History of Cass county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.

186

HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY, MICHIGAN.

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through the Western States, likewise into Canada, also
into New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
100,000 feet of lumber were now being consumed
yearly; the works were enlarged and gave employment to forty or fifty men besides a large number of
boys. In the spring of 1878, a sale was made to
one Fiske, of patents, machinery, good-will-everything the company had, and he removed the manufactory to Chicago.
The manufacture of the Warner shoe grain-drill
and the spring-toothed harrow and cultivator combined is and has been a large business in Dowagiac.
The shoe drill was patented February 5, 1867, by
William Tuttle and S. H. Wheeler, in Decatur.
Choffell Brothers began to manufacture them upon a
royalty in Dowagiac in 1868. Their factory was
burned out in 1872, with the exception of the molding room. The business soon came into the hands of
J. P. Warner & Co. (Tobias Byers), by whom the
business has since been carried on until the fall of
1881. Of late the principal manufacture has been
that of the spring-tooth harrow, an implement on
wheels that does the work of a cultivator and seeder
combined, and can be used either with one or two
horses. This was invented and patented in 1880, by
J. P. Warner. In November, 1881, a stock company
with $50,000 capital, was formed for the manufacture
of the harrow and shoe grain-drill-the first stock
company in the county organized to carry on manufacturing. The company has erected new buildings
and designs to push its business vigorously. The company is officered as follows: M. E. Morse, President; C. W. Vrooman, Vice President; R. F. Kellogg, Secretary; D. Lyle, Treasurer; J. P. Warner,
Superintendent of Works.
Colby's two mills do a thriving business. What
is known as the Upper Mill, located on the west
line of the corporation, is the old Spalding Mill, which
has been elsewhere spoken of. It is now called
the Crown Mill, and has been since 1868, when H.
F. Colby purchased it of E. H. Spalding and rebuilt
it. It contains three runs of stones and turns out from
six to eight thousand barrels of flour per year. It is
conducted as an exchange or custom mill. What is
known as Colby's Lower Mill was built by G. A. Colby
in 1857, and after passing through various ownerships, came, in 1879, into the hands of H. F. Colby
and H. S. Buskirk, who rebuilt and still operate it.
It contains five run of stones, rolls, grinders, purifiers,
etc., of the most improved design, and is run as a
merchant mill. About twenty-five thousand barrels
of flour are manufactured per annum, most of which

is shipped direct to special customers in New York
and New England. A cooper shop is carried on in

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connection with this mill in which are made all of the
barrels used by the Messrs. Colby & Buskirk.
The planing-mill and sash and door factory of
Mark Judd is an establishment of considerable importance. It was built in 1860, by Ashley, Kays & Co.,
and has successively been the property of Kays &
Judd, Judd & Cady, Judd & Harwood, and, since 1872,
of Mr. Judd alone. Another planing-mill is operated
by H. Defendorf and. H. Armstrong. It was built in
1866 by Starrett, Defendorf & Mason, and has been
operated by its present owners since 1878.
The steam saw-mill, owned by Frederick Hedrick,was
built by Reed & Van Uxum, in 1860. About the
same time the brewery of Vincent Harder was put in
operation. In the same year, Amos Rouse began the
manufacture of chairs in a little factory on the creek
just below Dowagiac. He was burned out in 1875,
but did not discontinue the business. Hervey Bigelow has carried on the manufacture of furniture since
1852.
The first dealer in marble and maker of monuments
was M. Pettingill. He carried on the business in
Niles, and his branch shop in Dowagiac was the first
in Cass County. It was purchased in 1870, by T. J.
Edwards, who has, since that time, carried on a large
business, and placed many beautiful monuments in
the cemeteries throughout Cass and contiguous counties.
HOTELS.
The first hotel built in the village was the Dowagiac
House, which, with a large accumulation of additions,
is now the Continental. It was built by A. J. Wares,
in 1849. Prior to the laying-out of the town, James
McOmber had entertained the wayfarer and the
stranger at his house, and the Humphrey line of
stages stopped there.
Nicholas Bock built the American House in 1849,
or the following year, and has since then been its
landlord most of the time.
The Railroad House was kept as early as 1850, by
Isaac L. Bull. It was the building on the corner
where John T. Foster's store now is.
The Exchange Hotel, which stood where Lee's
Bank and the Post office now are, was built by Mr.
Turner and John Rodgers, in 1851.
Another hotel, and one built earlier than that last
mentioned was the Cataract House.
POST OFFICE.
A post office was established in November, 1848.
A. C. Balch was the first Postmaster. He was succeeded by M. T. Garvey in July, 1849. During a
portion of Mr. Garvey's occupancy of the office,

Strawther Bowling was Deputy, and he was the first