Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

WILLIAMSTON TOWNSHIP AND ITS HISTORY

839

been a colonel in the Confederate army, but did not lose all his
property when he surrendered his sword. He had a large tract of
land bordering on the south side of the old plat of Williamston
and extending into Wheatfield. He always boarded with Uncle
Dan Stuart, landlord of the Western Hotel. He was convivial in
his habits, a keen sportsman, loved a good horse and fox hound.
In appearance he was short and smooth-faced, wore his hair long,
never wore a vest or suspender, and with his soft collar and
Byronic cravat and slouch hat was a typical Southerner in
appearance.
He was very polite and well educated. I recall a conversation
between him and a merchant when he was buying some writing
paper. He remarked that his son in college had written him about
attending chapel. IHis son thought chapel encroached upon his
hours of recreation and pleasure, but his father had written him to
observe the rules, for in collage as in the army discipline must be
maintained. He did not love the Stars and Stripes, and on one
occasion when the Republican club raised a flag pole in the village
the top splice broke and the flag could only be raised to the break,
he remarked that it was a signal of distress, as it was only at halfmast. His friend and boon companion was Dr. Leasia. They
were always together. I think from the enjoyment they took in
each other's society that it was a play of French wit against
Southern satire, French politeness against Southern chivalry.
I recall a conversation I had with Dr. Leasia once when home
on vacation. I was in the store and he was questioning me about
my work in college, when in his abrupt French way he said, "Did
you know Col. Owen?" I was slightly acquainted with him, I
replied. "Did you know he was a well educated man?" "No,
I did not," I answered. "Well, he is, and I found it out in this
way. Some time ago when I was reading the works of Telemac
in the original French he came along, stopped and chatted with me.
Noticing the book, he asked, 'Doctor, what are you reading?' I
told him. He asked for the book, and I gave it to him and he
read aloud the English translation better than I could the French.
I asked him, 'Colonel, where were you educated?' 'Paris,' he
answered. To think, the doctor continued, that old drunken
Owen was educated in Paris!" I think Dr. Leasia wanted to
impress on me that all collegiate learning must be completed by a