The following post tells the story of a Black family. As mentioned in previous posts, I am a white woman writing this blog. I spend time on antiracism education, but due to the nature of white supremacy it is apparent my intent may have a different impact to a Black reader. I welcome all and any feedback as I work on uplifting the stories and lives of these Black families who have resided in this address.
Even though Michigan was thousands of miles north of the Jim Crow laws that the southern states followed, Black residents faced racism and discrimination in Grand Rapids, which unfortunately is still present in different ways today. To help me understand further, I read, "A City Within A City" by Todd E. Robinson as I was researching this house. I highly recommend it to truly understand how Grand Rapids was developed and organized and how it affected Black residents. Another book that is on my list is, "African Americans in the Furniture City: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Grand Rapids" . I've heard this provides excellent history as well.
Below are excerpts from, Jelks, R. (1993). Making Opportunity: The Struggle against Jim Crow in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 1890-1927. Michigan Historical Review, 19(2), 23-48. doi:10.2307/20173402
*Occupants of 624 (274) Henry Ave are highlighted in red font to help the reader keep track of names.
1934-1997: MARSH - John H & Pearl (McGinnis)
John H Marsh was born in 1893 in Arkansas. Unfortunately, I was unable to find his parents' names or any names of siblings.
Before he lived at 624 Henry Ave, and the earliest record I can find of him is in 1930. At that time, he was a "boarder" at the house owned by Lena Milton at 615 Sherman St SE.
From the above 1930 Census, Lena Milton was a widow. Her husband was Henry Milton - owner of the Milton Hotel in downtown Grand Rapids. Before the opening of his hotel, Henry Milton worked as a Messenger for then current Governor Fred Green in Lansing, MI.
Prior to being governor, Fred Green was the Mayor of Ionia, MI. From past newspaper articles, I read that Henry Milton also operated the Plaza Hotel in Ionia around the same time. I'm thinking that is how those two men met.
From the 1930 Census, John Marsh was a hotel waiter, so I assume John knew the Lena and Henry Milton from the hotel business. John also probably knew the Brown family that previously lived at 624 Henry Ave because Robert and George were also hotel waiters that lived just a couple blocks away.
John moved into 624 Henry Ave in 1934 - from the city directories, he was the only resident in the house until 1940. Not sure on the exact year, but John married Pearl McGinnis around 1940.
Pearl McGinnis was born in April 1908, also in Arkansas. I am unable to trace her parents and I am unable to find concrete documents on her until 1940.
From the 1940 US Census below, John and Pearl weren't married yet as Pearl was listed as a "lodger." The census also tells me that Pearl's residence in 1935 was a farm in Garland, Arkansas.
John's occupation was a waiter at a hotel dining room. The last three columns of the census shows that in 1939, he only worked 26 weeks of the year and his salary was $450/yr. The house at 624 Henry Ave was rented at $10/mo by John. One can assume the Brown family still owned the house but rented it to John.
One of the hotels John worked at was the Hotel Rowe (mentioned in the GR City Directories). Hotel Rowe was located on the corner of Michigan and Monroe - today it is an apartment building with Atwater Brewery on the first floor. It was built in 1923 by Fred Rowe. Then in the 1960's it was turned into a nursing home - Olds Manor.
I remember the building as the Olds Manor when I was growing up!
As mentioned in Part IV, in 1958, George Brown moved back into 624 Henry with John and Pearl. He lived there until he passed away in 1968.
There are no other documents that I could find about John Marsh other than when he passed away in 1966.
Pearl Marsh continued to live at 624 Henry Ave for another 31 years. I can tell from public property records that in 1997, Pearl sold the house. Then three years later Pearl passed away in 2000 in Grand Rapids.
*The history of 624 Henry is very unique since it can be traced back to 1885. The variety of cultures that lived in the home is amazing and I learned so much about the authentic history of Grand Rapids.
