Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2026 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== USGenNet 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 USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. ============================================================================= The History of Oceana County, Michigan H. R. Page & Co., Chicago - 1882 [p. 111-112] TOWNSHIP OF PENTWATER This is Town 16 north, Range 18 west, and is only about one- third the size of those towns which are six miles square. It is but a mile and a half from east to west on its northern boundary, and three and a half miles on its northern boundary. It is divided in twain by Pentwater Lake, which comes close to Lake Michigan, from which it is separated by a narrow range of sand bluffs, and here the C. & W. M. R. R. depot is built, the village being reached by a ferry across the channel of the harbor. The village is situated pm tje mortheast corner of the lake, and was originally two villages, that of Pentwater started by COBB & RECTOR, which extended to Han- cock Street, and that of Middlesex, originated by C. MEARS, and named from his native county in Massachusetts. The town of Pentwater has been well covered with pine, now cut off by the lumberers, and the soil is generally sandy, although fruit culture is now being successfully engaged in. SCHOOLS For the school year ending September 5, 1881, it appears that Pentwater school No. 1, in the village, had 377 pupils; school property valued at $7,000; and one male teacher, at $800, and five females, at $1,200 were employed; W. E. DOCKRY, director; PROF. BORST, principal. No. 3 Pentwater had forty-seven pupils, under a female teacher, paid $206. The board was: C. W. CRAMER, chairman; E. R. WRIGHT, inspector, and W. H. TULLER, clerk. District No. 1 includes all north of Pentwater Lake; No. 3. all south. The village school is a handsome whit painted structure, on the old cemetery ground. EARLY SETTLEMENT The first actual settlers were COBB and RECTOR - EDWIN R. COBB, who died some years ago at Grand Rapids, and ANDREW RECTOR, shot, in 1864, by one FULLER, in Hart, whom he was attempting to "regulate" This same RECTOR was the man who shot a neighbor's hog, in his hot wrath, but which was cooled down when he was tried before "JIMMY DEXTER," the primitive justice of the peace of the west shore, who sent RECTOR ninety-nine years to jail, at Whisky Creek, for the heinous offence. Many are the quaint stories told of "Jimmy," who still lives a few miles north of Pentwater. RECTOR might have been in jail yet, had it not been for a writ of habeas corpus. They had a steam mill with an upright circular saw, and employed about thirty men. MEARS employed about three times as many men. Many of the early pioneers commenced to work for MEARS. Among these were: S. G. ROLLINS, DANIEL WENTWORTH, JOHN SPOOR, E. D. RICHMOND, H. C. FLAGG, W. P. HARDING, MR. JENNINGS, CHARLES BLENICK, NELSON GLOVER, ELBRIDGE FARMER, etc. The latter was MEARS' first foreman, in 1856, and H. C. FLAGG took his place in 1857. G. SMITH, the saloon keeper, was at this time MEARS' head sawyer. MEARS built a store and board- ing house near where the ferry now is. The first store was built in a bed-room of the boarding house; the second was a little further west, and the third was a large store, now burned, on the bank of the river. MEARS built a large hall, (Middlesex Hall) where people came from Lincoln on the north, and Muskegon in the south, to the old, fashioned balls. COBB & RECTOR were lumberers, but were not very successful. They built a little sawmill, which was burned down in 1856. They probably came in 1853. CHARLES MEARS, of Chicago, came in 1856, and erected a sawmill, and proceeded to improve the channel. COBB & RECTOR made an assignment to C. A. ROSEVELT, in 1857 or 1858. COBB had before this homesteaded "COBB'S Addition." He purchased 160 acres and laid out eighty acres to village lots. He enlisted in the Sixth Michigan Cavalry, and after the war made his home in Grand Rapids until his death. COBB was of an easy-going disposition, and calculated to be straight, but there was some difficulty with his heirs as to land titles. He deeded his property to his wife, and his heirs had a quit-claim. RECTOR is described as a very honorable man, but of a violent temper; "he would fly all to pieces in a moment." The first opposition to MEARS' store was by CHAPIN & RICHMOND, in 1862. The land on which Pentwater is mainly situated was in the hands of ROSEVELT, as assignee of COBB & RECTOR; was purchased by WM. BRILLHART, and fell finally into the hands of HART & MAXWELL. This included much pine land besides the village plot. In 1865 RICHMOND & BEAN purchased what is now the property of the Pentwater Lumber Company. ORGANIZATION. The town was organized by act of the Legislature, February 13, 1855, and the first meeting was held at the house of COBB & RECTOR, April 7, 1856, the following officers being elected: E. R. COBB, supervisor; JAMES DEXTER, clerk; NORMAN ROGERS, treasurer; A. RECTOR, J. D. GREEN and N. ROGERS, highway commissioners; J. G. BLOWERS, N. CODNER, constables; JAMES G. BLOWERS, school inspector; E. R. COBB, A. RECTOR and N. ROGERS, inspectors of election; $150 voted for town expenses. The following is a list of supervisors, clerks and treasurers to date: SUPERVISORS.- E. R. COBB 1857-'57; D. G. WEARE, 1858; H. C. FLAGG, 1859-'61-2-3-4-5-6; A. J. UNDERHILL, 1860-'73; E. D.RICH- MOND, 1867-'68; SEWALL MOULTON, 1869; F. W. RATZELL, 1870; STILL- MAN PARKS, 1871; G. W. IMUS, 1872-'75-6; E. NICKERSON, 1874; JOHN FEGAN, 1877-'78; A. BRILLHART, 1879; S. W. BUNYEA, 1879-'80-1-2. CLERKS. - JAMES DEXTER, 1856-'57; E. R. COBB, 1858; E. D. RICH- MOND, 1859-'60-'75-6; CHARLES W. DEANE, 1861; ANDREW M. DAHL, 1862; F. W. RATZEL, 1863-'65-6; E. C. HILDRETH, 1864; HENRY H. WOODS, 1867; E. E. EDWARDS, 1868-'69-70; R. L. RICE, 1871-'72; HENRY F. KING, 1873; JOHN S. REYNOLDS, 1874; A. J. UNDERHILL, 1877; E. B. CLARK, 1878-'80; W. P. LEE, 1879; W. H. TULLER, 1881; H. A. CROSS, 1882. TREASURERS. - NORMAN ROGERS, 1856-'57; W. P. HARDING, 1858; JAMES G. BLOWERS, 1859; WM. WEBB, 1860-'61-2; W. H. MERRITT, 1863; B. R. HALL, 1864; THOMAS CRANE, 1865-66; W. B. O. SANDS, 1867-'68; E. W. BOVEE, 1869-'70; W. A. ROUNDS, 1871-'72-3; MARK RICE, 1874-'75-6; H. H. BUNYEA, 1877-'78-80; A. SORENSEN, 1879; A. W. NEWARK, 1881; JOHN N BONTON, 1882. LOG BOOMING. The present is the first season that logs have been floated down the south branch to any extent, and this has been done by J. BEAN, JR. The north branch was been partly used since 1862. The Pentwater Booming Company was organized in 1880, with S. A. BROWNE, president, W. E. AMBLER, secretary, and W. H. BROWNE treasurer. it was organized for the purpose of protecting the interests of the leading lumber manufacturers, and to give them legal control of cer- tain improvements on the stream for making it navigable for logs. ===============================================================================