USA > Michigan > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Michigan; Volume I > Part 33
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The Knights of Pythias organized February 21, 1893, and their lodge has now a membership of about 80, officered as follows : W. A. Gospel, C. C .; Frank R. Eaton, V. C .; H. C. Kraft, secre- tary.
Maccabees Tent No. 557, was organized in 1880, and has now a membership of 160, with the following officers: F. H. Bailey, C .; Fred Ruck, L. C .; Wallace Merchant, R. K .; and F. B. Dickerson, F. K.
A. B. Sturgis Post No. 73, G. A. R., was organized in the eighties and has now a membership of about thirty. Officers : Dr. V. H. Van Vleck, Com .; D. W. Robinson, S. V .; J. R. Tyler, J. V .; E. B. Cook, adjutant; Emanuel Ziegler, O. D .; L. J. Twitchell, Chaplain.
STURGIS W. C. T. U.
On March 27, 1877, the W. C. T. U. of Sturgis originated in the organization known as the Ladies' Temperance Union, or the White
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Ribbon Club. Following were its officers: Mrs. J. A. Kyte, presi- dent ; Mrs. L. A. Packard, recording secretary ; Mrs. S. A. Wright, corresponding secretary. The officers for 1910 were: Mrs. Alma Robinson, president; Eliza Burridge, recording secretary ; Mrs. M. L. Williams, corresponding secretary.
WOMAN'S LITERARY CLUB.
The Woman's Literary Club of Sturgis was called into exist- ence through the efforts of a few progressive women of the city. The first meeting was held at the home of Mrs. Burritt Hamilton, March 1, 1894, at which time a constitution was drawn up and adopted and officers elected. Committees were appointed and Mrs. Mary Hackstaff was elected president. A program was prepared that speedily set the members at work. The harder they worked, the more interested they grew and in all these years the enthusiasm has not flagged and Mrs. Hackstaff remained president until her death, which occurred November 4, 1897. Since that time new offi- cers have been elected annually and a new program provided. The club membership is limited to thirty-five. While death has visited it several times and drawn from the membership, and removals have occurred, their places have been filled in the club, so that in 1910 its membership holds the full quota of thirty-five-all doing faithful work as stated by Mrs. R. C. Hamilton. Each year the members have grown stronger and topics great and small have been handled with more or less skill. Literature, History, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology and Economics have been valiantly attacked and carefully studied, while Civil Service and Parliamentary Law have not been neglected. The club joined the State Federation in 1897 and united with the St. Joseph County Federation in 1900. The club flower is the carnation; club colors are pink and white, and our club motto is "In essentials, unity-In small things lib- erty-In all things, charity."
THE LOCAL PRESS.
Sturgis has two newspapers-the Journal, published by the Journal Publishing Company, of which Edward A. Ferrier is edi- tor, and the Michigan Democrat, edited and published by H. O. Eldredge.
The Journal is one of the oldest newspapers in the county, being established as the Sturgis Republican in 1844, twelve years
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before the Republican party (as we now know it) came into exist- ence. C. E. Simonds, its founder, continued it only a short time as a Democratic organ. Joseph Willis was its next regular pub- lisher, and was succeeded by Easton and Sawdy, who about 1860 changed the name to the Sturgis Journal. J. G. Waite then con- ducted the paper for twelve years, after which it was edited and managed for two years by his son, Arthur E. Waite. Dr. T. F. Thornton assumed control in 1874, and two years later absorbed the Sturgis Times, which had been published for a time by Messrs. Alleman and Sweet. The Journal-Times continued for a number of years to be one of the leading papers in the county, as is its suc- cessor of to-day-the Journal.
In 1876 the St. Joseph County Democrat (now the Michigan Democrat) was established in Sturgis by John S. and J. W. Flan- ders, the former being its publisher and owner. At different peri- ods since, E. W. Freeman, John S. Flanders, Dr. L. S. Putney, C. J. Lockwood and H. O. Eldredge have been its publishers, edi- tors, or both. It has been consistently and stanchly Democratic from the first.
GROBHISER-CABINETMAKERS COMPANIES.
The two leading manufacturers of furniture in Sturgis are known as the Grobhiser-Cabinetmakers Companies, and the Auls- brook & Jones Furniture Company. The business of the former com- pany was organized in 1887, since which time there has practically been no change in the management, other than that about two years ago the company was re-organized from the Grobhiser & Crosby Furniture Company, to the Grobhiser-Cabinetmakers Co's., James D. Robinson taking an interest at that time in place of Mr. Wilhelm. The company was originally incorporated as the Grobhiser & Crosby Furniture Company in February, 1887, at which time the first plant was built, and additions were made to the original plant about the years 1896, 1902, 1905, and 1906, these covering the main additions. There have been minor additions at different times, but the main improvements were made about these dates. The manu- facturing specialties are dining-room, library, and office furniture, with an annual output of about $225,000. The company was re- organized about October, 1908, as the Grobhiser-Cabinetmakers Co's., with a paid-up capital of $200,000, which is held by the fol- lowing gentlemen, who comprise the officers and all of the stock-
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holders: W. C. Grobhiser, president; J. G. Robinson, vice presi- dent; G. M. Jorn, secretary ; M. E. Aulsbrook, treasurer.
AULSBROOK & JONES FURNITURE COMPANY.
The Aulsbrook & Jones Furniture Company was founded in 1882 by Albert Sturgis and M. E. Aulsbrook, under the firm name of Aulsbrook & Sturgis. The business was continued as a co- partnership until Mr. Sturgis' death in 1903, when his interest was assumed by the Sturgis estate, represented by Charles A. Sturgis. There was no change in this arrangement until January 1, 1908, when the Sturgis interests were purchased by J. D. Miskill, now vice president of the company, and the business capitalized at $100,000. Mr. Aulsbrook is president and E. L. Jones, secretary, A large addition to the original building was made in 1904, when the business was greatly expanded. The present output of the factory amounts to $200,000 annually, the special product of its manufacture being mahogany and oak bed-room furniture.
STURGIS STEEL GO-CART COMPANY.
What is known as the Sturgis Steel Go-Cart Company also represents one of the leading industries of the city. The Foyer Manufacturing Company was engaged in a similar line a number of years ago, and Messrs. M. E. Aulsbrook, J. F. Walton and F. L. Burdick bought the Foyer patents as the basis of the large business which they have since promoted. They organized a company under its present name in July, 1907, incorporated it in the fol- lowing October, capitalized it at $85,000 (authorized, $100,000), and their completely equipped plant now turns out annually more than $300,000 worth of children's steel vehicles, illustrating an unusual variety, perfect reliability and fine taste in this line of goods. The product of the manufactory includes collapsible car- riages, folding carts, doll carts and speeders.
ROYAL CHAIR FACTORY.
The Royal Chair Factory was established in November, 1899, by J. F. Walton, its present secretary and treasurer. The busi- ness is incorporated with a capital stock of $15,000 and the annual output of the plant is about $200,000. Present management, the
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Walton brothers, consisting of the following: J. E. Walton, president ; A. P. Walton, vice president; J. F. Walton, secretary and treasurer; and C. E. Walton.
OTHER INDUSTRIES.
This by no means completes the list of Sturgis industries, among others being: Morency-Van Buren Manufacturing Com- pany (plumbers), B. F. Freeland & Sons Company (manufactur- ers of tanks, brass goods), Miller-Hubbard Manufacturing Com- pany, Utility Manufacturing Company (corn poppers, etc.), Sturgis Machine Company, Shoecraft-Smith Manufacturing Company (lad- der manufacturers) and the Diffusible Tonic Company. The last named was founded in 1888, is capitalized at $100,000 and con- trolled by Dr. L. I. Flanders (president) and John S. Flanders (secretary).
The leading lumber company of the place is the Wait-Van Buren, of which Frank W. Wait is president and R. H. Van Buren is secretary.
BANKS.
The National Bank of Sturgis was organized as the First National Bank, February 18, 1865, Hugh McCulloch then being secretary of the treasury. Its first president was Richard Reed. In 1884 the institution was reorganized under its present name, and the following constituted the management until about 1894: Nelson I. Packard, president; Samuel P. Williams, William All- man, John J. Beck, Ira F. Packard, James Thornton and Bracey Tobey. Levant E. White has been president of the bank for more than fifteen years and Henry L. Anthony, for twelve. Present capital, $65,000; surplus, $8,000; deposits, $360,000.
The Citizens' State Bank was organized March 7, 1892, with Nelson I. Packard as president, T. J. Collins, vice president, and H. A. Clapp, cashier. Present officers: M. E. Aulsbrook, presi- dent; E. S. Amidon, vice president; T. J. Collins, cashier. Capital, $50,000; surplus and undivided profits, $20,000; deposits, $452,000.
CHAPTER XV.
CONSTANTINE.
DEVELOPMENT OF RIVER TRADE-THE BARRYS OF CONSTANTINE-
CORPORATIONS OF 1837 AND 1861-SUBSTANTIAL WATER POWER IMPROVEMENTS-CONSTANTINE MILLING COMPANY- OTHER LEADING MANUFACTORIES-CONSTANTINE'S GREAT BRIDGE-"SAFETY FUND" BANK-FIRST STATE AND COMMER- CIAL STATE BANKS-THE TOWN OF THE PRESENT-CITY WATER AND LIGHT-CONSTANTINE NEWSPAPERS-THE METHODIST CHURCH-FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH-MRS. CROSSETTE'S RECOLLECTIONS-THE REFORMED CHURCH-MESSIAH EVAN- GELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH-SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIE- TIES.
The founding of Constantine as an industrial community, by such men as Judge William Meek and Governor John S. Barry, as well as its establishment in the world of business, has been traced in the history of the township. Although the place was platted as Constantine, in 1831, and first incorporated as a village, under that name, in the spring of 1837, for many years the county at large refused to recognize it otherwise than as Meek's Mills. In the fall of 1836 and spring of 1837, the village took its first de- cided step toward territorial expansion through the Constantine North Addition Land Company, which raised its first building November 10, 1836. It was but natural that the Republican should take a leading hand in promoting the "boom," as the paper was only three months old and ambitious to become "solid" with the community. This journalistic organ of the young village dis- coursed most eloquently on the water privileges required to make Constantine what it should be, and was destined to be, and called aloud for capitalists to come forward and establish an oil mill, edge-tool manufactory, paper-mill and blast furnace.
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DEVELOPMENT OF RIVER TRADE.
In 1839 Hon. Joseph R. Williams, who had bought the local water power of Judge Meek's, erected a fine flour mill, interesting with himself, George Howland, of New Bedford, and Hon. Daniel Webster, the statesman and orator. But the Massachusetts capital- ists and statesmen soon dropped out of the Constantine milling business. Mr. Williams completed his mill in 1841 and put it in operation, with six run of stone. He not only managed this, but a large mercantile trade. For many years he turned out some 25,000 barrels of flour annually, and shared largely with Governor Barry the shipping trade of Constantine. But Mr. Williams by no means shared the governor's popularity, for in June, 1856, the Williams mill was destroyed by an incendiary and the dam was also badly damaged by malicious hands. It was rebuilt, however, by Miller, Hagenbuch & Harvey.
In 1843 the first steamboat arrived at the wharves of Con- stantine, and from that year until 1851, their principal business was towing keel and flat boats from St. Joseph to that point and carrying light boats back. In 1845 Governor Barry built his ware- house on piles over the river, so that the steamers and other boats could unload directly therein without extra hauling. After the railroad came in 1853, and river navigation ceased, the warehouse was moved to the bank of the river.
THE BARRYS OF CONSTANTINE.
In this locality (on the site of the present Harvey House) Governor Barry and his son Charles conducted the warehouse and general store for many years; in fact, Charles Barry did not with- draw until 1896. William Watson and Mr. Cohn succeeded the Barrys, and when the Harvey House was erected in 1903, it was found unnecessary to displace the massive foundation of the old Barry warehouse. The residence occupied by the governor also stands as one of Constantine's historic landmarks; it is a roomy two-story white house, colonial in architecture, its ells being sup- ported by fluted wooden pillars.
CORPORATIONS OF 1837 AND 1861.
When Constantine was first incorporated in 1837, the follow- ing trustees were elected: Dr. Watson Sumner, president; Allen
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E. Massey, Willis T. House, James M. Hunt, Allen Goodridge, Pierrepont E. Grover and Erastus Thurber, other trustees; Albert Chandler, clerk. The first act of incorporation lapsed in 1839, and the village was not again incorporated until March 15, 1861, when the following officials were elected : H. H. Riley, president; John B. Shipman, recorder; Ephraim H. Sheldon, treasurer; Almeron Bristol, Thomas C. Langley, John G. Miller, Levi T. Hull and Joseph Horton, trustees; Isaac T. Mozier and Cyrus Schellhous, assessors.
SUBSTANTIAL WATER-POWER IMPROVEMENT.
By this time Constantine had not only well established saw- and flour-mills, but foundries, implement works, woolen mills, furniture factories and a brewery. It had become so firmly grounded in the industrial line that an organized movement was inaugurated through the Constantine Hydraulic Company to sub- stantially improve the water power of the St. Joseph and Fawn rivers. The company was organized February 10, 1868, by the following incorporators: Franklin Wells, Thomas Mitchell, S. P. Davis, Aaron Hagenbuch and H. H. Riley. Dr. Edward Thorne was elected president, Mr. Wells, secretary, and George I. Crossett, treasurer. The works, which were completed in 1873, included two brick buildings-one two stories, thirty-four by sixty feet, and the other three stories in height, twenty by twenty feet, with several frame structures, all covering more than five thousand square feet ; a substantial dam across the St. Joseph river, and two raceways, or canals, one on each side of the river, eighty feet in width, seven feet in depth and nine feet fall. This first really improved water power was planned so that it could be used along a frontage of more than four thousand feet and embrace sixty acres of ground. The cost of making the improvements, including the amount paid for acquiring the necessary lands, was $35,500.
In later years the improvements were extended to the Fawn river, and the entire water power is now owned by three parties : seven-twelfths by the Constantine Milling Company, three-twelfths by the village and two-twelfths by the Fawn River Manufacturing Company.
CONSTANTINE MILLING COMPANY.
The Constantine Milling Company, which owns and operates a custom roller and feed mills, is one of the leading industrial
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organizations of the village. The business was established in the early fifties by E. H. Sheldon, and the feed mill was built in 1870. George I. Crossett, W. W. Harvey and J. M. Harvey were early interested in the roller mills and the business in general, and in 1897 the J. F. Eesley Milling Company became the proprietors. Then W. M. Spencer and R. J. Fenner assumed control, and in 1903 the Constantine Milling Company was incorporated by W. M. and A. F. Spencer and Mr. Fenner. The last named withdrew and the present officers are as follows: W. M. Spencer, president; E. S. Hotchin (in charge of the feed mill), vice president; W. H. Barnard, secretary and treasurer. The daily output of the roller mills is 250 barrels of flour.
OTHER LEADING MANUFACTURES.
One of the leading industries of Constantine is conducted by the Board and Paper Company, which was established in 1900 by the present officers : Robert Weir, president; John Weir, treasurer and Nelson Foley, secretary. In 1903 its present plant was put in operation, it being the old brewery of Constantine remodeled. The output of the factory amounts to twenty tons daily, the manu- facture being of box boards entirely.
The Constantine Casket Company, whose business was estab- lished in 1895 and incorporated in 1909, occupies a plant which stands on the site of the old Oliver plow works, one of the first industries to be established in Three Rivers and southern Michi- gan. John P. Drake, secretary and general manager of the com- pany, is a native of Three Rivers, as was his mother (nee Roys). Other officials: O. K. Harvey, president; W. N. Harvey, vice president ; S. B. Hagenbuch, treasurer.
Other industries than those already mentioned are the saw- mill of Irwin Brothers, and the Novelty Works of John B. George, the latter turning out such articles as curtain stretchers and churns.
CONSTANTINE'S "SAFETY FUND" BANK.
The early importance of Constantine, or Meek's Mills, as an industrial and commercial point of the county and southern Michi- gan, is fairly demonstrated by the fact that it enjoyed the distinc- tion of possessing for about five years the first and only "safety" fund bank in this section of the state. It (the Bank of Constan-
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tine) was chartered July 23, 1836, with an authorized capital of $250,000; and among the many applications made to the legisla- ture for the purpose, this was the only charter granted. It was one of the signs of the times that within the first week after the stock books were opened, not only was the full authorized amount sub- scribed, but 447 surplus shares besides. Among the heaviest sub- scribers were Isaac J. Ullman, 210 shares; William E. Boardman, 1,500 shares; J. S. Barry, 200 shares, and William H. Adams, 200 shares. The first board of directors consisted of the following: W. T. House, president; W. E. Boardman, John A. Welles, I. J. Ull- man, E. S. Swan, W. H. Adams and John S. Barry. On February 24, 1837, the bank received its first installment of capital in specie, and its doors were opened for business on the 3rd of the following month, with Charles Augustus Hopkins, of Buffalo, as cashier.
The Bank of Constantine was a "wild cat" bank, to designate it from the "red dog" species; they were alike, in that they eventu- ally scratched or bit those who had anything to do with them, and were only different in a minor feature of their bills of exchange. If the bills were printed ready for circulation, they were "wild cat;" if the locality of the bank of issue was left blank, to be after- ward filled in with red ink, they were of the "red dog" variety. Both the Constantine and Centerville banks were "wild cat."
The first statement issued by the Constantine institution was made March 6, 1838, and notwithstanding panic and hard times presented the following brave showing: Capital stock, $250,000; paid in, $27,025; circulation, $29,430; specie on hand, $15,465; bills of other banks, $9,821. But the day of reckoning came, after a few years of inflation of its circulating medium, and in 1841 it was forced to suspend specie payments and close its doors.
FIRST STATE BANK.
The First State Bank of Constantine was organized as the First National Bank, November 29, 1864, by George I. Crossett, Norman Harvey, Thomas Mitchell, E. H. Sheldon, Samuel B. Jenks, Aaron Hagenbuch and Francis J. Morse. Mr. Sheldon was its first president and George M. Clark, cashier. Mr. Clark was succeeded the following year by Peter Haslet, who was cashier up to the time of his death, in 1881, when W. W. Harvey was elected to the posi- tion, which he held up to the time of the reorganization as the First State Bank in 1894.
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Mr. Sheldon was president for a short time, followed by Aaron Hagenbuch, who was succeeded in 1869 by George I. Crossett, who was at the head of its affairs for many years, or until poor health caused him to retire. J. W. Simons was elected to succeed him.
On the reorganization as a state bank, in 1894, George I. Cros- sett was elected president; S. B. Hagenbuch, first vice president ; B. P. Scoville, second vice president; W. W. Harvey, cashier, and George Crossett Harvey, assistant cashier. After George I. Cros- sett's death, D. S. Crossett was elected president and later suc- ceeded by the present incumbent, S. B. Hagenbuch. W. W. Harvey was succeeded as cashier, in 1902, by the present official, George Crossett Harvey.
Officers 1910: President, S. B. Hagenbuch ; vice president, E. W. Keightley ; cashier, George Crossett Harvey.
In March, 1910, the resources of the bank were $360,412; cap- ital stock paid in, $30,000; surplus and undivided profits, $13,000.
COMMERCIAL STATE BANK.
The Commercial State Bank of Constantine was organized August 1, 1894, with a capital (as at present) of $25,000. The pres- ent officers are as follows : John H. Jones, president; Samuel Gib- son, first vice president; John Blue, second vice president; James A. Marsh, cashier. Surplus and undivided profits, $29,000.
THE TOWN OF THE PRESENT.
Constantine is now a well-built town of about 1,600 people, eight miles south of Three Rivers and ten miles southwest of Cen- terville. Its water power and electric plant are the strong features of its material life as a corporation and an industrial center. A public library, opera house, well-conducted press, substantial banks, a gem of a hotel (the Harvey House), a good Union school and its churches and benevolent societies, are also so many in- dications of an intelligent, moral and religious community.
ITS PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The first school in the village was opened in the basement of Niles F. Smith's store, a little frame building on the south bank of the St. Joseph, near the present iron bridge. Thomas Charlton
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commenced to teach the half dozen pupils in the winter of 1830-1, not long after this first store opened for business.
The first school on Broad street was taught in 1836, in a building put up that year, and a lady taught its ten scholars.
The Union building, now occupied by the high school and grammar grades, accommodates about 260 pupils, of whom 90 are enrolled in the former department. The building was remodeled in 1894 and 1910. All the modern laboratory facilities are pro- vided for the high school, and there is also a well-equipped gym- nasium. Music and drawing are both taught as adjuncts to the regular courses. J. Q. Roode is Constantine's superintendent of schools, and Miss Anna Brady principal of the high school.
CONSTANTINE'S GREAT BRIDGE.
Contantine has had a number of bridges on the site of the sub- stantial iron structure of to-day. The first one was built on' piles, with a swing in the center. It was rebuilt in 1841 and 1849, a high curving arch being its new feature-an improvement made neces- sary to admit of the passage of steamboats. When it was razed in 1852 it was on a level with the second story of Barry's warehouse.
The first iron suspension bridge, at this point, was completed in August, 1869. The contractor who put the work through for $15,- 000 was Simon DeGraff, of New York, and at the time the struc- ture represented the largest single span, iron-truss bridge, in the west. After swinging over the St. Joseph with due dignity until November 23, 1869, it fell into the river; and it is safe to say that there was one event not listed in Constantine's causes for thanks- giving. The bridge, as rebuilt and completed in April, 1870, had a length of 231 feet. The building of the present-day iron bridge across the St. Joseph covered the period from September 26, 1905, to May 17, 1906.
CITY WATER AND LIGHT.
In 1902 the fine plant was erected at Constantine, which fur- nished the city with its water and electric supply. The building and site cost about $250,000, and the laying of the transmission lines $100,000. The manager of the plant is L. J. Botting, of Three Rivers.
CONSTANTINE NEWSPAPERS.
The Constantine Advertiser-Record, edited and published by Clayton W. Clemens, originated in the St. Joseph County Adver-
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tiser, which was founded at Centerville, by Albert E. Massey and Horace Metcalf, in February, 1845. It was started as a Whig paper, and continued to be published at the county seat, as the organ of that party, until June, 1851, when its new proprietors, Lee G. Hull and John M. Farquhar, moved it to Constantine. Thenceforth, it was issued as the St. Joseph County Advertiser and Constantine Weekly Mercury until 1900. In August following its establishment at Constantine, Mr. Farquhar withdrew from the paper, and for many years thereafter Mr. Hull published it con- tinuously, the only intermission being the burning of the building March 1, 1874, when the regular issues were suspended for a few weeks.
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