Memories/Memiors

- Mr. John Vogel founded the village in November 1867.
- The book, Eighty Acres was written by Ronald Jager about farm life in the area.
- Been known to pray for rain during dry seasons only to have the rain come before leaving the church building.
_ There was once a church on the corner of Stoney Corners Road and 7 Mile. That Reformed Church was moved to Falmouth - see plat map (Murders blog) to see where
- The Vogel Center Quartet, they did cut a record ya know.
- In the 50's and 60's a certain airplane pilot would do flips, spin-outs, engine shut-offs and buzz the farm buildings of a local farmer.
- People actually shine deer at night, not in the recent past you understand, and never giving chase, of course.
- Another rural thing of the past is the use of dynamite which was used for blowing out stumps, rocks, but never fish.
- Vogel Center is one of several area churches once known as the seven churches of Asia Minor from the Calvin College seminarians.
- There have been many many kids that have worked their summers picking beans, pickles and pototoes at the local farms.
- Many migrant workers helped with the summer cash crops that included whites, blacks, and Mexicans.
- Many of the kids actually had bicycles but we would never think of riding them on Sundays. Well we would think about it anyway.
-We used to have great 4th of July picnics at Hoekwater Park.
- What about the fun at the annual harvest sale with Al Hoekwater at the controls. Some stuff was given away but most was sold with tremendous profits for the school.
- Remember those great CHRISTmas programs at church where every year some kid would make a scene but everyone got a bag of candy and the rest was passed down the aisles.
- Skating or trying to anyway, at the pond west of school
- Sledding at the hill southwest of school.
- Walking to the store for candy on Wed. before catechism.
- The fun we had shooting the breeze with Tom, Mart, Gerald, Harold , or Jerry at the hardware or garage.
- Area farmers banded together to thresh oats and wheat, shred corn and fill silo. The highlight was the incredible meals that the wives would put on.
- The truly outdoors folks will camp at Hoekwater park during deer hunting season.
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Vogel Center is an area where people believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, Savior of the world and the ONLY WAY to receive eternal life in heaven. Eternal is a very long time.

Memoir of John Vogel as written in

Michigan History Magazine
Vol. 30 No. 3
July-September, 1946

Published Quarterly by the

MICHIGAN HISTORICAL COMMISSION
Lansing, Michigan

The coming of European immigrants to our country is an important theme in the history of the United States. The settlement of many thousands of Netherlanders along the western shore of Lake Michigan in Ottawa, Allegan, Muskegon, Newaygo, Kent, Kalamazoo, Oceana, and Missaukee counties has been a noteworthy factor in the development of the state. Interesting is the fact that this is the largest settlement of Hollanders ever made in the United States. Its history has never been adequately explored, the fascinating account of the struggles and labors of these sturdy settlers has never been properly told.

John Vogel, whose reminiscences are presented here, was one of the Netherlanders whose name deserves to be remembered for it was due to his activities that the extensive settlement of Hollanders east of Cadillac, in Missaukee County, first came into existence. Born in the Netherlands in the province of South Holland in 1839, he migrated fifteen years later to the Dutch colony which had been established in the year 1847. He settled in the hamlet of Noordeloos, about five miles northwest of Holland, named after the place in which he had come, a group of immigrants who like himself helped to clear the dense hardwood forests, build homes, and serve the new community of Hollanders in the New World and become good American citizens.

Vogel’s reminiscences, originally written in the Dutch language, are based upon memory and upon notes apparently taken in connection with his many business activities. This little memoir was subsequently translated by Benjamin G. Oosterbaan in 1937 and a copy of it deposited with the Netherlands Museum of Holland, Michigan. It is with the permission of Mr. Willard Wichers, Director of the Museum, that we are able to publish this little life sketch.

These reminiscences vividly portray the activities of an energetic immigrant Hollander and help us to form some idea of how such immigrants made their careers in the new world. Like many other Hollanders, Vogel served honorably in the Civil War. He explored the wilderness, and engaged in the business of lumbering, finally, in 1869, he settled in Missaukee County where the community of Vogel Center perpetuates his memory. This settlement has steadily expanded until at the present time it occupies several townships. In 1881 he moved to Muskegon where he entered into the employ of one of the more important lumber companies. Being a skilled and reliable workman, he proved so invaluable to his firm that they sent him on important business trips. His death in Muskegon on September 25, 1907, marked the passing of one of the significant Hollanders whose labors, closely interwoven with the Dutch life of western Michigan, merit the attention of all who are interested in the history of immigration from The Netherlands to Michigan.

MEMOIRS OF JOHN VOGEL

Frans Vogel, my father, was born August 15, 1804, in the province of South Holland, in The Netherlands. My mother was Derkje Beesemer, also born in The Netherlands; but I never knew her, for she died when I was only two years old. My father married Geertruide Van Weenen in 1843, that being his second marriage.

I was born at Giessen Nieuwkerk in the province of South Holland, on September 8, 1839. From my sixth to my eighth year I attended school at Giessen Oudkerk. My parents moved to Noordeloos, a town situated nearby in the same province, where I continued my schooling until my twelfth birthday. During some of these years we experienced severe poverty because of the sickness of my father as well as the generally difficult times.

When I was twelve I began to help my father support the family. After about six months I secured a position in a carpenter’s shop as an apprentice. This step was undertaken with the aid and encouragement of my father who wanted me to learn the useful trade of carpentering. The shopkeeper’s name was Hermanus Diepenhorst who, like our family, lived at Noordeloos. The contract made with him provided for an apprenticeship of three years. It was agreed that my parents were to provide my food and clothing during the first year, that I was to earn my board during the second year, and that during the third year I was to receive such compensation as my ability warranted.

After two and a half years, when Diepenhorst emigrated with his family to Holland, Michigan, this contract came to an end. I was eager to accompany them and with Diepenhorst’s help tried to persuade my parents to let me go. My fathers’s mind had long been favorably inclined toward America but owing to his poverty he never was able to emigrate. The fact that I was his only living son filled him with apprehension. Yet after long consideration he decided to part with me, hoping that at some future time I might be able to help him go to America. He had the fullest confidence in Diepenhorst’s promise to look after my welfare. Diepenhorst paid my traveling expenses, and we left Noordeloos on August 6, 1854. My father, mother, and sisters accompanied me to Gorinchem where we took passage to Rotterdam and proceeded my sail to New York, by way of Hull and Liverpool. We lost some time while in England, and as our ship was a sailing vessel we did not arrive at New York until about September 30. About eight days later we reached Holland, Michigan. My fifteenth birthday took place during the voyage, on September 8.

After making a brief investigation of the dense forest, we settled six miles north of Holland and named the place Noordeloos. We attacked the forest courageously but after a while our zeal vanished, and we moved to Grand Haven where we hoped to earn good wages at carpentering. But the financial reverses of the year 1856 so reduced the value of paper money that all my savings amounted to nothing. Nevertheless, Diepenhorst had hired me for the past two years at a monthly rate so that by November 1, I was able to pay everything I owed him on account of my traveling expenses from the Old Country. As I was unable to agree with him further about wages, I went to Zeeland, Michigan, where I spent the ensuing winter, remaining there till the spring of 1857. While living with a man names K. Schoenmaker that winter, I had the most important experience of my life. This adventure during my eighteenth year will outlast the annals of time, being destined for eternity. I had come to see that man‘s ultimate object is his Maker, that he must glorify God in every relation of life. I acquired a firm trust that God had made a covenant with me in accordance with Hosea II.

On April 1, I left for Grand Rapids, where I intended to continue my carpentering and in the meantime improve my knowledge of English. While in Grand Rapids I received my religious education at the Afgescheiden (or the Seceded) Kerk, later Christian Reformed Church. Soon I found employment at a shop and was paid regularly by the month. In the fall I accompanied my boss to Jamestown, Ottawa County, where I remained until the following spring, 1858.

Thereafter I worked as a carpenter for Jan Rabbers at Groningen. In this family I enjoyed the privileges of a parental home. This hospitality continued into the following year, 1859, during which time I earned a dollar a day. But Jan Rabbers fell ill during 1860 and died on August 12, being assured of a glorious reward in the Hereafter. Next to my parents I was most attached to him.

The summer of 1860 was marked with the passionate struggle between the Republican and Democratic parties. In the November elections Abraham Lincoln was chosen President. In December began the great rebellion, breaking out first in South Carolina. The perfidious Democratic government in power did nothing to arrest this rebellion. Only when the just and strong administration of Abraham Lincoln began in March was any attempt made to check the uprising. I remained at my carpenter’s work in spite of the fact there was much excitement throughout the entire country due to the increasing proportions of the southern rebellion. In September, 1861, Lincoln issued a patriotic call for 300,000 volunteers and at the same time asked everybody to work loyally for the preservation of the Union. With almost unbelievable dispatch did volunteers answer his call. On September 18, I and 25 other Hollanders volunteered our services, enlisting in Company D, 2nd regiment, Michigan Cavalry. Twenty-four hundred strong, we set out for St. Louis, Missouri. Thousands of loyal citizens escorted us to the depot. Many a hearty and touching parting took place---and for many, the last. Upon arrival at Detroit we were served a bountiful meal prepared for us in the Detroit and Michigan Depot. We continued our journey by way of the Michigan Central Railway to Chicago, from Chicago by way of the Alton and St. Louis Railway to Alton, Illinois, and from Alton by boat down the Mississippi River to St. Louis. Everywhere we received a hearty reception. But as we reached the southern part of Illinois, this friendliness cooled noticeably. At St. Louis we met many colored slaves and also their inwardly blacker so-called owners—men who had soiled their bloody hands mistreating human creatures. Now these selfsame men, in an attempt to perpetuate their abominable system, were adding to their guilt by raising their soiled hands against a lawful government.

All our time at Camp Benton near St. Louis was occupied in military training. Weapons were furnished us—Colt revolvers, six shooters, and side arms, also Colt 5 revolving carbines. In February, 1862, there were about 40,000 well drilled and well equipped men in camp under General Henry W. Halleck. On the 22nd the War Department ordered these troops to proceed by boat down the Mississippi, the object being to reopen Navigation on the river to New Orleans and cut the forces of the rebellious South in two. But many long and bloody battles had to be fought before this objective could be realized.

On February 23, we landed at Commerce, Missouri, and from there as mounted forces proceeded toward Fort New Madrid where we had our first real encounter with rebel forces. After a short battle we were ordered to make camp and there we remained until the early part of March. While in that place we daily heard the heavy bombardment on Island Number Ten, and from time to time we were attacked by the rebels who still held Fort New Madrid. On March 13, we took part in a general battle under Gen. John Pope, which during the following night resulted in a retreat by the rebel forces. Pursuing them we crossed the Mississippi River into Tennessee and at Tiptonville captured 2400 of the rebel forces.

Early in April we moved down the Mississippi by boat toward Memphis, but owing to our inability to land and to our lack of provisions by the time we arrived at Pittsburg Landing on the Tennessee River, we were forced to turn back. After the Battle of Shiloh, we took part in the siege of Corinth, Mississippi, and in several other battles. In the latter part of May the 2nd Iowa and the 4th Kansas Cavalry joined us. We rode around the rebel army to Booneville, thirty miles south of Corinth. In an expedition which lasted four days we destroyed railroads, burned bridges and found Corinth abandoned. We spent most of this summer in different places in Mississippi and along the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. I took part in a battle at Blackhead on June 4, when I received a slight wound below the knees.

In September, 1862, our detachment proceeded by rail through western Tennessee to Paducah, Kentucky, where we embarked for Louisville, proceeding by ship on the Ohio River because the rebels were assembled in great numbers throughout Kentucky, and we encountered one of their forces at Elizabethtown. On October 8, we had a heavy engagement with the enemy near Perryville and in what is known at the Battle of Champlain Hills, after which the enemy withdrew to Tennessee. Early in December we and two other Cavalry regiments, the 2nd Iowa and 9th Pennsylvania moved from Nicolasville, Kentucky, to West Virginia and into eastern Tennessee, in order to destroy the Knoxville and Richmond Railroad. While at Murfreesboro in Tennessee our troops commanded by General William S. Rosecrans fought the rebels in the Battle of Stone River. Col. Samuel P. Carter also was with our command. We had several other engagements, and on Dec 31 and January 1, 1863, took many prisoners. We also burned bridges, set fire to supply depots, and captured trains loaded with provisions. This raid lasted 26 days of which 18 were spent within enemy lines. We narrowly escaped over the Cumberland Mountains by way of Frank’s Gap.

Toward the close of January, 1863, we were ordered to Louisville whence we proceeded by rail to Nashville, and from there as mounted forces to Murfreesboro where we stayed until March. Then we moved to Franklin, Tenn., the enemy facing our forces during all this time. We engaged in many skirmishes, including those at Spring Hill and Columbia. In July we advanced with the entire army corps known as the Army of the Cumberland and moved through the center of Tennessee, the object being to capture Chattanooga. On July 27, we fought a desperate battle at Shelbyville, captured the place, and took many prisoners. Thence we proceeded to Pollahoma and Winchester in spite of heavy rains which forced us to find shelter in the corn and cotton fields. During the nights we slept in mud and water covered fields. Finally we arrived at Bridgeport, Alabama, on the Tennessee River. At this place our cavalry forced a crossing. Our sharpshooters and artillery held back the enemy on the opposite bank while we swam for a half mile across the river. A pontoon bridge was constructed which enabled a large part of our army to cross. Next we moved upon Rome, Ga., where we found the enemy under Gen. James Longstreet strongly entrenched and ready for battle. Our rations at this time for the most part consisted of large sweet potatoes. Two Hollanders were taken prisoner; one of them Albert de Groot of Vriesland, Michigan, died in Andersonville prison.

We were forced to draw back and after strenuous marches day and night, during the forenoon of September 19, arrived at the battlefield of Chicamauga where the struggle continued with fury during the following day. We were stationed on the right wing and lost many of our men. Our own together with other cavalry forces had much difficulty when toward evening they tried to stem the retreating army and their wagon trains. The night fortunately was dark, which made their task easier. The next forenoon we arrived at Chattanooga. The rebels next took up positions on Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge. Hardly had we crossed the river when the rebel cavalry under Gen. Joseph Wheeler appeared, attacking our rear and completely destroying our wagon trains. Our army and all our cavalry pursued them and captured a few prisoners. After one of the battles I and 19 other under a flag of truce went within the enemy’s lines remaining there for an hour and a half, talking and eating. Next day we again pursued them and took a few prisoners and continued following them until we approached Florence, Alabama, when we returned in the direction of McMinnville, Tenn. And from that place by way of Kingston went to Knoxville, Tenn., the eastern part of which was occupied by Gen. James Longstreet. We fought many other battles in that vicinity during the fall and winter also farther east in Tennessee, among them Strawberry Plains, Mossy Creek, Sevierville, New Market, and some others.

On March 29, 1864 I reenlisted with many others for another period of three years, or for the duration of the war. I was granted a 30 day furlough, and immediately left to visit my friends in Michigan. At the expiration of my furlough I reported for duty at Jackson, Michigan, and was ordered to Nashville. Arriving there, I was sent to Franklin where the rebel cavalry was opposing us. Our cavalry was ordered to pursue them to Huntsville, Alabama, following the course of the Tennessee River in order to intercept, if possible, the rebel army under Gen. John B. Hood while Gen. William T. Sherman was continuing for his famous March to the Sea.

On October 7, 1864, I received a gunshot wound in the forehead, three inches above my right eye. I fell from my horse but was assisted to safety. My wound, cleansed and treated by a skillful regimental surgeon, healed so rapidly that in the following month I was able to report for duty in my regiment. At that time we were daily forced to retreat before the rebel army under Gen. John B. Hood. There were many cavalry clashes until on November 30, 1864, a general engagement began in which at about 3 p.m. a musket ball passed through my left leg four inches above the ankle. Together with my good Dutch friend Martin de Groot who was slightly wounded, I rode 14 miles on horseback that same evening and lodged for the night at the home of a rich planter, quite against his wishes; but with weapons in our hands we made him see that in this case might was right. We ordered his colored slaves to bring food for us. The following morning we proceeded toward Nashville, four miles distant but experienced great difficulty in riding because of our wounds. At Nashville we surrendered our horses and were consigned to a hospital in which hundreds of soldiers were resting, who had been wounded in the engagements around Franklin. The city of Nashville at this moment was surrounded by a rebel army while our forces stationed within were endeavoring to hold it.

When it became necessary to find room for the more seriously wounded who were constantly being brought in, we were transferred to Louisville. After a stay of two weeks in that place it again became necessary to make room for newcomers injured in the three day battle before Nashville. I was placed on a boat destined for Keokuk, Iowa; but arrived at Cairo, Illinois. My wound assumed a most serious aspect as gangrene was developing. I was transferred to Post Hospital, losing during the transfer all my battle mementos—a hat, socks, boots, all marked with bullet holes.

My wound did not heal, in fact became worse so that it seemed that amputation might become necessary. But the splendid care I received contributed decisively to my recovery so that toward the close of March, I was transferred to Detroit. I was obliged, however, to use crutches during the summer. On August 1, 1865, after the war had come to an end, I received my discharge while in Harper Hospital in Detroit. Immediately after the Battle of Perryville in 1862 I had been made a corporal, and shortly thereafter was promoted to the rank of sergeant. For two weeks I remained with friends at Zeeland and vicinity, and on August 25 left for New York. I wanted to see my parents, sisters, and other relatives in the Netherlands. I arrived in Rotterdam on September 8, 1865, that day being my birthday. The next day I reached my parent’s home at Noordeloos and learned that my brother-in-law had passed away two days before.

With my parents I remained until the close of September and left for Hull, England, where, it had been agreed I was to meet my parents and sister who intended to emigrate to America. We sailed from Liverpool and after a voyage of 17 days reached New York, and finally, travelling directly to Michigan, arrived at Noordeloos. I had paid all the transportation expenses of my parents, my sister, and my brother-in-law, Arie Hoekwater. I at once purchased five acres of land near Noordeloos, acquired a half share in a small steam sawmill, and built a home.

My financial condition during this year, until January 1, 1866 was as follows:

September 1854, My immigration debt $56.00

May 1, 1855, My immigration dept $56.00
May 1, 1856, my immigration debt $36.00
December 1, 1856, Indebtedness due me 8.00
(This amount was never paid me)
April 1, 1857 To Grand Rapids with cash 2.00
September 18, 1861, when I enlisted I had about 600.00
August 15, 1865, after discharge from service 1500.00
October 15, 1865, after trip to Netherlands 900.00
April 1, 1866, after purchase of land, buying
Mill, and building mill, in debt 200.00

With my own hands I constructed a grist mill in the sawmill and operated it in that same year. On Feb. 9, 1867, the mill burned down, which left me owning only the house and a parcel of land, and besides a debt of $200.00. On June 23 I was married and continued working as a carpenter, which trade I had once taken up after the mill burned. But I felt I was rich although not in money or other possessions.

By this time Ottawa County was thickly settled by Hollanders, and there was much demand for farming land. Many of our people began to discuss the advisability of opening up new settlements, mention being made especially of good government lands north of Big Rapids, Michigan. There was much discussion of the subject; meetings were held and it was decided that as I possessed more knowledge of forests and had had more experience in seeing lands, I should inspect the area proposed for settlement. Three other persons were chosen to accompany me, to serve as companions and help me in passing judgment upon the quality of the land to be visited. Early in October 1867, we started in a wagon for Big Rapids and Hersey. From Hersey we went on foot northeast on the Middle Branch and Clam Rivers, which to our party appeared excellent for farming. After two weeks we returned and made our report. This task being finished, I went to Grand Haven, walking all the way, proceeded by boat to Manistee, walked from Manistee to Traverse City where on November 7, 1867, together with three other persons—the first white people to do so—we took up homesteads in Missaukee County. Next we traveled afoot from Grand Traverse to Missaukee County, 60 miles distant, through a dense forest without a road to follow. From there we went on foot back to Noordeloos, there being no railroad or other means of transportation in that section of the county at that time.

On October 6, 1868, with my wife and one child Derkje, my wife’s brother Jakob, and his sister Eiftje, Hendrik Zagers and his wife, Hendrik Westveld, and Jan Abbing, I left for Missaukee County, using wagons as conveyance. It was not until April 18, 1869 that my family arrived at our destination after travelling twelve days in an old wagon drawn by a yoke of oxen. We arrived with two borrowed wheels, the old wagon having broken down several times during the journey. We camped along the road as we proceeded northward. When we arrived at our homestead, the southeast quarter of Section 20 Township 21 north, Range 6 West, Missaukee County, we build log shanties on our homestead property, planted some potatoes and corn, and were happy. On Sundays we met and read sermons and passages from the Bible and sang psalms. During the following fall my wife’s parents and my own parents followed us and so our settlement grew. Repeatedly, along with others, I had to travel through the woods for 60 miles to Traverse City in order to take up more land. Soon I became interested in pine lands, and frequently camped in the woods. I hired a man to cut down my forest, clear the land during the summer, and put in crops during the fall.

In 1874 I drafted a petition to organize the Township of Clam Union, which proved successful, at the same time Reeder and Riverside Townships also were organized. In the spring of 1872 I was elected supervisor, justice of the peace, and highway commissioner of Clam Union Township. I also served as judge of probate in Missaukee County for a period of nine years. I was a supervisor in Clam Union Township for nine years.

During the summer of 1872, I assessed two townships in 40 acre parcels, placing the valuation thereon for purposes of taxation according to the estimated value of the land and the pine timber on it. During the fall of that same year I assumed a lumber position, estimating two million feet of logs, but as I realized only 1,800,000 feet I made no profit. The following winter I did not follow lumbering. I rented my farm and worked on it only when my official duties permitted. During the fall of 1874 I purchased some more government and state land. The next winter I cut the pine timber standing on this new property and realized profit. This enabled me during the following summer to open a general store with a small amount of stock. As I now owned a frame dwelling, I opened the store in our old log house. During the next winter I again engaged in lumbering, buying pine logs and selling them in Muskegon. Each winter I handled from two to five million feet of logs. During the summer of 1876 I served for two months on the jury in the United States Court at Grand Rapids. I also contracted to have a larger frame house built than the one in which we were living, steadily kept adding to my stock, and bought up produce which I resold to lumber camps.

In 1872 we organized a church community and opened a school. Both church and school were built on property I freely gave for that purpose. In 1877 I opened a store in Lake City, the county seat of Missaukee County. Soon after I sold a half interest in this store to Arlington G. Lewis, after which we worked as partners for three years. During 1878 the government authorized a post office in our settlement which now was officially called Vogel Center. The post office was officially conducted in my store. I also sold general merchandise on commission at Falmouth, five miles from Vogel Center. My agent was Dr. L. Moorhouse, but the contract I made with him came to an end after being in effect one year. I also rented and operated a saw mill at Falmouth at this time. From then, and until August, 1881 my principle business was lumbering and conducting a general store. But I had also acquired a good farm consisting of about a hundred acres of cleared land. In addition I owned 45 acres of stump land sown with grass, a stock of cattle, horses, etc. During the spring of 1881, I put 5,000,000 feet of pine logs into the river, a venture in which I lost $3,000. This disaster was due to difficulties in floating the logs out of the West Branch of the Clam into the Muskegon River. Greatly discouraged, I gave up the lumbering business.

Northern Michigan being too far north for profitable farming, I eventually changed my residence. Early in August I left on a trip through the West and purchased 321 acres of land in Lancaster County, Nebraska at a price of $8 per acre and also secured two lots in the city of Lincoln, the state capitol. I rented my store at Vogel Center, sold my horses, fourteen in all, disposed of my other stock and all chattels, rented my farm and moved to Muskegon on October 10, 1881. There I had been given a position with the firm of Torrent and Ducey at a salary of $1200 a year to act as their agent in purchasing pine logs and to serve as superintendent and paymaster for the transportation of logs to their mills. During the fall of 1881, I spent five weeks in the northern part of New York where, in behalf of my employers, in Franklin County on the St. Regis River, I purchased 53,000 acres of forest for $130,000. When this was accomplished I returned in order to resume my duties on the Muskegon River.

On June 17, 1882, I left Muskegon for the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to purchase pinelands, and arrived at Marquette. After investigation the possibilities of lumbering in the woods nearby I returned to Muskegon where I arrived on July 13, finding my entire family afflicted with measles. My beloved child Maggie, was very sick and to our great sorrow passed away on the morning of the 16th and was buried. Meanwhile our new house, situated at the corner of Terrace and Catawha streets was being completed and we moved into it on the 18th. The two lots cost $600, the house and fence $1900. A few days later I again left for the Lake Superior country where I stayed until September 2, purchasing for the firm of Torrent and Ducey approximately 195 million feet of standing pine for $110,000, part of this being government land. During the following fall I continued to buy and supervise the operations of my firm on the Muskegon River.

Gradually I sold my farm of 165 acres at Vogel Center. I was sole owner of part of this farm, in part of the rest I had a third, in the remainder only a half. I had purchased 80 acres of land from my father, Frans Vogel, when he came to old to work his farm, on the agreement that I was to furnish a home for my parents as long as they lived. Accordingly, in the spring of 1883 I built a new house for them on my farm at Vogel Center at a cost of $250.

On July 27, 1883, I sold my homestead farm of 160 acres to Dominie Jan Schepers at a price of $4200, reserving one acre on which I had built a house for my parents, and also the land I previously had given to the church and school. During all of that year I continued to work for Torrent and Ducey at a salary of $1200, purchasing pine lands and looking after their logging operations on Muskegon River.

History of Clam Union Township – Taken from the memoirs that were written by John Vogel in 1946 - The author of this article which was written in 1965 is unknown.

((A very small part of the following was taken directly from the Memoir of John Vogel which preceeded this writing in the Vogel Center blog.))

Did you know that only a few generations ago a trip from Falmouth to Cadillac took two days? And did you know that less that a century ago people used to walk from Missaukee County to Traverse City and back? Or that less than a hundred years ago, wolves used to roam the forests of our County? If you have never heard of any of these things, come along with me, and we’ll take a look at some of the history of our County, especially as it relates to Clam Union township, and having unearthed a little bit of history, I’ll tell you a few of the things which I remember of the ‘olden days.’

The clue to the settlement of white people in our County is found in the Memoirs of the founder of Vogel Center. These personal reminiscences were printed back in 1946 in the Missaukee Republican. They were written over half a century ago by Jan Vogel toward the end of his life. In these Memoirs, he recalls that shortly after the Civil War, Ottawa County was thickly settled by Hollanders and that there was much demand for farming land. Wrote Vogel, “Many of our people began to discuss the advisability of opening new settlements, mention being made especially of good government lands north of Big Rapids, Michigan. There was much discussion of the subject, meetings were held, and it was decided that I possessed more knowledge of forests, and had had more experience in seeing lands probably because I had been a soldier in the Civil War and had seen more of the USA than many of the immigrants in Ottawa County. I was to inspect the area proposed for settlement. Three other persons were chosen to accompany me, to serve as companions and help me in passing judgment upon the quality of the land to be visited. Early in October 1867, we started in a wagon for Big Rapids and Hersey. From Hersey we went on foot northeast along the Branch and Clam Rivers, investigating government land along the Clam River which to our party appeared excellent for farming. After two weeks, we returned and made our report. This task finished, I went to Grand Haven, walking all the way, proceeding by boat to Manistee, walked from Manistee to Traverse City where on November 7, 1867, together with three other persons, the first white people to do so. We took up homesteads in Missaukee County, sixty miles distant, through a dense forest without a road to follow. From there we went on foot back to Noordeloos, there being no other means of transportation in that section of the country at that time.’

The late Leonard Herweyer in his memoirs ‘Pioneer Days in Clam Union Township’, recalls that Gerrit Herweyer, Henry Westveld, Henry Jager and John Abbing were Vogel’s companions and that the party traveled to Traverse City and from there to Missaukee County and made use of a compass to find their way, and that they at times followed section lines, and camped wherever night over took them.

Having left Ottawa County in the fall/winter of 1868, and having spent the winter in Big Rapids, John Vogel and his fellow pioneers returned to their chosen land in the spring of 1869, and built for themselves three cottages. The roofs of these dwellings were made of hemlock bark, but that did not seem to be the best material for this purpose; whenever it rained the roofs would leak. To remedy the situation, the men later cut two and a half foot blocks of white pine, split them a half inch thick, and laid them as shingles. Vogel tells us that he and his party arrived at what is now known as Vogel Center on April 28, 1869. One of the first tasks they performed was to clear some land. Potatoes were planted between the stumps and roots, and besides potatoes, vegetables such as lettuce, beets, and radishes were planted. In summertime, these early pioneers had to look ahead and plan for winter time, hence they would go to the marshes of the Vogel Center area in order to cut marsh hay. Now marshes usually aren’t the best places to be, and it wasn’t too easy to cut the hay. To protect themselves against the water, the men would wear waist boots, and they would carry the hay out on poles. This method of haying was employed for many years since the coming of the initial settlers. If there was not enough marsh hay to last the winter, trees would be cut down in springtime so the cattle could eat the small limbs and buds.

Connections with the rest of the world were almost non-existent. There were no roads to speak of, and no highways, nor was there a railroad in the early years of settlement. This presented a problem to Vogel who in the early seventies opened up a general store in his log house. If he would find a means of easily getting supplies, he would really be in business seeing that more and more lumbering came into the area in order to cut timber along the Clam River. He thought he had solved the problem by building a boat which was some 30 feet long, and wide enough for a barrel of flour to lie crosswise. It seems however that his plans to haul in supplies this way didn’t quite work out the way he had hoped it would. Writes Herweyer, ‘…landing there in Big Rapids they bought a chain, locked and secured the canoe, and then walked to see the folks in Ottawa County to tell them what the possibilities were for the future. After visiting for a couple of days, they walked back to Big Rapids. On arriving there they found their canoe had been stolen and taken away. Imagine their disappointment! With only a small amount of money it looked like a dark future. But Mr. Vogel was an ex-soldier who had served through four years of Civil War, had seen many disappointments and was not easily discouraged. All walked back from Big Rapids to Vogel Center and then took Vogel’s small team of horses and brought in the needed provisions by road. I well remember how anxious we all were when Mr. Vogel was due to come back – how we listened for the rattle of the wagon long before he arrived, and at last when the sound of the wheels became distant, how it thrilled our hearts.’ How thankful people must have been in those days to see each other back in good health after such a long trip; to make the trip from Vogel Center – Grand Rapids usually took three days down and four days back! Mr. Vogel would always carry extra parts for the wagon because breakdowns were quite frequent due to the poor quality of roads, they surely were quite a bit different from our smooth blacktopped roads. Not only were the roads bad, we also read of the inconveniences of travel in those days. Mosquitoes and deerflies were quite numerous and bothersome, and consequently the pioneers would take smoke smudges along in their wagons to drive away these insects.

You and I complain at times of the high cost of living these days; in all probability we are not the first ones to voice this complaint. According to the Herweyer memoirs, prices in those early days of white settlements in Clam Union township were rather steep. Flour cost $16 per barrel, pork was $40 and salt $3. PLUS $9 for hauling, totaling $12.

It is quite an interesting hobby to read what oldtimers have written about those days. It tells you quite a bit about the origin of many present day citizens of Missaukee County. According to the same account quoted above, the Herweyer family came North in the fall of 1868, but this probably must be 1869, seeing that Vogel states in his Memoirs that he arrived here in the spring of 1869. The possibility does exist that Vogel himself, was one year off in stating that he came to Vogel Center in 1869, seeing he took up a homestead in November 1867. But that is for historians to figure out. In the early seventies, John W. Hoekstra came and soon thereafter his brother Arie. In the same period, men such as Cornelius Catts, Ralph Veen and John Meyering came and settled in Prosper. Also during these years came John Westdorp, John Jacht, Anthony Quist Sr, D.J. Hamming, Jacob Beerens, Peter DeZeeuw and Gerrit and John Vis. The latter three also settled in Prosper. All these must have been here between 1870 and 1872. Herweyer writes that John Lutke came the third winter we were here. The real influx of settlers in the seventies seems to have resulted from Vogel’s advertising in a newspaper in Holland, Michigan. In it he advertised people to come to Missaukee County where land was cheap and lots of work and good pay in the lumber camps.

As more and more people came North, the need for organized worship was soon felt. At first people would gather at one of the three cottages or log cabins of either Vogel, Herweyer, or Jager; someone would read a sermon and those present would sing the old familiar Holland psalms. After this informal worship they would exchange all sorts of information such as crops, family affairs, sorrows and disappointments and blessings received. Vogel tells us that in 1872 a church was organized which was the Vogel Center Christian Reformed Church. In March 1878, it was decided to discontinue the practice of worshipping in people’s log cabins and a log church was erected. It was in this log church that one winter day a church service was held which was long talked about. One particular Sunday during the worship hour, a terrific bang was heard; people jumped from their seats and hurried for the door. One man even went over the top of the seats to reach the exit. It undoubtedly was one of the quickest and most unorthodox exits he ever made. What had happened? That winter about four feet of snow had fallen on the ground and also on the roof of the log church. On that particular Sunday, the load became just a little bit too heavy for the walls to support such a heavy snow-laded roof. After this memorable church service the roof was braced up, the rods were put through the top logs to keep them from spreading again. The first minister of the Vogel Center Church during whose ministry the ‘roof incident’ occurred was the Rev. John Schepers who had come to Vogel Center in January 1882. His salary was $500 per year. He faithfully brought the Word of God for twenty years to the people of his church until his death in August 1902. During all those years the Holland settlers from all around used to walk to Vogel Center in order to attend the church services. This meant that people from Prosper and Moddersville and many other places walked all the way to Vogel Center! Some thought that they should have a church a little closer and in 1894 the Prosper Christian Reformed Church was organized. But the pioneers did not only give attention to their spiritual needs. In the same year in which the Vogel Center Christian Reformed Church was organized (1872), a school was also opened. The teacher was Miss Gezina Westvelt, a seventeen year old girl who received a salary of three dollars per week plus board.

The year 1872 was also important in another respect. It was the year in which Missaukee County was organized and people began to build the first roads. Slowly on things began to go more smoothly. Cattle increased and steers were trained to do farm work. Farm implements were often made by the farmers themselves. They made their own harrow of wood and they used some sort of a shovel plow that would go over and through roots. And there were plenty of roots for the pioneers kept on felling trees and burning them as fast as they could get rid of them. The more trees they felled, the more land was cleared which then could be made productive by raising crops. At that time nobody ever thought that someday all the forests would disappear in Clam Union Township. Yet it happened! Farming in those days before the turn of the century was a far cry from what it is today. Nowadays a man needs a good-sized herd in order to make a living. In those early days most farmers only had a few cows. Wintertime usually was the unprofitable season since the cows ate plenty of straw but didn’t produce any milk. The horses and oxen were fed hay and oats during those cold winter months. But once spring came, the cows would be the beginning of the milk production again. The cows would feed on grass, although sometimes they would get into leeks and that gave their milk a real flavor. Production was slightly different from today’s; the best cow would give approximately 10 quarts twice a day. The milk was put in tin pans and would stand in the basement for 24 hours to have the cream come to the top which was then removed for butter production. In the summertime when the weather was hot and muggy, this was quite a chore as you’ll understand. Later on the cream separator made its appearance. It worked on the principle of the centrifuge and separated the cream from the milk. The cream was sold to a creamery where it was made into butter. A cream wagon would come and pick up all the cream in the county. Yes, farming was quite different in those days from what it is now. Can you imagine working a field full of tree stumps and roots? Many a time did the farmer have to unhitch his ox team and hitch it onto the back of the plow to pull it out of the roots. The hay in the summer was cut with a scythe and the grain was cut with a grain cradle. Someone would follow the grain cutter around the field binding the grain into bundles. Of course this all was done by hand; the cutting as well as the binding. Later some farmers got what they called reapers; it was a machine pulled by horses which would cut the grain, but still the binding into bundles would have to be done by hand. After that we got grain binders that would cut and tie both. Whenever the grain would have to be threshed in later years, we used to send for Johnny Binder and Mr. Watson from Marion. They owned a machine which was run by horses going around in a circle. Again later the steam engine made its appearance making the horses superfluous. It is hard to describe our excitement as we saw the steam engine come puffing down the road going from farm to farm.

Speaking of roads, if anyone takes a look at the map he will find all sorts of roads in our county. Of course when the early settlers came here in the 1860’s and 70’s, this was quite different. Nowadays there is a beautiful road from Falmouth to Prosper and Moddersville, and anyone who wants to go to Vogel Center from Falmouth can take the E. Prosper Road out of the Christian Reformed Church. Then turn right onto 8 mile Rd., which takes you straight over the hill into Vogel Center. There is really nothing to it! Yet I remember the time when it wasn’t so easy to get from Falmouth or from Prosper to Vogel Center. Cornelius Catts and his neighbors who lived East of the Prosper store would go on foot to Falmouth with the help of a compass! They had to walk through the woods. Many people living in the Prosper area would go to church in Vogel Center before 1894, when the Prosper Christian Reformed Church was organized. At first most of them walked and by ‘at first’ I mean, in the seventies and eighties. In the beginning of the eighteen eighties however the County had a road built from Prosper to Vogel Center. Going to church could now be done by horse and buggy. The road went South from where the Prosper store is. The lowest bidders were C. Catts and Mr. Veen and they got the job. It’s hard to believe now but these men would take hay for their ox teams and food for themselves and they would work all week without going home! Come dusk, they’d quit for the day and sleep under their wagon. In the morning they’d get up early and continue their work of building the road. Saturday’s the work was stopped until Monday and Monday morning early, they’d start out again to continue building the road. Other roads also were built in those days, roads which don’t exist today anymore. If you travel from Falmouth to Prosper today, you leave Falmouth and go due East. Once upon a time however this road didn’t exist at all. Some walked through the woods with a compass but the road from Prosper to Falmouth would go South to the Boven Road and from there it would turn north-west to Falmouth. I also remember that the first road from Falmouth to Cadillac was called the River Road. It followed the Clam River on the North side to what is now No. 66, from there you traveled across to the Lucas Road and finally over the hills to Cadillac. It took two days up and back from Falmouth to Cadillac with horses. Nowadays it takes about half an hour to get to Cadillac.

When the men were gone for days working in the lumber camps or building roads, the women stayed home with the children. In those days, families were usually quite a bit larger than they are today. And all these large families had come into the world without the help of a doctor. To go to the hospital to have a baby was an unknown thing then. Many women had 8, 10, 12 children without a doctor ever assisting them. The older folks may still remember the household drugstores people used to have and the many cures recommended for the various ailments. Salts played an important part in cleaning your stomach. Then there was of course the indispensable castor oil. If the children developed an ear-ache, some harlem oil would quite often do the trick while a toothache would often be cured temporarily at least by putting a piece of tobacco in the hole. The more drastic remedy was to put some carbolic acid in the tooth which would kill the nerve but which most of the time would also accelerate the decay of the tooth. Linament was the cure-all for any sort of pain, you rubbed it on the sore spots. And the way to get rid of a sore throat would be to put a woolen wet sock around your neck at night. These cures quite often helped and quite often failed. Life expectancy among the early settlers and the immediate generation following was low; an inflammation of the appendix would usually mean the end of a person’s life.

Around the turn of the century, Missaukee County was great lumbering country. In 1889 I worked at D.C. Church’s lumber camp near the Butterfield Creek. There were some 35 men working there that winter and I believe that I am the only one still living today. Cornelius Catts was our foreman. He also had camps east of Merritt on the West Branch River and one on the North side of Houghton Lake. Many of us young fellows worked on the farm in the summertime but when winter came and the workload on the farm became less and less, we would go to the lumber camps and work there. Logs were cut in the woods and were hauled to the banks of the various rivers by horse teams. We made quite a bit of use of sleighs, the runners of which were six feet long and five inches wide. In order to pull these sleighs, the horses were all sharp shod. This was even more necessary because the use we made of ice-roads. Not many people today know what an ice-road was. It was as the name indicates, a road made of ice. They were made as follows. A large water tank was placed on a sleigh and taken to the river. There we had a post in the ground with a steel peg at the top; in this peg a long pole of some 25 feet balanced on the one end of the barrel. We’d put the barrel in the water by letting the one end of the pole down and then by bearing down on the other end we’d get the barrel out of the water, swing it over to the tank and empty it through the three foot hole which was at the top of the tank. We’d repeat this operation until the tank was filled. Then we’d take the tank down the road and sprinkle the road. This was done at night and the water would freeze almost immediately. Having thus built a road of ice, the log haulers would come early in the morning, often before day-break and haul their large loads of logs over these ice-roads to the banks of the river. Torches put on a stick would be set in the snow along the roads as loading lights. Quite often the first teams would work from before daylight until three of four in the afternoon. Once the logs had reached the bank of the river or lake, they had had the worst part of their trip, at least as far as land travel was concerned. After this came the transportation to Muskegon by water. Oh no, they weren’t loaded aboard ships, they simply were put in the river and with the coming of spring, they’d be floated down the Muskegon River to their destination. When the ice would break up in the spring, the ‘log-drivers’ would begin their work. They were the hardy souls who wore corked boots to prevent them from sliding off the logs into the water. The instrument of their trade was a pole called a ‘peeve’ with a big spike on one end. They used this pole to loosen up the logs once they had begun to move down with the stream. They would walk along the various rivers on the banks seeing to it that the logs wouldn’t get stuck. At times it was necessary for them to walk on the logs themselves which demanded quite a bit of agility. All these logs would eventually reach Muskegon and be claimed by their owners who could recognize theirs by the trade mark that had been imprinted in the logs by means of a special hammer used for that purpose. This was done by the buyer in the woods.

As I sit in my house reading by the light of an electric lamp, kept warm comfortably by a gas furnace, watching the news on television, news which happened way on the other side of the globe only a day of so before, I often think back of the evenings I spent in the lumber camps, isolated from the rest of the world. It was a hard life compared to today’s standards. And yet it had its compensations. Back in the camp the evenings seemed very short as we played games and told stories. Of course we’d usually turn in early. Sometimes young men would come to camp to sell things like watches and rings, mouth-organs and jack-knives. Others would try to sell new suits or so. At times we’d get quite a kick out of some of these salesmen. I remember a young man who came to our camp to sell watches and rings. The night was quite stormy and he decided to stay. The only place for him to sleep was next to an ox-teamer. The teamster told the fellow that he didn’t mind the fellow sleeping next to him but he did warn him that he talked in his sleep occasionally. The salesman said that that was all right by him, it wouldn’t bother him. He had spoken too hastily however for that same night the teamster dreamed that the ox was standing on his foot. In anguish he grabbed the salesman by the arm thinking in his dream he had the ox by the tail, and bellowed, ‘Get over Charlie or I’ll twist your tail off’. We sure had a good laugh out of that one.

And all this happened over half a century ago. I never thought the Lord would give me such a long life. But He did and what changes I’ve seen! Judge for yourself as you read the above and compare it to life as we live it today in 1965.

Jan Lutke
Early in the year 1867, a young Dutch “arbeider” (laborer) stepped from the sailing vessel onto American soil. The six-week plus journey which had begun in his native Emmen, in the province of Drenthe, The Netherlands, was over and he looked forward to the remaining trip to Michigan where friends had written that there was opportunity for good land and the possibility of economic improvement. Jan, then 20, was the first of his family to immigrate and was determined to one day be something more than just a laborer as his father before him.

Arriving in Holland, Michigan area, he secured a job as a farm laborer. Saving his money, the following year he had enough to secure the passage for his father and mother, Tamme and Aaltje, and his two young brothers, Johannes and Ralph, all of who settled nearby in Allegan County. Together the family worked to secure necessary funds for the final member of the family to join them, and in 1870 sister Jantien, then 18 arrived also.

With the family settled, Jan continued the search for homestead property. The reports were favorable concerning the available land on the Clam River in Missaukee County, where in 1867 John Vogel and some acquaintances had begun a settlement. When Jan arrived in the rough settlement in January of 1871, the settlement consisted of about a dozen Dutch families scattered throughout what would become Clam Union township three years later. Since there was no railroad, all supplies had to be hauled by wagon from Big Rapids and were dispensed by the general store which John Vogel had established. Jan secured a job as the driver hauling those supplies and for years worked in that capacity, often making the three-day trip weekly. Meanwhile he began to clean the homestead established on Section 30 west of Vogel Center and in 1877 built a clapboard house on the land.

It was also in that year that Jan married the daughter of another Dutch immigrant family who had immigrated in 1867 and settled in the Forward, Michigan area. On June 14, 1877 Tetje Sikkens, eldest daughter of Ebel and Geeske Sikkens, became the bride of Jan Lutke. The whole Lutke family attended the wedding, Tamme’s family having moved to Missaukee County also and settled in the Vogel Center area.

At the time of their marriage, church life had already become an established part of the community, a congregation having been formally organized in 1873 as the Vogel Center Christian Reformed Church, the first church of that denomination in Northern Michigan. However, there was no church building and so the decision was made to build such a structure, which was erected in 1878. The first church, a log structure was 40’ x 60’ and was, in the words of a visiting pastor in the year, 1882, constructed of “carefully squared logs placed one upon the other. Viewed from the outside, it presents a splendid appearance; the interior is so well finished that many a church in the Netherlands is less attractively decorated.” That same year a school was also built, both structures erected on land which had been donated by John Vogel.

To Jan and Tetje eleven children were born. And as with so many parants in that period of pioneer hardship, two times there were to experience the grief of children stillborn. However, they were also blessed with nine well-born children, seven daughters and two sons:

Geeske (Kate – Mrs. James Hoekwater, 1878-1969)
Aaltje (Alice – Mrs. Joseph Nederhoed, 1880-1950)
Sarah (Mrs. Henry Prange, 1883- )
Jennie (1885- )
Ebel (Abe, 1888-1974)
Anna (Mrs. Edward Koster, 1890 - )
Maggie (1893-1918)
Thomas F. (1895-1972)
Florence (Mrs. Orrin Dykhouse, 1899- )

Throughout his life, Mr. Lutke remained active in local, civic and religious affairs. A member of the Vogel Center church board for many years, he was also instrumental in promoting the organization of the daughter congregation at West Branch (today known as the Calvin Christian Reformed Church of McBain). Here as early as 1909 families met weekly in the Ardis school. When their number outgrew these accommodations, the Vogel Center congregation donated the log church, which was dismantled, and moved to a three acre site which had been donated for the purpose by Mr, Lutke, and there again erected. During that early period, Mr. Lutke was one of the elders who regularly traveled to meet with this group and “read” sermons in their worship services, since there was no pastor available.

Eventually, Mr. Lutke was to clear and to productively farm 220 acres in Clam Union and Riverside townships. He also served as a timber surveyor for the Torrent and Ducey Lumber Company, one of the major timber shippers via the West Branch of the Clam River in the late 1800’s.

Mr. Lutke was the supervisor of Clam Union township for many years, served four years as judge of probate, over twenty years as school assessor, and was for many years the justice of the peace.

Mr. Jan Lutke died in Vogel Center on December 28, 1930 at the age of 82. Mrs. Lutke died shortly thereafter, also at Vogel Center, on March 21, 1931 at the age of 78.

By Stan Koster (grandson) 151 Sorrento Drive Holland, Michigan 49423

Joseph Schepers
Joseph Schepers of McBain, Michigan, better known as Jos., was born in Ackley, Iowa to Rev. and Mrs. John Schepers in 1881.

Rev. Schepers came to Missaukee County in January of 18862 and settled in Clam Union Township where he was a pastor of the Christian Reformed Church. He was known as the father of that denomination in Northern Michigan, having been its first minister. Also, he had organized all the churches of that denomination in Missaukee County except the one at Vogel Center in Clam Union Township. He continued in the active ministry until his death August 13, 1902. He was the father of eight children.

On June 6, Mr. Joseph Schepers and Miss Katie Van DePol of Forward, Michigan were married. She was the daughter of Peter and Sarah Van DePol.

To this union seven children were born: Mae Schepers (Young), Percy, Virginia, who died in infancy, Hiram, Sarah Schepers (Brown), Raymond and Bob.

Mr. Schepers attended business college in St. Louis, Michigan. He was in the merchantile business for some time and later was cashier of the McBain State Bank for several years.

He took a deep interest in public affairs and was involved in most city projects. He was mayor of McBain, on the city council, and treasurer of the McBain Public school board. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church.

In 1917, he began selling insurance for Auto Owners Insurance Company which is now being sold by his son, Raymond and grandson, Donald. This year is their 65th anniversary. It is now Schepers Insurance Agency, Inc. He was well known in the area and had many friends.

By Mae Schepers Young

John Eising
John Eising was born in a little village called Heiken in the Province of Drenth, in the Netherlands on the second day of February in the year 1839, he being of a family of four children.

In 1863, he married at the age of 24 to Grietje Reinink who was taken from him through death on the 13th of August in the year 1876 at the age of 36 years, leaving him with five daughters ranging from 13 years to the youngest of two days. A son 10 years old died a year before in 1876. He again was married to Helek Kok. To this union was born seven children – two boys in the Netherlands and two boys and three girls in this land.

In 1881 they decided to leave the old land and go to America which was done in the spring of 1882, taking a family of six children with them, the oldest sister, Grace, staying behind with her grandfather. They left the old land on Good Friday morning and spent Easter on the ocean. They were on the water about 21 days. Mother was sea sick almost all the time but the children had to go on deck every day to keep up their spirits and not get sea sick. The food on the boat at that time was not the best and many did not get enough to eat. Old Martha Shoemaker, of Falmouth, traveled with us as one family.

We must have arrived at New York about the first of May and traveled to Michigan as immigrants. After a few days in Drenthe, Michigan, father left and arrived in Vogel Center the 10th of May, 1882, and mother and four children came a week later. Jane and Fannie, having stayed in Drenthe to earn a little, working out under the care of a cousin of father’s, Mrs. Kamps. They arrived at Cadillac late in the evening and no one was there to meet them. Unable to speak or understand English, they were allowed to stay in the depot all night by a kind depot agent. In the morning father came with Mr. Diepstra and took them to the home of Mr. Lodewyk, where they had a warm breakfast. Then they piled in a wagon and came to Vogel Center to the home of Rev. J. Schepers in the late afternoon. They first moved into a log house, later the Otto Herweyer farm.

On the 9th of November they moved to the John Vogel farm. The snow was then one and one-half feet deep and never left until the latter part of April. They lived on that farm six years when they bought and settled on a farm in Prosper. Father died on August 5th, 1903, at the age of 64. Egbert followed on September 22, 1926. Mother passed away on November 6th, 1927, at the age of 76 years.

The five children born in the Netherlands are Grace, Jane, who married Gerrit Herweyer, Fannie, who married Jacob Herweyer, Hattie, who married John Hoekwater, Maggie, who married Frank Westveer. Two boys also born in the Netherlands were Egbert and Albert. Those born in Missaukee County are Gerrit and John Eising, Alice Catts, Mary Eising, and Helen Brinks.
By Bess Randolph

Jacob Herweyer Family
Jacob Herweyer was born in South Holland, Netherlands, Dec 26, 1850. He came to America in 1864. It took three months to sail across the Atlantic Ocean. His parents settled in Zeeland, he was 13.

In 1867, he traveled north by wagon and oxen team, with John Vogel and wife Betje (Jacob’s sister) also his sister Effie and Vogel’s child Dora and others.

Father worked in lumber camps. The floated logs down the Clam and Muskegon Rivers to sawmills. There he met Fanny Eising, who was assistant cook. She was born in Heiken, Drenthe, Netherlands. They married in 1885. He acquired his homestead farm in 1885 from the State of Michigan.

They reared thirteen children, seven still living in 1980. Several were born in the log house. Younger children were born in a larger eight room frame house. Agnes died in 1917, age 30. Evelyn in 1924, age 8. Otto became a farm auctioneer. John and Lawrence were plumbers. Gerrit built some homes. Maggie, Otto, John and Helen lived into their eighties. Grace and Jeanette now live with daughters. Harriet lives in McBain. Bess taught in the Forward School. Albert also taught school.
Jacob’s first team were oxen. If supplies were needed, it was a two day trip by oxen to Cadillac.

About 1912, father carried mail from Vogel Center through Moddersville to Dolph. He often had to kill rattlesnakes before his horse would cross the swamp over a corduroy road. He saw many deer and bear while carrying mail.

Father never owned a car. He took me to high school in Falmouth and McBain, with horse and buggy. Often the cutter tipped in snowbanks. Later I attended County Normal in Lake City, going by train from Falmouth.
By Bess Herweyer Randolph

FROM WOODEN SHOES TO LEATHER SHOES THE STORY OF FANNIE EISING

Fannie was the daughter of John and first wife Grietje (Reinink) Eising, married Jacob Herweyer

The following Find-A-Grave link shows their incredibly large family

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/27543124/fennigje-herweyer#source

The following article was given to me by Sharron Probert

We're going to America; we're going to America,” sang eleven year old Fannie, as she ran on deck of the ship that was to carry her family from the Netherlands to America. Everyone was busy saying good-by with hugs and tears, well wishes and God's speed. All Fannie could think of was the three weeks it was going to take to cross the ocean. She did say good-by to her sister Grace, who was staying behind with Fannie's grandparents. “I'm glad, “ said Fannie to Grace, “I don't have an ole boyfriend. I want to see America, especially Vogel Center, Michigan!” Then she danced away.

An old Dutch custom was too wave until friends and relatives were out of sight. Fannie thought she'd broken her arm waving so much. “Whew” Fannie declared, “If it took this long to wave good-by to the family, this boat must move slower than a fat cow.”

Fannie was born in the province of Drenthe, the Netherlands. When she was five years old, her mother died in childbirth and her father married their housekeeper, Helen Kok. She had little schooling while Fannie lived in the Netherlands. At the age of nine she took care of cattle. Since there were no fences, she kept the cows from crossing over the moats. Fannie, her father, stepmother and five sisters took their voyage to America in 1882.

It was a stormy ride on the ship. Many of the immigrants were seasick but not Fannie. “Papa says I'm to stubborn to get sick,” she told the captain merrily. He just chuckled and went off whistling a tune. The big ship rocked back and forth for many days. Fannie took advantage of the rocking, to put her doll to sleep.

“Vell, Vell, Vell, so dis est Amedika,” said her papa as he looked at the coastline Fannie notice papa had tears in his eyes as he continued gazing at this new country, wondering what it had in store for them. At the moment, Fannie was more interested in the smaller boat that was guiding them into the harbor.

It was fun riding on the smaller boat because if Fannie stood close enough to the edge, the water from the waves would splash up against her face. She enjoyed getting her pretty blond hair wet. “Papa, will we have to change our name?” asked Fannie for she knew because many immigrants from other countries were given new names when they entered America. “Nay,” said papa

confidently. “Must be if your name is more than ten letters they scratch it out and give you the next short one on the list,” thought Fannie. “We're lucky, ours has only six letters, E-I-S-I-N-G.

Fannie watched while at last papa and some men collected all the trunks and boxes that needed to be loaded on a train for another long journey to a place called Jamestown, Michigan.

It was a hot and sticky three day trip to Michigan. Fannie was sure they'd never arrive and being cooped up with her sisters for so long; wasn't a pot of pea soup either. But when the conductor said, "Jamestown - next stop, Jamestown, Michigan, it was music to Fannie's ears.

The Eising family was so excited about being in Jamestown they almost walked right on by their friends, the Deweerd's,who were waiting for them. Fannie was busy looking at the sights and sounds of this new American city. She thought Americans looked funny because they didn't wear wooden shoes and they talked funny too.

For the following two years Fannie and her sister, Jane stayed in Jamestown, while their parents went to settle in Vogel Center, in the northern part of Michigan. Fannie worked as a domestic for the Deweerd family for 25¢ a week. Papa was a farmer and Fannie was sure he'd make a good one in Vogel Center. One day Fannie exclaimed to her sister, "we've been here for two years, when are we going to go to Vogel Center? I've saved enough money to buy my own farm.”

The Deweerd's were visited by the Dominee from the local Dutch Reformed Church. He came to say good-by because he was leaving for Vogel Center and also he had received word from the Eising family that they wanted him to tell their daughters to come north to Vogel Center. When Fannie heard this, she almost jumped into the long underwear she was hanging on the line.

As the train pulled away from Jamestown, on its way to Cadillac, Fannie again was singing. "at last after two years, I'll be able to see papa and the rest of the family.”

Pара met the train. It took a while to get to Vogel Center because Fannie and her sister had to ride on papa's sleigh pulled by the family oxen, Fritz and Bootsie. They finally came upon a small settlement, one general store, a hotel, blacksmith's shop, a hardware store, doctor's office, a school, a church, and a shop that made coffins. "so this is Vogel Center,” exclaimed Fannie.

“Only von of you canst on da farm vorkin," papa said, "you, mine Fannie, must elsewhere look. Now da lumbercamp a cook need. You est a good von, mine Fannie, you vill in da camp vork." Рара had the last word so Fannie becamе а cook.

Logging camps were along the Clam River near Vogel Center and papa's farm. Each morning Fannie would get up before it was light out and walk one half mile to the logging camp to cook breakfast and supper. Fannie knew she had to be a good cook or they would throw her out. "loved your pork tonight, Fannie." "great chicken, Fannie," Sang the praises of her food.

She didn't meet many of these men because they were not allowed to talk in the dining room. However, one day a handsome timberlooker came in the camp for supper. He spotted Fannie in a whisper asked her if she ever wanted to get married. She blushingly whispered back, "sure, some day." "think it over," he said, "my next time through this neck of the woods we"ll tie the knot." Fannie couldn't believe her ears and couldn't wait to tell her family. An old maid she would never be. Was he interested in her cooking or did she really appeal to him? On December.6, 1885, Jacob Herweyer came back with a justice of the peace, named Hirem Shepers. Fannie was excited, surprised and full of flour from the bread she was baking at the time.

"Okay, Fannie let"s get the wedding started, I've got a lot of work to do today," said Jacob impatiently. "Alright," replied Fannie, "but can i take my apron off and wash my face?" "What difference will thаt make" joked Jacob? "A lot to me" insisted Fannie. So off came the apron, splashing water on her face and changing her shoes from her wooden ones to her leather ones. "No girl should marry in her work shoes," thought Fannie.

Jacob soon homesteaded a 160-acre farm. There was a log cabin but Fannie moved into the new chapwood house Jacob had built for her. Fannie didn't cook for the logging camp anymore. Now she helped with all the chores on the farm. Besides all the normal housework, such as bringing water in from the well and getting firewood for the stove to cook on. She canned fruits and vegetables and smoked meat. She found it difficult to cook for two people after cooking for twenty or more. Sometimes Jacob though she was feeding an army: but he never complained because she was a good cook. At 14 Fannie was full of energy, often outpacing Jacob who was 15. About the only visitors they received that first year were deer and bear. Fannie loved all nature, "just leave them alone then they"ll leave us alone and it ain't no doing to do otherwise. The farm she worked so hard on still stands in Vogel Center, Michigan. The house got larger each time Fannie had another child, Jacob would add another room. Her first child was born August 27, 1886 and every two years thereafter another child and there were 13. Fannie was a strong woman. She could be seen walking two miles to the store with a box under one arm and a baby under the other,

One day Fannie asked Jacob if she could have a new Sunday dress. "After all," exclaimed Fannie, "ten years in the same dress is long enough.” Jacob agreed and told her to put the request on the list he used for his annual visit to the general store in Cadillac. After they received the check for their crops, Jacob went shopping. On the yard Fannie was anxious to see Jacob when he came after his two day shopping trip. To Fannie's surprise, he handed her a bolt of red material. She never got angry; but at that moment, she was furious enough to light the kitchen stove. "Good women don't wear red to church," she shouted as she stomped into the house. Fannie never did make a dress out of the red material for herself, but four of her daughter's did get red dresses. Fannie was a God-fearing lady who lived to be 78 years old. She brought up 13 children, learned to read and write in "Einglish", as Fannie came to love a new country called America.

As a final footnote -
Fannie's descendents
13 children
57 grandchildren
162 great grandchildren
132 great great grandchildren
2 great great great grandchildren
366 total

Shared by Sharron Probert

Mr. and Mrs. Martin TeBos
By the time Mr. and Mrs. Martin Te Bos immigrated from the Netherlands, bought the hardware and blacksmith shop in 1896 from Mr. Walter Smith, Vogel Center was a small village and much of the logging rush was over. The community was beginning to thrive on farming. Horse shoeing, setting wagon wheels, repair work and furnishing supplies for farmers kept Martin Te Bos busy for long hours. Many times Mrs. Te Bos would lend her services to complete the jobs.

The Hardware Store and Blacksmith Ship were under one roof on the east side of the road. The building had an upstairs room where 5 and 10 cent articles and toys were sold. Later the older twin sons, Nick and Tom, made cement block and these were used to build a new blacksmith shop across the road. It still stands today.

Mr. and Mrs. Te Bos lived in a log house until they were able to build an upright two story house for their large family of eight children. Martin made his own electric plant, run by an engine, and the store and house were lit by electricity long before Consumers Power entered the area.

In 1924, Martin suffered a stroke and retired from business and turned to raising fruits and vegetables.

The hardware store was then owned by a son Thomas. The blacksmith shop was owned by a son, Nickolas. Later Nick sold the shop and moved to a farm in the Aetna area.

Thomas later rebought the shop and managed both store and shop. The original store was torn down in 1957, when the present building was erected. Tom’s brother, Martin Jr., worked for Tom and at Tom’s death took over the business. This lasted only two years until his death in 1973. So the business of servicing the farmers in Vogel Center and surrounding areas was owned and managed by the Te Bos family from 1896 until 1973.

At this time in 1981 the business is owned by Tom Schmid.
Submitted by Lauretta Te Bos Vander Pol

Peter VandePol
Peter VandePol came to the United Stated from the Netherlands in 1867 as an eight-year-old boy. He and his brother worked in the galley, peeling potatoes, to pay their way on the boat.

After arriving here, he spent some years working in the celery fields in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Later, he came to Missaukee County to the Forward settlement in Riverside Township. Here he cleared some land and build a log cabin. He married Sarah Sikkens and they had a family of six daughters and two sons. They had 23 grandchildren. He was a farmer and also hauled supplies from Cadillac for Vogel Center merchants, staying overnight in McBain with his team of horses.

Later, he built a large, two-story house, equipped with electricity powered by a 32 volt delco plant. The source of electricity was batteries, charged by a gasoline engine running a dynamo. He ran a washing machine and emery wheel electrically, too. The house had running water, modern cupboards, (glued, not nailed together), hardwood floors, and two beautiful chandeliers. The pine floor from the old log cabin was used for the kitchen ceiling. He planted a large fruit orchard and many ornamental shade trees.

The barn was equipped with the latest automation of his day (in the early 1900’s). It had a gravity water system with drinking cup and a large litter carrier, which ran on a track on the stable ceiling.

He was an active member of the Vogel Center Christian Reformed Church and helped clear the land for the log church.
In March of 1921, he sold his farm to his son, Abel, and retired to McBain, where he raised flowers as a hobby. He became a naturalized citizen on September 12, 1921. He died in 1937 at the age of 78 years.

Compiled by grand children, Mae Young, Don VanderPol and Celia Beerens

The following are partial excerpts from the “Early Family History’ given by William H. Hoekwater at their family reunion on June 25, 1985. The excerpt begins with the early glory years and trials of the Netherlands and continues at the time that John Calvin was known for the ideas written in his book entitled, “Institutes of the Christian Religion”. The excerpts continue as follows:

There was a young preacher at that time by the name of Rev. Hendrick DeCock who recalled a catechism teacher of long ago who told his class of boys, “Unless the Lord gives you a new heart, you cannot be a child of God. We must be born again.

Not one of his professors in the seminary had ever mentioned such a thing. According to them, one only needed to live a good life to be a Christian.

During the next several weeks, DeCock spent every spare moment studying. He was not satisfied to keep the new found treasure to himself and his congregation. He wanted other ministers to discover and preach these truths. Most of the ministers were teaching the brotherhood of man and the Love of God for all, and no need of a Savior.

Finally, in 1834, DeCock and almost all his congregation decided to step out of the Reformed Church of the Netherlands. He wrote a formal Act of Separation, and his followers signed it. Henceforth they would be a Free Church.

In 1835 there was a young man in seminary by the name of Albertus VanRaalte who believed the teaching of Rev. DeCock. VanRaalte was refused admittance to the ministry in the Reformed Church when he said he would obey the rules and regulations of the Church only insofar as they were in accordance with the Word of God.

On March 2, 1836 he was ordained as a minister in the new “Free” Church. But the “Free” church was not free. When VanRaalte married and they arrived at the house that was to be their home, they found twelve soldiers awaiting them! The soldiers had orders to keep an eye on the young minister. He was considered a troublemaker.

The “Free” church became known as the Seceders, and resorted to meeting in secret, just as their forefathers had done during the persecution by Charles I and the awful Inquisition.

The economic condition was bad all over Europe, but for the seceders it was the worst. The people from the state church refused to hire them, or buy from their stores and markets. By1845 the situation was truly serious. In 1846 some of the seceders began to migrate to America. Word came back that America was a land of promise.

On October 2, 1846 a large ship named the “Southerner” sailed from Rotterdam. Of the 100 passengers aboard, 53 belonged to VanRaalte’s group. It was not uncommon for people to die on ship and a solemn funeral would be held and the body committed to the sea. Seven long weeks went by and finally on the evening of November 17 they came to the New York harbor. From there they traveled by train to Buffalo, and then by steamer toe whole length of Lake Erie. When they reached Detroit, they received news that the Straits were frozen.

When they left the Netherlands, VanRaalte had intended to take his little group to Wisconsin. But here they were in Michigan, detained by the weather over which they had no control. Was it God’s way of guiding them to Michigan? Captain Ward, the Captain of the steamship, was building a ship in St. Clair, about sixty miles north of Detroit. He made a proposal that if the men would make themselves handy at odd jobs, he would provide them shelter for the winter. It was only a warehouse, but it was better than nothing.

That winter, VanRaalte began to explore Michigan. With the help of a judge named Kellogg in Kalamazoo, he came in contact with a Mr. Fairbanks, a government employee. With additional help from a missionary by the name of Mr. Smith, they reached the east end of Black Lake, where Van Raalte sent word for his group to join him in the spring of 1847. It was here they began to build their Dutch colony which was later to become Holland, Michigan.

At about this same time, there was a young boy who had moved with his parents to Noordeloos in the Netherlands at the age of eight years. He attended school there until his 12th birthday. He began to assist his father in the support of the family, but after a period of about six months, he became an apprentice in a carpenter shop. The shop keeper’s name was Hermanis Diepenhorst. A contract was made for three years. The first year his board was provided by his parents. The second year he was to earn his board, and the third year he would receive board and as much compensation as his ability warranted.

This boy’s name was John Vogel who would later become the man who would bring the Hoekwaters to America. Today I think it is appropriate that we pay tribute and honor to John Vogel.

John Vogel came to America with the Hermanis Diepenhorst family in 1854 at the age of 15 years. They settled northeast of Holland, Michigan and called the place Noordeloos.

John Vogel kept a diary, part of which was published in the “Waterfront” newspaper, printed in Lake City, Michigan in 1981. This diary consists of 25 leather-bound books which are still in the possession of his grandson’s widow in Muskegon, Michigan.

Probably one of the most interesting paragraphs of his diary was written when he was eighteen years old when he wrote, “While this adventure during my eighteenth year will not end with the annals of time, but is destined for eternity, to answer the object of our Maker, and that object, namely: to bring about the glorification of God, ought constantly to be our first and highest aim in all of our performances. The hope is in me that a covenant was made in accordance with Hosea, Chapter 2.”

John Vogel left us a record of his work experiences, and went into great detail of his experiences as a soldier in the Civil War.

He had enlisted in Company D, 2nd Regiment of the Michigan Cavalry, September 18, 1861, and later became a Sergeant. On August 1, 1865, he received his discharge after being wounded for the third time. After his discharge, he returned to the Netherlands to visit his parents. At the end of September he paid the transportation expenses for his parents, his sisters and his brother-in-law, Arie Hoekwater. They traveled to America, going directly to Noordeloos in Ottawa County, Michigan.

John Vogel married Barbara Herweyer, daughter of the Otto Herweyers of Zeeland, Michigan on June 23, 1867.

Ottawa County was thickly settled by Hollanders, and discussions were held on opening new settlements. In as much as John Vogel had the most knowledge and experience with land, it was decided that he should inspect this proposed land.

In October, 1967, John Vogel, along with three others left by wagon to Big Rapids, and then traveled by foot northeast along the Middle Branch and Clam Rivers until they found government land on the Clam River which appeared to the party to be very favorable.

On November 7, 1867, John Vogel and others took up a homestead in what was then Clam Union. This was the first homestead in what is now Missaukee County.

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Arie Hoekwater and his wife’s (Willemyntze Vogel) had a son John Hoekwater, who along with his wife Jane Laarman Hoekwater, gave the gift of land to Clam Union Township east of Vogel Center, which is now Hoekwater Park.

April 9, 1893

Vogel Center and Falmouth suffer this time. Wednesday of last week, a stranger entered the store of J.O. Packard at Vogel Center and asked the proprietor to cash his time check. The check was payable to Geo Osborne and the stranger indorsed that name on the check. While M. Packard was counting the money, Osborne roamed the store examining things so closely as to attract the attention of the proprietor.

Thursday morning Mr. Packard found his store had been broken into and found that 3 gold watches, about a dozen each of charms, chains and rings and about $8.30 in cash had disappeared. Remembering the actions of Osborne, he immediately started for Lake City to procure a warrant.
As appears from later developments, Osborne called at J. Koopman and Sons store in Falmouth Wed Afternoon and secured some clothing, representing he had been sent for it by the foreman of the drive where he had been working. A couple hours later they found Osborne had lied and Henry Koopman started in search of him but failed to find him.

Thursday morning, Koopman found his store broken into. Entrance was obtained through a back window and a pair of pants, some shirts, underclothes, shoes and about $10 cash were taken. A warrant was issued for Osborne.

Telegrams were sent to all neighboring towns and Bielby took the evening train to Cadillac and began a personal search in that town and luckily ran his game down within a couple hours. Finding a man in Cadillac who knew George Osborne by sight, Sheriff Biebly took him with him and started to make a round of the low dives of Cadillac and found him in the first house of ill famed searched.

Taking the prisoner to jail, he searched him and found one of the watches and some $23 in money but nothing else. A little search located Osborne's valise at the Park House and it was secured and broken open and all the stolen property save two rings which were afterwards secured from a girl at the "resort" where he was found, was discovered in the valise. The examination was held before Justice Torrey and the prisioner was bound over for trial in the Circuit Court. When he appeared in the courtroom for examination, he wore a pair of pants and a pair of shoes, which were taken from Koopman and Sons store.
It appears he but recently was released from Jackson, where he had been serving 18 months for robbing the T&A ticket office in Cadillac.