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

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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGIIAM COUNTY

LESTER MINER
And his wife Emily Jones Miner came to Leslie in 1838. They
had seven children.
WILLIAMi DOTY
Came to Leslie in 1837. S. 0. Russell was to assist him in locating a claim, and invited Mr. Doty to stop for dinner when he
arrived, but he declined saying he did not have time to stop just
then. Mrs. Russell gave him a slice of bread which he ate as he
ran to keep up with Mr. Russell, who took him at his word and at
once started out into the woods to locate the desired land. They
located 160 acres three and one-half miles north of Leslie, now
known as the "Campbell Farm." For a time he and his brother
built cisterns, and later he sold that farm and bought a farm one
mile north of Leslie. Here he had a large stave and cooperage
business, operated by horse power, for which he kept fifteen
horses. He also dealt quite extensively in producing maple
sugar. Wolves were so common he gave them little thought, because his great physical strength gave him such a sense of security. He was said to have seen more daylight and worked more
hours than any other man in Leslie Township. He died in 1895
at the age of 83 years. He married Matilda Page in 1840 and
they had two children.
NELSON B. BACKUS
Came with his bride, Nancy Bugbee, and settled in Leslie in
1837 on section 9. Their first child, James, was born the following year. He is said to be the first boy and the second white
child born in the township.
SILAS KIRBY
And his brother Isaac settled in Leslie Township in 1837, on what
was later known as the "Tufts Farm." Silas Kirby had seven
children, the fourth, Stephen, ran away at night in borrowed
clothing to enter the life of a sailor, his father having taken away
his clothes to prevent his going. This love for marine life desecended to the third generation, and Frank E. Kirby, a son of