Babcock Coal Mine

W.J. Babcock was a farmer, businessman and local entrepreneur. He owned land on both sides of the river, including parts of today’s Fitzgerald Park and Lincoln Brick Park. He also operated what may have been the largest coal mine in the area. The Babcock Mine was one of the largest and longest in operation.

A historian in 1880 wrote: “A fine quality of soft coal for use as fuel is mined near Grand Ledge. The vein averages from eighteen inches to two and a half feet in thickness, and on the farm of W.J. Babcock, north of Grand Ledge, near the county line; it has been found three feet in thickness.  Mr. Babcock has mined more extensively than any other person in the vicinity, and at one time shipped large quantities to Detroit, Ionia, and Grand Rapids. He says it will yield 6000 tons per acre on his farm. The coal on his place is about sixty feet below the surface, yet he does not have to shaft to reach it and a natural drainage is obtained to the river.”

W.J. Babcock owned 100 acres at the end of West Main Street on Tallman Road. Begun in the 1870’s, the Babcock Mine’s design was typical of most mines in the area. A cave-like entrance was begun at the river bank and quarried into the rock Ledge until the coal seam was reached. The mine shaft snaked back and forth, following the coal.

The entrance to the Babcock Mine is believed to have been near the north end of the dam. The coal was removed and put in small wooden carts on miniature rail track. It was then hauled up the river bank. Here the coal was stored until ready for sale.

The mining operation stretched far under the farm above. Eventually the coal being mined was so far from the river bank it became necessary to find a more efficient way to bring the coal out. A second shaft was opened to replace the river entrance. This new shaft was vertical and went straight down sixty feet to reach the mine below. The new mine opening was located near the barnyard, in the middle of the apple orchard. A hoist house was built over the shaft with a pulley to bring up the coal. A pump was used to help keep the mine dry as it was prone to flooding.

A dirt lane ran from the corner of West Main and Tallman Road along the river back to the dam and the mining shack and operation. This lane was extended in 1916 to access the newly built brick factory nearby. Later, a second road branched off and ran through the orchard to the barnyard and the new shaft and miners shack.

By 1936 when the farm was bought by Fred Haueter, the mine was owned and operated by a Grand Rapids firm. They continued working the mine until about 1943. Thus the Babcock Mine was in operation for around 70 years and was likely the longest running mine in the area.

Coal Mines

The same geological forces that produced our wonderful Ledges also left behind coal seams in our area. Eaton County is on the southern edge of Michigan’s coal basin which lies under Central Michigan. The coal is soft and of a lower quality, but being found locally was a cheap source for fuel.

It did not take the early settlers of Grand Ledge long to notice the coal outcropping as they explored the Ledges. By the 1870s coal mining operations were well underway here. The mines in Grand Ledge were found on both sides of the river, starting downtown and extending out past Lawson Road. From the 1870s to 1940s it is believed that as many as 30 coal mines operated in this stretch of the river.

Grand Ledge's mines included slope and vertical mines. Most mines were a slope mine along the river bank where the miners entered openings dug into the river bank and crawled into the mine to the coal seam. Some of the mines that were not near the river were entered down vertical shafts. When these shafts were later abandoned some filled with water and remain today as ponds with very deep centers.

Once the men were underground they lit lamps and followed the mine as it snaked haphazardly back and forth, following the largest deposits of coal. It was not a pleasant working environment- water pooled under their feet, the air smelled and was full of dust, despite attempts at ventilation. Miners had to walk stooped over or even crawl to the coal seam. Reaching the coal, they chipped and hammered it from the surrounding rock. Many times miners chipped away at the coal seam while laying on their bellies in wet mud that made up the floors of the mines. Timbers helped reinforce the mine as coal was removed.

One well remembered mine was the Tinkham Mine. This was located on the Northside near the Trestle. This often provided coal to local residents. One memorable photograph shows a teenage Bill Pearson Sr. hauling a bag of coal from the Tinkham Mine on a sled during the coal shortage in the winter of 1918. Young Bill was delivering the coal to his father’s Barbershop on North Bridge Street.

Old Grange Hall

One of the oldest buildings in the downtown area may not be apparent at first. If fact you may not even notice it at all. But the old building has seen a lot of changes in our town since it was built.

It was back in late 1870s when local farmers joined together to form a local chapter of the National Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry, or simply The Grange. Local chapters began to be formed all over the Midwest in the late 1860s and many continue their work today. The Grange was a fraternal order of farmers aimed at bettering their lives through social, economic and political goals. By the 1870s their organizations had become widespread and today we can thank The Grange for such improvements as Rural Free Mail Delivery, Cooperative Extension Services and Farm Credit Systems among many others.

The local Grangers leased a parcel of land from Mrs. Alice Reed. The property was at the corner of Scott and Franklin Streets at what is today approximately 602 E. Scott Street. It is interesting to note that at the time this parcel was on the very edge of the town and was surrounded by farmland. After leasing the property, the farmers set about building their Grange Hall on the site. This was a two story building facing Scott Street with a one story extension at the side along Franklin Street. At the time, Franklin Street was a dead end and did not curve around to join Lincoln Street. The area behind the Hall sloped down to a dairy farm where Belknap Street is today and was known as Grange Hill. Sometime in the early 1880s The Grand Ledge Grange either disbanded or merged with another chapter and left their Hall behind.

In 1886, local entrepreneur Peter Blake purchased the building. Blake owned farms in the area and among his business interests ran a Cheese Factory. Blake had just purchased the Riverside Rink downtown and was in the process of converting it into an opera house for local entertainments. Once he acquired “Old Grange Hall”, he removed the single story extension and moved the two story building downtown and placed it on a new foundation adjacent to the back of Blake’s Opera House.

Over the years the first floor was used for storage and the second floor was a residence. In the early 1900’s when Burr Sackett purchased the Opera House, he and his family lived in the upper floor of Grange Hall. Later the area was used for storage until it was remodeled in the 1990 for use by the Chamber of Commerce.

Next time your downtown, take a look at the Old Grange Hall. One of the oldest buildings downtown that still has a lot of life left in it.

Funeral Home long tradition

With the recent passing of my Uncle Bob Haueter, I was reminded again of the important work Peters & Murray does and how they have served local families in our community for over 85 years.

The funeral home can trace its history back to Russell Smith. Beginning in 1922, Russell Smith offered mortician services to local families. At the time, funerals were held in the home, and morticians were called in to perform their services.

In the 1930s the idea of having a community “home” just for the holding of funerals led to the creation of three local funeral homes, including the forerunner of Peters & Murray.. In the early 1930s Smith partnered with Mr. Hoag and purchased the old Samuel Chadwick House at 301 E. Jefferson. At the time it had been most recently used as a fraternal lodge hall. The Smith & Hoag Funeral Home remolded it for their own use.

Soon after, in 1936, they hired Leslie Peters, a recent graduate of Worsham Collage, to join them as a mortician. Leslie and his wife Florence lived above the funeral home.

In 1939 Peters partnered with Joseph Otto to form Peters & Otto Funeral Home and together they purchased the business. The partnership was short lived however, and soon it became Peters Funeral Home. Like many funeral homes, Peters also used their hearse to offered ambulance services to the area.

In 1960 more parking was needed. The Peters purchased an empty lot at 319 E. Jefferson from Robert and Marian Hamill which was used as a large ornamental garden. The home next to Peters at 309 E. Jefferson, which they owned, was moved down the street to the 319 lot. Leslie and Florence Peters soon moved into the home.

At about this time Tom Murray came to Grand Ledge to serve his apprenticeship with Leslie Peters A few years later, after graduating from Worsham Collage, Tom became a partner in 1965 and Peters & Murray was established. In 1984 Tom’s son John joined the business and in 1993 became the principal partner. The Murray family continues a tradition started back in 1922 to serve local families in their time of need.

The Grand Ledge Times

Newspapers have often been used to support one political party or theory over another. Papers tended to change ownership and philosophies rapidly as each new owner promoted their own views. Such was the case in 1884 when local Grand Ledge businessmen began to publish a new weekly newspaper, “The Vidette.” (Vidette is an old military term meaning to be on watch or to observe and report) James Winnie, owner of Winnie Hardware, was the political editor. The newspaper was formed to support the Greenback Party. The Greenbacks supported sound fiscal policy (hence the term “greenback”), an income tax, an eight hour workday, and allowing women the right to vote. Such radical ideas were not well tolerated and the national Party soon disbanded. In 1886, the newspaper was sold to Charles Warner, who changed the name to “The Graphic.” Newspapers of this name were often filled with illustrations. M.L. Phares soon partnered with Warner, and eventually bought the entire enterprise. About 1889 M.H. Gunsenhouser purchased the paper and with his own political leanings he changed the name to “The Republican” and championed the causes of that Party. July 1, 1902 the newspaper was purchased by C.W. Waring who changed the name again to “The Grand Ledge Times” and it became independent in its political views. The Times prospered and was later owned by W.H. Housman. In about 1923 Charles Clarke purchased the paper. He and his brother William had owned the Grand Ledge Independent from 1900-1921. Then due to failing health, they sold the business. After recovering his health, Charles decided to return to journalism and he purchased The Times. His health caught up with him however and in 1925 Clarke sold the newspaper to F.A. Bryce, owner of The Grand Ledge Independent, who merged the two newspapers.

Hinman early pioneer

The Hinman Family was one of the pioneers of Eagle Township. They farmed near the Looking Glass River on Hinman Road. The biography below comes from the 1880s:

The name of Joseph Hinman is closely associated with official service in Eagle Township and as a representative of farming interests he is also well known. He was born in McKane County, Pennsylvania, November 25, 1834, and is a son of Curtis and Almira S. (De Witt) Hinman, who were natives of the Empire state.

In 1838 our subject's parents came to Michigan, settling in Oakland County, but the following year removed to Eagle Township, and the father began farming on section 15 in what is known as the Grand River country. He there bought eighty acres of land, to which he added until at his death he owned a large estate. In the early days he frequently made trips to Pontiac to mill and then marketed his grain at Detroit. He passed away at the age of sixty years, while his wife died previously at the age of forty-seven years.

Joseph Hinman received limited educational privileges, pursuing his studies in a log schoolhouse on the Eagle frontier, where the methods of instruction were very primitive. He early began work on a farm. His father was a carpenter but Joseph Hinman preferred the labor of the fields and at the age of twenty one years he started out in life on his own account. Attracted by the discovery of gold at Pike's Peak he went west to Colorado, and afterward to Oregon, where he remained for two years. He then returned to Eagle Township purchasing eighty acres of his present farm. He has added to the place until he now owns two hundred and seventy acres, the greater part of which has been brought to a high state of cultivation. He has erected modern buildings and has one of the finest farms in Clinton County. He has assisted in clearing much land in this locality and in his own business operations has displayed the unfaltering energy and determination which always constitute a safe basis for success.

With the family he shared in all of the hardships and privations of pioneer life as well as its pleasures and can remember when Clinton County was largely an unsettled district and was but eleven years of age when he killed his first bear. On the 17th of May, 1862, Mr. Hinman was married to Miss Sarah Goss, a daughter of David Goss, of Westphalia Township, and they now have three children: Maud, John C.,and Ada He is one of the pioneer settlers of the county and his memory carries with it many pictures of the early days when the forests were uncut and land unclaimed.

In his political views Mr. Hinman is independent. He has served as supervisor for two terms, as township treasurer for three terms and in other minor offices, the duties of which he has discharged with capability and promptness. He is a man of sound judgment and his utilization of opportunity and carefully directed labors have made him one of the substantial agriculturists of his community.

Abstracts tell history

For those who own their home, you know that when you purchased it you had to get title insurance to ensure your deed was free and clear and that no one else had any rights to any part of the property. In years past, this was done using an Abstract of Title for each property.

Abstracts are really wonderful documents. Physically, they are printed on several sheets of legal sized paper, bound together at the top. Starting on the bottom page, it will list every owner of your parcel of land. For the Grand Ledge area, Abstracts should all begin about 1836 when the first land was purchased by speculators from the Federal Government.

The Abstract will then trace every legal event of the property through out its history. It will list every owner, property descriptions, easements etc. It will often include details from wills and how heirs divided and inherited property.

The document does not trace homes or other buildings on the property. It can not tell you when your house was built. But sometimes you get clues. Older entries will include the purchase price and if you see a sudden jump in the price of a property, it is likely to include a home. This does not always work however, in later years they would tend to list the price as “$1 and other valuable property” so you really never know how much the lot cost.

In addition to the property history, Abstracts are valuable in other ways. They are great sources of information for genealogical research. They often detail family members and relationships. They can also shed light on other historical points. For instance I have seen an Abstract that had an old property description that included “in a line running past the old abandoned Ash Kiln.”; thus giving us more clues to our area history.

In spite of their historical usefulness, Abstracts are no longer used in real estate. Title Insurance has replaced them. Sadly many people simply toss them out in spite of the wealth of information they hold. If anyone has an Abstract to their property, I would encourage them to donate it to the Historical Society to put in their archives. If you do not want to part with it, the Society would be happy to make a copy for them to keep. Such a wealth of information can be gathered from these old documents.

Whislte while you work

While watching the recent Academy Awards on TV, I liked the moment when Kate Winslet, during her acceptance speech, was looking for her parents in the audience and asked her father to whistle for her. Her father did and in a split second she turned and knew exactly where her parents were sitting. Watching this I thought to myself, she must have been raised in the country.

I myself come from a family of whistlers. My grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and some of my Cousins were all able to give a good whistle. Not the type of whistling you see on The Andy Griffith Show as music, but whistles as calls. I was always told you can hear a good strong whistle much farther then a shout or a yell. In the field or garden, a whistle carries a long distance.

Never being able to whistle myself, I was always amazed by how loud they could be. It seems most of the Haueters could whistle, yet everyone had their own technique. Some used only their lips, tucking them in just right to produce a loud sound. Others would add a pinky finger inside one corner of the mouth. Yet others would place a thumb at one corner and the first finger at the other corner.

However they produced the whistle, we were all taught to respond as soon as we heard it. It meant they needed you, and you had to go and find out why.


News of 1936
Stuart Brunger was honor guest at a family dinner at his home last Thursday, the occasion being his birthday. The young man expressed a wish for pumpkin pie, rather then birthday cake and his wish was granted. In the evening the group made a theatre party to see Shirley Temple in “Poor Little Rich Girl”. He received a number of nice gifts.

Forrest Spencer, of Spencer’s Shoe Store at 226 S. Bridge, reports that last month’s gross sales were twenty percent higher then those of the corresponding month last year and that hosiery sales were 38% higher.

The two dugouts for the New Fitzgerald Field have been completed and a dressing room 12 x 14 feet is being erected. This building will contain a stove and will be a place to put on skates in winter, don baseball suites in summer by players so desiring and for general utility purposes. All of the fine acquisitions are donations by Fitzgerald friends.

Ralph, youngest son of Mr.& Mrs. Floyd Merritt, fell from his tricycle recently, cutting a bad gash under his chin, which required several stitches. The little lad is getting alone nicely.

Auction Notice – Ernest Jones at the Jones Homestead. This farm has been in the Jones family for ninety-three years, his father settling there in 1843. He is no longer able to work the farm and will sell at public auction at his place, 1 ½ mile west of Grand Ledge on M-39 (now M-43). Items include 2 work mares, 2 jersey cows, 19 breeding ewes, 2 lambs as well as household items. Terms – Cash Only.

Raymond A. Latting

Attorney R.A. Latting was a prominent member of the City for decades. He lived in a grand home at 304 West Jefferson. In 1913 he built the Latting-Porter House for his daughter in his own side yard. This lovely home at 238 W. River Street has sweeping views of the river below. We learn more about Latting from his 1936 obituary: “All of Grand Ledge was shocked and saddened when the word went out Monday afternoon that Raymond A. Latting, a leading citizen, had passed on. Mr. Latting, one of Michigan’s outstanding attorneys and one of the best known men in this locality had conducted legal business from Lakes to the Gulf and from coast to coast. Raymond A. Latting was born near St Johns in Clinton County Nov 1, 1873 and passed away Monday afternoon (10/05/1936) at St Lawrence Hospital. He was of early American stock, his Quaker ancestors having arrived in this country soon after the landing of the Mayflower and settled in Oyster Bay, near which is a town bearing the name, Lattingtown. As a boy he attended school at St Johns, after which he spent a year at what was then Michigan Agricultural Collage (MSU). He then took his law course at the University of Michigan and it is much to his credit that he worked his way through and was graduated in 1896, in a class that has furnished a number of Michigan’s outstanding men. After a year in Grand Rapids he came to Grand Ledge and entered into partnership with W.R. Clarke, which continued for twelve and one half years after which Mr Latting continued the business alone. He was a leader in civic affairs, president of the Chamber of Commerce during the term just passed, was president of the Grand Ledge Face Brick Co, and president of the Eaton County Bar Association. The funeral was held at the Smith and Hoag Funeral Home, Wednesday afternoon at 2 o’clock, with Rev. Ray W Caldwell of Lansing officiating. The body was buried in the Latting crypt of the Mausoleum at Oakwood Cemetery. The funeral address given by Rev Caldwell was most beautiful and appropriate and the great banks of flowers looked as if heaven had fairly opened up and strewed the path to the beyond with the choicest of floral beauty. Those who bore the remains to their final resting place in the mausoleum were: Lem Dunkin, Howell Bouck, Frank Thoman, W.R. Clarke, Wayne Robinson and Floyd Bair. A Great Civic Loss If we take a picture of the last third of the century, and see what has been accomplished in Grand Ledge along civic lines, we will see the figure of R.A. Latting in the important promotion roll. The responsibility of putting over every project of any size has always fallen into his lap! Grand Ledge has suffered a bigger loss then we at first realize in the demise of Raymond A. Latting.”

Goodrich Block a Gem

One of the architectural gems of Grand Ledge had an unfortunately short life, but remains of it can still be seen today. The ornate Goodrich Block was the pride of the town during its short life.

It was most likely Chauncey Goodrich who was responsible for building the Goodrich Block. Chauncey was born in New York about 1808. He moved his wife Lydia and children to Michigan in about 1856. They first settled on a farm in Delhi Township. In the 1860s the family moved to a larger farm in Oneida Township.

At about this same time, Goodrich bought a double parcel at the corner of Bridge and River Streets. During this early stage in the development of downtown all other stores were built of wood, some little more the plank shacks. Goodrich decided to construct his new block of brick. When a structure was one storefront wide it was called a “Building” when it was two or more storefronts wide it was called a “Block”- as in a block of stores.

The Goodrich Block was easily the most magnificent structure in town. It was approximately 50 feet square and three stories tall. Built in the Second Empire Style, the third storey featured a wonderful mansard roof covered in patterned slate tiles and cast iron cresting. Mansard roofs have always been rare in Grand Ledge, and this was the first and most grand.

In addition to the two storefronts (at 200 and 202 S. Bridge) the building housed many offices on the second floor and a community meeting hall on the third floor. The Masons, Oddfellows, and Grangers all held meetings here. The building was in such demand that within just a few years of opening a two-storey addition was added to the rear of the building, doubling it in size.

Tragically the Goodrich Block met its end in December 1876. Flames were discovered in the grocery store of George Coryell at 202 S. Bridge around midnight. Although the fire station was nearby, the fire engine was useless. The fire brigade had been practicing that afternoon and left water in the fire hose causing it to freeze solid. The fire raged on and destroyed not only the Goodrich Block but most of the wooden buildings on that side of the street in the block. While trying to remove goods from the Hixon Grocery Store, Benny Smith was trapped and killed in the conflagration.

Within a few months merchants began to rebuild the area with the brick stores that stand today. The cellars of the Goodrich Block were left behind after the fire and were boarded over for a time. Within a couple years a new building was built on the corner. This was later followed by its twin next door at 202 S. Bridge. The stone basement under 200-202 S. Bridge is still in use today and is all that remains of the magnificent Goodrich Block that it once supported.