Jakeway Family
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The Jakeway family has been in the area ranging from Spencer Township to Bowne Township and Belding to Grand Rapids, beginning in 1836. The Michigan branch of the family changed the spelling from Jaques to Jakeway.
William Jakeway was the oldest of the Jakeway family in the area, though he wasn’t the first here. He died in 1866 and is buried in the Alton Cemetery north of Lowell. Three of William’s grandchildren, Hannah, Roxana and James were the first to come to the area. Hannah and her husband William Murray settled on the southeast corner of Alden Nash Avenue and Four Mile Road on the southern edge of Murray Lake in 1836. Roxana and her husband Charles Francisco moved to Grattan Township in 1847. James came to Grattan Township in 1854, settling on 80 acres at the northeast corner of the intersection of Lincoln Lake Avenue and Six Mile Road. Three of James’ sons were John, Sherman and Charles Jakeway. John’s son Kent served as supervisor for Grattan Township for six years. Sherman was a detective with the Grand Rapids Police Department. He was well known for solving unsolvable cases. It was said that he had been “prominent in the story of nearly every important case” during his time as detective. Tragically he died of cancer at the age of 40. His brother, Charles E. Jakeway, was appointed as guardian over his children. Charles had a very successful apple evaporator in Alton. In 1899 he shipped out 400 boxes of dried apples. When the train depot was located at Moseley instead of Alton, many businesses in Alton moved to Moseley. In 1908 Jakeway bought a lot in Moseley and moved his operations there. He planned to build a brick warehouse the next year. In 1913 Jakeway expanded his operations to Lowell and moved to the village. In the spring of 1916 Jakeway purchased 160 acres from Frank Flanagan in Grattan township. This was the second farm to grow his fruit. The future and Jakeway’s business were looking bright. On October 14, 1916, Jakeway and his father-in-law, Charles Francisco, were driving to the stockyards just east of the Grand Trunk Depot, south of Lowell. It was later supposed that the line of boxcars obstructed the view, so as the men drove up onto the tracks, they did not realize that the eastbound grand trunk flyer was coming through. The men were killed instantly, and the car and its parts were strung along the track for a distance. The men were mourned by the whole community. A double funeral was held, with Jakeway being buried in Oakwood Cemetery and Francisco was buried at Alton. Charles’ wife Ella Jakeway advertised the sale of the Jakeway elevator* in Lowell. Answering the advertisement from Grosse Isle Michigan, was Carlton H. Runciman. Through tragedy, C.H. Runciman, one of the greatest civic leaders and businessmen that Lowell has known, came to town. The future was about to change. Images: Jakeway Elevator 1906-07 Kent County Board of Supervisors, Kent Jakeway 5th row back, far left. |
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