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

ALAIEDON TOWNSHIP AND ITS HISTORY

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never recorded in Ingham county, and probably nowhere else.
Among the settlers were two Childs' families, two Lewis's and one
Phillips. Thirteen log houses were erected previous to 1840
(according to the pioneers of those days), also a log school house.
Mr. Howe built a saw mill on the creek, and carried the water to it
through a ditch 90 rods long. In 1842 Capt. J. P. Cowles purchased land on section 29 including part of the village plat, which
covered about forty acres. When Capt. Cowles bought his land
all the buildings mentioned above were standing on his property,
and he operated the mill for some time before he moved to Lansing
in 1847. He sold the property in 1849. A double log house and a
frame barn were built on the village plat in 1844 by George Howe.
Capt. Cowles was assessed with the west half of the northeast
quarter, the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter, and the
southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of section 29, together
with 23 acres on the north half of the same section, above the
saw mill, between the opposite banks of Mud Creek. The 23
acres being water privilege only.
It was at first expected that a respectably sized village would
grow up, but business refused to seek that locality, and the people
who had bought lots to which they had no title lost confidence in
the future prospects of the place, became dissatisfied and most of
them moved away. William and John Childs and perhaps some
others settled in the neighborhood.
The saw mill at the village was built by Nicholas Lewis and
George Howe after the village was platted, and they owned undivided interest in the property. The village plat was laid out on
both sides of the road extending north and south. Some time
later a division was made, Lewis taking the portion on the east
side of the road and Howe that on the west side. The latter also
took the saw mill which was on the east side. Capt. Cowles purschaed Howe's interest including the saw mill. Mr. Lewis sold his
property at the village to A. M. Hobert, of the State of New York.
Jacob Lewis and his sons came from Oneida county, N. Y., in
1835, and for two years lived near Manchester in the township of
Sharon, Washtenaw county, Mich. In September, 1837, they
moved to Jefferson village, and in 1862 the family of Nicholas
Lewis moved from Alaiedon Township to Vevay. Daniel A.