A very important businessman in the history of Kingsley was Dr. Myron S. Brownson.  Steuben County, New York was his birthplace in 1844 and married Sarah A. Rowe in 1871 and had one son, Dr. Jay Joseph Henry Brownson.

Dr. Brownson was educated at the Literary College of South Dansville, Steuben County, at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and Bennett Eclectic College, Chicago; also attended two coursesat Rush Medical College, Chicago.  

During a portion of the war he was employed by the Armory Square Hospital, under Dr. Bliss.  He founded and operated the Dansville Medical Institute.  The doctor also edited the Home Medical Advisor and Medical Journal.  He also practiced one season at Valparaiso, Indiana.  He has been in practice in the Grand Traverse and adjoining counties since 1873 making his home at Walton and Paradise.  Choosing Paradise for his residence.  

He has been very active in efforts to advance the business interests of the village and the county. Myron started and carried out at this point and elsewhere in the county a number of business enterprises, blacksmithing, mercantile trade, livery, and at that point had built the first saw-mill.

He had the largest cleared farm in the county, having one clearing of 200 acres in the vicinity of the village. In November of 1883, the following mention was made of the village, substantially covering its history.

 "Perhaps no town along the line of the G. R. & I. Road has grown more rapidly than the village founded by Dr. Brownson,  The plat of this village was created July, 1882. Since then its growth has been steady; from the few buildings that then sheltered some dozens, there were now (1884) nearly four hundred inhabitants.  The small pioneer shanty had given way to fine brick and frame buildings with stores and mills being erected.

"At the corner of Main Street and Brownson Avenue is the mammoth block, erected by Dr. Brownson, which was being roofed at that time.  By taking a tape line and passing it around the ends of this building, and then measuring in a straight line, you will find that the distance around the building is twenty-six rods.  The highest point of the roof is over sixty feet from the ground.  On entering the building is found the basement rooms for storage, heater, cellar, and a large kitchen and commission room.  The main floor would have a store 24x79, salesroom, office and bar-room, halls, a large dining room, coffee room, a fine parlor, three bedrooms, two closets, wash room and water closet, and a pantry with a dumb waiter which ascends to the attic story at the pleasure of the cook.  This building contains over an acre of floor room, and when completed according to design will be one of the finest hotels in the state.  The Combination Gas Co., of Detroit, had the contract of putting in one hundred jet gas works to light the house.  A Grand Rapids firm put in a steam heater to supply the house with both hot and cold water, and also to heat the house.  The hotel is situated on a rise of ground, and the drainage is perfect.  When completed the hotel would accommodate three hundred guests.

"A fine livery barn with stable room for fifty horses was attached to the hotel.  

"At the foot of Brownson Avenue the Munshaw Bros had erected one of the largest stave, hoop, barrel and heading factories in the state and also a lumber mill.  They were to have a switch from the railroad track to their mill.  Their mill was to be 40x90, with an ell 30x50, and a wing 30x100.  A row of sheds on both sides of the track were for lumber and staves. They, then, planned to erect several large cottages.  $250,000 per year was the expectation of the business.  The firm would employ a larger number of men and it was hoped this would be in running order by early spring.

"Dr. Brownson expected to put, on the market, all the land lying between the hotel and the Munshaw Bros' factory.  This opened up some of the finest building lots in the village.

"The G. R. & I. Company placed a siding across Main Street beside their main track for the accommodation of Case & Crotser's lumber mill, Burkit & Co., and others, who would to ship to other areas.

"The M. E. Church was again under way and would soon have the roof completed.

    "Messers. Cole & Camp, of Bronson, Michigan purchased a llot at the corner of Main Street and Brownson Avenue and erected a large store to be filled with goods.

"The mill site which I. I. Smith sold to Burkitt & Co. was improved by the company, and a larger and better mill set was set in operation.  This mill has one of the best mills in the place.  They expect to build several new homes in the spring.  Their was already a number of homes in process of erection. 

Source: The Traverse Region, published 1884.

@Created by Brenda K. Wolfgram Moore 29June2003