USA > Michigan > Jackson County > Jackson > Jackson city directory and business advertiser. With a history from the first settlement of the city, and a general portrait of its business at the present time, for 1867-1868 > Part 10
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" 22,
Eleventh Cavalry,
" 28, 60
Thirteenth Infantry,
27, Sixth Cavalry,
Nov. 30, 66
First Sharpshooters, " 31,
Seventh
Dec. 20,
Second Cavalry,
August 26, " 30,
Twelfth Infantry,
Feb. 27, 1866.
Sixth Heavy Artillery,
Third Cavalry,
March 10, "
Ninth Infantry,
Sept. 19,
* Re-organized at Jackson, March 16, 1865.
The last Camp in Jackson, Camp Blair, was continued until about the 1st of June, 1866, when the last vestige of the pomp and circumstance passed away by an order discontinuing the camp.
The disbanding and paying off of so many men made trade good, and our merchants realized the full benefit of this condition of things. Indeed, the business of Jackson during the war was immense, and added greatly to our prosperity and material wealth.
Throughout the war the ladies of Jackson were very active and efficient in giving "aid and comfort" to the brave men who had left home to defend their country. A great amount of sanitary stores were collected and sent forward. After the war closed, a committee of citizens, of whom many were ladies, were appointed to make arrangements and take measures to provide for the re- turning Michigan regiments such refreshments and attention as they might stand in need of on their arrival in the city, Jackson having been made a rendezvous for returning troops. The most liberal and generous provision was made to this end, and from June 4th, 1865, to June 1st, 1866, over 10,659 Michigan troops had been received and entertained by the committee in the most satisfactory manner.
Jackson is as distinguished as any place in the West for the number and high character of its self-made men, citizens who commenced life without capital or other help, save their own energies, shrewd intelligence and indomitable will. We give in this volume the biographies of two of our principal merchants, but in doing so, we do not wish to be considered as partial to either Mr. Bennett or Mr. Reynolds, only that they are representative men of the class, and perhaps the most prominent among our leading merchants.
Wiley R. Reynolds was born in Essex county in the State of
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
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New York, in the year 1817, and passed the first twenty years of his life upon his father's farm, acquiring in that valuable school for developing the character, training and strengthening the natural powers, and teaching the worth and value of labor, lessons of practical usefulness that contribute so much to make men, with such antecedents, independent of the favors of fortune and heroes in the battle for the world's brightest guerdon-SUCCESS. The advantages afforded by the Common Schools in the country forty years ago were given to young Reynolds, but he made such good use of these that for all practical purposes it has sufficed.
In 1839 young Reynolds resolved to try his fortunes in the West, and, with this end in view, arrived at Plymouth, in this State, and remained there about a year. Not becoming settled in any business, he removed to Jackson in 1840, and engaged as Stage Agent for Messrs. Davis & Tillotson, the extensive stage proprietors of that period. By this position he made numerous acquaintances with citizens and others, and, after acting for the Company about six months, and being of an enterprising and self- reliant nature, determined to strike out for himself. He therefore obtained a building which at that time-the fall of 1840-stood on the north side of the public square, and " started" a small grocery, and commenced trade with a stock ample as his means would buy, which was not very extensive. In about six months he found it necessary to increase his facilities for business, and ac- cordingly removed to the " checkered store" on Main street, which then stood on the site of the present store of the Clark Brothers. He also at this time formed a co-partnership with Mr. George F. Gardner. Here Reynolds & Gardner remained one year, when . they sold their stock to Henry H. Gilbert, who removed it to his own building. Mr. Reynolds soon after purchased a new stock and started again in the same business and in the same store in which himself and Gardner had recently been engaged. In 1844 he enlarged his business by the addition of a large stock of Dry Goods, his sales increasing and his stock enlarging every year. In 1851 he associated with himself his brother William B. Rey- nolds, and the businesss was conducted under this firm success- fully until 1856, when he disposed of his interest in the business to Sheldon C. Reynolds. .
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
In 1851 he became interested with Mr. Hayden in the purchase and operation of the Ætna Flouring Mills, and afterwards became associated with the same gentleman in the Kennedy Mills, in both of which Mr. Reynolds is now largely interested. This last named mill is the large steam establishment on Mechanic street, enlarged and improved so that now it is scarcely behind any mill of its kind · in Michigan. The capacity of these two mills is 500 barrels of flour daily.
In 1857 Mr. Reynolds bought his brother William's interest in the store above referred to, and it was made a first-class dry goods store. The new firm soon became widely known under its present name, that of W. R. & S. C. REYNOLDS, a combination of letters and sounds as familiar to the eyes and ears of the people of Jack- son and surrounding counties as household words. Their trade grew rapidly, until their sales reached almost incredible figures, especially during the last three years of the war and since that time.
On the 14th of February, 1865, their new marble block having been completed and made ready for their reception, they changed their base of operations, and ever since the " Marble Front Block" has been synonymous with the splendid dry goods store of Messrs. W. R. & S. C. Reynolds, and long may they hang their banners upon its outer walls.
Mr. Reynolds has always occupied a prominent position among the citizens of Jackson. Industrious, energetic and enterprising, early he saw the advantages of being his own master and in doing for himself what, as employed by others, would enrich them and leave him poor indeed. Throwing up a good situation, he took the risks of inexperience and failure and started for himself. And the result has proved the value and importance of that first undertaking. It was the stamp of his capacities-the proof of his abilities-that he had the disposition and the courage to throw away all dependence upon others, and start alone upon the road to fortune, beset with so many difficulties, with so many lions in the way. Devoted to business, applying his increas- ing experience to new fields of enterprise, and with enlarged views of business, his steps have ever been onward. Contented with the class of labor involved in the pursuits of mercantile life,
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
he has not sought distinction in other fields. He has directed all his energies and financial abilities, for which he is so well known, to the building up of his business, and he may well be proud of the result. He is a shrewd financier, a safe, though large-minded business manager.
In 1860 Mr. Reynolds purchased the splendid mansion on Main street, in which he now lives, of Mr. Daniel B. Hibbard. It is a beautiful and attractive place; one of the loveliest and pleasantest of the many happy homes of Jackson.
In 1864 Mr. R. was elected as one of the Aldermen of the City. He is one of the Directors of the PEOPLE'S NATIONAL BANK OF JACKSON, of which Mr. Hayden is President. He has been closely identified with the progress and history of Jackson, and is and has been one of her most liberal, public-spirited citizens. He is still in the prime of life and usefulness, and we cannot doubt that such a man will continue to become more and more of value to our city in developing its greatness and increasing its import- ance and its material wealth.
In the lives of the merchants and business men of village or city, there always attaches an interest, widely felt, much sought for and notable, because the record of those sterling, active, enter- prising men is the history of the growth, development and pros- perity of the community in which they have lived, where they have chosen a home and made an abiding place therein.
Among those who early came to the City of Jackson, and began to rear the fabrics of a fortune destined to be even greater than his youthful ambition dared to hope, was WILLIAM M. BENNETT, now known so far and wide, not only in this section of the country, as one of the merchant princes of Michigan, and one of the commercial leaders of the State. Mr. Bennett is so intimately connected with the commercial interests of the city, and has con- tributed so largely to its general growth and prosperity, that in writing the history of Jackson, an important link in the chain would indeed be missing were we to omit giving a sketch of his life. To him and a few others (of whom we have spoken else- where) the City is under a weighty obligation for its present com- mercial position. Mr. Bennett was born in the town of Bethany, Genessee County, New York, in the year 1824, of humble though M
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
highly respectable parents. His father was a farmer, and early in life young Bennett was set at work in the usual avocations that fall to the share of the farmer's boy. But whatever he had to do he did well and with zeal directed by intelligence. He remained upon the farm until he became his own master, when he turned his back upon the scenes of his younger days, associated with the memory of pleasure as well as of toil, well disciplined and fitted to encounter all the rough storms of life, endowed with a vigorous frame and a well formed character. In 1847 he came to Jackson, the fame of the West, even at that time filling the minds of the young and adventurous with hopes of success. Mr. B. engaged as a clerk with Mr. S. W. Whitwell, in the then famous store of that gentleman, serving four years, and with such faithfulness and good report that at the end of that time he was taken in as a part- ner, and a branch of the establishment being determined upon at Kalamazoo, he went to that place and conducted the business quite successfully (under the name of W. M. Bennett & Co.,) until 1852, when he returned to Jackson. In 1855 he purchased the interest of Mr. Whitwell and became sole proprietor, his business rapidly increasing and enlarging as the result of his close application, his excellent judgment and his shrewd interpretation of the wants of his neighbors. He has ever since conducted the business with untiring energy and with the ability that wrests success from the grasp of difficulty. He has thus been enabled to outrival his com- petitors and establish a business, the extent of which is immense, nay, almost fabulous. We do not exaggerate in speaking of Mr. Bennett's abilities. He has rare merits as a business man. It is in his working faculties that Mr. Bennett stands pre-eminent. It is safe to say that there are few men capable of enduring, even for a short time, what he has passed through as the daily routine of life. He possesses a memory clear and tenacious, even to the smallest details, and his perceptions are quick and vivid, while he is always strictly honorable.
At the same time, while the pressure of an immense trade has borne upon his shoulders, Mr. Bennett has shown that but half of his capacities have been brought into requisition. He has not devoted himself entirely to money getting, nor in getting money to hoard it away. He has been a public-spirited citizen, con-
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
tributing to the wealth and prosperity, to the adornment and good repute of his adopted city, in ways which it is scarcely neces- sary to mention. He has also found time to cultivate the graces of social intercourse, the delights of friendships and the dearer and more enduring pleasures of home, surrounding that charmed spot with all that can delight the eye, gratify the heart, or minis- ter to the comfort of its inmates and possessors. It has been said that Mr. Bennett has two great faults-he makes money too fast for some people, and does not spend it fast enough for others. If he had disarmed criticism on both these points, he might have ended life as poor as he began it. This was not to be. Men like Wm. Bennett were born to make their way in the world. One instance of Mr. Bennett's regard for the poor is worthy of record. On New Year's Day, 1864, that cold, relentless day, Mr. Bennett, having in mind the sufferings of the needy, took upon himself (quietly and without parade) to visit the poor and minister to their wants ; nearly all that day he occupied himself in providing wood, provisions, and articles of necessity for such as required them, and in seeing that their sufferings were, in a measure at least, lessened. Mr. B. is still young in feelings and spirits at least, nor has he overpassed in years the prime of life. Surrounded by all that wealth can give, respected and esteemed by his fellow-citizens, looking back upon an industrious, honorable and well spent life, and forward for many happy years to come, with a record such as any man might be proud of, and affording a striking example of the certainty of success to those who are determined upon winning it, Mr. B. may well be ranked among our most prominent citizens. His palatial residence, occupying a commanding position upon Main street, is a monument alike of his taste, wealth and liber- ality, and of his love of home, and the city he delights to honor.
The following are the names of those who have held office since the organization of the county :
GOVERNOR.
Austin Blair, from 1860 to 1864.
CONGRESSMAN.
Austin Blair, from 1866 to -
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
JUDGES OF PROBATE.
James Valentine,
1833 to 1836 Jonathan L. Videto,
1852 to 1856
Leander Chapman,
1836 to 1840
Thomas Mc Gee,
1856 to 1860
William R. De Land,
1840 to 1844
Joseph E. Beebe,
1860 to 1864
Samuel Higby,
1844 to 1848
Melville Mc Gee,
1864 to -
Orson W. Bennett,
1848 to 1852
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
Leander Chapman, - - to 1840
Austin Blair,
1852 to 1854
Phineas Farrand,
1840 to 1843
Fidus Livermore,
1854 to 1856
David Johnson,
1843 to 1845
Eugene Pringle,
1856 to 1862
G. Thompson Gridley,
1845 to 1847 Orson W. Bennet,
1862 to 1864
Fidus Livermore,
1847 to 1850 Victor M. Bostwick,
1864 to 1866
Samuel Higby,
1850 to 1852
William K. Gibson,
1866 to
SHERIFFS.
David Keyes,
1833 to 1835
Amos Pickett,
1850 to 1854
Amasa B. Gibson,
1835 to 1838
William Wyckoff,
1854 to 1858
James A. Dyer,
1838 to 1840
George L. Smalley,
1858 to 1862
Jonathan L. Videto,
1840 to 1842
Jacob K. Smalley,
1862 to 1864
Henry Tisdale,
1842 to 1846
David H. Lockwood,
1864 to 1866
Lewis D. Welling,
1846 to 1850
George Jennings,
1866 to
TREASURERS.
S. Stoddard,
1833 to 1836
Reynolds Landon,
1850 to 1854
Oliver Russ,
1836 to 1838
Amos Pickett,
1854 to 1856
Norman Allen,
1838 to 1840
Anson Townley,
1856 to 1860
John N. Dwight,
1840 to 1842
Luther F. Grandy,
1860 to 1862
Leander Chapman,
1842 to 1846
Anson Townley,
1862 to 1864
James C. Wood,
1846 to 1850
Luther F. Grandy,
1864 to
REGISTERS OF DEEDS.
Hiram Thompson,
1833 to 1836
Levi P. Gregg,
1852 to 1856
Joseph C. Bailey,
1836 to 1839
John M. Root,
1856 to 1860
William A. Perrine,
1839 to 1842
Luther H. Ludlow,
1860 to 1862
Hiram Thompson, .
1842 to 1846
Abram Van De Bogart, 1862 to 1864
Peter E. De Mill,
1846 to 1850
Harvey Bush,
1864 to -
Gardner H. Shaw,
1850 to 1852
CLERKS.
S. Stoddard,
1833 to 1836
Walter Budington,
1848 to 1852
William D. Thompson,
1836 to 1838
Horace G. Bliss,
1852 to 1854
William R. De Land,
1838 to 1840
De Witt C. Smith,
1854 to 1856
Fairchild Farrand,
1840 to 1842 Alex. G. Bell,
1856 to 1858
Czar Jones,
1842 to 1846
Daniel Upton,
1858 to 1866
James A. Dyer,
1846 to 1848
Robert D. Knowles,
1866 to -
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
A List of the Presidents, Mayors and Recorders of the Village and of the City of Jackson.
Village Organized March 7, 1843.
PRESIDENTS.
Abram V. Berry,
1843 John Sumner,
1850
Abram V. Berry,
1844
John Sumner,
1851
Abram V. Berry,
1845
G. Thompson Gridley, 1852
Jerome B. Eaton,
1846
G. Thompson Gridley, 1853
John Sumner,
1847
John W. Hulin,
1854
Alva Gould,
1848
*Fairchild Farrand,
1855
*Orson W. Bennett,
1848
Samuel Higby,
1856
Orson W. Bennett,
1849
VILLAGE RECORDERS.
Samuel Higby,
1843
William Osborn,
1851
Henry Frink,
1844
Milton H. Myrick,
1852
Jerome M. Treadwell,
1845
Milton H. Myrick,
1853
Jerome M. Treadwell,
1846
*Eugene Pringle,
1853
Reuel C. Baker,
1847
Eugene Pringle,
1854
Joshua Slayton,
1848
Eugene Pringle,
1855
*Samuel H. Kimball,
1848
Isaac Sharpsteen,
1856
Samuel H. Kimball,
1849
*Milo E. Dyer,
1856
William Osborn,
1850
City Organized February 14, 1857.
MAYORS.
James C. Wood,
1857 Amasa B. Gibson,
1863
Peter B. Loomis,
1858 Delos Fisher,
1864
William Jackson,
1859 Dan'l B. Hibbard,
1865
Amos Root,
1860
Moses A. Mc Naughton,
1866
Amasa B. Gibson,
1861
Warren N. Buck,
1867
Amasa B. Gibson,
1862
CITY RECORDERS.
John L. Mitchell,
1857 Chas. C. Ismon,
1862
Benjamin Newkirk,
1858 James O'Donnell,
1863
*John W. Hulin,
1858 James O'Donnell,
1864
John D. Conely,
1859 James O'Donnell,
1865
Frederick M. Foster,
1860 James O'Donnell,
1866
Enoch Bancker,
1861
Thos. J. Conely, 1867
* Elected to fill vacancy.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
TREASURERS.
Lorenzo D. Griswold,
1857 Walter Budington. 1863
Job Hobart,
1858
Walter Budington,
1864
Job Hobart,
1859
Walter Budington,
1865
Frank W. Anthony,
1860 Artemus Cushman,
1866
William Wheat,
1861
Frederick M. Foster,
1867
William Wheat,
1862
MARSHALS.
Chester Warriner,
1856
Chester Warriner,
1862
Chester Warriner,
1857
L. M. Lyon,
1863
A. V. Berry,
1858
William Tharp,
1864
A. V. Berry,
1859 William Tharp,
1865
A. V. Berry,
1860 Horace Fields,
1866
Chester Warriner,
1861
Horace Fields,
1867
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES.
METHODIST CHURCH.
The Methodist Episcopal Church is the oldest in Jackson. It was organized as a class, with twelve members, in the fall of 1830, under the charge of Rev. E. H. Pilcher and Rev. Mr. Colclazier, two young men just beginning their work as circuit preachers. They preached once in two weeks for a year, holding service at the house of Wm. R. Thompson.
The first quarterly meeting of the Church was held early in 1831 at the new log house of Hiram Thompson, which stood very nearly on the ground now occupied by Reynolds' marble block. At this meeting the first convert of the little settlement made a confession of his faith, and was received into the Church.
Not long after this, Joseph H. Smith, a Methodist Minister from Canada, formed a Bible-class and Sabbath School, which flourished until midsummer of 1832, when on account of sickness it was discontinued.
After that time the appointment was regularly supplied by cir- cuit preachers. Sometimes the society was prosperous and some- times was almost overthrown by the adverse circumstances that always attend the progress of any thing valuable to humanity.
Services where held at first in the dwellings of the people, and later in the first school house which stood on the hill now orna- mented by the Central School building. Later still, and just pre- vious to the erection of the present Church edifice, their meetings . were held in a little building known as the "pepper-box," built by the Congregationalists.
In 1848 the Society determined to build a Church, and the work was accordingly begun. That year the basement was built,
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
and with much difficulty the enterprise was carried forward through the year 1849, and in May of 1850 the edifice was finally completed.
Rev. E. H. Pilcher was Pastor when the building was com- menced, and it was finished during the labors of Rev. F. Gage. When the church was dedicated a debt of $2,300 was still upon it, which was paid off in the years 1852-3, through the untiring efforts of Rev. S. Clements, who succeeded Rev. F. Gage as pastor.
Since that time the Church has grown in wealth and numbers, until it has a membership of 250, under the pastoral charge of Rev. A. P. Mead, and a flourishing Sabbath School with over 300 pupils, under the superintendency of Henry Pilcher, Esq.
The society is now erecting a new Church edifice which will be, when completed, one of the most costly and beautiful in the State. This will be ready for use during the year, and the Methodist Church will then be able to throw open the doors of a beautiful house to those who come to live in our rapidly growing city.
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
A Presbyterian Church, formed in 1837, was merged into the First Congregational Church and Society of Jackson, which was organized March 6, 1841, Rev. Marcus Harrison, Minister. The Articles of Faith and Covenant were subscribed to by the follow- ing persons :
Chester Bennett, Wm. R. De Land, Daniel Parkhurst, Silas W. Stowell, Peter C. Vreeland, Benjamin I. Mather, Chester Yale, Berthier M. Sheldon, Aruna P. Woods, Frederick Johnson, Charles Johnson, Daniel Rand, Jehiel Bartholomew, James Hamilton, Elihu Taylor, George Taylor, Wm. F. Barrett, James A Banister, Amos A. Bartholomew, and others.
The labors of Mr. Harrison closed with the year 1842. For two and a half years the pulpit was supplied by the Revs. Trot- ter, Tucker, Chichester, Fuller and Kidder.
In the fall of 1845, the Church and Society extended a unani- mous call to Rev. Gustavus L. Foster to become their Pastor. Having accepted said call, he was installed Jan. 21, 1846. His labors continued until Aug. 9, 1852, when he was dismissed.
In Jan., 1853, a unanimous call was extended to Rev. James A.
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
Hawley. He was installed as pastor of the Church in February following, and was dismissed in November, 1855.
Rev. Asa Mahan commenced his labors as stated supply in Sep- tember, 1855, and was installed May 27, 1856. This Pastoral relation continued till April, 1858.
The pulpit was then supplied for one year by Rev. W. B. Dada; and on the 18th of May, 1859, he was installed as Pastor of the Church. This Pastoral relation continued till Aug. 1, 1860.
On Aug. 30, 1859, the corner-stone of the new church edifice. was laid with appropriate services. The building was completed and dedicated Oct. 18, 1860.
The pulpit was supplied by clergymen procured by the Church Committee until January 19, 1861, when Rev. John Montieth, Jr., was called to the Pastorate. He was subsequently installed April 23, 1861. His labors continued until March 29, 1863, when he resigned.
Again the pulpit was supplied by the efforts of the Committee until August 9 of the same year (1863), when the Church and Society extended a call to Rev. Albert Bigelow, whose labors con- tinued until Oct. 9th, 1864.
The Church and Society extended a unanimous call to Rev. G. H. Coffey, who began his ministry the first Sabbath of February, 1865, and was installed the 15th of March succeeding.
The Church numbers three hundred and sixty-one Communi- cants at present.
A new organ, built by Messrs. Hook of Boston, has been placed in the rear of the pulpit this spring, at a cost of $5,000.
A Parsonage has just been completed which, with the lot, is worth about $6,000.
The Church property is worth over $60,000. The extreme dimensions of the church are 62x132 feet.
The Sunday School connected with this Church numbers 275. Volumes in Library, 550.
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.
The first Episcopal services held in Jackson were by Rev. S. Freemen and Rev. Richard Busy, in the years 1832-3. From that period till 1838, no Episcopal clergyman appears to have officiated &
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HISTORY OF JACKSON.
here. On his way westward, to make his annual visitation, Right Rev. S. A. McCoskry, preached in a school house, but not above eight or ten persons were present. In the winter of 1838 and the spring of 1839, Rev. F. H. Cuming of Ann Arbor, was induced to preach here occasionally; and he informally organized the parish under the name of St. Paul's Church. It was admitted into union with the Diocesan Convention in the latter year.
On the 7th of August, 1839, Rev. Charles Fox, deacon of the Diocese of Connecticut, officiated here for the first time, and took ·charge of the parish as missionary. He held services in the Court House, and found but small congregations. On the 16th August, he received a formal call as Rector, from the Vestry, at a salary of $400 per annum, beginning on the 10th of August.
Sept. 9th, at a public meeting called for the purpose, the Church was formally organized according to law, and Wardens and Ves- trymen elected.
The first Church edifice-preparations for building which com- menced soon after Mr. Fox's arrival-was consecrated the 20th of October, 1840, by Bishop McCoskry. The ground on which it was built, was given some years before by the village company. The cost of the Church was $2,500. The Rev. Charles Fox con- tinued Rector of the parish until April, 1841, when he resigned to accept a call to Trinity Church, Columbus, Ohio.
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