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

INGIIAM COUNTY NOTES

219

held in this city on July 4 of that year. This is now "simply a
flag, tattered and torn and hanging in rags," but the associations
connected with it make it invaluable as an historic relic. The
"field" on one side bears Michigan's coat of arms, and on the
other 37 stars represent the States of the Union. The red
stripes have faded until the striped portion of the banner is now
white, and the end is simply a mass of fine tatters. There are
two Company F flags, in quite a good state of preservation, but
the style of construction show they were made at dates considerably apart. One has gilt stars pasted on the blue field, while
the other has embroidered stars. Having played a part in the
history of the county it seems only right that they should be in
charge of some county society of a patriotic nature, and they are
highly prized by the County Historical Society which counts itself
as patriotic to the core.
Since the time of the Curtenius Guard three generations have
taken their part in the military activities of the county, and our
boys today are as ready to stand for the defense of right as were
their ancestors. The part Ingham county took in the Civil War
and the World's War would make a story too long for this first
volume of Ingham county history, in which it is aimed to give the
earliest events concerning the county that can be found, though to
complete their history it has been necessary to bring some of
them down to the present time.
Although this volume does not include the story of Ingham
county in the War of the Rebellion and the wars which have followed, it will not be out of place to follow the story of our early
patriots with a list of the patriotic societies to be found in the
county.
Not until the '80's were there any posts of the Grand Army of
the Republic found within its borders. Chas. T. Foster Post of
Lansing, No. 42, was the first to organize on Feb. 2, 1882, with 38
charter members, and Rush J. Shank as commander; the next in
line was Phil McKernon, of Mason, No. 53, organized on April 8,
1882, with Comrade Henson as commander; Dewey, No. 60, of
Leslie, started with 19 charter members on May 25, 1882, W. W.
Cook, commander; Frank Hicks, No. 78, of Dansville, organized on
September 18, 1882, with 23 charter members, with A. Beers as
commander. This post disbanded in June, 1917. Fred Turrell