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

LESLIE TOWNSIIlP AND ITS HISTORY

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around Lake Erie through Ohio, and it took five weeks to make
the trip at ten miles a day. He settled on section 6, in Leslie,
and later moved to section 18. He married Jemima Wade in
1814. She died in 1817, and later he married Phoebe Tuttle in
1818. He died in 1851.
JOTHAM MORSE
Left New York in 1831 and stopped in Ypsilanti and there married Sarah Harwood. In 1841 he settled on a farm two miles
south of Leslie. His first house was of primitive build, the logs
were paced off for length, the roof made of split shakes held in
place by binding poles, and for a time the earth was the floor. A
blanket served as a door. The chimney was of the stick and mud
variety, common in pioneer days. In order to sharpen his ax he
was obliged to go two and one-half miles to Deacon Freeman's,
the only man near who had a grindstone. After making a woodpile he went some miles from home to work on a threshing job for
Alva True. The threshing was done with a flail. He received
five bushels of wheat in payment for his work. This he carried to a mill fifteen miles away with an ox team before it could be
made into flour for the family. He lived on that farm for fortyeight years and died in 1890.
WILLIAM BARDEN
Came to Leslie in 1837, driving a horse team instead of oxen.
When they reached Grand river they crossed on the floating log
bridge. Mrs. Barden was so anxious for her children to have an
education that she started a school in her home, and taught all
who came free of charge.
MRS. ABBIE HAYNES
Left New York in 1837 with her three children and traveled
through Canada to Michigan, where she settled in White Oak
Township, but later lived in Leslie.