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

AURELIUS TOWNSHIP AND ITS HISTORY

307

Dudley Bateman, an early day teacher, and a veteran of the
Civil War, related some of his experiences along both lines.
Wm. McGuire gave an original poem which pleased all. In this
he pleaded for worth while memorials for those who fought in the
wars of our country.
Before the meeting closed Mr. Webb called all the Civil War
veterans to the platform, and as they held high the colors all
joined in singing "Rally Round the Flag."
TIHE WEBB FAMILY OF AURELIUS.
Taken from "The Past and Present of Ingham County," With
Consent of the Writers.
George B. Webb was born in Summersetshire, England, in 1803
and before coming to America he saw the effects of the Battle of
Waterloo and had experiences in its aftermath which he never
forgot. When a boy of thirteen he was compelled to take his
father's team and carry wounded French prisoners, who had been
captured in this battle, to various places of safety in England.
Believing that he could better himself in America, he came to
this country when he was twenty-two years old and settled in
Syracuse, N. Y., where he engaged in the butcher and dairy business. When twenty-eight years of age he married Miss Anna M.
Cately, of Syracuse, and to them five children were born, and in
1921 three of them are living in Ingham county and numbered
among its best known pioneers. George B. Webb came to Michigan in 1836 and settled in Aurelius Township, where he purchased
eighty acres of land from the government.
When he selected this tract upon which to found his home it was
necessary for him to go to Ionia to the land office to make his
entry. He started out on an Indian trail, and expected when he
reached Grand river to find some friendly Indian to ferry him
across, but in this he was disappointed. He began building a
raft, his only tool being his jack knife, but by using flood wood
he finally had a raft which he thought-and hoped-might carry
him across the river safely. The water was deep and the current
strong, and the frail craft upon which he had ventured out soon fell