USA > Michigan > Ionia County > Memorials of the Grand River Valley > Part 37
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May 21st, 1861. Dr. Cumming notified the church that he had accepted the position of chaplain of the Third Michigan Infantry; and leave of absence was given him. The 10th of the following September, he resigned. (See Bio- graphical Article.)
Dr. Cumming was followed by Dr. I. P. Tustin. who came July 22d, 1863; and was the much beloved pastor until June 10th, 1870.
Oct. 25th, 1870, the Rev. Samuel Earp was called. He filled the place very acceptably until April 1st, 1877, when he resigned. The church has 600 communicants.
This church has branched into several; by opening mission Sabbath Schools in different parts of the city, the nucleus of churches has been established.
St. Paul's Memorial (west side)-April 20th, 1871, present number, 92 communicants; and Church of the Good Shepherd, corner of College Avenue and Bridge streets. Sept. 10th, 1873. with 60 communicants, are no longer de- pendent on St. Marks; and are under the pastoral charge of the Rev. Sydney Beckwith.
Grace Chapel, on Wealthy Avenue, with 51 communicants, is under the charge of the Rev. Wm. H. Knowlton.
Connected with the St. Marks Church, the St. Marks Home, a place of refuge for the destitute and a hospital for the sick, was opened Feb. 15t !! ,
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1875; which, during the first year of its existence admitted 148 persons; ex- pending between two and three thousand dollars; mostly the contribution of those connected with St. Mark's Church. To this " Home " Dr. Platt con- tributes his daily attendanec. It is also a free dispensary of medicines to the poor. The buildings are given rent free by Mr. and Mrs. E. P. Fuller.
It may be here remarked that Grand Rapids is the only town where the Episcopal denomination has secured a leading position: Most of the other churches are recent and at present comparatively feeble. The following con- densed summary of them is from the Bishop's Report for the year 1876. The year against each church, is the date of its organization.
Cedar Springs-Kent county, 1875, mission; com. 2.
St. Mark's Mission-Coopersville, Ottawa county, 1874; com. 11.
St. Paul's-Courtland, 1860; com. 12. St. John's-Grand Haven; 1874; Rev. Wm. Stone, Rector. com. 90.
Grace-Holland: 1867; Rev. I. Rice Taylor, Rector; com. 26.
St. Johns-Ionia, 1848; com. 93. No rector.
Holy Trinity-Mission-Lowell, 1875; com. 10.
St. Paul's-Muskegon, 1867; com. 58. Vacant.
Christ's-Plainfield, 1851; com. 4.
St. Paul's-Mission-Portland, 1872; com. 4.
Rockford-Mission-Kent county, 1874; com. 13.
Sand Lake Mission-Kent county, 1875; com. 4.
Trinity-Saranac, Ionia county, 1860; com. 55. Rev. L. L. Rogers, Rector.
Church of the Redeemer-Whitehall; Muskegon county, 1870; com. 12. Rev. Robert Wood. Rector.
It will be seen that St. John's, at Ionia. is the only one that is not recent, excepting the one at Plainfield, which can hardly be said to exist. The strong footing which the order has in Grand Rapids, is mainly attributable to the energetic action of the Rev. Dr. Cumming in early years, placing it at once among the leading churches.
BAPTIST CHURCHI.
The special interest that historically attaches to a church. centers around its origin and early progress. This church is in the Grand River Valley, the Pioneer, originating in the Indian Mission. which ante-dated settlement.
On the removal of the Indians, in 1836, the few Baptists, viz: Dea. H. Stone, Capt. Thomas Davis, Ezekiel Davis, Abram Randall and wife. Zelotis Bemis and a Mr. Streeter, banded themselves, and under the pastoral guid- ance of Elder Wooster. held meetings in a room in the National Hotel. They afterwards had the services of the Rev. T. Z. R. Jones, an able man. who was partly sustained by the Missionary Society. They held their meetings in the little school house on Prospect Hill, about west of the U. S. Building. Additions were made to their number. But, unhappily, dissension marred their prosperity. Elder Jones left, and for many years they were like shecp without a shepherd. They had no stated supply until 1848, when having sc- cured for themselves the house erected by the Episcopal church, and em- ployed the Rev. C. A. Jennison, a man of fine culture, and of noble charac- teristics, the church seemed to spring into active life, and to prosper.
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Failing health compelled the resignation of Elder Jennison, and he left, soon to die. He was succeeded by the Rev. A. J. Bingham, son of the Mackinaw Missionary; also a man of culture, and an able preacher. Mr. B. stayed about three years. He was followed by Rev. Francis Prescott, a most wor- thy man and efficient preacher, who left for missionary work in the northern towns of the county in 1856. The church then called the Rev. L. M. Wood- ruff, of Malone. N. J. Here commences a period over which history may as well draw a veil. The result was, the church was divided into two unfra- ternal bodies-the First and the Tabernacle churches, which division lasted until 1869, when the two churches were united. The First Church was de- pendent for a time on temporary supply. Afterwards for five years the Rev. Mr. Van Winkle was their pastor, who was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Butterfield. They built a small brick church, where the Baptist church now is.
The Second or Tabernacle Church was for a year or so under the ministra- tion of the said Woodruff, followed for two or three years by C. B. Smith, D. D., who was followed by the Rev. Mr. Reed. They had a house of worship on Division street, south of the U. S. Building.
At the above date, 1869, the two noble-sonled pastors, Butterfield and Reed, deeply regretting the divided state of the Baptists, both resigned, as a step preliminary to a harmonious union of the two churches. This union was soon effected. The Rev. Dr. Graves was called to take pastoral charge. Steps were taken to erect a church, which was completed in 1877-a building which speaks for itself, costing $75.000.
Since the nnion, the church has been prospered, now numbering 500 mem- bers, in harmonious action, under an able leader.
It may here be briefly said that the early history, before 1846, is one of missteps, by means of which they lost the vantage ground they had at the first, dissatisfying many who, in their days of struggle and feebleness, would have come in with them. Its onward progress commenced with the very acceptable labors of the noble Jennison. The dark day again commenced in 1856. The early pastors, Jennison, Bingham and Prescott, all of blessed memory, are dead. Two of them, Prescott and Bingham, rest in Fulton Street Cemetery. T. Z. R. James, at a good old age, after a life of useful- ness, died in 1876, at or near Kalamazoo. The orignal members of the church are all also dead.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHI.
This was one of the pioneer churches, started under the auspices of the Ohio Conference. By that conferenee, in August, 1835, a mission was formed, called the " Grand River Mission," extending all along the Grand River; to which Osband Monette was appointed; and the district was called "Ann Arbor." Henry Coldazer was Presiding Elder. Preaching was had in pri- vate houses at Grand Rapids, once in four weeks.
In May, 1836, the Michigan Conference was created. At its first session, held in September, Frederick A. Seaburn was appointed to the Grand River Mission. Seaburn's mission was less than a year; he being. by an indig- nant populace, rode out of town for lewd conduct, and expelled from the
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Conference. It is to be hoped that in after years, he brought forth fruits meet for repentance. But after his inglorious expulsion from Grand Rapids and the Conference, he disappears from the Methodist horizon.
In 1837, one Mitchell, was appointed to the Grand River Mission. The district was called " Flint River." Samuel P. Shaw presiding.
The original class was started in 1835, consisting (as the record is lost, in- dividual memory is relied upon) of Knowlton P. Pettibone and wife, Mehit- abel Stone, Mrs. Chilson, Mrs. Van Amburg, Mrs. Sliter, Cornelia Hopkins and Mary E. Norton. There soon joined it: Mrs. J. Turner, Mrs. E. Turner. Wm. Anderson and wife, and James Ewing and wife.
From this small beginning its growth has been steady, not paroxysmal. It has always been a live body.
From the earliest times it had to compete with Catholic, Reformed, Con- gregational, Baptist and Episcopal churches, all organized at about the same time, and in a sparse population. Of course, all must be feeble, but none of the feeble ones died. With its intense inherent vitality, a Methodist society never dies.
Until 1842, its preaching was by those who rode (or walked) the circuit.
The first church (now used as part of a livery stable) was erected in 1843; was enlarged in 1851. It was originally about 30 by 40 feet; a very simple concern, built not for display, but for purposes of worship. The present edi- fice was dedicated in 1870; was erected at an expense of $50,000.
'The church has twice swarmed, giving rise to the West Side and East Street churches.
The circuit or stationed preachers have been:
Circuit-Monette, Seaburn, Mitchell and Frieze, aforementioned; 1837, R. R. Richards and A. Staples; 1849, E. Crippin and Daniel Bush; 1841, Cook and Stanley.
Stationed-1842, Franklin Gage; 1844, A. M. Fitch; 1846, J. E. Parker; 1847. M. B. Camburn; 1848, R. Reynolds; 1849, J. Summerville; 1850, F. A. Blades; 1852, A. J. Eldred; 1854, R. Sapp; 1856. J. Boynton; 1857, H. Morgan: 1859, M. A. Daugherty; 1861, D. R. Latham; 1862, Wm. Rork; 1863, J. W. Robinson; 1865, J. Jennings; 1866, A. J. Eldred; 1869, Geo. W. Joslyn; 1871, Henry Spencer; 1874, T. F. Hildreth.
The present membership is about 450. The location of the church has been unchanged-the old edifice giving place to the new.
SOCIETIES IN GRAND RAPIDS.
Hebrew Benevolent Society, 1869.
Kent Scientific Institute, 1865.
Public Library, 1872.
St. Mark's Home, 1872.
Old Residents' Association, 1858.
Medical and Surgical Society, 1864.
Kent Sportsman's Club, 1875.
Ladies' Literary Society, 1873.
West Side Ladies' Literary Society, 1875.
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MASONIC.
Grand Rapids Lodge, No. 34; instituted March 19th, 1849.
Valley City Lodge, No. 86, 1856.
Humboldt Lodge, No. 276, 1869.
Grand Rapids Chapter. No. 7; chartered 1851.
Tyre Council, R. & S. Masters, No. 10, 1876.
Masonic Mutual Benefit Association, 1875. Knights Templar, De Molai Commandery, 1856.
A. A. Scottish Rite, Moriah Lodge of Perfection, 1869 Cyrus Council of Princes, 1869.
ODD FELLOWS.
The Pioneer Lodge was Irving Lodge, No. 11, of Michigan, chartered in 1846. It had an active existence for a number of years, when, owing to some unpleasant feeling, indifference to the lodge succeeded, and it ceased to be an acting body. In 1858, it was, under fairer auspices, re-organized as " Grand Rapids Lodge," and continues to be a live institution. Its pres- ent membership is 102.
Enterprise Lodge, No. 212. Organized 1873. Membership, 70.
Walhalla Lodge (German), No. 249. Members, 40. Organized, 1875. West side Lodge, No. 250. Organized, 1875. Members, 60. Grand Rapids Encampment.
BANKS IN GRAND RAPIDS.
First National Bank, 1865. Capital, $550,00.
City National Bank, 1865. Capital, $300,000.
Grand River Savings Bank, 1870. Capital, $100,000.
INCORPORATED COMPANIES.
Berkey & Gay, Furniture Company, 1873. Capital, $500,000.
Capon & Bertseh, Leather Company, 1875. Capital, $200,000. Grand Rapids Boom Co., 1870. Capital, $50,000.
Grand Rapids Brush Co., 1873. Capital, $100,000.
Grand Rapids Gas Light Co., 1857.
Grand Rapids Chair Co., 1872. Capital, $300,000.
Grand Rapids Manufacturing Co. $84,000.
Grand Rapids Novelty Works, 1874. Capital, $100,000.
Grand Rapids Plaster Co., 1856. Capital, $500,000. Michigan Barrel Co., 1875. Capital, $300,000.
Michigan and Ohio Plaster Co., 1875. Capital, $100,000.
Phoenix Furniture Co., 1872. Capital, $300,000.
Street Railway (first) from the head of Monroe street to the D. & M. Railroad, 1868.
Union Stave Co., 1874. Capital, $50,000.
Widicomb Furniture Co., 1865. Capital, $150,000. i
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GRAND RIVER VALLEY.
OTTAWA AND MUSKEGON COUNTIES.
GRAND HAVEN.
The first occupation of Grand Haven was by Rix Robinson, who pre-empted a quarter section, where now is the water front of the city. He there established a trading post.
In the spring of 1834, Zenas G. Winsor, then a young man, came to Grand Haven, as Robinson's agent. Winsor was the first English speaking person, who stopped there. His place of business was near the "Ferry" warehouse.
The Rev. William M. Ferry is to be considered the first settler. He had been for some years a missionary teacher at Mackinaw. Broken in health, he left Mackinaw, and went East, where, in the summer of 1854, he encountered Robert Stewart, who induced him to enter into an arrangement, which caused him henceforth to become a man actively engaged in business.
Stewart had purchased of Robinson one-half of his interest in the pre-emption. He placed certain funds in the hands of Ferry, with which he was to operate, sharing the results, making Grand Haven his center. Ferry associated with him his brother-in-law, Nathan H. White, and came on from De- troit by land. They, Ferry and White, arrived September 15, 1834, in a canoe, with two Indians, furnished by Mr. Slater at Grand Rapids. They found Rix Robinson and his family, the only white persons. Louis Campau had an agent, a French- man, at the Lower Diggings, at the mouth, on the left bank of the river. Robinson was busy getting ready for his fall cam- paign, yet he spent several days showing Ferry his pre-emp- tions. The one-half of these had been purchased by the Grand Haven Company, consisting of Robinson, Ferry and White, as equal partners. Of this company, Mr. Ferry was constituted agent.
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Business arrangements being concluded, Mr. Ferry started for his family at Mackinaw in a birch canoe, with two Indians. Returning, he brought with him a number of persons, mostly Indians and half-breeds. Robinson came back about the same time, bringing with him Mr. Lasley.
The same season, the Grand Haven Co. laid out the village of Grand Haven. The company built a mill, bought large tracts of land, bought two mills at Grandville, employed Ne- hemiah Hathaway and George and Dexter Ranney to get out logs at the month of Crockery Creek, to supply the mills. They engaged in building river boats. In 1838, they built a steamer called the Owashtenaw, a large stern-wheel boat, too large for the business, as it was then. This was not the first boat, the "Gov. Mason " having been built the year before. She run one or two years, at a loss to the owners, and was burned at the burning of the big mill.
The Grand Haven Company did business some five or six years, operating in land and lumber; managing to use up in- stead of making money. At one time a raft of 200,000 feet was lost in the lake; at another, 30,000 logs. On the whole. after spending some $100,000, the business proving unprofita- ble, the company disbanded; dividing the property by friendly arbitration, each pocketing heavy losses.
Having traced the Grand Haven Company to its final burial. we may as well go back to the time when Ferry returned. bringing with him his bosom friend, P. C. Duvernay, and fam- ily. They stopped with Rix Robinson during the winter. "The building, in which twenty-one persons were quartered, was 16 by 22. The accommodations were not such as would be agreeable to those accustomed, as some of them were, to the refinements of civilization. A part of the twenty-one slept in the loft of the cabin, and a part in a vessel that wintered in the harbor. Nevertheless, they were buoyed by hope, and the voice of praise and thanksgiving went up among them. Fer- ry and his company arrived on Sunday morning, Nov. 22d. They landed none of their stores, but in Mr. Robinson's shan- ty, like the Pilgrims at Plymouth 214 years before, united in solemn worship, Mr. Ferry preaching from Zachariah, iv.,
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10: " Who hath despised the day of small things?" Thus, as it were, the first act was an act of prayer and praise; and thus they consecrated the future village and city to God.
At the time of Mr. Ferry's arrival, the nearest white neigh- bors were thirty miles distant. At the sonth, ten miles up the Kalamazoo River, lived a family named Butler. At the east there were a family or two, np Buck Creek, in Kent county. On the river there were a very few at Grandville and Grand Rapids; at the north, none nearer than Mackinaw.
In the spring of 1835, Nathan Troop and family arrived from Canada, descending the river from Grand Rapids in a canoe; Thomas W. White, Thomas D. Gilbert, Miss Mary A. White; also, forty-two Robinsons, kindred of the pioneer, Rix Robinson, who came in a schooner by way of Mackinaw. They settled at different points up the river. Dr. Timothy East- man, from Maine, came during the summer. Wm. Hathaway and William Butts came from Canada, and commenced build- ing a steam mill at Grand Haven. This mill was after- wards owned by Troop and Ferry. Mr. Troop built a warehouse for Campan, at the " Lower Diggings," which, with the land on which it stood, has disappeared, through the en- croachments of the river. Mr. Troop was a carpenter. Capt. David Carver came to trade with Clark B. Albee, as his clerk. Carver failed in 1837; went to California with Fremont, and perished on that suffering expedition.
Robinson, White and Williams built a warehouse in 1835. and D. Carver another in 1837. The warehouse, long ocen- pied by Albee, was built by John F. Stearns, who afterwards engaged in lumbering business on the Muskegon.
The "Lower Diggings " warehouses were first occupied by Thomas Lewis, of Grand Isle (a genius and a colt), and by Peter Andree, of Detroit.
In the fall of '35 came on Luke A. White, who stayed awhile: went back, and returned with Dr. Stephen Williams. Robin- son, White and Williams formed a partnership for general business-the first regular mercantile firm at Grand Haven.
Col. Hathaway came in the fall of '36, and acted as lumber agent for the Grand Haven Company. He afterwards re-
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moved to Grandville. He was a man greatly esteemed, whole- souled and manly. About this time arrived James Clydesdell, with seven children, twelve shillings in money, and some portable effects. He did not remain poor, for industry and pluck are not permanent allies of poverty.
In the winter of 1835-6, starvation threatened the infant colony. All along the river the remembrance is of "short com- mons;" provisions, other than what was obtained by hunting, almost unattainable. The Grand Haven Company had money ; and made ample arrangements for food for those in their em- ploy. They had purchased a winter's supply in Detroit and Ohio, and shipped around the lakes. The vessel had the stores of merchandise and an abundant supply of pork, flour, &c., and was expected to arrive before the close of navigation; but was wrecked on one of the islands of Lake Michigan. Grand Haven looked blue when the news of the loss was reported. Supplies could not now be obtained by way of the lakes. Up the river they had none to spare, and not enough for themselves. There were no roads to the southern settlements. There were no bridges; and it must be a desperate effort that secures them from the horrors of famine. Ferry brooded over it for a few hours; then took White into his counsel; and the result was that White, with the means in his pocket, was the next day wending his way sonthward on the beach; feeling the impor- tance of his mission, and determined to " do or die."
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If you fellows at your case, treading on your first-class rag carpets, and grumbling about your taxes, would know what it is to live in a new place, just catch Nathan White when he is at leisure, and get him to relate his adventures on that expe- dition. [Alas! White tells it no more.]
It was a cold stormy time, and the young man had a time of it-came near losing his life in crossing the Kalamazoo river; but, dripping and freezing, he got ont and went to the farming settlements near Battle Creek. There he purchased 200 bushels of wheat, about 100 hogs, and a lot of corn for the hogs, and hired men and teams to bring his purchases to Grandville. And here it is well to record a rare act of scoundrelism on the part of the man who sold the wheat.
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White bought and paid for 200 bushels, to be delivered at the mill some miles distant. The man delivered 160, and refused to furnish the rest or to refund the money, saying that it was good enough for him for being sneh a fool as to pay for the wheat before he got it. That man ought to have been talked to! His cool eussedness was certainly sublime. White, with his caravan of men, teams and hogs, wended his way through the snow to Grandville, where a part of the supplies were left for those dependent on the company there, the rest were taken on the ice to Grand Haven. The river had fallen, leaving the ice on the banks sloping, so that the hogs, once on, could not get off, and they had no discretion but to go to the knife at Grand Haven.
Having seen teams and hogs safely on the ice, White ar- ranged for his own triumphant entry into Grand Haven. He made a collar and tugs for his horse, of hay, lashed a cross-pole to the bow of a canoe, placed his saddle in the stern; with a bed-cord, kindly furnished by Mrs. Oakes, for lines, he har- nessed his horse with the hay-bands hitched to the cross-pole. Ile mounted the saddle, kissed his hand to the fair Mrs. Oakes, waved his hand to the by-standing crowd, and shouted "Git up !" Like an Esquimaux, he shot over the ice, passed the teams midway on the river, and was hailed at Grand Haven, not with the booming of cannon, for they had none, but with the hearty "God bless you " of the whole little community.
And here it may not be amiss to relate a little incident, to show the effect of short commons on the most cool and philo- sophical. Bread, venison and pork had been the course all winter, and the people, though blessing the Providence that kindly supplied these, still felt a starving desire for something vegetable to break the monotony. In the spring, Mr. Ferry procured of the Indians about a half a bushel of cranberries. Mrs. Ferry, with a light heart, pieked them over, and on a furnace out of doors, cooked them with Indian sugar; think- ing all the while of the treat she was preparing for the dear ones at home, and for those in their employ. Just as they were about done, an old grey-hound Michigan sow tipped over the furnace, spilling her lucious treat in the sand. That
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calm, self-poised woman was unnerved; she sat down and cried from sheer vexation. The nerves that nothing seem- ingly could shake, that had never failed when facing death or (langer, failed her then. We will not blame the sainted woman. You or I would have been mad, and sprained our ankles kick- ing the old brute. From this we may see that trifles may be great things.
About this time, steamboats from Buffalo began to put in for wood, furnished by T. D. Gilbert from the bayous around.
The first school-house was erected in 1836. It long was the place for all public meetings, was chapel, court house and town house as well.
In 1837, Col. Amos Norton arrived, and commenced putting up a mill at Nortonville. In a few months came Jabez Barber and Richard Mason, who helped him to complete it. These three men left Canada during the disturbances in 1836-7. Barber perished in the ill-fated "Pacific," when coming home from England in 1854. Barber and Mason, in 1844, built the mill at Mill Point (Spring Lake).
Benjamin Hopkins, also from Canada, arrived in 1837, and purchased lands at Eastmanville, where he lived and died.
A specimen of primitive justice as administered by the peo- ple, may serve as an episode. A male specimen of humanity had stolen a pig. The proof was complete; but what to do with the scamp, was the question. In full council of the self- constituted regulators, he was solemnly sentenced to march through the streets with the pig on his back; and thencefor- ward to preserve perpetual absence. The sentence was carried out. The pig was strapped to the sinner's back, and all paraded the streets. When satisfied with the exhibition, it was em- phatically hinted to him that he had better leave. Acting upon the hint, he incontinently gave them a specimen of tall walking.
We will here introduce a lively sketch of pioneer life, by the worthy ex-mayor Griffins:
" Instead of first-class railroads, as now, the mode of trav- cling along the Grand River was on snow-shoes, in Indian trails,
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or on skates on the ice, in the winter; or paddling an Indian canoe, in summer. A good canoe, bought of an Indian, cost $3. A pre-emption settler, in possession of one of these was all right in those days. He could load it up with vegetables; paddle down to Grand Haven; sell out very soon to the Indians, or the few white people there, get his tea, tobacco and whisky, and go back home again.
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