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

53

James Harkness, Leslie.
Mary Austin, Leslie.
John D. Bohonnon, Aurelius.
John Willoughby, Aurelius.
The officers elected were: President, Almon M. Chapin,
Vevay; Vice President, II. II. North, Delhi; Secretary, Peter
Lowe, Mason; Treasurer, M. McRobert, Mason; Executive Committee: J. M. Williams. Williamston; J. P. Cowles, Lansing,
Andrew Hunt, Ingham.
In spite of the fact that many of those gathered had passed the
allotted span of "three-score years and ten," they were a jolly,
sturdy lot, and it was a Ileasure to hear them recount their adventures and tell of their trials and triumphs as they "made the
wilderness to blossom like the rose," and turned a wilderness into
smiling meadows and cornfields. After toil comes rest, and now
these old men are reaping the harvest for which they sowed
amid so many hardships in early days.
The chairman stated that efforts had been made to secure the
early history of each township, but without success. A committee was appointed for this purpose by the State society, but it
has accomplished its mission only in part.
The following incidents were related by pioneers present, which
throws some light on activities at an early day.
R. Tryon told of the difficulties the pioneers were obliged to
overcome as they cleared the land and raised their log dwellings.
Wim. Cook, who now owns a fine farm in Delhi, went to mill in a
wagon the wheels of which were made from sections sawed from a
large log.
S. O. Russell settled in Leslie in 1836 and helped organize the
west half of Ingham county into the township of Aurelius.
H. H. North came into the county in 1837. He said they got
along very well except when the family were sick, and then they
realized what pioneer life meant. Dr. McRobert, of Mason,
who was the only doctor anywhere accessible, was his family
physician.
Mrs. David Rogers, the first white woman in Ingham county,
was present. She settled in Stockbridge in 1833. The next
year Peter Lowe's father settled in the same town and supposed