The Ghost Town of Summitville, Michigan: A Legacy of Christian Ancestors

by Douglas B. Sharp

This old ledger was donated to the Archives of Michigan on 11/28/2018. It is available for the public to view there.

Summitville, Michigan was a lumbering town on the Pere Marquette Railroad about four miles west of Chase. Today, there is very little evidence that there was a town at the junction of State Road and U.S. 10.  There is indeed a summit, which currently is etched with ORV trails, and the old railroad bed is also a trail. The book, Michigan Ghosts Towns by R. L. Dodge, Glendon Publishing, Las Vegas NV, 1971, has an entry about Summitville: In 1877 a village in Chase Township on the F. & P. M. Railroad, 9 miles west of Reed City. “Has one sawmill and seven other sawmills nearby. S. G. Randall, postmaster and station agent.” Samuel G. Randall was my great-great-great grandfather.

In my grandmother’s attic, I found the old ledger that belonged to Samuel G. Randall. It was apparently passed on to his son John Randall, then to his granddaughter Minnie Randall, who was the cousin of my great-grandmother Mable Randall. Minnie was married to Elmer Thompson and when Elmer died, he left an old lumber baron’s house in Lewiston to my grandmother, which our family used for many years as a vacation home. This ledger undoubtedly was found in Uncle Elmer’s old house. What follows are scanned images from the old ledger.

The entries in the old ledger start in 1839. What is remarkable about this book, though, is that it is filled with marvelous pencil drawings, poetry, music, newspaper clippings, letters and other pieces that are snippets of information about someone’s life.  My conclusion from the evidence found in this ledger is that these ancestors of mine were highly educated, intelligent, talented, and with spiritual qualities I have come to greatly admire, and hope to meet someday in heaven. It is my pleasure and privilege to share these snippets of Michigan history with you.

My impressions are that the people of that time took great pleasure in poetry, music, penmanship, and had a high regard for spiritual, romantic, and emotional expression.  The poetry by Edward Randall, especially the Indian’s Adieu, exemplifies the precise care that they took to craft their words to express their feelings.

This leads me to ask a question. What lasting legacies are we leaving behind that will be observed by our descendants 150 years from now? My ancestors’ testimonies of their faith in God is an inspiration to me, and I am certain by their actions I am reaping the benefits of their prayers.

Edwin Randall's Poems and Artwork - text transcribed

The Indian's Adieu (Page 1), (Page 2)

Dreams of Youth (Page 1), (Page 2)

Drawing of an Indian village

Putnam Saving Ford Edward (Newspaper Clipping),

Article

Dreamland Drawing (Sailing Ship & Lion),

Dreamland Poem

Town of Chase, Estranged

Agents Wanted for a Life in Utah,

Ad for Sewing Machine

Post Card Brookside Michigan (1876 stamps)

Reverse Side

John Randall: my great-great grandfather

Balloon Clipping,

Reverse Side

Social Dance at the Chase Hotel, 1872

Beautiful Dreamer

Bird Drawing,

Birds Newspaper Clipping,

Reverse Side

Drawing of Boats

Jay Bronson Ads,

Ads 2,

Summitville Envelope,

Reverse Side

A Scene Among the Catskills

Cottage Newspaper Clipping,

Reverse Side

Drawings of A. Cowley, John Dryden

Drawing of the Creation

Edgar Randall Poem,

Page 2

Language of Flowers,

Flowers 2

Foxes,

Drawing of a House

Minnehaha Falls, Lake Winnipegosis

Latin Translations

Loch Levon

Drawing of Hair Locket (My sister has the real one)

The Gal with the Waterfall

We Yet May Meet Again

Moore's Rural News

I am Lonely Since My Mother Died,

Page 2

Musketeer Drawing

Stearn's Notice, Big Rapids, Michigan

Oliver Goldsmith Drawing

Edgar Randall House Plans,

Plans 2

Poppy Seeds,

Seeds 2

Regatta of the Yachts,

Regatta on the Steamer

Rooster Clipping

Riverside N.J. on the Delaware River (Drawing)

Sailing Ship Drawing

Old Schoolhouse

Shallop Drawing

French Starch Enamel

View of Steubenville, Ohio

Summitville Signs

Sunnyside (Drawing)

Sweet Pea (Drawing)

Thomas Chatterton: One Marvellous Boy, The sleepless soul that perished in his pride.

Tinturn Abbey (Drawing)

The Leafless Woods (Newspaper Clipping)

The Norwich Journal October 13, 1830