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Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ============================================================================= Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ============================================================================= The Muskegon Weekly Chronicle Thursday, 29 March, 1900 Old Time Muskegon Two Pioneers Tell of the Infant Settlement Indian Squaw Isolated and Left to Die Some Indians Dangerous But Most of Them Good Friends and Playmates. An Old Account Book with Antique Spelling - Prices of Common Products to Compare with Now - An Interesting Interview on Olden Times MRS. W. M. W. IRWIN, 31 Easton avenue, and MRS. ELIZA IRWIN, 40 Allen street, are both pioneers of this city. Their father and mother, the late Mr. and Mrs. THOMAS W. DILL, and oldest sister, came to Muskegon in '37. The remainder of the children, including Mesdames IRWIN, were born here. MRS. JOHN CURRY, the first white child born in Muskegon, is also of this family. The Mesdames IRWIN are full of reminiscences and between them tell many a tale of early days. Their early recollections lead them back to the days when they lived under the hill where Rodgers' foundry is now located. "Our father, mother and oldest sister settled here," they said, "and the rest of us were born in this place. Muskegon wasn't settled at all then. There was nothing but Indians. Mother lived here a little over a year be- fore she saw the face of a white woman. CAPTAIN JOHN WITHERELL'S father came here a year later. "We can remember the first big sail-boat which came in here. It was what they called a hooker. The water was then higher in Muskegon Lake than it is now and we saw the boat coming. Father's grocery store stood on the bank down there somewhere and the boat ran its stern right into the store and took a window out. There was great excitement. Indians and white people all went down to see the boat - there were as many Indians then as there were white people. "An old Indian woman, about that time, caught the smallpox. The Indians were terribly afraid of it so they took her up in the marsh and left her there to die. They built a platform for her and there they left her. Two white men, father and PARMALEE, went out that way and they heard a moaning and found her. So they brought her off from the marsh. There was a little old shanty standing right on the side of the hill where the KEMPF house now is and they took her there and cared for her until she recovered. Mother used to say that the old squaw never forgot them. "The boys of our family had to play with the Indians. There were no white boys here. Brother didn't have white boys at all to play with. We girls had no one to play with till the WITHERELL'S came. "The first blacksmith shop in Muskegon, stood some- where near Ryerson & Morris' mill, because they did work for them. We used to have to get water at a spring somewhere near the present location of Cotie's grocery store. We lived on the corner where Boyce's meat market building stands. Father used to own that hollow square where the meat market is clear up to Clay avenue. At one time he owned the site of the 'Wierengo' and where the 'Muskegon' was across the street." "The first Sunday school," said MRS. ELIZA IRWIN, "was at our house. Mother used to take the children out into the dining room and let them have it there." "Yes," said MRS. W. M. W. IRWIN, "and I remember when we lived in the old 'Muskegon House' which was after- wards the 'National Hotel,' they had it there. I can't remember who got it up. The preacher would come from off somewhere and all I remember is that mother would tell me 'Now the minister is going to be here at such a time and I want you to behave yourself." The first Sunday school I went to MRS. GALLUP had at their house down near where the Occidental now stands - perhaps not quite so far, though. MR. GALLUP and his wife taught it. They had a little Sunday school library and they used to let us take books - nice bound books they were. It was the first library in Muskegon. They sent several little girls out to ask people for money to enlarge the library and I got quite a little more than the rest. "When father lived in the boarding house called the 'Muskegon' they used to give me a little box full of silver dollars to play with to keep the baby quiet. There must have been over $100 in it. The first mini- ster I remember that came here to stay any length of time before the M.E. church was built was a man by the name of BENNETT. He preached in what was called Holt's hall. I remember my first school teacher was a man named MOORE. He was Irish. My last teacher was Miss McINTYRE - now MRS. C. T. HILLS. I remember how mother baked up things on Christmas and Thanksgiving days for the Indians. They would be very pleased about it and go away. They used to think a great deal of mother. "I went up to a dance in Big Rapids. They had it in the first hotel built there - built in 1860 if I re- member right. The dance was on Christmas Eve. "DR. LEWIS was the first doctor who came to Muske- gon. I believe he used to come from Grand Haven when he was sent for. The first funeral I remember when there was any preaching was GEORGE MERRILL'S. He was one of our school boys and his funeral was held in Holt's hall, MAJOR DAVIS preaching." Justice held its sway in those days and both the Mesdames IRWIN witnessed some exciting times in pio- neer regulation of law and order. "Later, about '54" they said, "a man was killed in Kilgrubbin on a little bridge across that little creek by Ryerson's mill. JACK TULFORD was constable then. He was not the first one. Father was constable at one time. Long before a man was arrested for killing a half-breed down towards Ruddiman's creek. Father brought the man home. Our house was built with a loft and he sent the man up the ladder into the loft and then took the ladder away and kept him there. Houses in those days were nothing but boards set up endwise. "The first jail was down where the old cemetery used to be. BENJ. L. PIPER kept it. It was a kind of large modern house. Some of the jail was up stairs. That was in the late fifties. It was built before the war. "When we lived down near Rodgers' foundry one day there was an Indian in the house whom mother didn't like to have about. So to get rid of him she told him there were other Indians back aways from us and to go and they would give him something to eat. He said he would go and if there wasn't anything he would come back and kill her. Of course there wasn't any and he came back. She had the house all shut up so he couldn't get in. He yelled to her to let him in and said he would come down the chimney if she didn't. She knew if he got up on the house he would surely come down through the fireplace so she opened the door and put my little brother WASHINGTON out and told him to run up town, which was where Ryerson & Morris' store was, and tell them to come down; but she knew he couldn't get there in time so she began to scream. She screamed so loud that they heard her way up town and they started to run. They met our brother and they picked up clubs and hunted the woods for that Indian but they couldn't find him. Oh, they would have killed him surely. "Another time a squaw was down in the lake jumping up and down in the water and yelling and calling and having so much fun. The men all went down to see what was the matter and they stood there laughing at her. She became so furious that she rushed right after them, picking father out of the crowd. She started for him with a great long knife in her hand. She was drunk, but we didn't know what was the matter till afterwards. Some one got hold of her and took the knife from her and threw it in a well. "We didn't have wells in the early days we had springs. The first pump was what they called the town pump and was in front of our house on the corner of Pine street and Western avenue, where the cabin is now. We lived on that lot back a little, and the pump was right in front. It was called the town pump and was put up by the town and anyone who wished water came there and got it. There was no city in those days. "The First Methodist church was built by a contractor named DITMUS and PRATT was the minister. My brother-in- law, NELS CAMPBELL, sold them the land for it. He had a little house there, a kitchen, and was going to build an upright for hit when the church people wanted the property, so he sold it to them and moved the house on Pine street. There it was used by a man named RILEY for a shoe shop. RILEY'S shoe shop wasn't the first. There was a cobbler who did crude work, who was the first. Father used to buy all our shoes in Chicago. Before he went on a trip he would stand us all up in a row along the wall with our shoes off, and take a strip of paper and measure the length and width of our feet. Then when he came back he would bring us all shoes. "MARTIN RYERSON slept on our kitchen floor many a time rolled up in a blanket. That's where he got his start, trading with the Indians. "We used to have a pet deer. Father caught it when it was a little fawn. He got to be a good sized deer and would follow us all over. One day mother went up to RYERSON'S store to trade. She walked in and shut the door, when the first thing she know the deer came along and jumped right in through the glass window after her. The window was broken but the deer wasn't hurt. Mother thought, 'Oh dear, I've got a deer bill to pay now,' and when she finished trading she went up to MR. MORRIS and said, 'How much is my deer bill?' 'Oh,' he replied, 'that isn't anything. That was most too cute for anything." These ladies tell of a thrilling experience when one night in their childhood an Indian known as the White Lake Indian came to their house. He was a kind of a chief and was a terror even to other Indians. Their mother was alone in the house with her children. She took them into the next room and lay on the bed, dressed, pretending to sleep. The Indian, rolled up in a blanket on the floor before the fireplace, after all was still, took from his bosom a large turtle and stiring the ashes put it in among the coals. Shortly the woman and her little ones were frightened with a loud report like a pistol shot. The old fellow rolled over, raked the ashes, took out his cooked turtle and ate it -- that, after hav- ing been previously fed by MRS. DILL, earlier in the evening. When MR. DILL returned he was amazed to find the Indian there and said they did well not to thwart him, or he would surely have killed them all. One day long after the same Indian with a great big duck appeared at the house. MRS. DILL was quite frightened but he gesti- culated and gabbered to tell her how when he was hungry she fed him and when cold she sheltered him and he pointed up to show that she would find her reward in Heaven. She called after him "How shimokee squibee?" (Drunk?) and he shouted "Yesirree! yesirree!" and ran off. That was the last ever seen of him. He was found dead on the ice with a bottle at his side. The Indians had a jubilee then. Everybody was glad when he was dead. "That was when mother lived at Mill Iron Point," said Mesdames IRWIN. "It was called Mill Iron Point because father was once taking a load of mill iron up to the mill and the canoe got frozen in the ice and he had to leave it there till spring and that's how the place got the name." T. W. DILL, the father, conducted quite an extensive business. He kept a grocery establishment, or rather a general supply store, selling everything from articles of clothing to drink or dram of whiskey. He also took lodgers and, in fact, bargained for everything the times demanded. MRS. W. M. IRWIN has in her possession what she claims to be the oldest account book in Muskegon. It was kept by him in this grocery business and some of the entries are as early as 1843. MR. DILL wrote a fine hand and the book is quite legible after all these nearly sixty years. It also makes a pretty good record of the names of the men who lived and toiled here in those early days, men, many of whom were long since forgotten. The first page is devoted to SAMUEL CARTER, who, in 1844, purchased numerous articles of wearing apparel, tobacco and other sundries. He also received a number of days' board and lodging from MR. DILL. On the second page is an account with CHARLES MOSELL, 1843, which is carried from an old book, showing that there were still earlier account books in existence. Other accounts run all the way up to the years of '48 and '50. Way back in '44 PARMLEY bought 1 1/2 loads of hay. From JACK McBRIDE, in 1843, MR. DILL received "by ox," $25. In early days there was not that painful regu- larity of spelling which is observed today and conse- quently the book is refreshingly old-fashioned. The fol- lowing is a copy of one of the neatly written pages: W. DALY DR. 1843 Dr 12th-1-lb-tobacco................. .37 Do 1-th tobacco from green........... 0.50 Do Cash 12 1/2 cts................... 0.12 1/2 Do 1-for pants....................... 5.25 Do 1 shirt........................... 1.25 Do Cash.............................. 2.00 Do Skin for mockins.................. .50 Do 6 sheets paper.................... .07 Do 1 pair mocksens................... .75 Do 1/2 pound tobacco from green...... .25 ------------- $11.44 Jan 23th Cash......................... 00.25 Feb 2th from W. LASLEY................ 6.75 ------------- $18.44 Feb 7th 10th 25 cts cash.............. 9.86 Feb 20th 70-4dr....................... .69 1 -for maken pants.................. 1.37 1 1 shirt.......................... 1.25 1 1th tobacco...................... 0.37 ------------- $20.00 Cred. 1843 Comsed work $300 per m Nov 30th Comsed bord Feb 22 144 W. DALEY.............................. Mar 1th 4-1-d1-d...................... .37 Mar 1th 25 cts cash................... 0.25 Mar 4th-4-4dr 4-d..................... .75 - 1 ax............................... 2.50 Mar 10th 3dr......................... .18 Mar 11th 8-3-dr....................... 1.00 Mar 13th 4-4-dr....................... .50 Mar 15th 8-dr......................... .50 -------------- 6.24 Mar 20th 4:4:4-dr..................... .75 -------------- 6.99 Other names which appear throughout the book are those of Peter Stroner, Peter Mersey, Edward Harmen, Marskel, Mr. Triver, John Ogivie, Marten Ryson, Ralf Deverney, Philip Link, Jos. Icom, Wilder, Duch Philip, Macgilfin, John Batees, Peter Battees, Robert David, Mab Cowcen, Transway Tromley, John Stirnes, Walton, Vale, John Noble, Rose and Morris, George Barnerd, John L. John (probably Judge Littlejohn), Sam Worden, Jac Kellerd, John A. Brooks and Merel, Richard Keathe, Jones Green, Nites, Zadock Day, O. S. Nickbocker, Walas Guleere, Daniel Richedson, Tolcot, George Bordman, "Jack the cook," Louwe, Charley Dechman, Hillis R. Hill, "Dech Philip," Butchered, Jim Kaine, "old Hones," "Dech Hones," "Peter," "fritz Detchman," Benjamin King, (for play cards, $1.50), Hiram Hall, Bowen, Lewey, Mitchel Faris, Green, Graham, William George, George Curry, McConnell, Cap Mchary, Sackett, Charles Marten, Barret, Thomas Worker, Ralf Deverney, William Smith, "Sailor Bill," Southwork, Henry Funderbacker, Jacob Perry, George Woodly, Sterling Joslen, John Oglvie, John A. Brooks, John Weiek, William Decker, George Ockleaf, John Thomas, John Borchask, Henery Badow, Michel Rich, Wilder, "Hones the Blacksmith," Mr. Barr, (for a cold bite,") George Barr, Sanborn & Graham, Thomas Quick, "Jos the Frenchman," Mickel Lenard, Wm. Decker, Joh. Steerns, Sam Roose, Jense Conoster, "Jos. the Detchman," Flinch Bowen, Tolcot, George Ockleaf, "Hones the Redhead," Herman, Joel Witherel, Partridge, Carten and "Indian Bill." In 1844 Kendal is Dr. for "1 sharehead, 037; 2 bar. flour by Southworth, 10.000, and for use of cattle. "Sevens," probably Stevens, in '44, paid 12 cents for one dozen apples. Jos. Stroner bought 1/2 bus. salt for $.50 and 10 lbs butter for $1.25 in '43. July 3, 1 barrel of whiskey was purchased for $12.37 1/2. In '44 an account with O. S. BLANCHARD shows these items: 1 bar. pork - 1 bar. beef - $18; for making 6 shirts, for mend pantaloons - $3.27. HEATH, in '44, receives credit of $1 for a pair of shoes, thus showing there was a shoemaker at that date. JOS. TRUCKEY must have raised a goodly amount of garden truck, for to his credit in '44 is: "Cucumbers - $.50; potatos - $1.25; 1/2 bus. cucumbers - $.37; cumbers - $.50; 2 bushels potatoes; 1 bs. pickels - $5.00; pumpkins." PARMLEY was credited in '44 with "2 cord shingle bolts - $7.00; and 17 cord wood, $8.50" JOHN NOBLE, the same year, bought a "nife" for $.50 and had 5 1/2 weeks' board at $11.62. TOLCOT, in '44 and '45 paid $1.12 for 3 pounds of tobacco and $1 for making two shirts. JOHN McBRIDE in '42 had these entries: July 24th 8-8-1--deer skin.................$ 2.50 Aug 26th 2 traps........................... 4.50 1 1/2 pounds of candles cost A. S. BLANCHERD in '45, just $.19. This is part of an entry against PARMLEY in '45: to bying kindal clame........................$ 15.00 to Deed from kendal.......................... 1.75 to Day going to land office.................. 15.50 for going to land ofis Parmley............... 10.00 Mar 15th Cash Dick Rison..................... .50 " Do 4 bar flour 4-62...................... 19.50 " Do 2 bar flour of Lasley................ 8.00 Two ox-hides later cost MR. DILL $4.80. He pays BLANCHARD $7.00 for "8 tho shing." He charges PARMLEY 2 1/4 bus beans "for frate" $4.00. SANBORN gets two weeks board 'by wife" for $4.00. BLANCHARD, in '44, bought a coon skin for $.50 and a fox skin for $1. RISON and MORRIS were Dr. for "1/2 - cider by french- man" - $.60; and "to 10 days bord by Norwegen Black- smith, $2.85" There are many other items fully as interesting and it is quite evident that the department store flourished fully as much in the forties as it does today these sixty years afterwards. ===============================================================================