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 INGIIAM COUNTY

"There are nice girls, I'll own 'tis true,
But, dear me, what can they do?
For if they want a pretty man
They have to leave their Michigan."
WHITE OAK AND THE OLD OAKEN BUCKET.
By G. W. HOLLAND.
We would like to take our young readers into our forest home.
A large place was cut into the end of the log house and walled up
with stones and clay. The bottom was filled with the same material and bent poles were mortised in the logs and overlays, and
with split lath and mortar our chimney and fireplace were completed. Large doors were placed in the center of two opposite
sides of the house, with windows each side. A heavy plank floor
below and inch lumber for the chamber floor, the gable ends being
filled in with long shakes and slabs. Logs the right length for the
fireplace were drawn up to the house, then rolled into the room
through the big doors, and put on the fireplace for a back log.
Sometimes two or more were used at once, the andirons were put
in place and smaller logs laid on them. At one end of the chimney
was an iron staple used to hold the crane. On this was swung the
pot or kettle, which could be raised or lowered by aid of the
trammel.
The bread was baked in a tin oven, and the meat and game were
roasted by being tied to a string which was fastened to an overlay
next to the chimney, the string being twisted tight. A good fire
was then built under the roast, the meat given a start and as the
atring slowly twisted and untwisted the meat was kept turning
over the fire until it was cooked to nicety. Under the meat was a
dish to catch the grease. And the goodness of those primitive
roasts has never been excelled by any modern processes.
The wool was carded into reels, spun into yarn, then woven into
cloth for all the clothing needed by the family.
People suffered terribly with fever and ague in early days,
because of the impure water they were forced to use.
Maple sugar season was one of the pleasantest of the year,