Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1917-01-31
OLD TIME RESIDENT
WAS A SHOEMAKER
IN THE EARLY DAYS
ANDREW NUDGE TELLS OF
CATCHING FISH THAT WAS
LONGER THAN HIMSELF

Andrew Nudge, brother Of Elisha
Nudge, formerly of Belding, was in
the city last week and while here
gave the Banner some interesting
facts connected with his early life in
and around this city. Mr.. Nudge
came to Vergennes township, Kent
county, in the fall Of 1888, when he
was only six years old. At the time
of the family's coming there was not
a white person in the township, ex-
cept the Smith family. The family
of Smiths had come TO the township
the spring previous.
Lowell was an Indian village when
Mr.. Nudge first saw it. The Chip
pewas had a trading post there and
he often went to their camp on busl-
ness and pleasure. Grand Rapids
was also only small trading post.
When Mr.. Nudge first went there ne
acted as interpreter for the Indians
in Eley's store. The pale-faced ma
tives took him there many times for
this purpose and he always acted as
middleman with complete satisfac-
ton to both parties. Nudge remem-
bers when the first brick building,
owned by John L. Pierce, was built.
1t occupied a position near the juno
ton of Canal and Lyon streets. Soon
afterward Sweets Hotel was built
and this was soon followed by Gums
restaurant.
During the early years of Andrews
life Mudge's father helped build the
first dam across Flat river to furnish
power for Patterson's mill. He also
spent several years logging along
/ Flat river. At one time, when his
father and older brothers were away
from home Andrew concluded to go
! fishing. He went down to a branch
of the river near his home, with the
intention of getting good mess for
dinner. As he neared the bank of
the stream he saw huge fish basking
near an old log. AS Andrew neared
the bauk the fish swan under the log
with its tail protruding from under
the edge. The lad became excited
and ran to the house to get a spear.
The father had given instructions
that the spear should never be taken
out by the lad, but he finally persuad-
ed his mother to permit him to use 1T.
Andrew ran back to the stream
and the big fish was still basking in
the sun. He stepped onto the. log
very gently and walked out until he
was directly over the big fellow. With
one mighty lunge he caught the fish
on the spear. There was lively
tussle in the water before Andrew
could drag his catch to the bank.
Then, being unable to remove the fish
from the spear, and because it was
too heavy to lift, the boy dragged it
to the house. He was at that time
about seven years old and the fish
was longer than the boy was tall.
Andrew Nudge was fifty-five years
old before he ever became a patron
of barber shop. His hair was cut
by some member of the family and he
never shaved He never used tobac-
co in any form, but one. The instance
on which he used it was when he mix
ed dope to kill lice on calves. He
stated that it was his opinion that
anything that would kill lice was toe
vile for him to eat.
By trade Andrew Nudge was q
shoemaker. He operated shop in
Saranac when the railroad was being
built. The business was one of the
best in those days. He later had q
shop in Grattan Center. At times he
made harnesses and his product wa:
known for miles in every direction
from his shop. At two or three time:
Mr.. Nudge quit the shoemaker
trade to farm, but always returned
to his chosen profession.
Mr.. Nudge is a cousin of j. II
Godfrey of this place and has many
other relatives in Ionia and Ken
counties. He now lives in st. Louis