Mecosta County MI Archives Biographies.....Sweet, John April 8, 1835 - 
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Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 7, 2009, 10:56 pm

Author: Chapman Brothers

JOHN SWEET, lumberman and farmer, secs. 14, 15, 22, and 23, Colfax Tp., was 
born April 8, 1835, in New 

Brunswick, and is a son of John and Joanna Sweet.  In 1849 Mr. Sweet came to 
the "States" with his father 

and eldest sister, his mother having previously died.  They settled in 
Milwaukee, where Mr. Sweet passed 

the remainder of his minority.  When he reached the period of his legal 
freedom, he came to Michigan and 

embarked in the lumber business, operating alone three years.  He then entered 
into a partnership with his 

brother Benjamin, and, with their combined facilities, they proceeded to 
construct one of the largest saw 

mills at Manistee.  This relation existed about ten years, when it was 
dissolved.  Mr. Sweet remained at 

Manistee operating in lumber until November, 1881, when he took up his 
residence at Frand Rapids, where he 

now lives, still retaining his lumber interets at the former place.

In January, 1883, Mr. Sweet bought 840 acres of land in the township of 
Colfax, of which 600 acres are 

under the best type of cultivation.  He has a large boarding house, with 
accomodations for 40 workmen, a 

good, frame dwelling-house, a large store-house and two barns, ranking as the 
best in Mecosta County, 

capable of containing 300 tons of hay, with stone basements, where 125 head of 
cattle can be stabled.  The 

farm is at present stocked with sheep and cattle, and among the latter are 
some exceptionally fine 

thoroughbred Short-Horns.

Mr. Sweet has also extensive lumber relations in Colfax, and is now engaged on 
a contract to "put in" the 

Muskegon River 150,000,000 feet of pine lumber.

To facilitate his operations he has built a narrow-gauge railrod, 11 miles 
long, with steel rails, and 

employs two locomotives in running the logs to the river.  He also owns a half 
interest in a new shingle 

mill in Rodney, built at a cost of $7,000.  It is fitted with a fifty-horse-
power engine and has a 

capacity of 130,000 shingles daily.  Mr. Sweet owns, in connection with his 
other property, a store of 

general merchandise, at Rodney, in which the postoffice is established by 
Benjamin W. Sweet, eldest son of 

the proprietor.

Mr. Sweet was married in 1857, to Almina Rogers, of Manistee, who died in 
1866, leaving four children; 

B.W., Emma, William J. and Edwin.  Mr. Sweet was married again in 1868, to 
Susan E. Parr, of Wisconsin.  

Two children have been born of this marriage:  Dora and Bertie.

In political connection, Mr. Sweet is a Republican.  He has held the office of 
City Treasurer of Manistee, 

and is a memebr of the Masonic fraternity, of the Order of Odd FEllows, and 
Knights of Honor.  He is a 

communicant in the Episcopal Church, and Mrs. Sweet is a Baptist.  Residence, 
No. 41 Shreldon St., Grand 

Rapids.

Additional Comments:
1883 Portrait & Bio Album of Mecosta Co., MI.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/mecosta/bios/sweet470nbs.txt

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