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

REPORTS OF PIONEER HISTORICAL MEETINGS

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perpetuate the spirit that actuated their fathers and the good
institutions they bequeathed.
Fourteenth annual meeting of the Ingham County Pioneer
Society was held in Mason June 8, 1886, at Rayner's Opera House.
President Perry Henderson called the meeting to order, and
after the year's reports were given, 150 pioneers went to the M. E.
church to a dinner furnished by the citizens of Mason.
The death of 45 pioneers was reported, and short addresses
were made in their memory. The following officers were elected
for the ensuing year: President, D. L. Case; Secretary, L. H.
Ives; Treasurer, W. M. Webb. Executive Committee: Hon.
Geo. M. Huntington, T. W. Huntoon, Gardner Fletcher.
It was decided to hold a pioneer social during the winter at
Mason.
Hon. S. L. Kilbourne, of Lansing, was the orator of the day,
and reviewed the history of the county for the past fifty years in
all its various phases.
Fifteenth annual meeting at the court house in Mason, June 18,
1887. At the business session the old officers were re-elected. A
canvas of those present showed 31 who had been in Inghlam county
for 50 years or over. President Case urged upon the members
of the society the importance of preparing the history of their
localities for preservation, and then called on the secretary for a
report of the deaths of the year. There were found to be 45,
among them some who had been very active in the work of the
society, particularly Smith Tooker, of Lansing, who helped
clear the land where the Capitol now stands. J. M. Williams, of
Williamston, who settled in Ingham county in 1838, and for whom
Williamston was named. Mrs. Peter Lowe, well known in the
county, and Mrs. Lavina Coatsworth, of Vevay, and Mason.
Mrs. John Bullen, a pioneer worker of Aurelius. Elijah Woodworth, aged 96 years, who was the first man to cross Grand river
into Ingham county.
Manning K. North-he is one of a large family of brothers who
helped clear the forest from Mason to Lansing. His father gave
Lansing its name, in place of "Michigamme," as it was formerly
called. He told of one time when his father's cows wandered
from Lansing to Mason and then west to Geo. Webb's where they
were found on the marsh by him and his brother. He thought