USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Leslie > History of the early life and business interests of the village and township of Leslie, Ingham County, Michigan > Part 5
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The second grist mill was situated on the east side of the railroad on Mill street just beyond the Meeker Mill location. It was built by John Burchard in 1870 and is now used as a storage house.
The third grist mill was situated on the corner of Race and Church streets. A popular subscrip- tion was raised by the people of the town and the mill was built by Wilcox Bros. of Jackson. It was finally bought by Mr. Bickhart and operated by him until it was burned in August, 1904.
Brick Kiln
The Rice brothers' brick kiln was situated on the creek bank back of the present residence of Claude Faught. They made the brick for the first brick house in Leslie, the present home of Rev. W. C. Allen. Mr. S. O. Russell, assisted by James Torrey, William Spears and others, made brick for the first schoolhouse, and Samuel Rice made the brick for the Lemuel Royston house.
Foundry
A foundry was located just west of where the Michigan Central depot stands. Kettles, plowpoints, plows, drags, stair-plates and many needed articles were made here in an early day.
Miscellaneous
Mr. Yerby and Mr. James Torry had a lantern factory which was located in a building opposite
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the hardware store of Howard Freeman. A wash- ing machine factory was located on Mill Street. The machine was known as the "Ladies' Friend" and was widely sold through various agents. Town's and Crater's cooper shops were located on Bellevue street near the Bailey stave mill. Lemuel Royston's wagon shop was located just south of the post-office on Main Street, Henry Fry's on Mill Street and Mr. Drake's on Main Street near the present shop of Mr. Yerby.
VILLAGE INCORPORATION
The village of Leslie was incorporated March 30, 1869. The territory included was the south half of Section 21, the north half of Section 28, and a lot in the northeastern quarter in the southwestern quar- ter of Section 28. The Charter was amended April 15, 1871; April 18, 1873; March 14, 1877. The first election for village officers was held Monday, April 12, 1869, when eighty-nine votes were cast. The officers elected were: President, John D. Wood- worth; Recorder, Edwin G. Eaton; Treasurer, Wil- liam Spears; Trustees, John R. Von Velser, Alonzo B. Kimball, John R. Burdick.
The following have been village presidents since incorporation :
1869, John D. Woodworth; 1870, Haywood T. Allen; 1871, H. B. Hawley ; 1872, J. Blackmore; 1873, G. B. Loomis; 1874, A. R. L. Covert; 1875, A. Young; 1876,- -; 1877, C. C. Walker; 1878, A. Hahn; 1879, A. C. Manley ; 1880, J. W. Bailey ; 1880- 1892, record lost; 1892-93, J. W. Bailey; 1894, J. Wheaton; 1895, A. C. Manley; 1896, J. J. Belcher; 1897-98, J. D. Woodworth; 1899, W. F. Prescott;
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1900, W. H. Johnston; 1901, J. W. Davis; 1902-04 B. M. Gould; 1905-06, A. J. Tuttle; 1907-08, F. L. Seger; 1909-10, M. P. Compton; 1911, P. J. Darling ; 1912-13, G. W. Leach.
VILLAGE PLAT AND ADDITIONS
No record of a surveyed plat for the village is found until November 12, 1866. D. F. Dwight, A. T. Ingalls, Levi F. Slaght, James F. Allen, Haywood T. Allen and others caused a plot to be surveyed by Louis D. Preston on part of the south half of Section 21 and the north half of Section 28 to which was given the name of the Village of Leslie. The follow- ing additions have since been made: Godfrey, Aug. 6, 1868; Shaw, Nov. 12, 1868; Hahn, April 1, 1871; Doty and Kimble, Oct. 5, 1871; Armstrong, July 22, 1872; Sherman, July 25, 1872; Walker, Rust and Grout, June 3, 1873; Coon, Aug. 10, 1875; Woodworth and Dwight, Jan. 28, 1876; Clark, July 15, 1889.
BUSINESS INTERESTS OF LESLIE Post-office
A post-office was established in Leslie in 1838. Henry Fiske was the first postmaster. The first mail was brought by a man on horseback. It could have been held in a cigar box so small was it in quantity. After a time it was brought once a week by the stage, then twice a week until the railroad was built in 1865.
Hiram Godfrey was postmaster in 1856. Sidney O. Russell held it afterwards for several years and was succeeded by James Blackmore who held the office from 1862 to 1886. His successors were James
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Blair, 1886-1890; John Belcher, 1890-1894; Alfred Young, 1894-1898; George W. Dennis, 1898-1913. The first rural delivery route was instituted from the Leslie office in March, 1900. At present there are 6 routes which serve the surrounding country .. The office is in the presidential class and the receipts during the last fiscal year were $3919.83.
Fire Department
In 1870, the village purchased several hand fire extinguishers and it was voted on June 21, 1872, to purchase a fire engine at an expense not to exceed $1000. It was put into service the fall of that year. In August, 1872, a lot for the use of the fire depart- ment was purchased of Reed & Allen on Carney street for $245 and an engine house was built upon it. In November, 1873, it was voted to raise $250 to construct two reservoirs for use in case of fire. These reservoirs were to be supplied by the water from the various flowing wells. One of these reser- voirs was at the corner of Armstrong and Bellevue streets.
Protection Fire Co., No. 2, was organizd June 7, 1875, with 26 members. It was afterwards dis- banded and in the summer of 1880 was reorganized under the same name with thirty members, twenty belonging to the engine company and ten to the hose company. At this time the department con- sisted wholly of volunteers.
The waterworks system which was installed in 1899 with the standpipe for pressure did away with the necessity for the fire engine. February 19, 1900, the fire company was reorganized and reduced to 17 members. The president of the village was em-
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powered to appoint the members of the company. In February, 1910, the fire ordinance was again revised and the president of the village was authorized to appoint the Chief, and the Chief was given power to name his own officers and full company. In 1908, and each succeeding year, C. R. Brown was appoint- ed Chief. The officers for 1913 were C. R. Brown, Chief and treasurer; D. D. Ranney, assistant Chief and secretary.
Hotels
The first hotel in the village of Leslie was located on the present site of the store of J. J. Murphy. It was originally built for a dwelling, but in 1844 was remodelled for use as a hotel by Nathaniel and Horace Smith. It was burned in 1852 and was rebuilt the same year by Horace Smith. Since that time the owners in turn were Aaron Ingalls, Homer King, Vincent Brown, William Moody, George Brough, Peter Standish, Perry Standish, Lafayette Andrews, James Hawley and Henry Hawley. The building was burned in 1907.
The Eagle Hotel was built in 1852 by Hiram Austin who conducted it for some time. Its owners since that time have been Horace Smith, Alonzo Kimball, Henry Loundsberry, Mrs. Longley, Wm. Carney, James McDaniels, and George Halsted. Since the death of Halsted, Wm. Weckerly and W. A. Brown have been proprietors under the names of the Carroll House and Hotel Brown.
The Allen House was built in 1872 by H. T. Allen & Son. It is a fine brick building on Bellevue street east of Main street. The cost of the house and fitting the grounds which contained an artificial lake
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and island, and a bath house was about $20,000. The excitement over the mineral wells at Eaton Rapids and elsewhere caused the citizens of Leslie to experi- ment in the same direction but the enterprise never proved a source of profit and the Messrs. Allen were unfortunate in their investment. Between thirty and forty proprietors have attempted to run this hotel but never with much success. Its present owner is Ernest King.
Mineral Spring Block
In 1872, the building now occupied by the Bailey & Wood millinery was fitted with bath fixtures by S. O. Russell and E. Ward for mineral bath pur- poses. The place was made very attractive with fountains and flowering plants but it was patronized for only a short period of time. The water was bene- ficial in a certain class of diseases but the business proved a financial loss to all concerned.
Banks
A private bank was established in Leslie by Walker, Allen & Co., in the summer of 1869. This company was taken over by H. T. Allen & Co. in 1870. The banking office was at first in a store across from the present bank and afterwards in the Union Hall block. The first meeting for the formation of a National Bank was in the office of the Allen & Co. bank in 1874. The bank of Allen & Co. went out of business about the time the Allen hotel was completed.
The First National Bank of Leslie was established in 1864 with a capital of $50,000. The officers were: Arnold Walker, President; M. E. Rumsey, Vice- president; C. C. Walker, Cashier. It was reorganized
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as a state bank in 1886. The name Peoples Bank was adopted at that time. The last statement to the Commissioner of Banking shows a capital stock of $25,000; surplus, $50,000; undivided profits, $7,299 .- 50; deposits, $301,002.27; resources, $388,328.79. The officers are as follows: President, Arthur J. Tuttle; Vice-President, M. L. Campbell; Cashier, A. L. Dowling; Directors: O. V. Tuttle, A. J. Tuttle, Grace Annis, M. J. Covert, M. L. Campbell, Fannie R. Haines and A. L. Dowling.
Newspapers
A paper called the "Leslie Herald" was estab- lished in Leslie in May, 1869, by J. W. Allen, and continued several years. Its business was finally transferred to that of the Leslie Local which was started in August, 1876, by W. W. Cook.
In 1884 it was purchased by J. T. Campbell who edited the paper for two years. He then sold out to F. C. Woodworth and B. M. Gould who continued in partnership two years. At the end of that time Mr. Gould became sole proprietor and shortly afterward bought the Republican, a newspaper which had been running a short time, and combined the two under the name "Local-Republican." The circulation of the combined sheets was 700 and it was issued in magazine size.
In 1904 it was purchased by G. W. Troman who made it into a 6-col.quarto. He is the present editor and the circulation is 1200 copies.
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Bean Mills
The first bean mill was established in Leslie by W. F. Prescott & Co. The Prescott elevator was built in 1892 and the Mclaughlin & Ward elevator in 1897. The latter is now used by the Leslie Grain and Produce Company and the Prescott elevator by the Leslie Elevator Company. The mill occupied by the Leslie Elevator Company at the present time was built by M. P. Compton, and rebuilt about four years ago.
Leslie is the center of one of the largest bean raising sections in the state. It has been a prominent buying market for twenty-five years. About 30,000 bushels are handled each year and $50,000 paid out to the farmers for the same. Thirty women are employed in the mills in hand-picking the product for market.
Leslie Home Telephone Company
The Leslie Home Telephone Company was organ- ized July 6, 1908. The officers are as follows :
President, V. H. Grout; Secretary and Treasurer W. H. Graves; Attorney, A. J. Tuttle; Manager, S. M. Buckingham.
The following data shows the extent of the system :
Local subscribers, 280; rural subscribers, 330; toll stations, 3; miles of pole line, 64; miles of cable, 11/4 ; miles of iron wire, 235. Day and night service is given at the local exchange and the toll rates are very reasonable.
Undertaking
M. V. Armstrong was the first undertaker in Leslie. His home was located where Mr. Toohy's now stands.
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The shop in which he made the caskets was in the same yard south of the house. Before his time the cas- kets were made by the various local carpenters. Rev. Wm. Taylor made a number of them. Mr. Titus was the next undertaker. At present this bus- iness is represented by Mr. B. A. Davis and Mr. Ogden Edwards.
Lumber Yard
A lumber yard was started in Leslie by S. O. Rus- sell in 1870. V. H. Grout started another in 1872. In 1875 the Walker & Rumsey Company was formed. Henry Hodges bought out Walker & Rumsey in 1877. S. O. Russell gradually went out of business and V. H. Grout sold out to Bert Bithers in 1884. Soon after Mr. J. L. Torrey commenced business and continued until 1903 when he sold out to Lamb & Co. who sent Mr. S. J. Helme to manage the same. Lamb & Company, in 1906, disposed of the business to Mr. C. N. Holkins, who in 1910 bought the lime and building material business of Cyrus Pickett and has since managed the combined business.
Creamery
A creamery was established in Leslie by Edwin Stone in 1888. In 1894 he sold out to Geo. Wilcox who ran the business for four years. A company of farmers then bought the business and Paul Darling became manager. After a time the company was dissolved and the business bought by Charles Variell. The owners since have been Gregory & Cushman, C. N. Holkins, Mr. Pullen and E. J. Kneibehler. During the past year the creamery bought 396,000
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pounds of cream from which was produced 130,000 pounds of butter for which $38,000 was paid to the farmers.
Nursery Business
Twenty-one years ago C. N. Flansburg, then living on a farm five miles east of Leslie, began in a small way to sell strawberry plants. His first catalogue had four pages and was mailed in an ordinary envel- ope. The business grew so rapidly that he was obliged to move to Leslie and here formed a part- nership with W. W. Pierson who had developed a large business as a specialist in seed potatoes. In 1905 the interest of Mr. Pierson was purchased by E. W. Potter and in 1906 he acquired the interest of Mr. Flansburg who remained three years as manager of the business. Since that time the business has been under the direction and supervision of Mr. Potter and has had a steady growth. At the pres- ent time plants are shipped to nearly every state in the Union.
Electric Lighting
In 1889 the village made a contract with the Wes- tern Electric Company for an electric lighting plant. Afterwards they wished to annul the contract but the Western company refused to release them ex- cept for $2000. A company, composed of A. A. Lumbard, A. R. L. Covert, L. M. Russell, William Hutchings, C. A. Pendleton and V. H. Grout, ar- ranged to take the plant and operate it as a private company. Eighteen arc lights were used to light the town. Later incandescent lamps for private use were added. The company suffered a nearly
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total loss of its plant at the time of the burning of the Bickhart mill. The plant was rebuilt and con- tinued to give service until 1910 when it was ab- sorbed by the Commonwealth Company. This com- pany now has 200 patrons and supplies the village with 25 street lights as well as with power for the pumping station. In all about 100-horsepower is consumed for lighting and power.
Water-Works
The present system of water-works was installed by Brooks & Son of Jackson in 1899 at a cost to the the village of $16,000. A stand-pipe and direct pressure system is combined. The water is ob- tained from flowing wells which are about 160 feet deep. The water is rather hard and carries a trace of hydrogen sulphide but is bacteriologically pure. A steam pump was used at first, but in 1910, two centrifugal electric pumps were installed. One hun- dred and seventy-five taps have been made since the system was installed and an average of 78,000 gallons is pumped each day.
The Builders and Date of Building of the Business Part of Leslie
The Union Hall block, now occupied by the Ed- wards store, was built by Alfred Young in 1871.
The Dennis block, now occupied by the post- office and the DuBois store, was built by G. W. Dennis in 1901.
The store occupied by Paul Vettere was built by Lemuel Royston about 1867.
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For the building owned by G. W. Troman in which the Local-Republican is printed no record was ob- tained.
The Scofield block was built by William Sitts.
The King & Young drug store was built by John Belcher in 1894.
The Russell block, now occupied by the Freeman hardware, was built by S. O. Russell in 1873.
Johnston's store was built by W. H. Johnston & Co. in 1906.
The bank building was built by the First National Bank in 1875.
The Crowley store building was built by W. C. Tompkins in 1869.
The Bates bakery was built in the early seventies by Wm. Armstrong.
The store of M. P. Compton was built by J. W. Burchard in 1871.
The store occupied by the O'Brian millinery was moved to its present situation from a site south of the Dennis block by Geo. W. Dennis.
The garage owned by Geo. W. Dennis was built by William Haines in 1854.
The store occupied by Brownlee & Rumsey was built by Jonathan Shaw in 1873.
The Murphy block was built by J. J. Murphy in 1908.
The Robinson drug store was built in 1869 by J. B. Dousse.
The building occupied by DeLamater & Wood was built in 1860 by Thomas H. Reed.
The B. A. Davis store was built by Edward Ward about 1866.
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The D. C. Morea building was built by H. B. Haw- ley in 1876.
The Smith bakery was built by James McDaniels in 1893.
The M. U. R. waiting room was remodeled by James McDaniels in 1893.
The Camp & McDaniels barber shop was built by Frank Farmer in 1893.
The Miner & Baker barber shop was built by Mrs. Burchard in 1900.
The Wood & Bailey millinery stores were built by Mr. Woodhouse at a very early date.
The Ranney store was built by Mr. Harris in 1900.
The building occupied by E. W. Potter was moved there by B. M. Gould in 1894.
The Mitchell block was built in 1906 by G. S. Mitchell.
The town hall was built in 1887.
Yerby's tin shop was built by Henry Small in 1873.
The various blacksmith shops were built as fol- lows: John Boyle's by Henry Rice in 1878. Ed. Shaw's by Aaron Drake and Russell Godfrey for Steve and Clark Flansburg and Alfred Payne. Otis Updyke's by himself in 1912.
The Variell tin shop was built by Orville Variell in 1912.
The Harris tin shop which was built by Mr. Ben Gifford was moved to its present location in 1885.
The cider mill was built by Ed. Baker about 1899.
Societies
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SOCIETIES
Grand Army of the Republic
Leslie village and township were well represented in a number of regiments and batteries during the Civil War. After the close of the war many veter- ans settled in the village and in 1870 they organ- ized themselves into a company called "Leslie Com- rades." A martial band of seven pieces was also organized by W. D. Longyear. With Joseph Wilson as captain this company and band made quite a pa- triotic display. Assisted by Mr. Stephenson of Jack- son they put on a play at Union Hall entitled "The Drummer Boy of the Rappahannock" which was a great success.
Custer Council, Order of the Stars and Stripes, was organized in March, 1877, with twenty-three members. This society flourished for a number of years.
On May 25, 1882, Dewey Post No. 60, Grand Army of the Republic, was installed with nineteen charter members. W. W. Cook was the first com- mander. Dewey Post was named after Captain Albert Dewey of Co. A, 20th Michigan Infantry, who was killed at the battle of Weldon Railroad, Va., in 1865. Major Barnes of his regiment was wounded. Dewey was in the act of assisting him to the rear when he was killed. The honor of the name was fittingly bestowed for he was a true man and a gal- lant officer. One hundred and ninety-two names are on the muster-roll of this Post. The present number in good standing is forty-three. The Past Commanders have been:
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Joseph Wilson, A. A. Lumbard, L. C. Rice, R. C. Bishop, J. B. Scovel, W. W. Cook and W. D. Long- year.
In the spring of 1902, $600 was raised to erect a soldier's monument in the cemetery. It was after- wards proposed by Comrade H. C. Rankin to build a memorial Hall which would be of use to the G. A. R. the W. R. C., and the village. Jan. 13, 1903, a com- mittee of five was appointed to receive subscriptions for the proposed hall, and another building commit- tee of five to supervise the construction. At this meeting C. W. Tufts proposed that the building should go to the village as a library when the G. A. R. should cease to use the same. The building was dedicated Nov. 18, 1903, and the total cost was $4500. At the time of the dedication a debt of $1600 stood against the property. This debt was after-
wards paid by the village. The regular meetings of the Post and the Relief Corps are held in the hall. A collection of books, relics of the war, and many curios, is being made and no doubt will, in time, become the property of the village library when it is established.
The present officers are :
Commander, A. H. Laberteaux; Senior Vice- Commander, Charles Brunk; Junior Vice-Comman- der, Chauncy Carpenter; Quarter-Master, J. B. Scovel; Surgeon, Joseph Christie; Chaplain, S. H. Jones; Officer of Day, A. A. Leach; Officer of Guard, Jerome Cady; Adjutant, W. D. Longyear; Sergeant- Major, A. A. Lumbard; Quartermaster-Sergeant, William Johnston.
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Sons of Veterans
The William A. Belcher Camp, No. 26, Sons of Veterans, was organized February 23, 1886, with H. B. Longyear as captain and a membership of thirty- two. Mr. Belcher was a member of the 12th Mich- igan Infantry and died in prison in Macon, Ga. This organization afterwards surrendered its charter.
Woman's Relief Corps
Dewey Relief Corps was organized in 1886 by Sarah A. C. Plummer of Lansing, with twenty-two members. Elizabeth Tibbets Wilson was the first president. Over one hundred names have been en- rolled as members of the corps but death has reduced the membership to about forty. Dewey Corps con- tributes yearly to the flower fund that decorates many thousand graves of unknown dead that lie buried beneath southern skies. It has presented each Leslie Church and the kindergarten of the school with a beautiful silk flag. Its special work is in looking after the needs of the old Veterans and those dependent upon them, visiting the sick and providing flowers for them, and teaching patriotism in every possible way.
The present officers are as follows :
President, Alice Baker; First Vice, Lucinda Lab- erteaux; Second Vice, Cynthia Potter; Secretary, Lucy Bishop; Treasurer, Mary Smith; Chaplain, Mi- nerva Jones; Conductor, Sarah Ackerson; Assistant Conductor, Matilda Blaisdell; Guard, Marion White; Assistant Guard, Mary Stockwell; Color-bearers, Sarah Lumbard, Florence Christie, Genela Riley,
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Frank Torrey; Patriotic Instructor, Lucinda Laber- teaux; Press Correspondent, Palmyra Hahn; Musi- cian, Minnie Foster.
Masonic Orders
Leslie Lodge No 212, F. & A. M., was organized in the winter of 1865-66. In January, 1866, it re- ceived a charter from the Grand Lodge. Its mem- bership was twelve. The first Master under dispen- sation was O. D. Ford. Dr. J. D. Woodworth was the first Master of the lodge after it had a charter. Its membership in 1913 was 147. The present offi- cers are as follows :
Worshipful Master, B. O. Lumbard; Senior War- den, Fred R. Allen; Junior Warden, R. H. Nichols; Senior Deacon, A. E. Greene; Junior Deacon, Leon Sammons; Secretary, B. A. Davis; Treasurer, George W. Leach; Stewards, W. R. Clements, Branch Fischer; Chaplain, Rev. W. C. Allen ; Marshal, W. H. Johnston; Tiler, John A. Winchell.
Leslie Chapter, No 100, R. A. M., was organized in 1876 with nine members. Allen C. Manley was the first High Priest. The present membership is 73 and the officers are as follows :
High Priest, W. H. Johnston; King, Fred R. Allen; Scribe, Ogden Edwards; Treasurer, Benjamin Wood; Secretary, F. M. Prine; Captain of the Host, Clarence Vliet; Principal Sojourner, H. J. King; Royal Arch Captain, B. A. Davis; Master 3rd Veil, W. F. Pres- cott; Master 2d Veil, B. O. Lumbard; Master 1st Veil, Branch Fischer; Sentinel, S. J. Helme; Stewards, M. P. Compton, W. R. Clements; Chaplain, Rev. R. B. Cilley.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
Leslie Council, No. 50, R. & S. M. was organized in 1876 with twelve members. Edward Oldman was T. I. M. The present membership is 79 and the officers are as follows :
Thrice Illustrious Master, M. P. Compton; Dep- uty Illustrious Master, W. R. Clements; Principal Conductor of the Work, W. H. Johnston; Captain of the Guard, W. F. Prescott; Treasurer, M. L. Camp- bell; Recorder, B. A. Davis; Conductor of the Coun- cil, F. R. Allen; Steward, Clarence Vliet; Sentinel, S. J. Helme.
The Order of the Eastern Star, Chapter No. 26, under what was then known as the "Adoptive Rite of Masonry" was instituted in Leslie in 1870. It existed for sixteen years and surrendered its charter in 1886. The present chapter, No. 155, was insti- tuted in 1895 and has enjoyed eighteen years of great prosperity. Its present membership is 155 and it enjoys the distinction of having among its members two Grand Officers of the Grand Chapter of the State of Michigan -Worthy Grand Matron, Melina Maxson, and Grand Ruth, Mrs. Margaret Troman. The present officers of Leslie Chapter, No. 155, are as follows :
Worthy Matron, Margaret Troman; Worthy Pat- ron, W. F. Prescott; Associate Matron, Maude Wood; Treasurer, Frances Foley; Secretary, Sophronia Leach; Conductress, Pearl Layton; Associate Con- ductress, Grace Taylor; Adah, Nellie Morea; Ruth, May Norton; Esther, Tillie Young; Martha, Lucile Davis; Electa, Sybil Edwards; Chaplain, Elizabeth Wood; Organist, Emma Johnston; Warder, Lena Miner; Sentinel, A. V. Norton.
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
Independent Order of Foresters
Foster Lodge, No. 95, I. O. O. F., was organized January 25, 1866, with eight charter members. Philo B. Abbey was the first presiding officer. The lodge has eighty-two members, and the officers are :
N. G., Leroy Warner; V. G., Leslie Woodworth; R. S., James Craddock; Chaplain, Clyde Young; Warden, Fred Holtz; O. G., Jay Farley; I. G., Thom- as Grow; Con., George Jones; R. S. to N. G., Samuel Mills; L. S. to N. G., Fred Hart ; R. S. to V. G., Ran- kin Young; L. S. to V. G.,-
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias were organized February 23, 1903, with the following officers :
C. C., M. L. Campbell; V. C. C., L. C. Lumbard; Pre- late, W. Longyear; M. of W., F. J. McDaniels; M. of E., W. H. Johnston; M. of F., W. H. Graves; K. of R. and S., A. Dowling; M. of A., W. R. Clements; I. G., S. M. Mizer; O. G., C. H. Starkweather.
The present membership is 72 and the officers are: C. C., O. J. Edwards; Vice-C., Howard Freeman; Prelate, B. A. Davis; M. of E., R. H. Nichols; M. of F., A. J. Stitt ; K. of R. and S., J. W. Bailey ; M. of A., -; I. G., D. L. Kent; O. G., A. J. Wheaton.
Modern Woodmen of America
Leslie Camp No. 1707, M. W. of A., was organized November 17, 1896, with the following officers :
Venerable Consul, W. S. Rhodes; Worthy Adviser, H. L. Royston; Ex-Banker, G. H. Schenck; Clerk, G. S. Mitchell; Escort, J. A. Lincoln; Watchman,
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
C. E. Fenner; Sentry, J. H. Babcock; Managers, F. M. Farmer, W. H. Johnston, H. W. Brown; Phy- sician, J. N. Green.
The present membership is 51 and the officers are : Venerable Consul, C. H. Luther; Worthy Adviser, E. W. Potter; Ex-Banker, C. E. Fenner; Clerk, N. Hocking; Escort, F. A. Armstrong; Watchman, J. W. Knauf; Sentry, F. D. Jones; Managers, C. H. Luther, E. W. Potter, Rankin Young; Physician, A. E. Greene.
Modern Brotherhood of America
Martha Lodge No. 1404, M. B. of A., was organ- ized by Geo. W. Aiten, June 28, 1904, with thirty- three charter members. The officers were:
President, William Rogers; Vice-President, Thos. Woodrow; Secretary, John W. Davis; Treasurer, Ada Davis; Conductor, Fred Haltz; Chaplain, Mar- tha Woodrow; Watchman, Ella Haltz; Sentry, Clarence Haltz.
The lodge at present has 21 members and the offi- cers are :
President, Herbert Grossman; Vice-President, Fred Haltz; Secretary, Katherine Slack; Treasurer, Josephine Miles; Conductress, Edith Haltz; Chap- lain, Edith Grossman; Watchman, John Haltz; Sen- try, William Slack.
Royal Neighbors
The Royal Neighbors who were organized May 7, 1900, have at present twenty-three benefit and five social members. The officers are;
Oracle, Ida Farley; Vice-Oracle, Estella Wood-
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worth; Past Oracle, Lucy Mitchell; Chancellor, Del- phina Cazier; Recorder, Carrie E. Phillips; Re- ceiver, Anna Armstrong; Marshal, Ada Oldman; Assistant Marshal, Sadie Horton; Inner Sentinel, Minnie Man; Outer Sentinel, Myrtle Knauf; Mana- gers, Irene Torrey, Sadie Horton, Susie Reynolds.
Knights of the Modern Maccabees
Leonard Art Tent K. O. T. M. M. was organized February 15, 1892. The officers at present are as follows:
Past Commander, John C. Haltz; Commander, Clayton Jewel; Lieutenant Commander, Thomas Jones; Record Keeper -; Finance Keep- er, Rankin Young; Chaplain, S. O. Vince; Master-at- Arms, Fred C. Haltz; Sergeant, Frank L. Mason; Right Guard, Walter Wilson; Left Guard, Claude Leach; Sentinel, Frank Coon. The present mem- bership is 63.
Lady Maccabees
The Lady Maccabees were organized April 2, 1889. The officers were:
Past Commander, Hattie Laberteaux; Comman- der, Minnie Young; Lieutenant Commander, Sarah A. Mark; Record Keeper, Jessie M. Green; Finance Keeper, Lucy Mitchell; Chaplain, Emily Stone; Medical Examiner, John Green; Sergeant, Clara Purdy; Mistress-at-Arms, Susie Reynolds; Sentinel, Barbara Rolfe; Pickett, Nellie Beadle.
The present membership is twenty-six and the officers are :
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HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN
Past Commander, Lottie Rumsey; Commander, Lou Lansing; Lieutenant Commander, Clara Pickett; Finance and Record Keeper, Lina Pickett; Chap- lain, Abbie Fox; Sergeant, Edith Barr; Mistress-at- Arms, Susie Reynolds; Picket and Sentinel, Sarah Michael.
Telephone Grange
Telephone Grange received its name because it was organized over the telephone on November 20, 1900. The regular meeting at which organization was planned to take place was made impossible by reason of a bad storm. Nothing daunted the organ- ization was finally effected as described above by Deputy Master P. G. Towers of Lansing. There were thirty charter members. December 5, 1900, Telephone Grange met at North Leslie schoolhouse and received their charter, No. 874. The following officers were elected for 1901:
Master, Manley Van Auker; Overseer, W. J. Lewis; Lecturer, C. R. Hasbrouck; Steward, E. E. Beadle; Assistant Steward, Ray Blackmore; Chaplain, E. E. Sherd; Secretary, Leon Sammons; Treasurer, W. D. Longyear; Gate Keeper, Mike Hendershot; Pomona, Mrs. Perry Backus; Ceres, Mrs. Elmer Beadle; Flora, Mrs. M. VanAuker; L. A. Steward, Mrs. J. Laxton.
The G. A. R. Hall at Leslie was secured as a reg- ular meeting place and the first regular meeting held there January 24, 1901.
The present officers are:
Master, Thomas Barr; Overseer, Roy Wood; Steward, Floyd Taylor; Lecturer, Grace Wood; Assistant Steward, Ollie Wood; L. Assistant Stew- ard, Isabelle McCreary; Chaplain, Mrs. W. D. Long-
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year; Secretary and Treasurer, Flave Taylor; Gate Keeper, Emery Perry; Pomona, Mrs. C. Jewell; Ceres, Mrs. T. Jones; Flora, Mrs. Elmer Chapman. The present membership is sixty-four.
E. O. T. C. Club
The Ladies' Literary Club of Leslie was organ- ized in 1893 under the name of "The Twentieth Century Club". It was federated in 1894 and changed its name to "The E. O. T. C. Club" (End of the Century Club).
The club is in a flourishing condition and has fifty-three active, seven musical, six associate, and seventeen honorary members.
The present officers are:
President, Helen Lacey; Vice-Presidents, Alice Helme and Sadie Jones; Secretary, Zora Buckingham; Treasurer, Emma Johnston; Auditor, Jessie Annis; Reporter, Rosa Whitney.
In 1910, the club erected a drinking fountain on Main street which was dedicated to Mrs. Della Stitt. A rest room was provided in 1912 and a gift of $130 made toward fitting out the new school play-ground.
The Elijah Grout Chapter Daughters of the Amer- ican Revolution
The Elijah Grout Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution was organized in Leslie, on October 7, 1910, by Mrs. Kittie Bailey, with sixteen charter members, viz: Kittie Bailey, Lucile Conger, Lois DuBois, Ruby Greene, Lenora Hutch-
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ings, Minnie Kimmel, Margaret Kimmel, Olive Kit- chen, Elva Murphy, Carrie Poxson, Laura Scovel, Lennie Stitt, Lucretia Scofield, Henriette Taylor, Grace Taylor and Mina Vliet.
The officers appointed for the first year were as follows: Regent, Mrs. Kittie Bailey; Vice-Regent, Mrs. Elva Murphy; Corresponding and Recording Secretary, Miss Olive Morse; Treasurer, Mrs. Lois DuBois; Registrar, Mrs. Mina Vliet; Chaplain, Mrs. Henriette Taylor; Historian, Mrs. Minnie Kimmel. These officers have been re-elected each year with the exception of the Vice-Regent who resigned in the second year. The vacancy was filled by the election of Mrs. Delia Fogg. A second Vice-Regent, Mrs. Frances Foley, was added in 1912. The present membership is twenty-two. Leslie has the dis- tinction of being the smallest town in the state that has a chapter of Daughters of the American Revolu- tion.
The chapter has taken up various lines of work. Each year it has contributed to the deficit in the Memorial Continental Hall Fund; sent a small amount to the fund for the support of Real Daughters; its name is among the list that presented the bronze seal of the state to the University of Michigan; it has offered prizes and assisted students in the Leslie high-school; cared for the grave of the widow of a Revolutionary soldier; signed and circulated petitions for a sane Fourth and for other worthy projects. The work for the past year has centered largely upon the early history of Leslie, a labor of love and patriotic devotion. An effort has been made to
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bestow honor upon the early pioneers and to bequeath through these pages to the coming genera- tions a realization of what they owe to these worthy ancestors.
For Family Records which were not obtained
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