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

20

PIONEER HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY

that would not hold its own over night, they might cry hard
times."
Sketch by Capt. J. P. Cowles, read at the second annual meeting of the Ingham County Pioneer Association, in May, 1873.
"I came into Ingham county in 1842, from the eastern part of
Ohio, with an ox team, and settled in Jefferson, October 23, 1843.
I worked on the old court house in the fall of 1843, boarding at
Blain's, afterward Steele's Hotel. I think I taught the first singing school in Ingham county, at least the first ever taught in
Mason, Stockbridge, Bunkerhill, Meridian, Alaiedon, or Lansing.
"In 1844 politics ran high and were mingled in all kinds of
business.
"To show the extent to which this was carried, I will mention one circumstance. The school district of the village of Mason
elected Dr. J. W. Phelps, director; I think, G. W. Shafer, assessor,
and Peter Linderman, collector. Phelps, the director, was the
officer to hire the teacher, and he, being a Democrat, hired my
brother, F. M. Cowles, to teach the school five months at $17 per
month. Linderman being a staunch Whig, together with all the
Whigs in the district, opposed Phelps; but the latter, knowing it
to be on account of party feeling, held his ground, and, being
director, had by law the control of the school house. He told
F. M. to go in at the appointed time and commence his school,
and board at Steele's and the district would pay his bill. The
Whig members of the district got together and hired J. W. Longyear, so they had two schools-one in the school house and the
other in the court house. The first day F. M. had three pupils
and Longyear five; the second day F. MI. had one and Longyear
three. The people were afraid to send, fearing that the whole
school bill would fall on those who sent pupils. On the fourth
day F. M. had none, and Longyear one. The second week F. M.
kept the school house and Longyear the court house. Finally
they saw that F. M. had the law on his side, and a meeting was
called to effect a compromise. At this meeting there was great
excitement. Some were for fight, while others left in disgust.
Finally a compromise was made by paying F. M. for a full month
and paying his board. Two men from White Oak stood ready
to take F. M. with them to teach at $18 per month. The excitement soon died out and my brother was $15 richer by the operation.