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

lessened, in a degree, the tiresome monotony of them by telling
me tales of early days. Tales that are closely interwoven with the
early history of Bunkerhill in Ingham county.
My grandfather was a soldier in the War of 1812, and grandmother was fond of telling us incidents of that war, although she
was but twelve years old at that time. One story in particular
was of being left at home alone one day, her parents being called
to visit a sick relative, when she saw a company of soldiers coming
down the road. She hastily bolted the door, ran upstairs and
crept under the bed. One of the company rode up to the door
and knocked on it with his whip. On getting no response he
gave the command to his men to continue their march, but it was
not until the last trooper was out of sight that the little lass returned from her hiding place.
My grandparents, Wm. B. and Sarah A. Dean, came to Michigan
about 1841. Grandfather and the boys came first, and put up a
small log house. They later built a larger house farther up from
the road and on a hill. When this was being built the boys were
unable to be with the men who were helping grandfather get out
the timbers, for the weather was very cold and they had no foot
wear except their socks. One of the men helped them over this
difficulty by drawing his mittens on their feet.
My mother's older sister, Sarah Ann, did not come to Michigan
with the family, but stayed at Plymouth to complete her education. When she came two years later she hired to teach the
school near Pleasant Lake. She was also shocked to find that her
little five year old sister had not commenced her education, and
insisted that she should go with her and attend her school, but
little Lydia developed a bad case of homesickness and efforts along
the educational lines were brief. However, a school was started
about three and one-half miles from the Dean home the next
winter, near the present site of the McCreery school house in
Jackson county. The brothers attended this school, little Lydia
accompanying them, being drawn back and forth by them on a
home made sled.
About this time a family by the name of Hawley came to that
vicinity, settling about one and one-half miles south of my grandfather's. Mrs. Hawley was an educated woman and my mother
spoke of her as talented and lovely, a rare flower to be transplanted