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 INGIIAM COUNTY

(Reuben Bullen was director, and hearing of Bird Norton having
killed a bear by clubbing it to death he declared there was the man
for the school, and hired him forthwith.)
The date of the first religious society in the neighborhood is
hard to fix, but from my earliest recollection I can recall hearing
the Webbs, the Wilsons, the Wrights, and the Bullens talk in
religious gatherings.
The first M. E. preacher I can remember was Elder Glass, who
drove a pair of small ponies, amd I as a boy thought he was quite
liberal in feeding them for it didn't seem as though such small
horses needed such a large amount of feed. The first Baptist
preachers I can remember were Rev. Hendee and Rev. Fuller.
Rev. Fuller was grandfather to Mrs. J. H. Shafer.
The first meeting to organize the N. Aurelius Union church,
(M. E. and Baptist.) was held on Feb. 17, 1880. The first trustees were W. M. Webb, James Doolittle, A. J. Holley, Harvey Wilson and 0. F. Leffingwell. A subscription of $1,862.50 was obtained. The trustees were a building committee to build a church.
S. A. Paddock of Mason drew the plans, and Alpha Douglas of
Holt secured the job of building it, for the sum of $1,375.00. It
-was dedicated Oct. 21, 1880. This is all I know, and perhaps some
things I don't know, concerning the early settlement of the
community.
THE THOMAS SMITI FAMILY.
Thomas Smith was the oldest son of David and Mary Smith
and was born in England, Apr. 27, 1822. At the age of 12 he went
to live with his uncle, William Shaw, where he learned the stone
cutting trade, building bridges. At the age of 21 he came to
America with his parents. Dec. 25, 1846, he married Mary Ann
Wright. Ten children, David, John and Thomas died in infancy.
The others, Mary, Lansing, William W., Mattie, and Jennie
(twins) and Caleb. Mary, wife of Edward Isham, died at the
age of 26.
A great share of Thos. Smith's married life was spent in Detroit, but his last years were spent on a farm 1 mi E. and 1 mi N.
of the N. Aurelius church.
He thought the country a better place to bring up children than
in the city. With the money that came as bounty for her soldier