USA > Michigan > Ionia County > Memorials of the Grand River Valley > Part 40
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55
George B. Woodbury was born in Worcester, Mass., and in 1837, removed to Michigan City, where he remained until October, 1840, when he left and settled in Muskegon, coming all the distance along the shore of Lake Michigan in a small boat. Soon after reaching Muskegon he obtained employment as engineer in the T. Newell & Co. mill. He continued this for several years, at the same time carrying on a blacksmith shop, where he employed his leisure time in making traps for the Indians and in doing other blacksmith work, This was the first shop of the kind in Muskegon, and the only one at the time north of Grand River.
Mr. Woodbury in those days was rather fond of a practical joke, as were most of the early settlers. The following is re- membered as one of them: A man from Monroe, who was rather inclined to put on airs, came to Muskegon with a quan- tity of wildeat money which at that time was not entirely worthless, but was considerably depreciated in value; and think- ing he was off in the woods among ignorant men, he endeavored to buy lumber with it at its par value. Samnel Rose, who hap- pened to be up the river at the time, had a raft of lumber lying in the water near where the flouring mill now stands, and Mr.
442
MEMORIALS OF THE
Woodbury sold the raft to the Monroe man, agreeing to wait for his pay until the lumber was hauled out, at the same time telling everybody to keep the joke quiet. The man worked three days in the water and got out about 25,000 feet, when Mr. Rose returned and exposed the joke, when the man left town a some- what wiser man, taking his wildcat with him.
Another joke was to the following effect played upon a loud talking new-comer, who had failed to become popular with the settlers. Mr. Woodbury one day said to Mr. Ryerson that it was too bad that that stranger should be eaten up in that way; that Mr. Green ought to suffer for it. The loud talker, as was intended, heard the remark, and immediately inquired in re- gard to the particulars. Mr. Woodbury, in reply, said "that Mr. Green had sent a stranger upon the hill alone to cut logs, and that the hodags had killed and eaten him, leaving nothing but his boots." He started at once for Mr. Green's house, to give him a terrible lecture. Mr. G. said it was one of Ryer- son and Woodbury's jokes, but he would not believe it, and + continued to blame him for thus allowing a stranger to expose himself. Mrs. Green endeavored to corroborate her husband's statement, when the loud talker said " he did not want her to put in her clack; she could not make him believe that Mr. Green was not to blame." The man was so much afraid of the imaginary animals, that he soon after left the town. Hence the origin of the term Hodags.
Samuel J. Green was born in Ohio, and settled in Muskegon in 1840, He died in May, 1858.
John H. Knickerbocker was born in 1815, at Watertown, N. Y. He settled in Muskegon in 1840, and died Aug. 26, 1856.
Richard Ryerson was born in Paterson, N. J., Feb. 9th, 1812, where he lived till he was about twenty years of age, when he removed to Western New York, where he lived until 1843, when he came and settled in Muskegon. He was en- gaged during the first years of his residence here at logging, at prices that would not be considered very good at the present time; sometimes selling good logs at $2 per thousand feet. Mr. Ryerson for several years kept the Walton House, the first frame hotel in Muskegon. He still resides in this city.
1
443
GRAND RIVER VALLEY.
Alfred A. Maxim was born in Chautauqua county, N. Y., Jan. 26, 1820. Coming West in 1843, he made Kenosha, Wis., his first stopping place. In November of that year he started from Chicago for Grand Haven on a schooner, with two yoke of oxen and some men that he had employed, to seek his for- tune at lumbering. The next day after reaching Grand Haven he started along the beach of Lake Michigan for Muskegon, there being at the time no road through the woods. They had not proceeded far when they came to a place where the drift- wood had filled up the narrow space between the water and a high bank; and not being able to drive around, they were obliged to unload the wagons-part of the load being barrels of pork-take apart the wagons, and carry them and the con- tents over the hill. They then led the oxen around, and having yoked them and put the wagon together, loaded up and started again.
Mr. Maxim was entirely unacquainted with quicksand, and when driving along on the smooth sand at the mouth of Lit- tle Black Lake, the oxen began to sink, and before he could get upon dry land they had sunk so that their heads alone were visible. After great exertion they finally succeeded in rescuing the animals alive from their perilous situation. They left the beach at the mouth of Black Lake and went through the woods, taking their course by compass, and reached Mus- kegon Lake near where the A. V. Mann & Co. Mill is now situated. From thence they followed along up the lake and stopped at the Muskegon House, then kept by Mr. Dill. These wagons were the first ever driven into Muskegon. Mr. Maxim has been engaged in lambering most of the time since, and has continued to reside on Muskegon River, his present home being in this city.
John Ruddiman was born in Aberdeen, Scotland, March 20, 1814, and came to this country in 1831. He lived four years in Pennsylvania, when he came to Michigan and lived a year in Detroit. In 1839 he removed to Wisconsin, where he remained until 1843, when he settled in Muskegon, where he has since continued to reside. In 1849 he built a mill on the north side of Muskegon Lake, in which, in 1850, he put in the
444
MEMORIALS OF TIIE
first siding mill in use on the lake. He built a flouring mill at the mouth of Bear Lake in 1862-the first in operation on Muskegon Lake.
Elias W. Merrill was born in Falmouth, Me., October 2. 1812; came to Michigan in 1837, and settled in Muskegon in June, 1844. He has continued to reside here, excepting one year when he lived at Bridgeton, and one year in his native State. Mr. Merrill was elected to the Lower House of the State Legislature in 1856; was postmaster in 1861, State Senator in 1865, and postmaster a second time in 1869, hold- ding the office till 1875.
Robert W. Morris was born in 1813, in the State of New York, and settled on the Muskegon River in 1842, and a few years after came to Muskegon. For a number of years he was an active business man, but his health having failed he retired from business in 1865, and removed to Grand Rapids, where he died May 5, 1866.
Ashley B. Furman was born in Saratoga county, N. Y., in Jan., 1819, and settled in Muskegon in 1845. Although he saw very much of the early history and settlement of Muske- gon, it is doubtful whether a reply that he once made to the question, "How long had he known Muskegon River?" was strictly true. He said "he had known the river ever since it was a small stream; in fact since it was first laid out." Mr. Furman died Oct. 4th, 1872.
The foregoing are sketches of all of those who settled in Muskegon during the first ten years after the first settlement was made, so far as the writer has been able to learn. Some of these sketches are not as perfect as would be desirable, the necessary information not being accessible.
SETTLERS PREVIOUS TO 1860.
The following is a list of the persons who settled in Muske- gon prior to the year 1860, so far as the writer has been able to obtain their names:
1846- James Graham, P. Blake.
1847 -- Charles Morton, Frank Young.
1848-Ezra Stevens, Nich. Petrie, C. Davis, Chas. Carmi- chael, E. A. Partridge, Mrs. Julia Witherell, Mrs. Fanny Shepherd, John Witherell, Mrs. Albert Hodge.
445
GRAND RIVER VALLEY.
1849-Mrs. W. Lloyd, Mrs. Ellen Boyd, John Cameron, C. P. McSherry, E. H. Wylie, Dennis Garvey, Theo. Wilson, Nich. Kempff, P. J. Connell.
1850-Julius Bosksch, A. Towbridge, F. John Hetz, Jona- than Boyce, Thomas Mills, Fred Drixelius, Kister Werner, John Carmichael.
1851-David Blake.
1852-A. J. McHenry, Hubert Stein, J. D. Davis, Jacob Hetz, Charles T. Hills, Lars Larson, Fred Bowles, Edward Boyce, Raymond O'Harrow, M. S. Burge, Dennis Reardon.
1853-J. H. Swan, Charles W. Root, Wm. Glue, Peter Grossnian.
1854-Ira O. Smith, P. Dowd, Henry Van Bambus, Ole Oleson, Wmn. Kotelman, Nich. Schuler, Henry Jacob, John Bronson, Andrew Olson, Edward Ford.
1855-Alex Cotie, John W. Kent, Martin Kochlin, Peter Muhl, Capt. Henry Dobson, J. H. Hacley, Matthew Wilson, Henry H. Getty.
1856 -- L. G. Mason, S. D. Murray, R. P. Easton, Lnman Hamblin, Gideon Truesdell, A. B. Miner, S. R. Sanford, F. Eimer, H. Riehle, J. W. Moon, John Torrent, Chas. H. Hack- ley, S. H. Stevens, Dr. A. Maurer.
1857-A. A. Bullock, M. F. Rainer, P. Schnorbach, Lewis M. Haines, John T. Dibble, Chas. D. Nelson, E. Potter, W. F. Wood, A. V. Mann, W. L. Ryan, Thos. Wheeler, W. H. Lewis, Bennett Ripley, Wm. Rutherford, Chas. Graves.
1858-Henry H. Holt, Wm. Pickett, George Schwegler, A. Rodgers.
1859-S. B. Peck, Geo. Armes, A. Mulder, J. Mulder, Geo. F. Outhwaite.
THIE SCHOOLS.
The first school in Muskegon was a private one, taught by Miss Clark in the winter of 1848-9, in a room in the dwelling of Charles Martin. Among those now living in this county, who attended this school, are Henry Lasley, of Montague; William, August and Joseph Baddeau, of Holton; and Mrs. Minerva Curry, of this city. The first school-house erected was built by private subscription, in the autumn of 1849, on
446
MEMORIALS OF THE
the corner of Clay avenue and Terrace street, where the Smith, Henderson & Co. wagen shop now stands. It was 20x30 feet, one story, and cost about $300. It was afterwards consider- ably enlarged, and was for several years the only school-house and place for religious services in the village. It was finally sold, removed, and converted into Holt's hall, which was de- stroyed in the great fire, August 1st, 1874. Wm. D. Holt taught in this school-house the first winter. Miss Roberts (afterwards the wife of Frank Cole) taught during the second winter and the summer following.
The first union school building was erected in 1860, while Thomas Wheeler was director of the district, This was re- placed by the present building in 1875, which cost $60,000.
Miss Margaret McIntyre has been engaged in the public schools in this city, either as principal or first assistant, for fifteen years prior to the close of the last term, having been employed continuously excepting one year.
TIIE CHURCHIES.
The first priest of the Roman Catholic Church who officiated in Muskegon after the town was settled, was Father Vizoski, of Grand Rapids, who came here in 1835, and held services in Lasley's house. Services were held here occasionally after that time, but nothing was done towards building a church until 1856, when Father Van Pamel, of Grand Rapids, com- anenced the work. The original building was completed and the first services held in it in 1857. It was known as St. Mary's Church. Since that time several additions and improvements have been made. The first resident priest in Muskegon was Father Stonehouse, who settled here in 1857. Father Rievers has occupied his present position eleven years.
In 1843 Rev. Mr. Warring, of the Presbyterian Church, made a visit to Muskegon, when Mr. Ryerson, having fitted up seats in his boarding house, went around and notified the people of the proposed service. The settlers were all present. including an old man who was very much under the influence of liquor. The minister was preaching when the man went in, and was saying something in regard to the Jews; and as the old man passed along he chimed in, "and Gentiles, too."
447
GRAND RIVER VALLEY.
No notice was taken of this intrusion, and he took his seat on the stairs that led to the floor above. He soon, however, be- gan to respond very loudly, not with the word amen, but in- stead the Indian on-in-day. Mr. Woodbury, who was sitting near, after making repeated attempts to keep him quiet, took him by the collar and pullrd him up stairs, and the services pro- ceeded in an orderly menner. At the close. a collection was taken, amounting to $7.50. This was the first Protestant ser- vice held in Muskegon.
From this time until 1850, several ministers who were here on a visit or otherwise, held services, several of whom came at the request of Rev. Wm. M. Ferry, of Grand Haven. Among them was the Rev. Mr. Wheeler, who came a number of times in the winter of 1844-5, and held services in the boarding- house occupied by Mr. Maxim. In the spring of 1850, an agreement was made with Rev. Mr. Reynolds, of the Congre- gationalist church, who lived at Lamont, to preach each alter- nate Sunday. The services were held in the school-house, and the arrangement was continued through the summer and part of the following winter; he being the first minister who had a regular appointment. Sleighs were unknown in Muskegon in those days, but C. Davis had a one-horse sled on which was a wood-rack, which he used occasionally when the snow was deep, in taking the ladies to church, accommodating as many as could stand in the rack.
The first M. E. minister who preached here regularly was Rev. Mr. Bennet, in 1854-5.
Rev. J. M. Pratt, of the M. E. church, settled in Muskegon as a minister in 1856, and soon after began to make arrange- ments for building a church. The Methodist church was com- menced in the spring of 1857, and was so far advanced that the basement was used in the spring of 1858; but it was not fully completed until the spring of 1859, when the dedication services were held on the 9th day of June, Rev. J. K. Gillett at that time being the pastor. The church, including the bell, cost, as appears by the report of the building committee, $11,600.
The first resident Congregationalist minister of Muskegon
448
MEMORIALS OF TIIE
was Rev. Mr. Payson, who settled here in 1857, and remained until 1859. In March, 1859, Rev. A. St. Clair located here and began to preach, and the Congregationalist society was or- ganized soon after; the services being held, until 1863, in the basement of the M. E. church, at the same time the Methodist services were being held in the room above. In 1863, the Congregationalist church was built, costing about $7,000.
The original Dutch Reform church was built in 1859. This was a small building, and was sold and removed for a school- house. The large Dutch Reform church was built in 1865.
The Dutch Reform church on Terrace street was built in 1866.
The Universalist church was built in 1865.
The Baptist church was built in 1871.
The Scandinavian Lutheran church was built in 1865.
St. Paul's Episcopal church was built in 1873.
The Danish Lutheran church was built in 1874.
The Swedish Lutheran church was built in 1875.
The first Sunday school organized in Muskegon was in 1852, by Mrs. E. W. Merrill, Mrs. J. H. Knickerbocker, Mrs. E. Huginin and Mrs. Chas. Odell. This was discontinued after a time, and a school was re-organized in 1854, by Fred. Bowles; Mrs. Elizabeth Bowles and some others assisting, since which date a Sunday school has been continually in existence in Mus- kegon.
POST OFFICE AT MUSKEGON.
In 1837, a post-office was established at the mouth of Mus- kegon River, and Henry Penoyer was appointed postmaster. who was to keep the post-office and bring the mail once a week from Grand Haven, for the proceeds of the office. In 1839, Mr. Penoyer was elected sheriff of Ottawa county, and was obliged to give up the post office, and Christopher Fry- zine was appointed in his place-Penoyer doing the business as deputy. 1841, the office was removed to the head of the lake, and Geo. W. Waldron became postmaster. For the four years that Penoyer run the concern, the postage amounted to from $12 to $24 per quarter. The mail was carried as it, happened-sometimes by an Indian and sometimes in Pen- oyer's pocket. All north received their mail from Muskegon.
ยท
449
GRAND RIVER VALLEY.
The post office was kept in the old Walton House for several years, when it was removed to the old warehouse building, now standing near the Chapin and Foss mill. Here it also remained for several years, until John B. Wheeler was appointed postmaster, who removed the office to the small building on Water street, the second building north of T. Merrill's livery stable. The receipts of the office for the first year amounted to about $36.00. Previous to the or- ganization of the Muskegon post-office, the nearest office was Grand Haven, where the mail matter for the Muskegon people was received. There was no regular arrangement for getting the mail from Grand Haven, and it was brought here by persons who might chance to go there, and occa- sionally an Indian or some other person was sent for the mail. During the first few years after the post-office was es- tablished, the mail was received from Grand Rapids via Ra- venna once each week. After a time, the mail service was increased to three times per week, which continued until 1860, when, the Detroit & Milwaukee R. R. being completed, a daily mail route was established to Perrysburg.
THE PRESS.
There was no newspaper published in Muskegon until the spring of 1857, when Charles Cowen started the Muskegon Journal. It was Republican in politics, was published weekly in a room in the old Walton House. After a short time, Mr. Cowen took in Thomas H. Hodder as a partner, and the firm continued the publication of the paper until the autumn of the same year, when it was discontinued.
The next newspaper was the Muskegon Reporter, which was started in April, 1839, by Fred B. Lee & Co. This was also a Republican weekly, and was published until October, 1864, when it was discontinued. August 20, 1864, John Bole started the Muskegon News, which he published a few months, and then sold to Wm. K. Gardner, who continued the publication until March, 1865, when he sold his interest to Ferdinand Weller. The latter soon after bought the press and type of the Reporter office, and revived that paper, publishing two papers. After a time they were united, and known as the
29
450
MEMORIALS OF TIIE
News and Reporter, which was published by Mr. Weller until December, 1869, when he sold the paper to Geo. C. Rice, who continued its publication as the Muskegon Chronicle. In August, 1870, Mr. Weller resumed the publication of the News and Reporter. The first Democratic paper started in Mus- kegon was the Muskegon Telegraph, which was succeeded by the Muskegon Enterprise and Gazette and Bulletin, the lat- ter being discontinued Sept. 9, 1873. Charles S. Hilbourn established the Democratic Lakeside Register in the fall of 1873, and still continues its publication.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The first physician who settled in Muskegon was Dr. Chas. P. McSherry, in 1849.
The first attorney was Edwin Potter, in 1857; the second attorney was Henry H. Holt, in 1838. The latter was elected prosecuting attorney of Ottawa county, of which Muskegon then formed a part, the same year.
Samuel R. Sanford was elected sheriff of Ottawa county in 1858.
R. O'Harrow has been general manager in the mill of C. Davis & Co. since January, 1854, a length of time in one po- sition not exceeded by that of any person in Muskegon.
The first banking office in Muskegon was started by Capt. T. J. Rand in 1859. He also erected the building in 1867 now occupied by the Lumberman's National Bank, which was the first brick building in Muskegon.
Muskegon county was organized in the winter of 1859, from territory detached from Ottawa county. C. Davis, E. W. Merrill, R. W. Morris were very active in securing the passage of the act, there being a very decided opposition to the meas- ure. The first election of county officers was held on the fourth of April of that year, when James H. Lobdell was elected sheriff; E. H. Wylie, county clerk; J. D. Davis, county treasurer; C. D. Nelson, register of deeds; Jesse D. Pullman, judge of probate; Henry H. Holt, prosecuting attorney, and Edwin Potter, circuit court commissioner.
The officers entered ou the discharge of the duties of their several offices on the first of June following, when the new county commenced its existence.
431
GRAND RIVER VALLEY.
The first meeting of the board of supervisors was held in the office of Henry H. Holt, on the 18th of July, 1859, when E. W. Merrill represented the township of Muskegon; I. O. Smith, Norton; Nathan Whitney, Casnovia; and Thomas D. Smith, Ravenna. E. W. Merrill was elected chairman of the board. The first business transacted was the detaching of a part of Muskegon township and organizing the same into the town- ship of Eggleston.
The supervisors of the townships of White River and Dalton refused to meet with the board. claiming that the organization of the county was illegal and void. I. E. Carleton, the super- visor from Oceana township, was afterwards proseented for neglect of official duty. A statement of facts was agreed upon and submitted to a jury, which found him guilty upon a special verdiet; whereupon Judge Littlejohn, who was the first Judge of the county, imposed a small fine. Mr. Carleton then took the case to the Supreme Court-as it was understood that he would when a decision was rendered-which sustained the organization, the court being equally divided.
The first representative in the State Legislature in Muskegon was Chauncey Davis, who was elected in 1860 and was re-elect- ed in 1862.
The village of Muskegon was incorporated in 1861, and the first election was held in the basement of the M. E. Church, on the Sth of July of that year, when Lyman G. Mason was elected president; E. Potter, R. W. Morris, C. P. Bigelow and Thos. Mills, trustees; Robt. McQueen, recorder; Luman Hamblin, marshal; C. D. Nelson, treasurer, and Henry H. Holt, village attorney.
An act was passed by the Legislature in 1869, incorporating the city of Muskegon, and the first election was held on the fourth day of April, 1870. The first officers of the city govern- ment were Chauncey Davis, mayor; C. C. Chamberlain, record- er; A. C. Truesdell, treasurer, and W. P. Odell and R. O'HIar- row, aldermen of the first ward; J. H. Landreth and Alex. Rodgers, aldermen of the second ward; and Chas. Kreig and Dennis Riordan, aldermen of the third ward.
MUSKEGON HARBOR.
The harbor at the mouth of Muskegon River and Lake, re-
452
MEMORIALS OF THE
mained in its natural condition until the year 1863, when the work of improving it was begun. Until this time, at the best stage of the water, there was scarcely ever more than six feet on the bar; oftener not more than four or five feet; and at times, after a strong wind from the southwest, the sand would be drifted in so that men have waded across. In 1863, a corporation called the Muskegon Harbor Company, was organ- ized under the provisions of a law of this State, for the pur- pose of improving the channel. This company built a slab pier on each side of the channel, the south pier being 1,500 feet long, and the north pier about 500 feet. The first su- perintendent was J. H. Hackley. Afterwards, L. G. Mason was the superintendent and completed the work done by the company. Previous to the building of the piers there was no well-defined channel, the water of the river spreading in every direction on reaching Lake Michigan. As a consequence, whatever there was of a channel, was very changeable as well as crooked, and even after the piers were commenced the water did not flow directly into the lake. To obviate this difficulty, the superintendent resorted to the somewhat novel expedient of boring a channel through the sand. To accomplish this, he chartered the propeller Caldwell to force her way back- wards from Lake Michigan into Muskegon Lake, agreeing to pay $1,500 for the job. The revolutions of the wheel cleared away the sand so that the propeller continually "advanced backwards," but so slowly that the Captain, at one time, was inclined to relinquish his undertaking; but on endeavoring to return into Lake Michigan, he found that so much of the sand that he had displaced, had settled behind the propeller that she could not move in that direction, and his only course was to go into Muskegon Lake, turn around and then bore out again. The result was that the current of the river was so strong that it afterwards kept the straight channel to Lake Michigan open.
This company was composed entirely of those interested in the Muskegon lumber business, and expended altogether abont $40,000, all of which was donated towards this improvement.
Congress soon after began to make appropriations for the
453
GRAND RIVER VALLEY.
same purpose-the result of all which is, that this harbor is undoubtedly the best on Lake Michigan, there being at the present time sixteen feet of water on the bar.
The current of the river is so strong that the channel never freezes over. Even in the cold winter of 1874 it did not freeze, and had it not been for the ice on Lake Michigan, ves- sels could have entered at any time and run up to Muskegon Lake, a distance of nearly a mile.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.