USA > Michigan > Ionia County > Memorials of the Grand River Valley > Part 7
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Thucydides wisely remarks, " cum grano salis," which is freely interpreted by putting your thumb on your nose and wagging your little finger!
This was the first, but by no means the last or most memor- able celebration of Independence at Lyons. One, a few years later, "is still to memory dear." As a preliminary, we may state that Dr. Beckwith had been made the butt of ridicule, through a surreptitiously obtained letter of his to the "school-marm:" copies of which, to his intense disgust, and to the infinite mirth of the Lyonese, had been posted on the trees and fences. When the "glorious 4th " came around, the Doctor. to make them forget the joke at his expense, provided the feast of the day. A beautiful dinner was spread, and all par- took of the baked pigs, that had been seasoned with Croton oil. History sometimes draws a veil-it will kindly do so here.
Excuse digression. We will come back to 1833, during which the company increased to 20 persons. Of these, were Wm. Moore and family, among whom were two sons, William and Daniel; Nathan Benjamin, David Hunt, John Gee, John Knox and family, and William Merrill.
William Hunt has before been spoken of. He came on to stay in 1834. He lived in the village, kept a kind of a " stop- ping place," where people could get something to eat, and sleep "heads and points " on the floor. He had no regular business-traded with the Indians a little, hunted bees, fished, and did "odd jobs." He was a good, but not prominent citi- zen. When Isham put up a better tavern, Hunt removed to a farm three miles out of town, where he died about 1858. His widow survived him about four years; she had long been blind. His daughter Ruth was the first teacher in the town of Keene. She married Benjamin Thompson, and "moved West." Another daughter (from whom these facts are gleaned ) is now Mrs. Conner, of Easton.
A good story is told of these Hunt girls, and our friend Blanchard, of Ionia. The girls, out blackberrying, treed a bear. One of them stayed to keep him up the tree, while the other ran to Roof's office for help. Blanchard rallied several
.
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men, who, with dogs and guns, were at the spot in short order. Finding the heroie girl had kept the bear treed, instead of shooting him where he was, they wished to have some sport. ~ So they, at first politely making their best how to Bruin, in- vited him to come down, and play with the dogs. But he only put his paw to his nose, as much as to say, "I don't as- sociate with dogs." They then threw clubs at him, but he only growled. Blanchard said, "I'll bring him down." The tree forked near the ground. Bruin was on one part, and Blanchard, with a club, sprung up the other, and struck the bear, they being on a level. Mr. Bear felt himself insulted; and clinging with one paw to his limb, made a sweep with the other at the one who had desecrated his sacred nose. Ilis sweep was one inch too short to hit Blanchard; but it took from him his vest and shirt; and the poor sinner hung to his limb, not daring to move, about as scared a fellow as ever bore the name of Blanchard. The others, seeing the predica- ment, gave up the idea of sport at the bear's expense, and shot him, to Blanchard's infinite relief. Ile, while there, made a vow never to go into a tree again with'a bear; and that vow has been religiously kept.
Talking of Blanchard, we will tell one more story, of which he is one of the heroes and the narrator.
He was master of ceremonies at a pioneer wedding. The event came off in a log house with but one room; and the officiating officer was a newly elected Justice of the Peace, who had never seen any one married. Being a justice, he knew it was his business to swear people, but he was saddly puzzled as to what kind of an oath to administer here. All were ready, the couple had come down the ladder; were duly paraded by Blanchard, and the justice placed before them. He ( the justice) stood hesitating; Blanchard nudged him, and told him to proceed. He still stood as though petrified; B. nudged him again, and told him to go ahead. The justice in a loud voice said:
" Mr. Jeremiah Hunt, hold up your hand. Do you swear by God Almighty that you take this woman for your wife?"
Answer .- " Yes."
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" Miss Ann Trip, do you swear by God Almighty that you take this man for your husband?"
Answer .- " Yes."
" Then I swear by God Almighty that you are man and wife; and God Almighty's curse on the one that shall separate Von! Amen."
The historian has not told who that justice was. But he was neither the first nor the last justice who was daunted out of his wits, the first time he was called upon to tie the knot hymenial. The "humble speaker" knows that by his own woful experience. (See Harper's Magazine, 1863; Editor's Drawer.)
One story more, and we will dismiss the irrepressible Blanchard for the present. He and another fellow were students with Roof. (We say " the other fellow," for fear Mr. -
will be offended.) Mr. R. sent them to manage a justice suit in another township. They started, and on their way were full of their first cause. It was arranged between them that Blanchard should examine the witnesses, and the other should do the pleading. The suit was tried in a log house, which was raised some feet from the ground; an open door on each side. Young Blackstone got up to plead the cause, stand- ing with his back toward the door. He commenced " May it please the Court, Sir!" And there stuck; spitting two or three times, he said again: "May it please the Court, Sir!" step- ping back a step or two at the same time; but there he stuck again. Growing desperate, he a third time exploded: "May it please the Court, Sir !! " And stepping back again, fell ont of the door, turning a summersault as he went. Crawling on his hands and knees, he stuck his head in the back door. and said: "Go to hell with your old court!"
Ilistory moves slow when Blanchard is around. With him on the brain, we got off the track, and were guilty of at least one anachronism; in our recollections of the report in the "Olympic Chronicle," A. F. Bell was not, as an historical fact, the one who figured on that occasion, for he was not there, as will be seen by what follows. But as it is just like him, and the story is written, it shall stand. We hate to back down. Fowler, in his chart of our head said, " self-esteem, very large;
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firmness, inordinate." Therefore we have a character to sus- tain, as well as the reputation of the phrenologist. We will leave Lyons to itself until 1836. Some more settlers had, in the meantime, pitched their tents, and there was beginning to be the appearance of civilization. 1836 was the year of a general irruption of settlers and speculators into Ionia county. The location of the Land Office at Ionia, and the widely eireu- lated report of the character of the lands caused a rush, which was almost inconceivable. This is spoken of in connection with Ionia. Among those who, won by the fame of the new Elysium, came on and pitched at Lyons, were Adam L. Roof, a young lawyer, and A. F. Bell. They, with indefinite pur- pose, found themselves in Michigan, at Jackson. Jackson was then a shanty town, with little to invite their stay. Here they got news that the Land Office was going to be removed to Ionia, and they made up their minds to go there. They had a boat built at Jackson, and put out down the river. About ten miles down they found a jam of logs, which they got around with the aid of some passing Indians. They camped in Eaton county, and in the night were much disturbed by some mosquitoes, who came to "interview " them, and by the serenaders that were out, probably to do them honor. But they-two inexperienced young lawyers-supposed the serena- ders were hungry, and wanted them for supper. Just so the kindest intentions are often misinterpreted. It may here be re- marked that they recognized the voice of a panther among the serenaders. Of those panthers, more anon. A screech-owl joined his unmelodions voice in the general chorus of welcome. That bird is singularly unfortunate, few admiring his music.
At times dragging their boat, and again floating in 'it, camping on the bank at night, the fourth night found them at Stone Ledge. On the 5th day they had their supreme terror. They were boarded by a frightful " big Indian," who called out " Quash-a-gum!" Bell, who was saying his prayers at the time, for fear had disposed his heart to prayer, pointed to his gnn; but the Indian pointed to the provision box, and made signs that he was hungry. Without waiting to say " Amen." Bell gave the Indian some food, and he left. This Indian wa ;
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Squa-gun, less frightful in character than in looks. He was far from being an Adonis; more have mistaken him for Apol- lyon. When he left, the pallid fear and the voice of prayer were changed to mirth, and jokes at each other's expense. Bell complimented Roof on the alabaster whiteness of his countenance, as becoming a youthful Appollo, and Roof, (the sinner), said if he had Bell's pathos in prayer, he would abandon the bar, and be a preacher. They shot a deer, and secured the hams, as their larder was low, and went on to a hut, occupied by a French trader, named Faro; took a trail across the bend of the river to Portland, leaving the eanoe and bag- gage with Faro, to be sent around by an Indian. At Portland they found white men, and sung " Te Deum Laudamus." There they attended a wedding-that of Joshua Boyer and Susan Moore. Arrived at Lyons, and pleased with the appearance of things, they concluded to stay. About the time they arrived the Indians had their "Green Corn Dance " and " Painted Pole Dance," at which time they visited the graves, and made their offerings to appease the Great Spirit.
Lyons, or as it was called by the Indians, Cocoosh, was a prairie-an Indian clearing of 1,100 acres, named after a noted chief. Cocoosh was a negro, who, as a boy of twelve years, was in the war of 1812, taken by the Indians. When he grew up they made him a chief. He was buried on the left bank of the river, in front of the Sons of Temperance IIall. A picket fence, painted rel, was around his grave.
Roof and Bell, finding no law wanted, shantied on the hill, where Roof now resides, kept bachelor's hall, and turned their attention to surveying-especially to the laying out of cities. They, in company with Findley, laid out the city of Lyons, in 1837: platted about 1,000 acres. Taking Fred Hall as ax- man, they platted eight eities in the wilderness. People had found out where cities ought to be; but of all of them, Lyons is the only one that ever rose to be a village. First, they laid out New Burlington, in Clinton county, now a farm; second, Clinton Salt Works, now a farm; third, Gratiot Salt Works, at the bend of Maple River (now a good farm). Then Clinton Centre, south of St. Johns (no village there). The fate of
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the others was the same. The places refused to be anything more than a map. Lots were sold at the East in these prom- ising embryo cities; and rueful were the looks of those who came on to improve their purchases. There were a good many green ones in those times-the progenitors of those now living. They would select from maps, lots in "College Square " or "Arcade Street; " pay their money; take their deeds, and come on to see and improve their lots. "College Square " was a swamp, miles from a house; and " Arcade Street" was a gully, with its muddy brook. Didn't they swear! But who pitied the fools? Then it was that "Yankee cuteness " was developing itself into " Michigan cussedness," and rapid was the development thereof. Then it was that " wildcat " money furnished the wind to blow up many a bub- ble. How beautiful those bubbles were! But they were but bubbles, and burst, of course. Nothing was thought of but land and lots. All were going to be rich. But when the " Specie Circular " brought all up with a jerk, happy was he who had an old horse and harness, or something called prop- erty. The money afloat was useless, except to light a pipe. The owners of lots would let them be sold for a six cents' tax. Many were in the condition of the Irishman, who, passing a pasture where a big bull was feeding, conceived the idea of taking him by the horns and rubbing his nose in the dirt. Full of the idea, he rolled on the ground, convulsed with the wildest laughter. Springing over the fence he seized the horns of the bull. When all was over, he said, " It was well I had my laugh before I got over the fence."
One word, on dismissing these surveyors, Roof, Bell and Hall. The two first, after winning position at the bar, sunk into the Legislature, and the last we hear of the third, he was mayor of Ionia.
" Youthful hopes, and youthful promise, Here see what they end in."
The specie circular, in 1837, found Lucins Lyon improving the place. IIe was carrying out his schemes of building a hotel, a dam, a bridge, etc. Gentle reader, have you ever, when
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riding at full speed on a spirited horse, had him come square against a stump? Could you keep in the saddle, or did you find yourself in the air, and then, bruised, bleeding, and devoid of any feeling of manly dignity, crawling out of a mud-hole?" Lucius Lyon was, by the pressure of the times, obliged to aban- don his wisely conceived schemes, and Lyons languished.
The splendid water-power at Lyons was developed by degrees, until it is one of the best in the State, and one which will make Lyons a manufacturing town. Lucius Lyon began its devel- opment. In 1856, Daniel Ball, having secured some interests in Lyons, proposed to improve the water-power, provided the citizens would take hold with him, and work for their own interest. They came down to the tune of $8,000. The work was undertaken, but came to a stand, when a number of the citizens organized the "Lyons Water Power Company," bought out Ball's interest, completed the dam and race, so that the water-power is a success.
The village was incorporated in 1837. A new charter was secured in 1868. Its growth has been slow. Its visions of greatness are things of the past, and the Lyonese are content to be a village. They are proud of the unsurpassed loveliness of the location, which attracts the eye of every passer-by. The beauty of its scenery made it a competitor for the State capital.
In the earlier years it was the rival of Ionia, and bid fair to distance that place. But Ionia got the county-seat and the Land Office: and Lyons was slow in developing the natural advantage she had in her water-power. Then the railroad came along, going through Ionia, but leaving Lyons in the back-ground, and giving occasion for the starting of the vil- lages of Muir and Pewamo.
But we will not pity Lyons. When that big factory goes up, she will snap her fingers at Muir, that now is sapping her vitals.
MUIR.
Across the river from Lyons, whose location on the railroad gave it a chance to rise, and whose existence is so much taken from Lyons, is Muir. The following sketch, written by one
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of her prominent citizens-A. Byron Robinson, Esq .- will give its history and its status in 1868. Succeeding events have not necessitated any addition. This is copied from a business directory of Muir, and has been approved as correct.
The first settlers of the place were Dr. W. Z. Blanchard, and his son John C. Blanchard, who improved a farm there. It was simply a farm until 1855. The village was incorporated in 1871. For the rest, let Robinson speak of Muir:
SKETCH OF MUIR, IONIA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
" Muir is situated on the Detroit & Milwaukee railroad, 117 miles west from Detroit, at the junction of the Maple and Grand Rivers, and is the great lumber market for the vast pine regions of Fish Creek, a tributary of Maple River. The vil- lage of Muir was first conceived, and some slight effort made to develop a town in the year 1854, by the firm of Soule, Rob- inson & Co., which then consisted of the late Ambrose L. Soule, A. Byron Robinson and the Rev. Isaac Errett, who at that time erected a large mill for the manufacture of pine lumber, now known as the Begole Mill. The town was not surveyed and platted until the summer of 1857, when the late Richard L. Robinson and Benjamin Soule came into the firm, and with renewed zeal and energy, the effort was then made to establish and develop a town at this point. The village was accordingly surveyed and platted that spring, and at once be- gan to assume proportions and rank among the towns of Ionia county.
The village for a number of years, however, labored under very great disadvantages. The original founder, Ambrose L. Sonle, a man of very great sagacity, business energy and zeal, having been removed by death, in June, 1857, the whole enterprise seemed to have received a stroke that would prove fatal to the first conceived plan of operations, both in regard to the town and the manufacture of lumber. But the impor- tance of the interests of this point, and the general advantages of the location, soon began to be felt, and from that time up to the present, the place has had a steady, healthy growth, which now brings it in direct competition with its more pretentious
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rivals. The village numbers about 1,000 inhabitants, nearly or quite one hundred buildings having been erected within the last year, with the prospects of a very large increase the coming year. The lumbering interest is the absorbing interest of the town, there being now four large mills for the manufacture of lumber, with a capacity of 20,000,000 feet per season, and a prospect of more mills, soon to be crected. as the result of the contemplated railroad from Marshall to Greenville, which has been surveyed through this place, with every prospect of its speedy construction, the route having been found very favor- able, and the citizens on the line having every assurance that by reasonable effort on their part, the whole road would at once be placed under contract.
The village has four large dry goods stores, four grocery stores, two clothing, two crockery, one book, one hardware. two drug, and three shoe stores. Also, one large shingle manufactory, one large bakery, two livery stables, three black- smith shops, a large flouring mill with a capacity of one hun- dred barrels per day, an extensive wagon manufactory, with the full requisite number of eating saloons, restaurants. etc., etc.
The town has not been deficient in point of religious cul- tutre, their being a very large congregation of Disciples, with a splendid house for worship; also. a congregation of Presby- terians and Methodists. The Presbyterians are now ereeting a very fine house for worship. The village is not incorpora- ted, bnt a very general feeling of harmony prevails, which. having been faithfully fosterel and cared for, has given us many of the advantages of a corporation, without the extra taxation. We have a very fine public fountain in the square: also a very comfortable system of sidewalks in our streets, Our educational interests are not what they might be, nor what. we hope they soon may be, our facilities for accommodating the large increase of scholars, within the last six or eight months, being entirely inadequate. We have two buildings and have a fully and completely organized graded school; but our buildings are not what they should be for the large num- ber of students in attendance. We hope soon, however, to be
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second to no point in this important enterprise-the abundant provision for the full and complete education of the youth of this place.
Feeling that the importance of this point will compare favor- ably with any other of the many very desirable locations of Northern Michigan, those seeking new homes in the West, we feel confident cannot do better than make this a point for observation. A. BYRON ROBINSON."
July 9, 1868.
Westof Mnir, on the bluff near the railroad, are the ruins of an intrenchiment, of which there is only a vague tradition. It is a ditch encircling the brow of the hill on three sides, and is nearly in the form of the letter C, the open side facing the steep side of the hill, fronting the river. The length of the ditch is over 600 feet, and encircles the sides of the hill near the top.
Old Cocoosh said there was a great battle between the resi- dent Indians and a tribe who came from the Ohio River; that the fight was on the plain, and that this intrenchment was for defense. The position was well chosen, and could be easily defended from an assault, but could stand no besieging, as it had no water. It is a piece of Indian military engineering, and is not bad-a kind of Bunker ITill affair. Give a man. who has not learned how to surrender, a lot of men, who have never been killed or whipped, and place them there, the present writer would humbly beg to be excused from being one of an attacking party, though perfectly willing, aided by Gen. Thirst, to aid in its besieging.
This tradition is surely plausible. The ditch was never anade for anything but defense from a temporary danger. It was probably a place for the women and children while the braves were, day by day, fighting the thing through; and as a a place to retire to at night.
The tradition is further, that the Southrons retired, having got a bigger whipping than they came after.
PEWAMO.
There is in the town of Lyons another village, incorporated
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in 1871. and called Pewamo; so named by John C. Blanchard from an Ottawa chief, for whom he entertained a great respect. The village was laid out by Blanchard (father and son), Hamp- ton Rich, Robert Highan, and others, who purchased the property of Messrs. Mosher and Hunt. The platting of the village was coincident with the construction of the D. & M. railroad. It is not expected to be a city; cities are played out: but it is, and will be, a snug little village, a shipping point, and place for local business. The public buildings are three churches, three hotels: and it has the usual complement of stores, machinie shops, etc .; it has a flouring mill, and some other machinery.
The first school in the township of Lyons was kept by Miss Susan Moore, in a small log shanty built by Lebhart. This was in 1834; she had five scholars. She, now the widow of Judge Boyer, in a green old age, is living at Grand Rapids, and her children and grandchildren bless her name. God bless the "school-marm," anyway, even when blessings are scarce. One of them is worth a regiment of fashionable ladies, who live to be " supported; " mere butterflies of fashion; as girls, a curse to father, always wanting money; a dead weight on husband (poor man); and when dead, a nothing, but a name on marble.
There's many a fine lady who will turn up her nose at plain Mrs. Boyer. But Mrs. B. has done good in the world; what have they done? The "school-marm " lives in many loving hearts, and in time becomes idealized as a kind of divinity. Again we say, God bless the "school-marm!"
At the time Lebhart came to Lyons, there was no settlement nearer than Jackson. True, the same year brought settlers to other points on the river. All was wild. The wild men of the forest had their principal rendezvons at Cocoosh. The Chiefs Cocoosh, Makatoket, Pewamo, Osangee, Mukatebanee and Okemose, centered there. For six months these were the only associates of Lebhart and his wife. He lived to see things changed, and died respected and lamented, March, 1874. Lebhart's name is attached to a creek in the town where he put up the first mill. Let no sacrilegious innovator ever change the name.
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PORTLAND.
Portland is situated at the junction of the Grand and Look- ing Glass Rivers. It is one of the centers, from which civili- zation radiated in the Grand River Valley; its occupation being among the earliest.
It needed but simple common sense on the part of the early explorers, to determine the fact, that at the mouth of the Looking Glass River a town of more than common size would grow up. That common sense would show them that the whole force of both rivers was easily controllable; and that, in Michigan, where there is a great water-power, a town is inev- itable. Some towns locate themselves; others, like Ionia, are located by man. Nature decided the fact that Portland must be a place of importance; man only discovered what nature had decreed.
Portland is not so much a thing of the present, as an idea; a reality of the future. Neither a prophet, nor the son of a prophet, but the grandson of a deacon, the writer predicts that Portland will be the manufacturing town of the Grand River. There the whole force of the two rivers can be readily con- trolled, so as to use the waters of the Grand River three times, and of the Looking Glass, twice. Railroads have given the place communication with the world, and the water is clamor- ing-" Put in the wheels."
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