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 INGHAM COUNTY

Years went on. At first election of township officers every
man was obliged to accept an office for it took every man in the
township to fill them. The only controversy being which man was
best fitted for which office. Work was plenty, men and women
were busy from morning until night, often till midnight hour
carding wool, spinning and weaving. Sewing and knitting in the
evenings by the light of one tallow dip.
The first white boy born in Leslie was a son born to Mr. and
Mrs. Nelson Backus (James D. Backus, born 1837 and died January 26, 1921, in Lansing). The first death was of a girl of Mr. and
Mrs. Critchett, who died during the winter season. The body
was conveyed to the place of burial on a sled drawn by oxen, the
driver having to use great care in picking his way among stumps
and trees. The relatives of the deceased followed on foot. They
also assisted at the burial services by singing.
Sunday services were not forgotten from the earliest settlement
of Leslie. Families met at the homes of each other. Prayer
meeting was held twice a week. In summer services were held in
the open air when the weather would permit. If no minister was
present someone would be called upon from the audience to officiate. At evening services the grounds were lighted by building
a great fire. The speaker's special light in the earliest times was
a cloth burning in a saucer of grease, and later on a tallow dip
was used which was a much more brilliant light than the first
mentioned.
After the first school house was built religious services were held
there. The steady industry and perseverance of the people
brought better times financially and socially, and they began to
enjoy the fruits of their labors.
The first Fourth of July celebration in Leslie occurred in the
year of 1842. Dinner was served on the ground near where the
Adventist church stands. Roast pig, chickens, quail and berry
pies were served.
Maple sugar was made quite extensively during the latter part of
February and through March. Sugar parties were quite frequent
throughout these weeks. It is said that one bright moonlight
night Thomas Austin hitched up his ox team to the sled and with
plenty of straw in the box a blanket being provided by each passenger made the sled quite comfortable. He drove around from