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

VEVAY TOWNSHIP AND ITS HISTORY

745

hearing from Eden, which was getting to be one of the seven
wonders, "and so it was nothing but a ball at Mason, the wonderful influence of which was to attract so many fair daughters and
self-duped gentlemen who are so kind and obliging just before New
Years." In this letter he also comments, "What is it that has
driven so many of the Edenites in the marriage halter of late?-O,
I suppose because all the deceiving ones have gone to California
and left the true ones a clear field for their efforts."
In his August, 1853, letter he has this to say about Michigan
winters: "By this time you have harvested your wheat, drawn it
into the barn, and are now mowing hay to have it in readiness for
the hungry cattle when the snow lies deep on the frozen ground
and the wind, howling in the wilderness, drives chilling blasts
through the crevices of some rude log cabin causing its inmates
to heap more logs on blazing fire and hitch up nearer to its warming influence. I am glad I have escaped one winter of snow and
hope to escape more."
While he was not in California for his health it is interesting to
note his appreciation of its climate for a winter sojourn as so many
people now find it convenient to spend their winters in California
to escape the rigid weather. In March, 1854, he writes to my
sister Augusta, "Really I think the idea of your studying for the
ministry a good one for in my opinion women are the only true
reformers." He says, "Go on with the good cause and let your
name be heralded throughout the earth as a champion in the field
of the downtrodden and oppressed."
You will note that in Eden 70 years ago was a woman asserting
herself to the right to be a minister, which was unusual in those
days, as to be a woman minister was to assert woman's rights,
which she was always ready to champion during her long ministerial career of 46 years, having preached her first sermon May,
1859.
In connection with the admonition in the letter quoted "go on
with the good cause," I would say that 40 years afterwards, June
June 21, 1893, there was conferred upon her by Lombard University, Galesburg, Ill., the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity.
This was the first time that any college or university had ever
conferred this degree upon a woman. Since this time other colleges and universities have conferred this degree upon women,