Newspaper artical on John Kopf, Lowell, Kent County, Michigan

Copyright © 1998 by Mary Del Rivette. This copy contributed for use in 
the USGenWeb Archives.  

 

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KOPF FACTORY BROUGHT FAME IN EARLY DAYS (1926)
OVER 70 YEARS SINCE ESTABLISHMENT OF LOWELL'S FIRST FURNITURE FACTORY
--MANY INTERESTING "REMEMBER WHENS" ARE RECALLED BY A DAUGHTER

John Kopf was born in Wurttemburg, Germany, in 1828 and remained there
until he was 20 years of age.  He learned the cabinet trade from his father
in Germany.  He came from New York State to Lowell in 1854 where he built a
small shop in the village of Lowell, just north of the old Davis house. 
The Indians were frequent visitors in his shop, being near neighbors.  For
a time they occupied the house where Mrs. Arthur White now lives and where
two children were born.
Mrs. Cob-moo-say gave mother a red wool jacket, which she had made, for one
of the babies which is now in possession of a member of our family.  In
1859 Mr. Kopf purchased twelve acres of land and the water power on a small
creek, now known as the Kopf creek, outflowing from Pratt lake south of the
village of Lowell, building a dam which gave him abundance of water fall to
run the factory.  He erected a chair factory and continued his cabinet
work, manufacturing bedsteads, stands, bureaus, lounges, fall-leaf tables
and other kinds of furniture, also caskets.  He was also in the undertaking
business.  He built a dwelling house for his family and four other houses
for some of the factory help at the factory site.  He made the manufacture
of cane seat and windsor chairs a specialty.  He was able to turn out
20,000 chairs annually which was a great number in those days.  Cane
seating the chairs were done by hand and mostly by women, Mother and the
older children being experts in the art of making chair seats.  The store,
which he built (first building east of the one now occupied by the Lowell
Ledger) a four story brick, including the basement which was used in
packing and storing furniture; first floor was filled with first class
furniture, a watch and clock repair establishment, silverware, jewelry;
second floor was filled with parlor furniture, third floor with caskets,
furniture and painting room.  Two years in successin he took first premium
at the State fair on his chairs.  No shoddy goods manufactured by him,
proof of this, many homes now have furniture made by him which have been in
constant use all these years.
The logs were brought in, sawed into lumber and made into furniture, all at
the factory.  Mr. Kopf was interested in the business and welfare of
Lowell.  When the Lowell Congregational Association was re-organized Nov.
28, 1858, Mr. Kopf was one of the six trustees elected.  He was a member of
the Masonic order and of Ionia Commandery, Knights Templar, and served on
the board of education a number of years.
He died in Lowell, June 1889; His wife, Mary J. passed away in the old
homestead June 19, 1926, at the age of 93 yearsa, 5 months.  She was often
called away from home to help in sickness and death and never too busy to
go when called.  Her wish was that the old homestead built in 1859 should
always remain in the family.  A daughter, Mrs. Murtice Bangs, came in
possession of the home, the seven children which are left and Mrs. Dora
Winegar of Lowell whose mother died when she was 17 months old and who was
brought up in the Kopf family, the grand children and great grand children
enjoy visiting there.