Early Days of Rockford

Air -- "Lucy Long"

I
My friends, I pray you listen,
I'll sing a little song,
About the village of Rockford,
It will not take me long;
And how it was first settled
By enterprising men,
And all the news about it,
I'll tell you if I can.
II
Situated in a wilderness,
With forests all around,
Thirteen miles from Grand Rapids,
Is this florishing town.
On the banks of Rogue river,
Where runs the water still,
And in the early settled days,
Was called Laphamville.
III
First settled by Smith Lapham,
In eighteen and forty-three,
Then came the Hunter brothers
To keep him company.
Lapham and Hunter Brothers
Built each a shingle mill,
On the banks of Rogue river
Are the same old buildings still.
IV
In the early days of Rockford
They had to run a stage,
They had no other conveyance
To get from place to place.
Now they go by railway,
The cars run night and day;
The early days of Rockford
Have nearly passed away.