USA > Michigan > Grand Traverse County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 37
USA > Michigan > Leelanau County > Sprague's history of Grand Traverse and Leelanaw counties, Michigan embracing a concise review of their early settlement, industrial development and present conditions...to which will be appended...life sketches of well-known citizens of the county > Part 37
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103
TRAVERSE CITY WATER WORKS.
Soon after the incorporation of the vil- lage of Traverse City by the legislature of 1880-1, the late Judge H. D. Campbell was given a thirty-year franchise to establish a water-works plant for supplying the people with water, and for the purpose of fire pro- tection. The works were installed and were operated by Mr. Campbell until 1900, when. they were purchased by the city at the ap- praised value of forty-three thousand, six hundred and sixty-seven dollars, for which the bonds of the city were issued. Subse- quently bonds to the amount of twenty-five thousand dollars were issued for the pur-
pose of making extensions. When the city became the owner of the plant its manage- ment was placed in the hands of a commis- sion, consisting of five members, one from each ward, under whose direction the mains have been extended until a very large part of the city has been covered.
ELECTRIC LIGHTING PLANT.
A few years after installing the water- works in the city the proprietor, Judge Campbell, inaugurated an electric lighting plant in connection with the water-works plant, from which he furnished lights to a great number of the business houses and
298
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
dwellings. This plant he operated until after he had sold the water-works to the city, when he closed out his electric lighting business to the Boardman River Electric Light and Power Company.
In 1893 the Boardman River Electric Light and Power Company was incorporated and secured a valuable site for a dam and power house on the Boardman river, about five miles from the city. The construction of a dam was commenced in April, 1894, and on November 27, 1894, less than eight months from the time work was commenced lights were turned on in the city. Soon after the plant was in operation a contract was entered into with the city for street light- ing. This has since been renewed and all of the principal streets of the city are now well lighted with arc lights furnished by this company. In addition to this, the company does an immense commercial lighting busi- ness, having at the present time about twelve thousand sixteen-candle-power incan- descent lights, a large number of incandes- cent arcs and about fifty arcs.
The company is incorporated for one hundred thousand dollars. The present of- ficers are, president, William Loudon; vice- president, Howard Irish; secretary, A. V. Friedrich; treasurer, Samuel Garland. The directors are, William Loudon, Robert Caldwell, Louis Greilick, A. W. Bartak. S. Garland, Howard Irish, Charles Wilhelm, A. V. Fredrich, Perry Hannah.
TRAVERSE CITY GAS COMPANY.
A franchise for the installation of a gas plant was secured from the city council in January, 1901, and in May of the same year
work was commenced. The Traverse City Gas Company was incorporated July 23, 1901. Gas was turned on October 16, 1901. The company is officered as follows : Presi- dent, H. B. Webber ; vice-president and gen- eral manager, E. F. Gallager ; secretary and treasurer, C. O. Ranson; local manager, T. A. Bates. The business of the company has grown very rapidly since its inauguration. Five and one-third miles of mains have been laid, and the company now has three hundred consumers.
TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE LINES.
The first telegraph line to reach the Grand Traverse region was the Western Union, which came a year or two before the railroad. It came down the lake shore from Grand Haven to Frankfort, and thence across the country to Traverse City.
The Postal Telegraph came with the building of the Manistee & Northeastern Railroad. In addition to these lines of course each of the railroads owns and op- erates telegraph lines.
About 1875 the Bell Telephone Company built a line from Petoskey and Charlevoix via Elk Rapids to Traverse City, and estab- lished an exchange. The Bell Company were the sole occupants of the field until 1898, when the Northern Telephone Com- pany secured a franchise from the city coun- cil, and commenced business. After operat- ing for a couple of years with indifferent suc- cess, the Citizens' Telephone Company ac- quired the property, and has made many im- portant improvements and extensions.
One of the most important improvements made by this company is the laying of its wires in underground ducts, throughout the
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
299
business portion of the city. Another im- portant addition to the usefulness of the lines of this company is the extension of its busi- ness among the farming community of the county. Already a good portion of the re-
gion is connected with the Traverse City exchange, which is proving of great benefit to the farmers. Both the Michigan (Bell) Company and the Citizens' have long-dis- tance lines extending all over the state.
CHAPTER XXIV.
MERCANTILE INTERESTS.
As has been stated in a previous chapter, the lumber firm of Hannah, Lay & Company were the pioneers in the mercantile business of Traverse City. From the commencement of their business the firm kept a small stock of goods from which to supply the wants of persons in their employ. As the country be- came settled with whites the demand in- creased, slowly at first, but from about 1860 the increase was very rapid. The passage by congress of the homestead law brought settlers for the farming lands, and they in turn became patrons of the store. The mer- cantile business of the firm increased very rapidly from that time. The first stock of goods was kept in a little log building, twelve by sixteen, located near the Boardman water mill. Afterwards a small frame building, sixteen by twenty, was erected on the north side of the river, just east of what is now the corner of Union and Bay streets. Business increased and more room was needed and about 1855 a two-story building, thirty by ninety, was erected just east of the small
store, into which the stock of goods was re- moved and largely added to. This building contained not only a general stock of mer- chadise, but also the general business office of the firm.
In 1858, Smith Barnes became general manager of the mercantile department of this firm, with an interest in the store business. In the fall of 1860 the writer entered the employ of this firm as a salesman in the store, and for three months during the sum- mer of 1861 Mr. Barnes and the writer had no difficulty in waiting upon all the custo- mers who came to trade. Three years after this, fourteen salesmen were kept busy. In the fall of 1860 the firm bought in a stock of stoves, consisting of two cook stoves, two parlor stoves and two box stoves. At the spring invoice there were still on hand both cook stoves, one parlor and one box stove. Notwithstanding this small demand, three years from that time the firm had added a salesroom twenty-four by ninety, two-thirds of which was devoted entirely to stoves.
18
300
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
This increased demand was caused by the rapid increase of homestead settlers. During the period mentioned three additions had been added to the original two-story building, each twenty-four by ninety, and a warehouse across the street of the same size, all crowd- ed to their fullest capacity with goods. The business of the firm was carried on at this lo- cation until, in 1882, the brick block now oc- cupied by the company was erected. It is a handsome and substantial structure of cream- colored brick, is three stories and a basement, with two hundred and twenty feet frontage on Front street, and extending back on Un- ion street one hundred and ten feet.
For many years the store, mills, bank, boat line, and miscellaneous business was conducted under the original firm name of Hannah, Lay & Company, but in 1883 it was decided to make a change and the Han- nah & Lay Mercantile Company was organ- ized and incorporated for two hundred thous- and dollars. Mr. Smith Barnes continued as the general manager until his death, in 1891, since which time Herbert Montague has held the position.
This in the early days of Traverse City being the only store in the place, it became necessary that the proprietors should keep a general assortment of merchandise, a plan that the company has always pursued, being literally what they claim to be, "dealers in everything." As time passed other dealers established themselves in business, not all of whom, however, made a success of it. Among those who are now in business, about in the order in which they came, can be men- tioned the following :
Dry goods and clothing, Frank Hamilton and J. W. Milliken, Julius Steinberg, A. J. Wilhelm, Emanuel Wilhelm, the Boston
Store, the Globe, the Economy. These are the principal dealers in the lines mentioned.
The principal grocery stores are Wilhelm, Bartak & Company, Prokop Kyselka, Jacob Furtsch, John J. Brezina, Enterprise Gro- cery, and at least a dozen others, some of which are doing a large business.
Furniture and house furnishings, Joseph Twombly, J. W. Slater, Grand Rapids Fur- niture Store, Miller & Morse, besides other establishments that carry these lines in con- nection with other stock.
Shelf hardware, stoves, etc., S. K. Nort- ham, A. J. Montague, Julius Campbell, William Hobbs. Armes & Cole carry a line of goods and do a general business as plumbers, gas fitters, furnace and steam heaters.
Harness manufacturers and dealers, John T. Beadle and Wilhelm, Bartak & Company, the former of whom came in a very early day, and the latter have been in business many years. Besides these there are several other smaller manufacturers and dealers in this line.
STEIN BERG'S GRAND OPERA HOUSE.
The erection of this building was com- menced in 1891 and was completed the fol- lowing year. It occupies the second and third stories of a very fine brick block on the north side of Front street, and is fitted up and fin- ished in the most modern and convenient style. It is in fact a most beautiful and tasty structure. Its seating capacity is between seven and eight hundred.
THE CITY OPERA HOUSE.
The City Opera House occupies the most of the second and third stories of the Wil- helm, Bartak & Company block, located on
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
301
the south side of Front street near Union. It was commenced and completed during the year 1891. It is finished in fine shape and is the largest audience room in the city, hav- ing a seating capacity of about one thousand one hundred.
Previous to the erection of these opera houses the principal room for use as a theater or place for large gatherings was and had been for many years the Ladies' Library Hall, now in use for the public library, which had a seating capacity of three hundred.
CHAPTER XXV.
SECRET ORDERS.
THE FREE MASONS.
The first secret society to be established in Traverse City was a lodge of Masons. Traverse City Lodge No. 222, Free and Ac- cepted Masons, was instituted February 2, 1868, with nineteen charter members. A public dedication and installation was held in the Methodist Episcopal church, Thurs- day evening, February 20th. The persons acting as grand officers on that occasion were Rev. J. Boynton, of Pentwater, wor- shipful grand master; Mr. Dunham, Manis- tee, deputy grand master; Rev. S. Steele, then of Manistee, senior grand master; Mr. Thurber, Manistee, junior grand master; Rev. Mr. Ellis, of Pentwater, grand chaplain. An oration upon the designs and principles of Masonry was delivered by Rev. S. Steele. The lodge was dedicated and the officers in- stalled in form as follows : Charles W. Day, worshipful master ; James D. Harvey, senior warden; S. W. Arnold, junior warden; S.
M. Edwards, treasurer ; Edwin S. Pratt, sec- retary; Isaac G. Winnie, senior deacon; Jo- seph E. Greilick, junior deacon; Rev. Geo. N. Smith, chaplain ; R. Johnson and G. W. Mc- Clellan, stewards; Prokop Kyselka, tyler. Of the nineteen charter members, E. S. Pratt, I. G. Winnie and Prokop Kyselka are still living in Traverse City. The others are either dead or have moved away.
At first and for a number of years the lodge held its communications in the second story of a building on Front street, the low- er story of which was used for a drug store, and later in the second story of what was known as the Hulbard store. In 1890, how- ever, a fine brick block was erected on the corner of Front and Union streets, the third and fourth stories of which were designed, planned and built expressly to accommodate the Masonic bodies, and here they have since had an ample and most delightful home, where all of the Masonic bodies of the city hold their meetings, including the Order of
302
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
the Eastern Star, which has been instituted since.
Traverse City Chapter No. 102 was in- stituted in June, 1877, while Traverse City Commandery was instituted only a few years later.
OTHER FRATERNAL SOCIETIES.
The next fraternal society to be estab- lished after the Masons was the Odd Fel- lows. Grand Traverse Lodge No. 200 was organized December 20, 1872. Since then Canton Traverse No. 4, Traverse City En- campment No. 73, and Grand Traverse Lodge No. 192, Daughters of Rebekah, have been organized.
Next after the Odd Fellows came the Good Templars. Traverse Bay Lodge, In- dependent Order of Good Templars, was or- ganized January 19, 1876. It was in quite a flourishing condition for a time, but the in- terest waned, and the organization went down for a while, but has since been re- vived, and now Traverse City Lodge No. 42 I holds regular meetings and is in a flour- ishing condition.
Following the Good Templars came the Grand Army of the Republic. McPherson Post No. 18 was mustered in May 21, 1881, and to this has since been added McPherson Relief Corps No. 151.
The fraternal organizations already men-
tioned may be considered as the pioneers. Since then the following organizations have been established in the city : Grand Traverse Lodge No. 169, Ancient Order of United Workmen; Traverse City Lodge No. 323, Benevolent Protective Order of Elks; Trav- erse City Ruling No. 524, Fraternal Mystic Circle; Queen City Lodge No. 1401, Home Forum; Court Traverse No. 853, Inde- pendent Order of Forresters; Companion Court Traverse No. 6; Traverse Bay Tent No. 136, Knights of the Maccabees; Trav- erse City Tent No. 871, Knights of the Maccabees; Amanda Hive No. 32, Ladies of the Maccabees; Traverse Bay Hive No. 71, Ladies of the Maccabees; Traverse Bay Lodge No. 73, Knights of Pythias; Duchess Camp No. 2345, Modern Woodmen of America; Traverse City Lodge No. 139, O. B. A .; Queen City Camp No. 573, Royal Neighbors; Traverse City Lodge No. 7, Swedish Sons of America; Woodmen of the World; Grand Traverse Grange No. 379, Patrons of Husbandry.
In addition to the foregoing there are a large number of trade labor organizations, including carpenters' union, masons' union, painters' union, cigarmakers' union, journey- men barbers' union, retail clerks' union, lumber shovers' union, master horseshoers' union, typographical union, and the Central I.abor Union, made up from delegates from the various other unions.
CHAPTER XXVI.
ORGANIZED TOWNSHIPS IN GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY.
There are in the county of Grand Trav- erse now thirteen organized townships, as follows: Acme, Blair, East Bay, Fife Lake, Garfield, Grant, Green Lake, Long Lake, Mayfield, Paradise, Peninsula, Union and Whitewater. As has already been men- tioned, when Grand Traverse county was organized what is now the present county was embraced in two organized townships : Peninsula, which embraced all of the penin- sula lying between the east and west arms of Grand Traverse bay, and Traverse, which took in, besides other territory, all of the rest of the present county. As the county settled up other townships were organized until the township of Traverse became re- duced so as to embrace only the following described territory: All of fractional sec- tions 1, 2 and 3; the east half of fractional section 4 and the southeast fractional quar- ter of the northwest fractional quarter of section 4; the east half of fractional section 9; all of fractional sections 10, II and 12, all in township 27 north, of range II west; also lot I and lot 2 in section 6 in town- ship 27 north of range 10 west. By act of the legislature approved May 18, 1895, all of this territory was organized into the city of Traverse City, thus wiping out the organ- ized township of Traverse entirely.
PENINSULA.
Peninsula was organized at the same time as the county and embraced the same territory as now. Mapleton is a postoffice and settlement in this township situated twelve miles north of Traverse City. Here two of the churches of the township are lo- cated, the Methodist Episcopal and Roman Catholic.
OLD MISSION.
This is now a beautiful summer resort village, located in Peninsula township, eight- een miles north of Traverse City, on Old Mission harbor. It was the first place on the bay settled by the whites. Peninsula has for many years produced a great amount of fruit and other farm products, which is shipped largely from the docks owned by William D. Bagley, at Old Mission. The place possesses great historic interest. A rural mail delivery line between Traverse City and this point was established in 1902. A line for an electric railroad has been sur- veyed between the two places, but active work has not yet been commenced in the way of grading. Hotel Hedden and Rush- more House are two hotels here. George Lardie has a general store. There is a Meth-
304
-
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
odist Episcopal church and a Congrega- tional church, the history of which is given in another part of this work. There is a Maccabee and Grange Hall at Old Mission.
There are now in the township of Penin- sula seven school houses, embracing a total of eight rooms. The township also owns a town hall, erected at a cost of six hundred dollars. The first supervisor of the township was Robert Campbell.
WHITEWATER.
The township of Whitewater was or- ganized by the board of supervisors in Octo- ber, 1859, and now embraces the follow- ing described territory: All that part of sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, township 28 north of range 9 west, lying between Elk and Round Lakes; the east half of sections 5, 8, 17, 20, 29, 32, and all of fractional sections 3, 10, 15, 22, 23 and 24, and all of sections 4, 9, 16, 21, 28, 33, 34, 35 and 36, township 28 north, range 9 west; the west three-fourths of section 5, the west half of sections 18 and 19, and all of sections I, ยท 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, township 27 north, range 9 west. William H. Fife was the first supervisor.
Angell is a postoffice in this township, eighteen miles northeast of Traverse City, on the Pere Marquette Railroad, established when that road was built, and contains, be- sides the postoffice, a small saw and shingle mill. A Methodist Episcopal church is lo- cated near this place.
WILLIAMSBURG.
This is a village twelve miles east of
Traverse City on the Pere Marquette Rail- road, at its junction with the Elks Rapids branch. It was established at an early day, before the township was organized, and has about one hundred and fifty inhabitants, and is in the midst of a thriving farming com- munity. It has a store, hotel, blacksmith shop, drug store, saw and grist-mill, and a Methodist Episcopal church, school-house, etc.
The township has seven school buildings, embracing eight rooms. It also has a town hall, built at a cost of eight hundred dollars. A Grange hall is also located in this town- ship.
GRANT.
The township of Grant, embracing the township of 25 north, range 12 west, was organized by the board of supervisors in Oc- tober, 1866. The first supervisor was P. C. Hopkins. The town contains one Metho- dist Episcopal and one Second Adventist church, four school buildings and a town hall, the latter built at a cost of eight hun- dred dollars. There is one small saw-mill in the town, employing about eight hands. It is a thrifty farming community.
MAYFIELD.
Mayfield township was organized by the board of supervisors in November, 1867. It now embraces the following territory : Township 25 north, range II west. Thomas Wynkoop was the first supervisor.
This is one of the best townships of farming lands in the county. There are two postoffices in the township: Hannah, on section 5, and Bartlett, on section 18. There is one Roman Catholic and one Free
305
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
Methodist church in the town. The town has five school-houses and a town hall, the latter worth six hundred dollars. There are three saw-mills in the town that give employ- ment to about fifty men.
EAST BAY.
The township of East Bay was organ- ized by the board of supervisors in January, 1867, and now embraces the following terri- tory: Fractional sections 7 and 8 and the west half of fractional 9, all of sec- tions 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, township 27 north, range 10 west; and the east half of sections 18 and 19, township 27 north, range 9 west; also sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and the north half of the northeast quarter of section 6, township 26 north, range 10 west.
A dock and saw-mills were built at the head of the bay in this township in the 'fifties, but the timber that was available has been used up and the mill is out of commission. When this township was organized it in- cluded a portion of the present township of Acme, and a resident of that portion, J. B. Haviland, was the first supervisor. There are four school buildings in the township, and one saw-mill that employs about fifteen hands.
LONG LAKE.
This township was organized in Janu- ary, 1867, and embraces the territory of township 27 north, range 12 east. The first supervisor was Benjamin H. Durga.
Cedar Run is a postoffice and station in section 6, on the Manistee & Northwestern
Railroad, in this township. Neal is another postoffice in this township, eight miles west of Traverse City.
There is a Union church building in the township, and a Friends meeting-house at the head of Long Lake. There is also a town hall, worth about five hundred dollars, at the head of the lake. There are five school buildings and two saw-mills in the township, the mills employing from fifteen to twenty men.
BLAIR.
The township of Blair was organized by the board of supervisors in April, 1867. The territory embraces township 26 north, range II west. The first supervisor was Thomas H. Clyde.
The first settlement in this township was made in 1859 at Monroe Center, a postoffice on the line between Blair and Green Lake, thirteen miles south of Traverse City and four miles south of Grawn, now the nearest railroad point.
GRAWN.
This is a station on the Pere Marquette Railroad, in Blair township, about eight miles southeast of Traverse City. It has a population of about two hundred, and con- tains a hotel, stores, blacksmith shop, harness and shoe shop. A daily stage runs between here and Wexford. Keystone and Sleights are two way stations in this township on the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad.
There are two Methodist Episcopal churches in this township, one at Monroe Center and the other at Grawn. There are four school buildings in the township and the town also owns a hall that cost eight hundred dollars. There is also an Odd Fel-
306
GRAND TRAVERSE AND LEELANAW COUNTIES.
lows hall and dining room at Monroe Center that cost about twenty-five hundred dollars.
PARADISE.
Paradise township was organized by the board of supervisors in April, 1870. The territory now embraced in the township is township 25 north, range 10 west, and the south half of township 26 north, range 10 west. The first supervisor was Thomas Wynkoop.
There are three villages in the township, Mayfield, Kingsley and Summit, only one, however, Kingsley, being incorporated. All are located on the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad, and were started about the time the road was built.
At a very early day Gibbs Brothers built a saw-mill at Mayfield, and later a grist-mill. The grist-mill was destroyed by fire some years since. The manufacture of lumber and shingles was carried on by the firm for many years extensively. About four years ago the firm was dissolved and the business went into the hands of James L. Gibbs, who continued it until his death, since which time it has been conducted by his widow, Mrs. Addie A. Gibbs. The saw-mill was de- stroyed by fire only a few months since. The population of the village does not now prob- ably exceed one hundred. There is a Metho- dist Episcopal church located at this point.
Summit, which is about nineteen miles southeast of Traverse City, has a population of about two hundred and fifty. The village has three general stores, one school building of two rooms, a Methodist Episcopal church, and a flouring-mill, with a capacity of thirty- five barrels per day. There are nine school buildings, containing a total of twelve rooms, in the township of Paradise.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.