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

INGIIAIM COUNTY TISTORY

155

by O. M. Barnes, Esq., which if successful would secure tile
building of the road. Mr. Barnes was well known throughout the
county as a good lawyer, and had been nominated as a candidate
for the Legislature on the Democratic ticket.
He was earnestly in favor of a railroad, and his friends promised
that if he should be elected he would procure legislation that
would secure to us the road. On this account many rabid Republicans for once laid aside their political prejudices and voted for
Mr. Barnes. We doubt if Mr. Barnes ever knew why it was that
he was so immensely popular just then, and received such large
majorities from the surrounding townships. On entering the
Legislature he set himself to work at once to obtain some railroad
legislation.
We believe he originated the plan of towns and counties voting
aid to those corporations, and finally succeeded in getting a bill
passed authorizing Ingham county to subscribe for $40,000 worth
of stock, and afterward another authorizing townships along the
projected line to take a limited amount of the stock, for building
a railroad from Jackson to Lansing. An election was soon held,
and the $40,000 stock proposition was carried by a small majority.
This was a starting point. A call was immediately issued for a
meeting to be held at the Court House in Mason on the 22nd day
of December, 1863, to organize the Jackson & Lansing Railroad
Company. The meeting was well attended, and was presided
over by Judge Boreland, of Ohio. A subscription was started,
and in a short time $28,000 was subscribed. The meeting then
proceeded to an election of directors, resulting in the choice of
Hon. H. A. Hayden, Hon. P. B. Loomis, D. B. Hibbard, David
Dwight and J. H1. Thompson, of Jackson, John Dunsback, Minos
McRoberts, John Coatsworth, Hon. J. D. Woodsworth, Hon.
Wm. H. Chapman, Hon. James Turner and Hon. H. H. Smith, of
Ingham county. Mr. Hayden was chosen president, Mr. Turner,
treasurer, and Mr. Barnes, secretary and attorney. The company
proceeded at once to build the road, which was accomplished in
an incredible short time, and Mason was set free from the wilderness.
The dense woods around Mason used to be a common home for
wild beasts, and it was not until a late day that they were finally
exterminated. In the summer of 1859 Deacon Drew, then living