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

CHAPTER VIII.
TIlE FIRST TOWNSHIP MEETING IIELD IN INGHAM
TOWNSHIP.
Story by William A. Dryer; Dansville in 1863; Dansville Village; recollections of
D. L. Crossman; James Swan story; Clark family history; Benjamin Perkins
Avery.
Wim. A. Dryer was born in 1813, and came to Michigan with his
family in 1836. They came from Cazenovia, N. Y., to Buffalo by
canal, then on the old steamer Michigan through the lakes to
Detroit. HIe was for many years one of the best known citizens of
Lansing, took a lively interest in all public affairs, and was especially keen in everything pertaining to agriculture.
He was for several years a member of the Board of Supervisors,
and this is the story he told of the first township meeting held in
the town of Ingham:
"This township at that time comprised what is now the townships of Ingham, White Oak, Leroy and Wheatfield. The meeting was held at the home of Caleb Carr in the spring of 1838.
There were about twenty-five men then living in Ingham Township
who claimed the right to vote, and these represented half that
number of states. Being scattered over so large a territory as the
township then was, we were comparatively strangers to each other.
We had been residents, the most of us, from twelve to eighteen
months, with civil organization.
"We felt the need of some proper authority to lay out roads,
organize school districts, etc. The place to hold the meeting was
designated in the act of Legislature organizing the township. The
first question to be settled was what constituted a set of township
officers. We had no records, no laws, nothing to guide us.
"Now commenced an interesting scene. The Massachusetts
man said, 'We want three select men,' and the Vermont man declared such and such officers were necessary. The Pennsylvania,
New York and New Jersey men all advanced their ideas. Up