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

BlINKERIIILL TOWNSnrII' AND ITS HIISTORY

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1879 he settled in Bunkerhill where he lived for forty years, until
his home was broken up by the death of his wife. In 1876 he
became a regular correspondent for the Ingham County Democrat, and a few years later began the same work for the Ingham
County News, The Leslie Local, Stockbridge Sun, The Lansing
Sentinel and other newspapers. He was justice of the peace in
Bunkerhill for about 22 years and can tell many very interesting
tales of early days proceedings. Hie died in 1922. He tells the
following story of Bunkerhill township:
"In the southeast part of Ingham county is a township which
for a long time was known as town 1 North of Range 1 East.
Two men claimed to be the first settlers, Mr. Bunker and Mr. Hill.
Both arrived on the same day. At a house raising a little later a
vote was taken and the name of both the men was given to the
township. (Several stories have been told regarding the way the
township received its name, and all claim to be authentic. Ed."
At the first town meeting Henry Wood was chosen as supervisor, Abram Wilcox, Treasurer, James Markey, Clerk. There
were but seven legal voters in the township, and some of them held
three or four different offices. Timothy Poxson was justice of the
peace, highway commissioner and school inspector; Crocket Ewert
was highway commissioner and school inspector, and these and
Zackariah Mechley and Dorman Felt made the list of voters.
Mr. Henry Wood, the supervisor, had one son, the first male white
child born in Bunkerhill. He grew to manhood and married
Emma Post, of White Oak Township. Charles Wood left his
young wife and went to defend and uphold the flag at Lincoln's
call for volunteers.
Mr. Timothy Poxon was the father of the first white female
child born in the township. Her name was Sophia Poxson, and
when a young woman she married Charles J. Earl.
Other settlers soon followed, and from a wilderness their perseverance, industry and frugality turned Bunkerhill into a town
of fine farms and beautiful homes. Its swamps are now well
drained, and in place of dense forests are found fertile, well tilled
fields, commodious houses and barns, school houses and churches.
She gave her sons in defense of the country in the dark days of '61
to '65; when Spain destroyed the Maine she sent help; when the