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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IPIONEER HISTORY OF INGIIAM COUNTY

lage. George Waggoner was the head carpenter. The old
school house was bought and made into a dwelling by Edward
Rossman.
William Earle was the first postmaster in 1860. The mail was
brought to Onondaga by stage coach and carried from there over
to Winfield, the official name given the post office. This office
was kept up until the coming of free rural delivery, when it was
taken up.
After locating in Kinnieville my grandfather, James Trefry,
owned and run a small wagon and repair shop and did other wood
work. George Waggoner, who worked in one of the stores in the
early sixties, used to tell that on Saturdays they would be so busy
that they would not have time to go to dinner and the other
stores were as badly rushed. People came from Eaton Rapids,
Onondaga and the surrounding country to mill, and bought their
store supplies there.
Some time between 1865 and 1870, a Mr. Payne built and run
a tin and hardware store. Ed Miller built a shingle and stave
mill on the river just below the grist mill, and Ira Trefry built
and run a boot and shoe shop, doing custom work.
In 1870 a stock company was formed and a cheese factory built,
with Hosea Kenyon as cheese maker. This did a thriving business
for several years, but a poor cheese maker for a season or two
caused disaster and the building was bought and converted into
a dwelling house by Lee Cobb. This was destroyed by fire in 1884.
When the railroad was built in 1869 Kinnieville was sure that
it was coming that way, and great was the rage and dismay when
the town was passed by. It was rumored that certain influential
citizens paid the company well to make that big curve in the
tracks just there. This was really a bitter blow, and from that
time Kinnieville's prosperity began to wane, until today but little
is left of the once busy little hamlet.
The first town meeting of which we have any record was in
1844, and was likely held in Kinnieville as at that time it was a
more important place than Onondaga village. For several years
all town meetings were held there, and then as Onondaga grew
in size they had every other election, but at last the stronger
conquered and Kinnieville was beaten.
There were no liquor restrictions in those days and large