USA > Michigan > Ionia County > Memorials of the Grand River Valley > Part 18
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Perhaps some others were of as early a date as some of these.
Of the original company:
Philo Bears, who organized the band in Washtenaw county, stayed about ten years, and went to Grand Traverse, where he died.
Alexander Dean was an enterprising farmer, and a good man. He died in 1871-aged 78 years.
Barton Johnson has been a leading official inan, and still graces the town with his living presence.
Sabin Johnson, after living like a good citizen in Court- land until about 1860, moved to Rockford, where he died. three or four years after.
Sabin Johnson, Jr., followed in the footsteps of his worthy father, and died about '54. A good, upright man.
Thomas Addison, having lived the life of a good man, died in 1875, aged 67 years.
Benjamin Botsford became insane and died in the poor house.
Anson Ensign died in 1854, aged 49.
Iram Barnes lives in Nelson.
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Wm. R. Davis lives just on the line in Oakfield. Those, who, in that region don't know him, don't know much.
John Barlow was accidentally shot at Plainfield.
Mrs. Barton Johnson was the first white woman in town.
It is a little doubtful who taught the first school. It is claimed for three-John Davis, Jolm Anstin and Emily Dean. Miss Dean kept a school for a time in a shanty. She was fol- lowed by Amanda Loomis and Harriet Patrick. Miss Dean is the wife of John Austin of Courtland. Miss Loomis is in San Francisco. Miss Patrick died about 1870.
The pioneer preacher was the otherwise mentioned James Ballard. Abont the same time the zealous young Methodist preacher, Frieze, came among the people and made this town a part of his mission.
In 1866, the town was the scene of a fiendish murder, which excited the community at the time. One Durfee, who had been living in Ohio, had a paramour, with whom he had lived some years. He came with her and her child to Grand Rapids, where he hired a livery team, and they went on a ride in the rural towns. Having come into a secluded place by the side of one of the lakes in Courtland, he strangled her with a rope, dragged her into the bushes, left the child near a honse; returned the team, and disappeared. The child was found nearly famished; the murdered woman discovered; the case skillfully worked up; Durfee tracked out, arrested, tried. and sent to prison, where he is said to have died. Durfee was a fiend; and marked as such. The child is adopted into a worthy family in the town; and thinks himself their son. The name of his foster parents will not here be given, as we do not wish to dispel the illusion of the boy, whose good for- tune it was that his mother was murdered.
The town was organized in 1839. Supervisor, Philo Bears; Clerk. Thomas Addison; Treasurer, David Haines; Justice, John Austin.
It was customary in the early settlement, at first to unite several townships and organize them as a town. One and another would soon be set off. Courtland was shorn of all its dependencies, and reduced to its present limits in 1846. In
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1848, by a legislative blunder, it was reorganized with Oak- field, under the name of Wabesis. Its status was restored by the next Legislature.
From the cemetery and other sources we glean of those who have passed away :
Mary, wife of Joseph Haynes, died in 1857, aged 91.
Noel Stewart, died in 1847, aged 60.
Lucy, mother of Philo Bears, died in 1841.
Dr. Ezra Chaffee, died in 1853, aged 66.
Annanias Worden, died in 1861, aged 71-father of Com- modore Worden, of Monitor fame. His venerable widow is in Grand Rapids.
Alexander Dean, died in 1871, aged 78.
Sabin Johnson, Jr., died in 1854.
John Carlyle, died 1874.
Wm. Carlyle, died in 1856, aged 51.
James Kingin, died in 1873, aged 69.
Morgan Hunting, died in 1868, aged 63.
Amasa Squires, died in 1860, aged 65.
First settled by a fraternal colony, Courtland has not lost the character they first gave her. With little for the historian to say, it is a good town; as respectable as though she had had twenty murders instead of one. Therefore don't think yourselves slighted because little is said.
GAINES.
Gaines did not take its plase as an independent town until 1848, having been until that date identified with Paris, after the organization of that town in 1839.
The settlement of the town was at first slow; the same rea- sons retarding its occupation that are given in connection with Byron-the heavy timber and the prospective hard work in fitting the land for cultivation. The growth of timber in Gaines was very heavy. Where such is the case, and no value is attached to it, it is repellant.
The old "Gull Road " ran through this township, and the earlier occupants located themselves near it. Yet, though the town was accessible-just on the limits of civilization-but
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few ventured in. The first is said to have been Alexander Clark, in the spring of 1837, who took up land at the part of the town since called Kelloggville. The next year added Al- exander L. Bouck, and the Kelly brothers, Foster and Charles, Joseph Blain, Andrew Mesnard, Rensalear, his son, and Orson Cook. In 1839, Silas Burlington was added to the little number.
1840, added: R. R. Jones, Thomas Blain, and Wm. H. Budlong. With those three families the town was stationary for some years. Wm. Kelly came in the fall of '43.
We are able further to give as early settlers, without the exact date of entry: Bryan Greenman, Stephen A. Hammond, R. R. Sessions, Wm. Kelly, Daniel Woodward, John E. Woods, James M. Pelton, Peter VanLew, Peter, William and David Dias.
At the organization of the town in 1848, the vote was thirty- five. There were elected as the principal officers:
Peter Van Lew, Supervisor; James M. Pelton, Clerk; Charles Kelly, Treasurer; Joseph Blain, Josiah Drake, Robert Jones, Justices.
The pioneer school in the town was taught by Miss Mary Darling, in a little building near where stands the "Red School House." This was in 1842. She afterwards married a Methodist minister, by the name of Glass, and resides in Grand Rapids.
The United Brethern have a flourishing society, and a church in the south part of the town.
The society was organized by the Rev. S. C. Buck, in 1858. As the result of a protracted meeting, he gathered a band of about forty. They held their meetings in school-houses, until the erection of their church in 1867: this cost $2,700. The society have a parsonage and settled pastor-the Rev. Mr. Mower. Mr. Buck is still resident in the town. The church now numbers about seventy.
The history of the town has few salient points. When we look at its splendid farms, we can see its history-the changing of the forest-the haunt of bears, wolves, and wildcats-into the town as we see it.
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Since 1870 the town has had railroad connection by the G. R. Valley Road. A station called "Hammonds" has given a chance for a business village and a market center. But the town may be set down as almost purely agricultural, and as a farming town it will not suffer by a comparison with any other.
For two things Gaines will ever be memorable: The one the motto borne on her banner at the time of the Buchanan Presi- dential campaign; and the other, the fact that she was the first town in the State to show that manhood was to be respected for its worth, and not its color. For this conquering of deep-rooted prejudice, all honor to Gaines. In 1873, Mr. Hardy, a colored man, was elected Supervisor. Is not Gaines the pioneer on this path of civilization?
We might tell "wolf and bear stories" ad infinitum, but who cares for these, unless the interesting fact of somebody's being killed by the "varmints," is connected with them. But Gaines las no such interesting episodes in her history ; as it was in every case the beasts that got killed, and not the men. We might tell of Johnny Green catching a wolf-trap with his heel. but think we will not, as Johnny is now a portly Justice of the Peace, and might be offended should he read the story.
A reference to the census table, given in the general history, will show that Gaines, after 1850, was not slow in filling up. As it is a town that must necessarily be almost exclusively agricultural, it may now be considered fully populated, and that too, by people who know the value of the soil they occupy, and appreciate the town. In some parts there is still the new appearance; but the evidences of recent settlement are fast disappearing, and the evidences of thrift and increasing wealth meet the observer in every part.
GRATTAN.
Grattan was not one of the first settled townships. It had remained a part of Vergennes from its organization in 1838, until 1846, when it was organized as an independent town, with a name of its own, given as a compliment to its Irish settlers.
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The first meeting was at the house of Converse Close; 23 voters were present. Elected: Milton C. Watkins, Supervisor; Volney W. Caukin. Clerk; Erastus W. Beasom, Treasurer; Samuel H. Steele, John P. Weeks, William Burne, Luther B. Cook, Justices.
It was not until 1843, ten years after civilization had been imported into the Grand River Valley, that any one located in Grattan. In 1843, a number of Irishmen having left Ire- land because it was not a good place for a poor man, and having worked on the railroads until each had a swelling by his side, caused by a wallet with bills in it-a swelling which was the result of hard labor with the shovel; tired of being bossed around by overseers, and thinking that it would sound better to be "Mr.," with a farm, than "Pat," with a shovel, bought land and settled in the south part of Grattan and the north of Ada. That is just the way with the jolly sons of Erin. Born in a beautiful island across the sea, he early comes to the conclusion that that island is a good place for a man who is born without a silver spoon in his mouth, to emigrate from. He sees no way for a poor man to become a proprietor, and it is hard for poverty to maintain self-respect. They have heard of a land across the sea, where wages are high and land is plenty and cheap. In family council they determine to go to that land and be respectable. They hoard up their scanty earnings until they have secured enough to send one across the sea. With many a benediction, Dennis goes. Arrived with empty pockets, he takes the first work that offers, which is generally on the railroad. With a miser's grip he holds on upon his wages. He goes ragged, sleeps in a shanty ; but he is working for love, and self is forgotten. Soon, counting over his little pile, he finds he has enough to bring over his broth- er; and instead of getting a new coat, he sends the money to Ireland, and soon has the happiness of welcoming Michael. Two of them are digging now; two are receiving pay, and two are working for the family. They soon have money enough to bring over the rest. Now they feel they can start in life. They dig away, they don't pay rent, nor wear fine clothes. They live in a shanty, and lay up their earnings
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until they can buy them farms. The writer of these memorials, years ago, when the D. and M. railroad was in embryo, used to pass the gangs of shovelers in Ada, and occasionally crack a joke with some of the Irish laborers; seldom without getting better than he sent. He did then rather pity the poor fellows. who were good for nothing but to dig and vote. But years have passed on; the writer's head is whiter, if not wiser. In his perambulations, he comes to good farms, painted houses, and the accompaniments of thrift and wealth. Going in, he is met at the door by Dennis or Pat, one of his old railroad acquaintances; ten or a dozen bright-eyed children of all ages are there; an organ is in the parlor, and pictures on the walls. That is Irish fashion. Look at Grattan, Ada, and Cascade. and see the end of the railroad diggers! Sirs, my hat is off -your most obedient. I honor the one who made himself.
It may seem that we are far from Grattan, but we are right there. The men who first located, as above mentioned, were Richard Giles, Dennis McCarthy, William McCarthy, John McCarthy, John Sullivan, Morris Scanlan, Michael Kennedy. John Delaney, John Brannigan, Frank Murphy, Michael Far- rell, William Byrnes, Edward McCormick, Patrick Fingleton, Andrew McDonald, Michael Doyle. These came in 1843. or soon after.
In 1844-5, came Luther B. Cook, Win. Smith, Converse Close, Jared Watkins, Henry Green, Anthony King, Volney V. Cankin, David Ford, Ira Ford, Alvah Andrews, Jedediah II. Wood, Solomon Tower, Joseph Tower, Sheldon Ashley. Milton Watkins, W. S. Fuller, Nehemiah Smith, Alanson King, Leonidas Scranton, John Rogers, Nelson Holmes, Ed- ward Bellamy, Nathan Holmes, Barlow Bartow, Emmons Wood.
Marshall King has the credit of being the first-born of Grat- tan, dating from December, 1844.
Death first knocked at the door of Mr. Springer, and took away his five-year-old boy, in the fall of 1846. Four others of the family soon followed. . Is there fate in it? If such things are " providences," verily the ways of providence are inscrutable. Soberer common sense says, the Divine Providence moves by
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a system of wisely harmonized law, under which we come in- to existence, live and die; that under this system all " partial evil is universal good." 'Tis for the good of the whole that we die. Death is neither a penalty, a chastisement, an admo- nition, nor a curse; why shroud it with superstitious fears, or make it the reason for blaspheming the bountiful Giver of Life?
In new countries, as in regions of higher civilization, the pro- pensity to marry will show itself. Human nature exists in the woods a good deal more than it does in cities. In the woods, a man finds a wife a good help-mate; he cannot contrive how to get along withont one. In the city, the man painfully thinks whether his finances will allow him to support one. Go past a log house in the woods: three or four two-legged boys are making a racket out of doors; two or three girls are in the house-one tending the baby, the others helping mother. She, good woman, is up to her elbows in the wash-tub; barefoot. and with her hair over her eyes. Turn up your nose, will you ? That woman has more soul than three of your fashionable belles, who curse children as " incumbrances," and live for-not home -- but self and " society." That woman will soon tread * her parlor carpet; better dressed, but no more a lady than now. Those boys, too, in her old age-one of them a supervisor. another a justice of the peace, and another a congressman- will come home at Christmas, and reverently do honor to that very woman you sniff at. Shame on yon! I should think you had always lived in a city!
We begun to talk about marrying. Well, Converse Close and a girl in Grattan talked about marrying; they talked on the subject several times, until they could not see each other without making it their theme, and would meet specially to talk about it. The npshot of the whole was, they concluded to get married. But there was a difficulty in the way-there was no one near to legalize the deed, and pride forbade them to go away to get married; or, modern fashion, get married and run.
The line of the county was half a mile distant; beyond that line, in Otisco, lived Esq. Cook; but out of Ionia county he could not go to marry any one. He met them at the line in
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the woods, and there-he standing in Ionia county, and they in Kent -- he made one of the aforetime two-Converse Close and Mary Potter. Like sensible folks, they went to their own cabin. The next day, he was cutting down trees, and she was cooking his dinner, mending his pants, and feeding her pigs. They don't live in a log house now; and they have not got divorced.
The first school in town was in a private house, and kept by Miss Mary Watkins (daughter of Milton W.). The first school-house was built near the residence of C. Close, in 1847, and Converse Close was the first teacher.
The Union school-honse was built in 1867, and cost $3,000. Asa Slayton was in it the first principal. Mr. Slayton has all his life been a teacher-a thorough teacher, a common sense teacher, and no humbug; "there is not a bit of nonsense about him." He won't, for popularity's sake, cram for exam- inations, and fool people into the belief that their thick-skulled progeny, under his inspiring tuition " on the new plan," have become marvels of scholars. No, that is not Asa Slayton, and therefore, he has not got rich by teaching.
The first school, in which Grattan had a chance, was in a district fractional with Oakfield, on the corner west of section 1. The house was in Oakfield, about where the church stands. Wm. Ashley was the first teacher-in 1846. Mr. Ashley is ·now a lawyer at Grand Rapids. The Miss Watkins, spoken of above as the one who first taught a school in Grattan, is now known as Mrs. John B. Colton, of Grand Rapids.
Grattan Center is a little village that has centered itself around the mills, built by Bellamy & Holmes, in 1850. It is not essentially different from the many country villages that start with a mill. It has become the place where the town business centers-a snug little place-the center of a beautiful, wealthy and flourishing town-a town beautifully diversified with hills and lakes, fine farms and tasteful dwel- lings.
Perhaps no township in all Michigan can boast more of those pretty inland lakes and ponds than Grattan, there being no less than twenty-four, varying from 30 to 300 acres
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in extent, besides ponds too numerous to mention. These give a charm to the scenery. To some of them they have given un- poetic names. They can never be famous in song, if condemned to be called "Crooked," " Muskrat," etc. No, they will be only fish-ponds. Milton Watkins, Converse Close. and John P. Weeks! I appoint you a committee to give poetical and musical names to these lakes, and then I, or some other great poct, will give them a place in immortal verse; and your town shall be like " Sweet Avon," a beautiful place, existing in the halo of a poetic idea. But I won't sing of " Muskrat Lake." The Muse don't stoop so low. Call it Au ver'ne, and even the · fishes in it will be poetical; and the poet, his eyes in a fine frenzy rolling, can then sing of its beauties, in deathless numbers. These lakes are not plebeian, and should not have plebeian names. They are a part of the poetry of landscapes- something to remind mankind that the idea of beauty is next to that of utility in the Eternal Mind. There is a good deal in a name. If I see a beautiful girl, I dislike to hear her called Peggy Ann.
CHURCHES.
BAPTIST CHURCH, ON THE LINE OF OAKFIELD AND GRATTAN.
This church was formed by Elder Starkweather, with nine members, set off from the church in Otisco. These were: Kinnicum Randall and wife, Deacon Morey and wife, Sheldon Ashley and wife, James Wiley and wife, and Mrs. Thomas Reed.
The church edifice was built in 1863.
Its preachers have been the Revs. Starkweather, Roscoe, Coe, Chase, Pres- cott. Miller, Monroe, and Buell.
Two churches have since been set off from this-the White Swan, in 1865, and the Grattan, in 1867.
CATHOLIC CIIURCII.
Father Vizoski, in 1844, established the mission, and was the means of building the first chapel, the little building near the present church. It was a building about 18 by 24 feet. The families mentioned above as the Irish settlers in Grattan and Ada. were those whom Vizoski gathered as the nu- cleus of the church. Since the death of that sainted missionary, (I call him sainted though he has not been canonized), some fifteen different priests have been in charge. At present, the church is under the care of Father Bernard A. Quin, and is perhaps the largest Catholic church in the Valley out of the city ofGrand Rapids-embracing 145 families, residing in Ada, Grattan, Ver- gennes and Cannon.
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They now worship in the third church edifice. The first was the small chapel above spoken of. The second was a fine wooden structure. built under the management of Father Rievers, at an expense of $3,000, and which was burned in 1869. Not discouraged, they built again, and dedicated, in 1871. the noble structure that now stands. Its cost was $12,000.
Since writing the above, that noble structure has been burned.
LOWELL.
The early history of Lowell is the history of Vergennes. The two townships were together organized as Vergennes, and continued in that relation until 1848.
The mouth of the Flat River was one of the points of earli- est occupation; and was one of the centers from which settle- ment radiated. The several centers were Grand Haven. Grandville, Grand Rapids, Flat River, Ionia, Lyons and Port- land. All of these points were occupied in 1836, or before.
In this article the Flat River settlement will be considered. In the ultimate arrangement, a part of it constituted the town and village of Lowell, and a part remained Vergennes.
The first white resident near the month of the Flat River, was Daniel Marsac, who came from Detroit for the purpose of trading among the Indians. He did not, until 1831. estab- lish a regular trading station. Then he erected a log house on the left bank of the Grand River, opposite the mouth of Flat River. Marsac remained an Indian Trader, with no rights but Indian sufferance until the region was open to set- tlement. He then became a settler.
The real settlement at Flat River, dates from October 13th, 1836; when Lewis Robinson, Philander Tracy, Sylvester Hodges, Alva Jones, all from Scipio, New York; came up the river and located on the town line, two miles northwest of the month of the Flat River. There was at that time no one resi- dent but Marsac. Tracy and Robinson had been there before, in July, and made their arrangement with the Indians; and Tracy stayed awhile to build a house, which he partly completed. When the rest came on they finished it. It was on the right bank of the Flat River, forty rods below where now is Halch's grist-mill. This house was built partly for a store, to be used by Rix Robinson, in his trade with the Indians.
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The understanding with the Indians was, that they were to let Robinson have their old field, if he would break up another piece for them; and twenty acres of openings were broken up for them.
Robinson and Tracy fenced in about eighty acres, including what of the village of Lowell lies on the right bank of Flat River. Hodges and Jones split the rails. There Hodges set the first apple trees; one of which is now (1875.) standing on what is owned by Mrs. Caroline Snell.
Luther Lincoln came the same fall, and located on the left bank of Flat River, where Lowell now is. This Lincoln is the same one, who was before a pioneer at Granville. The same fall came Ebenezer K. Bickford, who started a house. but did not bring on his family until the next spring. Mr. Bickford stayed but a few years. These are believed to have been all who came in 1836. Mr. Hodges alone remains where he first located himself; the others having either died or moved away.
In their immediate vicinity, and in intimate relations with them were three or four hundred Indians, under an aged chief, whose name is varionsly given as Wobwindego (white giant) and Wobskindip. He died that winter, and was succeeded by his son Shogwogeno, a young man. Kobmoosa (the walker,) who had for wives three sisters of the young chief, was sub- chief. The chief had three brothers; men of fine presence and character-Ashkilbegosh, Acango and Wabesis.
Quite an influx of settlers signalized the year 1837, many of whom were transient. With regard to some there is doubt as to the date of their advent; the memory of the old settlers not altogether agreeing. We can without much hesi- tation place in this year: John Thompson, James Thompson, Cyrus Bennett, George Bisbee, John Fox, Phillip W. Fox, James Fox, Dr. Silas Fallass, Jolm W. Fallass, Caleb Page, Thompson I. Daniels, George Brown, Rodney Robinson, Lucas Robinson, Lewis Robinson:
These took up land before it was surveyed. The three Robin- sons were brothers of Rix Robinson, and were part of the ship load of Robinsons that entered the Grand River in 1835.
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1838 shows quite an addition to the settlement-as far as we can gather: Charles Newton, Eliab Walker, Christopher Misner, Solomon Lee, Anthony Zerkes, Elder Wooster, Sher- man Wooster, Morgan Lyon, William Robinson, Adam Van Deusen, Alfred Van Deusen, Jesse Van Deusen, Walter Van Densen (blind), Walter Hyler, Jacob Francisco, Wm. B. Lyon, Ranson Rolf, Matthew* Patrick, Samuel Rolf, Ira A. Danes, Albert Smith, Ebenezer Smith, C. A. Lathrop, Samuel Moye, Joseph Dieffendorf, Daniel Dieffendorf, David Dieffendorf.
There will be no attempt further to trace the progress of settlement. The town was organized as Vergennes, in 1838. For ten years the two townships were together. When Lowell was organized, the settlement did not cease to be a commu- nity, though belonging to two towns.
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