USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Leslie > History of the early life and business interests of the village and township of Leslie, Ingham County, Michigan > Part 3
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Thomas Peach had eight children :
(1) Alex, married Clara Downing. Their chil- dren were Ida, Cora and Ethel.
(2) George, died at 16.
(3) Seymour married Annette Bissell. Their children were Clara, Maurice and Alice.
(4) Mary, (5) Ella and (6) Frank died young.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
(7) Cora, married Robert Walcott. Their chil- dren were Fern, Winifred, Emma and Warren.
(8) James, married Martha Walcott: They had one son, James D. Peach.
T. J. Blake
T. J. Blake and family moved from Jackson to Leslie in 1841. They first made their home in the log house owned by Elijah Woodworth but after- ward moved into the country about one-half mile north of town. T. J. Blake was a cousin of Alba Blake, the first store-keeper in the village. There were eight children in the Blake family:
(1) Elizabeth, married Solomon Woodworth.
Their children were Loretta, Esther, Sarah, Byron, Harriett, Herman and Burdette.
(2) Susan, married Martin Maxson. Their chil- dren were Flora, Harriet, Charles, Alta and Clar- ence.
(3) Alonzo, married Anna Albro. They had one daughter, Kittie.
(4) Christina, married Henry Maxson. Their children were William, Herbert, Edwin, Alonzo and Miriam.
(5) Melissa, married Alden Ferguson. Their children were Hugh, Miriam, Malcolm, Hoyt and Beatrice.
(6) William, married in the East and his family is unknown.
(7) Orson, died in childhood.
Truman Wilbur
Truman Wilbur located in Leslie in 1842. In
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1841 he married Lucy A. Miner. Five children were born to them, three of whom died in infancy.
(1) Eunice, married Charles Huntley. Their children were John, Bertha and Frank.
(2) Lucy, married David Ward. Their children were George and Elmer.
Truman Wilbur married as his second wife Bet- sey Parrish, Oct. 8, 1848. Their children were:
(1) John.
(2) Lucinda.
(3) Sarah.
John married Mary Coy. They had six children. Two died in infancy. The others were Emma, Blanche, Homer and William.
Lucinda married Alexander McDougall. Their children were Nancy, Cora, Meda, Axie, Truman, Zoa, Agnes, Rinda, Theresa and Madge.
Sarah married Frank Clickner. Their children were Frankie, Josie and Wells.
Truman Wilbur married as his third wife Teresa Ward, Sept. 25, 1864. They had two children. One died in infancy.
(1) William, married Helen Campbell.
Isaac Huntoon
Isaac Huntoon was a native of Vermont and his wife was born in New Hampshire. They came to Michigan in 1841 and settled in Leslie township. Their journey was made via Lake Erie, Detroit, Ann Arbor and Jacksonburg. An ox-team was the means for conveyance of the family of nine children he brought with him. Huntoon lake and creek are named after this early settler. R. B. Huntoon,
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who was so well known to all the children of the vil- lage by reason of the interest he always took in their material welfare at Christmas time, was the seventh son in this family and hence was always known as "Doctor", or, more familiarly, as "Uncle Doc." When Uncle Doc was buried, the school was closed in his honor and many beautiful flowers expressed the tribute and esteem of the children for their friend.
Isaac Huntoon had three wives. Their children were as follows:
(1) William, married Clara Stone. Their chil- dren were Isaac, Bertha, Josiah, James, Anna, Hat- tie, Lena, Ora and Thales.
(2) Thales, married three times. Last wife was Mary Olds. Their children were Elmer, Calvin, Loa, Floy, Willie, Clara and Norah.
(3) Luther, married Eliza Rolf. They had one adopted child.
(4) Richard, married Jane Jeffords. Their chil- dren were Myron and Grace. They adopted one son, Merton.
(5) Mary, married Hazard Watson. Their chil- dren were Mary, Louis and Arthur.
(6) Wallace, married Lydia Perine. Their chil- dren were Isaac, Alice and Mary.
(7) Philinda, married Henry Hodges. Their children were David, Romeo, Alice, Alvira, Minnie and Henry.
(8) George, married Lydia Lindsey. Their chil- dren were Layetta, Elmira, Kaleb, Rosa and George.
(9) Samuel, married Harriet Brown. Their chil- dren were Annette, Adelbert, Fanny, Wilson, Henry, and Augusta.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
Abram Housel
Abram Housel was living in Leslie in 1842. He married Mary Jane Smith of Leslie township. He had one son, Herbert Eugene. Herbert Housel had one son, Abram, who died in 1893.
John Housel
John Housel was living in Leslie township as early as 1849. He lived on the farm now owned by Robert Wright.
Matthias Housel
Matthias Housel, brother of Abram and John, came to Ingham county in 1850. He lived on the farm now owned by Mrs. John Wilbur. He had six children :
(1) Mary Jane, married A. T. Brininger. Their children were Gertrude, Claudine and Clyde.
(2) Josephine, married J. T. DuBois. Their children were Milford, Leone, Lucy, Laura, Linn, Erma, Ernest, Lucile and Vern.
(3) Louisa, married Robert Wright. Their chil- dren were Lela, Rodney, Emory and Lloyd.
(4) James, married Nora Gue.
(5) Dora, married James Fowler. Their children were Emmet, Hally, Maggie and Belzora.
John B. Dunsha
John B. Dunsha and family came from Ohio to Michigan in 1843. They settled one mile north and one-half mile east of Leslie. Their children were:
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
(1) Daniel.
(2) Harriet.
(3) Clarissa.
Harriet died when 12.
Daniel married Charlotte Chapman in 1861. They had one child, Harriet.
Clarissa married Mr. Smith. They had one son, George, who lives at Wheeler, Michigan.
Harlow Norton
Harlow Norton and his wife, Susan Carson, came from Ohio to Leslie in 1843. He was able to pur- chase and pay for a farm southeast of town. The family met with the usual struggles of early settlers. To this was added the death of several little ones. Mr. Norton could never think of those early strug- gles without a feeling of sorrow. At one time when he was very homesick, a letter came from Cleveland, Ohio, without postage. His heart ached for the waiting message but it had to wait until he could burn the timber, scrape up the ashes and take them with his ox-team to the leachery where "black salts" were extracted before he had the cash for the post- age that made the letter his own at last. To get flour it was necessary to go to Detroit or to Dexter, and several days were consumed on the trip, for the roads were mere trails along which an ox-team made slow progress.
Mrs. Norton was born Oct. 23, 1826, and died in Leslie June 24, 1896. Mr. Norton was born May 4, 1820, and died Feb. 18, 1904. Their childern were:
(1) Alma.
(2) Aurelia.
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(3) Anson.
(4) Edmond.
(5) Alice.
(6) Josephine.
(7) Ernest.
(8) Anna.
Four of these children died in childhood.
Alma married George Taylor. Their children were Leon, Roy and Zack.
Alice married Wellie McMath. Their children were Ellena and Paul.
Josephine and Anna still reside in the old home in Leslie.
Erastus L. Lumbard
Erastus L. Lumbard and his wife, Eliza Armstrong, located in Leslie in 1843 on what is now the Eli Sher- man farm. A. A. Lumbard, a son, telling of those early days said: "At one time my father and sev- eral of the neighbors went with five ox-teams to Eaton Rapids to mill. They had waited because of bad roads until there was only enough meal left in the house for one Johnny cake. My mother made the cake and portioned it out carefully that it might last until the men returned. She ate none herself but at the end of the second day we were obliged to
go to bed hungry. At eight o'clock that night the men returned with the meal ground for the grist and my mother then made a Johnny cake, roused us from our sleep and fed us that our hunger might be satisfied. My father did the spinning. Many an hour I have seen him spin wool for stockings and cloth. The wool was carded at Eaton Rapids." In the winter when there was no other food for the
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stock, Mr. Lumbard felled elm and basswood trees for the cattle to browse upon.
Erastus Lumbard had eleven children :
(1) William.
(2) A. A. Lumbard, married Sarah Woodworth. No children.
(3) George, married Loretta Gowers. Their children were Maude and Mabelle.
(4) Orvil, married Lizzie Miles. Their children were Benjamin and Edith.
(5) Elizabeth, married Samuel Marston. Their children were Delilah and Ortenah.
(6) Julia.
(7) Melvina, married Joseph Andrews. No chil- dren.
Harry Backus
Harry Backus came to Leslie on a visit from Pike, Wyoming Co., N. Y., in the fall of 1844. He became homesick and returned to New York. After a year he returned for another visit and this time was con- vinced that the "New West" was the place for young men with much brawn and little money. He there- fore purchased 50 acres of timber land on Section 9 at $1.25 per acre, cleared a spot for a home and re- turned to New York for his bride, Abigail Palmer, whom he brought to Michigan in 1850. He jour- neyed via Lake Erie by steamboat to Detroit, then by rail to Jackson where he hired R. H. Davis to move his goods to his new home in Leslie township.
They knew what it meant to face the difficulties incident to pioneer life, but persevered with courage and succeeded very well. Later he purchased forty acres from Freeman Shaver and made that his home.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
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At his death in October, 1899, he left the place to his eldest son, Perry P. Backus, who still resides on the same. Harry Backus was no sportsman. Thus the deer that occasionally came to the spring on his farm called the "Deer Lick" were not disturbed. In his family there were six children. Three died in child- hood.
(1) Perry, married Fanny E. Standley. They had one child, Romanda A.
(2) Helen, married Philo E. Lacy. No children.
(3) Alice, married Edward Abrams. No children. The present home of Helen and Alice stands on the site of the first log home of Harry Backus.
Arnold Walker
Arnold Walker came from Seneca Co., N. Y., to Leslie in 1844, when about nineteen years of age.
During the early years of his residence he had much to do with the Indians. They frequently came to his house to beg for food, especially during the maple sugar season. Mrs. Walker frequently gave them sugar in the form of wax. A clean chip was the dish used and many an "Ugh! heap good!" showed their delight in the toothsome sweet. Although Mr. Walker had been denied by circumstances much book education in his youth, by sheer force of innate worth he became a leader in the township affairs and in the building up of the village of Leslie. He was captain of the military company whose head- quarters were at Mason. This company was called the Curtenius Guards and won many prizes in state contests. He helped organize the First National Bank of Leslie, was active for many years in church
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
work, was prominent as a politician, and served a term in the state Legislature. He loaned a great deal of money for his friends in the East to the pro- gressive farmers of Ingham county and thus hastened the development of the country. He was one of those rare souls who are constantly thinking of others and their welfare and did not spare himself.
Arnold Walker married Matilda Chandler of Ing- ham county. There were ten children born to them, five of whom died in childhood. The five who grew up and married were:
(1) Manley.
(2) Mary.
(3) Claude.
(4) Mattie.
(5) John.
Manley married Etta Gardner. They had two children, Arnold and Lewis.
Mary married George Norton. Their surviving children were Ada and Lee.
Claude married Helen Allen. They had one daughter, Kate.
Mattie married F. C. Woodworth. Their children were Vernor, Walker and Harry.
John married Georgia Blair. They had one son, Hugh.
Lyman Miner
Lyman Miner came to Leslie from New York some time before 1844. His wife was Lydia E. Wilbur. Seven children were born to them:
(1) Edward.
(2) Asa.
(3) Alonzo.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
(4) Joseph.
(5) Levi.
(6) Rosina.
(7) Lillian.
Edward had three children, Eva, Claude and Burl.
Levi married Emma Ashby. Their children were Charles, May, Grace and Flora.
Rosina married Dewitt Meach. Their children were Emma, Eddie and Bertha.
Lillian married Herbert Howe. Their children were Ora, Verne, Claude, Edward, Charles, Clarence, Clyde and Matie.
Alonzo never married.
James Harkness
James Harkness was born in Orange county, N. Y., He married Harriet Archer in 1833. In 1844 they came to Henrietta, Jackson county. In 1845 they bought a farm on Section 12 in Leslie township. Here they endured the discomforts of early pioneer life, raised a family, and saw, before their death, a thriving, happy land. In those early days Indians and wild animals were common visitors. One day one of their neighbors, Aunt Betsy Robinson, heard a pig squeal. Looking out she saw a huge black bear inside the low rail pen. She ran out with her rolling pin in her hand and hit the bear on the nose and finally drove him out of the pen.
James Harkness had seven children :
(1) Emeline, married Henry Van Deusen, of Jackson. Their children were Adelbert and William.
(2) Rescome, was twice married. His first wife was Mary Dewey. She had one child, Cora. His
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
second wife was Eliza Woodland who had three chil- dren, Walter, Earle and Nellie.
(3) Hannah, married Sawyer Lockwood. Their children were Alice and Nettie.
(4) Caroline, married Hugh Blakely. No chil- dren.
(5) Orange, married Adelia Fields. Their chil- dren were Wesley, Ethel, Flossie, Rupert, Dayton and Bessie.
(6) Almina, died in infancy.
(7) James, married Jane Overacre. Their chil- dren were Blanche, Guy and Irene.
Dr. J. D. Woodworth
Dr. J. D. Woodworth and his wife, Mary Orcutt Woodworth, located in Leslie about 1850. To- gether they endured the many hardships incident to pioneer life. The doctor made his professional calls on horseback over the deer-paths or Indian trails that in many cases were called roads. Many nights he would get lost and wander around until daybreak. In telling of his first professional call the Doctor said: "I never felt quite so important in my life. The call was from a family named Clark who lived east of town. After I diagnosed the case of the boy who was ill I left medicine and directions for its use. I then picked up my saddlebags and started to go when the father of the boy said: 'Well, Doc., don't you think such and such a thing would be good for the boy?' I picked up the saddlebags and the medicine and said: 'I see you know more about the case than I do, so you do not need my ser- vices.' Mr. Clark began to laugh and said: 'Well,
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
young man, that is exactly what I wanted you to say· I wanted to know if you were going to let me dictate , to you.' " The Doctor took the case and the boy recovered. As long as he was able to work he treated the Clark family. He would often laugh over his early experiences and say: "Those were certainly happy days. Would that I could live them over again."
Dr. Woodworth was a graduate of Rush Medical College and during his lifetime held many offices of trust with credit to himself and honor to the com- munity. His greatest blessing through those early days was the loving sympathy and care of his wife who is still living. He died in November, 1910. They had five children :
(1) Mary.
(2) Zack.
(3) Ward.
(4) Blanche.
(5) George.
Mary married John F. Young. Their children were Fanny and Kate.
Zack married Luella Woodworth. Their children were Phil and Lottie.
Ward married Achsah Howard. Their children were Pearl, Mary, James, John, Lucille and Florence.
Edward Variell
Edward Variell was born in St. Thomas, Canada, in 1821. He married Jane Searls in 1845. They im- mediately began housekeeping on the Variell home- stead on Section 1, Leslie township, which is now owned by Jack Barber. Their children were :
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
(1) Louisa.
(2) Daniel.
(3) Stephen.
Louisa married H. C. Freeland. Their children were Orin, Dudley and Maude.
Daniel married Ada Rutty. Their children were Inez, Floy, Blanche, Walter, Stephen, Alda and Minniebelle.
Stephen married Cynthia Rutty. Their children were Charles, Orville and Loa.
Edward Variell enlisted in Company G., 12th Michigan Infantry and died at Niles, Mich., on Feb. 28, 1862. He was the first soldier from Leslie town- ship to be brought home to be buried.
John Craddock
John Craddock and his wife, Mary A. Craddock, settled in Leslie in 1850. To them were born seven children :
(1) Mary, married Lorenzo Whitney. Their children were Frank, Charles, Homer, Jennie and May.
(2) John, married Martha Hulling. Their chil- dren were John and Mabel.
(3) Charles, no record.
(4) Eliza, married S. E. Miner. Their children were Olga, Exer, Roy, Lurania and Anson.
(5) Sarah, married John Wilkie. Their children were Daisy and Bertha.
(6) Emeline, no record.
(7) Alfred, married Elizabeth Hill. Their chil- dren were Maude, Edward and John.
Early Pioneer Home Life
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
EARLY PIONEER HOME LIFE
It is hard for the present generation, living in a country which has every indication of having been inhabited for a long period of time, to realize that this township was a virgin wilderness at as late a date as 1835, or less than eighty years ago. The country was covered with a dense primeval forest where the trees often lay in matted windrows as the result of a cy- clonic storm. The low-lands were swampy for one- half of the year. Into this wilderness came the early pioneers, driving their kine to the chosen section of land! The first urgent necessity was to clear the land for tame grasses and grains to grow. See them strain every effort to beat back the surrounding for- est. The circle of cleared land is forced back. For- est giants are girdled, felled, hacked into mammoth logs, piled up and burned. Predatory birds and ani- mals are killed. Many a cornfield was destroyed by the wild pigeons and crows. Squirrels were shot by thousands to save the first acres of wheat. Deer were driven from the fields of corn and hay. Skunks, martins, weasles, and their ilk, depleted the chicken flock by nightly raids. Even the pigs were lugged off by wandering bears. Everything seemed to con- spire to prevent the settlement and subjugation of the country. Water supplies were often polluted and typhoid was prevalent. The swarming pools furnished mosquitoes that not only made life miser- able for at least seven months in the year, but also caused the dreaded fever and ague that reduced the victim from a strong man to a mere shell by its in- sidious attacks, recurring at regular intervals of time, long after the first infection.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
Yet under all this stress and strain the primeval idea of a home drove the indomitable settlers to daily hard work. The logs were hewn and notched and drawn up into a pile. Then came a general in- vitation to the country side for a "raising." The sturdy men came, their wives and children, and even the crippled, to the event, by twos and threes, through the forest paths and along the poor roads. When a sufficient number had assembled, the chosen leader directed the strongest men to lay the founda- tion logs in place. One by one the walls were ex- tended upward to the requisite height, the plates placed and the rafters hoisted for the roof. A rous- ing feast closed the work in the middle of the after- noon and ere dusk had fallen every one was on his way home. The roof was made from shakes rived from logs, and the cracks between the logs were chinked with moss and then plastered. The floor was in most cases at first only the dirt. Later it was covered with sawed plank. A mud and stick chimney at the end led from the yawning fireplace of the log cabin. The attic was reached by a pole ladder from one corner of the kitchen. Ofttimes the under side of the shake roof was filled with thorn brush twigs and on each thorn was stuck a dried pigeon breast as store for winter consumption. Doors and windows were blankets or crude heavy shutters. Some cabins had two rooms. Many had only one. The beds were in one corner, the table in the middle, and the fireplace at the other end.
The housewife labored diligently to provide food and clothing for her husband and children. Cook- ing was done by the fireplace. Food that could be cooked in a kettle was hung by a crane over the
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
flames. Bread was baked in a "Dutch oven" which was made of tin and was set in front of the fire. Johnny cake and biscuit were baked in iron skillets over coals which were drawn out on the hearth. The skillets stood on legs five inches long which raised them above the coals and thus prevented the burning of the cakes or biscuit. Stoves did not come into use around Leslie until about 1850. Mush of Indian corn mixed with milk was a favorite article of diet. The common use of fresh meat was rare. Such meat as was left over from the fall surplus at killing time was salted or corned for future use.
Spinning and weaving were common occupations. Mrs. Palmyra Hahn says: "I well remember a plaid dress my mother spun and wove for me. The wool was picked and then taken to Eaton Rapids to be carded."
As a rule the days were full of work for all. Some- times a family would suddenly decide to give a party in the evening. A messenger went from house to house giving the invitations. Often the time was so short that a regular supper could not be prepared, but when other food was not available the toothsome pancake or corn meal mush was served. Old-time games were played or the ever-ready fiddler tuned up his ancient instrument and a lively dance fol- lowed. Square dances were the rule. Many times distant guests were entertained over night.
Husking bees were held at various farms during the fall. After an evening of strenuous work at which wit and repartee were gaily exchanged, and where there was much good-natured bantering among the men, a dance closed the evening's fun.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
Pumpkin pie and sometimes cider were served as refreshments.
Sometimes two or three families would crowd into one sleigh and go to spend the evening with a neigh- bor. The children spent the time popping corn while the older people sat and scraped slices of ruta bagas and told stories. It was usually midnight before they reached home with the slow-plodding ox-team.
Skating parties were often held on the ponds. A huge bonfire was the rallying center. Races between rival skaters were common and sometimes a rude form of a cotillion would be gone through by the assembled merry-makers.
THE FIRST CELEBRATION OF THE FOURTH OF JULY IN LESLIE
The Fourth of July was first celebrated in Leslie about 1848. The exercises of the day took place in an opening in the woods near where the Adventist Church now stands. In this glade a rude stage was erected and long tables built for the feast. A pa- rade, composed of nearly all of the men, women and children of the town, started from the old hotel where the Murphy store now stands. Each state was rep- resented by a lady in characteristic attire. A flag was proudly carried at the head of the procession and a drum corps furnished the music. An anvil was fired for the "big noise." After the glade was reached a program of patriotic songs, addresses and recitations was given. Then came the feast. A large roast pig graced the center of the table. It was flanked with all sorts of game-turkey, duck,
1
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
venison, quail, and partridge, were in great abun- dance. A bowery dance was held in the evening. Somewhat in contrast to the spirit of these later days, these hardy pioneers rejoiced to be able to par- ticipate in the celebration of the natal day of our Nation.
A List of the Resident Taxpayers of the Township of Leslie for 1844 Whose Family Records were not Obtained
Asher Robinson, Mose Curtis, George Higdon, John Barry, Clark Harlow, L. G. Sanders, William Page, Enoch Hare, Thomas Clossen, A. C. Harlow, Wheaton Sanders, William Jones, William W. Dewey, Chauncy Smith, Sally Miles, Seneca Hale, Joshua Whitney, Anthony Ingalls, Ephraim Wortman, Whitman Albro, Peter Ward, Stephen Weeks, Eliz- abeth Gardner, Samuel T. Rice, Henry Meeker, Val- orous Meeker, H. L. Freeman, Henry Fiske, J. R. Cowden, George Huntoon, Barna Filkins, Jacob Straight, Calvin Straight, Hiram Hodges, John Husel, William Huntoon, Roxalena Dewey, John Hale, Denzil P. Rice, Isaac Demick, Alba Blake, Jared Reynolds, Hiram Austin, Flavel Butler, Hen- ry Freeman, James McCrary, Simeon Polar, Thomas Annis, Daniel Jefford, Patrick Brown, Frederick Clark, William Barden, D. Wright, W. Wright, Benjamin Norton, Daniel Marston, Lyman C. Miner and W. D. Landfair.
Schools and Churches
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
SCHOOLS OF LESLIE
On Aug. 12, 1837, at a meeting of the school in- spectors of the old township of Aurelius, the south half of Township 1 North, Range 1 West, was set off and organized as School District No. 1. The north half of the same township was organized as District No. 2 at the same date. Both districts have been altered at various times since.
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