First House in Ganges manuscript
2021.88.13
Thirteen People, the First Winter, in the First House in Ganges, 1838 Source: SDHS newsletter pg. 300 The first house built between Saugatuck (the "flats" and Singapore) and Allegan was a log house, built in Ganges, the exact location is unknown-but probably located near the Ganges cemetery. In the summer of 1836 Harrison Hutchins and his father, David, came to Michigan from Rochester; N. Y., by way of canal bast to Buffalo and them schooner to Detroit and rhea walked to Allegan on Indian trails. The men built the fist cabin in the Ganges-Fennville area and then Harrison walked back to Detroit to bring his sister and her children back along the same route, to Ganges. This drawing with its two short histories was given to the Historical Society archives by Janet Wolbrink as a part of a collection of Ganges area history assembled by her husband Bob. The full stogy of this house was left out of H. H. Hutchins' written "recollections" first published in 1919. Note that this appears to be the more common (locally) log house (square logs) as opposed to a log cabin (round logs). For some interesting confusion on the date of the log house see Charles Lorenz, "The Early History of Saugatuck and Singapore," p36, and Henry Hudson Hutchins, "Western Allegan County Pioneer Days," p27. What follows are two descriptions of the house. Henry Hudson Hutchins wrote on January 3,1931: "The general appearance is fresh in my mind still, and is fairly well represented here. It was said to be 18 feet across one end and 20 feet on the sides, and my guess is it was 10 feet from ground to roof. The gable ends were of rough boards, as were both floors. One room below and attic under the roof. One door, located in the west end and a large fireplace in the east end. Its occupants the winter of 1838-9 were [my father] Mr. [Harrison] Hutchins, his sister Mrs. Sophia Stillson and three children [Kate, Sam, and ?] and )oho H. Billings, his wife, and five children, and Cyrus Coles." [signed] H. H. Hutchins. [one of the Billings children, Darius, became the first chain "ferryman" in Saugatuck in 1857] Bob Wolbrink wrote: "This structure stood on the north east corner of section one, and was used as a residence for about five years when it was replaced by a more roomy one, located over by the lake on account of access to water. The upper floor and windows were then removed from the building [and] served as storage for hay. By about 1860 other barns had been provided, as this was burned to get it out of the way. I well remember it as a playground, where, with others we climbed its side walls in childish sports."
1830 Settlement, pioneer era
Winthers, Sally
082 Ganges
Hutchins, Henry Hudson 1854-1933Hutchins, Harrison 1815-1893Wolbrink, Robert B. Sr. 1923-1996
This first house in Ganges township, built in the fall of 1836 by Harrison Hutchins and sketched on request from memory, January 3, 1931 by H. H. Hutchins. This structure stood in the north east corner of section one, and was used as a residence for about five years when it was replaced by a more roomy one, located over by the lake on account of access to water. The upper floor and windows were then removed and the building served as storage for hay. By about 1860 other barns had been provided as this was burned to get it out of the way. I well remember it as a playground, where, with others we climbed its side walls in childish sports. THE FIRST HOUSE IN GANGES The general appearance is fresh in my mind still, and is fairly well represented here. It was said to be 18 feet across one end and 20 feet on the sides, and my guess is it was 10 feet from ground to roof. The gable ends were of rough boards, as were both floors. One room below and attic under the roof. One door, located in the west end and a large fireplace in the east end. Its occupants the winter of 1838-9 were Mr. Hutchins, his sister and three children, John H. Billings, his wife and five children, and Cyrus Coles. /s/ H. H. Hutchins
12/02/2021
01/05/2024