USA > Michigan > Ionia County > Memorials of the Grand River Valley > Part 23
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Myron Roys, who came on a single man, and long lived an old bachelor, is such no longer, as his grand-children testify: is, in a green old age, still resident in Wyoming; and loves to tell his grand-children of his bach. experience in making bis- cuits with sweet-milk and saleratus.
Eli and Erastus Yeomans are still resident in the town.
Nathaniel Brown was an active business man ; but stayed only a few years.
Geo. Thompson, brother-in-law of Howlett, lived and died a single man at Grand Haven.
Roswell Britton was a man of superior merit; represented Ottawa county in the first State Legislature, 1837. He died June, 1850, aged 63.
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Ransom Sawyer, a good citizen, died about 1865.
Richard Moore, a wealthy man, died about 1870. I. C. Rogers is still resident.
In 1835, were added, Charles H. Oaks, Thomas H. Buxton, Joseph A. Brooks, Manly Patchin, Dwight Rankin, Abraham Bryant.
Charles H. Oakes was a man who figured a good deal. He was an Indian Trader; the first merchant at Grandville, where he built the second house-the one in which Mr. Moody now resides. He was one of the Grandville Company, who pro- jected and platted the city. After a time he left; and has since flourished at St. Paul.
In 1836, Hiram Osgood, Orrey Hill, Charles Wheeler, James Lockwood, Jacob and Charles J. Rogers, Leonard Stoneburner, and - Fetterman, located in the township.
In 1837-S, came Col. Hathaway, Lewis Moody, Chase Edgerly, James P. Scott, Savoy R. Beals, James McCray, Cyrus Jones, Cyrus Marsh, Horace Wilder, George Ketchum.
McCray first located at Grandville, where, in company with Ketchum, he started the first foundry. It was begun in 1838; but owing to sickness, did not go into operation until 1839. Mr. Wilder was foreman in the furnace, and melted the first iron in the Valley. The furnace was soon removed to Grand Rapids, where McCray was the managing head until his death. Developed, what was the small establishment of Ball and McCray is the large concern of Butterworth and Lowe.
James P. Scott was by nature a man of versatile talent; by culture a scholar of varied attainments, yet lacking the talent of a solid business man, and conscious of that lack, he generally was in other people's employ. In his younger days, he was in the service of the American Fur Company, operating between Lake Superior and Hudson's Bay. He was at one time elected County Clerk and Register of deeds in Ottawa county, which offices he satisfactorily filled. During the war he went with one of the regiments as Quartermaster. While acting in that capacity he shot himself, but whether by design or acci- dent, is not known. James P. Scott was widely known, and was often looked to in an emergency He was sagacious and
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trusty, and his opinion was valued. Many a worse man has been canonized; many a weaker one more successful, and many a better one less missed, when gone.
As an instance, showing his natural resources: While in the employ of the Fur Company, in the depth of winter, it became manifest that one of the men must have his leg ent off, or he would die. Entirely beyond the reach of surgical aid, the question was-" What is to be done?" It was de- cided that they must perform the necessary operation, and try. at least, to save the man's life. They pitched upon young Scott, relying on his sagacity more than on that of any other. It was a new thought to him; he had heard of amputations, but of the modus operandi he had never had any information. He took a day to reflect on how it should be done, and the re- sult was, an operation skillfully and scientifically done, and a life saved. The only knowledge he had to guide him was, he knew the distinction between veins and arteries. This led him to the tourniquet; the hook for seizing the retracted arteries, and the means of discovering them. With a butcher-knife, a handsaw and a bent needle, he did his work.
Hiram Osgood was a lawyer. Finding little call for law, he kept a tavern-the first in Grandville. He was prosecuting attorney.
Osgood died in 1841, and his family are all dead.
Mr. Ballard was the first preacher, conducting service in the dining-room of the tavern in the fall of 1837. In the summer of 1838, he organized the Congregational church-the pioneer church of the denomination in the Valley.
Let us go back a little, until the time when Britton and Brown came in-September, 1834.
There was no house at Grandville but Indian huts; the one log house that had been built, had been burned. Some eight or ten families of Indians centered there, and had a large field of corn. These Indians were under a venerable old chief-As- to-quet-a first-rate, honest Indian. Ile died of small-pox in the spring of 1840.
A journey from Ann Arbor took ten days. The musketoes were numerous and blood-thirsty; and the ague-the pioneer's
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curse -- was a terror. There was a saw-mill, but no grist-mill. Gideon H. Gordon was building a mill above where the plas- ter mill now is.
The first grist mill-a run of small stones-was put in Ketchum's saw-mill, in the fall of 1836, and Eli Cossit was the miller. Ketchum put up a flouring mill in 1840. His oper- ations belong rather to Georgetown than to Wyoming.
In 1837, July 4th, the Gov. Mason made its first trip, stop- ping at Grandville. It was a great day for the people-the 4th of July, and a steamboat!, They celebrated the day and the event. For a cannon, they had an old steam-pipe, and they " busted it gloriously." An oration was given by Dr. Scranton, from the wheel-house of the boat. Just as the Doc- tor had got the " American Eagle " fairly grappled with the British Lion, the captain gave the signal, and the boat started down the river. But must the oration be thus cut short in the midst of its loftiest periods? Tradition is silent. However badly the Doctor might feel, when obliged to close, or spend his eloquence on empty air, the people were jubilant. When all was ended, such as could walk, full of patriotism, went shouting home. The few who could not, sought repose under umbrageous trees.
The winter of 1836-7 was hard on the people here, as well as in the rest of the Valley. They had little to eat, and all had to be packed in from the southern part of the State. Flour was sold for 10 cents a pound, pork for 182, and beans were $6 a bushel.
Mr. Wilder asserts that in the spring of '37 he saw a chip- muck gnawing a gravel stone (Mr. W., was it not an acorn?), with a lugubrious countenance, and with tears in its eyes. He killed the forlorn chipmuck, and had him for his supper. He (Wilder) also asserts that he, MeCray and his two boys worked a whole day to unearth a woodchuck. They got him, and bore him home in triumph.
The people ate flour that had been sunk in the river-glad to get that. They lived mostly on sturgeon. How they hailed a supply of flour that came down the river on a flat-boat. Still, they complain of no suffering, and were happy, which shows how little happiness depends on fortune.
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The first wedding in Wyoming, and probably in the Grand River Valley, was that of Sylvester Hills and Harriet Burton, in the winter of 1835-6.
Mr. Wilder says that soon after he came he attended a wedding at Esq. Abel's, where he sold his coat to the groom, and borrowed one for himself to wear as groomsman.
A pole boat-the " Cinderella "-was launched at Grand- ville, in June. 1837. It was a time of jubilee. All were in- vited, and they went on board-old men and maidens, matrons and boys; had feasting and dancing, and abundant mirth. What would we think now of " launching a pole-boat?" Then such an event was a foretokening of brighter days, when they would live like other people.
The town was organized as Byron, May 2d, 1836. The meeting was at the house of Charles H. Oakes.
First officers: Gideon II. Gordon, Supervisor; Isaac A. Allen. Clerk; G. II. Gordon, Robert Howlett, E. P. Walker. Justices.
It was organized as "Wyoming" (Byron set-off) in 1848, at the house of Dwight Rankin.
Wm. H. Godwin, Supervisor; Joseph Blake, Clerk; Chase Edgerly, Treasurer; E. Yeomans, Roswell Britton. Justices.
The "city " of Grandville was laid out by the Grandville Company, mostly composed of Eastern men, in 1835. The The East and West Additions original plat was eighty acres.
were platted in 1836. Lots, to builders, were sold for $23; to others for $100. Bnt few were sold. It soon became mani- fest that Grandville was not the place for the city; and "lots " became a nuisance-sold for six cent taxes; and there was general languishment. It settled itself down to be a quiet country village, without expectations. The village has lately received quite an impulse. Extensive plaster works have been set in operation, and some manufacturing, for which its facilities are good. These have given a new impulse; and the place is rapidly improving. They know what is the basis on which they must rest-gypsum and manufactures. As these interests are developed, the place will grow; and it already shows the beginning of its future.
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Grandville, and the rural district around it, organized them- selves into a school district, and erected a building for a Union School in 1867. This school-house has been much admired for its beautiful architectural proportions, and as doing honor to the public spirit of the people. At the time it was built, it was the finest school-house in the county. This school is the crowning honor of the place, and the house is the most con- spicuous object there. The school has been well sustained. notwithstanding a protracted law-suit that grew out of its organization. That, happily, is ended, and the people are happy in having first-rate facilities for the education of the young.
Grandville has two churches-the Congregational and the Methodist.
The Congregational, as before intimated, is the pioneer church in the Grand River region. It was organized by Mr. Ballard, in 1838. In 1855, they erected for themselves a snug place of worship, and the church is in a prosperous con- dition.
The Methodists have maintained an organization for many years, generally holding their meetings in the school-house. In 1873, they completed their church, which had been begun some years before.
The town of Wyoming has long been noted for its immense beds of gypsum, and the business in that line, which has been carried on there. That interest will be more fully noticed in an article by itself.
We will take our leave of Wyoming by telling a " little story " of Jemmy O'Neil, the mail-carrier. With the mail on his back, or in his hat, he was cheerily trudging through the woods, whistling as he went, when an owl before him sung ont: "Whoo-o-o, Who-o-o." Jemmy answered: "I am Jemmy O'Neil, and I carry the mail."
KENT COUNTY HISTORY.
The legislative abstract that accompanies will give, in sub- stance, the history of the county. The records of the county were destroyed by a fire, in 1860, which renders it next to im-
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possible to give a full county history. By that fire, the books of the County Clerk and those belonging to the office of Regis- ter of Deeds were mostly destroyed. The building, which at the time of the fire was occupied by the county offices, was at the junction of Lyon and Canal streets, on the south side.
The Register of Deeds, Mr. Seranton, had for his own con- venienee made an abstraet of all the titles in the county. That book was saved, and a few volumes of titles.
The act of 1861 was to give people, whose records were burned and who had not their original deeds, a chance to es- tablish their ownership. A special court for that purpose was created. Little was done under that act. There was a general re-recording of titles. The county afterwards purchased those abstracts of Mr. Scranton, and the Act of '65 was passed, mak- ing them prima facie evidence-equivalent to recorded deeds. It is not known that the title of any one was vitiated by the burning of the records.
It will be perceived that, in 1837, the county was authorized to borrow money to build a court-house. The county, under the authorization, built a court-house, on what is known as the " Park," or "Court-House Square." It was of wood, and was considered a beautiful building. It stood but a few years, and was burned. A plain building for temporary purposes was erected afterwards, which was used as a court-house and high school. In 1848, this was abandoned, moved off, and used as a blacksmith shop; and the county has ever since hired rooms in private buildings for the use of the court. Soon after the fire, or in 1861, the fire-proof building was erected for the county offices. An addition was built to it in 1874.
The jail was a temporary affair until 1870, when the present building-the "Sinners' Palace"-was erected on what was the "Island." Before that, prisoners were not treated with the respect due to erime and misdemeanor. At first, a eellar on Canal street was their ignoble abode. Afterwards, a wood- en building on the West side, without even the pretense of architectural display, was all the county afforded for the accom- modation and entertainment of those who, perforce, were its guests.
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Finally, that class has been fairly, yes, chivalrously dealt with; and one can go to jail and feel his dignity as a gentleman not imposed upon. He is assigned his room in a palace, and can enjoy his " otium cum dignitate," living like a nabob at the county's expense.
The business in Kent county, and all east, was necessarily done on the Grand River, above Grand Rapids, by pole boats, and below by steamers. For several years a small class of steamboats plied on the river, from the head of the rapids to Lyons. But all freight must necessarily be carted at the rapids about two miles. Although the people at the Rapids were willing that everything should pay tribute there, those living above did not fancy the idea. The project was con- ceived of a canal and locks around the rapids. The State met the petition with favor, and made a liberal appropriation. The contract to make the necessary dam, dig the canal, and build the locks, was taken by an energetic and honorable man -James Davis. He was allowed at first to select his lands, which he did, where he knew the Hollanders would purchase. IIe went on with the work, built the dam, and dug the canal to the point where the locks were to be; in the main, borrow- ing the means to do the work.
Here comes in a transaction, or series of them, which probably adds nothing to the fair fame of the State of Michigan. After Mr. Davis had selected his lands, and had gone to work, an act was passed, or decision made, that Mr. D. could not himself sell those lands, but that they must be sold as State lands, and the proceeds paid to him. They were sold to the Hollanders and paid for in gold. When the time came for Mr. D. to receive pay for what he had done, he went for his gold, which he knew had been paid into the treasury, and they would not give him anything but State land war- rants, on which he could locate new lands. Mr. Davis was financially ruined, and the work was stopped. The whole had resulted in a great improvement of the water-power at Grand Rapids, at Mr. Davis' and the State's expense.
The prospect of a railroad, which would supersede the up- river navigation. and the ultimate making of the road, caused
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the project of locking past the rapids to be given up, and the remainder of the appropriation was applied to improving the river in the interest of the lumbermen, which was the object of the act of 1855. It will be observed when the water is low that there is over the rapids a channel deeper than the rest. That was made in the rock by W. D. Foster and others, and paid for by the State appropriation.
COUNTY OFFICERS.
Sheriff-Solomon Withey, 1836, Eaton; Leonard Snyder, Norton; D. S. Weller; Shuman S. Bailey, 1860; William Thornton, 1864; Shuman S. Bailey, 1866; Jesse Wykoff, 1868; Isaac Haynes, 1872.
Judge of Probate-Jefferson Morrison, 1836; Arnett Da- vis, 1845; S. L. Withey; Robert Sinclair, 1856; William A. Robinson, 1860; Benjamin A. Harlan, 1864; Cyrus Perkins, 1876.
County Clerk-Peter R. L. Pierce; Daniel McNaughton, 1868; Hobart H. Chipman, 1872.
Register of Deeds-Luther Beebe, John M. Fox, John R. Stewart, William G. Beekwith, 1866; Simeon Hunt, 1872.
Treasurer-Hiram Hinsdill, 1836; Aaron Dikeman, Solo- mon Kingsbury, Nelson Robinson, Thompson I. Daniels; George Young, 1866; Henry Bremer, 1872.
Prosecuting Attorney -Thomas B. Church; Thaddeus Foote; E. G. D. Holden, 1862; Byron D. Ball, 1866; Andrew Rieves, 1868; Edwin A. Burlingham, 1872.
Circuit Court Commissioners-Eben Smith, 1860 and '62; Henry Thompson, 1864; John D. Edmonds, 1864; John D. Edmonds, 1864; Eben Smith, 1866-68; George N. White, 1866; O. H. Simonds, 1868 and '70; James B. Wilson, 1870 and '72 and '74; Laurens W. Wolcott, 1872.
Surveyor-John F. Tinkham, 1860; Ed. L. Briggs, 1862; Riley Smith, 1866; Robert S. Jackson, 1870; Door Skeels, 1874.
County Judge-Dewitt C. Lawrence, - Martin, Leonard Bement.
Representatives-James W. Ransom, Samuel W. Garfield, Ed. L. Briggs, E. C. Watkins, 1874.
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School Superintendents-Chester C. Bricknell, 1867; Henry B. Fallass, 1862; Geo. A. Ranney, 1873. Held until the aboli- tion of the office in 1874-5.
Represented in Congress by-Francis W. Kellog, 1860; Thomas W. Ferry, 1864; Wilder D. Foster, 1871; William B. Williams, 1873.
Ferry was promoted to the Senate, and Foster was elected to serve his unexpired term.
Foster was re-elected, but died, and Williams was elected in his place.
Drain Commissioners-John F. Tinkham, 1869; Robert S. Jackson, 1871.
Constitutional Convention-Thomas B. Church, Thomas W. Ferry. Representing Kent and Ottawa-Jacob Ferris, S. L. Withey, Lyman Murray, Milton C. Watkins, 1867.
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THE INDIAN.
INDIAN CHARACTER.
It is customary to think of the Indians as a race naturally inferior, and to suppose that in character they assimilate to the wild beast. Those who have been in intimate association with the Indians of Michigan, almost uniformly speak of them with respect, as intellectual, honorable, kind and manly. They have not been improved, but degraded, by their intercourse with the whites.
By nature and habit the proudest people on earth, they have been humiliated. When you have humbled a people, or a person, you are not to look for manliness. Humility is a good element in a slave, but not in a man.
The Indians have felt the superiority of the arts and civil- ization of the whites, and thus have learned to look on them- selves as inferior. We have showed them by our bearing that we looked on them as Indians, and not as men, and have thus aided to humble them. Humbled, they have not emulated the dignity and culture of the civilized; but have fallen in with the lowest habits of the whites. Those who really wished to do them good have helped to lower their pride, and have in- voluntarily contributed to their degradation. The mission- aries, who, with devoted zeal, labored among them, learned them to despise themselves-as Indians; and their well-intended efforts resulted in lowering Indian character. The Indian is educated, and thoroughly, too, for life in the wilds. It is use- less to attempt to show them that all this education is not manly; to seek to have them abandon that as their dependence. The tilling of the earth, the arts and civilized culture should be superadded, not made to supersede the arts and wisdom of the Indian. Hunting is the Indian's trade. Some of the missionaries have discouraged that, and they became idle and
.
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loaferish. It takes the Indian a long time to acquire the habit of constant labor that civilization requires. You may make him work a day, or a week, but he has no relish for steady work. It is best to encourage him to hunt. It is easy to con- vert the Indian to nominal Christianity; they have no strongly rooted religion to break up, and readily give in their acquies- cence to the religion taught them. The missionaries have been flattered with their success, when they have adopted their faith and worship, seemingly thinking that was all that was «lesirable. Generally, the result was not good. The Catho- lics have been more successful in missionary efforts than the Protestants. They have allowed their converts to be Indians: and have, without breaking up Indian habits, engrafted on the habits of the white man. By so doing, they have improved the people of their missions. Protestants have too much spent their strength in making converts, and have failed to improve.
It is well known that the French are the only people who had the Indian confidence. The reason of it is very simple: the French recognized their manhood; assimilated themselves to Indian habits; took wives from among them; and entered into their feelings and sympathies. The Indians have ever had confidence in the French and have been jealons of others. Why? We Yankees have let them know that we felt above them; despised their habits and arts. The consequence has been natural. They have done just as you or I would have done-refused to be instructed by those who have no sympa- thy. The Indian, when you come to his cabin and turn up your nose at what you see, feels much as I do when some purse-proud fool scans my humble dwelling. The Catholic missionaries have given the Indians their sympathy; not their pity and contempt; and through this have been in- fluential; and through Christianity, they have made civ- ilizing influences efficient. They relied on conversion as a means and not an end. At the Catholic missions, the Indians hunt in the hunting season; and they also cultivate the earth, and work at mechanic trades. They are Indians with civilized habits as an addition, not a substitute. Their children may fully take their place beside the white man.
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Indian character and habits have been much misunderstood and misrepresented. 'Tis true they are vindictive, and will have their revenge. So are we; and we just as perseveringly seek our revenge. We seek it in the law, by bringing down the vengeance of the State upon the one who has injured us: they are a law to themselves, and seek their own redress. As enemies, they are fiends. When they have dug up the hatchet. it is an act of religion to carry terror in any shape to their foe. But as friends they are true and honorable. You enter a strange Indian's cabin and lie down to rest; you are safe; and your property is safe if you trust it to his hand. Never doubt him, and he will not fail you. Pilfering was not of their vices. The early traders testify that goods left exposed were safe; that the Indian was honorable in paying his debts; that there was no skulking or chicanery among them.
The way of collecting debts of them was a little peculiar, and we should not like it. The creditor, if he saw any furs or peltry, took them, and gave credit for their value. He did not say " By your leave, sir," but attached and carried off. By Indian custom it was all right.
The Indians were industrious in their way. The men and women divided the labor among them, and each knew their own work and did it. The division line was not exactly where we place it, but the principle was the same. There was men's work and women's work. Hunting, fishing and raising corn. were their means of living. The Indians did not hunt as sportsmen, or fish with the spirit of Walton. When the game was brought home, it was the squaws' business to dress and cook it. They also did the drudgery about the camp; and despised the man who would help about such work. They also raised the corn. The man was the hunter and the war- rior; and his standing among them depended on his character as such. The chase was his labor; and success in it was his pride. That the squaw was the slave, is just as true as that the white woman is the slave of her husband. True, she had her hard work, and so had he. She acknowledged her husband as lier head; and was proud of her devotion to him, just as some white women do and feel. And it may be further said, they were loyal to their husbands.
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The Indian is as much a domestic man as any in the world; and he as fondly cherishes his wife and children. Indian stoicism and Indian pride have caused their family relations to be misunderstood. The truth is, their customs rigidly di- vides the duties of the sexes; and either party resents an inter- ference, On their jonrneys, the squaws are seen carrying loads; the men not. Should a man take the load, all the squaws would hoot and despise him. It might also have been observed that if they had but one pony, the squaw rode, and the man went on foot; which certainly looks as though there was some gal- lantry.
The character of the Indian has not been improved by his intercourse with the whites. Whisky seems to be perfectly natural to him, and the trouble is, he never knows when he has got enough. To get it, he will sacrifice anything, go to any distance, or submit to any humiliation. As a consequence of this succumbing to the vices of the whites, they have in a great degree lost the manly simplicity of their character, and are dying off. The wiser ones among them are reading their doom-they must adopt the higher civilization or die. Some are doing that, while too many are sinking into that nothingness which is the prelude to extinction.
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