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 INGHIAM COUNTY

only one knockdown. The scholars that attended school are all
gone, some dead and those that are alive are scattered.
I cannot recall any of the thirty-five that are today living on
their father's farms or tilling the parental acres.
The numerous families that settled in the district and around
the school house we will divide into groups. The largest group
was the Webb family, consisting of the brothers John, James,
George and William, and one sister, Mrs. Winslow. These
brothers came from Washtenaw county, Michigan, and two other
brothers that came into Ingham county were doctors and located
in Dansville.
They practiced medicine there for a number of years. These
brothers were thrifty, prosperous, up-to-date farmers. but with
the exception of John and Mrs. Winslow had no children. Their
children, Wm. Webb and Ira Winslow, of Williamston, attended
my school.
The next group were the Branch and Mead families, M. N. Mead
being a brother-in-law of Mr. Branch. They came from Ohio
and settled here, cleared up the forest and had fine farms. Mr.
Mead lived just west of the school house and Mr. Branch's house
and farm was the first one east. Both had large families, but
death entered Mr. Branch's home during the early sixties, and out
of eight children only three were left to grow up, one to manhood
and two to womanhood. I can remember how the sorrowing
parents related this sad event. An epidemic of blood dysentery
swept them away in forty-eight hours. The grandmother died of
shock the next day, and one funeral with six coffins took place in
this stricken household.
I can see Mr. Branch as I am writing today, a short, thick-set
man with whiskers, sharp black eyes that always looked into yours
with an honest, fearless gaze. His movements were quick and he
made no false motions. IIe was a good up-to-date farmer, always
took a great interest in his farm and stock, especially his horses.
His weakness for fine horses led to his financial downfall. A sonin-law persuaded him to breed and raise trotting horses. In a
short time his grain fields were made into pastures and meadows,
a half-mile racing track was built, and his stables turned into loose
boxes for brood mares, etc. The social aspects of the home were
changed. Instead of the farmers and their wives, horsemen from