OTTAWA COUNTY. 327 



OTTAWA COUNTY. 



This county was set off by an act of the Lsgislativc Council of the Territory, 

 approved March 2d, 1S3L. Its limits, as then deli aed, included a portion of 

 the present county of Muskegon. It was organized in pursuance of an act of 

 the State Legislature, approved December 29th, 1837. 



The name is that of a tribe of Indians who once occupied a portion of the 

 ■State. It signifies traders. 



The name of the county seat was Ottawa, but was changed to Grand Haven 

 March 20th, 1863. 



Rix Robinson, who, as an Indian trader, occupied several points in the 

 ■Grand river valley in a very early day, is reputed to have located a station in 

 the present county of Ottawa as early as 1825, but the actual permanent set- 

 tlement of the county may be said to have commenced with the arrival of 

 Rev. William M. Ferry and his family at the mouth of Grand river and their 

 settlement there on November 2d, 1834. 



In 1833 Rix Robinson pre-empted a quarter section of land, including the 

 river front, at Grand Haven, and, in 1834, Zenas G. Winsor located here as 

 tbe agent of Rix Robinson. By some he is alleged to have been the first 

 English speaking resident here. 



Grand Haven had been platted in 1834, or soon thereafter — the plat being 

 the property of Rix Robinson and Rev. William M. Ferry. 



In 1834 or '5 Lemuel Jennison and Lorenz French became settlers in 

 Georgetown ; also Judge William Hathaway, who first located in Norton, 

 near Spoonville. T. B. Woodberry settled at Lament in 1835. Allen Stod- 

 dard, Ira and J. H. Maxfield, Henry Steele, Mr. Hedges and others became 

 settlers prior to 1838. They planted fruit trees almost immediately. Of 

 those planted by Henry Steele about thirty trees remain vigorous and well 

 loaded with natural fruit. 



Thomas Wilde, of Coopersville, from whom several of the foregoing facts 

 are received, relates the following in connection with early fruit planting: — 



"Mrs. Stoddard, wife of Allen Stoddard, brought peach pits with her 

 from New York in 1836. Cleared land being very precious at that time, Mr. 

 Stoddard refused to allow her to plant them, but she urged him by saying 

 they might prove a profitable investment. He at last permitted her to plant 

 them about the stumps. They grew rapidly, reaching the height of six feet 

 the first season, and bearing a heavy crop of fruit the third year, which was 

 taken by Mr. Stoddard in a row-boat to Grand Rapids. These were the first 

 peaches ever offered for sale there. He was so pleased with the result that 

 he invested the returns for his wife's special benefit." 



From 1836 to 1855 settlements were frequent, but mainly in the vicinity of 

 Grand river; soon thereafter they began to spread into the interior, and' 

 orchard planting kept pace with the increase of population. Orchard plant- 

 ing for commercial purposes very soon commenced. The Lawtons, Lillies, 

 Luthers, Stiles', Weatherwaxes, Laubachs, Pennoyer, Harris, Craig, Phuster, 

 Miller, Loring, Roberts, Alford, Chubb, Hayes, Hudson, and many others 

 planted extensive orchards. 



The pioneers of the Holland colony reached that place on February 12th, 

 1847, aud these were followed by a second party, which arrived on the 17th 

 of the following May, and yet others during the next year. 



