Oceana County MI Archives History - Books .....Pentwater Village 1882
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Book Title: HISTORY OF OCEANA CO., CHICAGO, H.R. PAGE & COMPANY, 1882

The village of Pentwater is pleasantly and picturesquely situated on the north 
side of Pentwater Lake, at the lower end, where it empties by a channel of 
about half a mile into Lake Michigan.  The village lies on a sandy soil, which 
is easily drained and wonderfully productive.  One good feature of the village 
is the plentiful suply of luxuriant maple shade trees.  The population which 
is increasing, is now estimated to be about 1,500, and with the progress of 
manufactures, it will reach 2,000 at no distant date.  The buildings are 
chiefly of wood, which is the natural consequence of the village being founded 
on the lumber interest, but this Spring F. O. Gardner is developing an 
inexhaustible bed of clay, of excellent quality, on the bank of the lake, and 
will soon have brick for exportation, besides supplying the local demand.  Two 
new brick blocks are in course of erection on the main street, and from 
henceforth bruick buildings will be more and more erected.  In hotels the 
village is now fairly served, but as its qualities as a Summer resort become 
better known, a large tourist's or Summer hotel, with the necessary adjuncts, 
will become a necessity, and as the present hotels and private houses are 
already filled with Summer visitors, a hotel of the character we have 
indicated is being talked of as a joint stock operation.  The fishing and 
bathing are excellent, and the scenery in the vicinity is pleasing and 
picturesque.



ORGANIZATION.

The village of Pentwater was incorporated March 16, 1867, and the first 
election was held April 8, following, C. W. Deane, W. H. Shibley, and J. M. 
Lacey being the first inspectors of election, and there being 181 voters 
present.  The first officers were:  President, C. W. Deane; recorder, H. 
Doville; treasurer, J. H. Highland; assessor, O. P. Cook; trustees, D. C. 
Pelton, I. N. Lewis, W. H. Merritt for two years, and A. Bryant, J. Bean, Jr., 
and J. J. Kittredge, for one year; marshal, W. Webb; attorney, L. D. Grove; 
street commissioner, E. S. Faxon.

The following is the list of presidents, recorders and treasurers to the 
present time:

PRESIDENTS. - C. W. Deane, 1867; L. D. Grove, 1868-'69; H. C. Flagg, 1870; J. 
M. Rich, 1871; J. G. Gray, 1872-'76; W. B. O. Sands, 1873; E. D. Richmond, 
1874; J. H. Herrington, 1875; W. E. Ambler, 1877-'78; A. J. Underhill, 1878; 
S. A. Browne, 1879; E. Nickerson, 1880-'81-'82.

RECORDERS. - H. Doville, 1867; E. B. Flagg, 1868-'69-'72-3-8; E. E. Edwards, 
1870-'71; L. M. Hartwick, 1874; E. A. Wright, 1875-'76-7; S. Graham, part of 
1879; H. A. Cross, part of 1879-'80-1-2.

TREASURERS. - J. H. Highland, 1867; J. G. Gray, 1868-'69; E. D. Richmond, 1870-
'71; W. B. O. Sands, 1872; R. M. Falkner, 1873; M. A. Rice, 1874-'75-'6-'7-'8; 
H. H. Bunyea, 1879; W. H. Browne, 1880-'81; C. H. Whittington, 1882.

In 1878, in consequence of failure to file certificate of election in time, 
the village board elected in 1877 had to apoint officers for the ensuing year.

In 1879, there was a strong run made by the Greenbackers, who elected the 
larger part of their ticket, but the village has, as a rule, been decidedly 
Republican.  The financial condition of the village is excellent, it being 
free from debt, and at the close of this year it wil have a surplus of about 
$1,200, with which it is intended to make local improvements.  In 1880, it 
paid off $1,000 of debt, in 1881 another $1,000, and this year $500, all on 
the debt for a steam fire-engine.



HEALTHFULNESS.

Pentwater is a remarkably healthy place, and is becoming yearly more of a 
resort for invalids and tourists.  The present hotels are crowded in the 
Summers, and private houses are pressed into the service to take Summer 
boarders.  A movement is now on foot to erect a large Summer hotel by a joint 
stock company.  To show the healthfulness of Pentwater, we may mention, that 
during the year ending April 1, 1882, there were but twenty deaths, of which 
eleven were of children under two years of age, and of the remainder five were 
brought here to die, being given up by home physicians, and but two of the 
remaining deaths could properly be charged to Pentwater.  There is no chance 
for malaria, as all low places drain into the lake.

Pentwater Lake is about one and a half miles long by a half a mile wide, and 
varies in depth from ten to a hundred feet.  It is generally deep all over, 
and is a beautiful sheet of water.  The harbor channel is eleven feet deep.



THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

was first organized March 1, 1872, by village ordinance, and on the 7th the 
following were elected first officers:  R. L. Hardy, foreman, with W. A. 
Rounds, and C. Whittington, as assistants; A. Dresser, as secretary, and A. J. 
Underhill, treasurer.  On June 7, 1882, the old organization was disbanded, 
and a new one formed, with C. R. Whittington, cheif engineer; C. W. Cramer, 
assistant; J. C. Jensen, foreman of fire department, with W. H. Tuller, 
assistant; F. Maynard, foreman of Hose Company; F. Pierce, assistant; H. A. 
Cross, secretary, and F. W. Fincher, treasurer; E. G. Falkner and S. W. Bunyea 
are fire police, and F. Nielsen and E. W. Hodges are fire wardens.  The steam 
fire engine Oceana, manufactured by Clapp & Jones, is an excellent one, and 
has been in use about eight years.  Over 1,000 feet of good hose can be used, 
if needed, and the company is a very efficient one.  They are twenty-two in 
number, and are paid for time spent in extinguishing fire.  No great 
conflagrations have swept over the place, and the fire department has a good 
record for conquering fires.



HARBOR.

The harbor of Pentwater has been made an excellent one, and a navy could ride 
at anchor within the ample depths of the inner lake.  At first the outlet was 
but a small, shallow stream, over which the first settlers could wade without 
difficulty, as the water was but a few inches in depth.  Indeed the Indian 
tradition is that not long ago, there was no outlet to the lake.  The mouth 
was to the north of the present by a few hundred yards, and the old channel 
may yet be seen.  C. Mears and Rector & Cobb, in 1856, made efforts to clear 
out a channel, especially the former, who was the first to put in little slab 
piers on the north side, and erected on poles a beacon light.  Vessels were 
loaded and unloaded by lighters, or small scows, and the trouble and expense 
was great.  The United States government has been induced from time to time to 
make some what liberal appropriations for the harbor improvement, in all 
amounting to about a quarter of a million dollars, and last session of 
Congress the large sum of $10,000 more was voted, which will be expended in 
dredging, which is much needed.  The harbor has now substantial stone piers on 
both sides, about three-fourths of a mile long, and the channel and the 
channel is 150 feet wide, and eleven feet deep.  A Lighthouse was set on the 
end of the pier, in 1873, G. McGuire the first keeper, and his wife still 
holds the place.  The light is a steady red light.  Money has also been 
appropriated for a lifesaving station.  The harbor at inner end is crossed by 
a ferry, the railway coming in on the peninsula opposite.  H. C. Flagg has for 
years managed the ferry.  Off the piers and in the lake near is a good fishing 
place, white fish and trout, mullet, and sometimes sturgeon and wall-eyed pike 
being taken.  Frank & Tamler were the first to make fishing a regular 
business.  The harbor inspectors have been, first F. W. Ratzel, 1865-'66; Col. 
Strohman until 1878, and then D. C. Wickham.



POSTOFFICE.

The postoffice was opened in 1856, with E. R. Cobb as first postmaster; in 
1857 H. C. Flagg, as a Democrat, took the office, with E. D. Richmond as 
deputy, and moved the office over to the Middlesex side.  This was in the 
Spring when BUchanan became president.  When Lincoln took office, in 1861, Mr. 
Richmond was promoted to be postmaster, but when Andy Johnson was "swinging 
round the circle," Mr. Richmond was rather disgusted, and getting at this time 
a request to contribute $50 as the assessment on his office, he showed the 
document to some returned soldiers, and they contributed a wad of confederate 
money, which was duly forwarded to Washington, but so little was this 
appreciated that he received, by return of mail, a notice that a successor had 
been appointed.  This was A. J. Underhill, who held until 1867, when Amos 
Dresser got it.  After him came Dr. Dundess, then Richmons again, in 1873; 
Dresser in 1877, then H. H. Bunyea, and lastly C. F. Lewis, in 1881; and the 
office is in the former drug store of J. G. Gray.



BUSINESS.

The mercantile business is transacted in three large general stores, three 
exclusively grocery stores, two furniture stores, two hardware stores, two 
drug stores, three blacksmith shops, a wagon shop, a broomhandle factory, and 
a large wholesale furniture factory is being erected.  In lumer there are four 
shinglemills and three sawmills, two of which have shinglemills attached.  The 
annual product, with the mills up the river is not far from 20,000,000 feet of 
lumber, and the same number of shingles.  George Voorhees, superintendent of 
sorting drives, reports in 1881, 45,590 logs, 30,812 posts, 89,698 ties, and 
27,446 telegraph poles.  The shipment of wood by Sands & Maxwell, which is 
annually from 1,000 to 2,000 cords, and the bark, also form important items in 
the trade of Pentwater.


The Pentwater Lumber Company is owned and operated by W. B. Phillips, of 
Chicago, and Samuel A. Browne, of Pentwater, the company being organized in 
1874, the same parties having operated together as partners since 1869.  The 
capital stock is $375,000, and the company engages in the manufacture of 
lumer, shingles and in general trading, having flouring mills in Pentwater and 
Brownedale.  The recently sold Butters, Peters & Co. 3,800 acres of pine lands 
for $204,000, and still own about 12,000 acres in Mason and Oceana Counties.

Their saw and shinglemill at Pentwater has a daily cutting capacity of 100,000 
feet of lumber, 100,000 shingles, and 25,000 pieces of lath in twenty-four 
hours.  The mill in Brownedale has a capacity of 75,000 feet of lumber, and 
60,000 shingles in twenty-four hours.

Their general store on Hancock Street is twenty four by eighty feet, with a 
grocery store adjoining twenty-four by fifty feet, and does a business of 
$125,000 annually.

Sands & Maxwell's shinglemill is run by a twenty-horse-power engine; was built 
originally for a slavemill in 1877, and changed to a shinglemill in 1879.  It 
has a capacity of 40,000 shingles from bolts daily.  This firm also own two 
sawmills and shinglemills combined, one at Crystal Valley, built 1875, 
capacity 15,000 feet, R. Hyde, foreman; and the other in Benona, built in 
1876, 30,000 feet of logs daily, John Rose, foreman.

Sands & Maxwell's general store, located on the corner of Hancock and Fourth 
Streets, is twenty-six by ninety feet, carries a general assortment of goods, 
and does a business of $100,000 annnually.  They have also branch stores at 
Benona and Crystal Valley.  A. W. Newark, bookkeeper at Pentwater, assisted by 
J. W. Loomis.  A fine new brick store is being erected next door south of the 
present store, which will be thrown into connection with the old store, making 
both together seventy-two by ninety feet.

Nickerson & Collister's sawmill was commenced by Bailey, Worden & Williams, in 
1872; sold to Sands & Gardner, in 1877, and the following year Gardener 
purchased Sand's interest, and sold the whole to Nickerson & Collister in 
1879.  The machinery is propelled by a thirty-horse-power engine, and consists 
of a circular gang edger, with a capacity of 25,000 feet daily, or 3,000,000 
feet annually.  This firm also own a sawmill and shinglemill combined 
in "Beanville," Crystal Township, with a daily capacity of 10,000 feet of 
lumber, and 40,000 shingles.  Llewallan Pollard foreman at Pentwater; W. N. 
Sayles at Beanville.

The gristmill of this firm at Pentwater was established in 1875; has a fifty-
horse-power engine, three sets of four feet bujrs, and one small buhr for 
midillings.  The mill does merchant and and custom work, with a capacity of 
100 barrels daily.  Size, fifty-two by sixty four feet, four stories.  Conrad 
Masters, headmiller; James Steele, engineer.

J. E. White's shingle mill was built in 1865, by Messrs. E. D. Richmond, 
Woodruff Chapin and A. J. Underhill.  In 1870 Sewall Moulton and H. C. Flagg 
bought the mill, and in 1874 A. J. Underhill became the owner, selling out to 
F. O. Gardner, in January, 1878.  In 1880 Hon. J. E. White purchased the mill, 
which he still operates.  The mill had originally two machines, with a 
capacity of 70,000 shingles daily.  At present, with one machine, it turns out 
40,000 a day.

F. O. Gardner's saw and shingle mill was established by himself in 1881; daily 
capacity 40,000 shingles, and 15,000 feet of lumber.  Engine 82 horse power.

La Bonta & Co.'s planing mill was built in 1865, by E. Nickerson, who sold in 
1868 to his partners, and they in 1880 to Peter La Bonta, who the same year 
took in a partner, - T. Mero.  The mill makes sas, door, blinds, mouldings, 
etc.

Bush & Chapman's shingle mill was originally built for a foundry and machine 
shop, by George Goodsell.  In 1877 C. H. Chapman purchased it and ran it as a 
stave mill for a year, then made it a shingle mill for one year, and has 
operated it since as a saw and shingle mill, taking in as partner John J. 
Bush, of Lansing.  Size of engine, 40 horse power; capacity in eleven hours, 
500 ties and 75,000 shingles; doing about $40,000 worth of business annually, 
employing about thirty-five men.

G. W. Imus' book and stationery business, was established in April, 1879, on 
Hancock Street; the business amounts to $6,000 annually.

E. Rich's general store, Hancock Street, was established in 1866, and does a 
good business.

H. H. Bunyea's grocery, Hancock Street, was established in 1880; business, 
$5,000 a year.

N. L. Bouton's general merchandise and lumber business, established since 
1872, does $20,000 a year business.

Bird and Davis' grocery was commenced in 1870, by J. S. Bird.  They do a 
business of over $25,000 annually.

F. W. Fincher's drug store was started in 1868, by James G. Gray; sold in 1875 
to Page & Jesson, then to Mr. Hastings, and in 1876, Fincher & Newark became 
proprietors.  On September 1880, Mr. Fincher bought out the interest of his 
partner, and still conducts the business, doing about $7,000 annually.

E. A. Wright's drug store was started in 1868, by E. N. Dundass, who sold it 
to Dr. D. G. Weare, and he, in 1873, to J. Brown & Co., they to C. W. Brown & 
Co.  In 1877 E. A. Wright purchased the business; in 1881 he sold it to J. D. 
Lane, but repurchased it in 1882.

C. R. Whittington's furniture store was first established in 1871, by Mr. 
Whittington and E. C. Chambers, but since 1873 Mr. Whittington has been sole 
owner.  The store is on Hancock , between Fith and Sixth Streets, ans is 
filled with a general assortment of furniture and undertaker's goods.

F. O. Gardner's hardware business was purchased in 1879, from White & Carr.  
the business done iis large - about $10,000 a year, - and the store a 
commodious one, 82x38 feet.

A. J. Underhill's grocery store was started in 1869, with Mr. Gray and other 
partners, but since 1873 Mr. Underhill has had entire control.  Formerly, he 
carried dry goods, also, and did a very large trade; now he is confined to 
groceries alone, doing about $6,000 worth annually.

M. A. Rice's jewelry store was established in 1865, by J. H. Root, who, in the 
Spring of 1877, moved his stock to Ludington, and was succeeded by Mr. Rice, 
who carries on, also the business of telegraph operator, and since 1878 has 
attended to the War Department signal service for the benefit of mariners.

W. A. Round's express, dray and feed stables were established in 1867.  Mr. 
Rounds keeps five horses on Hancock Street.

John Melvin's cabinet ware rooms, on Hancock Street, were established in 1881, 
and contain a general assortment of cabinet furniture; repairing attended to.

A. J. Underhill's meat market was commenced in 1878, in connection with other 
business.

The Tempeance Billiard Hall was opened in 1879, by Forrest Moody; sold June 1, 
1880, to Peter Dreves, who still runs it, keeping a full stock of cigars, 
tobaccos and confectionery; soda fountain on the premises.

M. S. Perkins' livery, corner Hancock and Fifth Streets, was opened in 1875, 
and contains, on an average, thirteen horses.  Stages to Mears and Ludington, 
(in Winter) and omnibus to railway stations.

F. O. Gardner's brick yard was established in 1882, and has all modern 
improvements.  High hopes are entertained of its success.

Faulkner's Opera Hall, on Fourth Street, is 30x100 feet, and has a seating 
capacity of 400 persons.

Pentwater Tug Line was established in 1878, by Fred Nielsen and Max Fisher, 
(Fisher & Co.) and consists of two tugs, valued at $10,000 to $12,000.

The Elliott House, on Hancock Street, was built in 1863, by James Brooker, who 
sold it to E. R. Burrington, and he to A. A. Bryant, who, in 1871, sold to E. 
W. Elliott.  The latter raised the building to three stories, and refitted the 
house, running it until 1873, when he sold to A. Brilihart, who afterward sold 
to G. W. Imus, who still owns the property.  The hotel is now run by E. W. 
Elliott.  Size of house, 50x80, three stories, with fifty rooms and forty-two 
beds.

The Pacific House was built in 1868, by William Kuhn, and is 100x22 feet, 
containing sixteen rooms.  It has also an addition for a saloon, 100x20 feet.

Additional Comments:
HISTORY OF OCEANA CO., CHICAGO, H.R. PAGE & COMPANY, 1882


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