328 GENERAL HISTORY. 



The following particulars are supplied mainly by Walter Phillips, of 

 Grand Haven: — 



Henry Griffin, of Grand Haven, is entitled to the honor of having planted 

 the first fruit trees in Ottawa county. In 1838 he planted fruit trees of 

 various kinds on his grounds at Grand Haven. These still live and yearly 

 bear abundant crops of fruit. During the same year Mr. Griffin and Mr. 

 Hopkins planted orchards at Eastmanville. One year later Mr. Burch and 

 Mr. Stoddard planted orchards in the town of Talmadge. Three years later 

 Ira Maxtield, also Erie and Daniel Angell planted orchards near where 

 Lamont now stands. 



In the year 1849 William Hathaway and William Thompson planted 

 orchards in the town of Crockery. In the year 1854 William M. Ferry 

 planted an orchard at Grand Haven and Colonel Ferry planted one at Ferrys- 

 burglv One was also planted at Grand Eaven in 1859 by Mr. Bolt. 



In 18G8 Townshend E. Gidley planted extensive peach orchards, together 

 with other fruits on peach plains, a short distance from Grand Haven. Two 

 years later A. 0. Ewing set a peach orchard and vineyard, also other varieties 

 of fruits on the farm now owned and occupied by Walter Phillips, near 

 Grand Haven. 



Ee verting to the southern portion of the connty; in the year 1854 the first 

 orchards were planted in the vicinity of Holland by the following personst 

 A. C. Van Eaalte, D. D., Bernardus Grostanhein, John Visscher, A. D. 

 Weerd, and George Harrington. 



The same year orchards were planted at Zeeland by C. De Putter, C. De 

 Pree and J. G. Van Mees. In 1870 large peach orchards were planted at 

 Holland by Delos Dutt)n, John Visscher, and Mrs. J. Heklines. Peaches 

 were planted extensively in the vicinity of Holland in 1875. 



From 1864 to 1871 orchards of the various kinds of fruits were quite exten- 

 sively planted throughout the county, till, by gradual steps, fruit culture has 

 come to be recognized as one of the leading interests of the region. 



The exportation of fruit may be said to have commenced from 1871 to '73» 

 In the year 1872 fruit was exported as follows: — 



Apples 2,250 barrels. 



Peaches 8,432 baskets. 



Grapes 6,443 baskets. 



Berries 6,8"<i0 crates. 



From that date to the present the increase of shipments has been verj 

 marked. 



During the year 1885, as shown from the best accessible records, the 

 amount of fruit exported from this county is as follows: — 



Value. 



Apples, 9,000 barrels $13,500. 



Peaches, 21,3u0 baskets 9,295. 



Grapes, 20,140 baskets 6,042. 



Berries, 27,282 crates 38,194. 



Total value $67,031. 



Peaches this year were almost a failure in the county, the crop of the pre- 

 vious year having been very much larger. Holland alone during that year 

 shipped 25,000 baskets. 



