Northern Mich~Mash Preserve
~BRUTUS~
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In 1874 Abner S. Lee built the Brutus House, and was named the FIRST postmaster of Brutus.
In 1874 Brutus was a stagecoach stop.
By 1882, the town of Brutus (name only) was moved two miles east to the train station location
of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad.
In 1874 Brutus was a stagecoach stop.
By 1882, the town of Brutus (name only) was moved two miles east to the train station location
of the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad.
The Brutus Post Office by Maurice Eby (accessible by clicking HERE):
"The uniqueness of the Brutus Post Office lies in that it was the first post office in Emmet County that was not near Lake Michigan; it existed in the two towns of Brutus that were two miles apart; and no one lived near the P.O. when it was started. The railroad came to Petoskey in 1874. Cheboygan did not have a railroad yet so a stage/mail coach traveled between Petoskey and Cheboygan. The halfway point was near Brutus. The horses were changed or rested here so a post office was officially formed even though no one lived in the area. Abner Lee was the first postmaster. He named the town, Brutus, after his hometown in New York. Postmasters changed almost yearly for many years.
In 1882, the railroad was finished from Petoskey to Mackinaw City, and Brutus [the name] was moved from Maple River to the current location. The post office was usually in the home or business of the postmaster so locations changed frequently. Brutus started to grow rapidly in about 1897 when Nelson Pier became the 16th postmaster and served for 28 years. Pier built a still standing building as a post office building.
After more short time postmasters, Virgil Wallace served from 1933 to 1963. Wallace bought the unused train depot in about 1950, tore it down, and used the lumber to build his new home/post office. Don Brill became the 23rd Brutus postmaster in 1963. At about that time, he bought an older building and moved it to Brutus. That is the building that was vacated in 2006. Brutus mail now comes from Alanson but still retains the Brutus address."
"The uniqueness of the Brutus Post Office lies in that it was the first post office in Emmet County that was not near Lake Michigan; it existed in the two towns of Brutus that were two miles apart; and no one lived near the P.O. when it was started. The railroad came to Petoskey in 1874. Cheboygan did not have a railroad yet so a stage/mail coach traveled between Petoskey and Cheboygan. The halfway point was near Brutus. The horses were changed or rested here so a post office was officially formed even though no one lived in the area. Abner Lee was the first postmaster. He named the town, Brutus, after his hometown in New York. Postmasters changed almost yearly for many years.
In 1882, the railroad was finished from Petoskey to Mackinaw City, and Brutus [the name] was moved from Maple River to the current location. The post office was usually in the home or business of the postmaster so locations changed frequently. Brutus started to grow rapidly in about 1897 when Nelson Pier became the 16th postmaster and served for 28 years. Pier built a still standing building as a post office building.
After more short time postmasters, Virgil Wallace served from 1933 to 1963. Wallace bought the unused train depot in about 1950, tore it down, and used the lumber to build his new home/post office. Don Brill became the 23rd Brutus postmaster in 1963. At about that time, he bought an older building and moved it to Brutus. That is the building that was vacated in 2006. Brutus mail now comes from Alanson but still retains the Brutus address."
Articles Below: Disastrous Brutus Fire in 1915
~ History of the Wagley & Co. General Store ~
"While Brutus may have all the markings of a peaceful country hamlet, the town has the longest old-fashioned hitching rail in any town, large or small, in Northern Michigan, which positively belies any impression that it is a one horse town. It is curious but true that the main business street in front of the town’s one general store provides more space for the hitching of horses than for parking motor vehicles. The L.E. Wagley general store maintains for its customers a lengthy solid posted hitching rail of the sort that has become extinct in surrounding towns, and what is more, this hitching rail is used and appreciated. Often on mid-forenoons, when the farmers drive to town to do their days marketing as is their custom, tying space for horses is at a premium. The simple explanation is that this village is situated comfortably in the midst of a prosperous rural community peopled principally by farmers of Pennsylvania German descent." ~ Petoskey Evening News 4 February 1932
"Loren Maxfield started a general store in 1888. It was the largest store in the area for many years. The original store burned in 1915 and he built the smaller store that still stands. He sold the building to Lynn Wagley in 1925 and moved to Pellston and bought another store. The Bathke family bought the Wagley/Evans business lots after the Evans fire, and Ray ran a store in the Maxfield building until about 1950.
In 1889, John Dimling started a store between the Maxfield and Snyder stores, and Dimling bought the Snyder store in 1897. He usually rented out one building to other operators who never lasted very long. Dimling ran his store until about 1913-14 and he died in 1914. L.B. Burtch owned this store from 1914 to 1921. Burtch probably merged the Snyder and Dimling buildings into one big store. After Mr. Burtch died, Mrs. Burtch married Lynn Wagley in 1922. The Wagleys did well and in 1925, longtime store owner Maxfield sold his building to Wagley. As far as I know, Wagley did not use this building as a store. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wagley died in 1932. The only heir was Adele Wagley Evans and she ran the store until it burned in 1937." ~ The History of Brutus and Maple River Township by Maurice Eby (Click HERE)
In 1889, John Dimling started a store between the Maxfield and Snyder stores, and Dimling bought the Snyder store in 1897. He usually rented out one building to other operators who never lasted very long. Dimling ran his store until about 1913-14 and he died in 1914. L.B. Burtch owned this store from 1914 to 1921. Burtch probably merged the Snyder and Dimling buildings into one big store. After Mr. Burtch died, Mrs. Burtch married Lynn Wagley in 1922. The Wagleys did well and in 1925, longtime store owner Maxfield sold his building to Wagley. As far as I know, Wagley did not use this building as a store. Both Mr. and Mrs. Wagley died in 1932. The only heir was Adele Wagley Evans and she ran the store until it burned in 1937." ~ The History of Brutus and Maple River Township by Maurice Eby (Click HERE)
Brutus Baseball Team
Undated Lynn Wagley's obituary left stated: "During his [Lynn Wagley's] earlier life in Emmet County, he was prominent in local baseball circles, at the time being considered one of the best backstops in the county leagues." The photo below had no identifications, however, so it is unknown if Lynn Wagley is in this particular photo just labeled as "Brutus Baseball Team." |
~ The Pier House Later Became The Purple Inn ~
"Henry Pier moved to Brutus in 1889 but did not buy any property in Brutus until 1895 when he bought the Bull property. Business directories first mentioned the Pier House in 1895. Pier ran a successful business and he sold the hotel to Will and Nellie Purple in 1903. They also had a good hotel business until the closing the mills...the closing of the
Dr. Lila Frey was the only child of German immigrants and came to Brutus fresh out of medical school in 1901. She lived and had her office at the Pier Hotel (Purple Inn).
In 1903, William and Nellie Purple came to Brutus and purchased the Pier house, the town’s hotel since the earliest days of the settlement. William added a barber shop and a pool room. William was Emmet County sheriff from 1911 to
1916 and 1920 to 1923. Will was a popular sheriff but was killed on the fifth of September in 1923. He was killed by gunfire when he tried to repossess some property. He went to the Joe Grosskopf farm near the Wequetonsing golf course to discuss repossessing an automobile. An attorney went with him. After telling Grosskopf that they were taking the car, Grosskopf went to the house to get a gun and started shooting first. Although badly wounded, Purple returned fire. Grosskopf died ten days later in Petoskey. After his death, Nellie came back to Brutus and got serious about operating a first rate restaurant. She was successful. The fame of Mrs. Purple’s chicken dinners was known throughout the country as more and more visitors stopped there for meals. As cars became more common, people drove long distances to visit her place. The Inn was remodeled several times to look good. After the fire, Nellie was not yet ready to retire so she moved to Petoskey and started a new Tea Room. The old site of the Purple Inn has never been used again. It has trees and a few relics in the old foundation area." ~ The History of Brutus and Maple River Township by Maurice Eby (Click HERE)
Another version of this murder tells that all legal records of this killing have vanished from the local Petoskey law offices which may have revealed that Mr. Grosskopf was using the horses for farming his fields the day the horses were to be repossessed. He stated that he had until the end of the day to use the horses. When he turned his back, Sheriff Purple shot Mr. Grosskopf in the back because Dutch Pailthorp, a new, young, Petoskey attorney who had accompanied the sheriff, hollered to Sheriff Purple that Mr. Grosskopf was going for a gun, and to "Shoot. Shoot." ... that the Sheriff had shot first. Mr. Grosskopf died ten days later.
Dr. Lila Frey was the only child of German immigrants and came to Brutus fresh out of medical school in 1901. She lived and had her office at the Pier Hotel (Purple Inn).
In 1903, William and Nellie Purple came to Brutus and purchased the Pier house, the town’s hotel since the earliest days of the settlement. William added a barber shop and a pool room. William was Emmet County sheriff from 1911 to
1916 and 1920 to 1923. Will was a popular sheriff but was killed on the fifth of September in 1923. He was killed by gunfire when he tried to repossess some property. He went to the Joe Grosskopf farm near the Wequetonsing golf course to discuss repossessing an automobile. An attorney went with him. After telling Grosskopf that they were taking the car, Grosskopf went to the house to get a gun and started shooting first. Although badly wounded, Purple returned fire. Grosskopf died ten days later in Petoskey. After his death, Nellie came back to Brutus and got serious about operating a first rate restaurant. She was successful. The fame of Mrs. Purple’s chicken dinners was known throughout the country as more and more visitors stopped there for meals. As cars became more common, people drove long distances to visit her place. The Inn was remodeled several times to look good. After the fire, Nellie was not yet ready to retire so she moved to Petoskey and started a new Tea Room. The old site of the Purple Inn has never been used again. It has trees and a few relics in the old foundation area." ~ The History of Brutus and Maple River Township by Maurice Eby (Click HERE)
Another version of this murder tells that all legal records of this killing have vanished from the local Petoskey law offices which may have revealed that Mr. Grosskopf was using the horses for farming his fields the day the horses were to be repossessed. He stated that he had until the end of the day to use the horses. When he turned his back, Sheriff Purple shot Mr. Grosskopf in the back because Dutch Pailthorp, a new, young, Petoskey attorney who had accompanied the sheriff, hollered to Sheriff Purple that Mr. Grosskopf was going for a gun, and to "Shoot. Shoot." ... that the Sheriff had shot first. Mr. Grosskopf died ten days later.
Photos Below: PRE-1937 Fire of Purple Inn in Brutus, Purple inn Dining Room and Purple Inn Yard...
Article/Photo Below: Nellie Purple ran the Purple Inn in Brutus, Michigan, until it burned in 1937. She had previously been the Jail Matron in Petoskey for Emmet County during the time that her husband Will Purple had been the Emmet County sheriff. He was shot and killed in 1923 (Click HERE for additional information about the death of Sheriff Will Purple and his widowed wife's new Petoskey business venture of "Mrs. Purple's Gift and Tea Shop" on Arlington Avenue.
After Sheriff Purple was killed, his wife Nellie went back to Brutus and turned her Purple Inn into a first rate restaurant; famous for Mrs. Purple's chicken dinners. It was well known throughout the country so more and more visitors stopped there for meals; people driving long distances to visit the Purple Inn. The Inn was remodeled several times, and was looking good when it had the 1937 fire... never to be used again. After the fire, Nellie retired from the Purple Inn and opened a new Tea Room in Petoskey.
~ Mr. Edgerton operated the Emmet County POOR FARM in Brutus, Michigan. ~
~ LAST Remaining Ottawa Princess of the Burt Lake Tribe Died ~
1939
1939
~ Examining a milkweed patch west of Brutus ~
1942
1942
Milkweeds were a valued commodity during WWII, with Petoskey being the "Milkweed Capitol of the World".
Click HERE to access additional information about the local area Milkweed Story.
Click HERE to access additional information about the local area Milkweed Story.
~ Brutus Woman Displays Art of her Ancestors ~
1953
1953
Brutus Resident Leslie Schreier (not visible in photo) in Horsepulling Contest at County Fair
1955
1955
Obituary Below: Fred J. Brill, a school teacher, a WWI veteran, a farmer, a substitute mail carrier out of the Brutus Post Office, and an Emmet county Road Commission employees passed away in January 1959.
Obituary Below: Ferdinand Greiner, 90, a sawmill worker, fireman and engineer in Brutus passed away.
1968
1968
~ Julius Skroderis of Brutus Carves EVERYTHING ~
Photo Below: This cutter sleigh was found on a farm in Brutus, Michigan.
It is now on display at Russell's Shoe Store (Dave's Boot Shop) 403 East Lake Street, Petoskey, Michigan.
It is now on display at Russell's Shoe Store (Dave's Boot Shop) 403 East Lake Street, Petoskey, Michigan.
The Brutus Camp Deli is permanently closed as of 2021.
~ Adams Antique Store ~
Meeting Minutes from the 7 October 2021 Emmet County Planning Commission included the following from Zoning Director Tammy Doernenburg. "Doernenburg reported that she had issued a zoning permit for replacement of a saw mill in Maple River Township on US 31 Highway behind the Adams Antique building, which had been approved in 1984. She consulted with John Eby, Township Supervisor prior issuance of the permit. The original and new site plan was shown. The old sawmill will be demolished and new one constructed. Eby asked if Doernenburg is in contact with the new owners if she can relay that the Mackinaw Historic Village would like to be in the loop on what will happen to the antique building. Doernenburg replied, yes. Laughbaum asked what kind of saw they will use. Doernenburg didn’t know."
Obituary Below: Theresa Schrier was a charter member of Calvary Baptist Church in Brutus
where she served as a pianist and organist, Sunday school teacher, and treasurer.
where she served as a pianist and organist, Sunday school teacher, and treasurer.
Old Timer Relates Brutus Area History
~ Brilliance from Brutus ~
Vernon Stanley Mummert
Vernon Stanley Mummert
Maurice Eby has created an on-line website book titled
The History of Brutus and Maple River Township Settled 1874
which includes the history of Brutus in accurate text and interesting photos.
The History of Brutus and Maple River Township Settled 1874
which includes the history of Brutus in accurate text and interesting photos.