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

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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGHAMI COUNTY

Another local, "Mr. McDuffie and Col. Benton have each a
bill before Congress for the annexation of Texas. It reviews the
relations of the United States, and the history of the late proceedings of the different governments in regard to annexation,
breathing through the whole a warlike spirit."-Ingham County
News.
PIONEER NEWSPAPERS OF INGHAM COUNTY.
Written for the Ingham County News by D. B. Harrington, in
1874.
On the first day of June, 1859, the writer arrived in the village
of Mason, with his entire worldly possessions loaded in a farmer's
wagon, for the purpose of establishing a newspaper in that, then,
decidedly rural village. The aforesaid "effects" consisted of the
debris of what was once known as "The Public Sentiment" printing office, a small newspaper that was published by B. F. Burnett,
at Grass Lake, and especially devoted to redressing alleged grievances occasioned by the "Great Conspiracy" between the Michigan Central Railroad and certain citizens of Jackson and Washtenaw counties. The "Sentiment" was particularly severe on
the railroad company, each issue being filled with personal attacks
aimed at the general managers of the road, written in a bold and
fearless manner by the unscrupulous editor.
I saw an article recently in the Detroit Post, written by J. C.
Holmes, Esq., giving a brief history of the pioneer newspapers of
Michigan. In that article the writer claims that the first paper
printed in Michigan was "The Michigan Essay," established at
Detroit in 1809. I believe his statement is correct. The type
upon which the "Essay" was printed after passing from one
owner to another, was finally purchased by the aforesaid B. F.
Burnett, and used to print his "Public Sentiment," and it was
with what remained of that battered, much worn and much abused
old French type, that the first number of the Ingham County News
was printed; so if a history of this paper has no other merit, it
may justly claim the advantages of antiquity in its "dress,"
being printed from the first types that were ever brought into
Michigan.