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

LANSING TOWNSHIP' AND CITY, WITI HISTORY

571

The tribute is to Mrs. Maria Sanford, recently deceased, at the
age of 84, whose passing was noticed in these columns some
weeks ago.
Elizabeth Briggs and Maria Balch were scarcely more than
little girls when back in 1848 and 1849 they came to Lansing and
found it a bleak little place, very much in the mud and Indian infested. But girlhood friendships flourished then as now, and then
the friendship began which has lasted through the years, even
though the scene of it has changed almost passing knowledge.
Girlhood past, Miss Balch became Mrs. Sanford, marrying the
son of an early Universalist preacher here, while Miss Briggs
became the wife of John Whiteley, one of Lansing's earliest merchants.
Into the early experience of both these women came the Civil
War. Mrs. Whiteley to this day vividly remembers Maria Balch
going almost daily to the old, big white Capitol building, now
gone, to work for the "boys in blue." One of her tasks was the
aiding of her brother Myron, age 18, to get ready to go off to the
war. He went and, described as a "bright handsome youth,"
war claimed him and he now lies buried in the national cemetery at
Chattanooga. Mrs. Sanford, says her surviving friend of her,
never forgot her patriotism, and so it was, in the days of the World
War, though past 80, she went almost as often as in the days of
the early 60's to work for the soldiers, at the Elks' Home, where
the Red Cross workers expended their efforts. Her last photographic likeness was taken with a gray soldier sweater in her lap,
knitting the while.
In verse Mrs. Whiteley pays the following tribute to the fallen
friend of a lifetime here. The verses say:
"The days of the aged are precious,
And the past memories of years long since past,
Will be to me ever a treasure,
While life and while reason shall last.
"And so, to the friend of my childhood,
Through all the long years of life's way,
For the sweet blessed charm of her friendship,
One last loving tribute I'd pay.