Portrait and biographical album, Mecosta county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches, Part 69

Author: Chapman Brothers
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 684

USA > Michigan > Mecosta County > Portrait and biographical album, Mecosta county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches > Part 69

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).

The following are the names of the business men of the village :

Bisbee, J. E., grocery and drug store. Frink, L. M., Frink's Hotel.

Hopkinson, W. D., general store. Johnson, T. C., wagon shop. Leggett, I. J., drug store. Murphy & Dolan, saloon. Nichols, J. E., restaurant. Robison, H. M., blacksmith. Symonds, S. H., shoe shop. Swigler, N. J., blacksmith. Stickney, E. M., saw and grist mill. Scranton, W, S., saloon.

The medical profession is represented only by Dr. 1. J. Leggett.

The most important event in the history of Paris was the great fire of 1879. At about half past three o'clock in the morning of Monday, May 26, the rear part of Andrew McFarlane's store was discovered to be on fire. A strong wind was blowing from the northeast at the time, and but two or three minutes elapsed before the entire building was enveloped in flames. McFarlane's hotel, the " Muskegon House," which stood adjacent to the store on the south side, was on fire; but a few minutes after the alarm was given, and the inmates of the hotel had barely time to get out, some of them saving but a part of their apparel.

The store buildings of E. M. Stickney, situated on the opposite side of the street, and occupied by Mr. S. Elwood, with a general stock of merchandise, were on fire before half the people of the village had been aroused from their slumbers. A two-story building adjacent on the south, owned by Mrs. Annie Hall, of Detroit, and occupied by Mr. Elwood with a stock of crockery, melted into smoke and ashes with the rest. A large two-story building, originally designed for a store, but occupied by Elliot Cheney for a hotel,

which stood next south of the store-buildings occu- pied by Mr. Elwood, was also in flames about as soon as the others, all of them being directly in the course in which the flames were driven by the wind. The inmates of this last mentioned building escaped with most of their apparel, which was about all that was saved. The Cheney Hotel was owned by Mrs. Roxy Compton. Another large two-story store building, situated several rods south of the Cheney Hotel, was the next to take fire. It was occupied as a residence by two families, one of them being that of Mr. Jud- kins, station agent at l'aris, and they had time to re- move all or nearly all their household goods. A substantial barn belonging to E. M. Stickney, and two or three cheap cow stables, complete the list of buildings destroyed.

Mr. McFarlane saved literally nothing from his store, in fact no one attempted to enter the building, the entire inside being a sheet of flame before the inmates of the surrounding buildings were apprised of the danger that threatened them. Mr. McFar- Jane's loss on buildings and stock was about $7,000 or SS,ooo, with no insurance. Mr. Stickney's loss on buildings was about $2,500, with $1,500 insurance. He also lost about $200 worth of lumber, which was piled near the railroad track, in the rear of McFar- lane's store. A small warehouse situated at the rear of Stickney's building, and owned by Fox, Shields & Co., of Grand Rapids, was insured for $300. Mr. Elwood's loss on merchandise was about $10,000, with $4,000 insurance. Only a few handfuls of goods were saved. The postoffice was located in Elwood's store, and the letter case and stamp drawer were saved, but the paper mail and the pouch con- taining the letter mail to come south that morning, were swallowed up in the flames. Mrs. Hall's build- ing was worth about $1,200. Mrs. Compton's build- ing was worth about $1,200, and was insured for $300. Mr. Cheney, who occupied the building, lost about $500 with no insurance. Mrs. Staab's building was worth about 81,000. Many other buildings were in imminent danger; but the activity of the citizens fortunately saved them. Among other things burn- ed were the books and records of the town of Green, which were in Mr. Elwood's store. The origin of this disastrous conflagration is not known. It was probably a case of incendiarism.

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· MECOSTA COUNTY.

Hinton Township.

HIS is Congressional Township 13 north, range S west, and is bounded on the north by Morton Township, on the east by Mill- brook Township, on the south by Montcalm County, and on the west by Deerfield Town- ship. It is drained by Silver Creek (into which flows Decker Creek), in the northern part, and by Tama- rack Creek in the south, which flow westward into the Little Muskegon, sometimes known as the South Fork of the Muskegon River. This stream itself flows in a southwesterly direction through the north- western corner of the Township. There are two post-offices in Hinton. Altona on sections six and seven, and Sylvester on section ten.

The township of Hinton was organized in Janu- ary, 1860, and the first Supervisor was R. Van De- water. The first white settler was John Hinton, who located on section fifteen, in June, 1855. The first birth was that of Margaret Kibbe, daughter of Ho- ratio N. and Margaret Kibbe, Aug. 15, 1857. The first death was that of Phobe Hinton, Feb. 18, 1860. The first marriage was that of John Hinton and Mariette Rockwood, solemnized by Leonard Aldrich, Justice of the Peace, May 26, 1860. Another report says that Samuel W. Rose and Ann Hinton were the first couple married. The first frame building was a barn, 30 x 50 feet, erected by John Hinton, in the summer of 1856. The first mills were a saw- mill, built by William Seaton and Bartley Davis, and a flouring mill, built by Harrison J. Brown, in the summer of 1868. Both are water-power mills, located on the Little Muskegon, where the village of Altona was afterward platted. The first school-house was a log building. erected on section 21, in 1861. The first school was taught by Rachel Whitzell, in the summer of 1861. Others say that Lydia Allen taught the first school, in the spring of 1861. One report says that Harrison J. Brown opened the first store in 1868; another says that David Fowler opened the first at Sylvester. The first post-office in Hinton Township was Hinton, established in 1862. In 1860, the year of the organization of the town- ship, the population was 153; in 1864 it was 167; in

1870 it was 390; in 1874 it was 638, and in 1880 it was 986. In 1878 the township was reported to have 3,799 acres of improved land; in 1881 only 2,97 I acres were reported. This apparent decrease was due merely to a change in Supervisors, and con- sequently no standard of classification. Hinton's equalized valuation at the time of organization was $70,194.38, and its present valuation is $302,298. Its total vote in November, 1882, was 189.

Martiny Township.

HIS is township 15 north, range 8 west Congressional survey, and is bounded on on the north by Chippewa Township, on the east by Sheridan Township, on the south by Morton Township, and on the west by Colfax Township. It is drained in the northeastern part by the South Branch of the Chippewa, including its tributaries, Upper and Lower Evans Lakes, Bloom Lake, Dimon Lake, Tubb's Lake and others; but the greater part of the Township is drained by the West Branch of the Little Muskegon River, which is the outlet for Horsehead Lake, Martiny or Johnson Lake and Pretty Lake. Horsehead Lake is the second body of water in the county, in point of size. In the southeast part is the East Branch of the Little Muskegon River. Through the southwestern part of the Township runs the recently constructed Detroit, Lansing & Northern railroad, and through the northwestern part runs the Chippewa Branch of the same road.

Martiny was organized as a civil township in January, 1875, and elected its first Supervisor, Nich- olas Thieson. The first white settler was John Mar- tiny, who located on section four in 1868. The first birth was that of Helen Albert, daughter of Christo- pher and Ann Albert, in 1870. The first death was that of John Johnson, in 1873. The first marriage was that of Noah Eaton and Mary Kent, solemnized by George Shields, Justice of the Peace, June 7, 1875. The first school-house was a log building erected on section four in 1873. The first school was taught by Nellie Sheir, in 1873. The first post- office-Martiny-was established in November, 1875,

The census of 1880, the only one taken since. Martiny was organized, gives it 192 inhabitants. It

MECOSTA COUNTY.

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had 287 acres of improved land in 1879, and 642 in ISS1. Its equalized valuation when organized, in 1875, was $102,470.50; and its present valuation is $424,478. Its total vote in November, 1882, was 25.

Mecosta Township.

3 ECOSTA Township is numbered 14 north, range ro west, Congressional survey, and is situated in the western tier of townships of Mecosta County. It is bounded on the north by Big Rapids Township, on the east by Austin Township, on the south by ÆEtna Town- ship, and on the west by Newaygo County. It con- tains some of the best agricultural land in the county, and also much fine timber, of which, however, the greater part has been cleared away. It contains the villages of Stanwood and Rustford, on sections 25 and 13.

The Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad runs through sections 12, 13, 24 and 25; and the Grand Rapids and Big Rapids State road runs through the central portion of the township.

Mecosta is excellently watered, and its land is lower geographically than any other land in Mecosta County. The Muskegon River enters the township in the northeast corner, and leaves it in the south- west corner, though it flows in by no means a straight line. It meanders in such a fashion that the total length of river is more than twice the length of a line drawn diagonally through the township. Be- sides the river, there are no less than a dozen streams flowing into it within the township, of which the most important are Cold Spring, Mac's and Davis Creeks.

The township of Mecosta was organized in March, 1861, and R. A. Moon was its first Supervisor. The first white settler was John Davis, who located on section 27, in 1851, and was also the first settler of the county. He resides still on his first location. The first birth was that of James Hyde, son of Han- nibal and Mary Hyde. The first death was that of William Davis, who ueparted this life in February, 1852. The first marriage was that of James Suther- land and Hannah C. Jaquett, solemnized by H. Gil- more, clergyman, Oct. 21, 1859. The first frame

building was a barn, built by John Davis, in 1856. The first mill was a saw-mill, built by Francisco & Marcy, in 1870. The first school-house was a frame building erected in 1859, on section three; and the first school was taught by Mary Gilmore. The first store was opened by James H. Rogers, in 1865. The first postoffice, Mecosta, was established in 1865.

In 1864, Mecosta Township had a population of 222; in 1870, 263; in 1874, 392; and in 1880, 613. In 1878, it had 1,654 acres of improved land; in 1880, 1,600 were reported. Its equalized valuation at time of organization was $67,627.14; and its pres- ent valuation is $195,035. Its total vote in Novem- ber, 1882, was 99.

Millbrook Township.

HE Township of Millbrook lies in the south- eastern corner of the county, and is num- bered 13 north, range 7 west, and is bounded on the north by Wheatland Township, on the east by Isabella County, on the south by Mont- calm County, and on the west by Hinton Township. It is watered by Black Creek, in the southwestern half, and by two branches of Pine River in the northeastern half. It also contains three or four small lakes.

The village of Millbrook lies mostly in the town- ship, and Blanchard lies just outside of its limits in Isabella County.

Millbrook was organized into a civil township in October, 1865, in the same month with Grant and Atna Townships. Its first election resulted in the choice of Peter S. Decker as Supervisor. The first white settlers were Leonard and Hazen Aldrich, who located on section 14, in 1859. The first birth was that of Forest Aldrich, son of Leonard and Jane Aldrich, in August, 1859. The first death was that of Charles Roe, in November, 1866. The first mar- riages, those of Hazen Aldrich and Jane Jackson, and William F. Thompson and Salina Aldrich, were both solemnized by John Bower, clergyman, in Feb- ruary, 1865. The first frame building was a dwell- ing erected by Hazen Aldrich in 1865. The first mill was a water-power saw-mill, erected by Hazen

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MECOSTA COUNTY.

Aldrich in 1864. The first school-house was a log building, erected on section 11, in 1863. The first school was taught by Louisa Allen, in 1863. The first store was opened by W. S. Howd, in 1865, where the village of Millbrook is now located.

The population of Millbrook Township by the census of 1870, was 302 ; by the State census of 1874 it has 412; and in 1880 the general census · gave 706 inhabitants. In 1878 it had 2,151 acres of improved land; and in 1881, 2,407 acres. Its equalized valuation in 1866 was $29,957; and its present valuation is $564,748. Its total vote in November, 1882, was 107.

MILLBROOK VILLAGE.

The village of Millbrook is a thriving place of be tween 300 and 400 inhabitants, on section one. It would undoubtedly grow faster, and have more busi- ness, had not the railroad been located so far away as it is. The citizens of the village offered the D., L. & N. Railroad Company every reasonable induce- ment to come to the village, but opposing influences were too strong.

The first house was a log dwelling erected by Hazen Aldrich, in 1863. The same man put up the first frame house on the village site, in 1864. The first store was opened by W. S. Howd, in March, 1865. The present school-house was erected in 1869, at a cost of $800. The principal is C. F. Fitzgerald.

Millbrook has two religious organizations,-the Congregational and Methodist Episcopal. The former denominatio: erected a church in 1874, at a cost of $3,000 ; and the latter have a small church now in process of construction. Rev. Mr. Schiedel preaches for the Congregationalists, and Rev. Mr. Wyant for the Methodists.

Level Lodge, No. 219, I. O. O. F., has a member- ship of 35, and meets every Saturday evening. The principal officers at the present time are Levi S. Meneri, N. G .; Charles Knauss, V. G .; James Wylie, Secretary ; William F. Denney, Treasurer.

The postoffice was organized in 1869, and Orson N. Earl was the first Postmaster. Henry D. Brown at present holds the appointment.

The following list comprises all the firms at pres- ent doing business in Millbrook :

Aldrich, Forest, wagon shop.

Brooks, Keller & Eicher, restaurant.

Brown, H. D., postoffice, notions.

Denney, William F., furniture store.

Dysinger, George, blacksmithy.

Dole & Precious, saloon. Decker, G. A., harness shop. Eicher, A., meat market. Fink, R. M., dry goods. Harmon, E., Harmon House. Howd, A. J., feed and flour.

Horton, E. T., general store.

Haggett, George, blacksmithy.

Kenrick, E. H., drug store.

Lock, Frank, barber shop. Norton & Carnian, grist-mill. Pattison, J. M. & Co., drug store. Richards, James & Co., hardware store. Stanley, J. B., grocery.

Stanton, H., blacksmithy.

Willett, Ida, millinery.

The medical profession is represented by C. H. Rodi, S. A. Gates, J. W. Pattison and W. J. Cree ; and the legal by D. C. Fuller and W. S. Howd, the former of whom is Justice of the Peace.

Morton Township

ORTON Township is numbered 14 north, of range 8 west, Congressional survey, and is bounded on the north by Martiny Township, on the east by Wheatland Town- ship, on the south by Hinton Township, and on - the west by Austin Township. The Little Muskegon, its East and West Branches, and smaller tributaries, drain the township. In the western part are four good-sized lakes, and two smaller ones. The large ones are named Round Lake, Long Lake, Blue Lake and School Section Lake. The last named derives its name from the fact of being partly on section 16, the section which in every township is set apart for the benefit of the schools of the State. The recently constructed Detroit, Lansing & Northern railroad passes through the north- eastern portion of the township.

Morton was organized as a civil township in Jan- uary. 1877. The general census of 1880 gave a

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MECOSTA COUNTY.

population to the township of 192. In 179 it had 287 acres of improved land; in 1881 it had 642 acres. Its equalized valuation at the time of organ- ization, in 1877, was 114,840; its present valuation is more than double that amount, being $257,680. Its total vote in November, 1882, was 162. The township has had a marvelous growth in the last three years.

The first mill was built by John Van Vleck & Son, of Palo, Mich., on the north side of the Little Mus- kegon River, and afterward moved about four miles north of Mecosta village, where it is now run by Charles Van Vleck, John Van Vleck having died in 1880.

MECOSTA VILLAGE.

The village of Mecosta is but little over four years old, and owes its existence and prosperity to the construction of the D., L. & N. railroad through this county. The opening up of a rich agricultural and lumbering district, by this road, made a station near the center of the county, where several years previous a large number of hardy tillers of the soil had settled to the south and east, and already had many thousand acres of land well under cultivation, an absolute necessity ; for the farmer needed a mar- ket for his grain and produce, as well as a place to purchase supplies, while the lumbermen needed a shipping point and base of supplies in order to carry on the business of manufacturing the sturdy pine (of which there is an immense forest to the north) into lumber, lath and shingles for transportation over the new railroad. Foreseeing this necessity, Weber Bros., of Tonia, who also had a large interest in the pine land at this point, E. B. Moore, of Edmore, and Giles Gilbert, of Stanton, formed themselves into a stock company and platted what has since been known as the village of Mecosta. The plat, which was duly recorded July 17, 1879, contains 120 acres, and is beautifully located on the East Branch of the Little Muskegon, at the junction of the Alma and Clinton State road with the D., L. & N. railroad, 16 miles southeast of Big Rapids and 12 miles northwest of Millbrook, and is about four miles cast of the geographical center of the county. The com- pany gave Amos S. Johnson, formerly of Sherman City, full power of attorney, and made him the resi- dent agent for the sale of lots.

timbered, although the greater portion of it is now cleared. The first lot was sold to Charles Cum- mings, of Stanton, shortly after the plat was recorded. The first building was put up by D. O'Brien about the ist of October, 1879. H. W. Bassingwaite, George Evans and A. S. Johnson put up buildings the same month, and John Van Vleck and son com- menced the erection of a steam saw and shingle mill. During the fall and winter of 1879-So, sev- eral more buildings were put up by actual settlers, but not until the first of May, 1880, when trains com- menced running regularly over the new road, did the young village experience a healthy growth.

The first store was a general grocery and supply store, kept on Main street, where is now Parks Brothers' hardware store, by H. W. Bassingwaite.

The post-office was established in December, 1879, and John Van Vleck was appointed Postmaster. His widow is now Postmistress.

The first hotel was opened by Ephraim LeGrange, in 1879, and christened the Mecosta House. It is on the corner of Main and Weber streets, and is now kept by Dominick O'Brien.

The village was organized as a school district in 1879, and the school-house, begun in 1880, was com- pleted in 1881. This was a log building, and the first school was taught by Mrs. M. A. Chipman. The same year, the present nice frame school-house was completed, at a cost of $2,000.

The first religious society was of the Baptist de- nomination, organized by John Van Vleck, and held its meetings in the log school-house. In the fall of 1880, the Methodists sent a minister by the name of Hoag, who remained about one year, also preaching in the log school-house. Rev. J. Berry at present holds services in the town hall, but the society is preparing to erect a church on the west side of the river, at a cost of $2,500.

The first and only bank is the private bank of Gilbert & Wixson.

The Mecosta Planing Mills were built by Rathvon Bros., and started in the spring of 1883.

Mecosta Lodge, No. 93, 1. O. U. W., was organized March 30, 1881. The present officers are A. S. John- son, P. M. W .; C. W. Calkins, MI. W .; 1. R. Street- er, Recorder. The present membership is 28.

Mecosta Lodge, No. 55, K. O. T. M., was organ-

At that time nearly the entire plat was heavily 1 ized in 1882, and, like the A. O. U. W., is an insur-

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MECOSTA COUNTY.

ance society. The present officers are R. D. Reed, S. K. C .; J. H.Waller, S. K. F. K .; L. W. Esselstene, S. K. R. K.

Mecosta has a good brass band, led by A. C. Wal- ler, organized in May, 1882.

The following are the first village officers of Me- costa, elected April 2, 1883 : President, A. S. John- son; Trustees for two years, H. M. Trussell, C. W. Parks, J. W. Pierce; Trustees for one year, J. W. Ferris, D. O'Brien, A. R. Streeter ; Clerk, C. M. Calk- ins; Street Commissioner, E. La Grange; Con- stable, Marvin Spencer; Assessor, E. A. Davis.

The business interests of the village are repre- sented by the following firms :

Beard, Henry, wagon shop.

Black, George, general store.

Bromley Bros., livery stable. Calkins, C. W., furniture store.

Conrad, E. S., photograph gallery.

Cooley, L. D., drug store. Carman, M., general store. Duley, R. H., Wilson House.

Diller, Mrs. George, dressmaking.

Evans, Mrs. R. G., notions. Gilbert, G. & Co., general store. Gardner, J. T., jewelry store. Garland & Hornung, clothing house. Gilbert & Wixson, bank. Hullinger, James, drug store.

Morris Thomas, shoe shop.

Metzorg, Isaac, clothing store.

O'Brien, Dominick, Mecosta House. O'Brien, W., restaurant. Pangburn, W. S., boot and shoe store. Parish, W. H., saloon.

Parks Bros., hardware store.

Reed, R. D., meat market.

Rice, Lewis, blacksmith. Rathvon Bros., planing mill.

Stewart, B. M., grocery. Trussell, H. M., Advance office. Thomas & Esselstene, millinery. Thomas, Morris, harness shop.

Wernette & Schultz, blacksmith. Wilcox, D. W., shingles and lumber.

Wilson, Albert, barber shop.

Wilcox, John, blacksmith.

Woolford, R. S., grocery and drug store.

Wernette, C. W., saloon. Woolford, Mrs. N. O., millinery.

Among the professional men are C. B. Pattison and

J. H. Waller, physicians, and N. W. Bush, lawyer.

The last school census of the village contained the names of 225 children of school age, which would indicate a total population of nearly 800.

Sheridan Township.

N the eastern tier of townships of the coun- ty is township 15 north, range 7 west, Con- gressional survey, named as above, and is bounded on the north by Fork Township, on the east by Isabella County, on the south by Wheatland Township, and on the west by Mar- tiny Township.

Sheridan is on the divide between the territory contiguous to Lake Michigan, and that stretehing towards Lake Huron. It contains no stream of any size, except the south branch of the Chippewa River, which flows through the northwestern corner. In the eastern portion are Bamber Brook, and other small streams flowing east, while in the southwestern part are the head-waters of the Little Muskegon. The township contains half a dozen very small lakes, and three lakes of some size are intersected by its bound- ary lines. Lake No. 6 lies near the southwestern corner, while Dimon Lake and Tubb's Lake lie near the northwestern corner, and partly in Martiny Township.

Sheridan has no villages and no railroads. It was organized as a township in 1867, in the same year in which Fork was erected, and in October of that year it held its first election, which resulted in the choice of Edward P. Strong as the first Supervisor. Mr. Strong was the first white settler of the township, having located on section 12 the first of January, 1866.

The first white child born was Mary E., daughter of William W. and Susan McComb, who greeted the light April 29, 1866. The first two marriages-those of A. Berry and Angeline Benscoter, and Chauncey Rogers and Minnie Gibbs-were solemnized on the same day, Nov. 28, 1867, by Elder Z. W. Shepherd. The first death was that of Ella S. Hanna, and oc-

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MECOSTI COUNTY.

curred June 1, 1866. The first frame building in the township was the school-house in District No. 1, built by John A. Markle. The first school-house was a log building erected on section tt, in the spring of 1868, and Mrs Aaron Osborn taught the first school during the summer following. E. P. Strong opened the first store in June, 1867. The first postoffice, Rienza, was established in the spring of 1870.

Its population in 1870 was 135; in 1874, 160; and in 1880, 207. In 1878, it reported 990 acres of improved land, and in 1881, 1,192 acres. Its equal- ized valuation in 1868 was $44,312; and its present valuation is $204,139. Its total vote in November, 1 882, was 39.

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Portrait and biographical album, Mecosta county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches, Part 69

Author: Chapman Brothers Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers Number of Pages: 684

Author: Chapman Brothers
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Chapman brothers
Number of Pages: 684