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

Other residents of the district were Willis Bush and family, a
family named Brooks, the Whites, Seth Harmon, John Gale,
Hiram and Harmon Gibbs.
An amusing story is told, which contains a unique hint as to
the first aid remedies used in early times. Miller and Bush were
working swamp land when Bush was bitten by a massasauga.
He was addicted to the use of tobacco, so clapped his quid onto the
wound and was carried to the house. While waiting for a physician to come Mr. Miller milked a cow and immersed the wounded
foot in the warm fluid, then killed a chicken, opened it and bound
the warm carcass on the foot. Before the doctor arrived three
chickens had been used, and the physician declared this treatment
saved the man's life.
The only descendents of the earlier pioneers now living in the
district are Mrs. Ransom Bush, Mrs. Rena Gale Corbin, and Alfred
Parker.
NO. 7, AURELIUS CENTER SCHOOL.
By MRS. EVELIN.
In the year 1836 Joshua and Henry Freeman came from Oneida
county, N. Y., to what is known as District No. 7, Aurelius Center.
The government had surveyed land and divided it into sections.
Joshua Freeman took land on section 25 and Henry Freeman on
section 34. The Freeman's cut the road through the forest from
Jackson, building a bridge over Grand river, and this is known as
the Freeman bridge to this day. J. W. Freeman, son of Henry
Freeman, is the oldest man in District No. 7, being 85 years old,
and still lives on part of the farm his father took from the government when he was but six months old.
J. H. Covert is another old resident of District No. 7. He came
with his parents, J. S. Covert and wife, to this place from Seneca
county, N. Y. They drove overland to Lake Erie, then their
team and wagon were put on a boat and they sailed to Detroit,
as so many of the pioneers did, and from there they drove across
the State to Aurelius. This was in 1842, and Mr. Covert was only
four months old.