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

VEVAY TOWNSIIP' AND ITS HISTORY

'725

adjacent clearings. At Dexter they struck northward through
the wilderness, finally leaving the road behind, and following an
Indian trail which led to their destination. Here, on the slope of
one of the highest elevations in the county, they made their home.
The men rolled up the log house, and, as there were then no saw
mills in central Michigan, Mr. Parker made the doors from their
packing boxes.
Two Indian trails crossed in front of the house, and many were
the settlers who found shelter under its roof when they began to
flock to the country soon after. The Indians, too, were not slow
in accepting its hospitality, and Mrs. Parker was badly startled
one night when she awoke to find six braves crouched before the
fireplace. They had been following the trail southward, and had
stopped to wait for daylight before continuing their journey.
The historic chief, Okemos, father of Chief Johnny Okemos, who
is remembered by many of the present generation, was a frequent
visitor. For some years the nearest post office and grist mill was
at Dexter, 30 miles away, through the woods.
The western half of Ingham county, then unorganized, was
called Aurelius, and belonged to Jackson county for judicial
purposes. All officers qualified there and criminals were taken
there for trial. In 1838, when the delegates convened to organize
the county, they had to meet at the Parker home, as that was the
residence nearest the prospective county seat, called the "City of
Ingham," and located in the woods about a mile and a half north
of the Parker farm. A letter from Sidney J. Parker, from his
Vermont home, says, in relation to locating the county seat
"In the News of October 30, I find 'A Bit of Ingham County
History,' which in the main is correct. I wish to state that my
father told me the county seat of Ingham county was established
by surveyors, and a stake driven on what was afterwards known
as the 'Elijah Brooks' farm, three and a half miles east of Mason.
The stake stood near where the present barn stands, and a log
house was erected there and was known as the 'county house.'
"The place was called 'The City of Ingham.' Some years after
the county seat was moved to Mason. The one log house in 'The
City of Ingham' was the only one ever built there for many
years. As stated, the first county canvass was held at the house
of Hiram Parker. The law at that time was to the effect that