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

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HISTOY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.i
HISTORY OF OTTAWA COUNTY.

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Michigan, and is well acquainted with the progress and development of all that part of the State. After roughing it in the State for a
few years he turned his attention to law, and was admitted to practice
in 1859, and is therefore one of the veterans at the bar. Jn 1868 he
came to Grand Haven from Essex, and has since lived here and devoted himself to his profession.
L. M. S. SMITH, ex-postmaster of Grand Haven, was born in
Tompkins County, N. Y., Feb. 8, 1808, remaining there until manhood, studying for the Presbyterian ministry, in which service he
spent his best days, until his lungs failed. He was the pioneer
Presbyterian missionary of Ionia County in 1837, and came to Ottawa in 1848, to canry on mercantile business at Millpoint (now
Spring Lake); came to Grand Haven to carry onI the newspaper business, which he did from 1862 to 1872, was postmaster for over
four years, going out of office in 1881, and was assistant assessor
for many years. Mr. Smith is a gentleman most highly respected
by all the community.
JOHN W. BARNS, born in Vermont, 1824, came with his twin
brother James to Grand Rapids when twelve years of age, and they
both were apprentices in the office of the Grand River Times, the
paper published in that region by G. W. Paterson. After serving
three years, he with his brother served four years at the carpenter's
trade, and came to Spring Lake in 1846, working on the brig Enterprise. In July, 1851, comlmenced the Grand River 7'Times with
hlis brother and Mr. Angell, and also published the.hews subsequently, but was twice burned out. He sold the YTimes to Galen Eastman, who published it at Eastmanville for a year or two. After
disposing of the:rewvs he purchased a ten acre fruit lot on which
he still resides; has been alderman for Fourth Ward for many years,
also on school board, town clerk, treasurer, supervisor, and in nearly every office except mayor. Married in 1856 R. C. Breau and has
three sons and an equal number of daughters.
Among the honored dead we may mention the late
GEORGE PARKS,
one of Grand Haven's oldest settlers and foremost citizens, who was
born in Cayuga County, N. Y., Oct. 17, 1817, and was the son of
Capt. Robert Parks, of 158th Regiment of the war of 1812. He
moved with his parents to Michigan in 1823, coming to Buffalo by
team, as it was before the Erie "ditch" was opened, and to Detroit
by sailing vessel, locating in the wilderness of Oakland County,
where he cleared a large farm, on which George worked hard except
when he went to district school and six months to Pontiac Academy.
Inl January, 1840, he married Permielia, daughter of Deacon Wattles, of Binghampton, N. Y., by whomn he has three children, Byron
W., born inll 1844; George B., in 1852; Fanny, 1858. After a
short experience on a farm inll '43 he mnoved to the village of Ionia,
and was landlord of the "Cottage"' and in '44 he removed to Grand
Haven, then a small village; with the growth and prosperity of
which he has been closely identified, and at the time of his death
with the exception of the Ferrys, was the oldest settler in that city.
In 1864, in connection with E. W. Barnes, he entered into the forwarding business and with Capt. Ganoe in the Grand Haven and
Grand Rapids steamboat line. In ]865 and 1866 he and Mr. Blair
entered into forwarding, and in 1867 he and his son Byron entered
into the sash and door business. In 1852 he was elected County
Treasurer, and re-elected for four terms; and when Grand Haven

was incorporated in 1867 was elected its first mayor. He was justice
of the peace for many years to the time of his death from pneumonia in Dec. 1880, when his lengthy funeral cortege and the attendance of his brother Masons and Odd Fellows, of which orders he
was a prominent and respected member, attested the high opinion
entertained of him by his neighbors. He was emphatically an hon

est man, a man of common sense, a man whose kindly heart made
it impossible that he could leave an enemy behind. He held many
public trusts, always satisfactorily, was a Past Grand Master of the
Odd Fellows, a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge, and a Knight
Templar of the same order.
STEPHEN L. LOWING, Lawyer, was born in Genesee County,
N. Y., in 1817, came to Ottawa in 1836, locating in Georgetown,
and took a leading part in developing that township, being Justice
of the Peace, Supervisor, and, in fact, holding nearly every township
office in succession; was a farmer, lumberman and merchant, and
when the war broke out he and all his men rushed to the front in
Company I, Third Michigan Infantry, enlisting for three years, and
equipping themselves at their own expense for the war; and it was
the first full regiment in the field, going into the Army of the Potomac, being under Generals Heintzelman, French and Hancock.
Mr. L. was wounded in the leg, which determined his career as a
lawyer; he came home for a time and was commander at Detroit
Barracks. Rejoined his regiment and took part in Locust Grove,
Rappahannock, Mine Run and Rapidan. He is still active and vigorous, and is in partnership with Mr. Cross in law.
R. W. DUNCAN, Lawyer, was born in Vermont in 1834, came
to Grand Haven in 1851, and has been Prosecuting Attorney two
termis and Circuit Court Commissioner six terms.
GEO. E. HUBBARD, Hardware Merchant, is one of the old and
prominent citizens of Grand Haven, and in that city opened
the first tin and hardware store inll Ottawa County in 1856. His
present store is the first three story brick erected inll the city. He
has been Alderman, Supervisor and Mayor.
HENRY GRIFFIN, now retired, was bornl in 1807, inll Ontario, and
came to Eastmlanville in 1838, and on being elected Sheriff in 1844,
came to Grand Haven. He has also been County Clerk, and carried on
the drug business.
H. C. AKELEY is one of Grand Haven's most active and enterprising citizens, and has been a resident of the county since 1858.
Although a lawyer by profession, he has made his money chiefly by
lumbering, in which he is extensively engaged, being one of the
leading stockholders of the Grand Haven Lumnber Company, which
is buying up mill after mill. Mr. Akeley has just completed a fine
residence on the hill in the vicinity of the Court House. He enlisted
inl October, 1863, in Second Michigan Cavalry, which was placed inll
the military division of the Mississippi, serving until the close of the
war, and rising from the ranks to the position of Adjutant.
THOMAS STEWART WHITE, of the firm of White & Friant, lumbermenl, was born at Grand Haven June 28, 1810, and is son of
Thomas W. and Caroline (Mortonll) White, natives of New England.
In 1859, after leaving school, he entered the banking house of Ferry
& Son, where he served as a clerk for three years. Finding the position injured his health, he accepted, in 1863, the position of shipping clerk with Gray, Phelps & Co., of Chicago. After two years he
re-entered the banking house of Ferry & Sonl as cashier. In 1867 he
formed a partnership with Heber Squier, as Squier & White, as log
owners, general contractors, and ship builders. He suggested the
idea of a barge line for transporting freight between Chicago and the
east shore of Lake Michigan; and founded the firm of Kirby, Furlong & Co., which established the line of Kirby barges. In 1869 he
disposed of his interest in this business, and became associated with
Thomas Friant, under the name of White & Friant, as lumbermen

and log runners. All logs sawed at the mouth of Grand River
passed through tlheir hands and were delivered to the several mills.
At the same time Mr. White became connected with J. M. Avery, of
Grand Rapids, in a saw mill. This film was afterwards merged
into that of Robinson, Solomon & Co., manufacturers of dressed
lumber, etc. Mr. White saw the necessity for a fire department in

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