USA > Michigan > Kent County > Illustrated historical atlas of the county of Kent, Michigan > Part 11
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On the north side of Grand River and along the valley of Flat River, seems to have been the principal focus for the immigrants, and a sufficient number were in to organize a township in 1838, and although a majority of those participating lived within the limits of the present Town of Lowell, the town was called -Vergennes, and included both Lowell and Bowne, or towns 5, 6, and 7.
Among those elected to office in 1838 were quite a number residing in the vicinity of the village site of Lowell. They were : Supervisor-Rodney Robinson.
Clerk-M. Patrick.
Assessors-Lewis Robinson, T. I. Daniels, and John M. Fox.
Collector-Porter Ralph.
P. W. Fox, A. D. Smith, O. H. Jones, Jas. S. Fox, and Everet Wilson were also elected to office.
It was not until the Spring of 1848, or ten years after the first town meet- ing, that Lowell was separated from Vergennes and organized by itself-the Village of. Lowell, then known as Dansville, having been platted the year before. ,The officers elected were : Supervisor-Cyprian S. Hooker.
Clerk -- Timothy White.
Treasurer-Henry Church.
Justices-C. S. Hooker, Daniel McEwen, S. P. Rolf, Ira A. Danes. The town officers for 1875-6 were :
Supervisor-R. Hunter, Jr.
Clerk-J. W. Weeks.
Treasurer-M. C. Walker.
Justices-R. Hunter, Jr., M. M. Perry, C. H. Leslie, D. H. Denise.
CHARACTERISTICS, SOIL, ETC.
Grand River flows across the north side of the town at about an average distance of one mile from the north line, and Flat River, coming out of Vergennes about one and one-half miles from the east line of the town, unites with Grand River in the Village of Lowell, furnishing a vast motive power, which has been largely utilized. A number of small lakes, of which Pratt Lake is the largest, are to be found in the south part of the town, which is generally high table land and mostly clothed with heavy timber.
Near the river, on both sides, are ravines through which small streams find their way from the high lands to the river, and on the other side there ap- pears a series of bluffs, from one hundred to two hundred feet in height. These bluffs or hills, are clothed for the most part with oak, and the soil is frequently quite sandy or gravelly, but taken as a whole, Lowell compares favorably in point of fertility and annual production with other towns in the county.
VILLAGE OF LOWELL,
Daniel Marsac platted the Village of Lowell in 1846 under the name of Dansville, which name it continued to wear for about ten years. It was platted on what was known as the " University Grant," being a tract selected by the state under a grant by Congress for the founding of the Michigan University, and the title of the state was not extinguished until 1850 or after, when Edwin Avery, of Ionia, purchased it of the state.
Mr. Cyprian Hooker erected the first frame house here, about 1846, which is said to have been the first of the sort in the township, and in the following year he erected a grist mill in the village, which now began to assume some importance. A post office was established here in 1848. Additions now began to be made to the village, but it was not until the year 1861 that it became an incorporated village, indeed the whole town appears to have had but 214 inhabitants in 1850.
The first village officers were : President-Cyprian Hooker.
Recorder-Charles A. Blake. Treasurer-Simeon Hunt.
Marshal -- J. Chapman.
Assessor-Cyrus Hunt.
Trustees-Wm. W. Hatch, J. B. Shear; Arvine Peck.
At the time of the incorporation of the village, the town contained a popu- lation of about 1,100, which in 1870 had increased to 1,503, and to-day is estimated at more than 2,200. The village officers for the current year have been :
President-C. G. Stone. Recorder-J. H. Weeks.
Marshal-Robert Marshall.
Assessor-R. Hunter, Jr.
Treasurer-C. M. Devendorf.
Trustees-C. H. Crow, M. M. Perry, Wm. Pullen.
Lowell as a place of trade and for its manufactories has become the most / important village in the county, and is doing a really heavy business for a place of its size.
: There are two extensive grist mills, a woolen mill (not now in operation), two extensive planing mills, and a sash, door and blind factory, a manufac- tory of agricultural implements, a carriage and wagon factory, saw mill, etc. The trade of the place is represented by five dry goods houses, some of them also selling clothing and boot and shoes ; one clothing establishment ; four millinery and notion stores ; two boot and shoe stores ; five grocery stores ; three drug stores ; three hardware ; three meat markets ; one furni- ture store (large) ; one cooper shop (large) ; two livery stables ; a national bank, and one printing office, that of the Lowell Journal, now in its eleventh volume, and in a flourishing condition.
The village contains five churches, a high school, and four ward schools. The Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad is on the south side of Grand River, a half a mile or more from the center of Lowell, and around the depot has grown up quite a village, with factory, hotel, and stores. This is sometimes known as Segman, though regarded as a part of the Village of Lowell. We have seen that in 1850 the population of Lowell Township was little more than two hundred ; to-day it is estimated at about three thousand eight hundred, village included.
In 1845, the entire wealth of the region, now comprising three townships, was but $68,755 ; to-day that of Lowell alone is
The wheat crop of Lowell Township, in 1873, was 31,573 bushels ; corn, not stated ; other grain, 18,237 bushels ; potatoes, 9,776 bushels ; hay, 1,759 tons ; wool, 9,158 pounds ; butter, 47,065 pounds ; maple sugar, 22,092 pounds ; orchard and garden products, $5,262 worth.
Of live stock it has : horses, 337 ; oxen, 72 head ; cows, 432 ; other cattle, 432 ; hogs, 526 ; sheep, 2,156.
HISTORY OF NELSON TOWNSHIP.
Nelson is comparatively a new town, and one of the northern tier of towns in Kent County. It is bounded north by Montcalm County, has Spencer Township on the east, Courtland on the south, and the Town of Solon on the. west. The center of the township is about twenty-five miles in a straight line from the county seat. The number of the congressional townships which the civil township embraces is two, north and west.
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION.
The first white settler in this township appears to have been William H. Bailey, who made his home there in 1851. John S. Jones also located in' 1851, These were soon followed by John M. and Josiah Towns, Charles H. Leake, George Hoyle, George N. Stoddard, D. B. Andrew, and George Stout, H. M. Stanton, Riley Smith, Samuel Punches, N. R. Hill, John N. and Andrew S. Tindall, John and Elisha Dean, H. D. Streeter, James and Bradford Baily, Joseph Wood and Thomas Almy, Simpson Anderson, Cyrus Stilwell, Harlow H. Stanton, Moses E. ,Ross, J. [R. Smith, Church Bailey, Peter D. Buck, and Amos Bessey.
The interesting ceremony of organizing] this township took place in
81
HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY-CONTINUED.
October, 1854, and the first election occurred in April following, at the house of Charles H. Leake, with the following result : Supervisor-George Hoyle. Clerk-George N. Stoddard.
Treasurer-Charles H. Leake.
Justices of Peace-Samuel Punches, Sampson Anderson, Cyrus Stilwell, and Harlow H. Stanton.
We are unable to determine the population of the township at this time; but five years later it amounted to about one hundred families. The principal town officers for the year 1875-6 are : Supervisor-Mindrus H. Whitney .. Clerk-A. V. Sliter.
Treasurer-David B. Stout.
Justices of the Peace-Nicholas R. Hill, Jason Squires, M. H. Whitney, and Edward Grosvenor.
CHARACTERISTICS, SOIL, ETC., ETC.
Perhaps fully one-half of the area of this township was pine lands origi- nally, with beech, maple, oak, and other hard woods, clothing the remainder, or interspersed with pine. A few cedar and tamarack swamps will be found in the town, especially in the northeastern portion. The soil, though generally sandy, is of a far superior quality to most pine lands, and is in fact deemed excellent for general farming and fruit raising. It is gently undu- lating, or inclining to plat. Several small lakes, as Pine, and a portion of Sand Lake, lie within its boundaries. The northeast corner of the town- ship is watered by Black Creek, flowing to the southeast ; the northwest portion of Duke Creek and its tributaries flowing to the southwest. and the southwest corner by Cedar Creek. No streams of much size are found in the township. The land is among the highest in the county, and in general characteristics much resembles Solon Township on the west.
About one-third of the village of Cedar Springs, spoken of in connection with Solon Township, lies within this township, and at this point the town meetings are held. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad runs through .the western portion of the township for four miles, with Sand Lake and Lock wood Stations within its limits.
GROWTH AND PRESENT CONDITION.
Although a new township, which was without an inhabitant in 1850, and but four hundred and sixty in 1860, it showed one thousand one hundred and two in 1870 ; and 152 horses and mules, in 1874 ; 96 work oxen ; 184 cows ; 184 other cattle ; 167 hogs ; 513 head of sheep, and $3,050 worth of orchard and garden products ; 5,889 bushels of wheat ; 7,090 of corn , 7,374 bushels of other grain, and 1, 565 tons of hay.
. In 1855 the aggregate value of the real and personal property amounted to $27,791. In 1875 the personal is $26,675, and the real estate at $359,358, or $386,033 in all.
HISTORY OF OAKFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Oakfield is one of the northeastern townships of Kent County, being the second from the north end of the county, having Spencer Township on the north, Montcalm County to the east, Grattan Township on the south, and Courtland Township on the west. The center of the township is about twenty-five miles from Grand Rapids.
SETTLEMENT AND ORGANIZATION.
The first white man located within this town, in the year 1838, when Hon. William R. Davis established his home in section nineteen. About one year .later, William Thornton, afterward sheriff of the county, and Stephen S. and Isaac Tower, moved into the town. For about three years no further addi- tions were made to the pioneers, when Thomas Crinnion and David J. Gil- bert appeared upon the scene of action. Sheldon Ashley came in 1844, followed in 1845 by Erie, Harry, and Giles McArthur, three. brothers. Morris Hart, Nathaniel W. Mock, John Davis, Levi White, James Elstley, William Peterson, and Benjamin Potter, all came in prior to the organization in the Spring of 1849.
At an early day Oakfield was associated with five other towns, situated to the west and north of it, and later was organized with Courtland as Wabasis Township, but in the Spring of 1849 it became an independent subdivision under its present name.
The first officers were :
Supervisor-Thomas Spencer. Town Clerk-Harry McArthur. Treasurer-Harry Osgood.
Justices-Thomas Spencer, Harry D. Pond, David J. Gilbert, William M. Gould.
The first birth in the town was William H. Davis, son of Hon. William M. Davis, April, 1840, and the first marriage was Miss Hannah Tower to Zenas G. Windsor, which took place in August, 1840.
Isaac Tower erected the first frame barn in the town, in 1840, and William Thornton the first frame house, in 1841.
Among the present town officers are : Supervisor-Harry McArthur. Clerk-Edward Jones.
Treasurer-William Brown.
Justices-Henry Lilly, Ruffin Caukin, Lewis Tower.
CHARACTERISTICS, SOIL, ETC.
There are some pine lands in the northwest corner, a strip on the south side of the town, and scattering pine in several places, but the body of the town is what is termed oak openings, with very little sugar and beech, or heavily timbered lands in its borders. Not less than twenty-five lakes will be found on the maps, some of them small, it is true, while Wabasis, Scrum, and Horse Shoe Lakes are among the largest in the county, and with the exception, perhaps, of Grattan, it presents the largest lake surface of any town in the county. Tamarack swamps are also numerous. The soil bears the usual characteristics of oak opening, and is generally light, though con- siderable bodies of it are counted of excellent qualities, and fine crops of wheat and other cereals are produced. The surface of the town is generally rolling, and a remarkable bed or two of marl have been worked to advantage. There are no prominent business centers. Near the center of the town is a small place called Podunk, with two stores, two smith shops, a grist mill, on Wabasis Creek, the outlet to the largest lake in the town. The Grand Rapids and. Greenville Railroad, graded several years since, but still incom- plete, is to pass through the center of the town. There are three post-offices in its limits.
GROWTH AND PRESENT CONDITION.
Although a few persons made this their home at an early day, settlement can hardly be regarded as having commenced in earnest until 1845 or 1846 ; since which time it has made good progress, and in point of population and products it compares favorably with many older towns, In 1870 the popu- lation numbered one thousand and ninety-two, and the personal and real estate is estimated at about $840,000.
It produced in 1873 : 25,384 bushels of wheat ; 29,651 bushels of corn ;
26,798 bushels of other grain ; and 7,850 bushels of potatoes ; 1,360 tons of hay ; 15,730 pounds of wool, and 1,400 pounds of cheese. It had in 1874 : 421 head of horses and mules ; 73 work oxen ; 365 cows ; 365 other cattle ; 548 hogs, and 3,396 head of sheep.
HISTORY OF PARIS TOWNSHIP.
The Township of Paris is situated immediately south of Grand Rapids Township, and for one mile at the northwest corner it is bounded by the city limits. It has Cascade Township on the east, Gaines on the south, and Wyoming Township on the west. The center of the town is but about five miles, therefore, from the center of the city.
SETTLEMENT -- ORGANIZATION.
Some of the earliest settlers of Kent County located in Paris Township. It is claimed that Joel, Edward, and Daniel Guild, Barney Burton, and James Vanderpool, first located within this town, in 1833. Benjamin Clark and Abram Laraway settled in the town in 1835. Jacob Miner and James Patterson settled in the northeast part of the town in 1836, and Orleans Spaulding and Philanzo Bowen came in the same year. Nicholas Carlton came in the year 1838 ; Hiram H. Allen, Robert Barr, Stephen Hinsel, Hezekiah B. Smith, John Kirkland, James Ballard, Joseph R. Palmer, Pal- mer Allen, Joseph J. Baxter, De Witt Clinton and Robert Shoemaker, Alvin H. Wansey, and Jared Wansey, all seemed to have come to the township prior to the Spring of 1839.
Barney Burton erected the first log house and barn in the town, and after- wards the first frame house.
The first town meeting for the organization of the Town of Paris, was held
at the house of H. H. Allen.
The following were elected as the first town officers: Supervisor-Joel Guild.
Clerk-Hiram H. Allen.
Treasurer-Robert Barr.
Justices-H. H. Allen, Hezekiah B. Smith, Barney Burton, Alexander Clark.
Com. of Highways-Joseph Blain, Jacob Patterson, John Kirkland. . Among the officers serving for 1875-6 were : Supervisor-Samuel Langdon. Clerk-Evan Hendershot.
Treasurer-Everet H. Hurd.
Justices-Wright C. Allen, Seley S. Buck, Samuel Langdon, A. C. Barclay. As late as 1838 there was but one road through the township, and that the Kalamazoo Road. When the whites began to come in, there was no regular settlement of Indians, but about 1840, a colony of them was formed not far from the present site of Bowen's Station. This band, a few years later, sold their lands and disappeared ..
CHARACTERISTICS, SOIL, ETC.
The surface of Paris varies from level or gently undulating to very rolling, and its timber varies from well timbered pine lands and oak openings, to very heavily timbered lands, in which beech, maple, bass-wood, ash, elm, etc., abound. There are heavy clay soils in various parts of the town, but more especially in the central and southeastern parts ; while light and sandy soil prevails more largely in the west and northerly parts of the township, The town is without lakes, but several large marshes are found within its area, and as near every variety of soil as will be often met, with.
Plaster Creek, which rises in Gaines Township, enters this town in its- southeastern part, and flowing in a northerly direction for three and one- half miles, then takes a nearly west course until it leaves the township. Four or five small tributaries of this stream rise in the eastern and northern por- tions of the town, furnishing ample drainage, while the southern or -south- western side of the stream seems almost devoid of tributaries. In former days, Plaster Creek was made to do duty as a mill stream within the town- ship, but seems to have been abandoned,
A plank road was completed on the west line of this town, leading from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo, in 1854. This for about fifteen years, was re- garded as a very important thoroughfare, but with the multiplication of railroads, it became of less importance, and to-day only a few rotten and worn out planks and disused toll-houses tell of its greatness.
Paris Township is too close to the head of the market to maintain much of a business center of its own, and so Bowen Station and Kellogville, as villages, are not destined to amount to much.
GROWTH AND PRESENT STANDING.
.In six years after the organization of the town (then including Gaines) it had a tax roll amounting to $54,357, and in 1850 a population of 521. In 1870 its population numbered 1,543, and its personal and real estate was estimated (at about one-third of its real worth), at $462,040.
Its comparative value as an agricultural town is high, showing a large average product of all the principal items. In 1873 it produced 20,803 bushels of wheat, 32,283 bushels of corn, 29,026 bushels of other grain, 23, 754 bushels of potatoes, 2,651 tons of hay, 10,358 pounds of wool, 400 pounds of cheese, 22,092 pounds of maple sugar, and $3,992 worth of orchard and garden products.
Its live stock consisted of 560 horses and mules, 42 work oxen, 553 cows, 553 head of other cattle, 584 hogs, and 1,995 head of sheep. Many excellent and finely kept farms are found in the town.
HISTORY OF PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP.
Plainfield is one of the four central towns ; its southeast corner being the geographical center of the county. It is immediately north of Grand Rapids, east of Alpine, west of Cannon, and south of Algoma Township. It was early settled and early organized. The center of the town is nearly ten miles east of north from the county seat.
SETTLEMENT, ORGANIZATION, ETC.
Mr. George Miller and family are reputed to be the very first settlers within the present limits of the township, arriving in the year 1837. Others came during the same year, and among them James Clark, Thomas Friant, Warner Dexter, all settling in the vicinity of the Village of Plainfield. In the follow- ing year Cornelius Friant, Zera Whitney, and Gideon H. Gordon, settled in the same neighborhood, and Daniel North in the southwest part of the town. Among the other settlers coming in during the years 1837-8, were Zenas G. Winsor, Ethiel Whitney, A. D. W. Stout, Andrew Watson, Henry God- win, Dumas Francisco, Jacob Francisco, Samuel Baker, and a few others. The first birth and death occurred in the family of Mr. George Miller in 1838, when twins were born and shortly died.
It appears that a rude school house was built near the present site of Plainfield as early as 1837 or '38, and that the first town meeting, occurring in April, 1838, was held at said house.
The first officers elect were :
Supervisor-Zenas G. Winsor.
Clerk-Edwin A. Morris.
Treasurer-James Crawford.
Justices-Daniel North, Samuel Baker, Z. G. Winsor, George Miller. Highway Commissioners-A. D. W. Stout, Warner Dexter.
School Inspectors-Z. G. Winsor, Ethiel Whitney, Cornelius Friant. The principal town officers for the current year are : Supervisor-Hallis Conkle. Clerk -Elijah Filkins. Treasurer-Henry Plumb.
Justices-Nicholas R. Johnson, Norman Richardson, George Curtis, Mr. Wise.
VILLAGES.
There are no villages of much size in the township. Plainfield, the largest, is situated on the Grand Rapids and Ionia State Road where it crosses the river at its most northerly bend, and contains about twenty-five families. There is an Episcopal church, a hotel, two small stores, a smith shop, etc. The post office is named Austerlitz.
At Belmont Station, near the center of the township, and on the Grand Rapids and Indiana R.R., there is a post-office, a fine hotel, one store, a smith shop, and twelve or fifteen families.
A small portion of the Village of Rockford is also within this township. There is a flouring and saw mill in the southwest corner of the town, on Mill Creek, and several mills upon Rouge River within the town.
CHARACTERISTICS, SOIL, ETC.
It is said that this township took its name from a number of small prairies or level plains within its borders. These were annually swept by fire started by the Indians, in an early day. Notwithstanding the name, and some very beautiful natural meadows, there is scarcely a more broken or excessively hilly portion of the county, than is to be found in the southeast corner of the town, as well as on the north side of Grand River, and on both sides of the Rouge.
The timber varies from oak openings to very heavy, with here and there a good pine forest, especially in the northwest part, and the soil from the light .. sandy to stiffest clays, most of it, even where sandy, being of that loamy character indicating great fertility. There are several small lakes also in the northwest part of the town, the largest, Island or " Pine Island," in Section 7. Grand River, sweeping to the northwest, enters the town near its south- east corner, and from Plainfield Village, where there is a substantial bridge, it runs nearly west for almost three miles, then bending to the southwest leaves the town nearly at its southwest corner ; and leaves nearly one-third of the town on its south side.
Rouge River entering the town near its northeast corner, flows in a south- westerly direction till it unites with the Grand River about half a mile below Plainfield Village.
Numerous small tributaries find their way from the high lands by rapid descent, into both of these streams, adding much to the inequality of surface and picturesqueness of scenery.
GROWTH, PRESENT STATUS, ETC.
Plainfield has demonstrated its adaptability for general farming purposes, as well as fruit raising.
The products reported in 1874 were wheat 25.050 bushels, corn 32,872 bushels, other grains 23,693 bushels, wool 6,628 pounds, orchard products valued at $8,056.
Its live stock for 1874 was 441 horses and mules, oxen 54, cows 562, other cattle 414, hogs 499, sheep 2,156.
In 1845 the real and personal property was valued at $40,437, which had become over $260,000 in 1875, and its population had increased to about 1,500 in 1870.
HISTORY OF SOLON TOWNSIP.
Solon is one of the newer subdivisions of Kent County. It is in the northern tier of towns, and in the second tier from the west. It is numbered- IO North of Range II West. On the north lies Newaygo County, Nelson Township is on the east, Algoma south, and Tyrone Township on the west. By the nearest traveled route the center of the township is more than twenty miles from the county seat.
SETTLEMENT, ORGANIZATION, ETC.
Tradition divides the distinction of making the first settlement within the limits of this town, between Mr. Beals and Mr. J. M. Rounds, who located within its limits during 1854. About the same time three brothers, John, Martin, and Robbins Hicks, from Ohio and Indiana, settled within its limits. J. D. Watkins located in 1855. Near the same time, Edward Jewell, John E. Roys, Andrew Fluent, Munson Robinson, Obadiah Smith, Ansel Rogers, and many others came in.
In the year 1857 the township was detached from Algoma, and organized as an independent township. The first officers were :
Supervisor-Edward Jewell.
Clerk-John E. Roys.
Treasurer-John D. Watkins.
Justices-Andrew Fluent, Munson Robinson, Obediah Smith.
For several years the town meetings and elections were held near the center of the town, at school house number 2, until the year 1865, when the township head-quarters were removed to the Village of Cedar Springs. The township officers for 1875-6 are :
Supervisor-Edward Price. Clerk-D. C. Lyle.
Treasurer-E. J. Roys.
Superintendent.of Schools-J. C. Chapman.
Justices-J. C. Chapman, Edward Price, N. F. Slawson, C. S. Ford.
CHARACTERISTICS, SOIL, ETC.
Solon is mainly high table lands, somewhat flat in portions, especially in the east and southeastern parts of the township, but more undulating or rolling in the central and western portions.
About two-thirds of its area was originally a pine forest, much of it as valuable pine as was to be found in the county. "In many portions, however, where pine is the prevailing timber, beech, maple and oak are interspersed, and a quality of soil is found far above the average of pine lands in value for all agricultural purposes ; in short, it is found in many cases to be the best quality of wheat land, yielding thirty and even forty bushels per acre in some instances, The township is well watered by Duke Creek and its branches, together with Cedar Creek and other small tributaries of Rouge River. On one or more of these streams, small though they seem, are valu- able mill sites that have been partially improved.
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