USA > Michigan > Mecosta County > Portrait and biographical album, Mecosta county, Mich., containing portraits and biographical sketches > Part 73
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A track made by a dirty shoe-pack or moccasin was discovered, leading from the rear of the building back to the alley, and thence southward, and was sup- posed to have been made by the robber as he depart- ed from the premises. It, however, could not be followed beyond the engine house. There were numerous theories and speculations concerning the robbery, but no satisfactory traces of its perpetrator were ever discovered.
PRESS CONVENTION.
8 IG Rapids has come to be a a favorite place for holding conventions and re- unions. One of the most prominent of the meetings held in Mecosta County's metropolis was the second annual meeting of the Northwestern Michigan Press Association, Monday and Tuesday, July 14 and 15, 1879. The following journalists were in attendance :
C. S. Ramsey and wife, Cheboygan Tribune.
App. M. Smith, Manistee Times.
Frank Bracelin, Montague Lumberman.
Hon. E. G. D. Holden, S. F. Aspinwall and wife, Grand Rapids Journal.
L. A. Barker and wife, Lake City Journal.
T. T. Bates and wife, Traverse City Herald.
G. F. Matthews and wife, Fremont Indicator.
E. I .. Sprague and wife, and Miss O. Spencer, Traverse Bay Eagle.
A. H. Johnson, Sutton's Bay Tribune.
L. M. Sellers, Cedar Springs Clipper
A. Chase, Evart Review.
G. W. Minchin, Red City Clarion.
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MECOSTA COUNTY.
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J. W. Hallack, Sparta Sentinel.
E. O. Rose and wife, Charlie Gay and wife, M. W. Barrows and wife, Big Rapids Pioneer- Magnet.
O. D. Glidden and wife, D. F. Glidden and wife, Big Rapids Herald.
W. F. Slawson and wife, V. W. Bruce and wife, Big Rapids Current.
W. S. Stevens and wife, Hesperia Hesperian.
Maj. J. W. Long, wife and nurse, Isabella Times. J. H. Wheeler and wife, Sherman Pioneer.
A. Bilz, Miss Fannie G. Bilz and Miss Allie Sabin, Spring Lake Republican.
C. F. Chapin, Cadillac News.
Gen. A. A. Stevens and C. C. Sexton, Grand Rap- ids Democrat.
Frank H. Rose, St. Johns Home Chronicle.
James Vandersluis, Grand Rapids Banner.
W. S. Benham, Grand Haven Herald.
E. F. Grabill and wife, Greenville Independent.
F. Weller and wife, Miss Theresa Quinlin, Mus- kegon News and Reporter.
W. M. Harford, Muskegon Chronicle.
W. A. Smith, Charlevoix Sentinel.
R. R. Johnson, Muskegon Journal.
C. P. Rice, Muskegon Daily Times.
Don. Henderson, Allegan Journal.
J. Parmiter and wife, Hart Journal.
The following representatives of papers outside the Northwestern Michigan Press Association were present :
Gill R. Osmun, Detroit Evening News.
W. S. George and wife, Lansing Republican.
Rev. H. Lamont, Chicago Witness.
After a business meeting Monday afternoon, an evening was spent in social chat, and festivity. At ten o'clock they were serenaded by the city cornet band, and then followed an enjoyable banquet at the Armory Hall, prepared by A. R. White, proprietor of the Mason House. After being seated in the hall, S. S. Wilcox, of Big Rapids, presiding, Dr. Bigelow, in behalf of the citizens, delivered an eloquent wel- coming address. The banquet over, T. T. Bates, of the Traverse City Herald, delivered a feeling re- sponse to the address of Dr. Bigelow. Then fol- lowed the toasts :
" Michigan. "-Response by Hon. E. G. D. Hol- den, of the Grand Rapids Journal.
"Our Schools and Colleges. "-Response by Hon.
W. S. George, of the Lansing, Mich., Republican " The Editor's Guests " (Will Carlton)-Recitation by Kittie May Woolley, of Big Rapids.
" The Press-Indispensable to American Prog- ress."-Response by Hon. M. Brown, of Big Rapids
" Women-May she never be Underestimated."- Response by F. O. Rose, of the Big Rapids Pioneer- Magnet.
" Our Second Century. "-Response by Rev. E. W. Miller, of Big Rapids.
" The Newspaper Man-HIis Ups and Downs. "- Response by G. E. Matthews, of the Fremont Indi- cator.
The responses were excellent, and loudly applaud- ed. At the business meeting Tuesday morning, E. O. Rose, of Big Rapids, was elected President. Tuesday forenoon, the entire party spent a couple of hours riding about town and witnessing the various objects of interest, carriages for that purpose being furnished by the citizens. At eleven o'clock the fire department came out for its review, and was cordially praised. The party left in the afternoon for the north, on an excursion to Mackinaw Island. This meeting was the largest assemblage of newspaper men ever seen in the State, up to this time.
ORGANIZATIONS.
8 IG Rapids contains a good representation of secret, benevolent and other associa- tions, of which the principal are here noticed. The societies are functions of an advancing civilization, which are destined to grow and strengthen with the increase of an enlightened population.
BIG RAPIDS LODGE NO. 171, F. & A. M.
Was dedicated Feb. 8, 1866, the ceremonies being conducted by Alex. Mann, of Muskegon, represent- ing the Grand Master. The officers installed at that meeting were A. S. Mason, W. M .; Charlie Gay, S. W .; B. E. Hutchinson, J. W. ; G. F. Stearns, Treas .; E. O. Rose, Sec .; George French, S. D .; A. N. Wil- liams, J. D .; James Furster, Tyler. The present officers are : A. S. Mason, W. M .; E. W. Ford, S. W .; Peter McNaughton, J. W .; G. F. Stearns, Treas-
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MECOSTA COUNTY.
urer; A. W. Eldredge, Sec .; C. H. Olds, S. D .; Thomas Shaw, Sr., J. D .; G. F. Whitney, Tyler. The present membership is about 120, and the lodge is in a flourishing condition. It meets the first week in every month.
BIG RAPIDS CHAPTER, No. 52, R. A. M.,
Was organized under dispensation Aug. 28, 1867, with W. I. Latimer as High Priest; Charlie Gay, King; Alfred S. Mason, Scribe; Orrin Stevens, See. ; B. E. Hutchinson, C. of H .; E. O. Rose, Prin. Soj .; A. M. Green, R. A. C .; C. C. Fuller, M. 3d V .; J. O. Rose, M. 2d V .; Andrew Green, M. Ist V .; George W. Green, Sent. The present officers are as follows : Charlie Gay, High Priest; Hiram E. Hardy, King; John H. Foster, Scribe; George F. Stearns, Treas .; Alonzo H. Eldredge, Sec .; Simon G. Web- ster, C. of H .; O. D. Glidden, Prin. Soj .; Wesley F. Louckes, R. A. C .; Alfred S. Mason, M. 3d V. ; Hi- ram Honeywell, M. 2d V .; Peter McNaughton, M. Ist V .; George F. Whitney, Sent. The chapter now has a membership of 74, and meets the first Wednes- day of each month.
KING SOLOMON COUNCIL No. 25, R. &. S. M (Royal and Select Masters),
Was instituted Tuesday, Aug. 4, 1868, by James Kennedy, proxy for T. I. G. P., with the following officers : C. C. Fuller, T. I. G. M .; Charlie Gay, D. I. G. M .; W. I. Latimer, P. C. W .; G. F. Stearns, Treas .; E. O. Rose, G. R .; D. E. Stearns, G. C. of G; B. E. Hutchinson, G. C .; F. E. Nelson, G. S. The present officers are: Charlie Gay, T. I. M .; Peter McNaugh- ton, D. M .; B. Elial Hutchinson, P. C. W .; George F. Stearns, Treasurer ; Charles D. Bronson, Recorder ; Hiram Honeywell, C. of G .; Ceylon C. Fuller, C. of C .; Joseph W. Fearns, Steward; George F. Whitney, Sentinel. The present membership is 18. The Council meets at Masonic Hall the first Tuesday evening of each month.
PILGRIM COMMANDERY NUMBER 23, KNIGHTS TEMPLAR,
Was organized under dispensation in November, 1868, with the following officers: W. 1. Latimer, E. C .; Charlie Gay, G .: C. C. Fuller, C. G .; E. O. Rose, S. W .; C. D. Bronson, J. W .; B. E. Hutchinson, W .;
J. Kennedy, St. B .; G. F. Stearns, Sd. B., and Treas .; E. O. Rose, R .; F. E. Nelson, S. It was regularly constituted Sept. ro, 1869, by T. A. Flower, of Pon- tiac, Rt. Em. G. C. of Michigan. The present officers are: Simon G. Webster, E. C .; Ceylon C. Fuller, Gen .; Edward W. Hudnutt, C. G .; Calvin W. Not- tingham, Prel .; Charlie Gay, Rec .; George F. Stearns Treas .; Alfred S. Mason, S. W .; Peter McNaughton, J. W .; Hiram E. Hardy, St. B .; John H. Foster, Sd. Bearer .; Willis M. Slosson, Warden; George F. Whitney, Sent. The Commandery meets the first Friday evening of each month. The present mem- bership is 96.
BIG RAPIDS LODGE, NUMBER 111, I.O.O. F.
Was organized Wednesday, Sept. 18, 1867, with J O. Rose, as Noble Grand ; Alonzo Powers as Vice Grand; and E. O. Rose as Secretary. The present membership is 70, and the lodge meets every Mon- day night at Odd Fellow's Hall. L. T. Loveless is Noble Grand, and M. V. Taylor, Secretary.
BIG RAPIDS ENCAMPMENT, NO. 55, I. O. O. F.
Was organized in 1872, and has now about 45 mem- bers. It meets the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month.
BIG RAPIDS COUNCIL, NUMBER 174, ROYAL ARCANUM,
Was organized in 1878, with E. J. Marsh as Regent W. W. Carpenter as Secretary, and C. C. Fuller as Collector. The present officers are : L. C. l'atterson, Regent; E. R. Keith, Secretary ; George A. Roof, Collector; and John Watson, as Treasurer. The Council meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month, and has a membership of 34.
MECOSTA LODGE, NUMBER 26, KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS,
Was organized in 1875, and is now in a very flourish- ing condition. The present officers are : C. D. Car- penter, P. C .; John R. Snyder, C. C .; C. D. Cran- dell, V. C .; E. P. Clark, Prelate ; O. D. Glidden, K. of R. & S .; George D. Miles, M. at A .; T. R. Crocker, M. of E .; F. R. Fowler, M. of F .; A. W. Withington, I. G. D. F. Glidden, of this lodge, is the Grand Chancellor of the order for the State of Michigan.
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MECOSTA COUNTY.
THE KNIGHTS OF LABOR
Have a lodge, organized in October, 1882. It now has 140 members. The principal officers are Gen. Stephen Bronson, V. S .; T. J. Wakeman, M. W .; J. W. Griffin, Fin. Sec .; J. T. Davison, Sec. The lodge meets every Tuesday night.
PINE-TREE LODGE, NUMBER 763, KNIGHTS OF HONOR,
Was organized Sept. 16, 1877. It now has a mem- bership of 44, and meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month. F. Fairman is Dictator; J. F. Clark, Reporter; and C. W. Nottingham, Finan- cial Reporter.
BIG RAPIDS LODGE, NUMBER 35, SONS OF INDUSTRY,
Was organized in September, 1883, with the follow- ing officers : O. D. Glidden, M .; D. W. Stewart, W .; G. W. Trowbridge, C .; Charles H. Crane, Sec .; C. J. Hood, T .; H. D. Reid, Stew .; H. I. Orwig, Mar .; T. Edmunds, G. The present membership is 37. The lodge meets the second and fourth Thursdays of each month.
THE ROYAL TEMPLARS OF TEMPERANCE
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Have a branch here, organized in August, 1880. It meets twice a month. E. E. Stone is S. C .; D. Emer- son, Treas .; W. S. Whitney, Sec .; and Wm. H. Andrews, Fin. Sec.
BIG RAPIDS LODGE NUMBER 408, I. O. G. T.,
Was chartered Aug 18, 1880, with the following first officers: O. D. Glidden, W. C. T .; Mrs. M. H. Cobb, V. T .; M. D. Ford, Chap .; Mrs. Jennette Blackwood, Sec .; William Binney, Ass't Sec .; G. C. Gardner, Fin. Sec .; C. N. Chick, Treas. The lodge now has a membership of over a hundred, and meets every Friday evening. The following are the present officers: Lewis Toan, W. C. T .; Mrs. Millie Chap- man, V. T .; G. R. Malone, Chaplain; H. E. Chap- man, Sec .; Miss Lottie Price, Ass't Sec .; C. W. Bar- ton, Fin. Sec .; Fred Hill, Treas.
AMITY LODGE, NUMBER 93, A. O. U. W.,
Was organized Jan. 12, 1881, with Edgar Peirce as
P. M. W .; Charlie Gay, M. W .; C. W. Nottingham Recorder; F. Fairman, Receiver. The present offi- cers are: Charlie Gay, P. M. W .; W. W. Putnam, M. W .; S. G. Webster, Recorder, and F. Fairman, Receiver. The lodge meets the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month, and has about 40 members.
THE BRAZEE RIFLES
Were organized in June, 1875, with B. F. Brazee, Captain; M. D. Ford, ist Lieutenant, and Charles H. Milner, 2d Lieutenant. The membership was then about 85; and the company will now muster 50. B. F. Brazee has been Captain continuously since the formation of the company, except in 1877, when S. G. Webster was Captain. Daniel Alcom- brack is now ist Lieutenant, and C. M. Wiseman 2d Lieutenant. The company meets every Thursday night for drill in its armory, which is valued at $3,000. This has a parlor up stairs, and an office down stairs, both well furnished. The drill room is 40 X 100. The building is 150 feet deep, but 30 feet are used for a stage, as the armory is often used for re-unions and public meetings. The company has been called out twice for actual service,-at Grand Rapids, in 1877, and at Muskegon, in 1881, the occasion both times being workingmen's strikes.
POST FRENCH, NUMBER 28, G. A. R.,
Was organized Sept. 6, 1881, with eighteen charter members, and the following officers: B. F. Brazee, Com .; Michael Brown, S. V. C .; J. Shaw, J. V. C .; L. T. Loveless, Adjutant; Thomas Shaw, Chap .; Ed- gar l'eirce, Q. M .; Dr. A. W. Whitney, Surg .; Wil- liam T. Bliss, O. D. The present membership is 131. The post meets every Wednesday evening. The following are the present officers: B. F. Brazee, Com .; John P. Schort, S. V. C .; Henry Albro, J. V. C .; W. A. Cole, Adj .; Thomas Shaw, Chap .; A. T. Compan, Q. M .; Dr. A. W. Whitney, Surg .; D. Al- combrack, O. D).
THE CHAUTAUQUA LITERARY AND SCIEN- TIFIC CIRCLE
Has a branch in Big Rapids, organized Oct. 2, 1879, with about a dozen members. Rev. C. L. Barnhart was elected President; Mrs. E. W. Miller, Vice- President ; Miss Mary E. Russell, Secretary and Treasurer, and Miss F. F. Angell as Preceptress. The following ladies were chosen as an advisory
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MECOSTA COUNTY.
committee : Mrs. E. O. Rose, Mrs. C. J. Hood, Mrs. V. W. Bruce, Mrs. A. J. Russell and Miss Clara Osburn. The purpose of this society is to promote a desire for study among adults, whose time is gener- ally employed at their regular avocations.
CHURCHES.
HE pioneer church in Big Rapids is the Methodist Episcopal, some account of the early history of which is given in the his- tory of Big Rapids on a previous page. The society was formed in 1865, and the church built and dedicated in 1867. The present pastor is Rev. J. W. Hallenbeck, who came in Sep- tember, 1883. The society now has a membership of about 260. V. W. Bruce is Superintendent of the Sunday-school, which has about 250 on the roll.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
Was organized in the fall of 1869, and the church edifice was erected in 1871, at a cost of $2,000. The first pastor was Rev. Sydney Beckwith. The pastor at the time the church was built was Rev. W. Flower. No meetings have been held since December, 1882, though there is a prospect of a speedy revival. The present membership is 65.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
Was organized in 1876, with Rev. E. W. Miller as pastor. He remained six years, and was then suc- ceeded by Rev. William McCracken, the present pastor, who came from Allegheny City, Pa., in March, 1882. The society bought their church edifice of the Baptists, in 1878. It is located on the corner of State and Hemlock streets, and is now valued at $3,000. It will seat about 200. The present mem- bership of the Church is over 100.
THE UNITARIANS
Are now building a fine church in Big Rapids, and /
are having a pipe organ constructed in Detroit. This will be the first pipe organ in the city. The Catho- lics, Swedish Lutherans and German Lutherans have organizations in good condition and holding regular services.
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POPULATION.
A CCORDING to the census of the respective 3 years from 1870 to the present time, the ratio of increase of the population of Big Rapids has been steady, indicating a healthy growth upon a substantial foundation. The following tables give a condensed statement, in a form convenient for reference. First, the census of 1870 gave :
First Ward .. 378
Second Ward. . 44I
Third Ward. 375
Fourth Ward. 243
Total 1,237
The State census of 1874 showed the following:
First Ward 707
Second Ward. 1,018
Third Ward. 886
Fourth Ward 472
Total 3,083
By the general census of 18So, the population was as follows :
First Ward 601
Second Ward. 710
Third Ward . I, IIO
Fourth Ward 561
Fifth Ward 570
Total ยท 3,552
The population at the present time is probably forty per cent. more than that in 1880.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 0 016 090 707 1
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