P-1 WN`
TWX
























For Farm
maehinery
AND IMPLEMENTS, BINDER TWINE,
ROAD CARTS,
Road Wagons, BugUgls s Farm Wagons
Of all kinds, go to ZEELAND and you will find
the Largest and Most Complete Stock in Ottawa
County.


HuUflRiy
UBUsTEEL CIItDS


We buy in CAR LOTS direct from the manufacturer and are in a position to make it to your interest
to see our goods and get prices before purchasing
elsewhere. All Pirst-Class Goods WARRANTED and
sold at Lowest Honest Living Prices. Repairs (very
important) for all goods sold, kept constantly on hand.
H. DE KRUIF, JR,


ZEELAND, MICH.




The [oading MusiG Hiouse in Westurn EM                U&1~n
30 AND 32 CANAL ST.,
GRAND WAPIDS, -MICH.
~~ ~SOLE IXGEINT POR~ THE~
Weber Pianos                  Schaff Pianos
Hazelton Pianos               A. B. Chase Organs
A. B. Chase Pianos            -Ann Arbor Organs
Fischer Pianos                 Hillstrom    Organs.
SECOND-HAND PIANOS FROM $50 TO $200.
SECOND-HAND ORGANS FROM $20 TO $50.
11 Full tlssortrnent of Sheet Mutsic, Music Books and Musical Merchandise. E~verUthina in the Music
Line at Lowest P'rice.
~HE PURCHASER of a Piano, an Organ, or any Musi Cal Instruments of value,
*Tshould be careful in his selection and be sure to get an honest-made article warranted by a reliable house. Julius A. J. Friedrich has been In business nearly
twenty years, and has gained a hluh and enviable reputation. Whatever he recommends, recommends Itself. Customers may place perfect confidence in his word and
goods. Whenever you need something in the music line, csan on or write the old
reliable dealer,
JULIUS A. J. FRIEDR1OH.
30 and 32 Canal St.             GRAND RAPIDS, MICHi.




>gnu


IIISTORIC/A\L
AND
BUSINESS COMPENDIUM
or
OTTAWA COUNTY,
MICHIGAN.
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOLUME I.
A Complete Historical, Statistical, Biographical and
Geographical Compendium of Ottawa
County's Public and Private Interests and Institutions
AND A
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
AND
COMPENDIUM or GENERAL INFORMATION
FOR 1892-3.
This Volume contains a Brief but Accurate History of Ottawa
County, from its Earliest Settlement to the Present
Time; also a General Fund of Statistical
Information.
POTTS & CONGER, Publishers,
GRAND HAVEN, MICH.




of -- - Arc I
COPYRIGHTED IN 1892 BY POTTS & CONGER.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
PRESS OF
THE STANTON PRINTING CO.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.




PREFACE.
It is with considerable assurance that we introduce to the public our HISTORICAL AND BUSINESS
COMPENDIUM OF OTTAWA COUNTYJ for we know it
to be the best book of its ind ever published in
the. state of Michigan. In the compilation of
this work it has not been our ambition to preserve pure English to future generations, but to
furnish to all people interested  in  Ottawa
county's past, present and future, as many historical and current facts as possible, in a small
amount of space, and for a very liitle money.
Feeling confident that this generation has furnished others who could write, we have quoted
many of them, and enlisted a few in our service
for special articles.
We are under great obligations to G. J. Van
Schelven of the Holland City News, Rev. Henry
E. Dosker of Holland, Hon. Cornelius Van Loo
of Zeeland, Rev. E. P. Gibbs, Wm. N. Angel,
Herman Nyland, Mrs. U. E. T. Rork, of Grand
Haven; G. A. Mitchell of Grand Rapids, and
others, for valuable contributions to the historical
work. In this work involving a vast amount of
labor, we have endeavored to treat all alike.
We have endeavored to obtain the best of
everything and submit it to the boiling down
process. It has been our aim not to deal with
the biographies of men further than they were
interwoven with the history of the county. However, it is our intention to soon publish a small
volume of biographies of prominent men of the
county to go with this work.
In referring to early residents we have taken




PREFACE.


no thought of their circumstances in life, whether
richer than Crcesus or poorer than Lazarus, we
have given their history as the facts seemed to
warrant.
One of- the objects of the work has been to
sum up the superior advantages of the county
in such a form that they might be read and
understood by those desiring to invest in the
county. Something that would furnish proofs
positive that Ottawa county has better openings
for general investments than can be found either
in the south or west.
That there are inaccuracies in the work we
are willing to admit; but as this is the first book
of the kind ever published in the county, upon
a thorough examination we are confident all
fair-minded people will wonder how we succeeded
in making it so nearly correct. As mistakes are
discovered, however, we shall publish and mail
free to subscribers, slips containing corrections
which may be easily fastened in their appropriate
places in the work.
In the directory all persons engaged in tilling
the soil are classed as farmers. We found it
impossible to draw the line between farmers,
fruit growers and gardeners technically.
As to postoffice addresses, in the townships,
occasionally there may be a case where the
postoffice given is not the one at which the person named is in the habit of getting his mail.
However, no person named upon the list will
fail to receive all mail directed to him at the
postoffice given.
We claim that we have produced a book that
will prove valuable to every person interested in
Ottawa county, and properly represent its interests at the World's Columbian Exposition.
With thanks to our friends and patrons we
remain,        Yours,
POTTS & CONGER.




INDEX.
VOLUME I -HISTORY
Grand Haven                                                    PAGES
Grand Haven..........5-185-188
Port  Sheldon..................................................   o10
Village  of Superior....................  12
Ottawa County......    '/......... 13-I52-162-I72
H olland................................................ 15-178
H olland   F ire............................................... 34-141
In dian s.......................................................  35
A llendale.....................................................   35
B lendon.....................................................    39
C hester.......................................................  39
C rockery......................................................    40
N unica........................................................  43
Georgetown...................                             46
Grand Haven Township.................. 48
H olland  Township.......................................  51
Portsm outh...................................................    53
Jam estow n....................................................   53
Garfields.......................  54
Olive.......?t. k                                            5
P olk ton..................................................  57
E astm anville..................................................    60
D ennison...................................................  6I
Coopersville................................................6i-io6
Robinson.........................................   62
Spring Lake................ 62-195
Ferrysburg....... U..........(.                                    75
Ship building in Ferrysburg............... 77
T alm adge.................................................  80
L am ont.......................................................  8i
W right........................................................     82
Zeeland.....83-196
Z e a d.............'...................................  8 - 6
H olland   Churches.............................................    93
G erm an  Churches.................................9............
E nglish  Churches..............................................120
M ichigan  State  Troops........................................ 125
Men furnished during Rebellion................................ 126
Martyrs of Rebellion......................................        126
Women's Christian Temperance Union......................... 137
Population Townships, Cities and Villages....................... I158-159
Political, Geographil, Sol, Climate............... 160-164-165-166
Public  Schools....(............................... 166
Secret  Societies............................................... 175
Prom inent  Pioneers........................................... 197
List of Postoffices..................................... 201
Table   of  D istanco............................................ 2
"                               f:,.' 1




INDEX.
VOLUME I1-BUSINESS DIRECTORY.
PAGES
GRAND HAVEN CITY DIRECTORYBusiness  Firm s........................................  3
M iscellaneous  Names..................................  13
HOLLAND CITY DIRECTORY.................................. 71
Business Firms..............................                      71
Miscellaneous Names........................................ 8
Allendale...................................................  Io9
Blendon................................................... 6..
C onk lin.......................................................   24
C hester....................................................... 24
Nunica........................................... 33
C rockery......................................................133
Jenison...............................                  142
H udsonville...................................................      42
G eorgetow n...................................................    42
Grand Haven Township........................................55
Holland Township...................................62
Jam estown.............................................. 76
Olive..       I.....................................85
Coopersville.....................................         196
P olkton.......................................................    96
Robinson....................................       217
Spring   Lake...................................................221
Spring Lake Township..2..........................  221
Lamont.......................................................243
Talmadge................................................. 243
Berlin......................................           250
W right........................................................250
Zeeland Village Directory......................................259
Zeeland Township........................................266
Attorneys of Ottawa County.................................... 275
Ship building in Ottawa County.................................277
INDEX OF MISGELLANEOUS fDVERTISEMENTS.
Cleland & Son, general merchants, Coopersville (see adv p 276).
Rice J E, hotel propr, Grand Rapids (see adv p 276).
Lee R H, jeweler, Grand Rapids (see adv p 200).
Kelder H     P &   Co,icommission merchants, Chicago (see adv p 200).
Stanton Printing Co, Grand Rapids (see adv p 200).
Grand Rapids Book Binding Co, (see adv p 202).
Friedrich Julius A J, music house, Grand Rapids (see adv opp
title page, vol I).
People's Savings Bank, Grand Rapids (see adv inside first cover).
CGoodrich rtransportation Co, Chicago (see adv p 70).




HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM.. or..
OTTAWA COUNTY, MICIIGAN.
PART I.
FIRST SETTLEMENT AT GRAND HAVEN.
It is deemed sufficient for the purposes of this
work, to commence with the date of the arrival
of the first permanent white settler within the
territory of which Ottawa county now consists.
In 1821 Rix Robinson, a rive of Auburn, New
York, established an Indian trading post at the
mouth of Grand River, upon land now within
the city limits of Grand Haven. From the day
of his arrival until his death, which occurred at
Ada, Kent county, in 1875, he was not only very
closely identified with the development of Ottawa
county, but with the entire Grand river valley.
"To his control of the savage tribes that occupied
this portion of Michigan, is mainly attributed the
welcome they gave the early settlers, whose encroachments and occupancy so surely augured
their own removal and ultimate extinction." "His
name stands one of the foremost of those who
have occupied positions of trust and honor in our
state."




6


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Up to the time of the location of the trading
post at the mouth of Grand river, few white
men had ever visited the territory of which
Ottawa county was afterwards composed. The
afterwards noted Catholic priest, Gabriel Richards,
visited the Grand river Indians as early as 1799.
He established the first Michigan newspaper at
Detroit in 1809, was elected to congress from this
state in T823, and died in 1832. Rev. Isaac
McCoy established the Indian Government mission on Grand river in 1832. Richard Godfrey
came to Grand river in 1832. Hiram Jenison
located at Jenisonville in 1833. The first white
child born in Grand Rapids was a daughter of
Richard Godfrey.
From  a paper entitled "Early Settlement of
Ottawa County," prepared by Z. G. Winsor, and
read at the semi-centennial celebration of the
settlement of the county, December 2, 1884, we
extract the following important historical facts:
"On the twentieth day of April, 1833, a party
of sixty-three men, women and children-Z. G.
Winsor, then eighteen years of age, being one of
the number-left the state of New York for the
Grand river valley, in the then territory of
Michigan, reaching what is now the city of Ionia
May, 23, I833. They were surrounded by Indians,
friendly, though they were separated from all
intercourse with white settlers by a distance of
from thirty to forty miles on the south, forty to
sixty miles on the east and west, and an indefinite
distance on the north."  *    *   *    *   *
"This was the nucleus and starting point of the
settlement of the Grand river valley, from the
mouth of the river up to within a few miles of




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


7


Jackson.  The Grand river country, now represented by the counties of Ionia, Kent and Ottawa,
at that time was a wilderness, without white
inhabitants, save only an Indian mission at Grand
Rapids, with a Mr. Slater, wife and one female
teacher; an Indian trading post controlled by
Louis Campau at Grand Rapids, and Rix Robinson's trading posts at the mouth of the Thorn
Apple and at Grand Haven, which were peopled
only by Campau and Robinson, with the help of
Canadian voyageurs and half breed Indians."
"Such were the conditions and surroundings of
the first settlers. Were they not pioneers? They
prepared the way for the present population of
more than two hundred thousand in the three
counties of Ionia, Kent and Ottawa, and a cultivated acreage of more than a million." There
were no steam boats, no railroads, no telegraph,
no kerosene, no gas, few roads, and postal service
hardly thought of. What changes since the
dawn of that 23rd day of May, 1833!
Do we appreciate the changes? To the full
extent, only the first settlers who lived to witness
these changes, could. In I833, Grand Haven was
the headquarters for the twenty trading posts of
the American Fur company, with Mr. Robinson
sole manager. These trading posts had been
established in 1827, commencing at Kalamazoo
on the south, and extending to Little Traverse
on the north. Says Mr. Winsor, at that time in
the employ of Mr. Robinson: "Grand Haven
being headquarters, had been made quite respectable in buildings. We had a store, warehouse with
pole dock, and dwelling house with four rooms,
occupied by Mr. Robinson and wife (a half-breed




8


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


woman). Great advantages accrued to the traders who had Indian wives, the Indians regarding
them as relatives. The Indians, as a rule, were
honorable and honest." "The French voyageurs,
or Denvins, as they were called, were a necessity of the times and business at that early
period. Their packs would often exceed a hundred and forty pounds, and they would carry
them thirty or forty miles in a day." "Up to the
fall of 1834, Grand Haven contained only Indians
and traders. From twenty rods back of our store
there was continuous forest south to the St. Joe
river and east to Grandville without a white
inhabitant."
The arrival at the mouth of Grand river, November 23, I834, of the Rev. Wm. M. Ferry and
family, accompanied by C. Duverny and family,
to settle permanently, proved the beginning of an
important epoch in the history of Grand Haven
and Ottawa county. Mr. Ferry was born on a
farm at Granby, Mass., September 8, I796. His
biographers say that "he was a slight, frail youth,
not fitted for the rugged toil of a farmer's life."
He chose the ministry of the gospel as a profession. At the age of twenty-four he graduated
from Union college, studied theology two years
at Brunswick, N. J., and six months with Gardiner Spring, D. D., of New York, and was ordained
by the New York Presbytery in 1822. He was
appointed a missionary among the Indians of the
northwest. He established the Mackinaw mission,
and after remaining there one year, returned to
Ashfield, Mass., where he married Miss Amanda
White. He then returned, accompanied by his
young wife, to Mackinaw, where they devoted




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


9


twelve years to missionary work among the
Indians and the few scattering whites and halfbreeds that drifted along the straits.
Robert Stuart, connected with John Jacob Astor's
fur company, having bought a part of Rix Robinson's pre-emption at the mouth of Grand river,
put several thousand dollars in Mr. Ferry's hands,
and instructed him to go down from Mackinaw
and look after it.
Mr. Ferry associated with him his brother-inlaw, Nathan H.: White, and the Grand Haven
company was soon organized, consisting of Robinson, Ferry & White, as equal partners.
The company immediately bought large tracts
of land, built a mill, bought two mills at Grandville, and engaged in the logging business at the
mouth of Crockery creek. Thus was the development of Ottawa county begun. Says Rev. Christian Van der Veen:
"In the history of the settlement of that section of which is now included within the bounds
of Ottawa county, it is necessary to mention three
different names and three different times. To
take them in their order of occurrence, Grand
Haven, Port Sheldon and Holland, the dates
are, 1834, 1836 and 1847."
"Grand Haven stands properly for the development of the country along the Grand river,
and will stand in the same relation for the northern half of Ottawa county. It was the gateway
by which the early pioneers who located along the
banks of this river, entered the country. Most
of them served some kind of apprenticeship at the
mouth of the river, and carried the spirit of
enterprise which ruled those inland."




IO


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


"Spring Lake was the enterprise of the Whites,
brothers-in-law of Mr. Ferry. Crockery had as
its founders the Hathaways, who were employed
by the Grand Haven Lumber company, in I836.
Dr. Timothy Eastman, one of the pioneers of
Polkton, and the father of Eastmanville. was one
of the early companions of Mr. Ferry at Grand
Haven, and his life-long friend. So, on the other
side of the river, Robinson was first entered by
the Robinson family, who were in close connection from the beginning with the parties at the
mouth. The remainder of the up country was
only afterwards settled, and independently of the
first movement. The rich lands of Talmadge,
Chester and Wright attracted immigrants of various nationalities, who sought land for purely agricultural purposes. The towns to the south, Allendale, Blendon, Georgetown, and the larger part of
Robinson, were worked for many years only for
their valuable product of timber, and drew settlers but slowly."
PORT SHELDON.
The settlement of Port Sheldon comes next in
I836, but its settlement was not permanent. It
was entitled to the proud distinction of being the
first wild-cat town in Michigan, and one of the
first in the northwest. It was founded upon the
north side of Pigeon Lake, a small body of water
tributary to Lake Michigan, ten miles south of
Grand Haven, by a number of New York and
Philadelphia capitalists, who styled themselves
the Port Sheldon company. Says Everett in his
memorials of the Grand River Valley: "In the
fall of 1837 they commenced operations in earnest.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I I


They came on with a vessel loaded with provisions and stores; bringing their houses ready to
set up, and about forty men, consisting of directors, superintendents, surveyors, engineers, etc.,
with every equipment for laying out the place,
and everything necessary for their comfort and
enjoyment during the winter." The company had
for general superintendent, Saunders Coates, who
afterwards became a manufacturer of gas works
in New York. He was for four years editor of
the Mobile Regis/er. The other superintendents
were Alexander Judson and E. P. Deacon.
Judson was last heard from in New York; Deacon
died in Cuba. George M. Baker, well known at
Grand Rapids, was with them as surveyor; Abram
Pike, since famous as the one who first enunciated
the subordinate position of office holders, was
with them in the capacity of a clerk. There
were also about thirty agents, clerks, etc.
They laid out a city; surveyed the harbor and
improved the entrance. The harbor and plat
formed an elegant picture on paper. There were
142 blocks, of in most cases, twenty-four lots in
a block. Seven lots were reserved for churches;
one for a fish market; two for other markets;
four for a railroad depot; four for a city hall, and
one for a school house. A railroad was laid
through the city into the woods, and piers were
extended to Lake Michigan. Good roads were
made to Grandville and Grand Haven at the
expense of nearly $io,ooo. A lighthouse was
built and maintained at the expense of the company for two years. They had a beautiful yacht,
the Memee, kept up a boat club that paraded in
full regalia. They built a $40,000 hotel 60XI20,




I2


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


and maintained it in splendid style, without a guest
once a week. They built an office that cost $10,000,
and a store of the same value; with an undeveloped
country back of them, and a city in name only from
which to draw patronage. They put up a $20,000
steam mill, then the best in the western country,
and about fifteen small dwellings.  In I838 the
city contained about 300 inhabitants, mostly
supported by the company. They had a lawyer
among them   named   Edward   Badger.  The
physicians of the city were first Dr. Scranton,
who was succeeded by Dr. Coxe.
The company obtained a charter for a railroad
across the state from Port Sarnia, and grubbed
out the road several miles from Port Sheldon into
the forest. They had a fine railroad office, but
the railroad never materialized; and finally the
whole bubble exploded. The company abandoned
the place, leaving Pike sole occupant and absolute
monarch of the realm.  After several years he
sold the hotel and thirty lots for less than the
cost of the paint and glass used in constructing
the building. The hemlock bark peeler finally
relieved Pike of the balance of the city, and thus
ended the great fiasco of Port Sheldon.
VILLAGE OF SUPERIOR.
July 2, I835, the plat of the village of Superior
was filed for record at Kalamazoo, Mich. The
village itself was located on the north side of
Black lake, upon territory now in Holland township. The proprietors were Edward H. Macy,
Cyron Burdick, Elisha Belcher, Caleb Sherman.
Captain Macy was manager. They called themselves the Black River company. They made




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I3


two roads through the forest; one to Grand Haven and one to the Kalamazoo river. Henry
Knox built a tannery; a steam sawmill was built;
a shipyard located, and a schooner built. A son
was born to H. C. Hale in the town, the first
white child born in the vicinity of Holland. Unfortunately, Captain Macy was killed in Kalamazoo, and the town soon went the way of Port
Sheldon.
ORGANIZATION OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
The county was defined as a territorial county
in I83I, and in 1836 it was attached to Kent for
judicial purposes, with limits uncertain. December 3I, I837, it was made a county by act of the
state legislature. At that time the north line was
located six miles farther north than the north
line of Chester, where it remained until I859,
when Muskegon county was organized. The legislature divided the county at first into two townships, Muskego (Muskegon) and Ottawa. Muskego consisted of eight full towns and two fractional towns, or all north of the line bounding
Spring Lake and Crockery on the north; and
Ottawa consisted of the balance of the county.
But, at the same session, Talmadge township,
consisting of towns 7 and 8, range 13, was formed
out of a part of Ottawa. In apportioning the
taxes between these townships, the county board,
consisting of Erastus Wilcox, Bethuel Church and
William Hathaway, decided that Talmadge should
pay $48 and a few cents, Muskego $59, and Ottawa $631. The first meeting of the county board
was held in Grand Haven, and at the house of
Nathan Troop, April 12, 1838. Erastus Wilcox




I4


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


was chosen chairman, and Timothy Eastman,
clerk. The only action taken of any importance
was to order the county courts to be held. at
Grand Haven until further notice. In I839 the
board of supervisors was exchanged for three
commissioners, Saunders Coates, B. Church and
Erastus Wilcox constituting said board. There
being no clerk present at their first meeting, Timothy Eastman was chosen pro tem. The county
business was transacted for about three years by
commissioners, when the township method of
doing business was prescribed by the legislature.
The commissioners adjourned for the last time
April 2, 1842.
In 1840 Georgetown and Norton had been
added to the sub-divisions of the county, and the
list of townships stood Ottawa, Georgetown, Talmadge, Norton and Muskegon.
The commissioners to select a site for the
county seat fixed upon Warren City, a point on
Grand river, (northwest quarter of section seven,
Allendale). However, the courts continued to be
held in Grand Haven, and the site of Warren
City has long been occupied principally by the
fruit farms of George W. Amigh, Jessie Molyneux,
C. W. Ingraham, and others.  "We have seen
that the settlement of the county really began in
November, 1834, and that the village of Grand
Haven was laid out in the spring of I835, and
the county machinery put in full operation in
April, I838, and yet the United States census of
1840 could find but 208 persons all told, within
the present limits of Ottawa, and about one half
of Muskegon county." "The panic, or rather the
financial rottenness of 1836-7, which visited the
finacialrot' Of I36-7




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


5


entire Union, fell with especial severity upon
frontier communities, and Ottawa county was no
exception.  It was days of deep distress, and to
many brought blighted hopes and financial ruin,
and some who could do so, returned to the older
parts of the country, so that it is doubtful if there
were as many persons in the county in the spring
of 1840 as two years before."
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF HOLLAND, BY G. VAN SCHLEVEN.
In the winter of 1845-6 a meeting of the leading men favoring emigration, was held in Amsterdam. The times were exceedingly hard, and
growing more and more oppressive for the laboring classes, with little or no prospect of their
improvement, and it was felt that something
should be done for their relief. The meeting
appointed a committee to wait upon the government with a proposition to colonize in the Dutch
East Indies, and locate upon the highlands of
Java. The reply was that the government had
no authority to sanction such a movement upon
the religious basis on which it was proposed. The
Cape of Good Hope was the next point which
received their attention, and lastly America was
considered.
During the spring of 1846, and before any organization or system of emigration had been perfected, two persons, Messrs. A. Hartgerink and
J. Arnold, started for this country. Their friends
fitted them out for the voyage, and the deacons
of the church collected money and clothing for
them. They were sent out to make a preliminary examination here, and report to the brethren in the old country. Dr. Van Raalte gave




HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


them the necessary letters of introduction to Dr.
De Witt and others. After their arrival they forwarded an extended account of their trip and
observations here, which account was favorably
received in Holland. It was a voluminous document, the postage on the same amounting to eleven
guilders.
In the summer of 1846, the Rev. Thomas De
Whitt, D. D., of New York, was sent by the general synod of the Reformed (Dutch) church of
America, on an official mission to Holland. The
extent to which this visit has been instrumental
in turning the projected emigration towards
America, is difficult to ascertain. Judging from
subsequent events, however, it must have had a
marked effect upon the enquiring minds of the
leaders. In his report to the general synod, in
1847, he says: "When in Holland I received information of a rising spirit of emigration to America, and especially among the (Afgescheidenen)
seceders from the established church. Soon two
important colonies from this class will be founded
in the west."
Emigration to America now began to be generally discussed and agitated, and the mind was
permanently fixed upon "the west." Texas, Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa were among the favorite localities.
On the I4th day of September, 1846, an American brig, the "Southerner," of Boston, Captain
Crosby, weighed anchor at Rotterdam, and carried across the Atlantic the first emigrants destined' for this settlement. As they constituted the
first Holland pioneers of this colony, we have
secured the names of nearly all of them:




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICIIGAN.


I7


Albertus C. Van Raalte, Hendrick Oldemeyer,
Frans Smit, Jan Laarman, Egbert Van Zee, Jan
Carman, Jan Klaasen, Hendrick DeKruif, Bernardus Grootenhuis, J. Dunnewind, William Notting, Vanden Boogaart, Evert Zagers, Egbert
Freriks, Harm  Kok, Herman Lankheet, Dirk
Plasman.
Most of them were heads of families. After a
voyage of forty-seven days they arrived in New
York on the 4th day of November, 1846, from
where they left by steamer for Albany; thence
via Buffalo and Cleveland to Detroit. Here the
party scattered for a time, in order to enable Dr.
Van Raalte to decide upon his location.
In New York Dr. Van Raalte was welcomed
by Rev. Dr. De Witt, Mr. Forrester and others
friendly to the Hollanders and their cause. The
same can be said of many more in the different
cities along his travels: Rev. Drs. Wyckoff, of
Albany, and Bethune at Brooklyn; Rev. Dr. Duffield, Hon. Theodore Romeyn, Rev. Mr. West,
Gen. Cass and Hon. C. C. Trowbridge, at Detroit;
Rev. Mr. Hoyt, at Kalamazoo; Judge Kellogg, at
Allegan, and others.
Owing to the close of navigation, and satisfactory
information obtained at Detroit, it was resolved to
abandon the heretofore quite prevailing preference
for Wisconsin and proceed to western Michigan.
The motives leading to this selection on the part
of Dr. Van Raalte are perhaps best described by
himself in a translated extract from  his oration
delivered in 1872, on the quarter-centennial celebration of the settlement of the colony.
"Although the Americans recommended the
localities near rivers, and in general deemed it




HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


too great a hazard to settle here; although the
Hollanders avoided the forests, occasioning a great
struggle to subject my family and myself to the
inconveniences of such pioneering; nevertheless,
the combination of so many advantages, although
at first they could be but slowly developed, left
me no doubt as to what my duty was. I knew
that the rich forest soil is better fitted for the
dairy, and for winter wheat; that owing to the
manufacturing interests and navigation, by far
higher market prices could be obtained here than
at any place in the west; and that the country
near the shore of Lake Michigan was protected
by the water from severe frosts, and pre-eminently
a region adapted for fruit. I could find no place
where similar to those regions along the inhabited rivers, lined with manufactories and mills,
where the tens of thousands could find work
without danger of being scattered, and where, at
the same time, we were certain of an opportunity
to continually secure land, without any interference, for a group of settlements. I chose this
region, with such decision, on account of its great
variety, being assured that if the Holland emigration should develop into a power, we ought
to remain together for mutual support, and ought
to have this variety for labor and capital, especially for future growth.
"The object of my settling between the Kalamazoo and Grand rivers was to secure the advantages
of both these rivers-for we could not get along
without the settled regions-and at the same time
to establish a center for a united and spiritual
life and labor for God's kingdom.
In company with Judge Kellogg, of Allegan,




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


19


and an Indian guide, following an Indian trail,
Dr. Van Raalte arrived here for the first time,
in the latter part of December, 1846. They landed
at the house of Rev. G. N. Smith, a Presbyterian
missionary among the Indians, located upon section 3, of the township of Fillmore. At this time.
the only white settlers in this entire neighborhood, beside Dr. Smith, were I. Fairbanks, Esq.,
and G. Cranmer. Their nearest neighbor was
Mr. A. Shorno, on section 26, township of Fillmore. Mr. Fairbanks lived next to Dr. Smith,
and Mr. Cranmer on the farm   now owned by
Mr. Gerling, northeast of the "Nykerk" Church.
Having satisfied himself as to the exact location
of lake, river and harbor, and having determined
upon the site for the village, Dr. Van Raalte, in
January, 1847, returned to Detroit, to collect his
little band. During his absence he had procured
work for the men at St. Clair, where a steamboat
was being built. His own family had remained
at Detroit. That same month they packed up
and proceeded via Kalamazoo, to Allegan, where
they met with great hospitality, especially at the
hands of Judge Kellogg. After remaining here
for a few days making the necessary preparations
for their outfit, the party started for Black Lake.
The women and children remained at Allegan
with the exception of Mrs. Grootenhuis, who volunteered to be the cook for the party. They
were again accompanied by an Indian guide and
Judge Kellogg. Mr. George Harrington, Sr., also
came down with them and drove the ox-team.
This trip from Allegan to Rev. Mr. Smith's house
was made in one day. Here they arrived, as near
as we can ascertain, on the i2th of February,




20


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


I847. Rev. Mr. Smith' received these men with
the greatest of hospitality, and, together with Mr.
Fairbanks, aided materially towards fitting these
pioneers for the difficult and unknown task before
them.
Arrangements had been made at Allegan,
through Judge Kellogg, whereby in a few days
they were followed by a party of Americans, who
were to remain a while, and teach them how to
chop trees, build log houses, and make roads,
many of them not even knowing how to connect
the ax with the helve. The Indian church, located
near Rev. Mr. Smith's house, served as lodging
place.
The first work was the opening of a road from
Mr. Fairbanks' house to the head of Black Lake.
They followed a line running between sections
33 and 34, and 28 and 27, T. 5 N., R. I5 W. At the
latter place they found that the cedar swamp
was a serious obstacle in their way, and they
resolved before proceeding any farther to put up
their first quarters on the hill near the house of
Mrs. Van Der Haar, on section 28 of same town.
Two log sheds were built 16x30 feet, with brush
roof. This hill is among the most interesting
spots of our early history. Here they lost the
first member of their little band; here the first
child was born to the colonists, and for a long
while afterwards these sheds served as receiving
barracks for the new comers.
The women and children who had been left at
Allegan, were now sent for, and they also took
up their quarters in the log shanties. It is but
proper and just to mention the favors and kindness bestowed upon these families during their




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


21


stay at Allegan, and it is not without regret that
we have failed to ascertain their names.
During that same winter another small party
of emigrants had reached Albany, N. Y. They
were advised to come on west, and reached here
about the Ioth of March, 1847. They numbered
some fifteen strong, and among them we find the
names of G. J. Hofman, WT Kremer, Plasman,
Kolvoort and Slaghuis.
For weeks and months, now, the colonists applied
themselves to the making of roads. From the
log sheds, the road was continued along the farm
of Dr. Van Raalte, through the present city to
the head of Black Lake and the "Indian Village,"
so-called.
The next arrival was also in the month of
March. A party of immigants, numbering nearly
one hundred, had arrived at St. Louis, and were
anxiously awaiting the development of the colonization schemes then pending in Michigan and
in Iowa, not only for their own guidance, but
also for the information of the hundreds who
were to follow that year. This St. Louis party
appointed a committee of three to come out here
and prospect, and selected as such, Messrs. T.
Keppel, H. Van Der Haar and J. Binnekant,
with the understanding that the others were to
join them immediately, or as soon as they could,
having in charge all the women and baggage.
The three men going ahead went on foot from
Chicago, arriving in Holland, March I7, I847;
the remainder came in a sailing vessel from
Chicago to Grand Haven, by wagons to Port
Sheldon, where they arrived about the same time
that the other three did in Holland. The women
2




22


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


remained some days at Port Sheldon while the
men went to the settlement to aid in building
homes and constructing roads.
The names of this last party were Walter Van
Der Haar, Jan Visscher and family, Evert Visscher
and family, Albert Bloemers and family, Johannes
Visser and family, Jannes Vrieze, Paul Stevas and
wife, Mrs. J. Binnekant and Peter Zalsman. At
this time there was but one family residing in
what is now Holland township, that of Gilbert
Cranmer. In the spring of 1847 Dr. Van Raalte
built his house and brought his family from
Allegan.
The winter they had just passed was a severe
one; the snow had averaged over two feet deep.
The supplies during that time, were principally
brought in from Allegan. Towards spring most
of the colonists began to look up lands and locate
for themselves.
Before we break off this part of our sketch, we
will give the following incidents connected with
that memorable winter which they passed in these
log sheds. T'he first child was born in the family of Mr. Laarman; the second was born in the
family of Mr. Jan Schaap. Both were baptized
together, by Dr. Van Raalte, in the open air in
front of his house. The first death was that of
Mrs. Notting; seven others died that winter at
the log sheds. They lie buried, as near as can
be ascertained, near the barn on the farm of
Mrs. W. Van Der Haar. The first marriage was
that of Lambert Floris with Jantje Meyerink.
The spring and summer of I847 brought hundreds of immigrants from the old country, and
it was extremely difficult to keep supplied with




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


23


necessaries of life. What few gold "Willems"
were still scattered between them went but a
short way to provide for the first wants. Lumber
had to be rafted at Saugatuck and floated down
all the way along Lake Michigan and Black Lake.
Provisions were brought in and carried on the
back for a distance of ten and twenty miles.
As early as the summer of 1847, the colonists
commenced to build their log church, and finished
it in part, that same fall. The building was
located in the southwest corner of the present
cemetery.  It was built of logs, with a shingled
roof, and was 35x6o feet. Its location there was
in order to accommodate the people settling in
the country, and perhaps also owing to the old
country idea of having the church in the cemetery. When, a few years afterwards, the present
First Reformed church was built, it took considerable argument to have it located in the
village, where it now stands.  The log church
was also used for school and public meetings.
From the very beginning the settlers organized
a system of public meetings, and the latter constitute a prominent part in the history of the
Holland colony, partaking somewhat of the
character of the historical town meeting in the
early history of New England. The proceedings
of these meetings, during the winter of 1848, form
a very interesting chapter in this sketch. For,
inasmuch as the first township organization did
not take place until 1849, and whereas for want
of citizenship and the right to vote, the Hollanders were excluded from all active participation in
public matters until the spring of i85I, they relied
on these meetings for an expression of their




24


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


views and a discussion of matters generally.
They desired some kind of government in which
the various interests represented by them would
receive due consideration in the spirit of their
immigration; hence, they resolved themselves, as
it were, into a small democracy, governing
according to what a majority of them deemed to
be promotive to the greatest good to the greatest
number. These meetings, known as "Volksvergadering," took cognizance of all the religious,
educational, social and public interests of the
colony and the people. Roads and bridges were
built, church and school organized and provided
for, personal grievances settled, labor and wages
regulated.
The proceedings of these meetings during the
year 1847 are supposed to be lost, at least they
are not within my reach. Many incidents of
historical interest must have been recorded in
that year.
The majority of the colonists who arrived in
1847 and 1848 landed at the mouth of Black
Lake. Many of them made the entire trip from
the old country here, by water, leaving New York
via the Hudson River and Erie canal to Buffalo,
and thence around the lakes by steamers or vessels.
Of the very first lumber brought in, enough was
appropriated at the harbor to put up a large
building ordered by the "Volksvergadering," as a
sort of receiving depot for the accommodation of
new comers. This building was put up just south
of the "old channel," under the direction of Messrs.
T. Keppel, Repsink, and H. J. Hesselink. Mr. C.
Van der Vere was appointed agent to receive
them and forward them to town. Many of those




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


25


who arrived then did not remain, but went to
Wisconsin and other points.
It was soon evident to the colonists that what
little ground had been cleared up during the
spring would not begin to raise sufficient supplies
for their support during the next winter. Hence,
every cleared, spot and old Indian clearing
within a range of ten or fifteen miles was explored, and at the public meetings, details were
organized under some competent man to cultivate
them. The Port Sheldon clearings were assigned
to Mr. George Harrington, and they were used
in this way for two seasons to raise potatoes, corn
and buckwheat, the bulk of which was carried
in on the back.
Dependent to a great extent upon outside
assistance for almost everything in the way of
information and instruction, the colonists availed
themselves of every opportunity which was offered.
Thus it was ordered by the "Volksvergaderzing"
that Mr. R. Schilleman should go to Saugatuck
to inform himself of the American way of fishing.
In June, 1847, word was sent from Albany that
a large delegation from the province of Zeeland,
under the leadership of Rev. C. Vander Mueler
and Mr. J. Van de Luyster, Sr., had arrived, and
that after long and serious meditation, they had
decided to locate in Michigan. Several long
sheds for their reception were put up at the
head of Black Lake. They numbered about four
hundred, and arrived here in the month of July,
coming all the way by water, and occupying the
quarters assigned them, where they remained
during the balance of the season in tents and
sheds. After prospecting and examining the terri




26


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


tory east of us, they concluded to locate in township 5, range 14. Thus were laid the foundations
of what is now the prosperous village of Zeeland.
The arrivals during the summer began to
increase. A  sharp rivalry in recruiting  had
sprung up between this colony and other localities in Wisconsin and Iowa, where 'the Hollanders
were settling. And right here allow me to state
that it can never be truthfully said that as far
as the present development of this colony -ad of
the Hollanders is concerned, it is no wise to be
accredited  to either the wealth or the intellectual attainments of the masses whose lots were
cast here; but to the contrary, let it be recorded
as history, that the material prosperity, the intellectual development and social elevation, which
has transferred the immigrant of 1847 into the
American citizen of 1876, is due largely to the
energy, forethought and general leadership of the
founder of this colony.
By this time there was quite a population
scattered along the shores of Black Lake. The
Indian village near the southeastern limits of the
city, was a prominent landing place. The long
houses built by the Indians were of great service
to the newly arrived immigrants; and, as it
appears, there never has been trouble between
the Red Man and the Dutchman.
As the colonists increased, the demand for provisions and supplies became greater. In view of
this fact and the coming winter, a public meeting
of all the settlers, including the Zeelanders, was
held, to devise ways and means in that direction.
It was proposed to appoint a suitable committee
to go East and buy a large stock of provisions,




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


27


dry goods, groceries, hardware, stores, etc. All
the colonists were to contribute, according to
what each had left, and thus organize a sort of
apostolic stock company. The details how each
was to be represented in this company and be
secured for his investment, were all agreed upon,
and quite a large sum of money was collectedenough to pay fifty per cent. down on a stock of
several thousand dollars, and have enough left for
another object which we will mention below. All
this was resolved upon, ordered to be carried out,
and begun. Messrs. B. Grootenhuis and Elder
Young, of Grand Rapids, was selected to go to
Albany and New York and buy the goods. A store
was built near the head of the lake, to sell and
disburse these goods. This was called the "colony
store."  Mr. B. Grootenhuis  was   appointed
general agent, and served as such for about a year.
With the money received from sales, pork and
flour were again bought at Allegan, through the
agency of Mr. H. D. Post, who was there at that
time also getting ready to locate here. Part of
the goods bought East remained on the way all
winter, and did not reach here until next spring.
However, this was only a beginning of the disappointments.
In connection with this supply business and
"colony store," it was also resolved to buy a
"colony vessel." The object was not only that
this vessel should carry on the trade between the
new colony and other points, and bring in this stock
of goods; but it should also be known abroad, and
especially in the old country, that the colonists
had a vessel of their own, to carry imigrants
from Buffalo, Chicago, Milwaukee, and other




28


HISTORICAL COMFENDIUM OF


points along the lakes. As far as we can learn,
the purchase was made by J. Van de Luyster,
Sr., Mr. Stegenga and Capt. Clausen. The vessel
was of Ioo tons burthen, called the A. E. Knickerbocker, and bought from Mr. Walton, of Chicago.
About the career of this vessel we have not been
able to ascertain much, only that it managed to
bring over a part of this stock of goods from
Chicago; also that it carried over a few of the
immigrants who refused to pay for their passage
on the broad and general ground of its being a
"colony vessel." It failed to give satisfaction to
those whose money had been invested in the
enterprise, and she was subsequently sold to outside parties. It ran one season and was sold.
But to return to the store business, Mr. J. Van
De Luyster, Jr., succeeded Mr. B. Grootenhuis as
agent or manager of the "colony store," and in
the course of the year following, amidst all sorts
of troubles, complaints, alleged irregularities of
one kind and another, the "colony store" was
wound up, leaving the largest stockholders minus
their investment.
The first year was in every respect a severe
test of the courage and perseverance of the
colonists. Sickness among them was fearful,
and the death rate became alarming. In some
localities malarial diseases had broken out, and
for a while it occupied about all the time and,
attention of the able bodied to attend to the
wants of the sick and dying, and to the burial of
the dead. Among the colonists was only one
doctor, J. S. M. C. Van Nus. The services rendered
by Dr. Van Raalte as physician, in those dark
days, are among the many noble deeds clustering




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


29


around his career as a leader. And how could
the condition of the people be otherwise? Think
of the causes that led to diseases, and contributed
to their misery. A strange climate, a malarious
atmosphere, undrained  marshes, unwholesome
food, and insufficient shelter; want of experience
in the nature of their diseases, as in everything
else; no refreshments or delicacies for their sick;
nothing but the coarsest of victuals, and that without the necessary facilities for preparation or
cooking; quacks coming from outside palming
themselves off for doctors, throwing upon the
hands of the few able-bodied an army of convalescents, with poisoned systems, aching bones
and rattling teeth. We will let Dr. Van Raalte
describe these trying days in his own words:
"The difficulties to contend with were many;
still, the singing of psalms in the huts and under
the bushes was something inexplicable to the superficial. beholder; with many there was a faith in
God, and a consciousness of a noble purpose. ***
"In the latter part of that first summer our
trials reached their climax, for the whole colony
became one bed of sickness, and many died
through the want of comfortable dwellings and
well prepared and suitable food. Physicians were
summoned from abroad, and paid out of the
colony funds. The condition was heart-rending
and discouraging, and required, in opposition to
man's sensitive nature, a painful. sternness. Never
was I nearer to the point of despair than when
I entered those crowded huts and saw the constant mingling of household duties amid sickness
and death, and dressing of corpses in those huts
where each family was forced to accommodate




30


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


itself to a limited space of a few square feet.
No wonder that we could notice an increase of
despairing indifference in that hour of sore
affliction. God granted a change! The sick were
restored to health.
"The fall was a most beautiful one, and the
winter was so extraordinarily mild, that everybody
could build and perform outdoor labors, and even
partake of their meals in the open air. The
majority left for the country, and to a great
extent the weak and needy remained near the
landing place."  * * *
The great mortality of that season among the
colonists, had left them with many orphans on
their hands, who were promptly taken in by other
families and cared for. Their constant increase,
however, led to the building of the orphan house,
a project in perfect keeping with the spirit in
which they had started out. One Sunday morning, a few months after the partial completion
and occupation of the log church, Dr. Van Raalte
suggested to his people the necessity that something of this kind should be done, and that forthwith. He urged it with all the power and force
of language at his command. The result was the
opening of a subscription list, and the pledging
of money, labor and material.
The building was begun in May, 1848. Mr. W.
J. Mulder was principlally charged with superintending its construction. It was not completed
until the year following; owing to various reasons,
it has never been occupied for the purpose for
which it was built. It was afterwards used for a
parochial school, town house and Holland Academy, De Hope printing office, and is now unoc



OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


3I


cupied. During the fall of 1847, the village of
Holland was platted.  The first surveys were
made by E. B. Bassett, county surveyor of Allegan county. The administration and sale of the
village lots was placed in charge of a board of
trustees elected by the people of the Volksvergadering, of which Dr. Van Raalte was the head.
As members of said board, we find the names of
J. Schrader, J. Verhorst, J. Vanderveen, O. D.
Van Der Sluis and B. Grootenhuis. We cannot
go into all the minute details of those early real
estate transactions. In their character they partook of the mutual spirit in which all the business
of those days was transacted. The price of the
village lots was first fixed at $Io and $,5, but
was soon raised to $40 and $45. This was found
necessary in order to obtain funds fore the building of church and school, the opening of roads,
payments on the land, taxes, support of the poor,
salaries of the dominie, doctor and teachers, and
divers other purposes.
In 1849, matters pertaining to these village
lands, became quite complicated. There was a
heavy indebtedness incurred, which had to be
met —payments on the land were due, an unpaid
balance on that stock of goods of the "colony
store" was presented, and many other causes of
a financial character led the people to resolve that
the village lands should revert to Dr. Van Raalte;
coupled with the condition that he was to assume
all the indebtedness incurred to date.
The opening of roads and the building of bridges
across creeks and swamps, was a tremendous work
in those early days, and it occupied about one



32


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


half of the time and attention of the settlers.
Want of experience was a great draw-back.
In I847, the State made an appropriation of
four hundred acres of land for the building of a
bridge across Black river, commonly termed the
'Grand Haven Bridge."    No contractors could
be found to take the job, and so the colonists,
as a body, concluded to take the job themselves.
How this was done, and in what manner the
work was regulated, will be seen from the proceedings of the Volksvergadering. The work was
begun in the winter of 1848, but towards the last
the work began to drag, when Dr. Van Raalte
and J. Binnekant took the job of finishing it. In
the building of this bridge, Hon. F. J. Littlejohn,
of Allegan, represented the State.
The postoffice was established in 1848, and named
"Black River."  Mr. H. D. Post was appointed
postmaster. The first mail was a private route
from Manlius, the nearest postoffice, and was
brought in once a week. Mr. William   Notting
was the mail carrier, and brought it on his back
to his house, when his wife would carry it to
town.   Very soon routes were established to
Allegan, Grand Rapids and Grand Haven. The
first regular mail carriers and stage drivers were
J. Trimpe, Jan Van Dijk, P. F. Pfanstiehl, G. J.
Haverkate.
The present cemetery was laid out, or rather
designated as such, in 1848. Nevertheless, owing
to the distance, and for want of roads and suitable burial arrangements, during the years 1847-8
many were buried in other localities, as necessity
dictated. Besides those buried on Van Der Haar's
farm, many were laid at the head of the lake




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


33


between 3d and 4th streets, where the old man
DeWitt lived, who was the first sexton. A few
are buried at Point Superior, several were buried
at the mouth of Black Lake, on the hills north
of the present harbor. The winds, however, so
shifted those hills, that years ago these coffins
became exposed.
Much that is interesting is centered around the
first attempt at manufacturing by the colonists;
also in their harbor, the improvement of which
they considered as of primary interest; the organization of the first churches and their formal joining with the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church
of America, the opening of schools, the Holland
Academy and Hope College, the history of township and city government, the proceedings of the
Volksvergadering, the settlement of Zeeland and
surrounding townships, the early history of Point
Superior and of the Indian settlements, the development of our commerce and shipping interests,
and many other points of local interest, each
constituting its part of the history of this city
and colony.
What we wish to call the attention to now, as
a sort of a key to the past, is the great extent
to which the colonists combined all their interests-religious, educational, political and socialinto one, and placed them under one supervision;
and how to that same extent the church and its
religious interests were secondary to none, but, if
anything, were made to underlie the entire network of their existence.
Finally, as we dismiss from our minds the local
events of those memorable years, 1847 and 1848,
let it be in the words of him to whom we have




34


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


endeavored to do honor as the founder of this
Holland colony:
"And this sweet fruition of independence and
full liberty which we so bountifully enjoyed, gave
joy and strength to our hearts. Especially was it
the pleasure of the Sabbath, the invigorating
power of God's truth, the united prayers and associated labor of many neighboring settlements,
which gave enjoyment, support and courage, and
caused us to persevere in a great and difficult
undertaking. God's temporal deliverances were
many; each settlement and each family has a history of its own."
THE GREAT FIRE OF 1871.
Up to 1867 the colony was a unit, and the close
of the first score of years the village severed its
connection with the township and became incorporated as a city, electing its first officers in I868.
The citizens became metropolitan, roads began to
point towards the rising city, and large numbers
of citizens of other nationalities began to flock
in, increasing the wonderful influx of wealth and
population. Ease and luxury obliterated the traces
of pioneer life. On the 8th of October, I87I, the
Sabbath church bells sounded the alarm of fire.
For several days there had been signs of fire in
the heavens, yet no a.larm was excited until noon,
when the wind freshened and increased the fires
in the vicinity, and by night all were out fighting
fire. The churches were closed, clergy and people
fought the fire demon's power side by side, but
all was of no avail. At 2 o'clock in the morning
following the cry was heard that the 3d church
was on fire and all hope was abandoned, despair




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


35


seized upon all. In half an hour the city was a
mass of flames, and with difficulty the people
escaped with their lives from the fierce heat, the
blinding smoke and the tempest of wind. In two
hours the work of destruction was complete; Holland was in ashes; 243 houses with 76 business
places were consumed. The toil of years was
undone, and at first a feeling of despair for the
future brooded upon the minds of the agitated
sufferers. But this feeling soon passed away, and
with hearts stout and brave they prepared for
future trials and triumphs.
THE INDIANS.
Joseph Wakazoo's band of 300 Ottawa Indians
were on the pay roll of the United States agent.
Rev. Smith was the Presbyteriamissionary and
Isaac Fairbanks,. P., of Holland, was the farmer
who taught them the art of agriculture, and they
had some land cleared and planted in corn. They
had a village three-fourths of a mile below Holland City, of which no traces now remain, as their
structures were simply bark shanties and an old
frame church. In 1848,they removed to Little
Traverse and their empty huts were used by the
Hollanders until better could be had. The Indians
were ciefl Ottawaand the priest visited them
periodically.  They were genera ly quiet and
orderly.
EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE TOWNSHIPS.
ALLEN.SUALF.
Allendale was first organized March 15, 1849,
towns 5 and 6 north, range 14 west, and that part
of town 7 south of Grand river. The survey was
first made in i832. The first white settlers in the




36


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


township were Richard Roberts, his wife and a
hired man. Mr. and Mrs. Roberts came to St.
Clair from Wales, in 1837, and to Allendale in
1842. It is said that upon their arrival at Grand
Haven they were so much discouraged that C. B.
Albee and Nathan Troop each gave them a
thousand feet of lumber, which was sent upon a
pole boat up the river to the point where they
were to build. Mr. Roberts built a log building,
which for years afterwards was designated as the
half-way house between Grand Haven and Grandville. In this forest home Mrs. Roberts did not
see the face of a white woman for four months.
Their eldest daughter, afterwards the wife of John
Blake, was the first white child born in the territory of which the township is composed. Mr.
Jones, a brother-in-law of Mr. Roberts, settled in
the township soon after the Roberts' came.
When organized the township of Allendale
consisted of its present territory and all of that
territory of which Blendon and Zeeland were afterwards composed. In 1850 the vote for Governor
in all that territory was only 36. In I85I, Zeeland
township was constituted out of a part of the
territory of Allendale, and in I854, Blendon. The
first town meeting was held at the house of Richard Roberts, and Jeremy Stubbs was the first
supervisor. Allendale had its share of "wild-cat"
towns. The first "city" platted in Allendale, was
Ottawa.  It was located on the south side of
Grand river, on both sides of Ottawa creek. The
plat was filed for record at Kalamazoo, December
29, I835. The town-or the plat-contained about
550 lots. The site of the city of Ottawa was never
favored with a building, and is to-day covered




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


37


with the most perfect forest to be found in Ottawa
county. Dickinson & McFarlan were proprietors
of the plat, and the land it covered is now a part
of the Boltwood tract.
The village of Charleston was platted in 1836,
and to-day forms a pa rt of the farm of Mrs.
Richard Roberts. At one time there was a saw
mill, spoke factory, blacksmith shop, store, and
several houses in this city. David Carver and A.
L. White were the proprietors, and the plat shows
between seven and eight hundred lots. The mill
was moved to Grand Haven, and with its departure the fall of the town was rapid.
Warren City was another pioneer adventure,
and found its location just west of Bass river,
facing Grand river. A plat was made in I837,
which was entered in the plat book at the
recorder's office; but it was never recorded; the
streets were never named nor the blocks numbered; the names of the proprietors are not given
on the plat, and the title was conveyed by the
State some years after; so it is safe to conclude
that the town was pre-eminently a paper town.
David Smith, who married a half breed woman,
lived for several years in Warren City; himself
and wife and a large number of Indians constituting the population. In those days Grand river
was lined with Indians, but at the present time
Allendale is the only township in the county in
which Indians are to be found. Quite a number
camp near the mouth of Bass river. About I840
the county commissioners located the county seat
at Warren City, and never removed it. The town
was never a success in the county seat business,
but makes excellent fruit farms.
3




38


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


The early pioneers to follow Richard Roberts
in the settlement of Allendale, were Thomas Jones,
John Hanna and Ephraim Pearson, in I843-4.
Robert Scott came about the same time and did
not remain long; but his brothers James and
Alexander came and settled permanently. Robert
returned again in two years. Alexander Milne
came in I845; Morris Reed located in I847.
For many years a large part of the land in the
township was held by speculators. This retarded
the development of the farming lands for a time,
but to-day it is one of the most prosperous farming townships in any county.
The Methodist society was the first organized
in the township, in 1851, with nine members.
Rev. William Comfort, Joseph Burlingame, Johnson Balcom, Alexander Milne, with their wives,
and Lucy J. Spear. At that time Rev. William
C. Comfort lived upon what is now the George
Wells farm, located just west of Eastmanville.
Mr. Comfort was a relatiye of the Hopkins',
and for many years preached, as he was called,
in all parts of the county. About 1854 a class of
Wesleyan Methodists was organized by Rev. Albert
Maxfield. The original society ceased to exist,
and the new one has grown from that time until
the present. In 1872 the Congregationalists organized a society. They have a commodious church
edifice a mile east of Allendale Center.
A young man named Burton was the first school
teacher in the township, and he received the
princely salary of ten dollars a month.
Thomas Jones was the first postmaster and held
the office for many years.
George Latham came to Ottawa county in 1841.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


39


Steele's grocery, at Lamont, was then the only
one between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven;
and the only school between those two places was
at Lamont. Mr. Latham has a farm in Allendale. Henry C. Cooley came to Allendale in
1846. H. A. Cooley, of Allendale, settled in Talmadge in I845. John E. Blake was for many
years a prominent resident of Allendale.  He
represented his township upon the board of supervisors, and his district in the state legislature.
Giles T. Woodbury, one of the early settlers of
the county, retired from a partnership with C. B.
Albee, at Grand Haven, and settled upon a farm
in Allendale.
George C. Rice came to the county in I848;
J. B. Foster came in 1846; Levi S. Jackson in
1846; James Stoddard in I845.
BLENDON TOWNSHIP.
Blendon was set off from Allendale, Jan. 4, 1854,
and its first township meeting was held April 3,
1854, at which the following officers were chosen:
supervisor, A. H. Vredenburg; clerk, J. R. Hall;
treasurer, W. S. Woodruff.
For many years its chief interests were the pine
lumber and mills. John Ball was one of the first
white men to explore the forests of Blendon township. It was in 1836 that he located the 4.I
eighty acre lots off of which the Blendon company afterwards lumbered for years.
CHESTER TOWNSHIP.
The township of Chester was surveyed in 1837,
but was not organized until 1848. The bill constituting it an independent township is dated
March ii, 1848. The territory was put upon the




40


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


market as early as I839, but if history is correct
it had no settlers to speak of until 1845, when
quite a number of families located. Phillip Fahling,
Jacob Brown, Otis Irish, Wm. A. Irish, 0. H.
Merrick, Henry Austin, Samuel Austin, and several
others came in I845; and in I846 we find Adam
Lachman, A. D. Batson, James Rowlison, Conrad
Kritzer, John Pintler, Edward Gardner, George
Irish, Daniel Thurston and others. Samuel H.
Averill, John Kies, and the Bennetts were also
among the first settlers. The first child born in
the township, it is claimed, was a daughter of
Phillip Fahling. The first school house in the
township was on section 25, built of logs, and used
as a house of worship as well as for a house of
instruction. The township was first organized as
a part of Talmadge, in 1838, as a part of Wright
in I847, and as an independent township in I848.
The first township meeting was held at the
house of John McLane, who was chosen supervisor; 0. H. Merrick, clerk and also justice of the
peace; George Irish, assessor. There were but
nine voters present. Two years later the township cast 53 votes for governor.
CROCKERY TOWNSHIP.
Manley Patchin, who came in 1836, was probably the first white settler within the present
limits of Crockery. Charles T. Gibbs came to
Grand Haven in i837, but did not remove to
Crockery until I844. William Hathaway, Jr., and
Josephus Hathaway settled within the territory
of which the town was afterwards composed, in
I839. The township was first organized in connection with Spring Lake, as the town of Norton,




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


41


in honor of Colonel Amos Norton. The first
meeting was held at Nortonville in 1845. Colonel
Norton was elected supervisor; Dr. Timothy Eastman, surveyor; Richard M. Mason, Richard Hathaway, and C. T. Gibbs, commissioners of highways, who soon opened a road through Spring
Lake and Crockery.
The township of Crockery was formed out of
a part of the territory of Norton, March 15, 1849.
The first town meeting was held at the residence
of William Hathaway, who was made the first
supervisor, and Mr. Hathaway and Manly Patchin
were elected justices also. Crockery consists of
all of town 8 north, range 15 west, north of Grand
river and a fraction of 7, 15 west, north of Grand
river.
William Hathaway (called Judge Hathaway)
was not only prominently identified with the early
settlement of Crockery, but of Ottawa county.
He came from Claremount, Mass., to Grand Haven
in 1837; and to the mouth of Crockery creek in
November, 1839. There he lived king of the
realm for six years. During these six years he
farmed, made shingles and lumbered.  He received from one dollar to one fifty a thousand
for shingles, and from two dollars to two fifty
a thousand for logs, delivered at Grand Haven.
At one time Mrs. Hathaway did not see a white
woman for four months.    "They had Indian
neighbors with whom they always lived upon the
friendliest terms. At the time Hathaway settled,
there were no roads of any kind. The river was
the only thoroughfare. As in all parts of the
country at that early date, the tangled fallen
timber, the swamps and the ravines, rendered




42


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


traveling other than on foot out of the question.
Most of the land in the township was state land.
Settlers generally located land on state scrip,
which they bought for from fifty to sixty cents
on the dollar, paying nominally $1.25 per acre.
Some of the land in Crockery was located upon
the 1812 soldier's bounty warrants.  This region
escaped the eye of the land speculators of 1836-7,
and when the land was bought it was by those
who meant to occupy it.   The three Patchin
brothers had a lumbering job for Ringuette &
Boland, and put the first pine logs into Grand
river out of Crockery territory in 1838.  Boland
was a 'half-breed Indian who lived with Charles
Oakes at Grandville; who Ringuette was history
sayeth not.
About 1840 Henry Dusenbury located, and
soon after built a mill upon Crockery creek.
He was afterwards killed in California. William
W. Kanouse came in 1840 or 1841; he was afterwards well known in Grand Haven. In 1844
Charles T. Gibbs and Charles Rose came; and
in the winter and spring of I845 Barrenger,
Van Dyke, and Uriah Hellums appeared. In
1846 came Silas 0. and Theron F. Hunter, and
Ebenezer and Arza Bartholomew. Theron F.
Hunter settled uponi the site of his present farm
and home May 4, 1847.  Battle Point, in Crockery township on Grand River, was a great camping ground for Indians. The name would indicate that it was a "point" of historical note, but
alas, it derived its name from a pugilistic
encounter in an early day between Dusenbury
and Kanouse over a pre-emption claim.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


43


The first school district in Crockery was
organized upon Theron F. Hunter's wood pile in
front of his house in I849.
NUNICA.
Nunica, the only village of Crocery, was first
platted by Henry    nst, August 25, 1865, and
several additions were afterwards platted. rTCock.
ery derived its name from  the fact that Indian
pottery or earthenware was found at the mouth
o. ck  kery -reeknunica is also the Indian
name for crocker.
E. Vandrezer, father of Lumon Vandrezer,
built the (afterwards Wm. Thompson mill) on
Crockery creek in I845. The Dusenbury mill
was about four miles farther up the creek. Mr.
Vandrezer moved to Ionia in 1848, and then
came to Grand Haven in i86i.
While Joseph Smith was building up the city
of Nauvoo, and in the year 1842 Mr. Vandrezer
was a resident of Illinois and obtained a charter
of the Mormons to ferry across the river.  This
charter he traded to William L. May for 46 lots on
Clark, Dearborn and Randolph streets, Chicago.
He also owned considerable property in Carpenter's addition to the city of Chicago.  They,
however, passed out of his hands many years too
soon.
0. P. Gordon and family were among the early
residents of Crockery.
About i850 E. Jubb and family came and
settled near the mouth of Crockery on the east
side.
Mrs. William Hathaway resides upon the old
Hathaway farm a mile south of Nunica. She
was born in I804.




44


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


H. D. Scott settled in Crockery in I849 and
his brother Richard in I850. Mrs. H. D. Scott
is a sister of the late Miner Hedges of Lamont.
Richard Scott was killed by a runaway team on
Hathaway hill about I875.
Among the earlier settlers of Crockery are the
Plant families on section 21 and 28. Joseph and
Benjamin Murray, brothers, settled on section 25
in the spring of 1853, coming from Oneida county,
New York.
The Griswolds, Alexander Karney and John
Pluves were among the early residents of Ottawa
Center.
John  Hutchinson  Davison came   to Grand
Haven in I836, where he remained until I85o,
when he settled in Crockery. He was born in
Eastern Pennsylvania in I812 and was familiarly
known as "Bob" Davison.
John Spoon was born in Seneca county, N. Y. in
I820 and remained upon his father's farm until
twenty-one years of age, then learned the carpenter's trade and came to Crockery in 1856. When he
located at Spoonville the burg consisted of one
log house which Mr. and Mrs. Spoon occupied.
He immediately built a mill and soon after his
present residence. To Mr. Spoon belonged the
distinction of owning the largest farm in Ottawa
county; it contains 848 acres, seven hundred of
which are improved. He made a specialty of
blooded Durham cattle, and in 1891 wintered 140
head, and about thirty head of horses.
Mr. Spoon has ever been a valuable resident
of his township and county, and would have been
elected to county and perhaps state offices many




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


45


times had he allowed his friends to use his name.
Mr. Spoon died April 26, I892.
Sidney Lawrence settled in the county in I849,
and has always been considered a leading citizen
of Crockery. He held the office of supervisor
several terms.
Henry W. Cleveland settled in Spring Lake in
1856. He was the first recorder of that town
under the village charter. He held the office of
justice of the peace I2 years, and was township
clerk several years.  He located in the drug
business at Nunica in I874, and held the office of
postmaster and supervisor several terms.
Jacob Easterly lives on section 28 and came to
Crockery in I865. He takes considerable interest
in local politics and his presence is assured in
Democratic conventions.
Daniel Spoon came to Spoonville in I856 and
is a brother of John Spoon, with whom he has
been associated in business since his arrival in
Michigan.
Theron Hunter was born in Jefferson county,
New York in i815, came to Marshall, Michigan,
in I846, and to Crockery in 1847. He has been
prominently identified with his township since its
organization.
Arza Bartholomew came to Crockery soon after
the Hunters, where he resided until his death.
John T. McMann came to Crockery in I847
and during the war made an excellent army record. He was promoted to second and then first
lieutenant.
William Mines came with his father Mathias
Mines and family to Grand Haven in I852. Their




46


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


first work was cutting wood for John T. Davis,
opposite Lamont. He came to Crockery in I859.
Dr. J. S. Wright came to Nunica in 1875 from
Indiana, and has a large practice.
Allen Seymour came to the township in 1855.
The Hunter settlement derives its name from
Theron F. Hunter, and the descendants of his
brother Silas O. Hunter, several sons of the latter having settled and cleared up farms in the
neighborhood'.
Ottawa Center was platted on the river in the
south-east corner of the township in I855, by
Benjamin Smith, and December 22, I856, Benjamin Smith and Apollos Griswold's addition
was recorded. The town arose to sufficient dignity at one time to support a saw mill, store and
saloon, but its prosperity went with the saw-mill.
A schooner was built there, and a river craft
called the Henry R. Williams. Miss Lucy Bates
taught a select school there for a time in i859.
She was a sister of Fred Ranney's last wife.
The Ranneys lived upon the Dixon place at that
time. Frank Godfroy was at one time interested
with Smith in Ottawa Center. William M. Bruce
was one of the first settlers in Crockery. He
built a mill south-west of Nunica on the *river.
There were many other early settlers of which
we have been unable to obtain information.
William Thompson settled upon the Thompson
farm in I843.
GEORGETOWN TOWNSHIP.
In I839, Georgetown, consisting of four townships-5 and 6 north, 13 and 14 west- was
authorized to organize by the state legislature.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


47


However, it seems that it must have failed to
take advantage of the authority granted, as in
i840 the legislature authorized the attachment
to Ottawa in case it was not organized. In the
early history of Georgetown its limits were changed
almost every year. Georgetown was an extension
of the Grandville settlement. Grandville, in Kent
county, and Jenisonville, just over the line into
Georgetown, are really one village. They are
one settlement divided by a county line. It is
said that the first settler over the line in Georgetown was an old bachelor, Lorenzo French, who
settled in 1835. The first family was that of
Lemuel Jenison, who came with his wife and
four children the same year. Lemuel Jenison was
killed by a falling tree in 1837. His wife died in
I840. They were the parents of the Jenisons
whose large and successful business operations
have long since made their names familiar to the
public generally. The early history of Georgetown is a history of lumbering operations. The
leading lumbermen were the Jenisons; others were:
Galen Eastman, John Haire and the Weatherwaxes. Georgetown contributed a vast amount
of pine to the lumber trade of early days. There
was for a long time but a sparse population in
the township. In 1845 there were but 133 persons, and in I850 but 196, which proves that the
township was not building permanent homes very
fast.
Among the prominent residents of Georgetown
in 1843 the following names appear: The Jenisons, Freman Burton, Charles Corey, E. F. Bosworth and Stephen L. Lowing. At that time
there were but two homes in Jenisonville, Sey



48


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


mour Cunningham and Francis Spear. Booth
Perry, Jonathan Scott and Andrew Rowles came
soon after. The first school was number i, on
section eight.  It was organized in 1845. The
building was a frame one and cost $112. Miss
Ann Evarts, now Mrs. Wm. N. Angell, of Grand
Haveh, was the first teacher. The second school
was organized soon after and taught by Miss
Bemis, afterwards Mrs. Avery Brittain, of Grandville.
In 1838 the first mills, a gang saw mill and a
grist mill, were built at Jenison, by George
Ketchum. He bought a large tract of land and
embarked in an extensive business, but his grist
mill was destroyed by fire; he failed and went to
California. The Jenisons bought the water power
and 1,200 acres of land. Hiram Jenison ran the
first lumber raft down Grand River.
Blendon Landing was quite a thriving little
burg for some years, located on the river in the
north-west part of the town. A mill was located
here and a ship yard. The following schooners
were built at Blendon: Wright, Eveline, Lumberman, George W. Wescott. Jenisonville lies in the
north-east corner of the town on Grand river, and
was platted by Dorr Skeels and L. & L. Jenison,
May 20, I885. The plat of L. & L. Jenison's
addition was recorded August 20, 1890. Hudsonyille was platted April 3, I890.
GRAND HAVEN TOWNSHIP.
As the city of Grand Haven was not organized
until 1867 of course the early settlement of Grand
Haven township is identical with the early
settlement of Grand Haven. The pioneers of




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


49


the city were the first settlers of Ottawa township, the name of which was changed to Grand
Haven in 1863. Ottawa township was organized
March 6, 1838, or soon after Michigan became. a
state. When organized it consisted of all the
territory of which Ottawa county was afterwards
composed, excepting two congressional townships
of which Talmadge at that time consisted. It
was divided and sub-divided and finally its name
was taken, for the county.  Grand Haven township contains over sixteen thousand acres of taxable land, which is being now rapidly improved.
Along the lake shore in this township the sand
hills arise to the dignity of mountains. Rosy
mountain, one of the highest hills, has become
widely celebrated. From it giddy height Grand
Rapids, Holland and Muskegon may be seen on
a clear day.
The year previous to the organization of the
city the officers of Grand Haven township were:
Supervisor, R. W. Duncan; clerk, John Fuite;
treasurer, Jacob Deboe. Among the early settlers
of Grand Haven township outside of the city
limits are John Behm, who came to the county
in I844; John  Mastenbroek,  1853; Cornelius
Nordhuis and sons, I850; Daniel O'Connell, I849;
Nicholas Saul, father of Fred, Theodore and
Henry Saul, settled in the township in I854.
The old gentleman died in the spring of I891,
aged eighty-eight years.  Theodore is dead.
Henry Saul has always taken a lively interest in
the public affairs of the township, and ably
represented his constituents upon the board of
supervisors. James Edward is a prominent business man of Agnew, and his brother Joseph is




50


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


prominently identified with his locality in public
matters. Agnew, formerly Johnsville, was platted
under the name of the "Village of Agnew," May
i6, i889, by Edward E. Stites. Agnew is a
thriving village on the Chicago & West Michigan railway.  Edward & Churchill have a flourishing saw mill and box factory, G. W. Harris
runs the postoffice and a substantial hotel and
De Los Barrows operates a general store.
Grand Haven township has five school districts
with good substantial school houses and a good
town hall.
The Van Doorne brothers are quite prominently identified with the affairs of the township,
and Cyrus Harris is well known as a fruit grower.
He came to the county in I866, and is now
seventy-three years of age.
George W. Aiken is authority on everything in
the line of market gardening. He was born in
Rumney, New Hampshire, in I846, sailed until
I875, when he settled in the township. Those
who are in the habit of complaining about sandy
soil should take a few lessons from Mr. Aiken
upon his premises.   He has ample proof at
hand that market gardening and farming can be
successfully done on sandy soil.
Peach Plains just south and east of Grand
Haven city limits, comprises about 2,000 acres of
land that have become famous as a fruit region.
The pioneer of Peach Plains was Hon. Townsen
E. Gidley. He purchased 2,000 acres, about one
third of the lands of the Robert Stewart estate,
in the spring of I868, and sold it off in fruit
farms. Mr. Gidley settled in central Michigan in
I833, and was at one time one of the heaviest




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


51


producers of agriculture and horticultural products in the state. In the second year of his
residence in the state he was selected one of the
delegates to form a constitution for the state of
Michigan. He was a member of the first Michigan legislature, and held a seat in either house
for fifteen or more sessions. IHe was one of the
five presidential electors in the Scott campaign,
and ran for governor against Robert McLellan
in I852. He died October 8, i888. Andrew M.
Cole settled in Grand Haven township in 1876.
He first settled in the state at Battle Creek in
1863. He is a successful fruit grower.
Walter Phillips has a fine fruit farm in Peach
Plains. Mr. Phillips is authority on fruit and
grape culture.
Hon. D. B. Conger was a successful fruit
grower in Peach Plains for about fourteen years.
He was at one time a prominent lawyer in
Wisconsin, member of the legislature of that
state two terms, and an~ efficient army officer.
Johannes  Goudberg    came  to  Grand  Haven
in 1853, G. R. Harris in 1871, John Goudberg in
1854, Peter Smith in I873, Levi Tracy in 1867.
HOLLAND TOWNSHIP.
Holland township was organized by act of legislature  March i6th, 1847. The   first township
meeting was held at the home of Dr. Van
Raalte, April 2, I849. H. D. Post was elected
chairman of the board of inspectors and James
Walker and William Z. Bronson inspectors, and
Charles D. Shenick, clerk. The following were
all the voters present: H. D. Post, Josiah Martin, Wm. Z. Bronson, Ira Manley, Asa Haynes,




52


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Benjamin Brist, H. G. Post, Alvin V. Benham,
Jos. James Walker and Charles D. Shenick. The
small number of voters is accounted for by the
fact that but a small number of the voters were
naturalized.  The first township officers were:
Supervisor, H. D. Post; Wm. Z. Bronson, clerk;
H. 'G. Post, treasurer; James Walker, Asa Haynes,
Josiah Martin and H. G. Post, justices of the
peace. Twenty-five dollars was ordered to be
raised for township expenses. At the next year's
township meeting there were only three voters
present: H. G. and H. D. Post and Wm. J.
Bronson. The same officers held over, but the
next year 260 voters were present.
The first settler in the township was said to be
Gilbert Crammer afterwards a resident of Kalamazoo. It is said that he located in the township
long before the Holland settlement. Isaac Fairbanks located in I845.
The first religious worship in Holland township was in the open air, but before the close of
1847, it is said there were six church organizations and several schools.
The first Holland wind mill was built at the
head of Black lake in 1852 by W. K. Flietstra
and successfully ran a saw mill. In 1848 Oswald
Vanderhuis put up a saw mill at north Holland,
and a grist mill was also erected between Holland and Zeeland.
Alfred Plugger, a benevolent Hollander, it is
said, advanced large sums of money to assist his
countrymen without means, in locating.
Macatawa was a paper town located in Holland
township in 1836. The proprietors of the plat
were Theodore D. Lyman, James T. Allen, Wm.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


53


R. Thompson and Daniel Godfrey. No improvements worth mentioning were ever made.
New Groninger on section 23 was platted in
March, 1858, by A. Borges and H. Ten Have.
PORTSMOUTH.
On the site of the present popular summer resort,
Ottawa Beech, between the years 1835-40, the city
of Portsmouth was built upon paper only. It
died before it lived.
JAMESTOWN TOWNSHIP.
This township was set off from Georgetown,
March 15, I849. From the records the fact is
gleaned that there were only thirteen voters in
the township when organized. Their names were
Monsieur Brown, his son James M. Brown, Nathan
W. Charles and David Richardson, James and
James M. Cronkright, James Skeeles, George D.
and August Donnelly, S.. Gitchell, Andrew
Frieze and Andrew Frieze, Jr.
The first officers were: Supervisor, James Skeels;
clerk, James M. Brown; treasurer, James M.
Cronkright; justices, G. G. Donnelly, Charles
Richardson, James Cronkright, Nathan W. Richardson. They raised $I25.
The early settlers of Jamestown had to either
carry their provisions in from Grandville on their
backs or pull it through the woods oh sledges.
Deer and other game were abundant. Mr. Hermit killed 86 in one winter. The first school was
established in the township in i85I. The pioneer
preacher was A. B. Tows, a Free Will Baptist.
The first school teacher-in I85i-was Elizabeth
Bates.
4




54


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


EX-PRESIDENT GARFIELD'S ONLY BROTHER.
"There is a pathetic meagerness and retirement in the life of Thomas A. Garfield, the only
brother of ex-President Garfield, which vividly
shows the possibilities of American life and the
partiality of fate.
For a quarter of a century the brother of the
martyred president has lived in obscurity on a
small farm in Jamestown. He has no more property now than he had twenty years ago, and it
is claimed by his friends that he remained poor
all his life because of early sacrifices made for
his great brother and for the simple minded
Grandma Garfield.
His, they say, was a heroism as loyal and noble
as that of his brother. Thomas is now sixty-seven,
bent and worn with life's long struggle.
The Garfield homestead lies six miles from
Byron Center, and is a garden spot, hewn in the
woods when Michigan was just doffing its swaddling clothes. The house is a modest one, built
in I877. The money for its construction was sent
from the White house to replace the old log
house destroyed by fire that year, and the gift
was heartily made by the president, who always
remembered that his start in life was due to his
brother.
The family on the little farm consists of Mrs.
Garfield and James Abram Garfield, who is forty
years old and the very image of his illustrious
uncle. He was born upon the same Ohio farm
as the ex-president, has the same high forehead
and the same features and form. The house is
very humble, and the walls of the plain little




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


55


parlor are covered with portraits of James A.
and Grandma Garfield. Thomas became the support of the Garfield family when he was but ten
years old, the father dying and leaving them
nothing but a farm. The boy left his district
school and took up his father's work. It was a
hard scramble for bread, and sister, mother and
brother all learned what it was to split rails
Thomas chopped wood for twenty-five cents a
cord and worked all winter at this rate. James
was the baby then. Later they all scraped and
saved to help pay Jimmy's way at the Chester
academy.
Thomas sold the Ohio farm in 1854, and then
moved to Michigan. For' three years he lived
the life of a pioneer.
When the war broke out he tried to enlist
with his brother James, but the recruiting officer
rejected him and he remained at home. In I867
he began life for himself, having spent thirty
years in working for his mother, sister and
brother. He is not in the best of health, and it
will probably be but a short time before the old
pioneer will be laid away in the woods he loves
so well.
OLIVE TOWNSHIP.
The township of Olive was organized January 5,
I857. The first officers were: G. C. Jones, supervisor; J. M. Fellows, clerk; K. Warner, treasurer;
Stephen Baxter, Arend Smith, J. B. Eastway,
highway commissioners; Hendrik Van Balgoojen,
James B. Eastway, Timothy Tainter, Warner
Semple, justices of the peace; K. Warner, school
inspector; John Vantongem, overseer )f poor;
Stephen Coleman, Jan Hofman, Wm.. Timers,




HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


constables. Port Sheldon was in the territory of
Olive township, and with the exception of its
settlement there was little done in the township
until its organization. The early history of Olive
is similar to and a part of the early history of
Allendale and Robinson on the north and Holland on the south; when organized as a distinct
township it was set off from Holland.
Many of its permanent settlers are Hollanders,
who pushed their way into the township from
the Holland settlement. Among the earliest
settlers of other nationalities were August Names,
a native of Saxony, who came to the township
from Ohio in 1856. He states that at that time
there were no settlers in the north part of the
township.
James Eastway and his three sons-William,
Samuel, Alfred-and Gale Burgess, Joel M.
Fellows, (son-in-law of Eastway), and Thomas
S. Finch, came at the same time, most of them
with families.
The Eastways were Edwin, Elias and Egbert.
All except Egbert Eastway and Gale Burgess
took land under the graduation act, paying fifty
cents an acre for it. At the time they came into
the north part of the township a few Hollanders
were already settled in the southern part.
That portion of the history of Olive so far as
it relates to the Hollanders, is fully set forth in
the history of the  Holland settlement.  The
meeting at which the township was organized
was held at the house of William P. Bakker, of
Port Sheldon. There were fifty-five voters present. One hundred dollars were raised for township expenses.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


57


The early settlers did little for some time in
the way of cultivating the soil. They made
shingles and drew them to Grand river and
exchanged them for supplies first, and later
engaged in lumbering. They had no schools or
school houses until I863, when two were built.
The first school in district number two was kept
by a Miss Tate, of Georgetown. In I86I the
township suffered greatly from forest fires.
For many years the pigeon roosts of Olive in
the vicinity of the site of old Port Sheldon were
a great attraction to people inclined to sporting.
For several years during the hatching season the
forest would be alive with pigeons. They were
killed with clubs, and caught with nets and
shipped away by car loads. In those days the
pigeon roosts of Olive were famous the country
over.
Ottawa Station on section three and four was
platted in 1873. West Olive was platted in I870.
POLKTON TOWNSHIP.
By an act of the legislature, March I9, 1845,
the organization of the township of Polkton was
authorized. It contained, at first, the territory of
four townships-5, 6, 7, 8 north, range 14 west.
The first township meeting was called at the
house of Dr. Timothy Eastman, at Eastmanville,
April I4, I845, and adjourned to the school house
near by. Dr. Eastman was chosen moderator,
and Robert F. Tracy, clerk. Nineteen voters were
present.  The following officers were elected:
Timothy Eastman, supervisor; John N. Hopkins,
clerk; Paschal Maxfield, treasurer; Paschal Maxfield, Timothy Eastman, R. F. 'Tracy, Benjamin




HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Hopkins, justices. Twenty offices were filled, of
which Timothy Eastman had three; Benjamin
Hopkins, three;  Ephraim  Pearson,-; Robert
Tracy and Charles Wiley, each two.
The names of i6 out of the 19 voters present
are upon the records as follows: Timothy Eastman, Paschal Maxfield, Robert F. Tracy, Justice
Stiles, Charles Wiley, Stephen Morse, Warren
Streeter, Joseph Burlingame, John N. Hopkins,
Daniel Realy, Ephraim Pearson, David Stanton,
Paul Averill, John Gardner, James Charles. One
hundred dollars were raised for township purposes. In 1847, the vote of the town was 47; in
1848, 26; in 1849, 35. During this time, however,
the territory was undergoing changes.
With the exception of the vicinity of Eastmanville, the early settlement of Polkton is identical
with that of Talmadge. The early settlers pushed
out from Steele's landing, north, east and west,
into the forest and located upon the lands, and
afterwards found themselves either in Talmadge,
Wright or the north-eastern part of Polkton.
Timothy D. and Benjamin Lillie cut their own
road into the forest north-west from the landing
in 1843, cleared up big farms upon which they
resided for almost a half a century, and contributed no small share to the thriving and industrious Lillie population that are to be found in
several townships of the county. As the townships were finally divided they found themselves
in Wright, near the line of Polkton.
Richard Platt came into Polkton territory in
1844; Silvius Waters came in 1844, and afterwards
found his farm in the south-east corner of Wright.
Mr. Waters was identified with the early settle



OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


59


ment of Spring Lake. He was a machinist and
engineer far in advance of his time. We quote
the following regarding the early settlers from
"Memorials of the Grand River Valley:" "Of
the settlers as early as 1848, locating in the vicinity of Coopersville. we are enabled to give the
names of the following: Chauncey and Justice
Stiles, Warren Streeter (transient), Peter McNaughton, Richard Stiles, Abraham Peck, Josiah
T. Lawton, Walter McEwing, (the latter first to
settle where Coopersville was afterwards located,
in I845), Sylvester Jackson, Ephraim Doane (transient, afterwards murdered at St. Louis), Henry
Garter (transient), Paul Averill, a Canadian, who
left that country on account of the "Patriot war;"
Daniel W. Scott, who established a tannery-the
first between Grand Rapids and Grand Haven,
on Dorr creek, a mile and a half south-east of
Coopersville; Edward Streeter, John Averill, John
N. Hopkins, and William Platt.
In the early days Grand river was the only
public thoroughfare across the county, and naturally that part of the county lying along the river
developed more rapidly than the interior. Polkton was no exception to the rule, and the lands
in the northern part of the township were improved but slowly until the Detroit & Milwaukee
railway was built. The nearest school was Eastmanville until I853. Then Miss Eliza B. Torrey
-afterwards Mrs. Daniel W. Scott-taught a
school of ten scholars in a log house without
windows, about a mile north of where Coopersville now stands. Among the first settlers in the
south-west part of Polkton-near Ottawa Center,
just over the line in Crockery-were N. C. Sev





60


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


erence, Samuel Smith, Jacob Potts, the Castles,
Alex Karney, John Pluves.
EASTMANVILLE.
The vicinity of Eastmanville was first settled
in I835, by Dr. Scranton, who also resided a
while in Port Sheldon, and by J. V. Hopkins and
Benjamin Hopkins, with their families. Dr. Timothy Eastman was the most prominent early
settler of Eastmanville. He came from Maine
to Grand Haven in 1835, and located at Eastmanville a few years later. He and his sons,
George, Galen and Mason, were for many years
the most prominent men in the township of Polkton. Dr. Eastman was a valuable all-around man
in the early days of Ottawa county. Being a
good physician, he prescribed for the early settlers when ill; interpreted the law for them when
they failed to agree, and acted as surveyor for
them when they wanted to find the metes and
boundaries of their lands. He served in many
township offices, and at one time as County Judge.
For many years Eastmanville was a live town.
The town was first platted in 1855 by Dr. Timothy
Eastman and sons, George, Galen and Mason, and
Louis Kenyon. Afterwards came Galen Eastman's addition, and later Thomas Hefferan's addition, in 1872. Jacob DeHaan platted Newberg,
about a half mile east of Eastmanville, in I857.
Newberg had a brief existence and really consisted of a spoke factory and small boarding house.
Eastmanville supported the county newspaper,
The Grand River Times, for a few months in the
early days of county seat wars. The Eastmanville hotel was built in I855, by John Denton.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


The Eastmans built a saw mill in an early day,
which was continued for many years. A ship
yard was also successfully run and many fine
lake craft built at different times.
Among the early settlers prominent in Polkton
township affairs in an early day were Simeon
Hazelton, H. C. Durphy, Mark Richards, Joel A.
Walter, the Sumners, Edwin Thayer, Daniel Reely,
Thomas Hefferan, Joseph Brown, D. R. Spencer,
James Cilley, the Stiles, Rev. William C. Comfort, and others.
DENNISON.
Dennison was first developed by the construction of a saw mill, by a man named Hatch, and
until the D., G. H. & M. railway was built, was
known as Hatcher mill.
Many of the early settlers of Polkton came
from St. Lawrence county, New York.
COOPERSVILLE.
Benjamin F. Cooper, of Utica, New York, bought
the section upon which Coopersville now stands
in the spring of 1845. No improvements were
made upon it until the Detroit & Milwaukee
railway was built.  Mr. Cooper gave them the
undivided half of I60 acres, providing they would
locate a depot upon it, call it Coopersville, and
make no other depot nearer than five miles within five years. He sent his two sons to build up
the town. They came, staid four years, opening
a store and building a saw mill, failed and returned to Utica. Mr. Cooper became discouraged
and did nothing more. After his death the property was bought by W. F. Storrs, George W.
Danforth, Charles Hosmer and A. C. Ellis. From
this the place began to grow and is still growing.




62


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


ROBINSON TOWNSHIP.
Robinson was established as an independent
township January 8, 1856. The first meeting was
held at the house of Ira Robinson, and John W.
Barnard was elected supervisor; E. G. Robinson,
clerk; W. Furgerson, treasurer; J. Hazard, W. H.
Wood, A. Robinson and F. T. Ranney, justices.
The territory of which Robinson is composed
was first settled by six brothers of Rix Robinson,
with their families, forty-two in all. They came
around the lakes to Grand Haven in 1835 on the
schooner St. Joseph.  The six brothers were
Nathan, Edward, Rodney, Lucas, John and Ira.
Rodney and Lucas removed to Flat river after
about three  years.  After the Robinsons and
before I839, W. F. Wood, J. and H. Connor, Al.
Trumbull, James Black, Joseph Lemon, Deck
Ranney and Mr. Harlenburg. Charles H. Clark
came in I853.
The first school was in district number one and
first organized in I850. The second at Barnard's
Corners in 1857, and the following year number
three was organized at the Clark school house.
M. C. French was one of the first settlers of
Ottawa county.  He came to Allendale in 1845,
and moved to Robinson in 1881.
SPRING LAKE TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE.
The history of Spring Lake begins with the
arrival of Colonel Amos Norton at Nortonville
in 1837, where he immediately commenced the
construction of a saw mill. Soon after his arrival
came Jabez Barber and Richard Mason, who
helped complete the mill. The three pioneers
left Canada during the disturbances of 1836.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


63


Barber and Mason built the Barber mill at Mill
Point (Spring Lake) in I844. Barber made a
trip to England and on his way back perished in
the ill-fated ocean steamer, Pacific, in 1854.
The township of Norton was organized in I839,
and the first postoffice in the township was at
Nortonville. The Nortons consisted of Colonel
Amos and son George, and for ten years they
practically controlled the township.
In 1849 the name of the township was changed
from Norton to Spring Lake, the balance of
power having moved from Nortonville over to
the Mill Point settlement. The first meeting of
the electors for the organization of Spring Lake
township was held at the school house near
Barber's mill April 2, 1849. Twenty-nine electors
were present. S. C. Hopkins was elected supervisor; M. L. Hopkins, clerk; L. M. S. Smith,
treasurer. Justices of the peace elected were:
G. G. Lovell, G. S. Miller and Jedediah Brown;
Wm. M. Ferry, Jr., and P. P. Cady were elected
directors of the poor. One hundred dollars were
voted for township expenses. At the township
election of 1850 but twelve voters were present,
all of whom voted for Wm. M. Ferry, Jr., for
supervisor; M. L. Hopkins, clerk, and L. M. S.
Smith, treasurer.
In I85I J. V. Hopkins was elected supervisor,
forty-six voters being present. In 1852 there
were eighty-one voters present and Amos Norton
was elected supervisor; A. S. Norton, clerk. In
I853 but sixteen voters turned out to township
election and G. L. Norton was made supervisor.
In I853, June 20, a special election was held
submitting the question of liquor prohibition to






64


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


the people. Forty-two votes were recorded in
favor of the measure, one against, and two
ballots were marked "Free trade and sailors'
rights." The Hopkins Bros. built the third mill
in the township in an early day, and soon after
built a second one; and about that time, I849-50,
the old White mill was built and a mill at
Ferrysburg. The first store in the town was
at Nortonville, and the second upon the dock at
Barber's Mill; the Hopkins' ran a store in
the neighborhood of where the Spring Lake
house now stands. Rev. L. M. S. Smith ran a
store in those times, and the postoffice in the
building still standing across the street from
the Newcomb residence. The Newcombs have
lived in their present home forty-two years. Mr.
John H. Newcomb was born in New York state
in i8I1. He came to Muskegon in 1837, where,
having learned the trade of mill wright, he built
a saw mill, and in I841 came to Mill Point, and
built the first mill for Barber & Mason, and also
the first frame house in the place. Mr. and Mrs.
Newcomb were married in Chicago in 1848. The
first store upon what is now the main street of
Spring Lake was in the building now occupied
by Martin Walsh. The building was built and
stocked by a man from Chicago named Bebe,
who afterwards sold to Captain Harry Miller and
his son-in-law George Osgood. Mr. Newcomb
finally bought them out and ran the store on
his own account for some time. Mr. Newcomb
died March 22, 1892.
All that remains to proclaim the history of the
Nortons in Spring Lake is a cemetery lot full of
neglected graves, and several pieces of a marble




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


slab, from which one can read by placing the
pieces together: Caroline F. Norton, died March
7, 1853, aged 35 years, 2 months and i6 days.
"A virtuous wife and beloved mother, the precepts taught by the deceased while living, are
more lasting than any marble structure, for
verily the living speak for the departed." The
colonel and George died several years later, and
the foundation remains to show that there was
once a marble slab at the head of George's
grave, but the slab has departed, where, no one
knows.
Joseph Finch and John Webster with their
families, related, came to Spring Lake in 1848
from England, and ever after proved valuable
citizens to the community.  Thomas Finch and
the Bensteads came a little later. The Hopkins
Bros.-Silas, John V., Hannibal A., Franklin and
Mordecai-sons of Benjamin     Hopkins, who
settled at Scranton, just west of Eastmanville, in
1837, were prominently identified 'with the early
history of Spring Lake. They were for many
years engaged in the lumber business.
The Presbyterian church society was the first
organized in Spring Lake, February 12, I853. At
the time of its organization there were five members, George G. Lovell, L. M. S. Smith, Anna
H. Smith, Miss Lydia Norton and Harriet J.
Franklin. From this small beginning they grew
into a strong society and for many years have
worshiped in a church edifice that is a credit to
the village.
In 1862 twelve or fifteen people embracing the
Methodist faith organized a society. Services
were held in the school house for 'a couple of




66


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


years, and then the Methodist and Presbyterian
societies bought a partly constructed church of
the Holland people, completed it, and occupied
it jointly. After five years this building burned,
the Methodists bought the ground and built a
neat and commodious church edifice, which was
dedicated in I872.
The Baptist society completed their neat church
edifice in I869, and at the present time the First
Reformed, Christian Reformed and Catholic
societies all have creditable churches.
As at Grand Haven the founders of Spring
Lake failed to foresee how much territory the
town would ultimately cover, and by I869 their
first cemetery laid very near the middle of the
village. In that year a beautiful tract was secured
just east of the village limits, and platted. The
bodies were removed from the old cemetery to
it, and it is at the present time one of the finest
in the county.
From the single mill built by the Nortons in
1837, with its occasional set-backs, the lumber
business increased until the lumbering enterprises
on the north side of the river-including the big
boom-paid out in 1883 not far from $300,000 in
the single season for wages. At that time the
Cutler & Savidge Lumber company had three
large saw mills and a planing mill, Monroe Boyce
& Co. one mill, Bell Bros. one mill, Sisson &
Lillie one large mill, Grand Haven Lumber
company, mill at Ferrysburg, and White &
Friant a big mill at Nortonville.
Mercantile business of the town kept fully
abreast of the lumbering business, and among
the more enterprising merchants were Martin




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


67


Walsh, John B. Perham, Aloys Bilz, Henry Cliff.
These men proved equal to the demands made
upon them for large mercantile establishments in
their respective lines of trade, and for several
years handled goods upon an enormous scale.
While Spring Lake depended upon the mills for
its revenue, it proved a treacherous place in
which to conduct any mercantile business. One
year the lumber business would be prosperous,
money plenty, the demands of the people enormous, and the next a stagnation of the lumber
trade, would compel a large proportion of the
working people to leave town. The merchants
at such times would find themselves with immense
stocks of goods upon their shelves to rapidly
shrink in value, and many worthless accounts
upon their books.
Spring Lake was platted as Mill Point in I849
by T. W. White and S. C. Hopkins. In two
years its population reached 37I, but in the next
seven years it only gained eighteen population,
and it will be seen by consulting the census
tables that its population slid up and down the
scale with the changes in the lumber business
until that industry was practically closed out and
the people began to permanently improve the
adjacent lands and summer resorts. A healthy
growth may be predicted for Spring Lake as the
adjacent country is developed.
The name of Hunter Savidge will be ever held
inseparable with the early development of Spring
Lake. Here he commenced working eighteen
hours a day in the mills. Here he amassed a
fortune in the lumber business; and here after
dealing out material aid on every hand to the






68


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


less fortunate for many years, he died, not only
mourned by his friends and neighbors at home,
but by a large circle of prominent people throughout the country.  Mr. Savidge was born in
Columbia county, Pennsylvania, April 6, i828.
At the age of nine years his family moved to
Northumberland county, where he remained until
twenty-one years of age, when he came west and
located at Rockford, Illinois. In I855 he came to
Spring Lake, and by indomitable perseverance
and the strictest integrity soon won the confidence
of the business world. In I86o he and Dwight
Cutler of Grand Haven entered into partnership
under the firm name of Cutler & Savidge Lumber
Co., laying the foundations not only for their
own fortunes but for the fortunes of many others
connected with the firm. Mr. Savidge and Miss
Sarah C. Patten were united in marriage
at Grand Rapids, February I2, I857. They staged
it to Grand Haven February 22, on the south
side of the river, came across the river upon the
ferry and walked to a modest home upon the
lot where the magnificent Savidge residence now
stands. Mr. Savidge died April II, I88i, having
scarcely passed the prime of life.
John Hancock, for five years secretary of the
Cutler & Savidge Lumber company, died at the
age of thirty-two years, and but sixteen days
previous to Mr. Savidge. Though a young man
he had won a wide popularity. Early in the
fifties James Wilson came with his parents to
Spring Lake and became a practical and success
ful lumberman. He has been one of the most
active and practical members of the Cutler &
Savidge Lumber Co. since its organization.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


69


Thomas Savidge,,brother of the late Hunter
Savidge, came to Spring Lake in April, 1865, and
afterwards became a member of the Cutler &
Savidge Lumber company, holding a responsible
position. Mr. Savidge has held village offices
many terms. In 1885 he established the Floral
Stock Farm, a short distance east of Spring Lake,
and is now identified with the leading horsemen
of the country. He was the first man to own and
give a mark of 2:30 to a mare in Ottawa county.
He is the owner of George St. Clair, who has
the seventh fastest three-year-old record in the
United States, and the fastest in Michigan. The
Floral Stock Farm always has from 30 to 40 of
the finest bred horses in the country within its
inclosures.
Since the death of John Hancock, Herman F.
Harbeck has been the secretary of the Cutler &
Savidge Lumber company, and handled the books
and accounts of that vast establishment during
the years of its most gigantic operations.
0. W. Messinger, who has been one of the
leading druggists of Spring Lake for many years,
came to the town in I854. He served an apprenticeship in the lumber business before entering
mercantile pursuits.
Shirley Hammond was one of the early settlers
of Spring Lake and Ottawa county. He located
a farm (now occupied by Benjamin Soule) in I840.
He was struck and killed by a locomotive, near
the depot, about I874. It is supposed that he
buried between three and four thousand dollars
in a tin box upon his lot, now occupied by Louis
Fiedler's saloon, just a short time before he was
killed. Although a thorough search was made,
5




7o


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


neither box or money was ever known to have
been found.
Benjamin Richardson commenced work in a
saw mill for Dwight Rankins, near Jenisonville,
in I848, and has followed sawing and filing for
44 years. He was for ten years in the employ of
Thomas White, father of T. Stewart White, in
Spring Lake. Mr. White built and operated the
first river mill.
T. D. Denison came to Spring Lake in 1850.
The late Job S. Sessions was one of the first
settlers of the Grand river valley. He came to
Ionia county in 1833, and to Spring Lake in 1865,
where he died.
Benjamin Soule was born in 18o1, in Ohio, and
within seven miles of the old Garfield home.
When the late President Garfield was a young
man he worked at carpenter work one summer,
just across the road from Mr. Soule's home, and
at that time little expected to hold the high positions he afterwards held in the nation's affairs.
George Seagrove came to Spring Lake in I855.
George G. Lovell is not only one of the
pioneers of Spring Lake, but of the Grand river
valley. He was born in Vermont in 1813, came
to Kalamazoo county in 1832, went from there to
Ionia county, where for eight years he was
engaged in the milling business. He came to
Spring Lake in 1846.
Jay McCluer was born in New York in 1832,
and came to Grand Haven in 1836. He has for
many years been a resident of Spring Lake.
Rev. L. M. S. Smith was the first postmaster
in Spring Lake, resigning in I857. Hiram  A.
Reed held the office several years. Loren 0.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


7I


Perham held the office from the commencement
of Lincoln's administration to the Cleveland
administration. Peter A. Dewitt came in and went
out with the Cleveland administration, and was
succeeded by S. S. Rideout.
Warner Vos came to Spring Lake in I856.
Walter G. Sinclair came in I855.
Alexander Wood is a man of more than
ordinary experience in life. He was born in
Scotland in I839; came to the United States in
I849. For some time prior to the war he was in
the employ of Creek Indian agency in the Indian
territory. He was taken prisoner at the commencement and kept in Texas and other southern states until the close of the war. At the
close of the war he was in the employ of the
government two years in Arkansas. He was in
Wisconsin for a time, and has since been a resident of Spring Lake.
Manley Patchin was one of the early settlers
of Spring Lake, and at one time quite an extensive lumberman.   Thomas Brady   and family
came about I857.
Michael Shoemaker first arrived in the fall of
I855; was in the employ of Manley Patchin and
then engaged upon the construction of the
Detroit and Milwaukee railway. He worked for
the Nortons, and afterwards for Fred Raney for
eight years. As an illustration of the favorable
change in wages from the early days in the mills,
the fact is cited that Mr. Shoemaker commenced
at $14 a month, and left off for Raney at $4.50
a day. He next worked for Haire & Cole and
then Haire & Talford, proprietors of the river






72


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


mill, and then Cutler & Savidge to the present
time.
Martin Walsh was born in Ireland in I828,
came to the United States in I849, and in 1856
from New York to Spring Lake. At the breaking out of the war he enlisted as a private and
came out a first lieutenant and quartermaster.
At the close of the war he embarked in the)
mercantile business which he has since followed,
taking an active part in public affairs and occasionally holding public office. He has devoted
considerable time to the study of law and taken
charge of many cases in court. He handles a
law case with that same energy which characterizes his other work, and the lawyer on the other
side is always sure to have something to do.
Drs. J. O. Bates and C. P. Brown were for
many years prominent resident physicians of
Spring Lake.
George Perry came to Spring Lake in I862.
Mrs. Burbank is one of the earliest settlers.
Her maiden name was Madora McMann, and
with her mother, brothers, sisters and step-father,
Dr. Kibbey, first came to Nortonville in I850o.
George Schwab came to Spring Lake in 186I,
served through the war in the I4th Michigan
infantry, came back home and has proved himself one of the most successful grocerymen in
the county.
Horace H. Hungerford came to Nortonville in
I845 and Mrs. Hungerford two years later.
Samuel Main is one of the pioneers of the
Michigan lumber country, and has for many
years been connected with the Cutler & Savidge
Lumber company.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


73


Aloys Bilz was born in Bavaria in I84I and
emigrated with his parents to this country in
1849, where they settled in Buffalo. He attended
a private school until the age of eleven, when he
was sent to St. Vincent's college in Westmoreland county, Pennsylvania, where he remained
fifteen months. He left home at the age of
thirteen years and found employment at New
Hamburg, Canada. Two years later he obtained
similar employment in Detroit; afterwards seven
years in New Baltimore. In I864 he married
Mary Alice, daughter of Rev. O. C. Thompson,
of Detroit. In I866 he established a hardware in
Spring Lake and built up an immense business,
but in I87I his residence and entire hardware
and furniture establishments, valued at $30,000,
were destroyed by fire. Although the fire dealt
him a crushing blow, he did not stop to contemplate the dark side but was doing business in a
new store in just four weeks, beginning business
anew. Mr. Bilz has always taken a lively interest in public enterprises and political affairs. He
has served many terms in village and township
offices, supervisor, etc., was register of deeds of
Ottawa county in I879 and '80, and his name
has long been a familiar one in miscellaneous social
gatherings and political conventions. He is at
present proprietor of an extensive hardware and
furniture business in Spring Lake, and quite
extensively interested in real estate.
The first newspaper published in Spring Lake
was the Independent, founded by John G. Lee in
1869.
Richard Clydesdale came to Grand Haven in
1834 in company with his brother Robert. The




74


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


latter was captain of the schooner Lizzie Throop,
and is now a resident of Chicago, and Richard
sailed as mate, settling in Spring Lake at a very
early date. He was fatally injured by a falling
tree, February 8. 1879.
James Wilson, for many years a hotel proprietor, came to Spring Lake in 1849.
Mrs. Shirley Hammond-nee Lucy Houghton
-is one of the few very first settlers of Ottawa
county still remaining. She was in Grand Rapids
when the town contained but one good house.
She lived in the family of Kanouse on Battle
Point when a young girl, and relates many experiences the people had with the Indians in
those days. The Indian population at that time
was much larger than the white, and occasionally they would get drunk and throw the household furniture of the whites out of their houses
just for a play-spell. Mrs. Hammond was married
in 1840 at the home of Captain Harry Millernow county poor farm-by Henry Griffin, Esquire,
and with her husband located upon the now
Benj. Soule farm in I840. Her two eldest sons,
George and Charles, are familiar with the history
of Spring Lake from   the early days to the
present time. Mrs. Hammond was once at the
house of Col. Amos Norton and saw him pour a
half a bushel of specie into a blanket on the
floor and count it. There was no banking in
western Michigan in those days.
George W. Dixon, the inventor of the celebrated Dixon pumps, is a resident of Spring
Lake, and for many years was in the employ of
the Ottawa Iron works at Ferrysburg.
John B. Perham came to Spring Lake from




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


75


Mayfield, New York, in November i86o. He
was principal of the schools from i86i to i863 at
Spring Lake, and taught the Grandville schools
in i864-5. He embarked in the mercantile business at Spring Lake in i866 with his brother, L.
0. Perham, and with Allen C. Adsit, now one of
the circuit judges of Kent county, in i867. For
a time Perham & Adsit also ran a large branch
general store in Nunica. Mr. Perham has always
been one of the leaders of the Republican party
of the county, and a prominent temperance and
Christian worker. He has held numerous important positions in  politics, in  educational
affairs, and in temperance and religious societies.
He was a member of the legislature from i88i to
I884.
Enno Pruim came to Spring Lake in an early
day. He served through the war in the twentyfirst Michigan infantry, and has for many terms
represented Spring Lake township upon the board
of supervisors. Spring Lake has never had a
more popular man with all classes than Mr.
Pruim.
Charles M. Kay came to Spring Lake from
Illinois, and has been the general utility man of
the village and township.  He looks carefully
after all public matters, and is universally conceded the proper man to do it.
FERRYSBURG.
Ferrysburg is the only unincorporated village
in Spring Lake township at the present time, and
joins Spring; Lake village on the west. Nortonville, on the east of Spring Lake village, was for
many years a saw mill burg of small importance,




:76


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


but its population departed soon after the last saw
logs were cut in its big mill in 1883, the mill at
that time being the property of White & Friant.
Ferrysburg was first called Ottawa Point. The
first improvements there worth mentioning were
made by the Ferrys when they built the first
mill on the point. The Ottawa Iron works were
established by them in 1855, and improved and
continued in operation until February, 1883.
These works were all of these years one of the
most important manufacturing enterprises in
Ottawa county, and furnished employment to a
large number of men.
Benjamin F. Eames and John W. Luscomb
made arrangements with the Ferrys for power
to drive their wood-working machinery at the
Ferry mill, Ottawa Point, April o1, 1850, for five
years following. Mr. Luscomb withdrew  from
the business, and Mr. Eames, in I856 erected a
large building with steam  power. In 1861 he
sold to Willard & Bolles, who ran a pail factory
for some time, when it was destroyed by fire.
Thomas Turnbull ran a boiler shop from about
1859 until i862, and abandoned it. J. W. Johnston came from Chicago in 1864 and revived it,
and with a constantly increasing capacity continued it until I880 when he was succeeded by
his sons, Thomas and J. B., under,the firm
name of Johnston Bros. The Ottawa Iron works
having collapsed in 1883 and thrown their commodious brick buildings upon the market, in 1887
Johnston Bros. purchased and moved their works
into them. The Johnston Boiler works are now
one of the most important manufacturing establishments in Ottawa county, and their boilers




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


77


have as exalted a reputation as any manufacture
in the west.
SHIP BUILDING IN FERRYSBURG.
H. C. Pearson sold his ship yard in Ogdensburg, New York, and located a yard at Ferrysburg in the spring of i866. During that same
year he built the tug Hunter Savidge for Wm.
M. Ferry and Capt. Squier, and the tug E. P.
Ferry for the gentleman whose name she bore.
The Ottawa Iron works built the engines and J.
W. Johnston the boilers. In the winter of I866-7
Mr. Pearson built the big schooner F. M. Knap,
for F. M. Knap, of Racine, and the schooner
brig, Major Noah H. Ferry for E. P. Ferry, also
some dump scows for Col. Ludlow of Chicago.
Next and immediately following the Knap and
Ferry he built the schooner Mason for Kenosha
parties after the moulds of the Ferry. Next a
large tug for E. P. Ferry; then a tug-The Third
Michigan-a flat bottom river tug, a pile driver
and an order to rebuild a tug, all for the Muskegon Booming company. Next the tug Waters
for Muskegon parties; then came dull times. In
1872 he did the last ship-building in Ferrysburg,
constructing the tug Dalton for Dalton Bros. of
White Lake.   In 1872, when the boom   was
established, Mr. Pearson was appointed government inspector of hulls, a position he held for
twelve years.
During the existence of Pearson's ship yard it
was an important Ottawa county enterprise, often
employing as high as one hundred ship carpenters at a time. Mr. Pearson invented a solar
attachment to the surveyor's transit, manufac



78


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


tured by Gurley Bros., of Troy, New York; also
another pattern manufactured by Buff & Burger,
of Boston, Massachusetts. He also improved the
propeller wheel, which, in the improved form,
was manufactured by Wilson & Hendrie, of
Montague, Michigan, until Mr. Hendrie's death.
He has compiled a valuable work for mariners,
"Manual of Navigation for the Lakes," which
will soon appear.
H. G. Smith came to Ferrysburg in 1847; U. B.
Eamres came in 1848.
Ralph Osterhoef came to Grand Haven in I855.
That same year he worked upon the now Ferry
residence for Barnes & Cook, the builders; upon
the union school building at Lamont, and helped
build the Denton house at Eastmanville. He
worked at pattern making at the Ottawa Iron
works for seventeen years, and embarked in the
mercantile business in Ferrysburg in I872.
The hotel was built by a man named Hill in
I858. For many years this house did a thriving
business, especially during the days when it was
the headquarters for the Muskegon stage line.
Wm. M. Ferry, Jr., lived for many years opposite
the hotel.
Batcheller & Slatt for several years operated a
big mill which was afterwards bought by the
Grand Haven Lumber Co.
White and Glover owned and ran a big mill
at Ferrysburg for several years. It was burned
July 4th, 1876.
Alexander Rogers of the Rogers Iron works,
Muskegon, was a foreman at the Ottawa Iron
works in 1856-7.
A man named Reynolds drove an iron pipe in




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


79


the ground while employed at these iron works,
and thus made a drive well long before Green
got his patents. Affidavits of Ralph Osterhof
and others of this fact knocked out Green's
patents in the United States supreme court, but
not until Green had wrested a fortune out of the
people of the country. The facts in regard to
this early drive well were brought out by a man
named Chandler who was working at the iron
works when the well was driven, and held a
position in the patent office when Green's patents
came before the supreme court.
Frank McCooey was one of the first settlers in
Ferrysburg.
Charles Stroebe came to Ferrysburg in the fall
of I864. At one time he owned the lot upon
which L. 0. Perham's brick block in Spring
Lake now stands. He started a store in Ferrysburg in I867. He has been several years postmaster.
Robert Johnston, engineer of the steamer
Alpena, and lost on board of her, was a brother
of J. W. Johnston, and for many years a resident
of Ferrysburg. His widow held the postoffice
several years previous to her death, which
occurred in I891.
James Frazier has for many years been a resident of the village and is considered authority
on summer resort topics.
The location of Ferrysburg is one of great
natural advantages. It has a deep water front
that extends in a half circle around the town.
It lies upon the junction of two railroads, and in
every way.is adapted to manufacture. The day




HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


may be safely predicted when it will be a live
manufacturing town.
TALMADGE TOWNSHIP.
By legislative act, March 6, 1838, Talmadge
was constituted, and consisted of towns seven
and eight north, range thirteen west. The first
meeting was held at the house of Wm. Stoddard,
April 2, 1838. At the organization of the town
there were elected the following officers: Bethuel
Church, supervisor; Israel V. Harris, clerk; Abram
Hatch, Silas G. Harris, Ira Maxfield, Alonzo D.
Yeomans, justices. The following names are recorded as having belonged to those who took
part in the election: Edward Dalton, Daniel
Angell, Jotham Baxter, Allen Stoddard, Thomas
B. Woodbury, Harrison Hunter. In I839 the
township was enlarged by adding to it towns
seven and eight, range fourteen west. After
many changes the present size of the town practically was reached in 1847.
The first settlers of Talmadge were Allen
Stoddard and A. D. Yeomans; they came in 1835.
Yeomans sold out to H. and Z. Steele in 1838,
moved to Illinois and died soon after. The first
winter Stoddard lived in an Indian wigwam.
Ira Maxfield came from Clinton county, New
York, in February, 1836. He died in I874.
Harlow T. Judson came from Canada in I836
and died in I870.
Bethuel Church, Andrew Dalton, Edward
Dalton, John Baxter, Victor Harris, Lemuel
Peake, Lewis D. Burch, Jotham Baxter, T. B.
Woodbury, Daniel and Esic Angell, all came
during 1836. In 1837 Damon Hatch, John T.
Davis, James Bromley, Harry Steele, Zina Steele.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


8r


Daniel Angell, if history is correct, was a
Nimrod of high degree. Not mentioning other
game, he killed seventy wolves in the township
and one panther. Two panthers came into the
county, and only two that history mentions.
Mr. Angell killed one and a man killed another
near Crockery creek.
LAMONT.
Lamont village in the first plat was called
Middleburg. The plat was received for record
March 25, 1851.
Says Everett in his memorials of the Grand
river valley: "Soon after the settlement of the
place (for cities were wonderfully popular in
those days) Mr. Thomas B. Woodbury having
a half section of land admirable for a city, laid
out eighty acres of it. The fate of this city was
not that of countless others platted and mapped
about the same time. It became a village, is
now a village, and a pretty village too. Mr.
Woodbury in one thing showed that he was a
man of taste, a gentleman and a scholar. He
run through the village a wide avenue, which at
the same time is street and park. But he, the
originator of the village, reaped no benefit from
it. He sold out, put his property into a grist
mill that was burned, and he was destitute.
Several of his last years he lived at Fruitport,
where he died. Along the river Middleburg was
also known as Steele's Landing. In 1857 its
name was changed to Lamont.
Mrs. Harrison Hunter taught the first school
in the town in a school house built by Mr.
Hunter.




82


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


The township was named in compliment to
Gen. Talmadge of Duchess county, New York.
WRIGHT TOWNSHIP.
Until March i6th, i847, Wright was a part of
Talmadge. It was set off at that date. It is a
full sized township and an excellent agricultural
one.
Its organization was perfected at the house of
Leonard Roberts and the following gentlemen
were elected its first officers: Silvius Waters,
supervisor; Irenus Wellman, clerk; Hiram C.
McDearman, treasurer; Edson Fuller, John McLain, Charles Dunning, justices. Its settlement
was an extension of the settlements of Talmadge
and Grand Rapids.
Justin Walker, it is believed, was one of the
very first settlers of Wright. He located in the
south-east corner in I839, having a wife and six
children. He located in the forest just a little
beyond the settlement of Walker township. Mr.
Leland came soon after and located a little
north-west of Mr. Walker. Mr. Walker was accidentally killed in Grand Rapids in I863, and his
wife died in 1874.
Benjamin and Timothy B. Lillie and others
settled in the county in i840. James Wheeler
and John O'Brien came in i840.
Benj. F. Laubach settled in Wright in i852,
and for many years took an active part in public
affairs; representing his district in the legislature
several terms.
R. B. McCulloch was one of the first to arrive
in the county.
The Germans located lands in the northern




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


83


part of the township in 1842, and a large settlement was the result in the northern part of
Wright and the southern part of Chester township. They have a Catholic church located in
Wright, and a resident preacher.   The  Irish
people also have a Catholic church a mile and a
half north-west of Berlin, and the Adventists a
church in the west part of the township.
BERLIN.
Berlin village was platted July 8, I857. The
following gentlemen's names appear as proprietors: R. B. McCulloch, B. F. Woodman, Wm.
P. Wells, James Thompkins, Enos C. Morgan,
Barnett Barley, Walter Butler, Geo. W. Woodard, James C. Orvis.
ZEELAND TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE.
BY CORNELIUS VAN LOO.
The territory included within the bounds of
the township of Zeeland was in 1845 part of the
township of Polkton. That was in the good old
days when three men constituted the board of
supervisors of Ottawa county. Timethy Eastman
was the supervisor. The total assessment was
$I2,359.00 and the total tax $41.78 on fourteen
descriptions of land. One of these descriptions
was the south-west quarter of section twentyeight. On the east half of this Jan Hulst settled,
arriving there for permanent residence June 8,
1847, being the first settler in the township. His
son, Jan Hulst, Jr., still lives on the same farm.
One week later Hilbert Mast arrived and settled
on the east half of the south-east quarter of the
same section. The above named Jan Hulst left his
home in the Netherlands March 2, 1847, left the




84


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


port of Hellevoet March I9, and arrived at Baltimore, Maryland, April 27.  From  there the
journey was over land to his farm, occupying six
weeks.
The first settlers at or near the village were
Jan Steketee in July 1847, J. De Hond and
Christian Den Herder, the latter arriving on
south-west quarter section 17 August 16, 1847,
bringing with him a load of lumber immediately placed on end in the shape of a bell tent,
under which the family passed the first night in
the wilderness. At that time the township was
part of Georgetown, Asa A. Scott being supervisor; in 1848 it was part of Ottawa township,
C. B. Albee, supervisor; in I849 part of Allendale,
Grosvenor Reed, supervisor; in I849-50 part of
Holland, H. D. Post, supervisor.
At a session of the legislature in I850 Zeeland
was organized as a separate township, and the
first town meeting was held July 14, 1851, and
the following persons were elected township
officers: Supervisor, Elias G. Young; clerk and
treasurer, R. M. De Bruyn; directors of the poor,
H. O. Yntema, Jan De Pree; highway commissioners, Milan Coburn, R. M. De Bruyn, Sietse Op't
Holt; justices of the peace, J. Nieuwendorp, E.
G. Young, J. G. Van Hees; constables, H. De
Kruif. Geo. H. Baert, Wm. Kremers. Number of
votes cast 93.
First general election held under the new
constitution of I850 was also held in I85I, when
sixty-five votes were cast, 57 Democratic and
eight Whig.   In   1852 the presidential election was held, and 141 votes cast, 131 Democratic,
ten Whig.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


85


In October, I853, Arie Van Bree was appointed
agent for the sale of spirituous liquors under the
new liquor law at an annual salary of $I5.oo.
A stock of $20 worth of liquors was procured
which he was scarcely able to sell under the
stringent provisions of the law. The total number of accounts allowed against the town the first
year was $111.99.
December 26, I850, the first school district was
organized, and the first school meeting was held
in the Reformed church building January 7, I85I.
J. G. Van Hees was elected moderator, R. M.
DeBruyn, director, and Hendrik De Kruif,
assessor. One dollar tax was voted for each
child between four and eighteen years of age.
At the first meeting of the board of school inspectors Elias G. Young was examined and
licensed as teacher, and a week later "Madam"
Young also. August 15, 185I, Rev. C. Van Der
Meulen visited the Zeeland school, and R. M.
De Bruyn the Vriesland school in district number
two, then recently organized. This was the first
official school visitation had in the township.
The first highway in the town was laid out
November 23, I849, excepting the state road
from Grandville to Holland, angling through the
town and long since taken up. C. B. Albee and
Frank B. Gilbert were the commissioners that
laid out the first highway with Timothy Eastman,
surveyor. In March, 1851, H. D. Post and James
Walker, commissioners, and B. Grootenhuis, surveyor, laid out and recorded fourteen highways
in the town providing an outlet to most of the
settlers.
The first child born was one of Cornelis Wen6




86


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


ninger, though the first of which there is an
official record was Wouter Van Nuil, September
19, I847, and, according to the church record,
baptized in October.
The first couple married were Jan Wabeke and
Martina Glerum, December I, 1847, by Rev. C.
Van Der Meulen, at the house of the latter.
The witnesses were James Van De Luyster and
J. Steketee. All the parties to this interesting
ceremony are now deceased.
In Vriesland the first couple to enter into the
bonds of matrimony were John Van Zoeren and
lady, both still living.
Jan Elsma on section twenty-two was the first
settler in that part of the town in July, I847.
He is still living and knows what house building
means. First he made himself comfortable under
a brush' tent, then in a log house, next a frame,
and now he inhabits a substantial brick building.
He is a typical old country Frisian, quaint,
peculiar, religious, patriotic and republican, as
all Frisians are, loyal to all that is noble, beautiful and true.
The first settlers of Zeeland all came from the
land of "William the Silent," bringing with them
the love of liberty, civil and religious, of that great
prince. The secesssion of a large body of Christians from the dead formalism of the state church
in the Netherlands, led to persecution by fine,
imprisonment, loss of employment and obliquy.
Free church and free schools, freedom to worship God according to the dictations of their own
consciences, and a desire to improve their temporal condition, finally led them to forsake the




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


87


land of their birth and to try their fortunes in a
new world.
Early in I847 three meetings were held in the
little city of Goes in the province of Zeeland to
consider the matter. It was decided to emigrate
in. a body. They.organized themselves into a
church society and elected J. Van De Luyster
and J. Hoogesteger as elders and J. Steketee and
A. Glerum as deacons. It was further decided
that they ought not to go without a minister,
and extended a call to Rev. Cornelius Van Der
Meulen of Goes, who accepted the call.
Three vessels left the Netherlands with the
emigrants on board; the first under leadership of
Jan Steketee, the second of Rev. C. Van Der
Meulen, and the the third of J. Van De Luyster,
arriving here at different times during the summer of i847. So it may be said that the Reformed
church of Zeeland was organized in the old
country, and came here as a church, the only
known instance of the kind, with the exception
of, perhaps, the pilgrim fathers.
In the eastern part of the township the first
settlers  were  mainly  from  the province of
Friesland, and also brought a minister with them,
the Rev. Mr. Ypma. The large family of Van
Zoeren, however, were from Gelderland, and
from this fact their neighborhood is still i called
"De Geldersche Buurt." It will be noticed that
the early settlers perpetuated the names of the
different provinces when they came here, by
applying them to the localities where they
settled. Thus we have Holland, North Holland,
Vriesland, Overisel, Graafschap, Old and New
Groningen, Drenthe, Zeeland, and names of




88


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


towns as Nie-Kerk, Zutphen, Borculo, Harderwijk, etc.
J. Van De Luyster the proprietor of the village
of Zeeland, bought of the United States government the entire of section nineteen, on which
the village is mainly located., He also bought
section seventeen, which was settled mainly by
his children and peasantry of his farm in the
old country, whom he brought with him.
JAn Wabeke, father of the late Rev. C. Wabeke,
also brought a number of poor families with him.
Jan Smallegange did the same in 1849, among
which was the family of Wm. Van Loo, whereof
the writer was an humble member then ten
years old, and who will hold the name of
Smallegange in grateful remembrance while
memory lasts.
Of the sufferings, privations and struggles of
these early settlers, none  not familiar with
pioneer life can form any conception. Locating
in a dense wilderness without means, without
roads, unacquainted with the language or institutions of the country, inexperienced in the severe
toil required to clear up heavy timber land, suffering from diseases incident to living around the
swamps and to the process of acclimation. Many
gave up the struggle and removed to Grand
Rapids, Kalamazoo, Grand Haven and other
places, some to return again when better
days dawned. The majority, however, were
"stayers," chief of whom was the old minister,
Van Der Meulen.
Poor as any other of the settlers with a family
to support. he was at once minister, doctor, land
looker and judge. When worn and tired and




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


89


discouraged, the colonists came out of the woods
from different directions on Sabbath mornings,
the old saint of God would preach to them with
a pathos and a fervid eloquence now seldom
heard, and would send them back in the evening to their humble cabins with new courage,
with firmer determination, brighter hope, loftier
purpose and more unfaltering trust, to renew the
struggle in the forest and hew out a home and
competence.  Before any one had a decent
house to live in these sturdy men of Puritan
mould built a church of hewn timbers, 40x60
feet, the most substantial and most comfortable
building in all the settlement.  Nor was the
school house forgotten, for though "school district No. I" was not organized, in a legal way,
till December 26, 1850, yet a school was taught
long before that, part of the time by a man who
came there to sell fruit trees, and afterwards by
Mr. R. M. De Bruyn, father of Rev. P. De
Bruyn, who was probably the first Hollander
qualified to teach school in Ottawa county. And
let us note here, while speaking of schools, that
it has ever been the endeavor of the settlers in
this township to have a free school of the American type. They have never been led off into sectarian or parochial by-paths, not even to the idea
of a school taught in the Holland language, for
which it seems, our fellow citizens of the same
nationality in other localities have a penchant.
While not ashamed of the land of their fathers,
but proud of their ancestry and loving the language in which their forefathers worshiped God,
wooed their brides, and recited the deeds of
Tromp and De Ruyter, Mauritz and William the




90


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Silent to their wondering children, yet they do
not believe in a Holland or France, an Ireland
or Germany, in free America. Again, while
clinging to their church and their doctrines with
tenacity and respecting their ministers and giving
them generous support, yet must it be said in
justice to Zeeland's inhabitants, that they are as
free from sectarian spirit and bigotry as any equal
body of citizens in the United States. They are
most intensely jealous of their right to think for
themselves on every subject; loyal to the core to
the land of their adoption, and thorough believers in its free institutions. In proportion to
their means, generous to prodigality toward suffering humanity and leading all other Holland
communities in support of domestic and foreign
missions.
Quite a number of young men of our township
served in the civil war; among those killed were
Dirk Keppel, Gerrit Van Bree and Alexander
Jonkheer. The township paid out $25,i80.30 for
the support of the war for the union. The township also paid large sums toward the opening of
Holland harbor.
The disastrous fires of i87I, when Holland was
laid in ashes, taxed the generosity to the utmost,
while at a township meeting held in 1880 $8oo
was raised for the relief of the sufferers by the
fires in the eastern part of the state in August
and September of that year.
The Russian famine of the present winter again
touched the sympathies of the people, and almost
without effort, over 30,000 pounds of flour was
collected and sent forward on its errand of relief
and mercy.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


9I


Zeeland village is situated on the west line of
the township, and was platted in I849. At present it contains 780 inhabitants.  School district
number one, which includes the village, has a
school census of 468. The village has three
churches, the Reformed and the First and Second
Holland Christian Reformed, a fine two story
school building with six school rooms, two furniture stores, two clothing stores, five general
and one grocery store, one book store, two
butchers, two wagon and smith shops, one hotel,
one tannery, one cooper shop, two flour exchange
and feed stores and a fine furniture factory,
which turns out over $I,ooo worth of suits and
side boards every week. The village is on
sections i8 and I9, town 5 north, range I4 west, on
the Chicago & West Michigan railway, and is
twenty miles south-west of Grand Rapids, and
twenty-six miles from the county seat. On section
three is situated Beaverdam church and postoffice and two stores; on section 15 the Reformed
church building of Vriesland, one of the largest
and finest church buildings to be found outside
of a village or city. A fine brick school building
stands just across from the church, and on the
opposite corner is the fine store of Den Herder
and Tanis, and the Vriesland cheese factory near
by. On the corner of section 34 is the Drenthe
Christian Reformed church, a brick school house
and the large store of H. Bakker & Son. On
the opposite corner is a general store in which
is kept the Drenthe postoffice, with a blacksmith
shop and wagon shop in the immediate vicinity.
The population of the township outside of the
village of Zeeland is 2,236, making a total in the




92


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


town of about 3,000. In 1854 it was 912. In 1874
it was 2,576. Since the first presidential vote,
which stood Democratic 13I, Whig Io, there has
been a great change in the politics of the town,
receiving its first impetus in the trying period of
the war, and constantly fostered by discussion
and effective work. It may safely be stated that
there is more politics to the square foot in
Zeeland, year in and year out, than in any other
locality in the state. In 1876 the vote stood,
Republican 296, Democratic 147; I880, Republican 348, Democratic 132; 1884, Republican 37I,
Democratic 162; i888, Republican 430, Democratic I84.  The reasons for this condition and
political complexion of the town are: First, the
Democratic party's record on secession and rebellion, finance and tariff; second, the intense
jealousy with which the Zeelanders regard their
civil and religious rights and our public school
system, all of which they regard in constant danger from the Catholic Hierarchy, which, together
with the liquor interest of the country, form the
bulwark of Democracy and is a standing menace
to free institutions.




PAI;TIT II.


THE HOLLAND CHURCHES IN OTTAWA COUNTY.
BY THE REV. HENRY E. DOSKER.
Among them the Church of Christ, in the county
of Ottawa, finds its greatest embodiment. The
field before me is a wide one and my task is
congenial. Where I speak of the Dutch ecclesiastical life in our midst, I find a path beaten and
well known. The Dutch threads in our social
fabric are many, so many, indeed, as to impart a
perceptible hue to the whole. And so strong the
Dutch hold on our surroundings appears to be,
that it will, undoubtedly, give cast to the future
of the county, indelibly stamping itself upon the
life of the community, and giving it a character
equally ineffaceable, as that of the early Dutch
pilgrims, which stares one in the face almost
everywhere in the great metropolis of the country. New York has well preserved the footprints
of its early settlers; Ottawa county will never
lose, nor lose by those of the pilgrims of '46 and
subsequent years.
Who are these plodders, lying close, as an
advancing army, on the two lower tiers of townships in Ottawa and the upper tiers of townships
in Allegan county, and in many other localities
besides? They well repay scrutiny. There are
many questions to be answered with regard to
them. They are but little known yet; slowly, as
[93]




94         HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF
is their historic habit, asserting themselves, but
then steadily growing. Wherever Hollanders come,
they come to stay. Their political and ecclesiastical histories are so intricately entangled, that
they are almost inseparable. You may follow, if
you list, the frivolous example of Washington
Irving, who made them his "butt" in one of his
raciest sketches, but then you will never know
them. Or you may sink down, with John L
Motley, beneath the placid waters, and study their
deep secrets, and then, I am sure, you will rise,
even as he did, with profoundest esteem, and find
them a race strong and true, meeting pride with
pride, and affection with love; loving their God
and their liberty above all things; never on the
tyrant's side nor long under his yoke; a nation
small and weak, yet invincible in its weakness;
having at its back a history grander than which
no country can boast, full of thrilling episodes,
which read rather like fanciful romance than stern
reality.
Motley's pen has glorified the Netherlands, as
has also that of Dr. William  Elliot Griffis, of
Boston, and its true and loyal sons may proudly
lift their heads among the nations of the world.
There are in this county no less than twentyfour Holland churches, equally divided between
rival denominations. You desire to know the why
and how of this split between people of one
language and common habits of life and thought.
No more than the briefest possible historical
sketch of their numerous churches can be given.
You may be curious to know the underlying
principles of the history of our colonization in
America and in this county. In endeavoring to




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


95


gratify this desire, and meeting at the same time
the demands of my topic, I will briefly discuss:
I. The causes of the movement.
II. The ecclesiastical development of the Hollanders in Ottawa county.
III. The causes of disruption.
I.-CAUSES OF EMIGRATION.
The Hollanders are peculiar. For long centuries they have been soaked in theology. Since
the days of the Reformation, nay, even for long
periods before, they displayed a peculiar zest for
dogmatic disputes. The cloisters and convents
of the Netherlands yielded some of the deep
foundation-rocks of the Reformation. "The brethren of the common life"-there cradled into being
their tenets, which were even as the shuddering
dawn of the Reform, looming up in the distance.
Thomas A. Kempis and scores of others labored
and wrote in the Low Countries. The sunrise of
the Reformation found them prepared. What
they suffered in the cause of Christ you know.
My fatherland is one great cemetery and charnelhouse of martyrs for Christ's sake. No fewer
than Ioo,ooo were exiled, and more than 35,000
suffered death, rather than bow before the tyrant
and forsake their faith. We have bought our
liberty, political and religious, with our choicest
blood. The struggle left the Netherlanders free,
but full of self-assertion; and this hereditary trait
-the desire not only for common, but also for
individual independence-became the great source
of our numerous, sharp, religious contests. The
Synod of Dordt decided but little. Whole provinces rejected its authority. If the State's over



96


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


whelming favor was on the side of the followers
of Gomarus, it did not entirely wipe out the doctrines of Arminius. How could it in a country
of free thought? Almost immediately after that
period, Maresius and Alting, professors at the
University of Groningen, waged a bitter war about
the true province of exegetical theology. Each
had his determined partisans.
Later on, Gysbertus Voetius, professor  at
Utrecht-dogmatic, strict, almost an ascete; and
Joh Coccejus, professor at Leyden-genial, more
liberal, but equally faithful, with his antagonistdivided the entire Church into parties, bitterly
opposed to each other. Then came the wave of
infidelity. English deistic and French revolutionary principles flooded the low countries. Their
dykes could not restrain that kind of a flood.
The masses were permeated. Irreligiousness prevailed. Religion became an empty form. The
house of Orange was overthrown. Napoleon ruled,
and for a time stamped out the spirit of liberty.
He fell. William of Orange returned; and as
William I., was crowned King of the Netherlands (a title which the Great William had steadfastly declined) on the first day of December,
I813. The Church had suffered terribly meanwhile. It was one with the State. The StatesGeneral and Napoleon and Louis alike had
tyrannized over it, and William followed in the
old rut. By the law of the I7th of June, 1815,
the Presbyterian government of the State Church
of the Netherlands was virtually abolished; the
synodical and lower bodies became creatures of
the throne, and thus the wheel kept moving,
whilst the spirit of revolution was yet in the air.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


97


Meanwhile, a tidal wave of revival had swept
the greater part of Europe. It reached the Netherlands. People desired the plain gospel. They
rejected songs for the sanctuary. which were
thrust upon the congregations and their pastors,
by an act of the crown. Even there they desired
liberty, to sing or not to sing, as they pleased.
Fierce and fiercer the agitation grew. It culminated in the secession of hundreds of members of
the State Church. Henry De Cock of Ulrum, in
the province of Groningen, was its father. Its
semi-centennial and that of this county coincide.
What of it? Were they not free in a free country?  Oh, no! In this enlightened nineteenth
century, in a Christian country, Christians were
mobbed, persecuted, and imprisoned; their meetings disturbed and scattered with armed violence,
their property confiscated, they themselves hounded
and buffeted with cruelty untold.  And why?
Because they differed in religious convictions from
the rest of the nation. All the ancient religious
intolerance was revived, only vitiated and intensified, through its present dangerous surroundings.
From 1836 to 1852 this condition continued, till
the eyes of Europe were directed to it, and
mighty kings began to shift uneasily on their
thrones. Then it ceased, but not until I870 were
these Seceders formally recognized by the State.
That persecution is the foul blot on the fair name
of Holland-its stigma among the nations. Thus
liberty, bought at a price, was always wont to
degenerate into fierce tyranny.
To that despised sect of Seceders mostly belonged the early Dutch settlers of Ottawa county.
Remember it well; it will throw light on many








98         HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF
things under your own eyes. True, they were
poor. True, the "malaise" had darkened the
horizon of their prospects. But I tell you the
mairospring of this immigration was religious intol-,mce and love of liberty. These Dutchmen loved
exile, with- liberty, rather than the fatherland,
without it. They sought here, in the forest, what
they loved; but had lost there. They are our
Pilgrim fathers. The "Southerner," which arrived
at New York on the fourth of November, 1846,
is our " May Flower." The old camp at Holland
is our " Plymouth Rock." Look at this movement, my way, and tell me, does it not magnify
these quaint, plain people, who have lived among
you these last thirty-seven years? Does it not
redeem much of what you judged heretofore objectionable in them?


II.- THE STORY OF THE HOLLAND CHURCHES OF
OTTAWA COUNTY.
It is not necessary here to enter into details, a
few touches will suffice. The Holland pioneer,
the man who stamped himself more than anyone else on the history of the Holland township, is Dr. A. C. Van Raalte. Born on the
I7th day of October, i8II, at Wanneperveen, in
the province of Overisel, in the Netherlands, of
parents in easy circumstances of life, his father
being a minister in the State Church of no mean
reputation; a man of liberal education; driven
almost against his will into the camp of the
Seceders; but a formidable champion, aye, a hero
for the cause, when led into it by Divine Providence; bearing the marks of persecution on
his own body-he is "par excellence," a man




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


99


worthy of close and deep study. The picture
reveals the man. Short of stature, with a forehead indicating unusual brain power, deep lines
of thought furrowing it; bright eagle eyes, glowing with enthusiasm or sparkling with ominous
fire when he was deeply agitated; his smile, a
revelation, benign at all times, and again full of
satire; his firm lips indicative of decision and
tenacity of purpose. He was a man always demanding respect, not rarely deeply impressive-a
power everywhere. He was an orator of the first
rank when warmed to his task; a man of strong
convictions. Some of his discourses are stamped
indelibly on the memory of his hearers. His
sermon in memory of our boys, lost in the late
war, will never be forgotten. He had his faults,
was not generally understood by his own people,
was unreasonably sanguine at times, made grievous mistakes, yet, in spite of all, he was the
leading spirit, the very soul of the colony. His
loss, in its early days, would have involved the
entire collapse of the enterprise. With a handful of
pilgrims, following an old Indian trail, he arrived
in the forests near Black Lake, for the first time,
in the latter days of December, 1847.
The next spring Van Raalte brought his family
and remaining followers from Allegan, where
they had been most hospitably entertained, to
their new home. He preached his first regular
sermon in an old Indian log church, two and a
half miles south of camp, on the 30th of March,
1847. All that summer they worshiped under the
shady trees, west of his log cabin. In the ensuing
fall the pioneers had built and partly finished a
log church, 30x60 feet; the west end of which




I00


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


was used as a school house. So early the education of their children was considered to be of
prime importance by these Hollanders. Around
that church, in regular old Dutch style, were the
graves of those who fell asleep in Christ. The
anguish of those early years, the dreadful disappointments, they met with, the devouring
homesickness, the care and comfort and support
and consolation of the lonely pioneers, melting
away like snow before the spring sun, under the
fever heat of malarious diseases and the grating
of unwonted labor and the consequences of unwholesome food, all these things were laid as a
load of terrors on that one man. And a true
father he was to his people. His pastoral work,
his school, his college, form the grand mausoleum
over his grave, where he, too early for the good
of the colony, sleeps in Christ since the 7th day
of November, 1876. His grave is among us till
this day.
The first church of Holland, Van   Raalte's
church, has until late years kept a leading position. The greatest number of communicants was
486. The total of its contributions since 1858,
when first a special column was given in our
statistics to the amounts, contributed by the
various churches, is $87,358.78. Its pastors, after
Dr. Van Raalte, were Rev. R. Pieters, 1868-79, a
man demanding universal respect, and the Rev.
N. M. Steffens since the 7th of January, I883.
Ever since February 27th, 1882, it is split in two
parties, a small minority clinging to the old
name and keeping up the historic thread, whilst
the great majority has seceded from the Reformed
Church of America and is now merged into the




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


IOI


rival denomination; the Holland Christian Reformed
Church. Their pastor since 1883 is Rev. E. Bos.
One year before the resignation of Rev. Dr. Van
Raalte the church had become unwieldy. Some
of his people clamored for and the doctor
favored, the organization of a new church, which
took place on the 9th day of September, 1867.
The third church of Holland numbered then
ninety-seven communicants. A house of worship
was built and solemnly dedicated February 14,
i868. A brick parsonage was erected. All appeared smiling. Suddenly "a change came o'er
the vision of their dreams." The great fire of
October 9, 1871, by which seventy-six places of
business and 243 homes were destroyed, wiped it
all away. The third church was the first building
to catch fire; from it the bellowing flames sped
headlong and laid low, in a couple of hours, the
labor of many years. Yet they were not disheartened. A new building, just up in the frame
was leveled by the strong gale of January 2, I873.
Again they started and this time their new church
was dedicated November 25, I874. That congre
gation was baptized in trouble. Its successive
pastors were Rev. J. Van der Meulen, from I868
to 1871; Rev. H. Uiterwyk from I872 to I880;
Rev. D. Broek, from November, I880, till November, i888; since December, I888, the writer of this
sketch has been its pastor. The aggregate of
their benevolences run up into the thousands.
Their property is valued at $I5,000, largely improved since I890. The number of communicants
is 316. They have a chapel and     occasional
services at Ventura on the lake shore.
The small minority of the loyal mertlbers of
7




102


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


the old First Church had meanwhile, organized
themselves. They retained the old name. A
struggle for the property ended in complete failure. Even the highest court in the State decided
in favor of the majority.
Some years before, in I865, some thirteen discontented members had left the First Church and
organized in Holland a True Dutch Reformed
Church. They have prospered.    To-day they
number nearly 325 members in full communion.
Their property is valued at $5,ooo. They have
been served by five pastors until now-Rev. D.
de Beer, i867 to I868; Rev. T. Hulst, i868 to
I871; Rev. J. Noordewier, I873 to I878; Rev. G.
Hoeksema, i88o to I88I; and Rev. J. A. de
Bruyn, since I883. Under the pastorate of the
present minister, Rev. E. Van der Vries, the
church has prospered wonderfully. It is to-day
the largest communion in the city of Holland.
Among the Holland churches of Ottawa county
may also safely be classed the American (Dutch)
Reformed Church of Holland, called "Hope."
This church consists almost entirely of Holland
families, who have adopted the language of the
country and whose children are not sufficiently
versed in their parents' native tongue to profit
by Dutch preaching. They have a beautiful little
church and commodious parsonage, valued at
$Io,ooo. Their pastors were successively-Revs.
A. T. Stewart, D. Van Pelt, T. W. Jones, and
last, but not least, the young and active J. Talmadge Bergen, whose popular ministry greatly
enlarged the church boundaries. The present
number of communicants is I53.
North of Holland there are two more churches.






OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I03


The one belonging to our denomination, that of
North Holland, is in a thriving condition. Hardly
as much can be said of that of Noordeloos, belonging to the Holland Christian Reformed Chuch.
Originally they were one, but petty jealousies and
fierce antagonisms tore them asunder.
Of that of Noordeloos little is to be said. It
is a fit representative of the church militant. It
has a church property of attractive appearance,
worth perhaps $I,200. It numbers to-day only
37 communicants, and appears to be devoured by
internal wrangles, and is fast on the way of total
extinction. That of North Holland was organized
in 1853, by Dr. A. C. Van Raalte. The people
in that region were in a dreadful condition at the
time. They needed religion pre-eminently as a
saving power.  Dr. Van Raalte almost forced
them to organize. Slowly, ingredients of inferior
type had become mixed with the current of immigration. Later comers often entirely lacked the
high motives of the pioneers. Some of the first
settlers of North Holland appear to have been
of that class. The church numbered originally.but thirteen members. Everything was in a chaotic
condition in its early years. Only in 1863 did
things take permanent shape.
Noordeloos had meanwhile separated itself from
North  Holland. From   I865 dates the steady
growth of the latter church. Rev. Christian Oggel
preached there from i866 to 1870, to be succeeded
by Rev. B. Van Ess, who departed thence after
a very successful pastorate of fourteen years.
It was ministered to for a. brief period by Rev.
J, de Jong, who was succeeded by the energetic.candidate Rev. RalphB, Bo.emendael. The latter




tO4


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


gave a great impetus to the substantial growth
of the church, and left in the fall of 189I, to
assume charge of the First Church of Chicago,
a field of the utmost importance. To-day the
church numbers 218 communicants. It has raised
an aggregate of $35,30I.65. Its present church
property is valued at $6,0oo.
And another of the pioneer churches is that of
Zeeland, always a leading church of the Reformed
denomination in this country, and to-day the
largest. Its old archives are unfortunately lost.
Under the leadership of Rev. C. Van der Meulen,
it fell almost immediately into line. Its tabular
records show great punctuality almost from the
beginning. Some one among them possessed great
clerical ability. Five years after their arrival in
the wilderness these pioneers raised hundreds of
dollars per annum, for the church and its needs.
The aggregate of their contributions since 1858
amount to p. m. $75,000. No mean sum, indeed,
if one takes into consideration that in I847 they
lacked, almost to a man, the scant necessities of
life. Its first pastor, the Rev. Cornelius Van der
Meulen, was born in Middelharnis, in the province of Zeeland, in the Netherlands, in the year
I800. In early life he had no thought of the
ministry, but followed business pursuits. IThe
wave of revival struck him and carried 'him along.
H e became a changed man. He now experienced
a,devouring desire to preach the gospel,: and: pretppared himself for it, as the necessities of the' time
*appeared to demand. Joining the seceders he
shared their toils, woes and persecutions, arid,
eatching the American afever,:hel migrated hither
Hgii:h 4o; souls,.and:settled, in July,.1847,Son t'the




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I05


spot where now the attractive village of Zeeland
is situated. He came a year after Van Raalte,
and, with him, administered the affairs of the
colonists. Next to Dr. Van Raalte this man was
the most important leader of the immigrants. A
man of less learning than the other, but of that
subtle knowledge of human nature and singular
tact of leadership, which made him the idol of
many; the friend of all; the foe of everything
which threatened the colony's success. He was
pre-eminently a man of men, reading a man's
mind with unwonted keenness, jovial and sincere
in his associations with men, a man of decision
and power, of strong principles and healthy views.
He rests in the Lord, in the midst of those'who
shared with him the heat and burden of the day.
His pastorate over the Zeeland church extended
from 1847 to i859. His successor, Rev. J. Stobbelaar, from i86o to I865, whose ministry was a
stormy one, was followed by Rev. S. Bolks, I865
to 1872; Rev. W. Moerdyk, from I873 to 1876,
under whom the church was flourishing, was succeeded by Rev. N. M. Steffens, 1878 to 1882, whose
ability and power steered the vessel through the
dreadful storm of the anti-Masonic agitation, not,
however, without serious injury to the church.
It lost heavily in those days. Since I882, Rev.
J. Kremer has been their pastor, whose tact and
ripe experience keeps the church in a flourishing
condition. The question of Americanization has,
however, become a great problem in this old
church.
The Church of Zeeland maintains a station at
New Groningen, and its property is valued at
$Io,ooo. Under the ministry of Rev. J. Stobbe



Io6


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


laar, secession there first lifted up its head, in
1862. Fifteen members severed their connection
and formed a True Church. In I868 they were
considerably strengthened by an accession of Holland Presbyterians. In 1878 they erected their
present attractive house of worship. They number to-day 200 communicants. Their pastors were
Rev. J. Hulst, I870-72; Rev. J. Frielingh, 1874-77;
Rev. G. Hoeksema, 1877-79; and Rev. L. Rietdyk,
one of the ablest pastors of that denomination.
Since that time they enjoyed the ministry of Rev.
J. Keizer, and, after a long vacancy, they are
now under the revolutionizing leadership of an
active young pastor, Rev. J. Groen. They value
their church property at $5,000.
From the agitation above referred to, another
church was born. It was wrenched from the
mother church, in those days when the Reformed
Church in these parts appeared to be rocking to
its very foundations; when things were in a continuous state of eruption; when all was unsettled,
and the very existence of our Reformed, ecclesiastical life appeared a complicated question, by
no means easily settled. On March 17, 1882,
forty-four members of the Zeeland    Church,
offended at the treatment which Masonry received
at the hands of the old consistory, organized
themselves into an independent church. Later on
they joined the old seceders. They now number
200 communicants, and have property valued at
$3,200. They are ministered unto, since May,
1883, by Rev. J. F. Fles, formerly of the Presbyterian Church, and since his departure, two years
ago, by the Rev. J. Riemersma, the present incumbent.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


107


Again, there is a pioneer church at Vriesland,
a little hamlet in the township of Zeeland. On
November I9, 1846, a meeting was held at Leeuwarden, in the province of Vriesland (Netherlands), by several men who belonged to that race
of people in the Lowlands who trace their descent,
in lines almost unbroken, to the original masters
of the country, (the Frisians). They belonged
mostly to those who had separated from the State
Church. They resolved to emigrate to America,
and the Rev. Martin A. Ypma was called to be
their leader and pastor. You recognize the peculiar bent of all the original settlers, to move under
the leadership of some pastor. On April 7, 1847,
they sailed from Rotterdam and arrived in Michigan, after an eventful passage, in the month of
June following. Settling on a very rich tract of
land, they soon began to prosper. The old church
has, of late years, given place to a new one, which,
together with the parsonage, is valued at $io,ooo.
Its pastors were Rev. M. A. Ypma, I847-52; A.
Zwemer, 1858-68; Henry Uiterwyk, I869-72; Peter
de Pree, 1872-82; George Niemeyer, 1883-86; Harm
Van der Ploeg, I887-90; Gerardus de Jonge, the
present incumbent. That church, even as the
others, saw its dark days. Since I857 a True
Church had emanated from it, which kept up a
continuous warfare. It is now in about the same
condition as Noordeloos, slowly dying, and has
left but a membership of some forty communicants. I was, however, unable to obtain any
reliable particulars in regard to it. Its attractive
Church property, valued at $1,200, is situated
about a mile south of the mother church.
Two miles south of that church another rises,




108


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF'


one of the neatest in the settlements. It belonged
to the Reformed denomination until it was deviated from its original purpose in the late Masonic
agitation in I882. The pastor, called at that
time, Rev. H. Van der Werp, succeeded some very
able Reformed ministers, among whom were
Rev. R. Pieters, Rev. Wm. Moerdyk and Rev.
Ch. Van der Veen. The present pastor is G. Broene,
the number of communicants 220. Its property
is valued at $2,000. Within a stone's throw of
it is an old Holland Presbyterian Church, dead
at last at this time. In its palmier days it was
an affair of some dimensions, but the majority of
its members united years ago with the Holland
Christian Reformed Church at Zeeland. It had
in its make up a "vitium originale." It was an
opposition church in Van Raalte's day.
In the opposite corner of the township of
Zeeland there is still another trio of Holland
churches. The Reformed Church of Beaver-Dam
was organized on the I4th day of March, I870,
with thirty-one communicants. Rev. John Broek
ministered unto it with great faithfulness from
February 15, I872, till November 2, I884. In
I875 they built an imposing house of worship.
The Masonic agitation broke over that church
with dreadful violence. Twenty-four families left
it on that account in i88i and i882. These,
joining with others, settling in the vicinity, were
organized soon after as the Holland Christian
Reformed Church of Zutphen. To-day they have
enrolled  I 3 members and have considerable
property. Their pastor is Rev. H. H. D. Langereis.  The old  Reformed   Church  enjoyed
for a while the ministry of Rev. Bahler, and




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


IO9


after a long vacancy have now secured a young
pastor, Rev. J. Baas, whose coming may mark a
new era.
Just across the line north there is a Reformed
Church, a child of the above. It was organized
as the Reformed Church of South Blendon on
the 17th of April, 1883, with thirty-five members.
It is a station of some vigor and promises well
for the future. Its two pastors were Rev. G. De
Jonge, and the present incumbent, William Pool.
They have just succeeded in building a new
house of worship.
Looking north you will find another cluster of
churches in Jamestown. The Reformed Church
of that name was organized in 1869 -with eighteen communicants. It has grown till its record
shows I69 members. Its first pastor was Rev.
John Van der Meulen, a son of the pioneer of
Zeeland, who was installed there May 30, 1875,
and has served that church with singular devotion and great acceptability till 1889.  His
successor was Rev. C. John, who has just left
them for Ebenezer. Its property is estimated at
$4,000. They raised about $13,000.
Not far removed from it is the Holland
Christian Reformed Church of Jamestown, organized during the Masonic agitation on the 26th
day of May, i880, with forty-eight members.
They are a growing church, fully alive to the
situation, and number to-day 225 communicants.
They value their property at $5,500. Their share
of the financial burdens they have nobly borne.
Their present pastor is Rev. A. Van den Heuvel.
A small off-shoot of these two churches is the


&




IIO


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Mission  Station of Jamestown  Center, which
numbers to-day forty-four communicants.
North-east of these there is another Seceder
church, that of Jenisonville in Georgetown,
organized in July, 1875, with only eight members;
to-day it has sixty-seven. Its property has an
estimated value of $i,ooo.
Coming nearer home you will find in this
county still a few more Holland Churches. I
am almost afraid to mention them, because I
know this recital cannot but be a severe tax on
your patience and forbearance.
Yet you must hear the list to the end in order
that you may have an adequate idea of the magnitude of the Holland Church-movements in this
county. In Grand Haven proper you have no
fewer than four Holland churches. The mother
of them all is the First Reformed Church-the
old Dutch Church as it is sometimes called. It
has seen dark days and deep waters, yet it outlived all its troubles. As early as I847, whilst
Van Raalte and his companions were struggling
in the southern townships, Hollanders began to
settle in Grand Haven. Not a few of them were
disappointed colonists, who saw a better opening
there than yonder in the forests.
In 1851 Rev. K. Van den Schuur organized
some fifteen members into a Reformed church.
It grew apace, under a succession of pastors, of
whose career little need to be said.  For various purposes it raised, since 1858, more than
$85,ooo.  The successive pastors were:  Rev.
S. Bolks, the pioneer of Overisel, from I852-55;
Rev. P. J. Oggel, called from Utrecht in the
Netherlands, later a professor at the college in


a




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I I I


Holland, from 1856-59; Rev. Ch. Van der Veen,
from i861-68; Rev. H. C. Klyn, as stated-supply
from 1868-69; Rev. J. De Beer, from 1869-72,
whose pastorate was productive of great trouble
to the Church; Rev. E. C. Oggel, from 1872-78,
who now preaches the gospel on the island of
St. Thomas in the West Indies; Rev. R. Duiker,
from 1878-81; Rev. Henry E. Dosker, I881-85;
Rev. A. Wormser, 1885-91; Rev. P. De Bruyn, the
present incumbent. During the pastorate of Rev.
Ch. Van der Veen the hive sent out its first
swarm on October 25, I865.
Sixteen members organized a True Reformed
Church. It has grown till it numbers to-day 112
communicants.  Its property has an estimated
value of $4,500. Its successive pastors were Rev.
K. Van den Bosch, from I869-73; Rev. E. Van
der Vries, 1879-83; Rev. A. Keizer, I884-86, and
the present incumbent, Rev. K. Kuyper. They
have built their second church and are, as a
body, in quite a flourishing condition, though
somewhat divided among themselves. Through
that church, the First, of Grand Haven, has
become a stately grandmother.
The Christian Reformed Church, of Spring
Lake, emanated from it in May, 1882, with fiftyfive members; to-day they number 125 communicants. They have a property of equal value with
the mother church, and are acceptably served
by their present pastor, Rev. W. Frieling.
The First Church sent out a second swarm, five
years after the organization of the True Church
of this place. At Mill Point, south of Spring
Lake, a Reformed Church was organized on the
3rd of March, 1876, with seventeen members. Its




112


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


cosy church and pleasant parsonage are valued
at $4,000. Its pastors were: Rev. J. De Pree,
I870-80; Rev. J. F. Zwemer, I880-83, and Rev.
R. T. Joldersma, I884-86; Rev. M. Kolyn, I882-85;
Rev. G. T. Hekhuis, I887-89, and the present
incumbent, Rev. A. Zwemer. Their present
membership is 131.
The third swarm followed soon after. Its
egress, to my mind, was a deplorable thing. It
was entirely premature. Grand Haven should
long since have had a Reformed Church worshiping entirely in English. The Second Church
should have filled that place. Its organization
was the fruit of bitter contention and misunderstandings, and a dreadful lack of leadership.
The Second Reformed Church of Grand Haven
was organized on the 22nd day of November,
I87I, with twenty-seven members. It has passed,
with the mother church, through deep waters.
Its property is valued at $5,ooo. Its pastors
were: Rev. E. Van der Hart, with a short intermission, from I872-79; Rev. Ch. Van der Veen,
I88o, and the present incumbent, Rev. J. Van
Zanten.
The great trial of the First Church came over
it in the aforesaid anti-Masonic agitation, when it
was brought to the very verge of destruction.
In the fall of i88i almost the entire consistory,
under the leadership of the pastor, Rev. R.
Duiker, with the greater part of its members,
left the Church. It was the last swarm, and it
almost emptied the hive.
They organized an independent church, but
soon after joined the earlier seceders. Te-day
they number 100 members and have a property




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


II3


valued at $4,000. Their present pastor is Rev.
G. de Jong. The First Church has so far outgrown its trouble as to number to-day again 227
communicants. The supreme test of the vitality
of these two churches came when the heart was
torn from the city's bosom by the destructive fire
which, two years ago, laid low four churches and
scores of houses and business places. But as Phcenixes they have risen from the smoking ashes,
purer and more beautiful for. the fiery trial. The
two Reformed churches in Grand Haven are
models of taste and chaste ecclesiastical architecture, and the fire has cemented the hearts of
the people more closely than ever.
Finally, there are two more Holland Churches
in Polkton township. The Reformed Church of
Polkton was organized in I855. It was successively under the care of Revs. J. Van der Meulen,
I863-65; A. Huiszoon, I865-69; A. Buursma,
1869-73; H. Kiekintveld, i873-76; D. Broek,
I877-80; H. Borgers, 1881-83; and (after years of
vacancy) Rev. H. K. Boer, the present pastor.
They have built an attractive house of worship
in the village of Coopersville, valued at $5,c0o,
the first frame of which, during its erection, was
entirely destroyed by fire. They number to-day
eighty-seven communicants.
At Lamont there is a Christian    Reformed
Church, organized in 1879, with nine members.
They number now thirty-five communicants. Their
propelrty is valued at $3,ooo. The Masonic agi-:tation,has strengthened.them considerably.:-Still
it is a weak church and appears to lack vitality.
'The ',Masonic additions,":as: they sometimes call




II4


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


the later seceders, are by no means elements of
new strength in their make up.
Besides the above mentioned Christian Reformed
churches in Ottawa county, there are a few of
perhaps minor importance, which, however, deserve mention. There is one at Allendale, with
156 members, vacant at this date.   Another,
that of Hardewyk, with forty-eight members,
vacant also.  Still two others of more value
to their denomination:  One at Niekerk, four
miles south-east of Holland, with Ioo members,
to whose spiritual needs Rev. F. Wielandt is now
ministering. And finally, the Church of South
Olive, organized in 1885, which now numbers 123
members, and whose pastor is Rev. J. Manni.
There is a constant fluctuation between these two
rival denominations, and it is fervently to be
hoped that, at some future date, they may
coalesce to do their work, with united strength.
What a change since 1847! Thousands of Hollanders crowded into many of the townships of
this county, some living in all. Their church life
is decidedly the most active of any in the county;
their rolls of membership numbering hundreds
upon hundreds; for they are a religious, moral
class of citizens.
The Reformed Church, through its regular statistics, gives easy access to aggregate figures. Its
congregations number 14. Their total of communicants in this county is 2,178; of Sunday
school scholars, 2,464. The aggregate of their
contributions since 1858 is p. m. $515,ooo. The
aggregate value of their Church   property is
$120,000.
The Christian Reformed Church gives only




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


115


partial statistics. Its number of congregations in
this county is i8. The total of their communicants is 2,511; of Sunday school scholars, 2,104.
The aggregate of their contributions cannot be
given, as but few of their churches appear to
have kept accounts. Their collective property is
valued at $55,000. The aggregate of all church
property described in this paper is $I75,000, which
is a very conservative estimate.
III.-CAUSES OF RUPTURE.
You see these Denominations are quite equally
divided. They are both governed according to
the pure Presbyterian system. They have the
very same symbols: the Canons of the Synod of
Dordt, the Heidelberg Catechism, and the five
articles against the Remonstrants. The orthodoxy
of doctrine of both is equally above suspicion.
Whence, then, this separation? It is a remarkable fact that the older leaders, to a man, stood
by the Reformed Church of America. The Seceders originally adopted the title of "True Reformed Church of America," thereby stigmatizing
the other churches as disloyal to the Standards.
In I88I, by a rare stroke of policy, they changed
that title into  "Holland Christian  Reformed
Church of America." This move had a two-fold
effect:
First. It affiliated these churches, in a conspicuous manner, with the Church of the Seceders
in the fatherland, which, by this time, has assumed
magnificent dimensions.
Second. It marked out, for the future of the
Church, a conservative policy, assuaging the fears
of those who dreaded early Americanizing movements.




Ii6


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


That change has assured the growth of the
rival church; catering, as it does, to the strong '
prejudices of the masses of the immigrants.
To find the deeper ground of this schism between these two bodies you must go far beyond
the sea to the early days of the Holland ecclesiastical struggle in the early part of this century.
There were various tendencies in that separation.
Van Raalte was one of the chief exponents of
one of these; but among the early settlers,
among his own followers, were his antagonists.
As long as suffering and toil abounded, the old
roots appeared lifeless, but no sooner began the
sun of prosperity to shine, but these dry roots
sprouted and grew into shoots and strong trees,
and the break of 1857 resulted. Van Raalte
came with an aim to this country. To forget
what was behind and to grow up into the closest
sympathy with the land of his adoption was his
idea. He ceased to be a Netherlander, in all his
aspirations, as soon as he became an American.
America was to him more than a place of exile,
a country of refuge. It was the land of his
adoption. He desired to cut off old traditions,
as fast as Providence opened the way. They
wanted to retain the past and gloat over it with
childish affection. They felt themselves exiled;
always looking back at Palestine, yet ever ready
to acknowledge the undesirableness and unfeasibility of ever returning there. Their favorite
aim-to reconstruct a little Holland in the forests
of Michigan, a; colony afters the model of that at:the Cape of Good Hope. They had each a
different. spirit. AHis a -system of free grace, but
of infinite mercy and abounding love; theirs one




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


II7


too often one of cast iron justice and loveless
decrees. His a gospel of pardon; Iheirs one of
judgment. And so they parted, and it was well
they did. Not in the present but in the far
future lie the possibilities of a re-union; when,
with common pride, the thoroughly Americanized
Hollanders shall look into the records of the
past and shall have outgrown all clannishness;
and, clinging to the true faith, shall have obtained a clearer vision of a larger horizon. The
anti-Masonic plea, so largely entering into the
former, but especially into the later secession, is
easily explained.
The Christian Netherlander appears, by nature,
to be anti-Masonic. It is a tradition among them.
Its reason? "In the days when the flood-gates
of infidelity and revolution were opened upon the
Lowlands, Freemasonry, hitherto but little known
in the Netherlands, grew with astonishing rapidity. Its supporters were bold and defiant in its
defense, and belonged not always to the choicest
elements of society; their gospel was one of revolution and atheism. And so, to the Holland
religious mind, through many believing generations, Freemasonry became identified with infidelity and disintegration. It stands so branded to-day
across the sea. The vast majority of Hollanders
are its avowed enemies, or at least look upon it
with keen suspicion. Their character is an open
one, and so they dislike, as by nature, what is
dark and hidden. When, therefore, the claim
was made that numerous church members and
even pastors, in the Reformed Church of America, were at the same time members of secret,
oath-bound societies, they began to agitate the
8




II8


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


matter. The fanatics on the subject placed before
the General Synod the ultimatum to expel all
Masons from the community of the Church, or
at least to declare membership in oath-bound,
secret societies, a punishable sin-which is virtually
the same; or to see them rupture their connection.
You see how such an agitation, in the hands
of incompetent and bigoted leaders, led into
wrong channels, appealing to a strong, national
prejudice, could rock the western part of the
Reformed Church in America, consisting mostly
of Hollanders, to its very foundations. And the
wonder is only that it worked, comparatively, so
little harm as it did. It has passed by, but yet
the fire is smouldering, and may burst out anew
at some future period.
Once and again grand revivals have swept
over these Churches, spurring them on to greater
activity and better work.
You will do well to study this Holland question
of development.  Do these Hollanders, living
among you,. Americanize too slowly to suit many;
are they too backward in adopting the language
of this country in their devotions? Do not judge
them hastily; give them time. Remember: First.
The flow of immigratian has not yet stopped.
Second. The present older generations could
not use the English language in their worship to
edification. Third. It is the hardest thing conceivable to jerk a man's tongue out by the roots.
One does not easily discard his mother-tongue, or
even cease to love it. It was therein that his
mother first taught him to lisp his evening
prayer and to sing the sweet songs of childhood.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


119


Again I say give them time. For the change is
coming, and when the metamorphosis is complete,
I am sure you will recognize in these Hollanders some of the very best elements of the growth
and pride of Ottawa county.
GERMAN CHURCHES.
Ottawa county numbers, comparatively, but few
Germans. They did not colonize in these parts;
they did not immigrate to this state en masse as
they did to others. The story of their church
life is therefore a brief one. Grand Haven is
the Teutonic stronghold of this county. This is
pre-eminently a city of churches. It has two
German ecclesiastical organizations. The older
of the two, the St. John's Church, belongs to the
German Evangelical Lutheran denomination.
Early in 1863 Rev. W. Achenbach, of Grand
Rapids, commenced to preach to the Germans
of Grand Haven, and his successor, Rev. J. H.
Dail, organized a church among them on the
8th day of April, I866, himself becoming 'the
first pastor. In 187I, a number of the members
joined themselves into a separate organization,
adopting  the  title  " Reformed  Evangelical
Lutheran Immanuel's Church of Grand Haven
Township." In I883 this church turned into a
"Union Church," joining itself to its younger but
stronger sister. They have had day schools
which afforded no mean advantages for the
education of their children. Their culture and
organization is of the true and loyal Lutheran
type.
In 1882 a rupture occurred among the members of the first church, attributable to many




I20


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


causes and circumstances, and resulted in the
organization of the "Evangelical St. Paul's
Church," with its attractive house of worship and
considerable numerical strength. It was organized on the ioth of April, I882. Rev. Christopher
Zimmerman was installed as pastor on the 22nd
of October, following. It severed its connection
with the old Missouri Synod, representing a more
liberal tendency of life and doctrine.
There is a prosperous church in the northern
part of Wright, a small church at Blendon; also
a society in the township of Crockery. The
aggregate value of their church property is about
$15,ooo, more or less. The life of these German
pastors is a laborious one, their salaries being
apparently inadequate to the amount of labor
performed.
The German population, though comparatively
small in numbers, on account of their industry
and intelligent interest in social and political
affairs, in a very great degree add stability to
the population of the county.
ENGLISH CHURCHES.
The history of the English churches of Ottawa
county commences with the arrival of Rev. William  M. Ferry at Grand Haven-or the mouth
of Grand river.
Says Rev. E. 1'. Gibbs: "The family who thus
took their fortunes with them to a wilderness
home, were English speaking, thinking and acting people. As this was to be their home, and
they were a religious people, the husband, father
and protector, a missionary of the Presbyterian
Church, the first act, after landing, seems in har



OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


121


mony with their ancestry and their faith. They
held a religious service, erected their altar, offered
their sacrifice, made their vow, and re-consecrated
themselves to God under new and strange conditions.
In the first settlement within the confines of
Ottawa county, it is easy to trace the spirit of
1620, and note the bond of sympathy between
the Plymouth settlers of that period, and those
guided by Mr. Ferry in 1834. Each settlement
was founded upon a basis of profound religious
belief. In both the home, the church and the
school, were prime factors in the inception of
their movement, and failure rarely follows such a
beginning; success is usually its gratifying reward.
It is probable that after that first Sunday's service, held in the trader's log house-for it was
Sunday morning they sailed into Grand Havenno Sunday was allowed to pass without a public
service.
During the ensuing two years quite a number
joined the colony, and in October, I836, a Presbyterian Church was organized, with twelve members.
The first frame building erected in the settlement, was used for a meeting house, school house,
court house, and other general public purposes.
It stood on Second street, between Washington
and Franklin streets, east side, and but recently
was torn down. It should have been saved and
carefully guarded as a relic of former days.
From this simple beginning, this germ of religious thought and deed, have gradually evolved
the English speaking churches of Ottawa county.
Into these new homes, the habits fostered in




122


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


older States were, with slight modifications, introduced. Each new settler came, in obedience to
the aggressive spirit of the age, to the new field,
ready to work out the problem of life by the
light best known. Many brought- with them fixed
religious convictions and habits. Others left behind them the traditions and faiths of former
homes, and went into the wilderness relying upon
individual strength of will and hand, as a guarantee of desired success.
All this variety of thought and purpose entered
into the formative period of the religious atmosphere of Ottawa county, and is easily traced in
the history of its English speaking religious organizations.
But for this marked diversity of motive we
should look for, and expect to find, a large and
controlling Presbyterian influence throughout the
churches composed of English speaking people
in Ottawa county. For that was the earliest influence in matters of religion.
It has now but three churches in the county,
one, the parent church, in Grand Haven; one in
Spring Lake, organized in 1853; another in Ferrysburg, organized in 1882.
But it will be well to remember that the territory of Ottawa county is now very much smaller
than when first settled, and that many of the
Presbyterian churches in the counties of Muskegon and Oceana may be justly said to be traceable
to the seed planting of 1836-children of the parent church.
The English speaking people of Ottawa county
have planted and fostered a wide diversity of
faith and practice since that little band held its




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


123


first service on the bank of Grand river. But
each separate church is but the reproduction of
a similar church in the older States. Not many
new names are found, not many new or strange
ideas surprise us, as we trace the formative period
in its effect upon religious societies in this county.
It is probable the larger number of the English speaking churches in this county could trace
their birth to some earnest one alone in the
wilderness, or not at home in some organized
worship who went in search of a promised land
and found it in the formation of a new society
and the erection of a new church.
The forty-three churches holding services in
the English language are distributed as follows,
viz.:
Allendale, 4-Wesleyan Methodist, Congregational, Adventist.
Blendon, i-Adventist.
Chester, none.
Crockery, 3-Methodist, Congregationalist, at
Nunica, and Sunday School chapel near Spoonville.
Georgetown, 3 ---Congregationalist, Baptist, Wesleyan Methodist.
Grand Haven, 6-Catholic, Congregational,
Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Presbyterian,
Unitarian.
Holland, 4 —Methodist Episcopal, two Reformed,
Wesleyan Methodist.
Jamestown, i-Methodist.
Olive, i-Congregational.
Polkton,  7-Catholic, Congregational, Free
Methodist, Protestant Episcopal, Methodist Episcopal, Wesleyan Methodist, Adventist. Of these




124


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


four are located at Coopersville, and two at
Eastmanville. The Catholic at Dennison.
Robinson, i-Congregational.
Spring Lake, 5-Baptist, Catholic, Methodist
Episcopal, two Presbyterian. One of the Presbyterian churches is located at Ferrysburg.
Talmadge, 3-Congregational, Methodist Episcopal, Baptist.
Wright, 4-Baptist, Catholic, Methodist Episcopal, Adventist.
Zeeland, none.
This church property is valued at $132,065.
It should not be forgotten that this sketch is
restricted to the churches holding their services
in the English language, and that the towns in
which  there  are  no such churches are very
largely populated by persons of foreign birth and
the children of such. (See histories of German
and Holland churches.) As the county has
steadily increased in population and wealth, the
English speaking churches have maintained a
sure and healthy growth. Twenty-three churches
have reported an average membership of ninetyone.
In a historical sketch of this kind our work
would be incomplete without some plain reference to the different men who have served as
missionaries, preachers or priests, in the gathering and establishment of these churches. Could
we know these men and come into the privacy
of their lives, we should obtain a clearer view of
the cost in nerve, and even life, incidental to
religious enterprises in Ottawa county. But we
have only the cold fact that such work has
been done, and the least tribute we can render




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


125


to undoubted worth, is to leave upon the records
a testimonial of our appreciation of the service
of these pioneers of the moral welfare of Ottawa
county."
COMPANY F, 2ND INFANTRY, MICHIGAN STATE TROOPS.
BY HEMAN NYLAND.
In April, I879, about forty of Grand Haven's
young men met and organized an independent
military company, known as "The Yates Light
Infantry."  Shortly after organizing, application
was made for admission into the State service,
and on July 24, 1879, they were mustered into
the military service of the State of Michigan, as
Company F, Second Regiment, Michigan State
Troops, with an enlistment roll of fifty-four men,
officered as follows: Frank E. Yates, captain;
George W. McBride, first lieutenant, and Samuel
C. Mower, second lieutenant.  The following
spring, Samuel C. Mower was elected captain, in
place of Frank E. Yates, resigned, and the name
was changed from The Yates Light Infantry to
"The Ottawa Blues." Captain Mower continued
in command until the spring of 1884. Under his
command the company was twice called out for
actual service.  On May 17, I88I, they were
ordered out by Governor Jerome to protect the
laws of the State against an armed mob who
attempted to take a prisoner from the county
jail; and on October 13, I88I, they were ordered
to Muskegon to preserve order and protect property at the great saw-mill strike there, that year.
In August, 1883, Captain Mower resigned and
Herman F. Harbeck was elected to fill the vacancy, who continued in command until October




I26        HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF
12, 1887, when Frederick A. Mansfield was elected
to succeed him, with Baltus Pellegrom and Edward H. Andres, as first and second lieutenants,
respectively. And the name was changed to "The
Grand Haven Guards." The last named officers
still continue in command and are the oldest
ranking officers in the second infantry.
In May, i886, Company F, Second Regiment,
M. S. T., was incorporated under an act of the
legislature providing for the incorporation of
military companies, and purchased the property
now known as Company F Opera House and
Armory, which, through the efforts of the company, is to-day free from all debts and incumbrances.  Next spring they intend to build a
large addition to the Opera House, which will be
fitted up for parlors, office and armory use. The
present membership of the company is seventyfour, and the officers of the corporation are: F.
A. Mansfield, president; Baltus Pellegrom, vicepresident; Herman Nyland, secretary, and Edward
H. Andres, treasurer.
TOTAL NUMIBER OF MEN FURNISHEI) DURING ITHE WAR
FROM I861 TO 1865.
No county in Michigan made a better showing
of loyalty, during the Great Rebellion, than
Ottawa county, considering her population and
resources. She furnished 1,547 men, and many
as brave officers as the army contained.
THE MARTYRS.
The following is a list of those.who offered up
their lives on the altar of their country during
the war, compiled from the Adjutant-General's
reports, and other sources. The list is neces



OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


127


sarily imperfect, as it does not include those who
enlisted in the regiments in other States, but
only those that are credited to the State of
Michigan.   Let  us honor their memory as
patriots who died in the cause of right and freedom.
"How sleep the brave who sink to rest
With all their country's honors blessed."
OTTAWA COUNTY.
Emerson M. Averill, 2d C, Co. A.
Chester W. Adams, 3d I, Co. B, Fair Oaks, May
31, 1862.
Justin Alden, 3d C, Company D, Perryville, Ky.,
Oct. 8, I862.
Elias C. Argill, ioth C, Co. C, Knoxville, Tenn.,
May io, 1865.
Oliver Ackley, 12th C, Co. C, Knoxville, Tenn.,
April IO, I865.
George W. Allyn, 25th I, Co. I, Bowling Green,
Feb. 25, 1863.
Arza Bartholomew, 2ist I, Co. G, Murfreesboro,
May 8, i863.
Joel A. Burnham, 3d I, Co. A, Murfreesboro,
M1arch 7, I865.
William  Brodt, 2ist I, Co. G, Suicide, Tenn.,
Nov. 19, i865.
William H. Bartholomew, 2Ist I, Co. G, at home,
March i, I865.
John Boozer, 2Ist I, Co. E, Bentonville, N. C.,
March i9, I865.
Peter Boies, 2d C, Co. D, St. Louis, April io, 1862.
Otto Boot, 25th -I, Co. I, by Guerrillas, Nov. 28,
1864.
Justin A. Balcom, 2ist I, Co. G, Nashville, Oct.
31, I863.




I28         HISTORICAL COMFENDIUM OF
Francis E. Brooks, ioth C, Co. D, Burnside Pt.,
Ky., Feb. 28, 1864.
Silas E. Benham, 21st I, Co. G, Louisville, Ky.,
Dec. 8, i1862.
Job Brockman, i-th I, Co. C, Beardstown, Ky.,
April 13,, 1862.
Joseph Brown, 2d I, Co. I, Groveton.
Harlow  P. Britton, ioth C, Co. C, Knoxville,
June i8, i865.
John H. Bender, -d I, Co. I, Harrison's Landing,
May '9, 1862.
Abijah Brott, 21st I, Co. E, Murfreesboro, July
15 1863.
John Barnhill, 21st I, Co. E.
Lewis Borman, 6th C, Co. B, Battle Mt., July
24, i1863.
Simeon L. Brink, -th C, Co. B, of wounds, Oct.
1 9, 1 863.
Henry 0. Brittain, 21st I, Co. G, Chickamnauga,
Sept. 20, i863.
Joseph B. Cady, 21St I, Co. G, David's Island,
N. Y., June 28, i86-.
Francis W. Cole, 21st I, Co. G, Chickamnauga,
Sept. 20, 1863.
Charles Carroll, 5th I, Co. E, of wounds, Sept.
12, 1864.
George A. Chamberlain, 8th I, Co. D, Fredericksburg, Va., May 12, I864.
James Chatfield, 2d C, Co. D, Nashvill e, Dec. 9
1 863.
Charles W. Coan, 2d C, Co. D, Chapel Hill,
Oct. 9, 1 862.
I. H. Crofoot, 25th I, Co. I, Nashville, June 26,
1 864.
Solomon Cronkite, 2 ISt I,. Co E, Louisville, Nov.
i 5, i 862.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I29


Martin Clapper, 3d I, Co. I, Malvern Hill, July
I, 1862.
George Chrysler, 3d I, Co. I, Groveton.
Aaron P. Camp, 3d I, Co. I, May 12; I862.
Isaiah Crofoot, 2ISt I, Co. I, Bowling Green,
May o1, I863.
John S. Corless, 2d C, Co. C, steamboat Sultana,
April 27, I865.
Andrew B. Coon, 2d C, Co. B, Cahaba, Ala.,
March 25, 1865.
Alfred Collar, E and M, Co. A, Savannah, Dec.
24, 1864.
Wm. J. Coble, 3d I, Co. I, Philadelphia, Sept.
i6, 1863.
Charles H. Cranmer, 2ist I, Co. E, Goldsboro,
March 27, i865.
Peter Caston, 5th C, Co. M, Berryville, Va., Aug.
19, 1864.
Charles Dean, Ioth C, Co. K, Camp Nelson, Ky.,
Feb. 21, I864.
Albert DeGroot, 2d C, Co. D, Andersonville
prison, May 24, I864.
Garrett De Mez, ist Sharp Shooters, Co. F, of
wounds, May I8, I864.
George A. Dudley, Beauford, S. C., July 6, 1884.
Thomas Donahue, 3d I, Co. A, Philadelphia, of
wounds.
John W. De Young, 8th I, Co. D. Annapolis.
James P. Dennis, E and M, Co. A, Newbern, N.
C., March i6, 1865.
Sylvanus H. Dow, E and M, Co. I, Moreland,
N. C., April i8, 862.
Peter Decoyer, E and M, Co. D, Bentonville, N.
C., March 21, 1865.
Wm. Deming, 7th I, Co. I, Beverly Hosp. N. J.,
Oct. 5, i864.




I30


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Isaac Duvernay, 5th I, Co. I, Salisbury, N. C.,
Feb. I8, 1865.
Simon De Groot, 8th I, Co. D, Milldale, Miss.,
July 25, 1863.
Gunder L. Edwards, 9th I, Co. H, West Pt., Ky.
Robert Evans, 7th I, Co. H, West Pt., Ky.
Nathan Ellis, Ioth C, Co. C, Knoxville, April
I5, I865.
Harry J. Esget, 2d C, Co. G, Thompson's Station
March 4, I863..
Alfred L. Frazier, E and M, Co. A, Goldsboro,
N. C., March 29, 1865.
Birkley Felton, ist Light Art., Co. E, Nashville,
June 9, I864.
John Finch, 3d I, Co. I, Spottsylvania, May 12,
I864.
Myron Fuller, 2ist I, Co. I, Georgia, Feb. 20, I865.
Franklin H. Garrison, 2Ist I, Co. G, Newbern,
N. C., May i, I865.
James Gray, 3d I, Co. A, Nashville, June 22, i865.
Frederick Griswold, I4th I, Co. F, Franklin,
Tenn., Dec. I, 1863.
G. N. Gates, 7th C, Co. L, Washington, Nov.
23, 1863.
James Grootenhuis, 8th I, Co. D, Fredericksburg,
Va., May 12, 1864.
Charles F. Gardner, E and M, Co. I, Bridgeport,
Ala., April, 1864.
August Gottschling, 2ISt I, Co. G, Bentonville,
N. C., March 19, I864.
Eben G. Gale, 2d C, Co. D, home, Sept. I9, 1862.
Luther H. Griswold, 2ist I, Co. G, Nashville,
Dec. I5, 1862.
David Gitchill, 2d I, Co. I, July 12, i86i.
Lewis Getz, I2th I, Co. I, Memphis, Sept. 13, 1863.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.        131
Valentine Glibes, E and M, Co. I, Bridgeport,
Ala., March 3i, 1864.
Perry D. Griswold, ist Sharp Shooters, Co. E,
Spottsylvania, May 12, 1 864.
Gilbert S. Havens, 21 St I, Co. B, New York,
Feb. 2, i865.
Nathan Halloway, 'id I, Co. B, Wilderness, May
6, i1864.
Wim. H. Hilderth, ioth C, Co. C, Burnside P~t.,
June 24, 1864.
Lewis Hervey, E and M, Co. D, Massac Creek,
Aug. 29, 1862.
Silas 0. Hedges, ioth C, Co. C, Chattanooga,
Aug. 9, ji86-.
George Hammer, ioth C, Co. C, Somerset', Ky.,
March io, i865.
James Hayes, 21st I, Co. G, Jeffersonville, Ind.,
Feb. 23, i 865.
Sylvanus S. Harmon, 25th I, Co. I, Bowling
Green, March 24, 1863.
Roswell Harris, 21 St I, Co. E, Nashville, Feb.
14, 1 863.
Edwin E. Hurlburt, -d I, Co. K, Washington,
Jan. 20, i1863.
Abram Haskins, 3d I, Co. B, Nashville, Feb. 13,)
i865.
Ostin Johnson, 21st I, CO. H, Michigan, Feb. 17,y
i 865.
A. Jonker, 25th I, Co. I, Atlanta, Aug. 7,18S64.
Vim. S. Jackson, 2d C, Co. D.
M. Janson, 25th I, Co. I, Knoxville, March 23
1864.
Henry Jessup, 21 St I, Co. G, Murfreesboro, April.
i6, 1863.
John Krey, 21st I, CO. E, accident, July 8, 1863.




132


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Thomas Kraai, 3d I, Co. D, Washington, Aug.
I864.
Ralph Kergers, 3d I, Co. F, Spottsylvania,
May 4, 1864.
John W. Kellogg, 3d I, Co. I, Nov. 20, i86I.
Wm. H. Kirkland, 3d I, Co. I, June 7, 1862.
Richard D. Koon, 8th C, Co. M, Nashville, Jan.
23, I865.
Alpheus C. Kroft, 3d I, Co. F, Murfreesboro,
Dec. i, i864.
John Kamhout, ist Light Art., Co. B, Cheraw,
S. C., March 6, 1865.
Dirk Keppel, Wilmington Island, April I6, 1862.
Enos Lesperance, 2d C, Co. D, Nashville, Feb.
25, 1863.
Nathaniel Luther, ist C, Co. 'C., Camp Nelson,
Ky., Dec. 29, I863.
Almon Landon, 2d C, Co. D, Hamburg, Tenn.,
May 30, 1862.
Mark Losee, 2d C, Co. D, Nashville, Dec. 8, 1862.
Wm. Ledebear, 25th I, Co. I, Bowling Green,
May 12, 1863.
Albert H. Lawton, 2ISt I, Co. G, Nashville, Dec.
I862.
David Mead, 2ISt I, Co. G, Chattanooga, March
ii, I864.
Warren Maxfield, 5th C, Co. B, Washington,
Nov. 6, I863.
Henry Mappen, 8th I, Co. D, Mechanicsville, Va.,
May 31, I864.
Luther L. Moody, Ioth C, Co. C, Camp Nelson,
Ky, Jan. 26, 1864.
Charles A. Morgan, 3d I, Co. I, Groveton, Aug.
20, 1862.
Marlin Mokma, 8th I, Co. D, Chantilly, Sept. i,
I862.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I33


Franklin Marsac, 2d C, Co. E, Evansville, Aug.
15, 1862.
John McIntyre, 5th C, Co. B, Brandy Station,
Oct. 12, I863.
Darius A. Markham, 9th C, Co. B, Andersonville Prison, July, I864.
James McDermott, I4th I, Co. C, Camp Dennison, O., May 15, I865.
Daniel C. Marsac, 2d C, Co. C, Nashville, Jan.
28, I865.
Enos Malcomb, 2ISt I, Co. G, Murfreesboro, Jan.
31, 1863.
Antoon Meydam, 21St I, Co. C, Nashville, Jan.
29, i863.
Charles Montague, 5th I, Co. A, Richmond,
April 25, I865.
Moses F. Monroe, 5th I, Co. E, Sailor's Creek,
April 6, i865.
Wm. R. Nelson, 102d Colored, Co. D, Orangeburg, S. C., June 30, I865.
Hendricus Nyland, 8th 'I, Co. D, Andersonville
Prison, Aug. 8, I864.
Harvey Olmsted, 2d C, Co. C, Severnville, Tenn.
Jan. 27, 1864.
Noah Perkins, E and M, Co. D, Louisville,
March i5, i862.
Walter C. Palmer, i5th I, Co. C, Shiloh, April
6, I862.
Heter L. Peiffer, 3d I, Co. I, Sept. 5, i86i.
Isaac Polton, 26th I, Co. B, Reams' Station, Va.,
Aug. 25, I864.
Charles M. Prindle, E and M, Co. I, Wilmington, N. C., March i6, I865.
Fayette Porter, 9th I, Co. H, W. Point, Ky.
Wm. Perry, 5th C, Co. B, Washington, June 15,
I864.
9




I34


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


George Platte, Ioth C, Co. A, Knoxville, Sept.
I, I864.
Samuel S. Phillips, 3d I, Co. I, Georgetown,
Sept. 5, i86i.
Rence P. Polsmer, 8th I, Co. D, 1863.
William Roon, 9th C, Co. C, Knoxville, April 3,
I864.
Daniel H. Rose, Ioth C, Co. K.
Lewis A. Rich, E and M, Co. H, Carterville,
Aug. i6, 1864.
John Rechburg, 3d I, Co. B, Groveton, Aug. 29,
I862.
Arie Rot, 25th I, Co. I, Louisville, Nov. 22, 1862.
Cyrus R. Reynolds, 2d C, Co. E, Chapel Hill,
Oct. 8, z862.
James P. Rowland, ist Lieu. Art., Co. D, Murfreesboro, Jan. 20, I865.
Charles C. Randall, 3d I, Co. B, Harper's Landing, Aug. 3, 1862.
Lewis I. Rodgers, E and M, Co. I, Savannah,
Jan. IO, 1865.
Walter T. Rice, 2ISt I, Co. G, Louisville, Jan.
4, 1863.
Eldert Reenders, 2ISt I, Co. G, Nashville, 1863.
Richard Robinson, 2ist I, Co. G.
John Rowlings, 3d I, Co. E, Nashville, June I,
i865.
Louis L. Reed, gth I, Co. HI, Murfreesboro, 1862.
Wmi. T. Smith, 5th C, Co. G, Salisbury, N. C..
Oct. 28, 1864.
Geo. S. Sears, 3d I, Co. C, Nashville, April 8,
1865.
Elmer Spencer, 2d C, Co. D, New Madrid, April
22, 1862.
Henry Shannon, 2ISt I, Co. G, at home, March
5, i865.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I35


Wm. S. Sampson, 2ist I, Co. D, Savannah, Jan.
26, 1865.
Albert Simmons, I7th I, Co. B, Andersonville
Prison, Aug. 22, I864.
Elijah Sweatland, ist I, Detroit, Oct. 7th, 1864.
Jehiel Scales, 2Ist I, Co. C, Chattanooga, March
2, I864.
Timothy Sweet, 21St I, Co. B, Louisville.
Nelson J. Saddler, 14th I, Co. F, Detroit, July
7, 1864.
AWm. Schilling, 2nd  C, Co. D, Nashville, Nov.
I3,I 863.
Jerry Sullivan, 3d I, Co. C, Mine Run, Nov. 30,
1863.
Eli W. Syers, ioth C, Co. C, Knoxville, June 21,
1864.
Louis Sharatts, E and M, Co. K, Ringold, Ga.,
July 19, I864.
Eleazer Smith, ISt Lieut. Art., Co. K, Lookout
Mountain, Aug. I, 1864.
George Spencer, 3d I, Co. I, Sept. Io, 1862.
Jacob Stansbury, 2d C, Co. D, St. Louis, April
8, 1862.
Joshua Stoddard, 2ist I, Co. G, Stone River,
Dec. 31, 1862.
Sylvester Smith, ist Sharpshooters, Co. A, Spottsylvania, May 12, 1864.
Eli J. Swere, 2Ist I, Co. E, Louisville, Nov. 18,
1862.
William Scott, gth I, Co. E, Chattanooga, March
14, I865.
James Scott, Quartermaster, accidental.
Zenas Sweet, 2ISt I, Co. G, Nashville, Jan. 30,
1863.
Jacob Scheppers, I3th I, Co. D, Nashville, Nov.
21, 1862.




I36


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Wm. Smith, 3d I, Co. Harrison's Landing, July
17, I862.
Stephen Scales, 3d I, April 30, 1862.
Jack Somerville, Io2d Colored Troops, Co. I,
April 30, 1862.
Wm. Skeels, E and M, Co. H, Newbern, N. C.,
April 15, 1865.
Alonzo D. Smith, 7th C, Co. A, Jefferson
Barracks, June 2, 1865.
George W. Smith, 2d C, Co. D, Franklin, Tenn.,
June 4, 1863.
Peter Ver Shure, 25th I, Co. I, Tebb's Bend,
Ky., July 4, 1863.
Stephen Smith, 5th C, Co. B, Brandy Station,
Oct. 12, 1863.
Reuben Toogood, 2ISt I, Co. G, Nashville, Jan.,
1863.
Calvin Tillotson, E and M, Co. K, Chattanooga,
June i, 1864.
Robert F. Thompson, 25th I, Co. I, Holland,
Michigan, Oct. 3, I864.
Frank Tate, 3d I, Co. I, Washington, Sept 4, I862.
Wm. Tate, 3d I, Co. I, Fair Oakes, May 3I, I862.
Owen Trumbull, 3d I, Co. I, May i8, 1862.
Nathan R. Tompkins, ist Sharpshooters, Andersonville Prison, May 24, 1864.
Wm. J. Tuffs, 6th C, Co. B, at home, May 22,
I865.
John M. Taylor, 3d I, Co. I, Camp Bullock, Va.,
March 25, 1864.
Cornelius Van Dam, 25th I, Co. I, Resaca, Ga.,
Aug. 14, 1863.
Benj. Vanhaltree, 2d C, Co. D, Lou., Nov. 17,
I862.
Wolf Van Appledorn, 25th I, Co. I, Knoxville,
Nov. 2, I863.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.     137
Walter Vannil, 8th I, Co. E, Washington, July
20, I864.
Adrianus Vandertank, 8th I, Co. D, Wilmington
Island, Ga., April I6' I862.
John Vanderbury, ist Sharpshooters, Danville, Va.
Gilbert Vanderhoof, 3d I, Co. I, Nashville, June
7, I865.
Orrin Whitcomb, I4th I, Co. F, Nashville, March
15, I864.
Capt. Benj. K. Weatherwax, killed at Walanga
Bridge, Tenn., April 25, 1864.
Stephen B. Walker, Sth I, Co. D, Middletown,
Nov. 2, 1862.
Edward Watson, 3d I, Co. I, Sept., i86i.
Wm. F. Wells, E and M, Co. K, Jeffersonville,
Ind., Dec. 22, I864.
Robert Watson, ioth C, Co. D, Germantown, N.
C., April io, i865.
Charles Whitehead, 3d I, Co. F, Nashville, April
II, i865.
Walter Waine, 13th I, Co. I, Stone River, Dec.
31, I863.
Daniel A. Young, 28th I, Co. C, Lincolnton. N.
C., Aug. 4, 1865.
Alonzo D, Yeomans, ioth C, Co. C, Knoxville,
Nov. 3, 1864.
Henry Zwol, 2ist I, Co. G, Nashville, Jan. 3, 1864.
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE W. C. T. U. OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
BY MRS. U. E. T. RORK.
The Woman's Christian Temperance Union of
Michigan first entered Ottawa county in I877,
through the efforts of that honored apostle of
temperance, Dr. Henry Reynolds, a union being
formed at one of his meetings held in Grand




I38


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Haven, April 23, of that year, with Mrs. F. C.
Stratton, president.
The first regular meeting was held the day following, when the State constitution was read and
adopted, by a goodly number of ladies, and the
first union of Ottawa county was fairly launched
on a prosperous sea. It has existed, with varying fortunes, from that time to the present.
After our National convention declared its political principles, at the St. Louis convention, in 1884,
our little craft was nearly deserted; but a few brave
hearts steered it safely through these tempestuous
times, and its prosperity was never more assured
than at the present time, under the faithful and
enterprising leadership of Mrs. E. J. Orr.
HOLLAND.
In May of the same year, through the efforts
of the same loyal friend and helper-Dr. Reynolds, a union of thirty members was organized
at Holland, which, through all the subsequent
years, has stood faithfully at its post, filling up
its ranks as one and another dropped out by
death or removal, keeping its average of thirty,
perhaps never more alive and encouraged than
now, under the leadership of Mrs. Emily Cook.
SPRING LAKE.
In June of the same year, 1877, when women
organizers were fewer than now, we were again
indebted to a loyal brother for the lengthening
of our cords. Captain Linscott, while lecturing
there, stirred up the temperance women of Spring
Lake to join the rapidly increasing army of white
ribboners, making the third union in the county.
Having suffered a short suspension, the union




O0TAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I39


was re-organized, at Red Ribbon Hall, in February of the following year, since which time it
has kept on its way with an average of eighteen
members. In the fall of I885 the ladies purchased
a lot, onto which the hall, formerly occupied by
the Red Ribbon Club, was moved, and they now
have their own home, the only headquarters owned
by any union in the county.
For ten years, Grand Haven, Holland and
Spring Lake constituted a three-fold cord not to
be broken, holding their county conventions; Mrs.
Vanolinda, of Holland, a grand old veteran, leading, while Mrs. Benjamin, our district president,
gave efficient help at our anniversaries.
LAMONT.
In April, I887, Mrs. A. S. Benjamin, of Portland, president of fifth district, organized a union
at this place, with thirty regular and eleven honorary members; since which time this union has
done steady, faithful work, numbering at the
present time twenty members, all active and courageous, Mrs. Eliza Robinson being president.
ALLENDALE.
Organized by Mrs. Benjamin, in April, I887,
with thirty-two members, Mrs. Finster leading.
This much loved woman was a tower of strength
till God took her. Miss E. Alice Comstock, the
present efficient county corresponding secretary,
is a member of this union, and Mrs. A. M. Cooley
is president. They keep oil in their lamp.
COOPIERSVILLE.
Organized by Mrs. Benjamin, in I889, with nine
members; present number, seventeen. They pros



I40


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


ecute the different departments of our work and
are every way prosperous, under the leadership
of Mrs. Etta Laubach.
LISBON.
Last, but not least, comes Lisbon union, organized in June, I890, by Rev. Caroline Bassett, with
sixteen members; present number, fourteen. From
the amount of work carried on by this union,
under the leadership of Mrs. M. A. Frarey, one
might think it much larger. Nearly every member has her department of work.
( YS.'
In January, I886, Miss L. J. Newcomb organized a Young Women's Christian Temperance
Union, of fifty members, and twenty honoraries,
in Spring Lake, which did excellent work for four
years, when very many moved away, and Miss
Newcomb was called to other work, necessitating
its discontinuance for the present.
L. T. L.
Work for the children has been done at different times by several of the unions. Mrs. J.
C. Post, of Holland, conducted a Loyal Templars
Legion, in 1878-79, which met weekly in the
school building. Later Mrs. Annis, of HOlland,
now removed to California, organized a large
class of boys, which met weekly at her own house
during two winters. In 1886 Miss Anna Gordon,
of Evanston, organized a Legion at Grand Haven, under the leadership of Mrs. Rev. Sammis,
which prospered for some months, but when winter
came no suitable room for the meetings could be
obtained, and it was in consequence discontinued.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I4I


The only living Loyal Templars Legion now in
the county is at Lisbon, under the indefatigable
leadership of Mrs. M. A. Frarey, by whom it was
organized, March 12, I89o, with thirteen members, and has since increased to twenty-eight.
They hold their meetings regularly, winter and
summer, and draw full houses to their frequent
concerts.
Ottawa white ribboners are increasing and lifting their banners higher for God and Home and
Native Land.
THE BURNING OF HOLLAND, OCTOBER 9, 87 I.
BY GERRIT VAN SCHELVEN.
A day of devastation and of woe, ever memorable in the annals of Holland, and never to be
forgotten by those who passed through its fiery
ordeal. And while the rebuilt city of to-day has
nearly obliterated every reminiscence of that
fearful catastrophe twenty years ago, and energy
and thrift have doubly replaced what was then
swept away, yet, our present growth and prosperity cannot be more appreciatively enjoyed
than by those who, at the dawn of that fatal
day, cast their mournful eye over that desolated
plain.
The southern tiers of townships in Ottawa
county constituting, with a part of Allegan county,
the Holland colony, with the city of Holland as
its commercial, social and educational center,
were on the eve of celebrating the first quartercentennial of their settlement.
During that period of nearly twenty-five years
they had enjoyed comparatively, a continuous
prosperity, marked not so much by the accumula



I42


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


tion of capital and wealth as by a steady, healthy
growth of both the agricultural districts and of
Holland City as their natural market. A variety
of resources, a diversity of soil, and a growing
manufacturing interest with shipping facilities by
both water and rail, had combined in making
Holland a prosperous and flourishing little city
of about 2,400 inhabitants.
The purport of this paper is to make brief
historical mention of the fire of October 9, 187I,
whereby in a short space of two hours the labors
of a generation were destroyed, hundreds of
families rendered homeless, and many a worthy
old settler, upon the evening of a well-spent life,,
left in straitened circumstances, from which he
has never been able to recover.
For weeks preceding this eventful October
night we had    experienced  an uninterrupted
drought. In most every direction from the city
the woods were on fire, and had been for many
days. By hard labor the south-eastern part of
the city was saved from these forest fires during
the week prior to the conflagration, the locality
immediately south of Hope college and the socalled orphan house being at that time particularly exposed.
During the afternoon of Sunday, October 8th,
the atmosphere was very oppressive and sultry,.
unusually so for that season of the year. At
intervals fine ashes were showered over and into,
the city. The very skies seemed to betoken the
advent of the impending calamity. These ashes
as was subsequently explained, were the first
messengers of the burning of Chicago on that
same Sunday afternoon.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I43


The effect of this long drought and of the
atmosphere at this time, seemed, as it were, to
prepare all the combustible material in and
around the city for the awful fate awaiting it.
The greater part of the south-west addition,
only recently platted and sparsely settled, was
nothing less than a wooded wilderness, and the
ravine along Thirteenth street was filled with
logs and timber. What was then called "Post's
marsh," south of Sixteenth street, was still a
timbered  tract, and  its mucky soil largely
smoldering.
At 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon the wind turned
south-westerly and began gradually to increase.
The fire alarm was rung from the Third Church
bell, and from this time on the fighting of the
fire all along the timbered tracts south and
south-west of the city was kept up uninterruptedly. The nature of the fire and the distance
from the few fire wells we had at that time were
such that our fire department, as an organization,
was of no avail.
As night advanced the wind increased in force,
until towards midnight it blew a hurricane,
sweeping the fire and the flames from the
woods with an alarming velocity toward the
doomed city. The huge bark piles at the Cappon
& Bertsch tannery in the western, and the Third
Reformed Church in the then southern part of
the city, were among the first points attacked;
and from thence on the devastating fire fiend
had full and unmolested sway. The burning
shingles and sidings of this new and large church
edifice and the flaming fragments of bark were
blown toward the center of the town, sweeping




144


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


everything in their northward course. At this
fatal moment the wind turned more westerly,
thus forcing the fire toward the centre and more
eastern part of the city, and-the fate of Holland was sealed.
Within the short space of two hours, between
one and three o'clock of Monday, October 9,
J87I, this entire devastation was accomplished.
No one, unless an eye-witness of such a scene,
can conceive of its terror or its awfulness. We
shall not attempt to describe it.  The entire
territory covered by the fire was mowed clean as
with a reaper, not a fencepost or a sidewalk, and
hardly a stump of a shade tree was left to
designate the old lines.
The  grounds of Hope     college, somewhat
isolated as they were, seemed to be the only
spot where one could escape with his life. Many
took to the waters of Black lake, escaping in
small boats.
The fierceness of the wind and the rapidity
with which the fire spread, may be inferred from
the fact that over two hundred. and fifty dead
horses, cattle and swine were found in the
burned district, and a cancelled bank check,
partly burned, drawn by the firm of DeJong, Van
Schelven & Oggel, upon Nathan Kenyon, banker,
was picked up the next day on one of the farms
in section four of the township of Talmadge in
this county, a distance of twenty-five miles.
The break of day on that Monday morning
presented a scene, the memory whereof will outlive all other recollections in the minds of its
victims, and a faint idea can only be given in




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I45


this sketch by furnishing a few statistical incidents.
The loss of human life was limited to one
aged widow woman, Mrs. J. Tolk. She lived in
a small house on Ninth street, near the present
residence of E. Van der Veen..
The number of buildings destroyed is about as
follows: Dwellings, 2Io; stores, shops and offices,
75; manufactories, I5; churches, 5; hotels 3; miscellaneous buildings, 45;. docks and warehouses,
5; one tug and several other boats.
Amount of property destroyed, $9oo,ooo, with
an insurance of only about $ioo,ooo, and of this
only a part was recovered, inasmuch as many
companies had been rendered insolvent by the
great Chicago fire.
Neither was the calamity limited to the city.
The damage and devastation in the surrounding
township of Holland, as well as in the townships
of Fillmore and Laketown in Allegan county,
was also great. The recollection of the writer is,
that in these localities not less than seventy
families were burned out, and the relief work
performed during the winter that followed includes
also that number of families, besides food and shelter for their stock. No mention will be made here
of the miles of fencing destroyed all through this
locality, nor of the damage to standing timber.
A minute description of the fire district is not
expected in this sketch. Suffice it to say that
the heart of the city, including the entire business portion thereof was destroyed. A better
idea of the general ruin might perhaps be obtained by simply stating what was left-a strip
of houses along the extreme western and southern




146


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


parts of the city; all south of Tenth and east of
Market streets; and nearly the entire first ward.
In addition to this and in the order of their
relative importance, we might also make particular mention of Hope college, Plugger mills,
Heald's planing mill, union school, First Reformed
Church, Holland Christian Reformed Church on
Market street, the railroad depots, and the old
town house, lately destroyed. Insignificant as this
array may appear now, it created at that time a
sort of a nucleus around which clustered the faint
hopes for the future of Holland. And especially
was this so in the case of Hope college, not so
much for the money value of its buildings, but
for what these buildings represented historically,
and for the connecting link it had left between
the early Holland colonists and their true and
faithful friend-the Reformed Church of America
-which had stood by them from the very hour
of their arrival upon American soil, under whose
fostering care they had gradually developed from
the emigrant into the American, and to whom
this calamity was to furnish again a new field, to
demonstrate that same generosity and attachment.
Hunger and the want of shelter drove most of
the people into the country, to the extent that
the flames and smoke from the surrounding fires
permitted them to do so. In their flight they
were not handicapped by many cares, for whatever had not been buried in the ground had been
consumed by the fire. All day long the roads
leading east out of the city were lined with
refugees.
But we must hurry on. We feel a longing to




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I47


quit these scenes of desolation. There is something in store, in connection with this calamity,
which alleviates much that is painful in contemplation of so much misery.
The general conflagrations of the 8th and 9th
of October, 1871, embraced not only Holland and
Chicago, but also Peshtigo, Wisconsin, Manistee
and the Port Huron district in this State, and
several other localities; and it is a matter of history that co-extensive with this widespread ruin,
were also the sympathies and charities of our
fellow-men.
It will undoubtedly be remembered by many,
when the news of the burning of Chicago reached
New York, how James Fisk, in his displayful but
effective way, gathered in a train load of provisions and supplies, and how with lightning speed
he sent theqn on to relieve the thousands of Chicago refugees, scattered over the open prairies.
Hardly had the people of Holland, on the
morning of the following Tuesday, awakened from
their first. slumbers, after so much anxiety and
despair, and while they were yet casting around
for a relic or a landmark to designate the spot
which had once been their home, and with no
indication of what the succeeding day was to
bring-but what the generosity of their neighbors
was already being manifested.
The surrounding fires had cut off our railroad
communications. The bridge on the line of the
then Michigan Lake Shore railroad had been
destroyed, so that no trains could enter the. city.
Penetrating as far as they could toward the
no      ~anks of Black river, the friends from
the'& 'ghboring city of Grand Haven had un



148


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


loaded a timely supply of provisions and other
stores, the variety of which was not the least
striking feature. These stores consisted not only
in what the grocery and the bakery could instantly supply, but the kitchen and the pantry
had also been emptied-a loaf of bread partly
cut, a solitary biscuit, doughnuts, a remnant of a
roast, a part of a ham, etc., etc.-creating in the
minds of the hungry recipients the indelible impression that this timely contribution was the
spontaneous act of sympathizing friends and generous hearted neighbors.
These supplies, as they were dealt out among
our hungry people, spoke more eloquently than
words, and proved more forcible than the oral
message which accompanied them, that our neighbors felt for us and appreciated oir condition,
and, so feeling and appreciating, did not hesitate
or delay to act.
And it should be stated here, that few of the
many incidents, following in the trail of this
catastrophe, affected the burned-out people of
Holland more deeply than the receipt of these
first supplies. The writer was one of those delegated to formally receive them. It was a relief,
mingled with so much that was painful; and in
order to fully understand this, we should imagine
these people, regardless of their prior conditions
or home comforts, and clad in the garments of
destitution and of misery, standing in line, each
awaiting their turn to receive their first allowance
of food, according to the number in his or her
family. It was this which brought home to them
a realizing sense of their true condition, and




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


149


how, for the present, they were absolutely thrown
upon the charities of their fellow-men.
On the afternoon of the next day a meeting
of the citizens was called in the old townhouse,
to review the general situation. Among those
present was also Dr. Van Raalte, who had returned
the day before from Muskegon, where he had
preached on Sunday. Those of us who have
known this man as a leader, may still form an
idea of what was said by him on that occasion,
and of the inspiring effect it had upon the people.
One of his closing sentiments was expressed in
the following language: "With our Dutch tenacity and our American experience, Holland will
be rebuilt." And mark the co-incidence, how a
similar sentiment was expressed on that same
day by Joseph Medill, of The Chicago Tribune, in
the first issue of his paper after the fire, when
he wrote: "With Christian faith and western grit,
Chicago shall be rebuilt."
As the news of our destruction became generally known among our immediate neighbors and
the surrounding places, aid and relief was liberally
forwarded. The Board of Supervisors of Ottawa
county, just then in session, visited us and made
ample provision for a destitution which was to be
feared during the approaching winter, but which
aid, thanks to a generous public, was never
needed. A new assessment roll of Holland City
was ordered by the Board, to make the valuations correspond with the new order of things.
A local relief committee was appointed by the
citizens, consisting of the following persons, asnear as we can recollect them: Dr. B. Ledeboer,,
chairman; H. D. Post, secretary; K. Schaddelee,,
IO0




0     1


I50        HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF
treasurer; Rev. Drs. A. C. Van Raalte, Phillip
Phelps, C. Scott and A. T. Stewart; R. K. Heald,
Dr. S. L. Morris, H. Meengs, J. O. Doesburg,
G. Wakker, E. Heald and G. Van Schelven.
The township of Holland appointed as their
relief committee Messrs. W. Diekema,. J. H.
Boone and D. Miedema, and a similar committee
was also appointed for the burned district in
Allegan county.
At Grand Rapids a general relief committee
was appointed by Gov. Baldwin to distribute aid
through the western part of the State. This
committee consisted of Messrs. T. D. Gilbert,
Wm. A. Howard, N. L. Avery, H. Fralick and
R. M. Collins.
Gov. Baldwin made a tour of inspection of the
several burned districts in this State, including
Holland, to satisfy himself as to the necessity of
furnishing state aid. The abundance of voluntary relief, however, rendered this also unnecessary.
The labors connected with the receiving and
distributing of supplies were kept up during the
greater part of the winter, with the town house
as headquarters. Lumber and building material,
hardware, provisions, clothing, household gobds
and furniture were being sent in liarge quantities.
The liberality of the railroad companies in furnishing free transportation was a very important
item. Through the instrumentality of Rev. John
L. See, D. D., of New York, treasurer of the
board of education of the Reformed Church, a
cash fund of about $40,000 was collected, mainly
from among the friends of the Holland Colony
in the east. The sister colony at Pella, Iowa,




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I5I


was not among the least to contribute. The kin
across the sea also responded. But it would be
manifestly unjust to the others to further single
out individuals or localities in this general outburst of good will and charity.
The distribution of this bounty developed upon
the local committee at Holland. To do this in
the spirit of its donors and with fairness and
equity was a task requiring all the ability and
discrimination it could muster, and more too. It
was a noble though thankless labor.
The work of rebuilding Holland, once begun,
was kept up uninterruptedly. The rebuilding of
Chicago, however, created a large demand for all
kinds of building material and a corresponding
increase in prices. The effect of this upon Holland proved very disastrous. It added materially to the cost of every new building and
enterprise, thereby creating, in nearly every
instance, an indebtedness beyond the extent of
the first estimate. Close upon this period came
the general shrinkage in values, caused by the
panic of I873, reducing the assets and valuation
of the rebuilt city fully fifty per cent., without
lessening in the least the liabilities and incumbrances incurred, all drawing interest at the then
prevailing rate of ten per cent.
The result of this was-and it is among the
most painful reminiscences in the history of the
"Burning of Holland"-that the men of push
and of enterprise, who had been instrumental in
making Holland City what it wis up to October
9, 1871, and who had again placed their shoulders
to the wheel, and who, in doing so, had assumed
large financial responsibilities, were unable to




152


'HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


face the distressing period that soon followed.
The tide of events crippled them seriously, and
caused a general depression to the newly rebuilt
but poverty-stricken town, which depression
lasted for years. It was a cruel but unavoidable
fate that awaited these men, and it seemed that
the new growth and prosperity of the town were
made to hinge upon the completion of their
downfall. Finally, after many years of hard
struggle, Holland again resumed her old time
position: though many of the men who in the
past had contributed to her fair name and prestige, were not permitted to share in her new
prosperity. Brave as they were, they could not
outweather the   storm, but were ultimately
wrecked along the shores of an honest and
honorable ambition.
OTTAWA COUNTY-FROM 1840 TO 1892.
In the sketch of the organization of the county
the history is brought down to i840.
According to the United States census, June i,
1840, the total white inhabitants were 208. There
were 4 horses and mules, neat cattle 12, no sheep.,
13 swine, no wheat, corn, oats or barley raised,
only Ioo bushels of potatoes raised, no wool, no
dairy products, and only 193 tons of marsh hay.
The manufacturing enterprises consisted of 12
saw mills, with an invested capital of $103,5oo.
Numerous were the people brought into Ottawa
county the first ten years after its settlement bent
upon speculation, but the crash that followed
President Jackson's specie circulars drove the
great majority of them back to older settlements.
In I846 immigration was at a standstill, real




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I53


estate well nigh valueless, and hope at a very
low  ebb.  Improvements had been made in
advance of the demands.   However, favorable
changes in the policy of the national government
and the state soon survived the hopes of the
people, but prosperity came slow. Lumbering
was poor business, in fact no business at all; and
many men who afterwards made fortunes in the
lumber business, at that time could not get
trusted for a barrel of flour.
While the growth of the county in those days
was slow, yet the census of I850 shows considerable advancement over I840.
The United States census of I850 showed that
the county had 1,128 dwellings, 1,134 families,
5,587 inhabitants, and the value of real estate
was $580,890. There were 204 occupied farms
with 4,914 acres improved. The live stock consisted of 90 horses, no mules, 538 milch cows,
287 working oxen and 837 other cattle, 192 sheep
and 1,349 swine. The products of the county
for the preceding year were: Wheat, 3,814
bushels; rye, 262; Indian corn, 24,264; oats, 3,549;
barley, 55; buck wheat, 553; potatoes, 9,308; wool,
i,166 pounds;- butter, i30,935; cheese, 2,Ioo; hay,
1,507; maple sugar, 42,365; one bushel of clover
seed made its appearance. The value of orchard
products were $219, and of home made manufactures $I,256.
There were 24 saw mills in the county, i i water
and 13 steam. It should be taken in consideration that up to this time Ottawa included the
most of the territory of which Muskegon now
consists. These mill owners had an invested
capital of $I44,030, and turned off an annual pro





I54


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


duct of 49,320,000 feet of lumber valued at
$307,480. There were no flour mills at that time,
and the aggregate of all kinds of manufactures,
mills included, was as follows: Capital invested,
$153,540; hands employed, 323 males, no females;
value of annual products, 337,548. The assessed
valuation of the real and personal estate was
$435,856.
For forty years after the first mill was built in
Ottawa county the manufacture of lumber built
up cities and towns and kept them up, thus in
every way aiding in the development of the
county-employing labor and furnishing a market
for the products of the farms as they were hewn
out of the forest.
In 1870 the population of the county was
26,650. Of this population, 9,025 males and 8,452
females were native born; foreign born, 5,025
males and 4,148 females. There were 53 black;
31 mulatto, and 7 Indians.
There were 3,658 voters owning property, and
1,358 without property; 5,oi6.
The total number of acres of land in improved
farms was 82,902; wood land, io6,886; other improved, 13,227 acres; cash value estimated at
$7,333,585; value of farming implements, $I25,377.
The value of all farm  products the preceding
year was $I,761,98I; forest products, $78,419;
home manufactures, $4,930; maple sugar, 80,739
pounds. The live stock on farms was estimated
at 4,328; mules and asses, 57; milch cows, 6,452:;
working oxen, 1,328; other cattle, 5,632; sheep,
15,001; swine, 7,828; and the total live stock was
valued $I,044,948.
The products during the year ending June Ib
I870, were:




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I55


Animals slaughtered, in value.........................$156,271
W ool grown, in  pounds....................................   50,738
Butter manufactured, pounds.............................. 597,842
Cheese manufactured, pounds.............................      I,000
M ilk  sold,  gallons........................................  3,450
Orchard  products, value...................................$  48,360
W ine,  gallons.............................................    552
Market garden products, value............................$    6,390
Following are the estimates upon farm products
for the same year:
Spring   wheat,  bushels...................................    348
W inter  wheat     "....................................  217,919
R ye  wheat....................................    5,897
Indian  corn....................................  212,675
Oats               ".................................... 166,824
B arley...................................  I2,333
Buckwheat...................................     9,638
Peas and  Beans...................................   1,978
Potatoes           ".................................... 252,912
H ay,  tons................................................  23,921
Clover seed, bushels.....................................        24
G rass  seed    "(......................................  42
H ops           ".......................................    8,302
In 1870 there were thirty-two saw mills, twentyeight steam       and    four water power, in which             the
wages paid amounted to $152,096, and in which the
capital invested amounted to $477,700. The total
products were, lumber, 70,700,000 feet; lath, 3,10o,ooo pieces, and shingles, I,200,000; the total value
of all being $2,108,325.
There were six flouring mills, four steam and
two water power, with fourteen runs of stone.
The capital invested was $65,ooo, and the product was 17,000 barrels of flour, valued at $I47,500.
There were three foundries and machine
shops, one boiler shop. There were six tanneries producing $125,000 worth of leather annually.
The total number of manufacturing establishments
were I9I, in which over a million dollars was invested; their whole products being $2,781,867.
There were fifty-seven religious organizations
in the county, with 38 edifices, having a seating




i56


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


capacity of o1,620. The church property was
valued at $I47,850.
There were 83 public schools with 54 male, and
98 female teachers, and 2,941 male and 2,998
female pupils. The libraries of the county contained a total of 41,566 volumes.
The total value of real and personal property
is given  at $II,I23,3IO, and the total debts of
the county and minor municipalities was $57,650.
That year it cost the county $5,842 to entertain ninety-seven paupers, of whom thirty-eight
were native and fifty-nine foreign born. The
first paper was established in the county in 1851,
and in 1870 there were eight flourishing newspapers and job printing establishments.
The following taken from the report of the
committee on equalization of the board of supervisors, June, I881, gives     a  good   idea   of the
enormous growth of wealth in Ottawa county in
less than thirty years, it might be said: Taxable
land, 341,508,49-100 acres, real estate value total,
$4,016,600, personal estate, $I,400,019.
The cereal products returned in 1880 were:
Acres.  Bushels.
Barley........................................  1,104  25.621
Buckwheat...........................  696      8,439
Indian corn..................................  18,830  610,442
Oats.......................................... 10,030  317,935
Rye......................................  1,242  14,978
Wheat.......................................  3I,o54  657750
'          31,054    657,750
[It is safe to estimate much larger figures than appear in these
reports.]
In 1890 Ottawa county had 203,228 acres of
land in farms. Of this 133,934 acres were improved and 69,294 acres unimproved.       There were
2,742 farms, averaging 74 12-00o acres each, exclusive of cities.
In 1889 there were 22,474 acres of wheat yield



OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I57


ing a total of 343,615 bushels, or an average of
15 29-IOO bushels per acre.
There were I6,808 acres of corn in 1889, yielding 530,047 bushels of ears.
There were 13,842 acres of oats, yielding 462,5co bushels in 1889.
There were 23,268 acres of wheat sown in I890.
Ottawa county turned off in 1889 4,721 bushels
of clover seed from 3,045 25-IOO acres of land.
The same year there were 2,793 39-Ioo acres
of potatoes, yielding a total of 232,672 bushels.
There were 25,913 acres of hay yielding a total
of 31,686 tons.
In 1890 Ottawa county had 2,856 25-100 acres
of apple orchard and 38,919 bushels of apples
were raised in 1889, and 25,347 bushels sold.
There were 402 acres of peach orchards and
2,034 bushels of peaches raised in I889 and 1992
bushels sold. The value of apples and peaches
sold in 1889 was $14,122.50.
Live stock six months old and over in May,
I89o, the county had: Horses, 7,052; milch cows,
9,987; cattle other than milch cows, 7,912; hogs,
6,948; sheep, IO,909. Number of sheep sheared
in 1889, 0I,674; yield of wool, 54,902 pounds.
While the sale of small fruits and market
garden products were immense, no reliable statistics are obtainable.
There were 78 apiarists in the county in T89o,
with I,039 colonies of bees, which produced 17,926
pounds of honey in 1889 and 1,071 new colonies.




I 58,                   HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF
Following is the assessed valuation of property
of Ottawa county in I890:
TOWNS AND CITIES.                    REAL EST'E PERSONAL           TOTAL
Allendale.....................................$ 357,515 00 $         37,485 00 $ 395,000 00
Blendon......................................  297,805 00   9,195 00    307,000 00
Chester...........................                    798,205 00    63,795 00    862,000 00
Crockery.......................................     291,060 00    35,940 00    327,000 00
Georgetown..........................;.........       579.570 00    64,430 00    644,000 00
Grand Haven City, 1st and 2nd Wards..........         522,6525 00  328,475 00    851,000 00
Grand Haven City, 3d and 4th Wards...........         554,175 00   143,825 00    698'000 00
Grand Haven Town............................  171,960 00  6,040 00    178,000 00
Holland City...............................           598,150 00   267,850 00    866,000 00
Holland Town.................................         757,730 00   113,270 00    871,000 00
Jamestown.....................................        802,030 00    53,970 00    856,000 00
Olive......................................    440,545 00    44,455 00    485,000 00
Polkton.......................................        911,200 00   108,800 00 1,020,000 00
Robinson.......................................        85,850 00     8,150 00     89,000 00
Spring Lake....................................       327,481 00   316,519 00    644,000 00
Talmadge......................................         699,505 00    72,495 00    772,000 00
Wright......................................          917,270 00    92,730 00 1,010,000 00
Zeeland......................................         939,250 00   219,750 00 1,159,00 00
Total....................................10,051,826 00 1,982,174 00 12,034,000 00
SUMMARY OF POPULATION.
TOWNSHIP (OR CITY)                  1890 1880 1874 1870 1864 1860 1854 1850 1846
Allendale...........1345 1074 765 799 298 245 192 168
Blendon.......                        1291 785 639 718 276 381        85
Chester................................... 1554 1703 1397 1405 1034 721 500 216
Crockery.................................1247 1240 1124 1125 574 396 275 247
Georgetown................................ 1845 1815 146411474 918 973 457 196 133
Grand Haven City.......................... 5023 4861 4363 3140
Grand Haven Town..............                   857 642 6771 558 1576 1359 684          350
Holland City..............            3945 2620 2469 2324
Holland Town.............................. 3086 3064 2716 2354 2777          1991 985 1829
Jamestown..................................2078 2066 1806 1612 708 519 204          72
Olive.........................1986 1601 1257: 612 413 317
Polkton..................................... 2584 2688 2267 2416 1242 1222 570 430 321
Robinson................................... 510 439 528 406 126 128
Spring Lake............................... 2256 2384 2345 1836 844 743 655 268           98
Talmadge................................... 1324 1505 1475 1451 1093 1145 746 545
Wright......................................1611 1922 2064 207711584 1520 868 521 298
Zeeland....................................2834'2715 2576 2343 1693 1467 912
i              I






OTTAWA    COUNTY, MICHIGAN.                    159
INCORPORATED VILLAGES.
The population        of the following        villages    is  included in the population given of the townships
in which they are located, in the preceding table:
Population
Village.            Township..I88o    i8go  Incorp'd
Coopersville............ Polkton..........  645      790    1871
Spring Lake............Spring Lake...... 1372         1269    1869
Zeeland................Zeeland..........     484      785    1875
UNINCORPORATED VILLAGES.
Village.                    Townshitp.      Population.
Chester..........................Chester..............    71
Lisbon.......................  Chester...............  83
Nunica..........................Crockery..............  200
Spoonville........................ Crockery..............  25
Ottawa Station............ Olive.................  30
Olive Center..................... Olive.................  30
W est  Olive.....................  Olive.................  61
Ferrysburg.....................Spring Lake..........       378
Lamont......................... Talmadge.............      29I
Eastmanville................. Polkton...............   216
Jennison.................        Georgetown...........     192
Hudsonville................. Georgetown...........    16
New Groningen.................. Holland...............     46
Dennison.................... Polkton...............    20
Berlin........................... Wright................  274
Allendale Center.................Allendale.............     I17
Beaver Dam..............    Zeeland...............  44
Forest Grove....................Jamestown............        57
Jamestown Center................Jamestown............       101
Conklin..........................Chester...............  150
Vriesland........................ Zeeland...............
Agnew.......................... Grand Haven.........
Gooding.........................Chester...............
Harrisburg...................... Chester...............
Bauer........................... Blendon...............
South Blendon............        Blendon..............
The population of the unincorporated towns is
also included in table of population of townships.
In giving the population of these towns it was
necessary to use the census reports of 1884 as
their population was not separated from that of
the townships in which they are located in the
reports of I890.




I6o


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


POLITICS IN OTTAWA COUNTY.
Ottawa county early took a hand in politics,
and in I840, for the first time assisted in electing
a president of the United States.
Following is the vote from 1840 to i888:
Whig. * Dem. Free Soil.
1840.  Harrison...........  81
Van. Buren........          88
I844. Clay.............   42
Polk.......           6
1848.  Taylor............  143


Lass...............
Van Buren.........
I852. Scott..............
Pierce..............
Hale...............
1856. Fremont...........
Buchanan..........
1860. Lincoln............
Douglas...........


363
Rep.
1,392
1,414


209
756


53


59


Rep.
1864. Lincoln............ 1,345
McClellan.........
1868. Grant.............. 2,441
Sevmour...........
1872. Grant.............. 2,630
Greeley............
O'Connor..........
1876. Hayes............. 3,401
Tilden
Cooper.............
I880. Garfield............  3,284
Hancock.........
Weaver............
Dow...............
I884. Blaine............. 3,758
Butler-Clevel'd Fus.
Cleveland........
Butler.............
St. Johns...........


998
1,217
Dem.
1,536
1,85I
I,I63


S. Dem. G'back St. Prob.
II0


2,620


70


2,019


784


3,049


5
231


2,390


659


Rep.
4,302


Dem. Prob.    Labor


i888. Harrison...........
Cleveland..........
Fisk...............
Streeter............


3,I9I


268


57






OTTAWA     COUNTY, MICHIGAN.                    i6I
VOTE FOR GOVERNOR FROM 1854 TO 1890.
Following is the vote for Governor cast by
Ottawa county, from 1854 to I890:
Ret.    Dem, N'. G'bk. Prob.
1854. Bingham..........   624
Barry..............             729
1856. Bingham..........1,393
Felch..............,012
I858. Wisner............     I,09I
Stuart.............           I,95
1860. Blair.............. 1,397
Barry..............            1,237
r862. Blair..............    993
Stout..............1,212
I864. Crapo............. 1,355
Fenton............1,542
1866. Crapo............. 1,606
Williams..........1,395
I868. Baldwin........... 2,421
Moore..............,880
1870. Baldwin............ 1,918
Comstock..........            1,564
1872. Bagley............2,549
Blair.............          1,I92
I874. Bagley............. 2,003
Chamberlain.......            1,756
1876. Croswell...........3,381
Webber............             2,652
1878. Croswell........... 2,390
Barnes.............56
Smith..............                   1,719
I880. Jerome...........     3, 96
Holloway.2,129
Woodman.........                        758
1882. Jerome............ 2,849
Begole.............           2,775
Sagendorph.......                                 33
M ay...............                      9
Rep. Fusion G'back Prob. U. Labor
1884. Alger.............. 3,655
Begole............            3,059
M iller..............                     3
Preston...........253
I886. Luce............... 3,423
Tople..............            2,639
Dickie.............326
1888. Luce.............. 4,314
Burt...............          3,180
Cheney...........258
Mills............                                         63
1890. Winans...........3,I09
Turner............2,965
Partridge..........                             314
Belden.............                                        9




162


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


VOTE FOR GOVERNOR BY TOWNSHIPS.
The following table gives the vote cast for the
different candidates for governor in i88o, i886
and I890, by townships.
1880            1886          1890
TOWNS.
CITIES.                     S                         0 ~
Allendale.............................. 135    42  32    2 187   64   23 120 126    19
Blendon................................   54   59  16        75  78    2 105   70    3
Chester................................. 110 151   68    1   77 132   17 204   63   15
Crockery............................... 160    66  26       152  87   10   91 138    9
Georgetown........................... 162      85  75       165 115   36 196 167    20
Grand Haven.........................     46   57  25        60  69    7  66   40    7
Grand Haven City-1st Ward...........       88 146    4        93 115    3 106   65   10
Grand Haven City-2nd Ward....              77 129   12        79 114       106  35    3
Grand Haven City-3d Ward.......... 158 125          5       216 172   10 198 188     2
Grand Haven City-4th Ward..........       57   60   4        82  63    1   69  74
Holland............................ 275 157     8       260 157   25 202 200    30
Holland City-1st Ward................     61   47   4        88  66    5   85 102   17
Holland City-2nd Ward............... 32  41  3  107  82   24   72  67    4
Holland City-3d Ward......                89   53   6    2   48  54    5 117 153    15
Holland City-4th Ward.                     37   22   7        49  44    1   74  59    4
Jamestown............................. 153     67 134       183 131   15 158 142    20
Olive.................................. 144 103    40       175 101    8 198 163    10
Polktonu................................. 338 150  65    1 319 233    59 265 257    46
Robinson................................22     28  57        38  60    3   75  36    8
Spring Lake............................   284 133   33       316 180   28 114 226    21
Talmadge.............................. 173     88  98    2 170 136    15 154 15h    18
Wright................................. 193 203    33       183 215   30 253 128    24
Zeeland............................       348 127    3       301 131    6 181 308     9
Total.........31962129 758                          8423 2639 329 3109 2965 314
OTTAWA COUNTY IN 1892.
For two generations the                          people         of western
Michigan have relied directly or indirectly upon
the saw mills, and sent their money away for the
manufactured articles they used; but thanks be
to "Father Time" and improved saw mill machinery, the days of unreliable lumber manufacture
have passed from Ottawa county forever.
Whatever improvements are hereafter made in
the county must be made upon a solid basis.
|        The large working population that came here.:0y




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I63


from foreign countries to labor in the mills and
invest the savings of their industry in farming
lands in the vicinity, have settled upon them and
are devoting their whole time to building up a
magnificent farming country and the providing
of substantial homes for themselves, and in the
cities and towns their places are being filled with
mechanics.
Capital will hereafter be employed in our cities
and towns in the manufacture of such articles as
were formerly bought in foreign markets with
monies derived from our lumber products. The
day has come when our labor and capital must
be employed in general manufacture for ourselves
and the markets of the great north-west; and upon
these enterprises our farmers will hereafter depend for their local markets.
Our capitalists have foreseen that in order to
insure the permanent prosperity of Ottawa
county, her chief cities, especially, must become *
general producers of manufactured goods, as well
as consumers. That they must do their share in
the manufacture of furniture, musical instruments, barrels, boxes, baskets, leather, paper,
books, clothing, novelties, edge-tools, shoes, machinery, agricultural implements, iron, steel, brick,
matches and the numerous other products of the
factory, thus employing their labor and affording
a home market for the rapidly developing farming country, and these cities have already made
great progress in that direction.
With the rapid development of the state at
large new and numerous industries must be built
up in western Michigan within a -few years. The
only question is, where shall they be located?




I64


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


The answer is simple. They must be located at
those points affording ample room for manufacture, and the greatest natural advantages for
transportation. They must be located at those
points where material can be obtained the cheapest, and where their manufactured products can
be shipped to the great markets of the country
with the least possible delay and at the lowest
possible expense.
In this Ottawa county's water fronts are superior to all other locations, and will continue to
attract factories and other enterprises as the
people are made acquainted with their advantages.
GEOGRAPHICAL.
As has been previously stated, Ottawa county
is the grand western gateway of Michigan.
Its entire western boundary, 25 miles in length,
is along the shore of Lake Michigan, and it has
the two most important harbors upon the east
shore of this great lake. One of these harbors,
Holland, is less than a hundred miles, and the
other, Grand Haven, but a hundred and ten
miles from that great and rapidly growing
metropolis, Chicago.
Ottawa county is bounded on the north by
Muskegon county, on the east by Kent, on the
south by Allegan, and on the west by Lake
Michigan.
The dimensions of the county on an average
from east to west are about twenty-two miles,
and from north to south twenty-four miles; with
an additional township, Chester, attached to the
north-east corner, making a total area of more
than 337,000 acres.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I65


Grand river, the most important river in Michigan, flows from east to west through the central
part of the county.  Before the advent of railroads this river formed an important link in the
great thoroughfare between the east and west,
across the continent.
For many years it was lined with steamers and
barges from the unassuming mud scow to the
finest equipped passenger craft, and it is believed
by many that the day is not distant when it will
be improved to an extent that will admit of
its navigation as far as Grand Rapids by the
largest lake steamers. As to how soon that time
will come depends largely upon the energy manifested by the large and rapidly growing populalation interested in the project.
Black Lake, one of the most important bodies
of water in western Michigan lies wholly in
Ottawa county. It is from one fourth to two
miles in width and six miles in length. It is
upon this magnificent harbor that the city of
Holland is located.  Upon this lake are also
located two of the most magnificent summer
resorts in Michigan, Macatawa and Ottawa Beach.
Spring Lake, the most important portion of
which is in Ottawa county, is a beautiful sheet of
water five miles in length, surrounded by magnificent hills and picturesque woodland scenery.
Upon the shores of this lake are located the
famous villages of Spring Lake, Ferrysburg and
other popular summer resorts.
SOIL.
Few  whole states in the union possess a
greater diversity of valuable soil than Ottawa
county. There is not a rod of land in the county
11




I66


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


that is not valuable for cultivation; all that is
necessary is to find what each particular kind of
soil is adapted to.  Nearly Ioo,ooo acres are
already under profitable cultivation.
CLIMATE.
In temperature and climate Ottawa county enjoys a very great advantage over interior regions
of country, in the same latitude, on account of
the influence of the waters of Lake Michigan
upon the atmosphere. The prevailing winds are
from the west and the presence of this vast body
of water immediately upon the west of the
county, operates to prevent extremes of heat and
cold, at all seasons of the year. Through the
modifying influences of Lake Michigan, Ottawa
county may be said to lie in a semi-tropical climate. With the greater portion of western
Michigan, Ottawa county is still new and holds
out great inducements to people to settle upon
its large tracts of undeveloped lands, hundreds
of acres of which are still in the, market at
reasonable prices, considering their close proximity to prosperous cities and unrivaled markets.
Ottawa county affords advantages to the, rich
or poor, high or low, that far outshine anything
in the far west or south.
Ottawa county boasts of no "wild cat" towns, on
paper, but offers realities in cities, villages,
markets, soil and climate, unsurpassed in this
great country of ours, "A country upon whose
vast domains the sun has never set."
SCHOOLS OF OTTAWA COUNTY.
A sketch of the schools of Ottawa county, in
the mind of the writer, should commence with at




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I67


least brief biographical sketches of the two most
eminent pioneer educators.
AUNT MARY WHITE.
To Miss Mary A. White, sister-in-law of Rev.
William M. Perry belongs the honor of teaching
the first school in the county. Miss White was
born in Ashfield, Massachusetts, September I8,
1813, and was educated partly at Sanderson Academy and partly under the instruction of that
famous teacher, Miss Mary Lyon, from whom she
feels she gained her first inspiration as a teacher.
At the age of sixteen she commenced teaching
at Ashfield, first a private and then a district school.
Then she and her sister for a time taught a
boarding school at Amherst, Massachussets. June
10, 1835, she arrived by sailing vessel around the
lakes at Grand Haven. Soon after her arrival
she opened a private school-the first school in
Ottawa county-at the home of Mr. Ferry. On
the organization of the public school she took
charge of it and continued with the exception of
a few months until I852. She then taught a year
at Steubenville, Ohio, and after that ten years in
the seminary at Rockford, Illinois, as associate
teacher. Senator Ferry and many of Grand
Haven's most prominent men and women were
Miss White's pupils in childhood and youth. She
and her distinguished nephew, the ex-senator, now
occupy the Ferry residence at Grand Haven.
Says Miss White: "It was my privilege to lay
the first rough stone in the foundation of the
polished educational structure that is now the
pride of Grand Haven. It has been my privilege,
from being for many years the only teacher in




I68


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Ottawa county, to see hundreds rise to take my
place, and from the little group that gathered in
my room, to see over a thousand children flocking at the sound of the school bell."  "I count
it, too, an honor that I organized and for sixteen
years had charge of the first Sunday school in
the county."
"Of the little band who formed the first Church
of Christ, I am  now the only one connected
with it."
PROF A. W. TAYLOR.
Augustus W. Taylor was born in Litchfield county, Connecticut, July i6, I819. At the age of eight
years he lost both father and mother, and was
left entirely destitute of means of support.
Struggling on in poverty, working during the
summer months and choring during the winter
for support, he was able to attend the public
school during a three months winter term. At
length, having mastered the branches usually taught
in the public schools at that period, he took an academic course and became a student at Williams
College, Massachusetts, at the age of eighteen
years, class of 1841, made up largely of students
who became men of historical prominence in professional life. Prof. Taylor chose the profession
of teaching, taught his first school just after passing the age of sixteen years and some portion
of each year following in long succession. The
public schools of Erie county, New York, near
Buffalo, became the chosen field of his work for
several years, notably among which was the fine
graded school at Lancaster, of which he was
chosen its first principal. At that place he married his present wife, Miss Alvira Smith, and




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I69


with her took up his residence in Crockery township, Ottawa county, Michigan, their present
home, in September, 1853, and taught his first
school in a little log cabin near by the following
winter at a salary of $i6 per month. In the fall
of 1854 he was chosen principal of the Grand
Haven schools with one assistant teacher-the
place then containing but a comparatively few
inhabitants. In 1865 he was again chosen to the
superintendency of the schools which had increased to several departments, but during the
second year of service he was obliged, on account
of failing health, to resign the trust. In I856 he
was elected judge of Probate of the county
and re-elected in I86o, and after serving eight
years in that capacity continued for the following three years to do the principal work of the
office for his successor, Judge Parks. In 1867,
the law creating the county superintendency of
schools becoming operative, Rev. C. Vanderveen,
the first elected as superintendent by the popular vote, very soon thereafter resigning, Prof.
Taylor was appointed by State Superintendent
of Public Instruction Hosford, of Olivet college,
to fill the vacancy. On the expiration of that
term of two years he was retained in the position by the will of the people until the change
of the law to the township superintendency, with
the exception of one term. On the change of
the law to township supervision he was elected
from year to year to supervise the schools of
Crockery township until I88I, when by another
change in the school law creating the board of
county school examiners he became a member
of the first board, and continued to act as such




170


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


for ten years following, a portion of the time as
secretary and visiting officer of the schools of the
county. During his service as township superintendent of schools and member of the board of
county examiners he acted as superintendent of
graded schools, six years at Spring Lake and
several years each in the Nunica and Coopersville schools, closing his school room work at the
last named place. Thus after thirty-eight years
intimate connection with the school interests of
Ottawa county, striving to discharge faithfully
and well every trust committed to him, ProL
Taylor retired to private life in 1891. It may be
in place here to state that under the county
superintendency the schools and teachers of the
county increased rapidly in efficiency-less under
the township system and more again under the
control of the board of school examiners and its
visiting officer. Early in the 8o's a county
teachers' association was organized, subsequently
a second one, the N. 0. T. A. Prof. Taylor has
been continuously its acting president. Mr, Taylor has been recently enrolled a member of the
Williams College Chapter of the Delta Upsilon
fraternity, now established in some twenty of the
leading colleges and universities, east and west,
and embracing in its membership many of the
first men of the nation, statesmen, jurists, etc.
Mr. Taylor has done a vast amount of newspaper work in additian to his other duties, and
has always been considered a valuable contributor to the press.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The first school teacher in Holland was Ira




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I7I


Hoyt, an American by birth. The school district
was organized in June, 1848.
There is no connected record of the schools of
Ottawa county up to 1852. Thirty-two districts
reported that year. These districts enrolled I,056
pupils.  In 1869 there were ninety-one school
houses, fourteen of which were built of logs. In
1883 there were 122 school houses; fifteen were
brick and the balance frame. There were as
many children attending school in I852 as now,
according to population, but the length of time
that children are in school has about doubled
since that time. The number of teachers employed in 1855 was seventy-eight; now, between
three and four hundred are enrolled.
Excellent graded schools were established in
the cities and villages as fast as the population
would warrant it. Grand Haven graded schools
employ twenty-seven teachers, with Prof. E. P.
Briggs at the head, a gentleman eminent in the
profession. The library contains 2,500 volumes.
Holland city has nineteen teachers, with Prof.
S. E. Higgins, superintendent, an educator of
high  reputation.  The library contains 1,250
volumes.
The district library system in the interior has
always bordered upon failure. The following
villages have graded schools: Zeeland, Coopersville, Spring Lake, Ferrysburg, Berlin, Drenthe,
New Groningen, Lamont, Lisbon, North Holland, Nunica, Vriesland.
In pioneer days each township had three school
inspectors, whose duty it was to organize districts, apportion school monies to the districts,
examine teachers, grant certificates and visit




I72


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


schools. In the main this system remained until
I867, when the county superintendency was established. The township system was revived in 1875
but proved so unsatisfactory in its results that in
i88I a compromise measure, combining township
supervision with county examinations, was adopted.
With various changes the last system is proving
very satisfactory both to teachers and the people.
Colon C. Lillie, secretary of the county board,
about four years ago introduced the graded system
in the schools of the county, and wherever the
patrons have had the good sense to support it,
the schools have been greatly benefited.
Ottawa county has 119 district schools that will
compare with the district schools of any county
in the state of Michigan.
With two colleges and her excellent public
schools, who shall say that Ottawa county is not
perfect in educational facilities?
PROVISIONS FOR THE POOR.
Says William N. Angel: "Ottawa county is
one of the few counties in the state that makes a
distinction between town and county poor. Where
such distinction exists all persons residing one
or more years continuously in any town or city, self
supporting, are town or city charges if needy
after such settlement. In such case the county
paupers come from the transient class and those
who have gained no settlement in town or city.
The county has a commodious brick building
of three, stories above basement situated upon a
240 acre farm upon the bank of Grand river in
the township of Polkton, about one and a half
miles below the small village of Eastmanville,




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I73


and commanding a charming view of the adjacent
country in all directions. Sixty persons can be
kept within the poor house main building and
hospital (a small frame house), although the
average has been only a little above thirty
inmates for the seven years since the present
building was erected. Any town or city desiring
may have their poor supported at the county
poor house by paying into the county poor fund
$1.27 per week for board, lodging and washing,
and the clothing at the actual cost.
The poor-house keeper is hired from year to
year on a net salary of $460 to $600, depending
much upon experience and adaptation to the
difficult duties of the position. The last keeper
filled out ten years of service on the 9th day of
March last, and for most of the time received
the highest salary. Religious services, alternating
between American and Holland clergyman, have
been a feature of the management at the poorhouse for ten years past.
The superintendents of the poor, three in
number, are usually selected upon the principle
of locality as well as fitness. By law, one of
them must reside at the county seat. Of the other
two, for many years Holland has had one and
Polkton or Wright the other. The present board
consists of: Wiepke Diekma, Holland; Alexander
Noble, Coopersville; Wm. N. Angel, Grand
Haven.
The name of the present keeper of the county
house is Albert H. Winchell, and his postoffice
address is Eastmanville.
ROADS, BRIDGES AND BUILDINGS.
"The road is that physical sign or symbol by




I74


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


which you will understand any age or people.
If they have no roads, they are savages, for the
road is the creation of man and a type of civilized society." This is the motto on the title
page of Good Roads, a monthly magazine devoted
to the improvement of the public roads and
streets. If it were literally accepted, the United
States would stand very low in the scale of civilization, since our common roads are notoriously
the worst in the world. The appearance of this
magazine, however, which is published by the
League Roads Improvement Bureau, is proof of
a healthy agitation to remove this stigma.
Ottawa county has contracted the fever, and the
people generally are becoming converted to the
movement, to improve the main thoroughfares,
and much good work has already been done.
However, there is yet ample room for further
improvements, and the friends of good roads
should continue to advocate their cause with
vigor.
Grand river should have at least four bridges
within the limits of the county and with its more
perfect development the people will see their
way to construct them.
In the way of buildings, the county may justly
take pride in her infirmary, and she is the proprietor of a substantial jail, but sadly is she in
need of a court house. That may be constructed
however, at any time, without any visible expense to the people; and probably soon will be.
PUBLIC MEN.
Ottawa has more men of wide reputation than
any other county of the same population in the




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I75


state. Statesmen, lawyers, clergymen, professors,
writers, authors and financiers, are included in
the list. The county never goes without representation in any department of life.
STOCK RAISING.
In no department has Ottawa county progressed
more rapidly than in stock raising-and especially
of horses. Several horses have been produced in
the county, the names of which are familiar to
horsemen the world over. Horses for every department of labor are being successfully bred;
from the heavy coach horse to the 2:20 timer or
better. Several of our horsemen have gained
national prominence within the last few years.
SECRET SOCIETIES.
Secret societies have always flourished in
Ottawa county, and it has many different organizations.
The first Masonic lodge-Ottawa, No. 122-was
organized at Eastmanville, and received its
charter January I3, I860. Since that time, and
within a few years after, lodges were organized
at Grand Haven, Holland, Spring Lake and
Berlin.
The Odd Fellows also have large and prosperous organizations.
The Knights of Labor, Good Templars and
various insurance societies are well represented.
Among the insurance societies are the Royal
Arcanum, Knights of Honor, Chosen Friends,
Maccabees, Modern Woodmen, etc.
FREE MAISONS.
Grand Haven Lodge No. I39, F. & A. M.Dispensation was issued June io, I862, and


/




176


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


charter granted at January session of Grand
Lodge, I863. The charter members were: George
E. Hubbard, James C. Rice, William H. Parks,
Robert Howlett, Heber Squier, Robert Cowley,
John E. Walker, George Parks, Charles Reynolds,
Edward P. Ferry, Charles T. Pagelson, Isaac H.
Sanford, Charles J. Pfaff. The present Imembership is about 115.
Regular communications are held the Wednesday on or before full moon.
Corinthian Chapter, No. 84, R. A. M.- Received
dispensation October, 1872; granted charter at
January session of the Grand Chapter, 1873.
Regular convocation first Tuesday of each month;
annual convocation December 6th; membership,
104. First high priest, William J. Pickering; first
secretary, Chas. T. Pagelson. Charter members:
William J. Pickering, George E. Hubbard, H.
W. Burwell, Chas. T. Pagelson, Geo. W. Stone,
Charles P. Sellick, Joseph Greer, Charles J. Pfaff,
John  H. Mitchell, Hammond     Wilson, Robert
Sinclair.
Grand Haven Council No. 5I, R. & S. M.This council received dispensation March   i8,
I88I, and charter granted January I6, I882.
George E. Hubbard was the first T. I. M.;
Charles T. Pagelson first recorder. Present
membership 23.' Regular assembly first Friday
of each month. Charter members: George E.
Hubbard, W. J. H. Saunders, Dan Gale, Chas. T.
Pagelson, Chas. N. Dickinson, A. L. Holmes,
Hiram Pruim, James Walsh, E. G. Bell, C. J. Pfaff.
Ottawa Lodge No. 122, F. & A. M., of Eastmanville was granted a dispensation by the Grand
Lodge, May I3th, 1859, and the charter is dated




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I77


January i3th, i86o. First meeting held June 6th,
1859. James M. Kelley, W. M.; Timothy Eastman, S. W.; John W. Denton, J. W.; John G.
Colgrove, Secretary.
Berlin Lodge No. 248, F. & A. M.-The following named persons were charter members:
H. A. Norton, Wm. L. Norton, R. B. McCulloch,
Abram Biglow, Elisha Martin, Charles L. Lawton, Job H. Trefry, Isaac Walker, Ezra Halling,
John T. Haley, Benj. S. Whitman, John T. Dayton, Wilson Millard, Benj. F. Norton, Joseph
Sever, Alvin Decker. The first regular meeting
was held Tuesday, March 3d, A. L. 5868, and
the officers were: H. A. Norton, W. M.; W. L.
Norton, S. W.; R. B. McCulloch, J. W.; J. H.
Trefry, Treas.; Charles L. Lawton, Sec.; A. Biglow, S. D.; E. Martin, J. D.; John T. Haley,
Tyler.
Holland Lodge.-Unity Lodge No. I91, meets
on or before first Wednesday of full moon.
Unity Lodge was organized January 23, i866,
with the following charter members: George
Lauder, George G. Steketee, Otto Breyman,
Jacob 0. Doesberg, George N. Smith, William
K. Joslin, Joshua Myrick, William L. Hopkins,
Joseph A. Gray, B. R. Platt, Gerrit Van Schelven.
Officers, George Lauder, W. M.; George G.
Steketee, S. WV.; Otto Breymen, J. W.
Spring Lake Lodge No. 234, was organized
January 8, i868, with the following officers: Henry
W. Cleveland, W. M.; Edwin Thayer, S. W.;
Daniel Menzell, J. W.; John Thompson, S. D.;
James Thompson, J. D; James A. Wilson, treas.;
Allen C. Adsit, sec'y.
There are six Grand Army Posts in Ottawa




178


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


county, as follows: Weatherwax Post No. 75,
Grand Haven; Bartholomew   Post 136, Nunica;
Randall Post 238, Coopersville; A. C. Van Raalte
Post 262, Holland; Perkins Post 279, Spring Lake;
William Thurkettle Post 388, Allendale.
The following members of the ex-Prisoners of
War Association reside in Grand Haven: E. B.
Holmes, Co. F, 7th Michigan infantry; Myron
Scott, 33rd New York; C. N. Dickinson, Co. G,
21st Michigan infantry.
The Grange societies of the county have been
successful from the start, and many are the
farmers that owe their prosperity to the Grange.
There are seven Granges in the county as follows: Ottawa, located at Herrington, Wright
township; Talmadge, in Talmadge township;
Georgetown, in Georgetown township; Hudsonville, at Hudsonville; Allendale, at Allendale
Center; Olive, at Olive Center; Lisbon, at Lisbon. These Granges have a total membership
of about 600, and each society owns its own hall
except Olive.
The Patrons of Industry developed wonderful
strength in the county during I890-I, but in
numbers are now rapidly declining.
The Farmers' Alliance has also found a welcome in certain localities.
CITY OF HOLLAND.
BY G. A. MITCHELL.
Holland, with a population of about 5,000, is
located on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan,
ioo miles from Chicago, i80 miles from Detroit,
80 Miles from Milwaukee, directly east, and 25
miles from Grand Rapids. It is the market place




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


179


and natural center of a fine farming country containing a population of 25,000 people within a
radius of fifteen miles, the land tributary to the
city being excellently adapted for fruit growing,
celery and market gardening.
Following the Holland fire, and before the
citizens had had time to recover from the blow
which had almost overwhelmed them, came the
financial panic of I873 which still further retarded
the growth of the place, in common with that of
the entire country. Gradually, however, the city
resumed its wonted activity, and a new era of
prosperity was ushered in. Energies were directed and capital employed with a view to giving the new city such characteristics and advantages as would place it far in advance of the old
one. Substantial brick and stone buildings took
the place of frame structures in the business part
of the town; modern and beautiful residences
were built where formerly stood the plainest of
dwellings; new and handsome schools and churches
were erected; streets were broadened and carefully graded; new avenues were opened up; shade
trees were planted, and, in every direction,
foundations looking to future growth and prosperity were laid. The effect of this general
activity soon became apparent. Manufacturers
from the outside world were attracted by the
spirit of enterprise so practically manifested, and
investigation conclusively proved that for industrial and manufacturing advantages, no better
city than Holland could be selected. The result
was the establishment of several new industries,
the accretion of additional capital, an increase in
population, and a  substantial and  healthful




180


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


stimulus to all the city's interests, which has continued up to the present time. In everything
that tends to constitute a prosperous, progressive
city, Holland is well equipped and supplied. Its
industries are greater and more varied than those
of any other town in the state in proportion to
its size and population. With educational advantages, which for thoroughness and efficiency are
unsurpassed in any community; with religious
opportunities represented by numerous churches
embracing nearly every denomination; with railroad and shipping facilities, which, so far as the
requirements of commerce are concerned, are
superior to those of most western cities; surrounded by one of the finest and most productive agricultural regions in the west; supplied with
an abundance of pure water; having ample and
efficient protection against fire; possessing numerous commodious and well stocked retail stores,
Holland offers opportunities and inducements to
all classes such as are seldom found combined in
larger and more pretentious cities.
Its industries comprise many of the finest
factories and mills in the State, and several of
them have an almost national reputation for the
extent and quality of their output. Following is
a list of the most prominent:
The Cappon & Bertsch Tanneries, Standard
Roller Mills, City Flouring Mills, West Michigan
Furniture Company, Ottawa Furniture Company,
Lakeside Furniture Company, Van Putten Tub
and Pail Factory, C. L. King & Co.'s Basket
Factory, Keystone Planing Mill, Huntley Machine
Shops, Kleyn's Novelty Works, Holland Stave
and Cooperage Factory, Crystal Creamery, Union




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


Wagon Works, Demming's Foundry, Van Dyk's
Saw Mill, Waverly Stone Company, Huntley
Manufacturing Works and Planing Mill, Phoenix
Planing Mill and Lumber Yards, Vindicator
Fanning Mill Company, Wilms' Harrow Works,
Flieman's Wagon Factory, Kole's Wagon Depot.
These concerns are all suitably equipped for
the manufacture and production of their various
specialties. Their annual output represents more
than two millions of dollars, and they give employment to over i,ooo workmen, a large number
of whom with commendable prudence and economy have utilized their savings to such advantage that they now occupy their own homes.
In the matter of schools and educational
advantages, Holland is to be congratulated upon
the excellent opportunities afforded to the young.
Its public school system is as nearly perfect as it
is possible for careful and wisely directed management to make it. The present availability of
the school system  consists of a central, ward
and high school.  In addition to this, Hope
College and Western Theological Seminary, one
of the best known institutions of learning in the
north-west, is situated here.
The. religious advantages of Holland are in
advance of many cities of greater area and population.  The citizens are essentially a church
going people, and they give freely and liberally
to the support of their religious institutions.
There are established here, eight churches,
divided as follows: Three Reformed, two Christian Reformed, one Episcopal, one German
Lutheran, and one Methodist. The churches are
prosperous, and have a large attendance, and the:
I2




I82


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


most cordial relations exist between pastors and
people.
It can be asserted without fear of contradiction, that the railroad, shipping and transportation facilities of Holland are unsurpassed by
any other place in western Michigan. They are
in fact so favorable to manufacterers and shippers, that taken in connection with the city's
industries and its commercial relations with
other industrial centers in this section, the town
must in time hold a commanding position as a
distributing point. Its location at the junction of
the two divisions of the Chicago & West Michigan, and Detroit, Lansing & Northern systems
of railroads, gives direct rail communication with
Chicago, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Detroit, and
all points east, west and south. The freight and
passenger accommodations afforded by these
roads and their connections are excellent. Thirtytwo passenger and eighteen freight trains leave
Holland daily, and the railroad traffic is increasing faster here than at any other station on the
line. In respect to the volume of railroad business, the city ranks third in importance on the
road, its annual traffic being valued at over
$ioo,ooo, which figures are only exceeded by
Grand Rapids and Muskegon, while the yards at
this point are conceded to be the most extensive
along the line. As regards transportation by
water, Holland is particularly favored. The city
is connected with Lake Michigan by a magnificent sheet of water known as Black Lake, a fine
natural harbor which affords a dock frontage for
the entire western portion of the town. The
channel is of sufficient depth to permit the navi



OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I83


gation of vessels drawing twelve feet of water,
thus giving ample facilities for the large vessels
employed in the great lake traffic. During the
fruit season, a large part of the product of
Michigan's splendid fruit belt is shipped to Chicago and Milwaukee by this route, while the
passenger accommodation is furnished by a daily
steamboat line running direct to these points, at
exceedingly low rates of fare. From the facts
enumerated it will be seen that Holland is admirably provided with all that is essential in
point of transportation facilities, the value of
which must be readily apparent to all who give
the matter consideration.
The year 1891 was marked by an expansion in
the building trade of Holland never before
equaled in its history. In addition to several new
business blocks of substantial structure and embodying in a high degree the improvements and
conveniences of modern architecture, over one
hundred dwelling houses were erected, the total
value of the year's building transactions amounting to over $ioo,ooo. This creditable record is
in no sense due to a "boom" such as frequently
marks the mushroom growth of many western
cities, to be followed in many cases by periods
of depression and disaster.
The city owns and operates a complete system
of water works, has electric lights, and the fire
protection is perfect.
A sketch of Holland would be incomplete without a reference to the celebrated summer resorts
with which its name is so closely identified.
These are the far famed Ottawa Beach and
Macatawa Park, whose attractions draw to them




I84


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


thousands of visitors during the summer season
from this and other states.  During the heated
term, each of these beautiful and healthful resorts
presents such varied and attractive claims upon
the attention of those seeking rest and recreation,
that the hotels and cottages, of which there are
many, are taxed to their utmost capacity. They
are connected with Holland by both railroad and
steamboat lines, the distance from the city being
but six miles.
HOPE COLLEGE.
Hope College was established by the Reformed
Church of America. Beginning with a "pioneer"
school in I85I, it became an organized academy
in I857, and an endowed college in I865. A
theological professorate was added by the General
Synod in I867, which was soon followed by a
regular Theological Department or Seminary.
The object of the institution is to furnish liberal
courses of study and education, or scholastic discipline, of high order and approved merit. This
object has been steadily pursued, as may be seen
by an examination of the curriculum of the
college and the scholarship of its graduates.
The alumni of the grammar school have been
425, of the college I58, and of the theological
seminary 46, but in all 174 from the institution
have studied for the ministry.  In I865-6 the
total of students was 48, and the number has
gradually increased until in I891-2 it is nearly
200, exclusive of the classes of the "summer
normal." The faculty, beginning with three professors in I865-6, has become a corps of twelve
teachers of acknowledged skill and experience
who have generally held their positions for




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


years, and have abounded in labor for the school.
The first president was Rev. Philip Phelps, D.D.,
who directed the affairs of the college from 1865
to 1878. He was succeeded by Rev. G. H. Mandeville, D. D., who held the office from 1878 to
I88o, and was succeeded by Rev. Charles Scott,
D. D. Dr. H. D. Bois Mulford, of Syracuse, N. Y.,
the present incumbent, succeeded Dr. Scott. The
invested funds have reached the sum of $120,000,
besides considerable real estate held for endowment. The campus contains eighteen acres of
most pleasant and attractive appearance, and on
the grounds are eight buildings for college purposes. The library contains 8,ooo volumes, and
this, with all the apparatus, is progressive.
In order to meet its increasing requirements, a
fine new building is contemplated, plans for
which will doubtless soon be prepared. An interesting feature connected with the college is a
monthly publication by the students entitled The
Anchor, which   displays  considerable literary
talent on the part of those' who edit and contribute to it.
GRAND HAVEN CITY.
The original plat of Grand Haven contained
340 lots and only extended east to Fourth street.
Rix Robinson's name appears as proprietor, and
it was filed for record April I4, 1835, at Kalamazoo, Michigan. One lot was offered to each
of the first four Protestant denominations that
would build respectable houses of worship, within
ten years, one lot for a public academy or seminary, one lot for a court house, and one lot for
a jail, if built within ten years. The old cemetery (now park) also appears upon this plat.




186


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


In 1851, sixteen years after its original plat
was recorded, it only had four merchants, Ferry,
Albee, Gilbert and Griffin, and depended almost
entirely upon the lumber trade to keep it up.
Up to 1853 their trade with the outside world
was mostly by small freight schooners engaged in
the lumber trade. In April of that year, the
steamer Detroit, commenced making regular trips
to Chicago.  The population  in 1854 of the
unincorporated village of Grand Haven was only
671.
The only manufactories were lumber mills and
Albee's tannery. In 1856 the propeller Troy
plied between Grand Haven and Chicago and the
Barber between Spring Lake and Chicago.
Grand Haven had no local government until
I867, when it became a city.
The bill incorporating the city was approved
by the governor, March 15, I867, to take effect
March   3oth, same  year. The   first election
occurred April i, i867, and the Democrats were
successful. The total vote cast for mayor was
340.
The successful ticket was: Mayor, George
Parks; recorder, Charles T. Pagelson, (also exofficio justice of the peace); treasurer, Jacob
De Boe; Wm. M. Ferry and Dr. A. Vanderveen,
school inspectors; Wm. Wallace, director of the
poor; Wm. N. Angell, James Donelly and Jacob
Despelder were elected justices of the peace.
The aldermen elected were: First ward, Dr. A.
Vanderveen and J. A. Rice; second ward, John
W. Hopkins and William Wallace; third ward,
Isaac Sanford and Peter Van Weelden; fourth
ward, Henry S. Clubb and Harman Bosch. In




41


H              -   -OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.                       187
when    the first railroad, the        Detroit     &   Milukee       entered    the city on      the  opposite     side    of
e    river, the     town    had    brt    I,ioo   inhabitants,
d was only considered          of sufficient     impbrtance
o warrant a weekly         mail; but in      I867    it  was    a
L    full   fledged     city.    Following       is  a   list  of   the
^:?ayors from    the organization        of the   city   to   the
present time, with        their terms of office:.. 867-6g;George Parks......................   8678
Robert W. Duncan.............................    1868-69
Dwight    Cutler...........................................   869-70
Dwight  Cutler..........................................  1870-71
Henry  Griffin..........................................  87-72
George E. Hubbard....................................         872-73
George E. Hubbard.....................................  1873-74
John A. Leggatt...................................   1874-75
John A. Leggatt......................1... I875-76
r tm. M. Ferry.....                    i..........            1876-77
George     C. Stewart.....................................   877-78
Major B. D. Safford...................................... 1878-79
Major B. D. Safford...................................... 1879-80
George E. Hubbard......................................     I88o-8
Mlajor B. D. Safford (Resigned Dec. i8, I88I).............. 1881-82
H. C  Akeley...........................................    882-83
H. C.Akeley.............       3.................          88384
Samuel  L. Tate..........................................  1884-85
Levi  Scofield..........................................  885-86
Joseph W. O'Brien.......................................    886-87
Thomas W. Kirby..........                        887-88
Thomas W. Kirby......................................       888-89
Thomas W. Kirby.....................................        889-90
Dwight Cutler..........................                     1890-9
Dwight  Cutler.........................................  1891-92
Thomas W. Kirby.......................................       I892-93;                GRAND     HAVEN    FIRE.
Grand     Haven     has been     visited by several quite
serious     fires,  the    most      destructive      of    which
occurred     October      i,   i88o, when       over    $250,0o0
worth    of   property     was    destroyed.      However, its
effect upon      the   business     of   the    town    was    but
slight, and temporary. With the single exception of the loss of the former Cutler house,
the conflagration proved a blessing in disguise.
Many imposing residences now                stand where old
rookeries stood before. and a new Cutler house


- — cd ~




~%t-1' *; *    i ~  *'-;  F' - x ~  "/.  -....:w.e.....
~i88        HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF.
well adapted to the demands of the city ha
succeeded the old.
GRAND HAVEN'S ADVANTAGES AND RESOURCES. '
Grand Haven is the county seat of Ottawa.
county, and with the suburban towns of Spring
Lake and Ferrysburg, has a population of nearly,
7,000. She has a magnificent harbor, formed byl
the flowing of Grand river, the largest and.
longest river in the state, into Lake Michigan.:
This river empties an immenservolume of water
which continually sweeps well out into the lake,
such natural accumulation as would otherwise
obstruct navigation. It is easily accessible by
heavy draft ships in a gale and consequently has
a high reputation as a harbor of refuge. It is:
400 feet wide, with a depth- of from twenty to
twenty-four feet between the piers, which are
being extended so as to traverse the first and
second bars, and extend to the outer bar, which
will insure twenty-four feet of water and a safe
passage for the deepest loaded lake carriers.
There is about two and three-eighths miles of
piling and revetment around the interior of the'
harbor offering the finest dockage for manufacture in the north-west. There passed in and out
of Grand Haven harbor in the year 1890, as
shown by the government report, 866,649 tons of
shipping, the largest tonnage of any port on the
east shore of Lake Michigan except Manistee.
The tonnage of Grand Haven consists of miscellaneous freight and but very little lumber.
There has been no hindrance to navigation the
last three winters by ice.
Grand Haven enjoys the advantages of three




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.      189
trunk lines of railway; the Detroit, Grand Haven
& Milwaukee, the western terminus of which is
here; the combined system of the Detroit,
Lansing  &  Northern and Chicago and West
Michigan, and the Grand River railway. Grand
Haven is only thirty-one miles from Grand
Rapids, with which it is connected by both lines
of railroad and the Grand River Packet line. It
is only eighty-four miles from Milwaukee, with
which it is connected the year around by the
elegant line of Grand Trunk passenger and
freight steamers.
It is only i io miles from Chicago, the great
metropolis of the west, and second city of the
United States, with which it is connected by the
new  and magnificent daily line of Goodrich
steamships. Grand Haven is not a lumber town,
but a manufacturing city of healthy growth and
great diversity of industries. Its two ship yards
turn off annually more ships than any other city
of its size on the great chain of lakes.
Its principal articles of manufacture are agricultural machinery, refrigerators, furniture, stationary and marine boilers, stationary and marine
engines, the celebrated Dake engines, barrels,
pails, wagons and sleighs, carriages, steam yachts
and clinker boats, leather, cigars, harness, flour
and matches.
Grand Haven is backed up by a fair agricultural country. Among the numerous agricultural
and horticultural products of the vicinity, the
most important are celery, apples, peaches, grapes,
strawberries, raspberries. Celery and the small
fruits are grown in great abundance.
Grand Haven's educational interests are repre



I
Igo


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


sented by the Akeley Institute, with which the
people of the state are familiar, and a union and
four ward schools that will compare favorably
with the schools of any similar city; it also has a
public library of 2,500 volumes. There are twelve
churches, opera house, water works, gas works,
electric light plant, telephone exchange and three
weekly and two daily newspapers.
Here are located the following government
offices: Custom house, being the principal office
of the district of Michigan; office of the superintendent of the ninth lighthouse district; office of
life-saving service of eleventh district; office of
local inspector of boilers and hulls for the district of Michigan; civil engineer's office, ninth
district; office of weather signal service, and
office of local engineers. A marine hospital is
also located here.
Highland Park is a very popular summer
resort only a mile from the center of the city,
which may be reached in five minutes. It has
a fine hotel overlooking the lake and nearly a
hundred cottages of the various styles known to
popular watering places and more are being continually built. The park has one of the finest
sand beaches for bathing, shallow out into Lake
Michigan a distance of 250 feet, and it is one of
the safest and most healthful places for children
in the world.
One of Grand Haven's important and permanent industries, is the taking of fish for the market
from Lake Michigan, employing five steam tugs,
five sail boats, and about fifty men. Chicago is
the principal market.
Grand Haven is one of the few cities in this




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I9I


country in which matches are successfully manufactured. F. F. Sommers first built up and successfully operated a plant for several years, and
within the last year a company has been formed
of enterprising Grand Haven capitalists. This new
company has erected several substantial buildings,
and with improved machinery, the product of
Grand Haven's inventive genius, it is predicted
that they will be able to put matches upon the
market cheaper than any other company in the
world. The agent of a Pennsylvania company,
recently bought out by the Diamond monopoly,
stands ready to take the product of the new factory and put it upon the market.
Henry Bloecker has a high reputation along
the entire chain of lakes, as the builder of marine
engines.
The Dake engine, invented by William F.
Dake, of this city, and manufactured by the
Dake Engine company, has gained a world-wide
reputation for cheapness of construction, economy
and utility.
The Grand Haven Furniture company's plant
is an important accession to the city, and its
products are meeting with a prompt sale upon
the general market.
The factory of Silas Kilbourn & Co. is an
enterprise of great importance to the city, and
its products may be found in nearly all the
markets of the western country.
The Challenge Corn Planter and Refrigerator
Works are as large if not larger than any other
similar establishment in the world. They are
organized with a capital stock of $200,000. The
plant occupies twenty acres of ground and has a
capacity of five hundred men.






192


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


Grand Haven has two ship yards-the Grand
Haven   Ship  Building  company's and   the
Mechanic's Dry Dock company's-Duncan Robertson being master builder of the former and J. W.
Callister of the latter. From these yards have
been turned off many of the stanchest crafts of
the lakes.
The Grand Haven Leather company's plant
was put in operation in I885, burned to the
ground in i886 and immediately rebuilt. They
use a carload of between four and five hundred
hides a week, and about 2,000 cords of bark a
year. They employ forty skilled men the year
around, and their business is increasing. They
have all they can do to fill their orders. They
have 300 feet of water front and dockage, and a
branch of the Chicago & West Michigan railway
to their buildings. The officers of the company
are: A. J. Nyland, president; D. Vyn, vicepresident; George Stickney, treasurer; John Vaupell, secretary.
HORTICULTURAL AND FLORAL.


Grand Haven may justly take pride in her
greenhouses, gardens and celery beds, principally
the result of the indomitable will and perseverance of George Hancock, who, though 75 years
of age, is as active and enthusiastic in his work
as ever. He was born in Devonshire, England,
and came to this country about forty-three years
ago. After following market gardening in New
York State for several years he came to Spring
Lake and engaged in lumbering. A few years
later he again engaged in market gardening,
moving to this city about fourteen years ago.
He started in his present location with one small


I
I




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I93


greenhouse. He now has twelve, the covering of
which consists of over 26,000 square feet of glass.
From the first Mr. Hancock devoted considerable time to the growing of celery, being the
first to introduce that important industry in this
locality, and to ship celery from this county. It
is estimated that there are now more than 500
people employed in celery growing in this
vicinity. Last year Mr. Hancock alone shipped
over 500,000 heads. Market is found for celery
in various sections of the country. About eleven
years ago Mr. Hancock added the floral department to his business, making carnations a specialty, and of which he now has over I50 varieties,
comprising all the newest and most desirable.
He cut over a quarter million carnation blooms
the past season. Another feature is the propagation of young carnation plants, especially the
newest varieties. Last season  Mr. Hancock
added still another department to his business in
the way of canning tomatoes of his own growing, putting up many thousand cans. During the
busy season it requires at least fifty people to
handle the different departments of Mr. Hancock's business.
From the beginning made by Mr. Hancock,
Grand Haven and many of her citizens have
derived great benefits.
AKELEY INSTITUTE.
In the year 1887 the Hon. H. C. Akeley, now
of Minneapolis, Minnesota, but formerly of Grand
Haven, Michigan, gave his beautiful residence
and grounds to the Diocese of western Michigan
to be used as a school for girls. The gift was
accepted most gladly and a board of directors




194        HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF
appointed with Bishop Gillespie at the head.
The necessary steps were taken to change it into
a school, and on September I2, I888, Akeley
Institute was opened with eleven boarding pupils
and about twenty day scholars. The Rev. J. E.
and Mrs. J. E. Wilkinson, with a competent corps
of teachers, were put in charge. From the beginning the aim of those in charge was to found
a thoroughly first-class school at small cost. The
school became quite popular and had splendid
success. At the end of the second year the
school was overcrowded, and it became necessary to rent a second building to be used as a
dormitory.  This led to the consideration of a
new building on the grounds. After much discussion the trustees accepted plans, and on June
I th, I891, ground was broken with appropriate
ceremonies for a new building to accommodate
about one hundred boarding pupils, and having
dining room and kitchen, with large gymnasium
on third floor. Each year has seen the course of
study improved so that to-day it ranks with any
girls' school in the west. It has a course for entrance to the University of Michigan, its own
classical and English courses, in which it endeavors to fit a young lady who cannot go longer
to school to take her place in society as an
educated, Christian woman. Students may also
take elective courses, choosing those subjects
which will best meet their needs. The cost of
tuition in either English or classical course is put
at $200 a year. Superior advantages are also
offered in vocal and instrumental music and in
art. Teachers in all branches are thoroughly
competent and capable.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I95


NATURAL ADVANTAGES OF SPRING LAKE.
Both Spring Lake and Ferrysburg join Grand
Haven; both are in Spring Lake township, and
each possesses natural advantages similar to those
of Grand Haven.
Spring Lake village is located upon a beautiful peninsula, bounded upon the north by one
of the most magnificent small lakes in Michigan,
and on the south by Grand river. Both the lake
and river are navigable for the largest boats on
the great lakes. There is a continual line of
docks on two sides of the town three miles in
length, and they might, if necessary, be extended
to twelve miles. The village joins the city limits
of Grand Haven on the northeast and is but
two miles from Lake Michigan and Grand
Haven harbor.
Spring Lake is not only located upon two great
railroad systems, the Detroit, Grand Haven &
Milwaukee, and the Chicago & West Michigan,
but lies only 86 miles from Milwaukee and i io
from Chicago-the second city in the United
States and the great distributing point of the
boundless west.
Spring Lake is in daily communication with
both Milwaukee and Chicago by two magnificent
lines of boats, the Grand Trunk and Goodrich.
By way of the Goodrich line she is also in communication by water with all the cities on Lake
Michigan. As with all Ottawa county towns, she
is backed up by the immense hardwood forests
of northern Michigan, easily accessible by rail,
for manufacturing purposes. Spring Lake has
good, substantial homes for 2,000 people; has an
excellent water supply and elegant streets, being




I96


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


well graded. Her public schools are the pride of
the town, and are morally backed up by six good
churches.
As a manufacturing town or summer resort,
her natural advantages are excellent, beyond
description. She has several manufacturing establishments in a prosperous condition.
COOPERSVILLE.
The village of Coopersville is the most prosperous town upon the Detroit, Grand Haven &
Milwaukee railway, between Grand Haven and
Grand Rapids, and is sixteen miles from each.
It is the chief market of a prosperous farming
district and is blessed by an unusually enterprising class of business men.  It has excellent
schools and churches and a full quota of factories and enterprising business establishments of
various kinds. Coopersville is connected with
the Michigan telephone exchange, and is literally
and figuratively upon a live wire.
ZEELAND VILLAGE.
Zeeland is the live metropolis of that excellent
farming township of Zeeland, and is located upon
the Chicago & West Michigan railway, five miles
from Holland City and seventeen miles from
Grand Rapids. No town of her size in Michigan excels Zeeland in the importance of her
manufacturing industries.  Every department of
her business is in a thriving condition, and her
schools and churches do her credit, not on account of imposing buildings, but on account of
the solid moral influence they exert upon the
surrounding community. Zeeland enjoys all the
advantages of the ordinary city and must in




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I97


every way be considered the banner town of her
size in Michigan.
OTTAWA COUNTY PIONEERS.
The names of the early settlers, and those
who have been prominently identified with the
county's history are too numerous for us to even
refer to in this brief work. Following are short
references to some of the more widely known
pioneers:
DWIGHT CUTLER.
Dwight Cutler, was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, November 14, I830, and came to Grand
Haven in I850. He was first for three years in
the employ of Gilbert & Co., forwarding and
commission merchants. He then bought out his
employers and carried on the business six years
himself, buying several steam and sailing vessels
during that time. In I860 Mr. Cutler engaged
in the lumber business with Hunter Savidge, of
Spring Lake. Out of this co-partnership grew,
in a short time, the Cutler & Savidge Lumber
company, one of the largest and for years, most
prosperous lumber firms in western Michigan.
In I872, Mr. Cutler built and furnished the
Cutler House at an expense of nearly $250,000.
He has frequently held the position of mayor of
Grand Haven, and such other offices as he
could be prevailed upon to devote his time to.
For years he has been at the head of many
heavy financial enterprises.
THE FERRYS.
The Ferrys were for many years the leading
spirits of Grand Haven. So prosperous were
Ferry & Sons in lumbering, shipping and mercan13   I
*.




I98


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


tile pursuits that at Rev. Wm. M. Ferry's death,
which occurred December 30, 1876, the estate
was estimated at over a million dollars in value.
Col. Wm. M. Ferry    developed  Ferrysburg,
built up the Ottawa Iron Works, and was quite
prominent as a Democratic politician. He was
supervisor of Spring Lake and afterwards mayor
of Grand Haven.
E. P. Ferry was for many years a Grand
Haven business man of remarkable energy.
Major Noah H. Ferry was shot down and
instantly killed at the battle of Gettysburg.
Hon. Thomas W. Ferry, ex-United States
senator, was born at Mackinac June i, 1827, and
was but six years old when the family came to
Grand Haven. At the age of twenty-one he was
elected clerk of Ottawa county. Two years
later, I853, he was elected a member of the state
legislature, and in 1854, state senator. He was a
delegate at large at the convention that nominated
Lincoln; in 1863 was a commissioner for Michigan of the national soldiers' cemetery at Gettysburg; in 1864 was elected to congress, and
re-elected several times. January, I87i, he was
elected United States senator; was president of
the senate, and on the death of Wilson became
vice president of the United States.  He was
president of the joint meeting of the two houses
of congress during the exciting Hayes and
Wheeler electoral count, and has the pen at his
home in this city with which he signed the
election certificates. He was re-elected in 1877,
and closed his services in the senate in I883.
THOMAS W. KIRBY.
Captain Thomas W. Kirby came to the city




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


I99


first in 1857. He sailed on the ocean ten years
and several years upon the lakes. He established
a ship yard in Grand Haven in I869.     For
thirteen years he was one of the directing spirits
of the Michigan Barge company, with headquarters at Grand Haven. Captain Kirby is a business man of wide range, and has marine and
general business interests of large dimensions
scattered over the country.  He is the present
mayor of the city.
THOMAS HEFFERAN.
Thomas Hefferan, president of the People's
Savings Bank, Grand Rapids, was born in Washington county, New York, July 28, 1831, came to
Barry county, Michigan, in I840, and to Eastmanville in 1848, where he was employed by Dr.
Timothy Eastman three years, and then by
Galen Eastman, as manager of his lumber interests in Chicago, until I858, when he returned
to Eastmanville in the employ of Galen Eastman, and after seven years, embarked in the
lumber and real estate business for himself. He
accumulated property rapidly, and in October,
1889, moved to Grand Rapids and engaged in
banking and real estate. The People's Savings
Bank is patronized by Ottawa county people to
a very large extent, and with them is continually
growing more popular.




200


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF.Tle.         T                   _P
Stanton                            R
PrintinBOOK AND
COMMERCIAL
GomDanl.                 -
EMBOSSING
ENGRAVING            E
HIGH CLASS PRINTING.  Grand Rapids
WRITE FOR ESTIMATES.
lMicligan.
2 PEARL STREET....
Telephone 450.
R. H. LEE,,JEDWVE L R
B Pearl Street
GIRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.
REPAIRS WATCHES, CLOCKS AND cJEWELRY.
Over Porty Years Experience.
1. P. KELDER & CO..
Successors to KELDER & EIMERS.
WHOLESALE MERCHANTS.
frvuit, Veetables, Butter.
EGGS, FOULTRY, GflME, flND VERL, GfiEESE, FURS,
HIDES, TALLOW, PELTS, POTATOES, APPLES,
ONIONS, SEEDS, HAY, ETC.
216 South Water St.              CHICAGO.
REFERENCES-Merchants National Bank, Chicago.




OTTAWA COUNTY, MICHIGAN.


203I


LIST OF POSTOFFIGES.
I List of postoffices in Ottawa county, with the names of postmasters.
*Money order offices.




POSTOFFICE
Agnew.......
*Allendale....
Bass River...
Bauer.......
Beaver Dam..
*Berlin........
Blendon......
Borculo......
Conklin......
*Coopersville..
Dennison.....
Drenthe.....
East Holland.
Eastmanville.
Elgin........
Ferrysburg...
Forest Grove.
Furonde.....
Georgetown..
Gitchell......
*Grand Haven.
Hanley.......
Harrisburg...
*Holland......
Herrington...
Hudsonville..
Jamestown...
Jenison.......
Lamont......
Lisbon.......
N'wGroningen
New Holland.
Noordeloos..
*Nunica.......
Olive Center..
Ottawa Beach
Ottawa Station
Pearline......
Reno........
Robinson....
South Blendon
*Spring Lake..
Talmadge...
Ventura......
Vriesland....
West Olive...
Wright.......
*Zeeland
Zutphen.....


NAME OF POSTMASTER.


TOWNSHIP


I,.


Geo. W. Harris...................
I.J.  Q uick........................
A.J. White......................
Emma Hague..................
W m. Karsten.....................
John Mead.......................
Angus McDonald.................
Fuda Reumsma..................
Henry Miller....................
George T. Peck...................
Susan McLellan..................
J. Riddering......................
D. Brandt........................
Simon  Leifers....................
Ephriam Parmenter.............
Charles  Strobe....................
L.  Pickaart....................
John Van Furonde................
H. C.  Lowing...................
H. Lanning......................
Thos. A. Parish............................................
Wm. H. Harrison................
G. J. Van Duren..................
George Seavy.................
Chas. K. Hoyt....................
J. DeVries........................
Luman Jenison...................
Miss Mary Hedges................
F. Pom eroy.......................
Mrs. E. Brinks....................
A. Wagenaar.....................
J. Meyering.......................
John Pickett.....................
John Vinkermulder..............................  -......
Adam   Lick..................
John Everhart....................
Sanford Sievers...................
William Foster...................
Henry Havikhorst...............
S. S. Rideout....................
Warren S. Root.................
G. W. Joscelyn...................
C. Den Herder...................
Samuel Mountford................
John Raddamacher..............
C. Van Loo.................
B. Sterken........................


Grand Haven
Allendale
Allendale
Blendon
Zeeland
Wright
Blendon
Blendon
Chester
Polkton
Polkton
Zeeland
Holland
Polkton
Talmadge
Spring Lake
Jamestown
tlendon
Georgetown
Jamestown
Grand Haven
Chester
Holland
Wright
Georgetown
Jamestown
Georgetown
Talmadge
Chester
Holland
Holland
Holland
Crockery
Olive
Holland
Olive
Allendale
Wright
Robinson
Blendon
Spring Lake
Talmadge
Holland
Zeeland
Olive
Wright
Zeeland
Jamestown.


I....  _l............................... I  II




202


202HISTORICAL COMNPENDIUM OF


J. W. HANNEN, Pres.


S. J. EMERY, Sec'y & Treas.         A. J. TUCKER, Asst. Sec'y & Treass


THIS GOMPENDIUMA
WAS BOUND
BY THlE
G~1zan R~pid..GENERAL.
BooK BNDING


k
1


Bank Boo
Manufacturingj.


BINDERS Of FlNE, tiliT
fiND ILLUSTRIITED
PERIODIGRI.S..Manufacturers of the Workman Pat, flat Opening Blank Books.
SOLE MANUFACTURERS IN MICHIGAN OF THE,MULLINS PATE!NT PLAT OPE-NING, SPRING BACK~
BOOKS.
29 AND 31 CANAL STREET,
Telephone 1243.    GRAND          I'~APIDS.










TABLE OF DISTANGES.
Table showing distances, by wagon road, and by rail (ti towns
reached by rail) from Grand Haven and Holland to all points in
Ottawa county having a postoffice.


DISTANCE  DISTANCE
FROM      FROM
POST OFFICE     TOWNSHIP.     GD. HAVEN  HOLLAND
ROAD RAIL ROAD RAIL


Agnew...........
Allendale.......
Bass River.......
Bauer...........
Beaverdam.......
Berlin............
Big Springs......
Blendon..........
Borculo..........
Conklin..........
Coopersville......
Dennison.........
Drenthe..........
East Holland.....
Eastmanville....
Elgin............
Ferrysburg.......
Forrest Grove....
Farowe..........
Grand Haven.....
Georgetown......
Gitchell..........
Hanley...........
Harrisburg.......
Holland City.....
Herrington......
Hudsonville......
Jamestown.......
Jenison..........
Lamont.........
Lisbon...........
New Groningen..
New Holland.....
Noordeloos.......
Nunica...........
Olive Center.....
Ottawa Beach....
Ottawa Station...
Pearline.........
Reno............
Robinson........
South Blendon...
Spring Lake......
Talmadge........
Ventura.........
Vriesland........
West Olive.......
Wright...........
Zeeland..........
Zutphen..........


Grand Haven......
Allendale..........
Allendale..........
Blendon............
Zeeland............
W right............
Chester............
Blendon............
Blendon............
Chester............
Polkton............
Polkton............
Zeeland............
Holland............
Polkton............
Talmadge.........
Spring Lake........
Jamestown.........
Blendon...........
Grand Haven......
Georgetown........
Jamestown.........
Jamestown.........
Chester............
Holland...........
Wright.............
Georgetown........
Jamestown.........
Georgetown........
Talmadge.........
Chester............
Holland............
Holland............
Holland............
Crockery..........
Olive..............
Holland............
Olive............
Allendale..........
W right............
Robinson...........
Blendon............
Spring Lake........
Talmadge..........
Holland............
Zeeland..........
Olive...............
W right.............
Zeela d............
Jamestown.........


9
19
12
22Y
23
21
24
21
20
25
I8
Ij
' 14
30
27
16
23
33
27
27
35
35
29
23
23
30
34
30
19
3'
23
18
20
8
I4
20
12
2  I
23
9
26
2
25
12
28
24
32


21
17
14
2
21
34
39
9
26
3
32
27


I
I
I
I
I
I
I


17
I9
I9
I8
IO
10
30
37
18
Io
35
28
27
9
6
22
26
24Y2
14
'5
23
I8
14
21
39
30
i6
16
22
23
38
5
5
5
30
9
4
II
19
30
14
14
25
23
9
IO0
13
35
14


13
4I
38
35
23
21
13
I8
30
5
24
II
6


I


2031




I






204


HISTORICAL COMPENDIUM OF


fIGH QUfRLITIES fiND LOW PRIGES
IS THE MOTTO AT
J.T. B rDoaucer's
DEALER IN


/FURNITURE
114bw0      0111I0.


i


CARPETS,


WVall Paper, Curtailns, Etc.,: Etc... DOUBLE STORE..


River Street.


HOLLAND, MICHIGAN.
ESTABLISHED 1872.




T116 Wa1lS-DeRoo Millino GompanU. i


DAILY CAPACITY, 400 BBLS.
Brands: SUNLIGHT, Fancy Roller Patent; DAISY, Roller Patent; PURITY, Roller Patent;
IDLEWILD. Roller Patent; MORNING STAR, Roller Straight; DAILY BREAD, Roller Straight.
Specialties:       Graham, Wheatena, Buckwheat Flour, Rye Flour, Rye Graham, Bolted
Meal; Wheat Grits, Pearl Barley, Rolled Oats, Feed and Meal.
Highest Market Prices Paid for WHEAT, CORN, OATS, RYE, BARLEY and BUCKWHEAT.
Special attention and prompt seruice to CUSTOM GRINDING of COARSE GRAINS.
Cor. River and Fifth Sts., HOLLAND, MICH.




I




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