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 INGHAM COUNTY

MILLS IN MASON AND INGHAM COUNTY.
The first grist mill in Mason was located in one corner of the
old water mill in 1840, the water mill having been erected some
two years before by Danforth and Coatsworth. At the raising
a great dinner was given and a fracas ensued in which Jas. Turner,
a Republican from Lansing, was prominent. The trouble arose
at the dinner table, and pumpkin pies were used as missiles.
The Phoenix Mills were built in 1858 by Henderson and McRobert. G. G. Mead came to Mason from Westchester, N. Y.,
in 1851, and after farming for some years took over the Phoenix
Mills and continued as owner and proprietor until his death.
The first saw mill in Mason was the old water mill mentioned
above. Edwin Stanton came to this State in 1838. He started
the first steam saw mill in Lansing and helped clean the stumps
from the State Capitol grounds. In 1860 he began running the
old Stanton mill in Mason. This was burned twice, before he
gave up the business.
On September 11, 1873, a new steam grist mill had just commenced running in Leroy township, owned by B. Mason.
FROM THE INGHAM COUNTY NEWS, DECEMBER 30,
1875.
The abstract office of William Woodhouse was made by him in
1856. At that time it cost the labor of two men for one year and
one man for an additional six months. It is now under the
charge of I. B. and F. B. Woodhouse. It is a complete abstract of
all the lands in Ingham county. It was first kept by Wm. Woodhouse when he was Register of Deeds, and afterward by his successors to that office until 1865, when it was placed in the hands
of I. B. Woodhouse and has since been kept by him.
I. B. Woodhouse has been a resident of Ingham county since
1841, and came to this city to work in the Register's office in 1862.
With the exception of seven years, five of them spent in the army,
Mr. Woodhouse has been a resident of Mason since that time, He