Allendale's 175th Anniversary - Notable People (Part 1)

A 100th anniversary is called a centennial, but what do you call  a 175th anniversary? It's a demisemiseptcentennial, of course!  It’s a mouthful, but worth noting to memory, as Allendale gears up to celebrate this momentous occurrence throughout all of 2024.
As I continue to research the archives and discover some of the stories of Allendale’s past, I’m learning that it’s really all about the people. The people who stepped out in faith and forged into new territory. The people who chose to form this township. The people who fought for our freedom. If not for the bravery, grit and everyday lives of these people, Allendale might have never been! It got me thinking about how we all have a story that affects those around us. Even if we think it is insignificant, we are all part of what makes Allendale the unique community that it is. Our forefathers contributed to this unique community and I would like to introduce you to some of those people who secured their place in history and enabled Allendale to put it’s mark on the map.
The family history of the Chippewa people living in Michigan goes back hundreds of years before the Europeans came. The Chippewa tribe consisted of the Odawa (Ottawa), Potawatomi, and Ojibway. Historical events that happened to the Indian families in Michigan happened to the Indian families in Allendale. Along the banks of the Grand River were villages near the mouth of the Bass River, Traders Creek and Ottawa Creek.
Pierre Constant—Pierre Constant, a French fur trader hired by the British Fur Company, arrived in Allendale and established a trading post to buy furs from the Indians. Pierre did what many other fur traders did to cultivate friendships with the Indians; he married an Indian woman. The furs Pierre obtained were used by the European fashion industry
Rev. William and Amanda Ferry—In 1823, Rev. William and Amanda Ferry left their Massachusetts home to begin missionary work among the Indians, which lasted for twelve years. Their missionary work brought them to Indian villages in areas that later were called Bass River Community, Charleston, and Blendon Landing.

Hiram and Ella Knowlton—Just prior to the Civil War, Hiram was a hired hand at a farm in Allendale. In August of 1862, Hiram enlisted in the 5th Michigan Cavalry, which became part of the “Michigan Brigade”. He arrived in Washington DC in the fall of 1862. Hiram was captured several times while in service. He took part in the fighting in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. He was mustered out in the summer of 1865. Upon returning home to Allendale, Hiram married Emma Fellows, and they adopted five children. In 1906, they purchased property in Allendale and built their new house on 68th Avenue in 1911. Hiram and Emma are both buried in the Allendale Cemetery. Their home has been restored by the Allendale Historical Society and is now known as the Knowlton House Museum.
Dr. William Presley was Allendale’s first resident doctor. In the early days, a doctor kept office hours to some extent, but the main task was to go into the homes to deliver babies, pull teeth, amputate limbs and watch long hours with the desperately ill or dying. Such was the case for Dr. Presley, who practiced in Allendale from 1900 to 1909. He lived on 68th Avenue, just south of Lake Michigan Drive. He once saved a man’s life with a delicate bone operation, which later was cited as an example of bone surgery at its best.