What if I told you that the story of this serene picnic site named Pierson Lake is deeply rooted in the pioneering spirit of a family from New York? It is. Let’s step back in time to the mid 1850s. Imagine David S. Pierson acquiring land here in 1856.
This wasn’t just any land purchase. It was the first step in founding a community. David joined forces with Dexter Clark and John L. Shar. Together, they shaped this area while it was still part of Mecosta County. Think of Pierson opening the first post office in his very own home on January 29 1857. It marked the beginning of a new era.
Pierson was officially platted in 1870. It then became an incorporated village in 1873. The village is named after the family-name of Martin Pierson. Several members of this family were its first settlers.
Now visualize Stephen R. Pierson. He settled in North Plains Ionia County in 1852. His favorable reports enticed his brothers David and Orson. With their father they journeyed from New York. They sought government or state lands. They entered one hundred and sixty acres. This was on sections 27 and 28. It is thought to be the first entry made in the township.
Picture their first cabin. It was twenty by twenty-four feet. It was a one-story structure. The roof sloped. The ceiling was low. It barely allowed a man to stand erect. This cabin on Orson Pierson’s farm marked the beginning.
Imagine George M. Pierson arriving on December 14 1854. He brought his wife and four small children. Kalamazoo was the nearest rail road-station. They traveled by stage first. Then they completed the journey in a lumber-wagon.
The brothers’ cabin was already full. The new party increased the company to eighteen. A wagon-box served as a bed. Others were stowed away as best they could. Soon each family built their own cabins on secured land.
Milford Pierson was born in late January 1855. He was the first white child born in Pierson township. George M. Pierson built the next cabin.
Consider the challenges. George had no team for clearing land. He spent much time away. He procured life’s necessities. Yet his farm became one of the best. When he moved in his cabin had no door or window. Blankets served instead. The snow lay deep.
Let us not forget the wildlife. During the first winter George M. Pierson made shingles. He sold them in Rockford. He earned ten shillings per thousand. Flour cost five dollars per hundred-weight. The woods abounded in game. Deer were plentiful. They provided essential supplies.
Round Lake teemed with fish. They could be easily caught. For five years George M. Pierson worked sixteen miles away. He brought home provisions for his family each Saturday night. He dug the ground with a mattock. He raised corn and potatoes. The first year a bear carried off a hog.
At the time Rockford was the nearest trading-post. Mrs. G. M. Pierson lived in the township for eight years. She did this before visiting a dry-goods store. Her sister Polly Malvina Peck lived with her. She later removed to the south part of the State. Their father Thomas Peck settled on section 27. He resided here until his death.
The first death was a young man named Fish. He was accidentally shot. He was buried on George Pratt’s farm. He was later removed to the cemetery. The first wedding was in 1856. Isiah Alley and Naomi Barker were married.
The story of Pierson Lake is a testament to resilience. It is a story of community. It’s a narrative etched in the very land we stand on. As you enjoy your picnic here take a moment to appreciate this rich heritage. Remember the Pierson family. They laid the foundation for this peaceful haven.