Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

INGITAM COUNTY HISTORY

127

the main channel, almost every variety of soil and timber is to be
met with; sometimes the fertile prairie or plain, and again the
alluvial bottom, and grove of timber. The region of county
irrigated by the Grand river and its tributaries is not less than
7,000 square miles, and includes some of the richest and most
valuable lands in the State. These lands are now in demand by
emigrants from the east, who are fast increasing in population
and improvements, and raising flourishing villages, in testimony
of their inherent fertility."
It calls Grand Rapids a village, situated on the south side of
Grand river, and gives a full description of the rapids themselves
thus:
"Grand Rapids.-These consist of an obstruction in the Grand
river, 40 miles from its mouth, 'caused by a stratum of lime rock,
which shows itself in the bed of the river and in both banks, for a
distance of a mile and a half. Its inclination is remarkably uniform, causing the water of the river to descend with a velocity due
to 15 feet fall, without noise or commotion.' Their length is
about one mile. A canal is constructing by the Kent Company,
around the rapids on the south side. Its dimensions are 81 feet
wide, and 5 feet deep. There are to be two locks constructed,
each 40 feet wide and 150 feet in length, so that the largest steamboats that navigate the river can pass." The estimated cost of
this canal was $43,751.
At that time the Indian population of the State was said to
be 7,914, there being 4,259 in the Lower Peninsula. The total
white population then was 174,169, while in 1810 it was 4,384.
In speaking of the minerals found in the State, the writer says:
"The Upper Peninsula presents many external evidences of the
existence of metallic ores. Large masses of native copper have
been found in some of the larger rivers."
A long description of the ancient mounds found in the State is
very interesting, but it is quite evident that those in Ingham
county had not been discovered at that time.
The supplement gives the names of the townships organized at
the Legislative session of 1837-38, and among them are Alaiedon,
Onondaga, Vevay and Leslie, though Leslie is in the list as belonging to Jackson county. There were 15 chartered banks in
the State in 1838, and 40 banking associations not chartered.