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

634

P)IONEER HISTORY OF INGIAMI COUNTY

history belongs to a later period which it is the plan of the Ingham
County Historical and Pioneer Society to treat in the second
volume of the county history.
RCURCHES.
As early as 1830 the Methodist Episcopal church did some
work in what is now the township of Leslie, and the first Methodist society was formed in the village of Leslie in June, 1837.
There were thirteen members, as follows: Henry Meeker and wife,
S. O. Russell and wife, Benjamin Davis and wife, Dr. Valorous
Meeker and wife, James Royston and wife, Benjamin Meeker
and wife, and Denzil P. Rice. Washington Jackson and Rev.
Sullivan were the pastors. S. 0..Russell was the first class leader.
At the time the society was organized the circuit was changed to
Ingham, as was also the Conference. The meetings were held
first at the home of Benjamin Davis, one mile west of the village.
Afterward they were held in the schoolhouse. In 1838 the following people were taken into the church:
Josiah Rice, Laura Rice, Flavel J. Butler, Florella Butler, Richard Davis, Susan Caton, Washington Scovil, Ephraim Wortman,
Anna Wortman, Susan Kirby, Laura A. Rice, Alba Blake, Catherine Blake, Nancy Carson, Laura Filkins, Louis A. Ravelin, Wim.
Vredenburg, Betsy Vredenburg, Mary J. Carson, John Hawkins,
Nancy Hawkins, Samuel Vredenburg, Henry D. Rice, Clarissa
Dunsha, VanRansaler Polar, Bathsheba Rice, John Parish, and
Edna Rice.
The first society at Felts Plains in Bunkerhill was organized
about 1848, and attached to Leslie. At that time Leslie, Mason,
Okemos, Bunkerhill. Dansville, Stockbridge and some school
house appointments were in the Ingham circuit. A. L. Crittenden was the pastor, and lived in Mason, as the circuit owned a
parsonage there. For two years this pastor preached once in two
weeks at each of the places belonging to the circuit. Hiram Law
was presiding elder.
In 1856 a Union church was built that was used by both Methodists and Baptists until 1868, when the Methodists rented a
hall, where they remained until they erected a church of their
own in 1870.
The first Baptist church of Leslie was organized on April 12,