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

postmaster. He held the office until about 1850, when he was
succeeded by Jonathan B. Taylor. The first mails were brought
from Detroit once a week on a pony. Letters from a long distance then cost 25 cents. The first daily mail was received by
stage over the plank road in 1854. The plank road was built
from Detroit to Lansing in 1852. The earliest establishment of a
foundry and machine shop was opened by a company of whom
Dillicene Stoughton was one, about 1850, but the business was
abandoned and J. H. Steele purchased most of the stock and removed it to Fowlerville, where he was located. He came to
Williamston in 1860, and carried on a general foundry and repairing business until 1870. In 1867 Grattan, Wilson & Clark
started a foundry and repair shop in the east part of town.
In 1871 J. H. Crostick commenced business as a general blacksmith, adding thereto the manufacture of a few cutters. In 1879
he erected a two-story shop on the corner of Putnam and High
streets. D. F. P. Burnett commenced business on the southeast
corner of Grand River and Cedar streets in 1874. In 1875 he
moved to a larger building on the northwest corner of the same
streets. The business was the manufacture of fine carriages and
cutters, etc., and every department of the work was carried on in
the shop. An average of eight hands were employed.
The first planing mill in the village was built by J. B. and J. W.
Waldo, about 1868, at the corner of Putnam and High streets.
The mill was in operation about ten years. The second planing
mill was erected by Egbert Grattan about 1870, and was operated
about two years when he was killed in the mill.
Two other men were killed while working around machinery in
early Williamston-William HIartwig in the saw mill north of the
river, and a man named Davis in the same mill, about 1874.
A building on Putnam street near South street was erected by
Baldwin, Hooker & Company for a planing mill. A year later
Hooker sold his interest to Daniel Miller. Harvey Hammond
bought out Baldwin & Green in 1875. Hammond & Miller operated the mill about two years, when Hammond became sole proprietor.
The Williamston Stave Company was begun by Henning &
Schultz in 1873. The business consisted in the manufacture of
staves, heading and packing barrels. From 15 to 25 coopers were