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

31

MR. BARNES' ADDRESS.
Of the county of Ingham previous to its occupation by its
present inhabitants, some thirty-eight years ago, little need be
said. That it was one of the chosen seats of the Indian tribes is
indeed well known. And there are in different parts of the
county unmistakable evidences of its having been occupied by
that earlier race known as the mound builders of America.
A group of these mounds raised many hundreds of years ago
existed until recently. Perhaps they still remain. On the
northeast quarter of the southeast quarter of section 25 in Aurelius,
the tract originally settled by Josbua G. Bunk, now owned by
Huram Bristol, I first saw them in 1839 or 1840, when the log cabin
of the first settler was being erected. The largest was five or six
feet high, and on it large forest trees were standing.
Recently this mound was opened by Geo. M. Huntington and
Mr. Bristol, and was found to contain, as is usual with mounds in
Ohio, Indiana and other places, human bones, beads, etc. Mr.
Huntington preserved the soil found there for some time, but it
gradually crumbled to pieces. Two thousand years ago or more
its possessor, a chief, or a leader of his people, resided with his
race in this county.
On the northeast quarter of section 17, in Leslie, there existed
(perhaps it can be seen yet, my last examination of it was in company with Mr. Huntington) an earthwork, manifestly the work of
man, similar in all respects to those found in other parts of the
United States. It was oblong in shape, one hundred and thirty
by one hundred and eighty feet. The moats or ditches were
much filled up, and the embankments were much worn away in
places, but three or four feet high in most places. Large forest
trees were growing all over the enclosure, and some of them on the
embankment. No doubt similar structures were found in other
parts of the county, for they have been found in various places
throughout the State.
These things are generally believed by thoughtful inquirers to
have been the work of an extinct race of men, who dwelt here long
before the red man made it his home. In the mound opened by
Messrs. Huntington and Bristol remains of the wood structure
which originally shielded the human body were found. The best