This comes from 6th Grader Barbara Jones (in approximately
1954 or ’55). She created this school report based on
information told to her by (now deceased) Bessie Williams.
The original copy was sent to Liz Smith for historical purposes.
This re-typing and annotation is being done in 2010 by the
Evart Area Historical Society.
(Side note: Bess Williams worked at the library and said her father was a POW in Andersonville,
Georgia’s prison.)
A story known to many very early pioneers and many times repeated in the home of William H.
Allen, is as follows:
As early as 1870 lumbering camps were established at what we know as “Cole’s Crossing * ” –
two miles west of Evart, a small settlement on the west side of the road, north of the cobblestone church
founded by Dr. Hoverter in December of 1931. The church, Riverside Gospel Church, was located on
110th Avenue between U.S. 10 and the Muskegon River, and was dismantled in the late 1940’s or early
1950’s.
Founding date of the church? ).
The church stands on the site of the old
Hamilton Boarding House operated by George and Anna Hamilton. Mrs. & Mrs. Cole lived near them
and Mr. and Mrs. Allen lived on the northwest corner of the four corner where one turns south to cross
the bridge (Is this the old Ingersoll bridge?) (Can
we name the intersection?).
Mr. A. La Pres (a Frenchman) was the camp blacksmith. In 1871 Mr. Allen, who was an estimator of
timber and scaler (a flexible rule that could be wrapped partically around a tree and would determine the
approximate board feet of lumber it contained ), thought of founding a town there which would probably
have been named Allendale after the Allens and his eleven year old son, Charles Dale, but before titles
too much of the land he would purchase from one Scott Garrish could be cleared, Dr. Blodgett and
James Kennedy came in 1871 and founded Evart which is named for Frank Everts ( the name was
originally spelled ‘Everet, was later changed to Evart)-
& maybe explanation of the
mis-spelling leading to current town name?!! ) who located on section 23 Evart
Township in 1867.
Evart was founded by Delos A. Blodgett and James Kennedy and the village was organized and
platted in 1872 – a civil engineer by the name of Dorr Skeets executed the plat (the original of which,
hangs in the city office of Evart) (Does
it still??? Where IS it, if not?).
On March
2, (or November 11) 1872 the first election was held – William A. Lewis was chosen President; Joseph
Sayles – Clerk; E. C. Cannon – Treasurer.
It might be of interest to know that Mr. Lewis built the house where Mr. Ludwig Bohls, president
of the First National Bank of Evart, lived, current owners are Mr. And Mrs. William Stewart. (420 N.
Main Street). Bob Holihan owns the Cannon home (428 N. Main Street) and his wife, Virginia, still
lives there. Joseph Sayles built the place owned by Judd Roe (on N. Main street). You might add Judd
Roe’s house was built to be shaped like a pair of trousers.
About the middle of September 1871 the first train of the Flint and Pere Marquette
Railroad steamed into Evart. (Up until the early 1950’s there were 6 to 7 daily runs thru Evart. The
tracks were pulled, after years of non-use in 19 __ to accommodate the newly formed ‘Rails to Trails
walkways).
The first Fourth of July celebration was held in 1873. Main was the only street at this time that
had all the stumps removed and the celebration was a grand affair, with the procession going to the
“Grove,” about a mile north of the village.
Evart Twp. had four whole school districts and one fractional – namely #3 Evart Village.
#1 Hoover School, lSection 14
#2 Robbins School, Section 30
#3 Evart City – Fractional because the school served both Evart & Osceola Twps
#4 Alexander School Section #28
#5 Brown School, Section 15
#6 Ingersoll School, Section 7
#7 Happy Hollow, Section 25
*8 smith School, fractional with Orient Twp Section 12
Some Business Interests:
James Tripp operated the oldest mill in town, later named the Red Mill; lumber capacity was
10,000 feet per day. He also had the first drug store. Tripp also had the first drug store. He had built the
houseon 6th and Pine Streets, later owned by Robert Seath, which has since been torn down, where
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Nichols Chiropractic is now located. (Was
Tripp contemporary to the writing of
this report or 1873?? What as the mill’s name? When did it cease
operations?) (Where is the referenced Seath-house?)
Gray and Curtiss owned a saw mill, planing mill, and shingle mill, that was probably located on
the river behind where the repair shop just west of the U.S. 10 bridge. (Think
we should
identify Gray as being the builder of the “Old Davy House” in 1887.
DO we know any other facts about him?)
F.H. Starkey own and manage shook factory
(Should “shook” be capitalized
as a family name??) WHERE was it located? What stands there
now?)
they manufactured barrel staves. They were shipped to Cuba and made into hog-heads for
sugar trade.
John McManus managed Osceola Iron Works, making engines, plows, lumber and shingle
machinery, brass goods, pipe fittings, etc. and was located on the NW corner of Main and Tenth streets.
A very important and credible industry was the establishment of T.R. Johns who manufactured a
very elegant style of cutters, sleighs, wagons, and carriages.
(Do we know of any
museums or private owners of one of these conveyances? Could we
give ‘em credit for preservation?)
M. Bellanger and Son were manufacturers of cant hooks and lumberman’s implements. (This
place was located about where the city office was. ( possibly the northwest corner of U.S. 10 and Pine
streets and part of the Citizen’s Bank south parking lot) and was the beginning of the Logging Tool.)
The American Logging Tool Company was located on the NE corner of Main and Fifth streets for many
years, and used a noon whistle which could be heard all over town. It was torn down in the 1990’s and
turned into a parking lot for Dean’s Foods trucks. (What
were the dates of operation
for Evart Logging Tool???) Rhoda: it’s my understanding that the original
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American Logging Tool was a conglomeration of several blacksmith shops which
merged….?)
E.F. Shaw kept a supply of boots and shoes and lumbermen’s outfit His son, Clare Shaw, was a
clerk and later manager for Davy & Company Grocery Store for years. This was located on the east side
of Main street just south of Northon’s Shire Bookstore. Later, this grocery store became Orton’s, and
following a fire, built and moved into their own building which is now Crossroads Church.
There are approximately 39 other industries and business places listed.
SCHOOL:
The wooden school building was built in 18__, an elegant one with all the modern improvements
and cost $6,000 heated by steam with water conductors to different rooms and has a fire escape. 300
pupils. All English branches were taught. (What
does this mean???)
Four teachers and
principal. This school was torn down and rebuilt in brick on the same site (now known as the Middle
School) in 192__?. (Are
we able to state how many subsequent school
buildings there have been? AND/OR how the one described here
burned/fell down? The intersection where the school was, is now …
)
CHURCHES:
Presbyterian organized October 25, 1872. Nine members; church completed 1881; dedicated
April 1882; cost - $5,000. This church stood at the southeast corner of Fifth Street and
Hemlock Street and burned down in _____? However, the parsonage, which is the first
house south of this now empty lot, still stands.
Methodist Episcopal Church organized first Sunday in November 1871; completed and dedicated
February 23, 1879. Is this the church which was located on the empty lot just south of
Corey’s Funeral home? If so, it burned down in 197__, and was rebuilt at 519 N. Cherry
Street.
Catholic Church of Sacred Heart: In 1880 a church was built at cost of $3,000; membership – 20
families. This church also burned down in 19__, but the foundation can be found just west of South
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Cherry street, off of the cut-of to the rear of Evart Products. The foundation is on the south side of the
road, and the remains (holes) of the Catholic Cemetery is on the north side of the cut-off. Most of the
cemetery remains were moved by family members to a new location approximately three miles from
town on South River Road on the south side of the road, and re-named Holy Cross Cemetery. No sign
or other form of identification, however, just tombstones.
Sacred Heart rebuilt their church on the southwest corner South Main and Ninth Streets until the
membership outgrew the building. The current Sacred Heart Catholic Church was built in 1960 on west
U.S. 10, across from the airport.
Evangelical Association with small membership held services every two weeks. Reverend E.
Weiss of Hersey preaches. Was located at the corner of Main & Ninth Streets, across from the 2nd
Catholic church. Possibly became the Free Methodist Church, and is now the Masonic Temple, as the
Free Methodist Church also outgrew its membership and has a new church on N. 95th Avenue, next to
the new Evart High School.
EVART REVIEW:
Founded by W.H. Hess, first printed October 17, 1872. May 1873 I. Chase came in as partner.
October 1874 firm changed to I. Chase and Company. Hess going out and W.C. Cameron coming in as
editor, running business until 1875 when Asabel Chase (Father of Ivan Chase) took editorial charge. In
Fall of 1880 Minchin and Brother became proprietors and continued the publication until January 1,
1885 when George W. Minchin bought his brother’s interest and became sole proprietor and editor. He
then sold to Paul Ratleffin, who then sold it to Robert W_____ and Donald Morrison, then back to
Ratliff. In 1933 Fred S. and Berkley Smith purchased the paper, and later Fred became the sole owner
and publisher until his death in 19___, at which time his son Brion (Rusty) with Joe Warner as editor in
1990 took over. The paper was sold to Pioneer Publishers in 19 ___ and closed down.
(Identify date of final issue in 1900s. Shall we note that one of
the old proofing presses is on long term loan to the Evart Museum?
Shall we note the publisher’s name @ the time of this school
report’s writing?)
BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS:
Business men’s organization organized December 13, 1883 – object, to promote the business
interest of Evart.
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Osceola Driving Park Association organized November 15, 1882. It has a good half mile track
located on the Osceola County Fairgrounds and was organized with 40 members.
FIRE DEPARTMENT:
Evart secured the Holly system with Walker improvements constructed in 1879 at a cost of
$16,000. The plant was located on Main Street near the River. Note – the Evart Township Hall stands
on the site of this power house. Edward Seath is the engineer. (Bob Seath’s father) There were two
hose companies – Evart Hose Company No. 1 and Independent Hose Company No. 1. For years the
‘Hose House” that was located behind the Evart Hotel (where the fire trucks are currently housed) also
hosted meetings, including the Girl Scouts and Volunteer Firemen among others, in the upstairs meeting
room.
SOCIETIES:
(Shall we put an asterisk next to those still in operation
here in Evart???)
*Masonic Lodge no. 320. Dispensation granted giving Lodge power to organize and work June
28, 1873.
Evart Chapter no. 97 instituted January 19, 1876.
I.O.O.F. Lodge no. 230 instituted January 9, 1874. Grand Army Republic, Sedgwick Post no. 16
organized August 19, 1880.
Evart W.C.T.U. organized in March 1877.
* Cole’s Crossing: so named because Mr. Cole made soundings of depth of the Muskegon near where
bridge now is (original bridge gone –was located NEAR the current bridge) (
Is this the
bridge on US 10 or on South Main … and are we able to actually
describe the “sounding spot” as North by xyz degrees, etc ???)(It
is thought that this refers to the original Ingersoll Bridge, which
is no longer there – was south of 5 Mile on 110th Avenue. to find most
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shallow place because the men had to ford the river and follow a blazed trail through woods to get to Big
Rapids for groceries and other supplies which they carried on gunnysacks on their backs.
(What can we say about the author of this report??????
…and who was the woman Bessie, that was “interviewed” ????)
Thank you all for your aide,
Seraphim Leemon
(231) 734-9044
Additional info has been added since Seraphim typed up the original report with her questions, some of
which have been answered. Ralph Hinkley (formerly of Hinkley Drugs, now Pamida Drugs) had the
following to add:
“I will add this information that I feel had an impact on quite a large area of our rural development of
farms and farmers.
“My grandfather, Chester K. Hinkley, was born in 1850 in New York state. He moved to Evart with his
father in 1876 to the farm just south of the entrance to the present Lake Miramichi on 90th Avenue, 6
miles south of Evart. It was a homestead farm of 40 acres. My granddad, C.K. Hinkley, and Ed
Cruickshank (Tom Cruickshank’s grandfather) became partners in the business of buying and selling of
livestock in the area.. They established the Hinkley and Cruikshank Stockyards that was located just
west of the old railroad depot which now houses the Evart city offices. They bought or shipped livestock
there for years, shipping by railroad to both Detroit and Buffalo, N.Y., usually, one or two train car loads
every two weeks. Sometimes weekly.
“As a kid in the 1930’s I helped put the different marked animals in allotted pens until they were loaded
up a ramp to the rail cars, usually late in the afternoon. It was a treat for us kids, ‘cause we usually got to
eat out at Corey’s Restaurant, which was located in the south portion of the present Bradley Hardware
Company. The stockyards at that time was operated by my Dad, John Hinkley, and Raymond
Cruikshank. The stockyard must have operated 20 years or so and moved thousands of the local farmers’
livestock to markets.”
Signed, Ralph Hinkley
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