USA > Michigan > Newaygo County > Portrait and biographical album of Newaygo County, Michigan : containing portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county also containing a complete history of the county, from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 60
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ing, Hon. S. Armstrong was chosen Chairman, and E. O. Shaw, Secretary. The reunion was appointed to be held at the Exchange Hotel, May 27, at two o'clock. The following gentlemen were appointed a committee of arrangements : T. D. Stimson, J. H. Standish, Herman Joachim, I. D. Merrill, William Bradley, Dr. John Tatman, William Rice, George Backart, Aaron Swain, N. D. Macomber, J. B. Jewell, W. L. Stuart, Benjamin Ensley, Samuel Rose, R. Gilbert, John A. Brooks, Joseph P. Henderson and C. J. Bigelow. Hon. James Barton, Col. J. H. Standish and Major A. B. Watson were invited to prepare sketches of the early history of Newaygo County, to be read at the reunion. Capt. A. Paddock, Sanford Brown and John H. Simmons were appointed a com- mittee to prepare a program of exercises. E. L. Gray, George Utley and Wellington Persons were ap .. pointed to prepare a constitution and by-laws.
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NEWAYGO COUNTY.
FIRST ANNUAL REUNION.
Before noon on the appointed 27th of May, the old settlers of the county began to come in to attend the reunion, and by the time the train arrived from the south, at one o'clock, there were probably 50 pioneers in Newaygo. The train brought in a number from Casnovia. At three o'clock the company sat down to a banquet at the Exchange Hotel, where for nearly an hour the viands were discussed with evident rel- ish. The party then adjourned to Masonic Hall, for the business meeting. After listening to a beautiful rendering of " Auld Lang Syne," by an orchestra, Dr. Tatman, of Muskegon, was chosen temporary Chair- man, and E. O. Rose, Secretary. The name of the society was then agreed upon, to be the " Pioneer Society of the Muskegon Valley." Judge Barton was then called upon for reminiscences. The following is a condensation of his opening remarks :
"The first time I heard of Newaygo County was in 1849. The description was so captivating that I con- cluded to come and see it. I landed at Croton ; the only building there was a saw-mill. There were a few settlers on Stearns' Prairie. The only one left, I think, is William Rice, of Croton. There were one or two settlers on Marengo Prairie. Passing to Big Prairie, where I located and now reside, I found Ephraim H. Utley and a Mr. Olney. In Newaygo all was nature. There was one mill, owned and operated by John A. Brooks. There was a bridge here,-none at Croton. In 1851, the Legislature passed an act enabling the county to organize. We organized the county and divided it into two townships, calling the eastern township Newaygo and the western one Brooks. We held the first election in the fall of 1851. I. D. Merrill, of Bridgeton, was chosen Supervisor of Brooks, and I was elected to that office for Newaygo. We soon organized two more towns, naming them Big Prairie and Bridgeton. The num- ber has since been increased to 16." The Judge re- lated a number of humorous transactions of that period, and gave way to Major Watson, who told of his first trip from Grand Rapids to Newaygo.
He and H. J. Orton came here together. He went to Grand Haven and purchased the Pennoyer property. He said that the Surveyor General ap- pointed to survey the Territory of Michigan, reported to the Department at Washington that Michigan was a vast swamp, and that there was not enough
good land within her borders to pay the surveyors bill. Now Michigan is recognized as one of the wealthiest States, in her own resources-in lumber, salt, mines and agriculture-that there is in the Union, and Newaygo is one of the best counties in the State.
Hon. E. L. Gray was then introduced. After alluding to the primitive state of things when he came here, and the improvements since, he gave some amusing accounts of the early lawsuits in which Judge Barton, Col. Standish and himself had been engaged.
Mr. Swain said that he first came here in the fall of 1849. He built a house and went after his fam- ily, returning in the February following. He stopped first at Croton, and there learned that he had to come to Newaygo to cross the river in order to reach Big Prairie.
Mr. Armstrong said his father settled in Oakland County in 1826. He lived with him until 1841, when he located in the Grand River Valley, where he lived till 1852. In this latter year he located in the town of Ashland, where he still resides. He related a very amusing incident connected with his first ex- perience as a Justice of the Peace.
Dr. Tatman told a number of stories, none of which failed to "bring down the house." His ac- count of how it was decided what made an actual settler was especially rich.
Hon. Augustine H. Giddings then made a char- acteristically interesting speech. He commenced by saying that although his name was not upon the list of speakers for the occasion, and, although he was not one of the primitive settlers of this valley, yet he felt that he could "claim kindred here and find that claim allowed." He came to Newaygo in 1857. Since that time it had been his business, and a part of his professional and official duty, to study man ; and he was convinced that no county could boast of more real manhood, more stalwart character, more independence and self-reliance than the pioneers of the Muskegon Valley. True, many of them perhaps lacked that refinement which comes of more kindly surroundings than they enjoyed in early life, but what was lacking in mere polish was more than made up in rugged strength and genuine stamina.
This occasion reminded the speaker of an old- fashioned New England Thanksgiving upon a large
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scale. It has been said by an intelligent foreigner that when the Yankees come together for a good time, they always talk about themselves. Upon an occasion like this, any other talk than about ourselves, our history, our past surroundings and interests, and hopes, should be deemed out of order and tabooed. It would be the merest affectation for us to deny that we have much to be proud of in the history of the early settlement and subsequent progress and devel- opment of this region. He was a native of the old Bay State, and he felt proud of the fact, proud of her Colonial as well as her Revolutionary history ; and of all her history ; proud of her educational facilities, of her devotion to truth and duty at all times and under all circumstances, of her sterling manhood and her true womanhood. Her hills and her valleys, her rocks and her forests, her rivers, her little bab- bling brooks and her mountain cataracts, are all very dear to him. But, proud as he always has been and always will be of his native State, he was prouder still of his adopted State. Michigan to-day almost equals Massachusetts in population, in natural wealth and resources ; she far excels her in pluck, energy and enterprise-in bold, manly independence of thought and action. In general intelligence her peo- ple may justly rank as the peers of the best and the strongest of any land. Her educational system is a model for older States; and to the grand success of Michigan, the primitive settlers and their sons of this valley have contributed their full share. "What constitutes a State?" You will find a better, a truer and more vigorous answer in the record and lives and characteristics of the early citizens of this valley than was ever penned by the gifted bard who pro- pounded this conundrum.
" And can we on this joyous occasion forget those days of doubt and danger, of terror, tribulation and tears, when a dark cloud hung like a funeral pall over all the land, 'from the spray in the bay where the Mayflower lay,' to the golden gate of the Pacific slope, where treacherous hands nerved with the fiercest passions of hate and of hell clutched at the Nation's throat? When the tocsin sounded through all these valleys and forests, when that crisis came, but one blast of the bugle was needed to call to the front our bravest and noblest ; and history and statist- ics prove that in pro portion to our population we furnished a greater number of heroes than any othe
portion of the State. Indeed, no locality in all the land furnished a greater proportion. With what devotion and holy patriotism the gray-haired fathers and mothers of this our valley dedicated their sons, dear to them as the very apple of the eye, to the service of their country and their God !
"Well do I remember, on one occasion in the gloomiest period of the war, meeting an old mother in our Israel, a lady of culture and refinement, and withal of much native vigor of judgment and intel- lect, who had given to the cause not only her first- born, but all her sons-four lion-hearted boys. She had been expostulated with by a neighbor (whose sons, like myself, belonged to the home guard), for encouraging the enlistment of all her boys. The argument used was that three of the boys were sickly, and hence unfit for a soldier's life. That Spartan matron replied : 'I believe no woman on earth thinks more of her children than I do of mine, but, thank God, I am not the mother of a race of in- valids. I only wish I could do more for the cause.' God bless her dear old patriotic heart! I wish she were here to-day, and she was but the type of a large class of Nature's noble women, the true aristoc- racy of the land."
The speaker then alluded to some of the humorous incidents of the home guard, of which the Hon. William I. Cornwell was Captain, and the speaker occupied the responsible position of Fifth Sergeant.
"The Indian campaign,-who will forget it? The names of the heroes of that hour may never have gone very far abroad upon the wings of fame ; indeed, there may be some benighted regions of the old world, where the valorous deeds of those classic, ab- stemious and romantic martyrs have not been even heard of; but those deeds will live in the history and songs of Newaygo as long as the memory of Captain Cornwell and Uncle Jarvis' melon patch shall en- dure. Indeed, that leaf of Newaygo history will ever look green to posterity, at least until the mold shall have gathered upon its memories as thick as was the rust upon those flint-lock muskets which the valiant captain procured from the Adjutant General for the defense of the town."
The speaker then alluded to that peculiar institu- tion of Newaygo, the caucus. He stated that politics was not, and never could be his forte ; but if by any possibility the day should ever come when he should
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so far forget his dignity as to embark in politics, he would take lessons as to the proper mode of success- fully carrying a caucus from the two political Gama- liels, Col. Standish and Dr. Tatman; and in county politics his text-book would be that valuable treatise on political economy entitled, "What I Know About Running a County Convention," by Hon. James Bar- ton.
In a more serious vein, the speaker then referred to the lesson of the hour, and hoped that this frater- nal meeting, this comparison of notes, this relating of experiences, would be productive not merely of the fleeting pleasure of a day, but that it would be deemed a landmark in our individual history, a good time to remove stumbling blocks in the way of hon- orable success, and from the teachings of the past to gather wisdom and strength for the future. "Life is real, life is earnest," and let us re-enter upon its du- ties with a higher purpose and a sterner resolution. Wisely improving the present, let us go forth to meet the shadowy future without fear and with manly hearts.
Brief remarks were then made by Messrs. John Powers, John F. Wood, J. B. Jewell, Andrew Oleson, and T. Turner, and Dr. Tatman told another story. The constitution was then discussed and adopted. The first paragraph was as follows :
The pioneers of the Muskegon Valley, assembled at the village of Newaygo May 27, 1874, hereby agree to organize a society to be called the "Pioneer Society of the Muskegon Valley," the object of which is to gather and preserve the facts and incidents of the early history of the Muskegon Valley, and sketches and anecdotes of its early settlers, and to collect and pre- serve all that may be of interest to those now living or hereafter may live in the counties through which the Muskegon River flows.
The officers of the society were decided to be a President, four Vice-Presidents, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The admission fee was fixed at fifty cents.
The officers elected for the ensuing year were as follows: Hon Sullivan Armstrong, President ; Jas. Barton, A. B. Watson, A. Swain and A. Oleson, Vice Presidents; and S. K. Riblet, Secretary.
SECOND ANNUAL REUNION.
The second reunion was held June 16, 1875, at Raider's Hall, in Newaygo, and was attended by about 150 pioneers. After prayer by Rev. M. S. An-
gell, and music by the Newaygo Silver Cornet Band, the meeting was first addressed by Hon. E. L. Gray, welcoming the visitors. He spoke briefly of the death of Aaron Swain, and narrated some of the in- cidents of his life, saying that Mr. Swain had explored almost every pine township between here and Hough- ton Lake for many miles back from the river. He also alluded to the growth of this and other river counties. After speaking briefly on the objects of such societies as this, Mr. Gray closed by calling for Hon. Wm. I. Cornwell, of New York. This name was received with loud applause, and Mr. Cornwell came to the front. He described his first journey from Grand Rapids to Newaygo, and alluded to the growth of the village, saying that some of his antici- pations had been realized. His speech was brief and to the point, and was loudly applauded.
Dr. J. C. Tatman was called out next, and com- menced by saying that he was no speech-maker, but if the audience desired he would tell a story. He then related in a very amusing manner the history of the first election held in the township of Brooks, a wolf story, and a story about a buck-board he pur- chased from Col. Standish at an early day.
Major A. B. Watson was then called out, and said that as Dr. Tatman had told a buck-board story, he would tell a horse story. His story was a recital of the way in which he was swindled when he first came on the river, and it brought down the house. John Powers related an Irish anecdote, which was received with shouts of laughter. Hon. E. L. Gray then re- lated a number of amusing incidents in the early his- tory of the village and county.
For the ensuing year, Dr. John Tatman was chosen President; James Barton, N. D. Macomber, D. Blod- gett and E. L. Gray, Vice Presidents ; W. Irving Latimer, Secretary; and Sol. K. Riblet, Treasurer. Before adjournment, the following characteristic let- ter from J. H. Maze, the pioneer editor of the Ne- waygo Republican, was read to the assemblage :
GRAND RAPIDS, June 15, 1875. Hon. Sullivan Armstrong, President of Pioncer Society of the Muskegon Valley :-
Dear Sir :- Nothing would afford me greater pleasure than to be present at your reunion, but a threatening return of a severe attack of a disease of the kidneys, with which I have been afflicted for years, forewarns me that I must keep still for a few days.
I had prepared a brief biography of the late Indian
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war, which pervaded the Muskegon Valley while I was a resident of the Newaygo, which it was my in- tention to read before the society; and I regret that circumstances have denied me that honor. There were none who took greater pride in the achieve- ments of our local heroes in the Southern Rebellion than I. But my special pride was in the valor of our "home guards" in repulsing the invasion of the ruthless savage who sought the scalps of our wives and children, and to reduce our homes to ashes. It will be remembered with what power the wrath of the Almighty was invoked upon the head of "Old Dan Weaver," who was accused of being the inciter of this cruel war, by the citizens of both sexes who as- sembled nightly at Fort Brooks under the command of Capt. Wm. I. Cornwell, and the invocation of Di- vine protection of the brave men who took their lives in their hands and went on top of the hills and built little bonfires of dry sticks !
To that protection may be ascribed the safety of our town. Let the efficacy of prayer be doubted nevermore! The bravery of the picket guard was beautiful to contemplate. One of the privateers was moved to offer two dollars and a half to any man who would show him the track of an "Injun" less than three months old. He found a taker. One Robert Jarvis informed the military authorities of the company of an opportunity to behold recent "signs." The Captain and a squad of soldiers followed the lead of the venerable pilot. The appearance of Uncle Robert's melon patch presented unmistakable signs of recent invasion. The commander looked suspicious ; the troops were silent. Without a word the dragoons sought their posts of duty by seques- tered routes, and again betook themselves to the task of scenting the smoky army of Indians from afar. But I have not space to dwell longer on this theme.
Suffice it to say, peace was declared, and the war closed with no greater calamity than a big scare, in which the Indians themselves were the greatest suf- ferers. Let me hope that your reunion may be at- tended with all the pleasures incident to such assem- blages, and that on subsequent occasions I may be able to participate with you in recounting the varied incidents which mark the past history of the settle- ment of the Muskegon Valley.
Yours most respectfully, J. H. MAZE.
The next meeting of the pioneers was held at Fremont, June 28, 1877. At two o'clock the pro- ceedings were opened by Dr. Tatman, who stated the object of the meeting, and made a speech replete with information and anecdote. His relation of the experience of "Dr." Giddings and the qualifications of an "old settler" were indescribably ludicrous, and brought down the house.
D. L. Weaver, of Hesperia, was next introduced, and told in an able manner the story of his early struggles and triumphs in Michigan and more espe- cially in Newaygo County. He came when there were none to make him welcome, when the " wolf's long howl at dead of night " smote upon the startled ear of the old settler, and the bear and wild-cat roamed the woods with no one to make afraid. Being a carpenter he built several of the first houses and barns, and also the first mill, and lived at Fremont several years " under his own vine and fig tree." Wishing to go still farther into the trackless forest, he removed to the place where Hesperia is now lo- cated, and became, as he had long desired to be, a founder of a town. Few have done as much to de- velop this county.
Hon. Sullivan Armstrong made a short speech, giving a history of his part in the early settlement of the township of Ashland. Mr. Armstrong has been one of the most prominent citizens of the county, has had several county offices, and served a number of years in the Legislature.
S. Tibbits was called for, and made a speech with several anecdotes. He helped make the first road in the county, north of Newaygo, and has been wide awake ever since. Messrs. T. L. Waters and R. W Skeels told their experience. Mr. Waters had never killed a bear, but he had seen much service as a sur- veyor and estimator of pine.
Perhaps the most attractive feature of the meeting was the spirited address of Miss Anna Shaw, of Big Rapids. She spoke of herself as one of the first set- tlers of Mecosta County, and gave a graphic account of their journey to the land of promise and of their subseqent experience. She well remembered their primitive dances, and the time when to wear a fine boot was considered aristocratic. Her tribute to the energy and nerve of the early settlers of Mecosta County was truly eloquent. Mrs. Crandall, of Big Rapids, followed her in a few well chosen words.
For the ensuing year, a meeting was appointed at Blanche Lake, on the Grand Rapids & Newaygo railroad. A business meeting ensued, President Ut- ley, just elected, taking the chair.
FOURTH REUNION.
The executive committee decided that Newaygo was a better place than Blanche Lake for a gathering of old settlers, and the meeting for 1878 was accord-
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ingly held May 30, in that village. The pioneers assembled to the number of 150, including 72 from Big Rapids, and went through the usual program of hand-shaking, speech-making, etc. T. D. Stimson was chosen President, E. O. Rose Secretary, and Foster Stearns Treasurer, and it was decided to hold the next meeting at Big Rapids. This-
FIFTH REUNION
was duly held in that city June 18, 1879. Over 200 members were in attendance. The association was called to order at noon by Mr. T. D. Stimson, and Judge Brown delivered a welcoming address. About 60 new names were added to the register. At two o'clock an old-style dinner was served at the Mason House, to which all did ample justice. One table was set with dishes belonging to Mrs. White that were the property of Mrs. White's great-great-grand- mother. A mustard spoon and cup were two hun- dred years old. After dinner the meeting was ad- dressed by Dr. Tatman, W. S. Utley, J. V. Crandell and Hannibal Hyde. A general good time was had, and the old friends and neighbors of years ago had a real old-fashioned visit.
This is the last reunion the society has held. It cannot be long before the old settlers of the county will realize the importance of forming a permanent society, to collect and preserve the local history which they have spent their lives in making.
REMINISCENCES-by T. L. Waters.
'WE EMIGRATE."
N April 15, 1855, the entire families of Dan- iel Weaver and Wilkes and Thomas Stuart started from Cambria, Hillsdale County, for the " north woods." We came forehanded, having four horse teams, two yoke of cattle, and six or eight cows,-all handy things to have in a new country, and a pretty good caravan they made. Besides these, there were some three or four thousand dollars in specie among the company. It was a long, rainy, nasty, tiresome journey to all ex- cept two of the party. In one of those covered wagons rode a young couple, who, although the
others complained of the rough and muddy roads and incessant rain, failed to see the rough and muddy part of the journey, and scarcely knew it rained. To them it was the pleasantest journey of their lives. Such is mortal !
Six days were consumed in reaching Lisbon, where we lightened our loads and drove on to Newaygo. The road then, instead of running where it now does, made vast circuits around the swamps, returning in some instances nearly back to where we had started from the line. One half day's drive brought us to Fulkerson's, now known as Casnovia, where we stopped for the night. There was then but one log house and a barn, where now a thriving country village stands. From here to Newaygo, for fifteen miles, stretched an unbroken forest, mostly pine. Thirty years has swept that vast forest nearly all away, and neat, thrifty farms dot the road where we then wallowed through the mire, and wound our way among the lofty pines, while a commodious railroad car with its soft cushions has taken the place of those covered wagons, and carries the traveler in thirty minutes over what it took us a whole day to drive,- from Casnovia to Newaygo.
At the latter place we stopped over night with the genial landlord of the Butler House. The village then had but one hotel, three stores and the flouring mill. Newaygo was then noted for exporting lumber and importing whisky and tobacco. The lumber was rafted down the river, while the stage came in twice a week loaded with the "important," which scarcely lasted till its return. It is quite another village now ; other men have come in, and "Queen Temperance" has driven " King Alcohol " into close quarters. Its. once miry streets are now graded and graveled, and good substantial sidewalks are now where we jumped from log to log, or walked a single plank. No one would now suspect that Main Street was once a vast spring-hole ; but such was the case.
On the morning of the 25th of April, we crossed the river by the upper bridge, then the only one, drove up the Croton road about a mile, and turned westward into the forest. After an hour's drive we came back in sight of Newaygo, on the north bank of the river, and then struck off northwest on what is now called the Fremont trail, running near Kin- bell's Lake.
On reaching an alder swamp three-fourths of a
t.
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mile east of what is now known as the Root school- house, Mr. Weaver, who was ahead, mired his team so that only the heads and tails were visible. Luckily there was a house-raising at Harrington's that day (the second house raised in Fremont), and Sam Shupe was there with Tom Stuart's stags, draw- ing house logs. He was sent for and came as soon as possible ; and, doubling a couple of log chains, he drew the wagon out. We had already drawn out the horses with one of our other teams. The load in the wagons being mostly human, unloaded itself over the hind end-board, and did not load up again, pre- ferring terra firma.
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