Pentwater

 
TOWNSHIP OF PENTWATER.

This is Town 16 north, Range 18 west, and is only about one-third of 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 southern 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 on the northeast corner of the lake, and was originally two villages, that of Pentwater started by Cobb & Rector, which extended to Hancock 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. Dickry, 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. Ri Wright, insector, and W. H. Tuller, clerk.

District No. 1 includes all north of Pentwater Lake; No. 3 all south. The village school is a handsome white painted structure, on the old cemetery ground.

EARLY SETTLEMENT.

The first actual settlers were Cobb & 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 same 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 offense. 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 habeus 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 boarding house where the ferry now is. The first store was 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 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 lot. 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, school inspector; E. R. Cobb, A. Rector and N. Rogers, inspectors of election; $150 voted for town expenses.

The following is a list of suervisors, clerks and treasurers to date:

SUPERVISORS. - E. R. Cobb, 1856-'57; D. G. Weare, 1858; H. C. Flagg, 1859-'61-2-3-4-5-6; A. J. Underhill, 1860-73; E. D. Richmond, 1867-'68; Sewall Moulton, 1869; F. W. Ratzel, 1870; Stillman 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. Richmond, 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. F. Edwards, 1868-'69-70; R. L. Rice, 1871-'72; Henry F. Kind, 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 H. Bouton, 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 has been partly used since 1802.

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 certain improvements on the stream for making it navigable for logs.

PENTWATER VILLAGE.

The village of Pentwater is pleasantly and picturesquely situated on the north side of Pentwater Lake, at the lower end, where it empties by a channel of about half a mile into Lake Michigan. The village lies on a sandy soil, which is easily drained and wonderfully productive. One good feature of the village is the plentiful suply of luxuriant maple shade trees. The population which is increasing, is now estimated to be about 1,500, and with the progress of manufactures, it will reach 2,000 at no distant date. The buildings are chiefly of wood, which is the natural consequence of the village being founded on the lumber interest, but this Spring F. O. Gardner is developing an inexhaustible bed of clay, of excellent quality, on the bank of the lake, and will soon have brick for exportation, besides supplying the local demand. Two new brick blocks are in course of erection on the main street, and from henceforth bruick buildings will be more and more erected. In hotels the village is now fairly served, but as its qualities as a Summer resort become better known, a large tourist's or Summer hotel, with the necessary adjuncts, will become a necessity, and as the present hotels and private houses are already filled with Summer visitors, a hotel of the character we have indicated is being talked of as a joint stock operation. The fishing and bathing are excellent, and the scenery in the vicinity is pleasing and picturesque.

ORGANIZATION.

The village of Pentwater was incorporated March 16, 1867, and the first election was held April 8, following, C. W. Deane, W. H. Shibley, and J. M. Lacey being the first inspectors of election, and there being 181 voters present. The first officers were: President, C. W. Deane; recorder, H. Doville; treasurer, J. H. Highland; assessor, O. P. Cook; trustees, D. C. Pelton, I. N. Lewis, W. H. Merritt for two years, and A. Bryant, J. Bean, Jr., and J. J. Kittredge, for one year; marshal, W. Webb; attorney, L. D. Grove; street commissioner, E. S. Faxon.

The following is the list of presidents, recorders and treasurers to the present time:

PRESIDENTS. - C. W. Deane, 1867; L. D. Grove, 1868-'69; H. C. Flagg, 1870; J. M. Rich, 1871; J. G. Gray, 1872-'76; W. B. O. Sands, 1873; E. D. Richmond, 1874; J. H. Herrington, 1875; W. E. Ambler, 1877-'78; A. J. Underhill, 1878; S. A. Browne, 1879; E. Nickerson, 1880-'81-'82.

RECORDERS. - H. Doville, 1867; E. B. Flagg, 1868-'69-'72-3-8; E. E. Edwards, 1870-'71; L. M. Hartwick, 1874; E. A. Wright, 1875-'76-7; S. Graham, part of 1879; H. A. Cross, part of 1879-'80-1-2.

TREASURERS. - J. H. Highland, 1867; J. G. Gray, 1868-'69; E. D. Richmond, 1870-'71; W. B. O. Sands, 1872; R. M. Falkner, 1873; M. A. Rice, 1874-'75-'6-'7-'8; H. H. Bunyea, 1879; W. H. Browne, 1880-'81; C. H. Whittington, 1882.

In 1878, in consequence of failure to file certificate of election in time, the village board elected in 1877 had to apoint officers for the ensuing year.

In 1879, there was a strong run made by the Greenbackers, who elected the larger part of their ticket, but the village has, as a rule, been decidedly Republican. The financial condition of the village is excellent, it being free from debt, and at the close of this year it wil have a surplus of about $1,200, with which it is intended to make local improvements. In 1880, it paid off $1,000 of debt, in 1881 another $1,000, and this year $500, all on the debt for a steam fire-engine.

HEALTHFULNESS.

Pentwater is a remarkably healthy place, and is becoming yearly more of a resort for invalids and tourists. The present hotels are crowded in the Summers, and private houses are pressed into the service to take Summer boarders. A movement is now on foot to erect a large Summer hotel by a joint stock company. To show the healthfulness of Pentwater, we may mention, that during the year ending April 1, 1882, there were but twenty deaths, of which eleven were of children under two years of age, and of the remainder five were brought here to die, being given up by home physicians, and but two of the remaining deaths could properly be charged to Pentwater. There is no chance for malaria, as all low places drain into the lake.

Pentwater Lake is about one and a half miles long by a half a mile wide, and varies in depth from ten to a hundred feet. It is generally deep all over, and is a beautiful sheet of water. The harbor channel is eleven feet deep.

THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

was first organized March 1, 1872, by village ordinance, and on the 7th the following were elected first officers: R. L. Hardy, foreman, with W. A. Rounds, and C. Whittington, as assistants; A. Dresser, as secretary, and A. J. Underhill, treasurer. On June 7, 1882, the old organization was disbanded, and a new one formed, with C. R. Whittington, cheif engineer; C. W. Cramer, assistant; J. C. Jensen, foreman of fire department, with W. H. Tuller, assistant; F. Maynard, foreman of Hose Company; F. Pierce, assistant; H. A. Cross, secretary, and F. W. Fincher, treasurer; E. G. Falkner and S. W. Bunyea are fire police, and F. Nielsen and E. W. Hodges are fire wardens. The steam fire engine Oceana, manufactured by Clapp & Jones, is an excellent one, and has been in use about eight years. Over 1,000 feet of good hose can be used, if needed, and the company is a very efficient one. They are twenty-two in number, and are paid for time spent in extinguishing fire. No great conflagrations have swept over the place, and the fire department has a good record for conquering fires.

HARBOR.

The harbor of Pentwater has been made an excellent one, and a navy could ride at anchor within the ample depths of the inner lake. At first the outlet was but a small, shallow stream, over which the first settlers could wade without difficulty, as the water was but a few inches in depth. Indeed the Indian tradition is that not long ago, there was no outlet to the lake. The mouth was to the north of the present by a few hundred yards, and the old channel may yet be seen. C. Mears and Rector & Cobb, in 1856, made efforts to clear out a channel, especially the former, who was the first to put in little slab piers on the north side, and erected on poles a beacon light. Vessels were loaded and unloaded by lighters, or small scows, and the trouble and expense was great. The United States government has been induced from time to time to make some what liberal appropriations for the harbor improvement, in all amounting to about a quarter of a million dollars, and last session of Congress the large sum of $10,000 more was voted, which will be expended in dredging, which is much needed. The harbor has now substantial stone piers on both sides, about three-fourths of a mile long, and the channel and the channel is 150 feet wide, and eleven feet deep. A Lighthouse was set on the end of the pier, in 1873, G. McGuire the first keeper, and his wife still holds the place. The light is a steady red light. Money has also been appropriated for a lifesaving station. The harbor at inner end is crossed by a ferry, the railway coming in on the peninsula opposite. H. C. Flagg has for years managed the ferry. Off the piers and in the lake near is a good fishing place, white fish and trout, mullet, and sometimes sturgeon and wall-eyed pike being taken. Frank & Tamler were the first to make fishing a regular business. The harbor inspectors have been, first F. W. Ratzel, 1865-'66; Col. Strohman until 1878, and then D. C. Wickham.

POSTOFFICE.

The postoffice was opened in 1856, with E. R. Cobb as first postmaster; in 1857 H. C. Flagg, as a Democrat, took the office, with E. D. Richmond as deputy, and moved the office over to the Middlesex side. This was in the Spring when BUchanan became president. When Lincoln took office, in 1861, Mr. Richmond was promoted to be postmaster, but when Andy Johnson was "swinging round the circle," Mr. Richmond was rather disgusted, and getting at this time a request to contribute $50 as the assessment on his office, he showed the document to some returned soldiers, and they contributed a wad of confederate money, which was duly forwarded to Washington, but so little was this appreciated that he received, by return of mail, a notice that a successor had been appointed. This was A. J. Underhill, who held until 1867, when Amos Dresser got it. After him came Dr. Dundess, then Richmons again, in 1873; Dresser in 1877, then H. H. Bunyea, and lastly C. F. Lewis, in 1881; and the office is in the former drug store of J. G. Gray.

BUSINESS.

The mercantile business is transacted in three large general stores, three exclusively grocery stores, two furniture stores, two hardware stores, two drug stores, three blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, a broomhandle factory, and a large wholesale furniture factory is being erected. In lumer there are four shinglemills and three sawmills, two of which have shinglemills attached. The annual product, with the mills up the river is not far from 20,000,000 feet of lumber, and the same number of shingles. George Voorhees, superintendent of sorting drives, reports in 1881, 45,590 logs, 30,812 posts, 89,698 ties, and 27,446 telegraph poles. The shipment of wood by Sands & Maxwell, which is annually from 1,000 to 2,000 cords, and the bark, also form important items in the trade of Pentwater.

The Pentwater Lumber Company is owned and operated by W. B. Phillips, of Chicago, and Samuel A. Browne, of Pentwater, the company being organized in 1874, the same parties having operated together as partners since 1869. The capital stock is $375,000, and the company engages in the manufacture of lumer, shingles and in general trading, having flouring mills in Pentwater and Brownedale. The recently sold Butters, Peters & Co. 3,800 acres of pine lands for $204,000, and still own about 12,000 acres in Mason and Oceana Counties.

Their saw and shinglemill at Pentwater has a daily cutting capacity of 100,000 feet of lumber, 100,000 shingles, and 25,000 pieces of lath in twenty-four hours. The mill in Brownedale has a capacity of 75,000 feet of lumber, and 60,000 shingles in twenty-four hours.

Their general store on Hancock Street is twenty four by eighty feet, with a grocery store adjoining twenty-four by fifty feet, and does a business of $125,000 annually.

Sands & Maxwell's shinglemill is run by a twenty-horse-power engine; was built originally for a slavemill in 1877, and changed to a shinglemill in 1879. It has a capacity of 40,000 shingles from bolts daily. This firm also own two sawmills and shinglemills combined, one at Crystal Valley, built 1875, capacity 15,000 feet, R. Hyde, foreman; and the other in Benona, built in 1876, 30,000 feet of logs daily, John Rose, foreman.

Sands & Maxwell's general store, located on the corner of Hancock and Fourth Streets, is twenty-six by ninety feet, carries a general assortment of goods, and does a business of $100,000 annnually. They have also branch stores at Benona and Crystal Valley. A. W. Newark, bookkeeper at Pentwater, assisted by J. W. Loomis. A fine new brick store is being erected next door south of the present store, which will be thrown into connection with the old store, making both together seventy-two by ninety feet.

Nickerson & Collister's sawmill was commenced by Bailey, Worden & Williams, in 1872; sold to Sands & Gardner, in 1877, and the following year Gardener purchased Sand's interest, and sold the whole to Nickerson & Collister in 1879. The machinery is propelled by a thirty-horse-power engine, and consists of a circular gang edger, with a capacity of 25,000 feet daily, or 3,000,000 feet annually. This firm also own a sawmill and shinglemill combined in "Beanville," Crystal Township, with a daily capacity of 10,000 feet of lumber, and 40,000 shingles. Llewallan Pollard foreman at Pentwater; W. N. Sayles at Beanville.

The gristmill of this firm at Pentwater was established in 1875; has a fifty-horse-power engine, three sets of four feet bujrs, and one small buhr for midillings. The mill does merchant and and custom work, with a capacity of 100 barrels daily. Size, fifty-two by sixty four feet, four stories. Conrad Masters, headmiller; James Steele, engineer.

J. E. White's shingle mill was built in 1865, by Messrs. E. D. Richmond, Woodruff Chapin and A. J. Underhill. In 1870 Sewall Moulton and H. C. Flagg bought the mill, and in 1874 A. J. Underhill became the owner, selling out to F. O. Gardner, in January, 1878. In 1880 Hon. J. E. White purchased the mill, which he still operates. The mill had originally two machines, with a capacity of 70,000 shingles daily. At present, with one machine, it turns out 40,000 a day.

F. O. Gardner's saw and shingle mill was established by himself in 1881; daily capacity 40,000 shingles, and 15,000 feet of lumber. Engine 82 horse power.

La Bonta & Co.'s planing mill was built in 1865, by E. Nickerson, who sold in 1868 to his partners, and they in 1880 to Peter La Bonta, who the same year took in a partner, - T. Mero. The mill makes sas, door, blinds, mouldings, etc.

Bush & Chapman's shingle mill was originally built for a foundry and machine shop, by George Goodsell. In 1877 C. H. Chapman purchased it and ran it as a stave mill for a year, then made it a shingle mill for one year, and has operated it since as a saw and shingle mill, taking in as partner John J. Bush, of Lansing. Size of engine, 40 horse power; capacity in eleven hours, 500 ties and 75,000 shingles; doing about $40,000 worth of business annually, employing about thirty-five men.

G. W. Imus' book and stationery business, was established in April, 1879, on Hancock Street; the business amounts to $6,000 annually.

E. Rich's general store, Hancock Street, was established in 1866, and does a good business.

H. H. Bunyea's grocery, Hancock Street, was established in 1880; business, $5,000 a year.

N. L. Bouton's general merchandise and lumber business, established since 1872, does $20,000 a year business.

Bird and Davis' grocery was commenced in 1870, by J. S. Bird. They do a business of over $25,000 annually.

F. W. Fincher's drug store was started in 1868, by James G. Gray; sold in 1875 to Page & Jesson, then to Mr. Hastings, and in 1876, Fincher & Newark became proprietors. On September 1880, Mr. Fincher bought out the interest of his partner, and still conducts the business, doing about $7,000 annually.

E. A. Wright's drug store was started in 1868, by E. N. Dundass, who sold it to Dr. D. G. Weare, and he, in 1873, to J. Brown & Co., they to C. W. Brown & Co. In 1877 E. A. Wright purchased the business; in 1881 he sold it to J. D. Lane, but repurchased it in 1882.

C. R. Whittington's furniture store was first established in 1871, by Mr. Whittington and E. C. Chambers, but since 1873 Mr. Whittington has been sole owner. The store is on Hancock , between Fith and Sixth Streets, ans is filled with a general assortment of furniture and undertaker's goods.

F. O. Gardner's hardware business was purchased in 1879, from White & Carr. the business done iis large - about $10,000 a year, - and the store a commodious one, 82x38 feet.

A. J. Underhill's grocery store was started in 1869, with Mr. Gray and other partners, but since 1873 Mr. Underhill has had entire control. Formerly, he carried dry goods, also, and did a very large trade; now he is confined to groceries alone, doing about $6,000 worth annually.

M. A. Rice's jewelry store was established in 1865, by J. H. Root, who, in the Spring of 1877, moved his stock to Ludington, and was succeeded by Mr. Rice, who carries on, also the business of telegraph operator, and since 1878 has attended to the War Department signal service for the benefit of mariners.

W. A. Round's express, dray and feed stables were established in 1867. Mr. Rounds keeps five horses on Hancock Street.

John Melvin's cabinet ware rooms, on Hancock Street, were established in 1881, and contain a general assortment of cabinet furniture; repairing attended to.

A. J. Underhill's meat market was commenced in 1878, in connection with other business.

The Tempeance Billiard Hall was opened in 1879, by Forrest Moody; sold June 1, 1880, to Peter Dreves, who still runs it, keeping a full stock of cigars, tobaccos and confectionery; soda fountain on the premises.

M. S. Perkins' livery, corner Hancock and Fifth Streets, was opened in 1875, and contains, on an average, thirteen horses. Stages to Mears and Ludington, (in Winter) and omnibus to railway stations.

F. O. Gardner's brick yard was established in 1882, and has all modern improvements. High hopes are entertained of its success.

Faulkner's Opera Hall, on Fourth Street, is 30x100 feet, and has a seating capacity of 400 persons.

Pentwater Tug Line was established in 1878, by Fred Nielsen and Max Fisher, (Fisher & Co.) and consists of two tugs, valued at $10,000 to $12,000.

The Elliott House, on Hancock Street, was built in 1863, by James Brooker, who sold it to E. R. Burrington, and he to A. A. Bryant, who, in 1871, sold to E. W. Elliott. The latter raised the building to three stories, and refitted the house, running it until 1873, when he sold to A. Brilihart, who afterward sold to G. W. Imus, who still owns the property. The hotel is now run by E. W. Elliott. Size of house, 50x80, three stories, with fifty rooms and forty-two beds.

The Pacific House was built in 1868, by William Kuhn, and is 100x22 feet, containing sixteen rooms. It has also an addition for a saloon, 100x20 feet.