"Tanner" Taylor and the Cold Brook

Charles Watters "Tanner" Taylor bought several acres of property on the east side of the Grand River around the Cold Brook, north of the city of Grand Rapids in 1839.  He promptly set up his own little village of manufacturing and hostelry, running a tannery, from whence he acquired his nickname, a hotel, a grist mill, and a lumber mill.

The Henry Hart map of 1853.  

The little buildings above the word Cold Brook are Charles Taylor's house and hotel.  The mill is to the right.  There is a large cemetery between Cold Brook and Wallbridge Streets, with Cemetery Street on the left and Livingston Street on the right.  Cemetery became Taylor Street by 1876.

"In 1836-37, Dwight and James Lyman built a grist mill on Coldbrook, a little above where now is the railroad station. A man named Fish, and after him John C. Stonehouse, were millers there. In 1838 some gypsum grinding, for plaster of paris, was done at that mill. Afterward some wood turning machinery was operated in connection with it, and Charles W. Taylor put in a second set of stones. The stream did not furnish sufficient power to run it steadily in dry seasons, but this became a popular custom mill, and flour from it for home use always found ready sale. In 1861-62 it was operated by Asahel Hubbard. Some years later its use became unprofitable, and the flouring apparatus was removed. February 28, 1880, the building was blown down in a gale."
From Chapter XXXIX, Flouring Mills, Saw Mills and Lumber, 

Grist Mills, Baxter's History of the City of Grand Rapids, 1891.

"Like the woolen factory, which died for lack of sheep, the pioneer tannery, established by Tanner Taylor (as he was familiarly known) upon Cold Brook, was started before there were any cattle. Nevertheless, Mr. Taylor pluckily tanned everything there was for many years, including sheep’s pelts, deer hides, horse hides, and some say woodchuck skins; and so much leather as he was able to produce was of first class quality. But the business finally died for want of material, having been a great help in its time to the early settlers, and a typical pioneer industry in the persistent pluck with which it was carried on in the face of hopeless circumstances."
From 1889 BUSINESS BEGINNINGS.HOW THE BUSINESS OF GRAND RAPIDS BEGAN AND GREW , Pioneer Pluck and Enterprize-A History Of Remarkable Achievements in the Face of Difficulties-A Story That the Old Settlers are Justly Proud Of. (Grand River Daily Eagle - 25 December 1889)  

Here is the Taylor house as illustrated in Baxter, p 763.

By 1857 the area looked like this, when Charles sold it to the City of Grand Rapids:

The big reason for all the changes can be seen from the lower right to the upper middle:  The Detroit and Milwaukee Railway, which was put through in 1858.  The cemetery has disappeared and the area has been platted for housing and industry.  There are dams for the saw mill, middle, and the grist mill, right, forming two holding ponds.  The tannery has a system of canals diverting the stream for water power.

"DETROIT, GRAND HAVEN AND MILWAUKEE The first railroad incorporation within the old Northwest Territory was that of the Pontiac and Detroit Railroad, chartered by the Territorial Legislative July 31, 1830. Five years were allowed to complete the line, but, the corporators failing to carry out their projects, a new corporation, that of the Detroit and Pontiac Railroad Company, was chartered March 7, 1834. In 1835 contracts were let for clearing the line at the Detroit end, but the progress of construction was slow. In 1838 the State loaned to the company $100,000, and before the end of May in that year the road was in operation for a dozen miles. At first the cars were operated by horse power, and on wooden rails. It was opened to Pontiac in July, 1839, and as late as 1845 the cars ran on what was called the strap rail. The Detroit and Pontiac Railroad Company, chartered March 7, 1834, and the Oakland and Ottawa Railroad Company, chartered in 1848, were consolidated April; 21, 1855, under the name of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railway Company, to construct a road from Detroit to Grand Haven, a distance of 180 miles. The line west of Pontiac was completed by this company November 22, 1858, reaching Grand Rapids early in July, and the first through train from Grand Haven to Detroit passing here September 1, 1858. Trains between Grand Rapids and Detroit began running July 12, 1858. In 1860 the property was sold under foreclosure, and a reorganization under the name of the Detroit and Milwaukee Railroad Company was effected. In 1873 the new company made default in the interest on its bonds, and the road was put into the hands of C. C. Trowbridge as Receiver, April 11, 1875. September 4, 1878, it was sold to the bondholders, and in November the company was reorganized as the Detroit, Grand Haven and Milwaukee Railway Company. From the west this road crosses the lines of the Chicago and West Michigan and Grand Rapids and Indiana about half a mile north of the city limits, and crossing Grand River, bears in a southeasterly direction to the depot on Plainfield avenue and East Leonard street; thence, skirting the hills past Highland Park, leaves the city line on the east near Waring and East Bridge streets. An average monthly pay roll of $3,500 is distributed among sixty employes. Eight passenger trains are run daily. This road ever since its construction has been operated in connection with a daily line of steamers across Lake Michigan, between Grand Haven and Milwaukee. It has also made connections with steamboats plying between Chicago, Grand Haven and Muskegon. The principal officers of this railway, up to 1889, have been, since its opening to Grand Rapids: Presidents--C. J. Bridges, 1858 to 1863; C. C. Trowbridge, 1863 to 1878; S. Baker, 1878 to 1880; Frances D. Grey, 1880 to 1882; since 1882, Joseph Hickson. General Superintendents--W. K. Muir, S. R. Calloway, each for a brief period; since August, 1884, W. J. Spicer has been General Manager. Secretaries--1861 to 1864, W. C. Stephens; 1864 to 1866, Thomas Bell; since January, 1866, James H. Muir. Agents at Grand Rapids, in succession--A. B. Nourse, A. M. Nichols, J. C. McKee. W. Wallace, J. W. Orr, and since November, 1882, F. C. Stratton."

The above picture and caption appeared in Etten's A Citizen's History of Grand Rapids, Campau Centennial September 23 - 26, 1926 but I copied the picture from Robert Kline's website containing scans of the Public Museum of Grand Rapids' photo collection.

 (1870) "The view up river from the hill.  First Leonard street bridge, built in 1858.  Right foreground, old Ionia street school.  Behind the school tower is Tanner Taylor's tannery and just beyond C. C. Comstock's famous "row," first multiple apartment in city, built to house negroes who worked in Comstock mills."

Notice how dilapidated the tannery is in 1870, without a roof.  Taylor's house would be out of the picture on the right. 

This excerpt from Baxter explains why:  "Charles W. Taylor came in 1839, and began the tanning business in a small way at Coldbrook, a short distance from the river, which he continued at the same place nearly thirty years. His tannery was burned three times, by each of which disasters he suffered a loss of upward of $10,000--first on December 16, 1851, again February 5, 1856, and the third time May 31, 1867, after which he discontinued the business."

By 1876 the mill pond has been filled in.

Charles' first wife, Lovina, died 25 October 1864, as published 26 October 1864 in the Grand Rapids Daily Eagle.

Taylor, Lovina, 52 yrs., 25 Oct , 1864, Hb-Charles W., Grand Rapids, MI, GRDE, 26 Oct 1864

He married again to a woman much younger.  From the Grand Rapids Daily Eagle, 18 January 1866.
"Taylor, Charles W., Grand Rapids, MI, Long, Martha Ann, Rockford, ILL, 13 Nov 1865, Rockford, ILL, GRDE, 18 Jan 1866"

Charles W Taylor and his second wife, Martha Ann Long Taylor, have moved to Big Dry Creek, Fresno, California by 1880.  He is listed as retired.  His three sons, Oliver N, Ethan A and Henry Clay have moved from Grand Rapids, Oliver and Henry to Mason County, and Ethan to Nelson Township.

From Kent County GenWeb Site.

By 1888 the city has added a pumping station to the head of Cold Brook.

Here it is.

This picture shows the pumping station and the tannery, which has been rebuilt and re-roofed by someone.  Even though there is now city water for plumbing, notice all the little outhouses.  Wonder if they are now garden sheds?

1894 Polks.  I wish I had a picture of page 17.

By 1895 the tannery is "Vacant and Dilapidated" and both the Taylor home and hotel are gone.  According to Baxter, the house was still on the corner in 1891.

Here is that same area today courtesy of Google Maps.  The area of the cemetery is now some sort of game court.

~~~~~~~

Tanner Taylor also owned another piece of property that would prove to be troublesome.  Lot 1, block 1, of the Campau plot.

"TAYLOR, Chas W. & Lovina (w), Grand Rapids, Grantor. Daniel Ball, and Chas Babcock,Grand Rapids, Grantee. Convey Lots 1 in Blk. 1, Campau Plat, Grand Rapids.

3 Sep 1852 Liber R Pg. 397, 398"

It is the farthest building in the row on the right hand side.  (One window above two.) Sweet's Hotel behind it.  Photo from Robert Kline's site.  According to Baxter, this was a boot and shoe, or leather store:  "The leather store of Mr. Taylor was at an early day by the foot of Monroe street, and later on Canal near Bridge street;"

Here is the corner with the buildings removed.  Sweet's Hotel on the left, City National Bank on the right.  Photo from Robert Kline's site.

Tanner died in California and is buried in Fresno.  I didn't find the grave of either of his wives.

Edmund Bunnell Bostwick, Grand Rapids Forty-Niner

The tale of Edmund B Bostwick is a short one, but of a life boldly lived.  Born in Vermont in 1801, he was one of 12 children of Gershom Bostwick and Naomi Northrup.  Gershom moved his family to Ohio around 1812, and died in Portage County, Ohio, 11 May 1831.  Naomi died shortly after.

Edmund's first wife was Emmeline Smith, whom he married 16 December 1831, (unsubstantiated), and the second was Charlotte Lovett, married 21 December 1835, at the Philadelphia Episcopal Church of the Epiphany..



This blurry clipping from The American Railroad Journal reads:  "On Monday evening, 16th instant, after a short illness, Emmeline, wife of Edmund B Bostwick, and only daughter of Thomas R Smith."  Which means Emmeline died on 16 January 1832, after only a month of her wedding date.  She is buried in Stamford, Fairfield, Connecticut.

Edmund had moved from Ohio to New York City and was evidently quite successful at whatever business he was engaged in there.  He started buying and selling land in Michigan and eventually came to Grand Rapids to live around 1841.

Here are a couple of items that appeared in The History of Kent County, Michigan, by C.C. Chapman & Co., 1881:
      "W. N. Cook built the first buggy ever built in the valley, for E. B. Bostwick, in 1842-3.  Another          one, built afterward for Bostwick, was sold by him to Antoine Campau, and is still in his family.            Mr. Cook make the elliptic steel springs, bolts, woodwork and everything connected with the              vehicles.  Bostwick sold this buggy to Jeff. Morrison, who in turn sold it to a settler on Gull                Prairie, after he had convinced the buyer that the iron work was not cast.  This was so well and          neatly done, that it resembled casting." (p818)

       "The village was platted Dec. 1, 1848, for LeGrand Cannon, of Troy, New York, who                        commissioned E. B. Bostwick to purchase lands in Cannon.  Mr. Bostwick platted the village of            Cannonsburg." (p681)

Taken in order, these following land records tell a sad tale.  Edmund B and Charlotte Bostwick bought up a quantity of lots in the Village of Grand Rapids, sold a few lots, then Edmund caught gold fever and left for California.  Unfortunately he died along the way, near what is now Brady, Lincoln, Nebraska, on the way to Fort Laramie, according to a contemporaneous diary written by Micajah Littleton, also a traveler to California.  The last two entries show that his wife had to sell the properties.

Bostwick, Edmund B. & Charlotte (w), Grand Rapids, Grantor. John H. Hollister, same place, Grantee. Convey Lots 2, 3, Blk. 14, Bostwick & Co., Add., Village of Grand Rapids.
4 May, 1850. Liber R Pg. 59

Bostwick, Edmund V., by the Sheriff of Kent Co., Grand Rapids, Grantor. Alfred D. Rathbone, same place, Grantee. Convey numerous Lots on Blks. 2, 9, 13, 17, 21, in the Village of Grand Rapids Bostwick & Co., Add.
1 June, 1850. Liber S Pg. 7, 8.

Bostwick, Charlotte, Timothy J. Tanner, Mary Ann Tanner, James M. Smith, James W. Smith and Charlotte Bostwick as executrix of Edmund B. Bostwick,- by Charles G. Rood, Circuit Court Commissioner, forced sale of Property, Kent Co., Grantor. David A. Neal, Trustee of Nancy F. Barstow, Res.-----, Grantee. Convey land on Sec. 17, 160 acres, Paris Twp.
16 July, 1852. Liber R Pg. 265

Bostwick, Edmund B. – forced sale of Property by Harvey K. Rose, Sheriff of Kent co., Grantor. Ralph Clark, Res. – not spec. - , Grantee. Convey numerous Lots on Blks. 2, 9, 13, 12, 17, 21, Bostwick & Co., Add., and ½ Lots 168, 217, Kent Plat, Grand Rapids.
17 Aug., 1852. Liber R Pg. 328, 329

From:  http://kent.migenweb.net/land/earlyrecords/b.html

These lots were the blocks encompassed by Park Street, Jefferson Ave, Wealthy Ave, and Division St, a good chunk of urban property.  The Bostwick home was "on the south side of Cherry, east of Madison" or "at the head of State Street and south of Cherry".  Interestingly, on the Henry Hart map of 1853 Madison is named Charlotte.  Franklin Everett's "Memorials of the Grand River Valley" has this to say about that street name:

Here is what Baxter had to say about the Bostwick homestead:  "In 1863, the Eagle Hotel property was sold for $4,000, in 1867 for $8,500, in 1872 with some betterments, for $20,000. The old Gilbert, or Bostwick place, as it was once called, on the south side of Cherry street east of Madison avenue, now known as the Morris place, was sold in 1865 for $45,000. It then contained about twenty acres of ground." 

Earlier, Baxter had said this:  "Taking the region enclosed by Fulton street on the south, Division street on the east, Bridge street on the north, and the river on the west, we have all that had the appearance of a village. A few scattering houses were outside, on Bostwick's Addition, and on the west side of the river. Several very good residences were on Fulton street, east of the limits given; and far out of town Mr. Bostwick had his cosy home, fitted up with admirable surroundings, at what always should be called the "Bostwick Place." 

And, in speaking of Robert W Morris "in 1865, Mr Morris realized as his share upward of $250,000. Early in the latter year he returned to Grand Rapids for permanent residence and purchased the old Bostwick homestead, with about twenty acres of land and improvements, at the head of State street and south of Cherry -- one of the finest homes in the city. . . . Mr. Morris lived but about a year after settling his family at Grand Rapids, his death occurring May 5, 1866. He was a man possessed of fine traits of character; abhorred profanity; won the respect and affection of those in his employ, and was at once strong and manly and tender and affectionate in his social and domestic life. Since his death the fine property has been managed by his widow, Mrs. Sarah A Morris. Except the residence part, the homestead is platted and being sold in city lots, many of which are further improved and very valuable. The locality is elevated, slightly and pleasant, and has become one of the most desirable spots for residence within the city."


The person who owned the Bostwick house between Bostwick and Morris was Francis B Gilbert.  Baxter has this to say about him: 
"Francis B. Gilbert was born at Greenfield, Mass., May 25, 1818; came to Grand Haven, Mich., in 1837; to Grand Rapids in 1840; returned to Grand Haven in 1844; came again to Grand Rapids in 1855, and resided here until his death, May 25, 1885. He was a man of affairs, successful in business, upright and esteemed. For much of the time in business interests he was intimately associated with his brother, Thomas D. Gilbert. He was President of the Grand Rapids Gas Light Company for more than a quarter of a century, and was also connected with banking."
Both Francis and Thomas were listed as living in the house in the 1859 Grand Rapids City Directory.

The house referred to is the large one on the south side of Rose (Cherry) before College on the 1853 Henry Hart map.   

The above is from the 1868 Ruger map of Grand Rapids.

This is from the 1876 Grand Rapids Map, courtesy of Barbara VanderMark.

The Bostwick house in 1888, from "Grand Rapids As It Is".

The belvedere on the house furnished a great place for panoramic views of the city, as this view attests.  Looking Northwest over Fulton Street Park, (nw of Park Church).

Another view of Fulton Street Park after 1868.  (First (Park) Congregational Church was built in 1868.)  Thomas D Gilbert, an early Sheriff and later bank president, cared for the park, installed the fence and also planted the trees.  In recognition of his service to the park, a monument to him was installed there in 1896.  He also planted trees in Triangular Park.  Both of these parks are undergoing restoration lately and here is a link to a city architectural assessment on them. 

Both above pictures from the GR Public Museum via Robert Kline's site.

Here is the house at 384 Cherry in 1895 after Morris Avenue was put through.  The house has lost a wing, and is now in the "Morris Addition to the City of Grand Rapids."

Here is the house today at 434 Cherry (from Google Streetview.

This was not the first land speculation done by the Bostwicks.  They were early buyers of land in Eaton County, Michigan, as this entry from the book, Honey, I Bought An Airplane, page 130, attests, but it is doubtful that they ever lived there.

Here is more about Charlotteville:

The land on which the original village of Charlotte was laid out was purchased from the government by George W. Barnes, who sold it to Edmund B. Bostwick, of New York City, through the latter's agent, Mr. Lawrance. In the Charlotte Republican of Oct. 10, 1879, H. I. Lawrance caused the following old letter from Mr. Bostwick to be published, and it settles any doubt as to the origin of the name of the place; 

" New York, Dec. 29, 1835. 

Dear Lawrance, — 
Your favor communicating the terms on which 
you purchased the balance of the Eaton county-seat property is be- 
fore me. I am much pleased with the purchase, and will soon write 
you a long letter submitting a plan for the town. You speak of call- 
ing the place after me, but as I have just become a married man, I 
would prefer calling it Charlotte, or Charlotteville, after my wife. I 
will make a deed for one-quarter of the property as soon as my deed 
arrives, and hand it to your father. Next spring we will try to bring 
the place into notice.
You will have heard through the papers of the late destructive 
fire in this city. We, among others, were burnt to the ground, though 
our loss is but small. On Sunday next I will write you a long letter, 
and give some of the particulars of the late fire and also of my mar- 
riage. 
 In haste, your friend, 

 E. B. Bostwick."

It is stated also that Mrs. Bostwick offered, in case the county-seat should be honored with her name, to donate a fine bell to the first church that should be erected here. Afterwards one of the churches (Methodist or Congregationalist) is said to have claimed the fulfillment of the promise, but the offer was asserted to have been made only to an Episcopal Church. Mr. Bostwick died in the mountain region of the West, in Carson Valley.

In August of 1835, Edmund had also bought over 1000 acres in Illinois.
In 1838 and 1839 he bought land in Berrien and Eaton counties in Michigan, and LaSalle and Grundy counties in Illinois.

Edmund also, in 1841, received 340 votes running on the Whig ticket for  Lieutenant Governor of Michigan, in  St Clair County, with Philo C Fuller as his running mate for Governor.  The Democrats won.

Lest you think politics and land speculation were his only interests, in 1847 Edmund was interested in railroads.

And plank roads.

And insurance.



In 1845, Edmund Bostwick and John Almy collaborated on a 6-page brochure to entice people to settle in Michigan, entitled "To Emigrants", and it contained a map.  I have not seen a copy of this rare document, but this link shows which libraries have a copy.  I did find a copy of it published in the Ypsilanti Sentinel, 11 June 1845.  The map was not published.

In 1850, with mounting debt, Edmund caught gold fever and joined a group of men from Grand Rapids to seek their fortune in California.  Unfortunately, he caught another fever, probably cholera, and died along the way, about June 25, 1850, near the present city of Brady, Lincoln, Nebraska, then Wyoming Territory. This is about 254 miles from Fort Laramie, where he is preported to be buried, although carrying a choler(Make sure you read the reader's comment below this post for more information!)

Here is an account of that final, fateful trip from the 24 May 1850 edition of the Milwaukee Daily Sentinal.

Charlotte didn't let any grass grow under her feet after learning of Edmund's death on the way to Fort Laramie in late June, being enumerated both in Grand Rapids in the spring of 1850, and Washington, DC, in December of that same year with her family, and lived on rents and investments in this not-too-shabby house in Mount Airy, Philadelphia, until 1899, when she died.

Photo from Mount Airy, A Victorian Suburban Place.

Charlotte left a trust to the city of Philadelphia for the running of the Lovett Memorial Library, named for her family.  The Bostwick Trust had some legal issues in 1959.  The following history is from their website:

Picture from GermantownNewspapers.

"Branch History

Germantown Avenue began as an Indian footpath through the woods used as a road by settlers. In 1865, Thomas Lovett purchased more than ten acres along the avenue as a family estate. Mount Airy Free Library was founded twenty years later by a trio (one of whom was Miss Louisa Lovett) in a rented room at a lumberyard, where 7153-55 Germantown Avenue now stands. Another of the trio, Mrs. Sheldon Potter, acted as volunteer librarian. She had a small circulating library at her home for neighborhood boys, hoping to raise their standard of reading materials from the "dime novels" that were all they could afford for themselves. In 1887, Charlotte Lovett Bostwick built and endowed the library as a memorial to her brother, Thomas R. Lovett. This portion now serves as a meeting room. Lovett Library became a branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia in 1924. A new addition was opened in 1961, and in 1982 the Friends of Lovett Library started. The library was renovated in 1999 as part of the "Changing Lives" campaign. In 2004, the Lovett Memorial Reading Garden was dedicated." In 1982 the Friends of Lovett Library organized for the purpose of raising funds for the library.  Their website has a more comprehensive history, as well as a few historical photos, here. Here is an article about the memorial to the first World War dead in front of the library. Franklin Everett, who knew Edmund B Bostwick, wrote a beautiful tribute to him in his "Memorials of the Grand River Valley": E. B. BOSTWICK.

There are men whom society feels, who, when living, the community must know, and who, departing, leave a blank. At present we purpose to notice one of this character, the Hon. E. B. Bostwick, who for some 15 years was identified with the Grand River Valley, and who at the time was in all probability its most honored citizen. 
Bostwick, had been an Eastern merchant--a partner in a heavy firm, in New York, which, failing, divested him of all property which he held in his own right. He had still some $40,000 which belonged to his wife, and with that, and the funds of others, he did an extensive business. He fitted up for himself, with refined taste, a modest suburban residence, the location of which still bears his name. He located lands extensively, laid out and put in market that part of the city known as Bostwick's addition; built mills in different towns; established a colony on Crockery Creek; represented the people in the Senate; and in short,,was in all kinds of speculations, each a brilliant scheme, when he began it, but sure to end unfavorably for him. If he had had-means, he would have done great things, but he would have needed a renewal of his fortune once in five years. Too ardent for a business man, he was sure to overleap himself, and his schemes were about as sure to fail. 
Generous to a fault, noble and manly, he won the deferential esteem of all, and, they honored him with their highest distinctions. His personal presence was of uncommon dignity. Physically, he was a specimen of noble, manly beauty. His mind was highly cultivated and refined-ardent, poetic and enthusiastic. His social qualities were unsurpassable. When his poetic enthusiasm could kindle itself by conversation with a sympathizing spirit, there was an entrancing power in the man. 
We loved and honored him, and we could have wished him the best of fortune, but such was not his lot. Scheme after scheme failed, and he found himself involved in harrassing law-suits, and he felt what many others have;felt when money gave out. Would you know what that is?.Once fail honestly, and you will be thoroughly instructed. Fail as a scoundrel, in an open and above-board way, swindling your creditors, and you are, called shrewd and keen. But if you struggle manfully to maintain your honor and do justice to all, look out for hard words, and for costs superadded to your burden of debt. So it was with E. B. Bostwick. He struggled, and struggled manfully, but every move seemed to sink him deeper, until finally he started for California as a last resource. He sleeps his last sleep on the desert plains. It matters little how he died. While on the way he sent back letters for publication in the Grand Rapids papers. In one of those he thrilled the hearts of his readers by an account of "a grave by the wayside." Another letter came, but not from him. It was from Canton Smith, his companion, and it told of Bostwick's death, and his "grave by the wayside."