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 INGIHAM COUNTY

Their father, Uncle Jerry Kent, was an old timer, a great bear
hunter and rail splitter. Many times I heard the story of his
killing a mother bear and two cubs with a knot maul and an
ironwood handspike.
He was once called as a witness in a law suit about some hogs,
and his testimony was unique. After he was sworn he was asked
to tell his story. He commenced: "Seth and I were in the woods
hunting the cows when Tige treed a bar. I told Tige to sic him
and Seth to go home and tote me Old Betsy" (his rifle). At this
point he was interrupted by the other lawyer who told him to
confine his remarks to hogs and not tell "bar" stories. Uncle
Jerry's lawyer objected to this interruption and he was allowed to
tell his story his way, but he had to loosen his tongue and warm
up with a "bar" story before he shot the hog testimony over the
bar of justice.
In the Pollok district lived Myron Pollock, the country schoolmaster, justice of the peace, and, on some occasions, preacher.
He had to divide his honors as a successful teacher with a Mr.
Westgate, but when the latter branched off into medicine Mr.
Pollok was without a rival.
Mr. Butler, who lived north of White Dog, was an Oxford
Englishman. His daughter Minnie I was acquainted with. For a
long time she was a teacher in the Williamston schools but married
Prof. Burgess, and now resides in East Lansing.
Fifty years ago Wheatfield had no churches, post office, stores
or blacksmith shop. The people went to Dansville, Mason or
Williamston for their mail, to shop or get repairs for tools, etc.
Within the last ten years I have noticed that a church has been
built near the Westgate school house, but it looked lonely and
forsaken. During my terms of school in 1874-1879 religious
services were occasionally held in the school house, and two
or three families of Spiritualists held seances in their homes.
From the farms of this township have come many men and
women who have made a success in other walks of life. The business, professional and educational world has been the field they
have worked and labored in.
The fields and fertile acres have been the nucleus of many fortunes. Under the stimulus of a daily mail and good roads for