Grain Elevators part 1

For over a century, Grand Ledge was the agricultural hub for area farmers. After the arrival of the railroad in 1869, grain from area fields was brought here and shipped to far away markets.

George Smith seems to have started it all. Smith was born in 1834 in New York and came to Michigan in the early 1860s. The Smith family lived at 124 McMillan, one of the few homes on the Street at the time. He was an enterprising young farmer who decided to get into the grain business.

Between 1870 and 1873 Smith built two grain elevators. His Wheat Elevator, still standing today, was built on Clinton Street next to the rail lines. This originally had a capacity of 11,000 bushels. He also built an Oat Elevator across the road on the other side of the tracks. This was smaller with a capacity of 7,000 bushels.

In about 1885 Smith got competition from John M. Burtch. He built the Farmers Pride Elevator on Union Street a little way down from the corner of Clinton Street. This had a capacity of 12,000 bushels. John Burtch was a well known character and had the nickname “Skunk Skin John” since he also dealt in furs and pelts. He lived at this time in the brick home at 114 E. Front, which was just above the old flour mill.

In 1922 Valorus Kent wrote about the pair: “Mr Smith and John Burtch were always in strong competition in the grain line and became so antagonistic that several times they came to blows. Mr smith finally became so disgusted with John that when he would meet him he wouldn’t speak to him, but just lift his coat tails and pat his pants.”

One day when V. Kent was taking a load of grain down Bridge Street, Burtch came running along and jumped on the wagon. “John says: ‘Lo, have you heard Skunkie’s latest?’ Now John, with the rest of his accomplishments was quite a poet. He says: ‘There is Skunk Skin John lives on the hill. His hole is just over the mill. There’s old Hog Eye Smith lives over back. For 10 long years he has been on Skunkie’s track. But now he’s getting old and lame and lifts his coat tail to pat his brains’ “