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

his violin tucked under his chin, his rapt countenance, eyes looking
far away into the dream land of chords and cadences producing
sweet harmony from his drawing bow.
Capt. John A. Elder, in his own estimation, was a clan by himself. He taught the school and tried to drill his rough pupils
with a rod instead of a musket. Some of his pupils informed me
that Mr. Hilliard, who succeeded him, took the shine off the
Captain's reputation in regard to government and discipline.
When the new school building was completed a young man who
had worked on a farm for John B. Haynes was hired to as principal. It was my good fortune to become acquainted with and
receive instruction from George B. Warren. He was an ideal
teacher, a self-made man and loyal friend. He told me some of the
trials and hardships of his early life. His father was English,
born in Canada, a ship carpenter by trade, and his mother was
Scotch-Irish. She died in his infancy, but an older sister brought
up the family. He was forced to work on a farm when very young
to help furnish funds for the family expenses. His father was
uneducated but had taught himself to figure accurately so that no
problem in arithmetic frightened him or prevented him from
giving the correct solution. George was ambitious and determined to get an education, and the lack of funds did not stop him.
There was one time in his college life that his funds got so low that
he was forced to board himself, and all he had to eat for three
weeks was potatoes. His health failed before he left Williamston
and he went to California. When I was finishing my senior year
at Ypsilanti in 1881 he unexpectedly returned to Williamston
and we renewed our friendship. This continued until he returned
to California in 1883. He again visited Williamston in 1893.
The first church built in Williamston was St. Mary's. There
were a few Catholics in and around Williamston, who, under the
leadership of Father Driss of Lansing parish, got together and
built the church. This thought comes to me as I write, did the
Catholics lead in church building in pioneer times? History
reveals the fact that in all their explorations and pioneer home
building the church was the first thing built.
There was a man who made Williamston his summer residence
and Georgia his winter home for a number of years, in fact until
he died. He excited my boyish curiosity and attention. He had