Early Memories of Saugatuck, Michigan : 1830-1930
Author: Heath, May Francis
Publisher: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Grand Rapids, Mich: 1930

BENJAMIN PLUMMER

Few people were better known throughout western Allegan county in the pioneer days than Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Plummer, where to everyone he was "Uncle Ben." He was born in Maine in 1802, the oldest child of David and Hannah Plummer, and they lived short periods in Ohio and Pennsylvania; the father died in 1828 and Mrs. Plummer came to Michigan with her son and family and shared the hardships of Michigan pioneer life.

Mr. Plummer in 1827 married Miss Elvira Andrews of New York state. They came to Saugatuck in 1834 where Mrs. Plummer was the second white woman and she seemed an angel to Mrs. Butler who had not seen a white woman in nearly four years. The Plummers settled northeast of town. he building a saw mill at the outlet of Goshorn Lake (later called Wallinville), which he operated several years, when in 1850 he moved his family to Ganges where he had taken up a tract of land, and lumbering and farming were his pursuits as he also built a saw mill at Plummerville.

Seven children were born to this worthy couple, Frederick, Andrew, William H., Lucinda, Elnora, Mary J. and Sarah. Both generations have passed away while the third and fourth generations of the family love to dwell on the lives and adventures their hardy ancestors bore for the comfort of future posterity.

One terrible grief of Mr. and Mrs. Plummer was the loss of four children in one week during the ravages of cholera in Michigan in 1853.