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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PIONEER HISTORY OF INGHAM COUNTY

within the city limits was held in this house in 1847. Joab Page
was elected supervisor, Isaac C. Page, clerk, Geo. D. Pease, treasurer, Alvin Rolfe, constable, and R. P. Everett, justice of the
peace.
The first school taught in the city was in May, 1847, by Eliza
Powell, now Mrs. John N. Bush. It was kept in a board shanty
in lower town, near where the school house now stands. The
first sermon preached in the city was by Elder Coburn in the log
house previously mentioned. Mr. Coburn was a brother-in-law
of Dr. W. II. Haze. The next preacher was Rev. Orrin Whitmore, who preached in the first frame house built in Lansing,
which was an addition to the far famed log house. This building
was used for a number of purposes, as a dwelling, boarding house,
hotel and church. It was also used as an office by the State
Commissioners appointed to locate the Capitol and as a court
room by Joab Page, who was the first justice of the peace in the
city of Lansing. The first postoffice was established in 1847, with
George W. Peck as postmaster.
The second fatal accident to happen in the city was when a
man by the name of Coats went over the dam and was drowned.
The next victim was Daniel Clapsadle, who put up a hotel in
what was called upper town and known as the National Hotel.
While raising his barn a bent fell and killed him.
When I came to Michigan and then to Ingham county in 1836
it was a dense forest, and I have lived to see it become one of the
grandest counties in the state.
The first bridge built over Grand river was on Main street,
built by Bush and Thomas. The next was on Franklin street,
built by James Seymour in 1847.
The first brick building put up in the city was called the Benton
House, built by Bush & Thomas. The brick was manufactured
in lower town by a man named Beal, in 1847. The first grist mill
was built by Alvin Hart, E. B. I)anforth and Hiram TI. Smith, in
1848. Joab Page and his son-in-law helped build it.
The first man who settled in Ingham county was David Rogers,
of Stockbridge. The first to settle in Aurelius was Reuben R.
Bullen; Alaiedon, James Phillips; Bunkerhill, David Fuller;
Delhi, Frederick Luther; Ingham, Marcus Beers; Leroy, Ephraim
Meech; Leslie, Elijah Woodworth; Locke, David Phelps; Meridian,