and Galen Eastman. Miss Mary A. White of Ashfield, Mass., sister-in-law of Rev. Wm. M. Ferry, had come from the east to assist in the education of his children, and continued to be the superintendent of the Sunday school until 1851, and to day she is still the honored teacher of the ladies' Bible class. The Rev. W. M. Ferry was the owner of the school house. Among those who in an early day gave their encouragement and support to the Sunday school were Robert Stuart, Rix Robinson, Henry Pen- noyer, Lucius Boltwood, Amos Root and others.
In 1851 Henry Griffin was chosen superintendent and after a time was succeeded by Senator Ferry who held the post for ten years. In 1857 the school was moved into the new church, and in that year Miss Mary L. Ferry (now Mrs. Galen Eastman) gathered an infant class, "the big little class" at first numbering 12, but now over 100. The present superintendent is Major S. C. Glover, the postmaster; the pastor the Rev. Mr. Johnson teaches the gentle- men's Bible class.
PROGRESS.
The progress of Grand Haven has been rather slow until the last few years when everything indicates "a boom." In five years after the settlement in all Ottawa there were but 280 persons. Sixteen years after its foundation, it was of such small importance that it had but one mail a week from Grand Rapids. In 1858 it had but 1,100 inhabitants when the first railroad came in, and con- nected it with the outer world. In 1867 and again in 1868 the city was visited by destructive fires which laid low many of its finest blocks, to be succeeded however by finer.
In 1851 there were but four merchants-Ferry, Albee, Gilbert, Griffin.
In April 1853 the steamer Detroit commenced the experiment of making regular trips to Chicago, and the "sawdust" road was made to the ferry. In 1854 the population was 671, Spring Lake was then Mill Point, a mere lumbering place, the Washington was the chief hotel (since burned). The second schoolhouse was then built, but there was yet no church edifice, the old school being still used as a place of worship. Mr. Albee commenced a tannery, in which he employed 100 hands, but it was not a financial success, and so it ceased to exist. In 1874, the population was 4,363. In 1867 it became a city, and in the same year the founder of the city Rev. Wm. Ferry died.
LATER HISTORY.
In summarizing the history of Grand Haven, the pivotal dates are 1825 as the first entrance of the white man with a trading post; 1834, settlement begins; 1835, village platted-population about 200; 1836, first steamboat, the Michigan, enters the river; 1838, the county seat obtained; 1846, revival of business; 1853, steamer "Detroit" commences regular trips to Chicago; 1854, population 671; 1858, the first railroad; 1861, the second school house opened; 1867, year of the city charter; 1871, Union School House opened, cost $50,000; 1872, July 4th, formal opening of the Cutler House, cost $200,000; 1874, opening of the Kirby House, cost $50,000, in which year pioneer C. B. Albee died.
1867
was the year of the city charter, with George Parks as the first mayor, and also of the death of the founder of the city, Rev. W. M.
Ferry. In this year there were but three churches in the city-the Presbyterian, the Congregational and Dutch Reformed-but the Episcopal and Lutheran were organizing. Ferry & Son's was the only banking institution. There were two newspapers, twenty stores of various kinds, and but two sawmills in that year. The county officers were: George Parks, Judge of Probate; H. Does- burg, Clerk and Register; George W. Woodard, Treasurer; B. Fleurtis, Prosecuting Attorney; M. B. Hopkins, Circuit Court Com- missioner; A. V. Peck, Surveyor; C. C. Bailey, Sheriff. C. B. Albee's tannery, on the corner of Water and Washington Streets, was in full blast. The four hotels were the Grand River House, by E. Andres, who was also Justice of the Peace; the Railroad House, by W. Kirkland; the Rice House, by J. A. Rice, and the Ottawa House, by James Donelly. J. W. Barns published the News, and L. M. S. Smith the Union. H. C. Akeley was Collector of Cus- toms and practiced law. De Kwake & Co. (C. J. Pfaff and A. De Kwake) carried on a brewery. The Clerk of Grand Haven Town- ship was John Fuite. Slavin & Safford had a shingle mill, and Wyman & Buswell had a steam sawmill. Barns & Akeley (H. C.) were into furniture, and G. D. Sanford carried on the book and sta- tionery business.
The Deputy Collector of Customs was James A. Stevenson. Geo. Hubbard had G. W. Miller in partnership with him in the hardware business. Martin Glover and R. Ball carried on carriage making on Second street. Sidney Clark and H. Sprick had livery establishments. The clergymen were Rev. C. Vanderveen, Dutch Reformed; Rev. J. B. Fiske, Congregational; Rev. D. H. Evans, Presbyterian. Wm. Baird had the Michigan Exchange on the north side of the river. J. F. Reekie was the agent of the D., G. H. & M. Railway. The doctors were McNett and Vanderveen. The lawyers were Park (W. H.) & Akeley (H.C.), Hopkins (M. B.), & Curtis (B. F.). James P. Donelly was telegraph operator.
1871.
We are enabled to give a partial description of the city in this year from a copy of the Grand Haven Union, of July 4th, 1871, of which the editor and proprietor was L. M. S. Smith, the well-known pioneer and late postmaster of the city, and one of his ablest edito- rials is an obituary notice of his life-long friend, Hannibal Allen Hopkins, who had died just three days before the issue of the paper. He speaks of him as born at Ulysses, Tompkins County, N. Y., September 5th, 1821, of his removing with his father, the late Ben- jamin Hopkins, and his four brothers and three sisters in 1831, of his family leaving Canada during the troublous times of the Rebel- lion in 1837, of his settlement in Scranton (Eastmanville), of his arrival in Mill Point (Spring Lake), of the old Hopkins' sawmill there, of the discovery of mineral springs, and of his life of general activity and usefulness.
The Union refers to the resignation of Prof. Darling from the public schools.
The Goodrich Transportation Co. was about to withdraw the Skylark from the trip from Holland to Chicago, as it did not pay.
Rowdies seem to have infested the city, as the editor calls for a man with a star on his vest to stand on Washington street to tap on the shoulder certain roughs who insult the ladies, particularly on Sunday evenings.
The county officers were: Sheriff-Henry D. Weatherwax; Judge of Probate-Edwin Baxter; Clerk-Alfred A. Tracy; Regis- ter-Cornelius Van Loo; Treasurer-Chas. N. Dickinson; Prose- cuting Attorney-Stephen L. Lowing; Circuit Court Commissioner -Samuel L. Tate; Surveyor-James Sawyer; County Supt. Schools-Charles S. Fasset; Coroners-Albert Bolks, C. W. Gray; Fish Inspector-John Zitlow.
41
HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
City officers: Mayor-Henry Griffin; Recorder-C. T.Pagelson; Marshal-Reuben Vanderhoef; Treasurer-Jacob Van Der Veen; Street Commissioner-John Bolt; City Surveyor-Jas. C. Brayton; Supervisor-I. V. Harris; Attorney-R. W. Duncan. The Alder- men were: First Ward-James Rice, A. J. Leggat; Second Ward -H Rysdorp, E. Killean; Third Ward-Isaac H, Sanford, Peter Vanweelden; Fourth Ward-Hiram Bosch. H. S. Clubb. Deputy Marshals-S. W. Barden, James Kennedy.
1871 must have been a remarkable year, as we read of two frosts in July which nipped the vegetables.
Grosvenor Reed, of Olive, drops in to tell the editor that the crops on under-drained land had escaped the effects of frost.
One of the editorial conundrums was: "Is Vallandigham a patriot?" This is disposed of in the negative by the publication of a letter of his to Col. Isball, of the Rebel Army, in which "Vall" relieves himself of considerable gall. The third page of the Union was devoted to Agriculture and Horticulture, with Jacob Garzhorn as editor. The first column describes a visit to Lake Harbor, and tells what Messrs. J. O. Antisdell and Fletcher Fowler were doing in fruit, and Messrs. Cobb with their box and basket factory. Peach Plains is next spoken of, and John Goldberg is mentioned as one of the largest growers. L. M. Holcomb and Mr. Soule, the Supervisor of Grand Haven township, are mentioned as beginning to raise small fruits.
But it is in the advertisements that we notice the greatest changes from the present, and we read with regret of the names of esteemed citizens that have passed away. Ferry & Son (W. M. and T. W.), advertise as bankers. Eastman's land office was on the corner of Water and Washington streets. Hancock & Stitt speak of their wagon factory in Spring Lake, where Aloys Bilz was closing out furniture at a bargain. A. M. Decker advertises hardware at the old hardware store next to Sheldon & Slayton's. J. J. Bisbee, of the French Academy of Arts, informs the people that he will paint oil portraits at from $20 to $50. J. B. Wait has leased C. De Vleiger's new planing mill. Celeste Bennett has the city laundry, corner of Third and Fulton streets. Weston, Dudley & Soule, of Spring Lake, offer one million bricks for sale. Chas. Fasset, County Superintend- ent of Schools, notifies the public that he will be found at the Court House on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month to exam- ine candidates for teachers' certificates, which would give one twenty- four chances a year to get through. D. Gale had just removed his stock of drugs to the new and beautiful store in Akeley's block. Henry Griffin & Co. (established in 1849), advertise "special atten- tion to orders for any kind of merchandise." Mrs. Bentham had moved her millinery to the rooms previously occupied by J. F. Storrs. Mrs. Kennedy's millinery store was next to Sandford's book store. Mrs. Gray had just opened one next to the City Hotel, and Mrs. Bird's store was on Second street. Geo. Stickney was agent for the Engelmann Transportation Co., with their steamers La Belle and Ironsides. Z. G. Winsor was agent for the Goodrich Boats, the unfortunate Alpena, and the Navarino. This is only a small portion of the news that could be extracted from one copy of a ten year old newspaper. We must draw our observations to a close, leaving each reader to his own comments and reflections upon the mutability. of human affairs, especially in Grand Haven.
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