Village of Barnett

There is this pecularity about Shelby, that while there is a Shelby postoffice, and a Shelby station, the village is platted and recorded as Barnett, and all transfers of property must be recorded with this in view; otherwise they are null and void. There is also a village of Shelby, recorded by Sweet & Bevier, of Grand Rapids, but it is the northwestern quarter of southeastern quarter of Section 17, consisting of forty acres to the south of the plat of Barnett. Shelby has but few buildings on it, the chief being William's sawmill. It was platted for the proprietors by Mr. Churchill, who has sold every lot for residences. Barnett is the western half of northeastern quarter of Section 17, and western half of eastern half of northeastern quarter of the same section. It was bought and platted by S. A. Browne, A. Pettinger and James G. Gray, who had eighty acres, and who took Orrin Demming in as a partner, as he had forty acres, adjoining all on Section 17. The name Barnett had rather a ludicrous origin. A railway brakesman of that name offered to pay for all the expense of recording, if they would name the village after him. O. Demming being one of the proprietors, thought this would be a good speculation, and the rest allowed themselves to be overruled for the sake of peace. After the deed was done, Mr. Demming was met by the brakesman with a laugh, saying that now it was all done, he did not need to pay, and had all the honor! Nobody has yet made a move to have the name of the plat changed to Shelby, and so Barnett still stands. Wheeler Bros.' general store was established December 1874, by R. H. Wheeler and M. A. Bailey. In September, 1878, C. C. Wheeler purchased the interest of Mr. Bailey, and now the firm is Wheeler Bros., and in 1881 they did a business amounting to $41,000, carrying a general assortment of dry goods, groceries, and ready-made clothing. The store is located on Michigan Avenue. Store room twenty by ninety; side room for clothing, etc., eighteen by forty-three. Warehouse on railroad track. R. F. Coon established in 1881, on Michigan Avenue, a business in dry goods and groceries. White & Dewey's general store is situated on Michigan Avenue, doing a business of $10,000 annually. Business was established by M.C. White as a grocery in 1878, and in the Fall of 1879 G. E. Dewey bought an interest, and it has since been carried on as a general store. Smith Bros.' general store on Michigan Avenue was established in 1881, doing about $10,000 annually. Partners are E. J. Shirts, and his son J.D.M. Shirts. They established the first store in what is now Shelby village, September 1, 1872; sold in 1874, to D. P. Glazier, and he to G. W. Newman, and since May 15, 1881, A. G. Avery occupies the same building with a general stock, doing a business of about $10,000 annually. R. W. Twining commenced a grocery store, November 21, 1881. The first hardware store in the village was by Churchill & Neff, in 1872, the latter taking the whole business in 1876, and on July 16, 1880, Gaylord & Hill purchased the business. Size of building, ninety-four by twenty-eight, doing a business of $10,000 a year. They also deal in agricultural implements, manufacture tin ware, and sell paints, oils, sash and blinds. Shirts & Rathburn's jewelry store on Michigan Avenue was established in 1890. A. H. Stewart had for a time in the same store a stock of musical instruments and sewing machines, but is now by himself. Hugh Johnston's boot and shoe store was established March 1879. The business annually amounts to about $7,000. He carries a full assortment of manufactred goods, and also makes to order. F. W. Van Wickle's drug, book, and stationery business, in Post Office Block, established November, 1881, does a business of $5,000 annually. R. W. Hamlin established the first drug store in 1878-'74, and a year later, Elliot & Brown established a business in the same line in another place. In 1875, Burt Royal purchased the entire stock of both, and continued the busines until 1877, when it was purchased by Keyzartee & Runner. In 1879, Runner Bros. became the sole proprietors, which, together with book and stationery business, they still carry on. Joseph Tyler, in 1882, purchased the hardware business of Dickerson & McCallum, established the year previous on Michigan Avenue. BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS A. J. Palmer's furniture and undertaking business was established in April, 1880, on Michigan Avenue; size of building, 24x56. Business done, about $5,000 a year. Herbert Ashman's jewelry and furniture business was established in 1882, and includes a large general assortment of furniture, undertakers' goods and, jewelry. S. Kohler & J. Billing's meat market was established by Kohler in 1878, and in 1881 the partnership was formed. They keep a good shop, and have every convenience for doing business. There are two warehouses near the depot. The first was built in 1878 by G. W. Woodward, and in 1879 an elevator was attached; size of building, 30x30; horse power house, 22x22. It receives annually about 15,000 bushels of grain, large quantities of potatoes, and receives, also, from abroad, plaster and ground feed. In 1881 it was sold to W. H. Vincore, and shortly after Lot Willets purchased. The second warehouse was built by H. Walsh & Son, of Holland, in 1880, and operated by J.F. Eddy. It has a capacity of 1,500 bushels, and has an elevated wagon way, so that grain can be spouted to the car; size of building, 16x27. The Shelby Independent is the first and only newspaper in Shelby, and is owned and edited by that veteran journalist, Judson Palmiter. It commenced April 10, 1880. F. W. Newman is foreman. The office is soon to be removed to more commodious quarters in Mr. Palmiter's elegant new block. Carr, Sorensen's temperence billiard saloon was established April 1, 1881, having a billiard and pool table, and dispensing cigars, tobacco, candies and small drinks. MANUFACTURERS. W. S. William's mill for hard and soft lumber, planing and matching, was established n 1879; size of building, 30x60; engine room and side additions, 20x60; engine, sixty horse power. The machinery consists of a sixty-inch circular, three saw gang edger, cut off saw, two rip-saws, planer, matcher and moulder. The Shelby Sawmill, owned by C. A. Hawley, was originally one-story, built by Malcolm & Worden, in 1871; burned July, 1872; cause, watchman drunk and asleep. In the Fall of 1872, James Malcom and James Williams, lnown as "Malcom & Williams," commenced a large two story mill, and finished it in February, 1878 - that terrible Winter, - at a cost of $7,000. Hawley, Thorne & Co., per C. A. Hawley, agent, advanced them $2,000 for that purpose. August 27, 1873, they sold the mill to Hawley, Malcom & Clark, consisting of Hawley, Thorne & Co., per C.A. Hawley, agent, (three-eights), James Malcom (two-eights), Joseph Clark, (three-eights). In December 30, 1873, C. A. Hawley bought James Malcom's interest; in December 1874, he bought Joseph Clark's interest. During the year 1874, Hawley, Thorne & Co. made an assignment, turning over to C. A. Hawley their interest in the mill, to cancel an indebtedness to him of $1,500. For further particulars, read the biography of C. A. Hawley. the mill contains a large circular saw, three gang edger saws, cut off and bolting saw, emery wheel, feedmill, planingmill and coiled hoop machinery. Main building, 22x75; engine room, 16x22; plaining mill wing, 24x60; employing, on an average, twenty men. Young & Hinkley's stave and heading factory was established in 1882; size of main building, 40x46; sheds, one 24x200, another 24x170; also office and cooper shop. Engine twenty horse power. The machinery consists of stave cutter, equalizer, three jointers, bending saw, planer, jointer and turner.They cut twenty cords of bolts daily, and employ seventeen men, doing a business of $20,000 annually. Mr. Hinkley is the local manager, while Mr. Young superintends a similar establishment at Hartford, Mich.