GREENVILLE by James White

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 30, 1868

GREENVILLE

By James White

In answer to letters daily received making inquiries as to Greenville, I would here state, that this village is twenty miles north of Ionia, (a station on the Detroit and Milwaukee railroad,) of nearly 2000 inhabitants. At the south, east, and west, of Greenville, are as fine farming lands as are to be found in Michigan. At the north are the pine forests, furnishing a vast amount, and good quality, of lumber. Both on the north and south of the village are good water-powers, about one mile apart, each sufficient to run a flour-mill, saw-mill, shingle and lath machines. Between these on the river, are several steam mills. There are two foundries, a door and sash factory, woolen factory, and all, or nearly all, the branches of business and trades carried on in this village common to the villages and small cities of Michigan.

Improved farms from one to five miles from Greenville range from $40 to $60 per acre, according to distance from the village, value of the soil, and the amount of improvements made. There is no better fruit country than this, excepting it is sometimes too severe in winter for peaches and grapes.

Mechanics get about the same wages here as in other portions of the State. If there be a difference it is in favor of Greenville. Rent is high. Building lots are rising in price. These are common to rapidly-growing villages. Lumber is comparatively cheap, while other building materials are about the same as at any point of equal distance from Detroit. Wood, at present, is worth but a trifle more than the expense of chopping and drawing a mile. All manner of provisions and groceries about the same as in other portions of the State.

Carpenters can find ready employment. And I know not why blacksmiths, wheelwrights, tailors, shoemakers, coopers, painters, &c., &c., might not do as well, but of the chances for these, I cannot speak definitely. This village will probably do as well as others of the same size in the State.

The church is small, numbering less than forty, and more than one half of these are children, and poor persons who need help, instead of helping others.—The place of worship is a neat and commodious house two miles east of the village. The church is weak, containing scarcely a real, laboring, burden-bearer. A change is taking place in the church, and we hope to see better days in this respect. We wish to have it distinctly understood, that it will be expected of those who come to Greenville that they be working hands in the cause. There is enough to do here, and we want help. Come not to Greenville to be helped. But you who have but little that you can do in your present locality, we would like to have come and help us.

If you come before visiting the place to learn for yourselves, you must come on your own responsibility. Brn. Cyphers and Towle from Maine came to see the place, and are settling here. It is not proper that statements relative to the place should be so definite and urgent as to induce persons to rapidly come to this vicinity, to be disappointed. You who desire to come to Greenville, go to the Lord with the matter, and move cautiously and upon your own responsibility in the fear of God. JAMES WHITE. Greenville, June 18, 1868.