This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: MichaelCronk28 Surnames: CRABB, CRABBE, CULLOM, GOUL, KEYES, WEEKS Classification: biography Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.ohio.counties.summit/5089/mb.ashx Message Board Post: J. E. GOUL, a leading lumberman of Northern Kent, was born in HUDSON, SUMMIT CO., OHIO, Jan. 23, 1857. His parents, John and Catharine Goul, were natives of Germany. They removed to Allegan Co., Mich., in 1858. Mr. Goul was reared on a farm, and was educated in the Allegan High School. In May, 1873, he came to Sand Lake and clerked in a grocery store two years, and subsequently engaged in manufacturing shingles, which he still follows. He owns a shingle-mill in Solon, and is one of the old business men of Sand Lake. He was married Oct. 20, 1880, to Miss Georgia CRABB, daughter of George W. and Anna L. Crabb, born in Jennings Co, Ind., Nov. -, 1861. Mr. G. is a member of the I. 0. of 0. F., and is a Democrat, He is now President of the village, and has served as member of the Council two years. HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN (1881), Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Chicago, Pg. 1261 **************** JOHN E. GOUL, the most prominent business man of Sand Lake, Nelson township, KENT COUNTY, Mich., is a native of SUMMIT COUNTY, OHIO, and was born January 23, 1857, the eldest of three children that constituted the family of John and Catherine (KEYES) GOUL, and of these three one son, Charles A., is a farmer of Allegan county, Mich.; one is deceased, and John E. is virtually the head of the family, as far as seniority of years is concerned, both parents being deceased. John Goul, the father of the subject, was born in Hesse Darmstadt, Germany, in 1826, and was a cooper by trade. He came to America at the age of twenty-one years and lived in Ohio until 1858, and was there engaged in farming until his coming to MICHIGAN in the year last mentioned. In Trowbridge, Allegan county, he purchased a farm, and on this he passed away in 1883, a member of the Lutheran church, and greatly respected as a man and a citizen. Politically he was strongly democratic, but was never an office see! ker. His wife was a native of Wurtemberg, Germany, was born in 1824 and died in 1887, also in the faith of the Lutheran church. John E. Goul was a mere babe when brought to MICHIGAN by his parents, and until sixteen years of age attended school in Allegan county, although much of his present advanced knowledge was gained through self inculcation. His business life was begun, at the age of nineteen, in the manufacture of lumber and shingles at Sand Lake at a time when twenty-five lumber and shingle mills were operated at or near that place, but later had some experience in conducting a general store-carrying a stock of dry goods, groceries and the various other commodities usually suited to country trade. In January,1876, he commenced mercantile business in Sand Lake, and this, but not altogether exclusively, has been his home. In 1881, he erected a shingle and lumber plant in Ensley township, Newaygo county, which he controlled until 1882, but did not relinquish his busines! s interests in Sand Lake. In 1889 he erected in this town his present mill for the manufacture of lumber and shingles. He handled the product of other mills as well as his own, and from 1875 to 1880 assisted materially in clearing up this section. In the spring of 1891 he manifested another degree of enterprise by forming a partnership with James H. Brayman in the grain and feed business and the erection of a grain elevator at the cost of $2,500. From this elevator grain and feed are shipped north and to points in the extreme east, and although the firm commenced with handling ten or eleven cars per annum only, it now handles at least 100 cars. This elevator is the best on the G. R. & I. R. R., north of the city of Grand Rapids, and the fair and square dealinig of Mr. Goul and his partner have gained for it the extensive volume of trade it is now favored with. Beside owning their elevator, Messrs. Goul & Brayman are the possessors of sixty-five acres of land just north across the boundary line between Kent and Montcalm counties, and this land ! is made subservient to the interests of the firm. Mr. Goul was united in marriage, October 20, 1880, with Miss Georgia CRABBE, a native of Jennings county, Ind., born November 28, I861, and a daughter of George W. and Anna L. (WEEKS) CRABBE, residents of Sand Lake, the result of this marriage being one son George E. Thay also reared two girls, Lena and Iva CULLOM, who remained in the family from childhood to maturity. As a democrat, Mr. Goul cast his first presidential vote for Winfield Scott Hancock in I880, and since then has been favored by his party by election to various official positions. For nine years he has served as a member of the town council of Sand Lake, and for seventeen consecutive years he has been connected with the public school board. He has also served two terms consecutively as supervisor of Nelson township (although the township gives about 200 majority for the republicans as a rule), and was chairman of that body one year. At the memorable deadlock ! in October, 1899, regarding the apportionment of enumertion between ci ty and country, Mr. Goul led the fight, and after twenty days won a victory by securing a less percentage to the township. In 1898 he was nominated for representative from the third legislative district in the state assembly, and made a very close run. Several times he has represented his party in county and state conventions, and it would be only a waste of words to further demonstrate the popularity which his genial disposition and unswerving integrity have won for him. Fraternally, he is a member of Cedar Springs lodge, F. & A. M., and but few persons in Sand Lake stand higher in the esteem of the public than John E. Goul. THE CITY OF GRAND RAPIDS AND KENT COUNTY, Mich (1900), A.W. Bowen & Co., Pgs. 710-711 Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.