History of Ottawa County, Michigan with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers.

-i

G 4...
1:: i

i

I

l::- 7 = v

— I jr

I

HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.

49

- J - - - -- - - - - -: - - -- I

ertson's yards during the year, and $4=7,500 has been expended in
building and repairing during 1881.
ROBERTSON & CO.'S SHIPYARD
is on a triangular spot of four acres on the south branch of Grand
River, and is a busy and thriving institution. It was commenced
in the fall of 1867, and there has been launched there among others
the "City of Grand Rapids," a propeller 136 ft. long, 26 ft. beam,
and 10y- ft. hold; propellor "S. C. Hall," 160 ft. long, 30 ft. beam,
11I ft. hold. In 1881 there was launched from the yard a steam
barge, 152 ft. long, 28 ft. beam, capacity, 400,000 ft. of lumber, or
22,000 bushels of wheat; also steam yachts for Eastmanville,
Spring Lake, etc. The yard keeps from 35 to 70 men busy. The
yard is owned by four Scotchmen, three of whom work in the
yard, and the fourth is a capitalist.
DUNCAN ROBERTSON, born in Menteith, Scotland, 1838; came to
Grand Haven in 1867,
PAUL McCoLL, born in Dumbarton, Scotland, 1841, came in
1867 to Grand Haven; was first wood-worker and then ironworker.
PETER SrNCLAIR, born in Argyleshire, Scotland, 1842, came to
Grand Haven in 1870, and returned to Scotland during '76-'80,
after'wlich he took an interest in the shipyard.
CAFT. JOHN BUDGE, born in the Orkney Islands, 1841, came out
to meet his brother on a farm in Canada, but preferred the lakes,
sailing until 1872, when he invested in.the shipyard, and also in
lumbering. His office is in IfC wtets B
THe,,,MECHANICS' DRY DOCK AND SHIPYARD
was established in 1867 by Thos. W,. Kirby & Co., and the "Co."
are John W. Calister and John Neil. It is on the south bank of the
main river, on made land. In 1881 the steam barge "H. C. Akeley,"
230 ft. keel, 35 ft. beam, and 21 ft. hold, with a carrying capacity of
1500 tons of iron ore, or 50,000 bushels of grain, was launched
from this yard. The yard has done a large business. They have a
four-box dry docks, capable of raising 300-ton vessels.
JOHN NEIL, born in Essex County, Ontario, 1835, came to Detroit in 1853, and learned shipbuilding; came to Grand Haven in
'67; he married Bridget Alice Walsh, of Grand Haven, and has two
sons and two daughters.
THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK,
organized August, 1871, being the successor to the old firm of
Ferry & Son, private bankers. The first officers were E. P. Ferry,
president; D. Cutler, vice-president; George Stickney, cashier. The
other directors were Stephen Munroe, T. S. White, S. H. Boyce,
Hunter Savidge, and H. C. Akeley. Capital, $100,000, at the end of
the year increased to $200,000; and has always paid a dividend of
5 per cent, paying out in dividends in the first ten years over a quarter of a million dollars. It has been in Cutler's Block since 1872.
Mr. Stickney has been cashier since its inception. Dwight Cutler,
Esq. is president. Its present capital, is $200,000; undivided profits,
$65,000. Officers for 1882 are; D. Cutler, president; Robert
Howlett, vice-president; cashier, George Stickney. Directors:
E. P. Ferry, Stephen Munroe, Chas. E. Wyman, N. R. Howlett,
D. Cutler, B. Howlett, T. S. White, H. W. Buswell, George
Stickney.

i

There has been appropriated:
1852
1866..
1869
1870
1871.
1872
1873
1874
1881
Transferred in 1870. $20,000.. 65,000... 1,866
10,000
*... 6,000. 15,000.... 75,000
50,000... 60,000
1,885

$304,751
From records in the U. S. Engineer's office, it appears that
there is now a better depth of water than there has been during any
open winter for seven years.
There is a channel, two hundred feet wide, opening to the west
and northwest, with water twenty feet deep most of the way across,
wh(n, as the edge of the bar is reached, the water shoals to fifteen
feet for one sounding. In front, west and northwest of this channel, is water ranging from sixteen to eighteen feet, and then deepening to deep soundings.
THE CUTLER HOUSE.
This elegant and spacious hotel is one of tle finest and most
popular in the State, and is tbleonspi etuso bject on entering the
city, which has done more than anything else to build up the'reputation of Grand Haven as a summer resort. It was erected with
great public spirit by one of the self-made men of the cityj the Hon.
Dwight Cutler, in 1872, at a cost, including furniture, of $200,000,
is elegantly provided, and is first class in every respect, A lithographic view will be found in this work, and from it the reader may
judge of the beauty and the dimensions of the hotel. It is provided
with all modern improvements, steam passenger elevator, hot and
cold water, et>., and has an elegant hall beautifully frescoed and well
arranged for lectures, dances, and public entertainments. Mr. Josepl
Spires is the efficient manager, and Mr. James Armstead the obliging head clerk. In this connection we give a brief sketch of
THE HON. DWIGHT CUTLER,
Lumber Manufacturer and Capitalist, who was born in Amherst,
Massachusetts, November 14, 1830, and was a son of Dr. Isaac G.
and Nancy (Hastings) Cutler. Dr. Cutler was one of the most
eminent physicians and surgeons of -his day; and, as a matter- of
course, had an extensive practice that continued until hisdeath,
which occurred when the subject of this sketch was only: fou years
of age. Mr. Hastings, his grandfather, was one of the first settlers
in Amherst. Mr. Cutler was educated in Williston Seminary, Easthampton, Massachusetts, receiving a special course-of -nstruction.:
When about eighteen years of age he removed -to Grand- Haven,
Michigan, and went into the employ of Gilbert & Go., forwarding and
commission merchants. After remaining in' that capacity three:
years, he commenced business for himself by buying out-his employers' store and forwarding business, which he carried bn for six"'yea-::
with success. During. this period he purchased a number of' vessels,
both sail and steam, which were used in connection with lis-business. In 1860 Mr. Cutler commenced the lumber manufactur ng
business with Mr. Hunter Savidge, of Spring Lake,-a village tt o
miles distant from Grand Haven, —buying a saw-mill known' asD: e
Old Hopkins mill. Since then they have bought one mill, built-an' —
other, and formed a stock company with $500,000, paid up capital;,
It is the largest lumber manufacturing firm in Western Michigan."
They have handled upward of -50,000,000 feet of lumber in one sea

i
I
i

4
4

]

j.
Ii
I
C;~
IL

L:<
I

GRAND HAVEN HARBOR.
There has been expended on this considerable sums of money
by the U. S. Government,-which recognizes the value and importance
of this harbor to the lake navigators.
The original estimate for the harbor (1866) amounted to: $299,011.70.

I -
w,

i~i (L fi:..:. ~ I - ~ ~ ~. I - I ~ - '.~ 1.1.....!
I

J-60

IYs