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Oldtime Area Newspaper Clippings
FROM THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
5 January 1875 There was a grand rally at Sebewa Hall on Christmas eve, for the first time
to witness Santa Clause with his snow-white whiskers, loaded down with candy
and toys for the children, and to assist in distributing the nice and costly
presents that hung bountifully on the branches of the well selected
evergreen, illuminated with may little wax tapers, clothed with red, white
and blue, made it delightful to the eye; and the well selected music, and
singing, with speeches and dialogues, and the many beautiful and valuable
presents made cheering to the hearty of all, both parents and children. No
less than three hundred people were present, but owing to the hall being
small many were compelled to return to their homes without taking part or
share or even getting a glimpse of the grandeur prepared by a tasteful
committee. We are very sorry so many were disappointed, that our room is so
small, but shall vibe in hopes that before another Christmas Eve we shall
have ample room to accommodate all that may come, and may it be a Merry
Christmas to all. OWK
5 January 1875
28 January 1875
Ore Kibby is our authorized agent to receive subscriptions for the Observer
in Sebewa.
2 March 1875
Mr. John Friend was largely interested in the recent smash-up having two
carloads of cattle, from which he saved but sixteen.
9 March 1875
Death came on the 27 ult (Green Bay, Wis.) to Jonathan Ingalls, a brother of
Mrs. M. Sawyer of this village and Charles w. Ingalls formerly of Danby.
Mr. Ingalls was born in New Hampshire, January 23, 1804 and was therefore 71
years of age. Mr. Ingalls stopped at Maj. Sawyer's in this village in the
winter of 1872-73.
16 March 1875
"The Otisco Grange has collected and forwarded $85.00 for the benefit of
western suffers from the grass hopper. There was one grasshopper sufferer
who didn't propose to stay in the doomed country and beg. He arrived at
Saginaw a few days ago, having walked all the way from Nebraska.
23 March 1875
The entire proceeds of the next Band Hop, which comes off on Friday evening
of this week, will be sent to the grass hopper sufferers.
30 March 1875
The whole county is wild about spelling matches. One next Wednesday at M.
E. Church. A copy of Webster's Unabridged Dictionary to the person who
spells the school down.
13 April 1875
A few mornings since, we are informed, Mr. D. W. Goddard, of Sunfield
(Sebewa), for many years supervisor of that town, arose, and upon going to
the door, found a basket containing a girl baby about three days old. Not
wishing to adopt the young hopeful, he too it to the poorhouse at Ionia, but
as infants are not admitted to that institution while so young, the little
stranger was taken back and will probably find a home with Mr. Goddard's
family for the present. It is not known who is the mother of the child.
20 April 1875
G. W. St. Johns has sold his stock of groceries to Emery Joslyn of Sebewa.
27 April 1875
Present status of Portland 2,000 inhabitants
4 May 1875
Patent rubber bucket pump! Hamlin patent. The best water purifier known. A combination of chain and suction pumps. Has no equal for durability, simplicity and ease of work for quantity of water drawn? No freezing up and you get pure water from the bottom of the well. Please call, see and satisfy your best interests concerning a good cheap DURABLE and RELIABLE PUMP. Special attention called to farmers. Perfect satisfaction guaranteed to all by controlling agent and manufacturer of Ionia County. William H. Howland. Portland.
11 May 1875
Michael Powell, of Sebewa, a man drawing near three score and ten, was tried
in the Circuit Court at Ionia last week, on a charge of bastardy with his
second wife's daughter, a girl in her teens. Powell was found guilty and
made to give bonds for the maintenance of the child, now 3 or 4 years of
age.
18 May 1875
Robert Kimbal's old stand, Portland, Michigan
25 May 1875
We are informed, the mother of M. V. Terrill, in this township, a lady of
nearly eighty years old, who has had to "gun it" several years, is being
blessed with a new set of natural teeth, having already cut six within a
short time.
1 June 1875
Grasshoppers appear more abundant than ever, at least in Atchison.
15 June 1875
Mr. Probasco offer the Union Hotel property, corner of Maple and James Sts.
For sale.
22 June 1875
At 6 o'clock Saturday evening last, there were 106 teams counted on our
streets.
29 June 1875
If any of our readers have a desire to know how a Colorado grasshopper
looks, they may gratify their curiosity by calling at this office where we
have some specimens sent by T. J. Hitchcock of Denver City, Colorado to R.
B. Smith of this place, on exhibition.
6 July 1875
Four hundred people went from this place to see Barnum's show at Lansing
last Saturday. They came back better satisfied than ever that Barnum knows
how to humbug the people.
13 July 1875
Croquet is doubtless the most popular game ever known among all classes of
people.
20 July 1875
P.G. Cook's office is with A. J. Southard.
27 July 1875
Married Oatley-Gunn in Sebewa, July 18th by Rev. Daniel Meyers. Mr. Gravner
B. Oatley and Miss Sarah H. Gunn, both of Sebewa Michigan.
13 August 1875
The City of Ionia has bought the Ionia Woolen Factory together with three
acres of land and the water power connected therewith and is going to lay
water pipes along the principal streets. As there is a fold of 44 feet from
he pond, they expect to be supplied with a pretty good system of water works
at small expense.
17 August 1875
Died-In Sebewa, Aug 13, 1875, Mr. Jacob Showerman, aged 71 years and 2
months.
The deceased moved from Batavia, Genesee Co., NY to the township of Sebewa,
in this county, thirty five years ago and resided on the farm where he died,
during the whole of this time. Mr. Showerman and his brother in law were
the fourth and fifth families in this township. They were obliged to
underbrush their way in, the entire township being one dense forest. His
children, of whom there were six, three of them now living, relate many
touching incidents of pioneer life. One of Mr. Showerman's children, and
the one he brought from New York in a cradle, lived until he was 21 years of
age, and never spoke a word or walked a step. Dropsy on the brain when a
baby was the cause of this. When Mr. Showerman came to this cause of this.
When Mr. Showerman came to this company with seven others, visited Portland
to get a meal of victuals. They went to Ionia the next day, and Mr.
Showerman remained there a week before he could get a bid in for his land.
Having but just money enough to pay for his land, he worked for his board in
the forenoons and in the afternoons attended the sale. He finally succeeded
in passing his bid in at the window, over the heads of the crowd. And it was
cried off by the auctioneer. Having obtained the papers for his land he
returned to New York, and three years later returned to Sebewa and there
began almost a life's work of making for them a home.
31 August 1875
Dr. D. A. Barnett, a practical dentist from Detroit, has opened an office
with Dr. Barnard.
7 September 1875
The Observer was last week printed by steam furnished by a small engine and
boiler built by John Griner.
5 October 1875
Two mammoth ears of corn from the field of W. A. Emery of Sebewa, are
acknowledged. They ought to have been on exhibition at the county fair.
12 October 1875
An assault and battery case was called before Esq. Cook this morning.
Charles Simons, complainant, George Thorp, defendant, both of Sebewa.
9 November 1875
The windmill at the railroad water tank has been taken down, and we are
informed that a small engine will take it's place.
20 November 1875
On Thursday afternoon of last week, Mr. William Olry and Charles Kelly, of
Sebewa, had been to the farm of Mr. Kelly's mother for two loads of sheep,
and as they came back with eight or ten sheep in each wagon. Mr. Olry drove
into the race near the woolen mills, to water his horses, and in driving out
a wheel of the wagon struck the bank where it was abrupt and overturned the
wagon and contents, including the eight sheep, Mr. Olry and George Goodwin,
into the race. The horses started to run, but Mr. Kelly, who was nearby,
caught them by the bits and held them. Both men and sheep were as wet as
drowned rats, and their discomfiture was not a ride of six or eight miles
home.
30 November 1875
Mrs. Deborah Showerman advertises to sell at public auction at her farm on
Section 22 in Sebewa on Thursday of this week. Her live stock and farming
implements sale to commence at ten o'clock.
7 December 1875
500 patients in Kalamazoo Insane Asylum
14 December 1875
The Wager Grange is building a new hall at West Sebewa.
21 December 1875
Sebewa boasts of a haunted house. It is upon the farm of Alfred Norris.
The ghost, according to his story, has inhabited the premises for several
years, and takes upon himself different forms. His tormentor becoming
unendurable, Mr. Norris has abandoned the house and built him a new one
about twenty rods distant.
28 December 1875
Sebewa Corners had a Christmas tree. Lake City post office is to be removed ot the State road, one mile west of its present location. Solomon Hess has traded his farm in West Sebewa for Jacob Snyder's place at Ada, Kent County. West Sebewa is building a new store adjacent to the Presbyterian Church. The post office is to be removed to that place. Those boys, who were accused of disturbing the Free Methodist meeting in Berlin, were arraigned before Justice Thomas last Friday. After the jury had heard the evidence, they promptly decided that instead of the boys disturbing the meeting, the meeting disturbed the boys. In other words, the spirit moved within them, causing their excesses. Still they recommended that the court reprove them for being disturbed. Married-at the M. E. Parsonage in Danby, Dec. 25, 1875 by Rev. Thomas J. Spencer, Jasper N. DeCamp of Sebewa, to Mattie A. French, Roxand. |
