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

REPORTS OF PIONEER HISTORICAL MEETINGS

27

in getting it up. In the winter of 1847 the whole neighborhood
was much excited on account of the State Capital being located in
this town. Mr. Cooley now had five children, three boys and two
girls. He gave each of his children a farm and settled near them.
He died June 9, 1865, and his wife died February 21, 1870. J. F.
Cooley, Jr., went to school and learned his letters after he was 18
years old. Mr. Cooley was probably the first tailor who ever
worked at his trade in Ingham county. (Another record says
that Mr. Cooley knew nothing of farming, or how to use any
kind of tools except a tailor's shears and goose, but notwithstanding he made a successful farmer. He and his wife were induced
to come to Michigan because of his trade and the fact that she
was an expert weaver.
"I am of the opinion that Jacob F. Cooley, Jr., is today the
oldest settler in the township of Lansing, and that he is the third
now living in the county. His parents brought him into the
county May 18, 1836."
After a conversation with other members of the Pioneer Society,
Mr. Cowles made these additional statements:
"J. W. Longyear commenced the practice of law in Mason in
1845 or 1846. He went to Lansing very soon after the location of
the Capital, and became one of the most successful lawyers we
had, and has been promoted out of sight of us all.
"The first child born in Lansing after the location of the Capital
was Catherine Alton. The first marriage that of Hiram Nichols,
who came from Eaton county and married a lady from Lyons.
The first Sunday school celebration after the location was July
4th, 1848, on the ground where F. M. Cowles house now stands.
"I am also informed that the first singing school was taught by
Clark Preston at Leslie in 1841, while others say that he first
taught there in 1845."
Mr. Cowles also made the following statement to the State
Republican about that time: "At the recent Pioneer meeting
held in Mason, H. H. North and C. C. Darling both say I was
mistaken in saying that the Cooley's were the first inhabitants of
Lansing township. I have taken some pains to ascertain the
following facts, which cannot be gainsaid, showing that Jacob F.
Cooley and family were the first white inhabitants of the township.
The tract books in the Auditor General's office show that Jacob F.