Major Joseph H Wonderly, Capitalist

Roney Wonderly emigrated from Switzerland sometime before 1833 and married Elizabeth Stout, a native Pennsylvanian.  They had 5 children, of which Joseph H Wonderly was the first.

Joseph H Wonderly was 30 years old in May of 1863, when he registered for the draft in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania.  He was a bookkeeper, and unmarried.  His  brothers Benjamin and Charles also served.  He had already had a stint in the militia as a Captain with Wonderly's Independent Cavalry, a militia unit, organized 9 Sept 1862 and discharged 26 Sept 1862.

 On 11 June 1863 he married Mary Almira Raiguel, and then went off to war.  

Apparently, the couple honeymooned in New York City, as this notice in the New York Times attests:

Arrivals in the City.

Published: June 26, 1863

J.H. Wonderly and wife, Williamsport, Penn.;

From:  The NY Times

In the Grand Rapids City Directory for 1870, J H Wonderly was listed as living at Sweet's Hotel.  His office, at 8 Canal, was across the street.  His saw mill, with Daniel E Little, was on Front, north of the Leonard Street Bridge.  (see pictures below of the saw mill).  He was also listed in the 1870 census in his hometown of  Williamsport, Lycoming,  PA. 

In January of 1873 the Wonderly family took a trip out of the country.

Joseph and Almira had 4 children, of which only one, Myra, lived to adulthood.  In 1879 Almira died in childbirth.  

A year later, when Joseph was 47, he married Emerett Queen Ledyard McWhorter, the widow of Francis M McWhorter, and daughter of William Bell Ledyard and Fanny Lucinda Atkins Cohoon.

Myra, Joseph, and Queen Wonderly in the summer of 1884.

1888, from Grand Rapids As It Is.

From:
Cyclopedia of Michigan: historical and biographical, comprising a synopsis of general history of the state, and biographical sketches of men who have, in their various spheres, contributed toward its development (Google eBook),

Here is an archived copy of a catalog of 1881 from the Kent Furniture Manufacturing Company.

From 1873:

A BIG MICHIGAN MILL.

From the Grand Rapids Eagle we learn that Messrs. John Widdicomb and W. H. Jones, two young men of known business capacity, have purchased one-half of his two-thirds interest in the Empire Gang saw mills and pine lands of J.H. Wonderly, for $258,000, after which a joint stock company was organized with a paid up capital of $775,000, under the name of " Wonderly Lumber Company."

J. H. Wonderly and D. E. Little own stock to the amount of $258,000 each, and the balance is held by Messrs. Widdicomb and Jones.   The Empire gang mill is one of the largest in Michigan. It was built three years ago, and during the past summer was very enlarged. Its sawing capacity of 125,.000 feet per day of eleven hours.  The company possess facilities for handling logs and lumber not enjoyed by any other lumbering institution in the state. Logs are received by both river and rail in sufficient quantities to keep the mill constantly in operation throughout the year. The company owns at the present time 300,000,000 feet of pine timber, located mostly in Montcalm and Newaygo counties, easy of access and adjoining or in close proximity to large streams.

Northrop, E. B.; Chittenden, H. A., Jr.; Bishop, W. H. (ed.) / The Wisconsin lumberman, devoted to the lumbering interests of the northwest

Volume I. Number 2 (November, 1873), p 80

Here is a link to a picture of the Usal Lumber Company wharf in Usal, Mendocino, CA.

I have always loved the look of the Wonderly Building, that used to sit on a corner downtown where the McKay Tower is now.  It's what inspired me to research for this post.  It was built before 1881 and was torn down about 1914--not a very long time for such a beautiful building.  I will attempt to build a timeline for this corner.

The City National Bank was listed in the 1868 Grand Rapids City Directory at the corner of Monroe and Justice.  It must be on the southeast corner, where the photographer was standing, because where it eventually was built is occupied in this 1873 photo by Remington's Custom Shirts, 9 Monroe, according to the 1872 Grand Rapids City Directory.

From the 1868 Grand Rapids City Directory - 

Not much later. . .

The 1875 Grand Rapids City Directory lists Perry Bros (John & Daniel W), hats, caps, and furs, at 27 Monroe.  (to the far right, above)  They are not listed in the 1881 Directory.

Here is the City National Bank at 1 Monroe,  this one dated before 1874.  To the right (south) can be seen the small wooden store of McGowan Brothers.   From the 1872 City of Grand Rapids Directory - McGowan Bros (Almeron & John), meat market, 5 Monroe.  By 1875,  McGowan is listed at 113 Monroe.

From the book, "Grand Rapids in 1874" - 

And this - 

I could not find either Nellis or Moran in the 1875 City Directory.  They may have leased them to others.  

This photo is dated 1875.   "Chicago & Michigan Lakeshore Railroad" reads the sign on the 4 storey building next to the bank.

Decorated for the American Centennial in 1876.  Grocers now occupy the first floor.

From the Fitch Collection, 18-2-5.179.2028.  Note the tall light tower in the background.  It was erected next to the William Haldane house.

By 1881 Joseph H Wonderly and his Kent Furniture Manufacturing Company is listed at 25 Monroe.  The building is now 6 storeys high.  Looking down Pearl Street on the left you can see the hill where the Daniel Ball residence is, and past it, the new, 1883, Houseman Building.

From "Industries of Grand Rapids, Her Relations as a Centre of Trade, Business Houses and Manufacturing Establishments", J. M. Elstner & Co., Publishers, 1887.

From the book, The City of Grand Rapids Manufacturing Advantages, Commercial Importance, by Robert H Baker, 1889.  This renovation was done by Sidney J Osgood, and this is found on page 21:  "He is now preparing plans for a $25,000 Masonic temple at Cadillac and has on hand the remodeling of the Wonderly Block in this city at a cost $30,000."

This beautiful shot is from 1890 and courtesy of the Grand Rapids Library Fitch collection.

I think this is from 1891, and the building has been beautified with turrets and towers.

From the book, Art Work of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Published in Nine Parts, The W H Parish Publishing Co, 1896.  Courtesy of Barbara Vandermark.

About 1900.  The fire escapes have been added and the first floor of the bank building has been changed.

Here is a beautiful shot of the right side of the building, probably taken on the same day (dated 1908) from Shorpy.  Click to see it.

By 1920 the Grand Rapids National City Bank occupies the corner.  It will eventually be acquired by Frank McKay and increased to 18 stories in 1925.  It was built by Hauser, Owen, Ames before 1916.

The above series of photos is from the Grand Rapids Public Museum's collection via Robert Kline's site.

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In 1892 there was a general depression in the economy and the US Senate Committee on Finance were gathering information from manufacturers to see if a tariff on foreign goods would help the economy.  The Grand Rapids Corset Company sent in this report.  J H Wonderly was the President.

From The Morning Call, Allentown, Pa.

J. H. Wonderly

Friday, August 9, 1895

Obituary

B. F. Wonderly, the undertaker, yesterday received the sad intelligence of the death of his brother, J. H. Wonderly at Old Mission, Mich, yesterday morning. Deceased was a resident of Grand Rapids, Mich, and was interested in the California Red Wood business. He was also President of the Kent Furniture Company and the Grand Rapids Corset Company. He had resided in Michigan for twenty years, having moved there from Williamsport. Deceased was 62 years of age and his wife and one daughter survive. His aged mother, Elizabeth Wonderly, one sister, Mrs. Celia Stuart of Catasauqua and three brothers; B. F. Wonderly of this city, Charles Wonderly of Grand Rapids and William Wonderly of Catasauqua also survive. Mr. Wonderly was a native of Nazareth, but when yet a young man located in Williamsport, and subsequently went to Grand Rapids, Mich. Where he became one of the leading citizens.

Joseph H Wonderly is buried on the Valley City side of Oakhill Cemetery in Grand Rapids, Michigan.