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

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and located land on section 4 of Vevay, the farm north of the village now known as the Russell farm. He cut out the first road
leading to that place and built a house, bringing the doors and
windows from Ann Arbor. Our nearest neighbor north of us was
Mr. Scott, twenty-five miles away. We did not see these neighbors very often, but heard of them frequently, as hardly a night
passed but our house was filled with men looking for land.
When I first saw Mason there were, I think, twenty acres
chopped, two log houses and a saw mill being built. Mr. Lacy
and Mr. Blain, with their families, were the only white people
living here. Mr. Danforth came soon after and took charge of
affairs as agent of the village.
During the winter the saw mill was finished, and in the spring of
1837 the school house was built. School commenced, I think, in
June. Miss Lucy Rolfe was the first teacher, and received one
dollar per week. There were eight pupils. The Indians often
came to visit our school and wondered what we were doing. The
first night I stayed in Mason there were several hundred Indians
encamped near where the court house now stands.
The first circuit preacher was a Mr. Jackson, who preached
one year. The first Presbyterian church was organized in 1839
by the Rev. Mr. Childs, of Albion. The first settled pastor was
Rev. F. P. Emerson, who stayed some three years.
Dexter was our nearest post office and store or grocery. I can
remember in the spring of 1837 that my father was appointed
justice of peace, and he had to go to Jackson to qualify. All
the road that then existed was an Indian trail. The county at
that time was divided into two or four townships. Settlers came
in fast, and Mason soon became a thriving village. I can still
pick out the old landmarks and see the changes that are being
made for the better. My mother and myself are the only ones
living here now that were here when we came.