2016 04 GRHS Grand River Times 37-07

Volume 37, number 7

April 2016

Grand River Times The Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society Inside this issue: Cover Story: April program

Letter from our President page 2

Fighting the Civil War: Historical Treasures of the Conflict in the Collection of the National Civil War Museum A Collaboration of the Grand Rapids Civil War Roundtable and the Grand Rapids Historical Society

Profile: William Alden Smith page 3 Photo Sleuth

PRESENTED BY: Wayne E. Motts

page 5 Happening in History page 6 Books about GR History page 7 Search: Grand Rapids Historical Society

Thursday, April 14, 2016, 7:00 p.m.

Opened in 2001, The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is the largest museum in the country dedicated to telling the complete story of the war from the viewpoint of both sides. The museum holds more than 4,000 three dimensional artifacts and over 21,000 archival items including manuscripts, diaries, letters, photographic images, newspapers, and correspondence dating from 1861-1865. Join the museum’s new CEO Wayne Motts on a journey of the history of the war illustrated by some of the nations’ rarest surviving Civil War artifacts in the museum’s collection.

Wayne E. Motts- holds two degrees in history and has been a licensed battlefield guide at the Gettysburg National Military Park for twenty-seven years. He was the curator of the Next program: After the Apr il Cumberland County Historical Society in program, the Grand Rapids Carlisle, Pennsylvania from 2002-2004 Historical Society’s next program and the artifact collections manger at the will be on May 12, 2016 at the Adams County Historical in Gettysburg Donnelly Center at Aquinas from 2004-2005. In 2005 he was named executive director of the Society, a College. Amberrose Hammond position he held for seven years. He will be speaking at the GRHS became the CEO of The National Civil Banquet and Program about her War Museum in Harrisburg, newest book W icked Grand Pennsylvania in the spring of 2012.

Rapids. (www.nationalcivilwarmuseum.org) Grand River Times

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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Dear GRHS Members, It was well worth the wait to hear Tom Mathison speak about the renovation of what is fondly known as the Old Fed by my friends and family. Last year the talk was snowed out. This year it was a lovely March night. I am including a link that Mr. Mathison sent us. http:// mathisonarchitects.com/federal-building-to-ferrisbuilding-renewal-and-reconnection/ We had the opportunity to tour the building and enjoy seeing the many restored areas.

The Grand River Times is the newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society, published six times annually. Established in 1894, the Grand Rapids Historical Society is dedicated to exploring the history of West Michigan; to discover its romance and tragedy, its heroes and scoundrels, its leaders and its ordinary citizens. The Society collects and preserves our heritage, passing it on to new generations through books, lectures, and education projects.

Executive Committee: Gina Bivins, president Matthew Daley, vice-president John Gelderloos, treasurer Board members: Alan Bennett Charles Bocskey Thomas Dilley Tim Gleisner Marilyn Hamill Chris Kaupa Gordon Olson, emeritus Nan Schichtel Wilhelm Seeger, emeritus Jeff Sytsma Jim Winslow Kurt Yost Jessica Riley, editor Grand Rapids Historical Society c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library St. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Website: www.grhistory.org Email: grhs.local@gmail.com

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Now it is time to look forward to a presentation by the CEO of the National Civil War Museum, Wayne Motts. Join us on April 14 at the Aquinas College Donnelly Center, 7pm. This program is a collaboration of the Grand Rapids Civil War Roundtable and the Historical Society. For more information about the local Roundtable please visit this link on your computer http://www.grcwrt.com. They meet on the third Wednesday of each month at Kuyper College on the East Beltline.

It is also time to start thinking about attending the final program of the year/ banquet/annual meeting. It will be held at Aquinas College Donnelly Center. We will gather first for dinner, have a short, required meeting, followed by our program by the author of Wicked Grand Rapids. Our dinner menu includes a dinner salad, chicken artichoke main dish, the substitution of a quinoa cake for our vegetarian friends. All plates will be rounded out with roasted vegetables and rice pilaf. Thinking of our friends with gluten intolerance, we chose a menu that they can partake of. In keeping with the theme of our program dessert will be death by chocolate with a flourless cake. We listened to comments from our members at last years event, and are keeping the cost at a reasonable $26 per person. Watch for your invitation in April.

I have been enjoying postings on Facebook of photos from the GRPM photo archives. The Museum is getting good information on many previously unidentified. Many people are posting a current pictures of houses or building that are still standing. The Facebook page is Grand Rapids History 1960 and Before.

Trying to figure out where the buildings are is a little like doing the Puzzle in the Grand Rapids Press in the 1980s.

About the Grand Rapids Historical Society. The Grand Rapids Historical Society sponsors eight programs each year, beginning in September and running through May, including lectures, audio/video presentations, demonstrations, collections, or special tours.

Membership. Membership is open to all interested persons with annual dues of $30 per family, $20 for seniors and students, or $400 for a lifetime membership. The membership year runs from May to the following May. Members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society receive eight newsletters each year and a subscription to our annual magazine, Grand River Valley History.

Members also receive a 20% discount on books published by the society as well as books published by the Grand Rapids Historical Commission.

Change of Address. If you will be permanently or temporarily moving to a new address, please notify GRHS before your change occurs. Let us know your new address and the date you plan to leave and plan to return. Email to grhs.local@gmail.com, or mail to Grand Rapids Historical Society, c/o Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 2

GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Profile: William Alden Smith William Alden Smith (May 12, 1859 – October 11, 1932) was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan, notable for chairing RMS Titanic hearings.

Early career Smith was born in Dowagiac, Michigan and attended the common schools. He moved with his parents to Grand Rapids in 1872, where he attended school, sold popcorn, and was a newsboy and messenger boy. He was appointed a page in the Michigan House of Representatives in 1875 (or 1879) at Lansing, Michigan. He studied law in the office of Burch & Montgomery (Marsden C. Burch was a one-time U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan) and was admitted to the bar in 1882. Mr. Smith practiced law alone for some time, but later became associated with Fredrick W. Stevens. This firm afterwards became Smiley, Smith & Stevens. He was general counsel of the Chicago and West Michigan Railway and the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad. While in this practice, Mr. Smith became an expert on railroad law and finance. He was assistant secretary of the Michigan Senate in 1883 and the State Game Warden from 1887 to 1891, reportedly the first salaried state game warden in the nation. He was a member of the Republican State Central Committee from 1888 to 1892.

Service in the House Smith was elected as a Republican from the Michigan's 5th congressional district to the 54th United States Congress and to the six succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1895, until his resignation, effective Feb. 9, 1907, having been elected to the U.S. Senate. While in the House of Representatives, Smith was chairman of the Committee on Expenditures in the State Department in the 56th Congress, the Committee on Pacific Railroads in the 57th and 58th Congresses. While Chairman of the Committee on Pacific Railroads, Smith was a leading advocate for universal safety standards on railroads, attracting the ire of many of the country's railroad executives.

Service in the Senate Smith was elected as a Republican to the United States Senate January 15, 1907, for the term beginning March 4, 1907. He was subsequently elected on February 6, 1907, to fill the vacancy in the term ending March 4, 1907, caused by the death of Russell A. Alger. He was reelected in 1913, and served from February 9, 1907, to March 4, 1919. He declined to run for renomination in 1918. Smith was chairman of the Committee on Canadian Relations in the 61st Congress, the Committee on Territories in the 62nd Congress, and the Select Committee to Examine Branches of the Civil Service in the 63rd through 65th Congresses.

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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Continued from page 3

RMS Titanic Investigation After the luxury liner RMS Titanic sank in the North Atlantic on April 15, 1912, with more than 1,500 lives lost, Smith chaired Senate hearings that began at the WaldorfAstoria Hotel in New York City the day after the survivors landed. Senators and spectators heard dramatic testimony from the surviving passengers and crew. Smith's subcommittee issued a report on May 28 that led to significant reforms in international maritime safety.

Smith achieved some notoriety for being more colorful than knowledgeable, even being called "Watertight Smith" by the British press for asking whether watertight compartments, actually meant to keep the ship afloat, were meant to shelter passengers.

In his book on the investigation, The Other Side of the Night, Daniel Allen Butler notes that Smith had toured Titanic's sister ship, RMS Olympic, and knew full well what the watertight bulkheads did, but understood that the general public might not. Other questions were intended to force the officers and crew to answer in simple terms and not attempt to obfuscate with technical jargon.

Other activities Smith constructed the Grand Rapids, Kalkaska and Southeastern Railroad in Michigan in 1897 and became owner of the Lowell and Hastings Railroad in 1900. In 1901 he was honored with the degree of Master of Arts by Dartmouth College. He was owner and publisher of the Grand Rapids Herald in 1906 and chairman of the board of directors of a transit company operating a line of steamboats from Chicago to various Lake Michigan ports. Smith died in Grand Rapids and is interred in Woodlawn Cemetery there.

The community of Alden, Michigan is named for him. Mr. Smith was married on October 21, 1886 to Nana Osterhout (October 21, 1859 – February 15, 1936) of Grand Rapids. They had one son, William Alden Smith, Jr. who died on April 19, 1920 at the age of 27. The second Disabled American Veterans chapter ever organized was in Kentwood, Michigan and is named for him. The younger Smith was married to Marie McRae, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Milton A. McRae of Detroit and San Diego, California. This couple had a son, William Alden, III, who died on December 16, 1968 in San Diego, California at the age of 52. They are all buried in the family mausoleum at Woodlawn Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Article credit and photo credit (previous page): http://us.wow.com/wiki/William_Alden_Smith) Photo credit (this page): https://rohrbachlibrary.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/ Grand River Times

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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOIN THE GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY OR GIVE A MEMBERSHIP AS A GIFT The Grand Rapids Historical Society sponsors eight lectures each year.

Members of the society enjoy these benefits: 

The Grand River Times is the newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society. Published and mailed to members eight times a year, it includes current items of historical interest, details of upcoming lectures, historically relevant activities, and short articles.



The Grand River Valley History is the society’s annual magazine. Featured are illustrated articles by local history researchers and contributions from the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the City Archivist, the Grand Rapids Public Library, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.



20% Discount on all books and other items published by the society.

Please enroll me as a member of the Grand Rapids Historical Society: ____ New ___Renewal ____Gift _____Lifetime:

$400.00 one-time fee

_____Individual/Family Membership

$30.00 per year

_____Senior Citizen or Student

$20.00 per year

Name: Address: City/State/Zip:

Please make check payable to the Grand Rapids Historical Society and mail it with this form to: Grand Rapids Historical Society, c/o Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503

GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC LIBRARY PHOTO SLEUTH Spring had indeed sprung – soon we can shed our overcoats and enjoy sitting outdoors with friends. Our Photo Sleuth selection for this month comes from our Robinson Studio Collection, and showcases this Spring 1943 image of four Aquinas College co-eds. Can you identify any of the individuals in this image? If so, please email the Grand Rapids Public Library's Local History department at localhis@grpl.org.

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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

HAPPENING IN HISTORY: APRIL 2016 Alpine Historical Event Saturday, April 2, 2016, 10:00 a.m.

Hudsonville Library 3338 Van Buren St.

Ernie Ostuno will be speaking about the 1956 Standale tornado.

Reading the Great Lakes Thursday, April 7, 2016, 7:00 p.m.

Main Library—111 Library St. NE Come explore the Lakes with the Grand Rapids Public Library! They are reading a range of titles including mystery, history, fiction, and nonfiction all taking place in the Great Lakes region—from Chicago to Cleveland. This book club will be lead by librarians and will take place the first Thursday of every month. Additional copies of the book are available to be checked out on Level 4 of the Main Library. For a complete list of books, visit www.grpl.org/rtgl. April’s selection is W hen A ll the World is Old by John Rybicki.

Western Michigan Genealogical Society Saturday, April 2, 2016, 1:30 p.m.

Main Library- Ryerson Auditorium 111 Library St. NE

Western Michigan Genealogical Society Wednesday , Thursday, April 13-14, 2016 Bus Trip Ft. Wayne’s Allen County Public Library

Topic: Funeral Homes and Family History: They are Dying to Meet You.

Staying at Econo Lodge $128=Single, $97=Double, $87=Triple, $81=Quad Transportation by Great Lakes Motor Coach No smoking on coach or in motel

Presenter: Dan Earl Most genealogists know to look in a cemetery to find their ancestors, but what about the funeral home?

Funeral home records can provide loads of genealogically rich information. This presentation will teach participants what types of records are typically found in funeral homes, how to locate these resources online and “in the field”, as well as provide real life examples of how to search for ancillary clues in funeral home records.

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Trip includes: roundtrip motor coach transportation, lodging at Econo Lodge. Light Breakfast included.

Cancellations will receive a refund with replacement only. They need 36 bus riders to make this trip a reality.

A $15 deposit guarantees your place on the bus. Please send your deposit or at least an email by March 11th.

Balance must be paid by April 9th. Make checks payable to WMGS. Contact Sue Irvine with any questions. 616-889-0042 or sjirv@yahoo.com, MI, 49525

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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Feature: Books about Grand Rapids History Paths of Destruction The story of West Michigan's worst natural disaster, the tornadoes of April 3, 1956

by Ernest J. Ostuno.

Published 2008 by Grand Rapids Historical Society On April 3, 1956 at least four powerful tornadoes struck West Michigan, killing 18 people and injuring more than 300. It remains the worst natural disaster in West Michigan history. The reach of the tornadoes was vast, stretching from near the Indiana state line all the way to near Traverse City. One of the tornadoes was rated an F5, the most powerful and deadly rating for a tornado. It killed 17 people and devastated areas of Hudsonville and Grand Rapids, Michigan where entire neighborhoods were obliterated by the 200 mph winds. The book describes the weather conditions that resulted in such an awesome display of nature's fury and is illustrated with dozens of photos, many of them reproduced from color slides of the actual tornadoes and the damage they left behind. You can read over 100 eyewitness accounts of people who were near, and in some cases directly in, the paths of the storms. A DVD is also included with the book, which includes interviews with a dozen people who survived the F5 tornado. The interviews are illustrated with extremely rare movie footage of the F5 tornado. Information on tornado safety is also included in the book and the DVD.

A City within a City The Black Freedom Struggle in Grand Rapids, Michigan

by Todd E. Robinson Chosen as the Grand Rapids Mayor's Book of the Year, 2016 A City within a City examines the civil rights movement in the North by concentrating on the struggles for equality in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Historian Todd Robinson studies the issues surrounding school integration and bureaucratic reforms as well as the role of black youth activism to detail the diversity of black resistance. He focuses on respectability within the African American community as a way of understanding how the movement was formed and held together.

And he elucidates the oppositional role of northern conservatives regarding racial progress.

A City within a City cogently argues that the post-war political reform championed by local Republicans transformed the city's racial geography, creating a racialized "city within a city," featuring a system of "managerial racism" designed to keep blacks in declining inner-city areas. As Robinson indicates, this bold, provocative framework for understanding race relations in Grand Rapids has broader implications for illuminating the twentieth-century African American urban experience in secondary cities.

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Non-Profit Org. U.S. postage PAID Grand Rapids, MI Permit No. 234

Grand Rapids Historical Society, Inc. c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library St. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503

GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Fighting the Civil War: Historical Treasures of the Conflict in the Collection of the National Civil War Museum A Collaboration of the Grand Rapids Civil War Roundtable and the Grand Rapids Historical Society

PRESENTED BY:

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Cover Story: April program Letter from our President page 2

Wayne E. Motts Profile: William Alden Smith

Thursday, April 14, 2016, 7:00 p.m.

page 3

Photo Sleuth page 5 Happening in History page 6 Books about GR History page 7

For more information on Historical Society programs, please visit www.grhistory.org Grand River Times

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