Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== SOURCE: Portrait and Biographical Album of Newaygo County, Mich. Chapman Brothers: 1884 Page 488 EARLY SETTLEMENT Justly it may be observed that Newaygo County owes its first settle- ment to the attractive pine forests with which it was once much more bountifully supplied than now, and to the presence of the Muskegon River, a splendid waterway for transporting logs and lumber to Lake Michigan. The Muskegon River is the longest stream in the State, and has its source in the beautiful lake, twelve miles in length, named in honor of the learned and unfortunate Dr. Douglass Houghton, whose valuable geologic researches were lost to the State when in 1846 he was drowned in Lake Superior while engaged in scientific researches. The principal tributaries of the Muskegon are Brooks, Pennoyer, Butterfield and Tam- arack Creeks, and Middle Branch, Hersey, Little Muskegon and Clam Rivers. Over these streams the hardy pioneers began to transport logs as early as 1837. The principal lumber operators here have come from pine regions, such as Northern New York, Maine and the Susquehanna and its tributaries, which serves to demonstrate the remarkable fact that when once a man has engaged in lumbering, he seldom relinquishes the pursuit of wealth in that channel. He may fail at first, but he hopes for final success, and he usually achieves it. So also it has been on the Muskegon River; the loggers of past years are still so engaged, and the early manufacturers of lumber still continue in the same business; if they do not personally superintend their operation in that direction, they have trusty agents that are so doing. Thus it becomes a cause for congratulation, that the early settlers on the Muskegon River were as a class energetic, enterprising and intelligent, and since There is iron in our northern winds, And our pines are trees of healing, we find longevity among them rather a rule than an exception. In the year 1836, the country between the Muskegon and Houghton Lakes had not been fully surveyed, but it was then being done, and the times were good. A great land company was organized at Chicago, of which Hiram Piersons and Hon. Henry Pennoyer were prominent members, the object of which company was to hold by "squatters claim" the mouths of all the streams north of Grand River, and up to and including the Manistee, until the same should come into market. Pennoyer built a house this same year at what is now called Sevas- topol, at the foot of Muskegon Lake. One Michael Vandervoort and Hannibal Hyde also made claims, a vessel named the "Westward Ho," Capt. James Banks, having brought them over from Chicago. During the same season claims were also made by other members of this land com- pany to lands at the mouths of other streams, as far down the coast as Manistee. John McBride also laid Page 489 claim to the land now the site of D. P. Clay's mill, in the village of Newaygo, where he built his cabin, and lived until late in the autumn of 1836. He then sold his claim to George Walton, and he in turn sub- sequently sold to John A. Brooks. Samuel Rose, a native of Massachusetts, arrived here late in the fall of 1837. He is still living at Newaygo, the oldest resident of the county. During the winter previous, John A. Brooks and John F. Stearns had passed through the county, coming from Grand Rapids on show-shoes, and proceeding northwesterly as far north as the present site of Manis- tee, on an exploring expedition, and returning the same way. Their route was through a trackless wilderness. During the season of 1837, also, the lumber company built a log cabin at the mouth of Bigelow Creek, one and a half miles above Newaygo, and placed a family therein to hold their claim secure. In the year 1838, Samuel Rose and George Walton cleared several acres of land east and west of the Pennoyer Creek, and on the bluffs just north of Newaygo. At this place, in those days, the Indians congregated in large numbers. The mounds or cradle knolls, both north and south of Newaygo, give evidence of former Indian cultivation. The Indians gave to this place the name Newaygo which by some is interpreted, "We go no farther." The large lakes to the southeast of the village, and the chain of them three miles north of it, abounding in fish, and the choice hunt- ing grounds around them, as inferred from "dear licks" still existing near them, show that this point was one of the noted Indian rendezvoux of former times. Croton claims as great antiquity as Newaygo, for in 1837 Herman Joachim and Louis Bohne made claims to the present site of the village, and at the junction of the Little Muskegon with the main river. John F. Stearns and John A. Brooks were also rival claimants to the same land. The conflicting interests of the four were amicably compromised, and they formed themselves into a company for the purpose of erecting a saw-mill and engaging in the manufacture of lumber. Brooks was chosen as chief manager, and built a dam at the point where William Rice's now is; but, owing to the "back water" from the main river during the spring of 1838, it was carried up stream quite a distance; and, owing to this misfortune and the company's lack of funds, nothing further towards the erection of a mill was done that year. At this time there was no road to Grand Rapids or to Muskegon Lake, and no outlet of any kind save an Indian trail running nearly parallel with the river and about 80 rods from it, to its mouth, thus avoiding the deep ravines that extend from it back 20 to 60 rods at short inter- vals during its entire length. At the close of the spring of 1838, Brooks and Stearns bade adieu to their partners, Joachim and Bohne, and were absent from them the rest of the year. The latter, by the aid of relatives residing in Philadelphia, managed to remain on their claims a few months longer, when they again sold an interest in their sites to Lieutenant Leaven- worth and Capt. Nichols. These two completed the dam and mill, manu- factured lumber a short time, and then they too deemed it prudent to make their exit from the Muskegon River valley. Brooks never after- wards resided in Croton; but Stearns, in 1842, bought the interest of his former partners and their associates in Croton property. He thus became the sole owner of Joachim and Bohne's original claims, and the mill and dam built thereon. The winter of 1842-3 was one of great severity throughout the State. It was equally severe here on the Muskegon River, as elsewhere, and besides, the snow was here, for three months or more, of an average depth of three feet. As yet, the Croton pioneers had opened no road to any point where supplies might be obtained and no beast of burden could be urged through the snow; making the "packing in," as it was called, of provisions impracticable. In this emergency, Joachim traveled on show shoes to Grand Haven, bought deer skins, sewed his provisions in them, and dragged this burden over yielding snow to his home in Croton, a distance of something over 60 miles. This feat was repeated by him several times during that winter, and thus by his exertions his friends in Croton were fed till spring opened. Joachim would sometimes carry from Grand Haven to Croton, on his back, 80 pounds, traveling 30 miles a day while doing so. Croton, surrounded by a beautiful country, and Big, Marengo and Stearns Prairies, as productive then as now, failed to grow as the proprietor fondly hoped it might; and, knowing the reason to be the want of an Page 490 easy way of egress, he cut out a road in 1847 to Shangles', on Rogue River, and from there was a passable road to Grand Rapids. Three years later, the Bartons and Dalziels, from Ionia County, and the Utleys, from Clinton County, located upon Big Prairie, where most of them still reside. William D. Decker, commonly called John Marengo, owned a large farm on the prairie named Marengo Prairie, and all three of the prairies were soon occupied by thrifty settlers. Croton commenced growing, and soon became the headquarters of loggers operating between that point and the present site of Big Rapids. Stearns' liberality proved his financial downfall; and in 1850, deepl embarassed with debts incurred by reason of aiding settlers too poor to pay him, sold his property, already heavily incumbered, to Daniel Ball and Hon. Wilder D. Foster; was in Ball's employ a short time at Grand Rapids, and then left for the West, settling in the State of Iowa. The mill on Pennoyer Creek, north of Newaygo, remained idle from 1838 to 1841. In the latter year it was leased for two years by Aug- ustus and Frederick Pennoyer, Samuel Rose and Hannibal Hyde. In the fall the first three named went to Chicago to buy supplies for the winter. They were purchased and put aboard a vessel commanded by Captain John Lundy, and the Pennoyers took passage with her. She set sail for Muskegon he 22d of October. When away from port a short time, a heavy gale arose, the vessel went to pieces, and all the passengers, with the captain and crew, were drowned. Fragments of the wreck were found down the lake on the Wisconsin shore, 100 miles from where the disaster is supposed to have ocurred. The earliest settlements were therefore made at Newaygo and Croton. From these points as centers, new comers spread out steadily in all directions, and about the time of the war most of the southern part of the county showed development under the hand of the white man. The settlements at Fremont and vicinity were made in 1855 and succeeding years. Hesperia followed Fremont about 12 years. Since then a number of lively villages have sprung up around the county, and there are in all about a dozen villages and 26 postoffices. Immigration is now more rapid than ever, and every year brings great progress in population, improvement and wealth. HOW OUR FATHERS LIVED The young men and women of to-day have little conception of the mode of life among the early settlers of Newaygo County. In but few respects are the manners of the present time similar to those of a quarter of a century ago. The clothing, the dwellings, the diet, the social customs, etc., have undergone a total revolution, as though a new race had taken possession of the land. Pioneer life in Newaygo County finds its parallel in almost every county in the State and throughout the State, and throughout the entire Northwest. The land was to be cleared of forests, and the skill of human art used to trans- plant to this fertile region the civilization of the East. Cabins were to be erected, wells dug, and the rivers and creeks made to labor for the benefit of mankind. As many living citizens can well remember, the pioneers had many difficulties to contend with, not the least of which was the journey from civilization to their forest homes. The route lay through a wild and rough country; swamps and marshes were crossed with great exertion and fatigue; rivers were forded with difficulty and danger; nights were passed in the dense forests, with mother earth for a couch and the trees and foliage for a shelter; long, weary days and weeks of travel were endured, but finally their eyes were gladdened, and their hearts beat faster, when a vision of their future home burst upon them. The first thing upon arrival was to set about building a cabin. While this was being done, the family slept in their wagons or upon the grass, while the horses or mules, hobbled to prevent escape, grazed the country near them. Trees of a suitable and uniform size were selected, felled and prepared for their places. The day for the raising was announced, and from far and near came other pioneers to assist in the labor. The structure went up, a log at a time, those engaged stop- ping now and then to "wet their whistles," and soon it was ready for the clapboard roof, which was held on by huge weight poles. A door and a window were cut where the good wife directed, a chimney built, and the building was ready for its occupants. The space between Page 491 the logs was filled in with split sticks of wood called "chinks," and then daubed over, both inside and out, with mortar made of clay. The floor was sometimes nothing more than earth tramped hard and smooth, but was commonly made of "puncheons," or split logs, with the split side turned upwards. The roof was made by gradually drawing in the top to the ridge-pole, and on cross-pieces laying the "clapboards," which, being several feet in length, instead of being nailed were held in place by "weight-poles," reaching the entire length of the cabin. For a fireplace, a space was cut out of the logs on one side of the room, usually about six feet in length, and three sides were built up of logs, making an off-set in the wall. This was lined with stone, if convenient; if not, then earth. The flue, or upper part of the chimney, was built of small split sticks, two and a half or three feet in length, carried a little space above the roof, and plastered over with clay, and when finished was called a "cat and clay" chimney. The door space was also made by cutting an aperture in one side of the room of the required size, the door itself being made of clapboards secured by wooden pins to two cross-pieces. The hinges were also of wood, while the fastening consisted of a wooden latch catching on a hook of the same material. To open the door from the outside, a strip of buckskin was tied to the latch and drawn through a hole a few inches above the latch-bar, so that on pulling the string the latch was lifted from the catch or hook, and the door was opened without further trouble. To lock the door it was only necessary to pull the string through the hole on the inside. Here the family lived, and here the guest and wayfarer were made welcome. The living-room was of good size, but to a large extent it was also kitchen, bed-room, parlor and arsenal, with flitches of bacon and rings of dried pumpkins sus- pended from the rafters. ===========================================================================