1 H. W. Calkins, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 10, 1843. M. L. Shafer, born at Yates, N. Y., Dec., 1834. L. G. Winchester, born in Maine, April 6, 1848. H. S. Holden, M. D., born at Reading, N. Y., July 6, 1847. I. B. Folger, born at Oxford, Chenango Co., N. Y., Dec. 17, 1823. Edna Claid, born at Paris, Kent Co., June 13, 1849. I. W. Boynton, born at Grass Lake, Jackson Co., Sept. 17, 1837. Chas. W. Jones, born at Grand Rapids, Sept. 18, 1851. G. W. Perkins, born at Grand Rapids, July 16, 1847. Francis Letellier, born at Antwerp, Belgium, July 25, 1839. J. Emmer, jr., born at Grand Rapids, Nov. 26, 1849. F. J. Wurzburg, born at Westphalia, Germany, April 6, 1845. M. L. Fitch, born at Grand Rapids, Aug. 6, 1845. A. D. Noble. Milan L. Northup, born at Lysander, N. Y., Nov. 6, 1848. A large number of the Junior Old Settlers are natives of Grand Rapids. Many have immigrated here from the Empire State. Ireland, Bohemia, Englaud, Holland and the Canadas are represented on the roll of the association; but the date of their arrival in this county has not been ascertained except in a few instances. Together with the members born here, there are 62 enrolled who immigrated here between 1838 and 1856, and four who arrived since that period. Such a society, in possession of well-kept records, is a most valuable addition to the social circles of the county. That it cannot claim a greater age is to be regretted, for such an organization does honor to the children of the pioneers, and should be inaugurated before those children begin to emigrate, so that the names of all would appear upon the record. As it is, the people of the county and the association have to be congratulated on the progress of this young society since its formation in 1879. To the president of the organization and its energetic honorary secretaries the thanks of the people are due; for to them, undoubtedly, belongs the credit of urging the Junior Old Settlers to place their names on the records of the county, and thus hand them down to the future as principals in the drama of settlement and progress. CHAPTER VIII. EVIDENCES OF PROGRESS IN EARLY TIMES. Looking back to the years immediately succeeding the advent of the American pioneers, the fact of their industry and enterprise becomes manifest. They came to conquer, and within a decade wrought such changes, made such great improvements, that men of the present active times dwell in astonishment upon all their labors brought into existence, while yet the high road was almost unmarked, machinery scarce, and communication with the world beyond the Peninsula slow and uncertain. The pioneer millbuilders taught the great lesson that in order to be prosperous and happy a useful occupation must be pursued, and each one instructed to labor for the country while benefiting himself. The few years succeeding the year 1833 were characterized by rapid increase of population, and consequently inflated speculations. The 40 acres of land lying north of the Campau plat, on the east side of the river, were then owned by the "Kent Company," and was called the "Kent Forty." This company comprised Lucius Lyon and N. O. Sargeant. The office was in a little frame building, with a huge projecting porch, which stood on the south side of Bridge street, midway between Kent and Canal streets subsequently, having formerly occupied the corner of Kent and Bridge streets. This building was architecturally neat, and with two other buildings constituted the village of Kent. At this time a few buildings were in the village of Grand Rapids, on the "Campau Forty," clustered around Monroe street. The third and fourth stories of the present frame portion of the Rathbun House formed the trading store of Louis Campau. Having erected this trading post, he moved into it from his little log cabin which he erected at the foot of Huron street in 1827. Mr. Rathbun raised the old Campau House in after years to four stories. The Godfroy brothers had their stores in the neighborhood of what is now Waterloo street. W. P. Mills carried on a saloon near the location of the brick block which he erected on Pearl street in 1867. A tailor shop stood at "Grab Corners;" while a frame building, the first of the kind built at Grand Rapids, was located midway between Jarvis' hat store and Pearl street, then occupied by Joel Guild. In 1833 the saw-mill for the Indians was built on Indian creek, immediately above the site subsequently occupied by Wonderly & Co.'s mill. A saw-mill had been erected in 1834-'5, near where the First National bank of 1867 stood. The power was derived from a coffer dam, built across to the head of the first island. This mill was scarcely in operation when a freshet swept it down the river. During the year 1834 Gideon H. Gordon built a saw-mill on section 17, Wyoming; Roswell Britton erected a saw-mill on section 21, near the site of the Denny Mills; Ball and Wright built their mills in 1834 close by the Britton industry. George Ketchum completed a saw-mill, the erection of which was begun in 1835 by Fetterman. The same year Gideon H. Gordon built his second saw-mill on section 27, Wyoming. The first furniture factory was established in Kent by Robert Hilton and Sylvester Granger in 1836. The shop was located on Kent, at the corner of Hastings. Mr. Vosburg was the principal mechanic employed. In 1836 Samuel White, with his sons, Milo and James, built a saw-mill on the bank of Indian creek, section 15, Walker. Josiah Burton erected a saw-mill in 1836. It was located on the site subsequently occupied by Rumsey's plaster factory. In 1836 the first turning lathe was erected by Robert Hilton and Sylvester Granger. It was located on the bank of the river below the old ship yard at the foot of the Rapids. In 1837 Benjamin Smith, son of Jesse Smith, built a machine shop and grist-mill on section 10, Walker. George Ketchum erected a flouring-mill at Grandville in 1837, which he put in operation the following year. This mill was destroyed by fire in 1843. The first furnace and machine shop on Grand river was built at Grandville by Ketchum and McCray in 1837. Horace Wilder made the first casting. Early in 1837 Robert Hilton and Archibald Salmon established the first chair factory. It was located on the corner of Fountain and Ionia streets. Salmon was the the superintendent. In 1838 the boring for the State salt well was commenced under the direction of Dr. Douglass Houghton. This well was sunk in the saline marsh near the bridge of the L. S. & M. S. R. R., on section 3, in Wyoming township. In 1839 the Hecox saw-mill were erected in Vergennes. The same year Lucius Lyon commenced boring a salt well on the river bank just above the site of the Valley City Mills. For a time his enterprise was successful; he erected vats, and carried on the manufacture of salt for several years. The motive power required for pumping was derived from the canal. SALT MANUFACTURE. During the year 1840, $5,000 were appropriated for continuing the work at salt springs. In 1842 a further appropriation of $15,000 was made to foster the salt industry on the Grand river and in Midland county. In 1841 Lucius Lyon entered upon the |