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

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HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.

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son, but average about 40,000,000 annually. They have a large
wholesale lumber yard in Michigan City, Indiana. They ship their
lumber to almost all parts of the United States, while their mills
give employment to over two hundred men most of the year.
They own extensive tracts of pine land, tributary to the Grand River.
In 1872 Mr. Cutler erected the largest and finest hotel building in
the State of Michigan, It stands on Washington street, in Grard
Haven; is an ornament to the city, and is known abroad as a Grand
Haven summer resort. It was named from himself, being called the
Cutler House; and cost, including furniture, $200,000. The architecture of the building is beautiful, defying criticism; and the inner
appointments are excellent. In 1870-71, Mr. Cutler was elected
Mayor of the city, and has filled the office of school trustee for nearly
twenty years. He never aspired, however, to the honors of public
position, having declined to accept any of the State or National
offices his friends proffered him. In politics he is independent,
voting for those whom he considers the best men. His religious
views are embodied in the belief of the Unitarian Cliurch, of which
he is a member. He was married February 10, 1858, to Miss
Frances E. Slayton, of Stowe, Vermont. A family of five children
have beei born to them,-one son and four daughters. Mr. Cutler
is a gentleman respected and appreciated by all who know him. He
is possessed of excellent judgment, irreproachable moral character,
and fine business qualifications. During his first year in Michigan
he worked for $50 t'id his board. He commenced business on an
inconsiderable capital;.and when, in 1860, he and Mr. Savidge en|gaged.in the lumber trade, their early experience qualified them for
the success which attends their large and constantly increasing business. Mr. Cutler is now 51 years of age, and in the full enjoyment
of health. For over thirty years he has been a help towards
building up the material interests of Grand Haven, and it is to be
hoped that his life may long be spared to still further promote the
prosperity of the city.
THE ANDRES HOUSE,
at the foot of Franklin Street, near the river, is kept by Ernest
Andres, of Grand Haven, who is one of the veteran hotel keepers in
Western Michigan. He is a native of Germany, and came to Michigan in 1852. In 1857 lie came to Grand Haven from Port Huron,
and for a time after coming here was clerk in the store of Clark B.
Albee. In 1858 he opened a bakery and restaurant, and the same
year built a hotel on the west side of the river, called the Milwaukee
House. This house was burned in 1860. Afterwards he built and
sold two hotels, and about 1867 built a grist mill and operated it for
a time. In 1874 he built the Andres House which he still continues
to keep. Mr. Andres has held various local offices, and was alderman for four consecutive terms.
THE NATIONAL HOUSE
is kept by M. C. Carpenter, who was born in Ireland, and while an
infant his parents came to this country and settled in Buffalo. In
1855 he came to Ottawa County. For several years he kept a boarding house and operated a farm at Nunica Junction. In the spring
of 1881 he removed to Grand Haven, where he has since kept the
National House.
OTTAWA HOUSE.

This hotel, which has a frontage of 54 feet on First Street and
50 feet on Fulton Street, was built in 1868 by the proprietor, M.
Pellegrom, and after renting for a time, has been for the last eight
years kept by the proprietor. It is especially adapted for a boarding
house, with a large office and twenty bedrooms. M. Pellegrom was
born in the Netherlands and came to Grand Haven in 1855; coming poor and two dollars in debt, but has done very well financially.
He was married in 1849 to Jantje Van Weeldaen, and has had eleven

children, of whom six survive; Henry, Baldus, Katrina, Alleberta,
Hermina, Ella and Gerty.
TELEPHONING.
In the Spring of 1881 Thomas A. Parish, connected with the
Ottawa Iron Works, and having experience of the benefits in telephoning in the East, wrote to the Telephone and Telegraph Construction Company as to the advisability of supplying the city and
vicinity with instruments. The result was that the Company pressed
Mr. Parish to undertake the work, which he has done with great energy and success, so that now connections are made with Grand
Rapids, via Lamont, and with Muskegon, Whitehall, Montague, etc.
and it is expected that Cooperville and other points will soon be in
connection.
THE MICHIGAN BARGE COMPANY
is quite an important institution, and for a number of years has performed an important part in the development of the city. The
present officers are: Senator Ferry, President and Superintendent;
D. Cutler, Vice-President; H. Bigelow, Secretary; Andrew Thomson, Treasurer; John Furlong, Sailing Master. In March, 1882,
Senator Ferry purchased for $80,000 the interest of the late vicepresident, T. WT. Kirby, and D. Cutler was elected in his stead.
PLANING MILL.
Among the new industries of the city is the planing mill of
J. J. Cilley and M. H. Creager. These gentlemen having formed
a copartnership early in the Spring of 1881, erected a building near
the C. & W. M. depot at Grand Haven. Early in the Fall of the
same year the business was started with a force of about twelve
men. The management of the concern is inllthe hands of Mr.
Cilley, who is an energetic and thorough business man. He was
born in St. Lawrence County, N. Y., but has resided in Ottawa
County since 1855.
CITY MILLS.
One of the great institutions of the city is the City Mills, now
owned by the Forrest Bros. In 1879 George Forrest came to Grand
Haven and purchased the City Mills for the firm of Forrest Bros.,
and since that time has remained here to operate the mill. The
mill has been greatly improved and its capacity increased since
coming into the hands of Forrest Bros., and is now doing a large
and successful business.
George Forrest is a native of Canada, and a member of the firm
of Forrest Bros., who are extensive rmillers, having several mills in
different parts of the country.
The engineer of the mill is O. Vanderhoef, who is a native of
Ohio, where he lived until the breaking out of the war. In 1862
he enlisted, and went into the army with the 124th Ohio Infantry.
Hie was wounded at Chickatllauga, and was in hospital at Nashviile.
In 1865 he received his discharge, and came to Grand Haven,
where he still lives, and in the employ of Forrest Bros. as engineer
of their flouring mill.
HOUSE BUILDERS.
Among those who have helped to build up the city is the veteran builder and contractor, Michael WTilson, who was born in
Ogdensburg, N. Y., in 1826, and at an early age learned the carpenter trade. After working at his trade in New York State for a
time, he came to Grand Haven in 1866, and engaged in business as
contractor and builder. Some of the finest buildings in the county

have been planned and built by Mr. Wilson. Among the prominent buildings built by him are the Cutler House, Odd Fellows'
block, Congregational Church at Grand Haven, and many very
elegant private residences.
MOOZEN & GLERUII, builders, have also done their share, and
have been in business since 1878, and there are already many fine

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