Genealogy, Geography and History

of

My City of Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan

                                     

I believe that genealogy, geography and history are inter-twined and accuracy is very important.  And accuracy depends on your ability to see the source in its own time-line not yours.

As an example: In my time-line Herpolsheimer's Dept Store was at the corner of Fulton and Division while Wurzburg's Dept Store was at the corner of Ottawa and Monroe. . In my mother's time-line Herp's was at the corner of Ottawa and Monroe while Wurzburg's was near the corner of Crescent and Monroe. Do not assume your time-line fits the source's time-line or you will make mistakes and look foolish.

Townships were created under the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. Most of these is this area were surveyed in the 1830's. The City of Grand Rapids was created in 1850.

This page covers specifically the CITY of Grand Rapids and presents a "nest" of information that can be used in your own projects to understand the past in its timeline. The City annexed land from four townships.  Explanation of Township and Range lines

First annexation in 1850:    Grand Rapids Twp (formerly Kent Twp) T7N R11W    -      Walker Twp T7N R12 W

First annexation in 1891:    Paris Twp  T6N R11 W                                            -      Wyoming Twp T6N R12W -

 

Genealogy and the City of Grand Rapids - includes such  headings as:

How to do genealogical research in the Grand Rapids Public Library.
Genealogical information about those people mentioned in this web site
Dewey Decimal as it applies to genealogy
The importance of documentation and an easier way
List of photographers which includes area identifiers. .
 

Geography and the City of Grand Rapids - includes such headings as:

Early Federal law as applied to Michigan such as the Northwest Ordinance.
a variety of maps,
how to read and understand old maps,
how to read legal descriptions,
understanding land records,
street-name changes starting in 1857
My current time-consuming project is to find more identifying information about the pre-1912 street name changes as the City Engineer records are extremely brief.
 

History and the City of Grand Rapids - includes such headings as:

specific information on the schools
specific information on cemeteries
specific information on neighborhoods
General history is under my personal heading of my first hand experience growing up in "old" GR which hardly exists anymore. Thus the purpose of my site. Background

Instructions:  The underlined aqua is a link.  Click on it. 

Small photos are also links.  Click on the photo and it will get bigger.  Once at the bigger site it may be necessary to scurry over the lower right hand corner to get a little square X to pop up. Click on it to make the writing legible.  Another internet version will have a HUGE blurry picture pop up. Be patient. Wait at least a minute and it will suddenly reduce back to normal size.

There are other sites which cover the City of Grand Rapids.

This site is more sporadic, as if they were just opening a box in the attic and posting whatever they find Grand Rapids History: About

This site is run by WMGS: Western Michigan Genealogical Society

This site is run by someone who has never lived in the City so be careful about their "City" info: Kent County Michigan GenWeb Project

   Barbara Vander Mark , Real Property Appraiser II, retired.

 

Personal perspective

 

This is the City I remember as depicted  in City Four Square by Reynold Weidenaar as "Urban Renewal" was destroying it.

I created this web site and its contents using my own knowledge, experience and original sources whenever available. This is my web site and I am responsible for its contents. I would like to thank my fellow City of Grand Rapids employees who provided me with the raw data and their knowledge and expertise.  Special thanks to Bruce Sullivan, Personnel, for rescuing me, twice. Special thanks to Bill Hill the know-it-all reference librarian who truly does KNOW IT ALL except how to do genealogy. 

What started my quest of creating this web site: The rise and reliance on  Name Matching which is just copying nonsense.  And if you use a big word like transcribing which means "to make a written copy of" to cover up your mindless copying you are still responsible for extending the nonsense. Transcribing nonsense is nonsense.  I do not copy.  I do not transcribe. I think.  But hey, if you believe everything you read without question, well then you owe me a million dollars!

I mean no offense but I have to admit I am annoyed that Name Matching even extends to geography. Another genealogy site has implied that Kent County, Kent Twp - same name, same entity; Grand Rapids City, Grand Rapids Township - same name, same entity. Does that mean that since Grand Rapids, Michigan and Grand Rapids, Minnesota have the same name they are the same entity? Well, I can drive to London, Ontario. Can you drive to London, England without getting wet?

The words county, town, township and city are not synonyms. Antecedents are very important.  Another genealogy site isn't so careful about antecedents so I have added that information in parenthesis.  A direct quote from this other site. "It (Kent County) became a county in 1831. On March 22, 1842, the legislature changed the name of the town(ship) from Kent (Township) to Grand Rapids (Township).  It (the City of Grand Rapids)  is the county seat." Without the antecedents it is too easy to infer that Kent Town was renamed Grand Rapids Town and later on this town became a city instead of being separate government entities.

And I owe Singary for the sample of her excellent and award-winning  Tom Berenger web-site (guess who's my favorite actor?) and her advice in uploading.  Thank you Jenny!  www.geocities.com/tomberengeronline/  and to Ted Pack who is a smart-ass just like me! And a computer programmer.  http://www.tedpack.org/begingen.html  Check this site for how to begin genealogy, the smart-ass way.

Although I have consulted Baxter's History of Grand Rapids, I have not copied this secondary source assuming what Baxter meant in 1891 is what it still means in 2000, but have made an effort to confirm and update the information with independent sources.  See my essay on Primary vs. Secondary.

And you can read Baxter for yourself.  Books Online - Kent County, Michigan - Histories, Directories, Biographies, Gazetteers

The picture above is CityFourSquare by Reynold Weidenaar. As my dad worked for Jacob Hefner at Hefner's Art Gallery, my dad exhibited work by both Mr. Weidenaar and Mr. Merizon and they were friends. I knew both of them since childhood.  Armand Merizon painted beautiful oils of Lake Michigan.  Mr. Weidenaar did detailed etchings of buildings.  I still remember my poor attempts at emulating Mr. Weidenaar's emphasis on buildings while sitting at Lookout Park.  I tried to draw this?!?!  No wonder my teacher tried to get me to draw a box of kittens.     I've had a life-long interest in architecture and it's all Mr. Weidenaar's fault.     

     The view as shown here in a postcard.

Read about me Background and I love writing essays

   I am amazed at how many hits I've received on Hefner's Art Gallery.  Hefner's   I have additional information but don't anticipate getting to it before next winter. I knew Mr. Hefner.  Feel free to email me. Perceptions at 7 Ionia Ave SW is run by Kim Smith the deserving successor to Hefner's.  Ionia7@aol.com Also Gallery 293 in Coopersville  is less posh but very much like old Hefner's, 293 Main Street, Coopersville, MI.

I have tried to impact every source with corrections or comments so everything on this site is copywrited. The information may be used for your project but the source must be cited.

Contact Information

Postal address
Grand Rapids, Kent Co, Michigan
Electronic mail
General Information: Babs27@charter.net
Webmaster: Babs27@charter.net

 

Send mail to Babs27@charter.net with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2006 My Grand Rapids
Last modified: 06/05/06