USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 4
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There were, of course, no mowers or reap- ers or threshing machines. The grass was cut with a scythe and the music of its swish all day long was very pleasant for young ears. Grain was cut with grain cradle and raked and bound by hand. I wonder if all the present generation know what a grain cradle was? Well, it was a scythe upon a snath : above the scythe was a frame holding four or five wooden fingers, the same length as the scythe. Talk of grace in movement : there isn't much that will compare with an
experienced cradler in a large field of wheat ; the rythmic swing through the stand- ing grain; the regular laying over of the cradle upon its back by extending the left hand and drawing in of the right, leaving the cut grain lying upon the fingers: the bringing the cradle around to the left side and drawing it out from under the grain, which was thus left in a beautiful swath ; the bringing the cradle back, by a raising of its heel and with an upward curve : two short steps ahead and repeat for one hour at a time, was all very pleasant for my young eyes to behold-it will never be seen again in these parts. Following the reaper came a man whose duty it was, to rake together just enough grain to a bundle and bind it with a wisp of straw, and .it was a pretty good man, who could keep up with the man with the cradle, if he was an expert cradler. The bundles were stacked or put into the barn and, when the time came for threshing. they were opened up and the grain spread upon the barn floor, where it was generally threshed by hand, with flails ; but sometimes by driving oxen around upon it. as I have done, keeping them moving a half a day for a flooring. I felt quite a man, helping in this way, as I did the winter I was eight years of age, driving two yokes of oxen, in drawing whitewood logs to the mill. They were loaded upon the sled by my father and a helper in the woods and unloaded by the mill hands.
The foregoing is pleasant for me to re- member and I thought perhaps it might be so for some to read. Indians, wolves and deer were as plentiful as told by Mr. Dryer. Indians came with very dirty maple sugar in the spring and with berries in the sum- mer : we were not at all afraid of them for they were quite civil and were well treated. We moved to Lansing in 1848. the next year after the location of the capitol.
28
PAST AND PRESENT
ORGANIZATION OF THE COUNTY.
While the State was yet a territory, in 1796, Wayne county was organized and in- cluded all of the lower peninsula, as well as part of what are now the State of Ohio, Illi- nois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Washtenaw county was taken from Wayne, and organ- ized into a county in 1826 and included Ing- ham county. By the act of the Legislative Council of Michigan, passed October 29, 1829, Ingham county was laid out and set off and declared to be included within the fol- lowing limits-viz. : north of the base line and south of the line between townships four and five, north of the base line and east of the line between ranges two and three, west of the principal meridian, and west of the line between ranges two and three east of the meridian, and the act stated: "and the name thereof shall be Ingham." after the date of being laid out and set off and the date of the organization of the county. The terri- tory of Michigan was admitted into the union as a State, by act of congress, passed on the 26th day of January, 1837. By an act of the Legislature of Michigan, approved April 5, 1838, and to take effect on the first Monday of June, 1838, the County of Ing- ham was organized. Among other things, the act provided that the Circuit Court for the county should be held on the first Tues- days of June and November in each year, and until a convenient building should be erected at the county seat, at such place in said county, as the Supervisors or Commis- sioners of the county should direct, also sec- tion 4: There shall be elected in the said County of Ingham, on the first Monday of June next, all the usual county officers, to which, by laws, the said County of Ingham is entitled, and whose terms of office shall severally expire on the 31st day of Decem- ber. next ensuing, and said election shall in
all respects be conducted and held in the manner prescribed by law for holding elec- tions for county and State officers."
Prior to the passage of this act, the county seat had been located by commissioners ap- pointed by Governor Stevens T. Mason. They were Theophilus Crawford of Living- ston county, Washington Wing of Washte- naw county and John Bronson of Detroit. On the 7th day of April, 1836, they reported to Governor Mason, that they had located "the seat of justice" in said county at the quarter section post, between sections one and twelve, town two north, range one west," that is three and a half miles due east of the center of the city of Mason.
Mr. Charles T. Thayer, who owned the south half of section one, and the north half of section twelve, laid out a village there and named it "Ingham," but no county buildings were ever erected, and no county business was transacted there. There was much dis- satisfaction on account of the location by the commissioners and petitions were presented to the Legislature, asking for the removal of the county seat, and the Legislature passed an act, approved March 6. 1840, vacating the location and locating it at the village of Mason.
On the first Monday of June, 1838, an election of county officers was held, as re- quired by the act of the Legislature, organiz- ing the county and the following officers were elected: Sheriff. Richard R. Lome ; Clerk, Valourus Meeker; Treasurer, Hiram H. Smith ; Register of Deeds, Minos McRob- erts : Judge of Probate, Peter Linderman ; Circuit Court Commissioner, Griffin Pad- dock; Surveyor, Anson Jackson; Coroners, Horatio N. Forbes, James Phillips and Henry Wood; County Commissioners, who transacted the county business that is done now by the Supervisors, Peter Linderman, Jacob Loomis and Henry Lee. No Prose-
29
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
cuting Attorney was elected at that election, as prior to 1850, that office was filled by appointment of the Governor.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATIONS.
The first township organized in the county was Stockbridge, in the southeast corner of the county, on March 26, 1836. The other townships were organized as follows: Aure- lius, including the west half of the county, March 11, 1837; Ingham, including the pres- ent towns of Ingham, White Oak, Wheat- field and Leroy, March II, 1837; Leslie, taken from Aurelius, December 30, 1837: Onondaga, from Aurelius, March 6, 1838: Vevay, from Aurelius, March 6, 1838 ; Alaie- don, including the present four northwest townships, March 15, 1838; Bunkerhill, March 21, 1839; White Oak, from Ingham, March 21, 1839; Phelpstown, whose name was changed to Williamston, by act of the Legislature, February 17, 1857, including the present townships of Williamston and Locke, March 22, 1839; Brutus, name changed to Wheatfield by act of the Legis- lature, March 20, 1841, and including the present townships of Wheatfield and Leroy, March 22, 1839 ; Leroy, from Brutus, March 19, 1840; Delhi, from Alaiedon, February 16. 1842; Lansing, from Alaiedon, February 16, 1842; Meridian, from Alaiedon, February 16, 1842; Locke, from Phelpstown. Febru- ary 16, 1842.
The organization of the last four town ships, fully completed the organization of the county, with its townships as they have re- mained ever since.
It will be interesting, as well as useful, to have a list of the county officers, as perfect as it can be made from records, from 1838 to 1904, inclusive.
List of county officers, 1838 to 1904.
COURTS.
CIRCUIT COURTS.
Ingham, when a part of Wayne county, was in the First Judicial Circuit, together with the counties of Macomb, St. Clair, Macki- naw and Chippewa. By the revised statutes of 1846, page 353. it is enacted that the State is divided into four judicial circuits and Ingham is placed in the fourth, together with Oakland, Livingston, Shiawassee, Clin- ton, Saginaw, Genesee and Ionia, and it is provided that the Justices of the Supreme Court shall twice in each year (certain cases excepted ), hold a circuit court in each of the counties designated in his appointment and in the performance of such duties, shall be denominated "Circuit Judge." "In his ap- pointment" does not mean liis appointment to office but his appointment of counties in which he shall preside, which he was re- quired to make after his election.
The legislature by an act approved April 8, 1851, divided the State into eiglit judicial circuits, placing Ingham in the fourth with Washtenaw and Jackson. By an act ap- proved February 12, 1891, the Thirtieth Judi- cial circuit was created, constituted of Ing- ham and Livingston counties and by an act approved May 30, 1897. the State was di- vided into thirty-five judicial circuits and made Ingham alone the thirtieth, which it still remains.
The presiding judges who held courts in the county were Wm. A. Fletcher, Alpheus Fitch. Charles W. Whipple, George Miles, Edward Mundy and George Martin. The judges of the several judicial circuits, that included Ingham county, have been as fol- lows: David Johnson, Edwin Lawrence, Samuel Higby, Alexander D. Crane, George M. Huntington, G. T. Gridley, Erastus Peck, Rollin H. Person and Howard Wiest, the present judge.
30
PAST AND PRESENT
Prior to the organization of the county and after, until the adoption of the consti- tution of 1850, the laws provided for the election of two associate judges (sometimes called side judges) of the Circuit Court for each organized county, one of whom was to sit with the presiding judge, presumably for consultation, but it was said that the presid- ing judge seldom counselled with his associ- ate. However, it is reported that one of the associate justices claimed that at one time he was consulted. It was near the end of a long term, when the presiding judge turned to him and asked him if he didn't think their bench was pretty d- hard to sit upon so long, and he said he did, agreeing with his superior and no dissenting opinion was filed.
The associate judges elected in this coun- ty were Amos Steele and E. B. Danforth, 1838-1840, John R. Bowdish and E. B. Danforth, 1841-1844, Joseph E. North and Joseph Hunt, elected in 1846.
COUNTY COURT.
In 1815 County Courts were established, to be held by a chief and two associate jus- tices appointed by the Governor. In 1833 they were abolished in the organized coun- ties east of Lake Michigan except Wayne, of which Ingham was then a part. After the establishment of Circuit Courts the County Courts began to decline and much of their jurisdiction was from time to time transferred to the Circuit Courts and in the revision of the Statutes of 1846 it was pro- vided that they should be held by two judges, elected by the people of the county for the term of four years and called respectively, County Judge and Second Judge. This court had original and exclusive jurisdiction of all claims above a Justice's jurisdiction and under $500 except actions in ejectment and proceedings in Probate Court and it had ap- pellate jurisdiction over Justice Court. Cases
determined by it could be removed by it to the Circuit Court only by certiorari, no ap- peal being allowed. The court was abolished by the constitution of 1850.
The judges and second judges of the County Court elected in Ingham county were County Judge, Benjamin Davis, Second Judge, Horatio N. Forbes; Davis resigned and Wm. H. Chapman was elected to fill the vacancy in 1849; County Judge elected in 1850 Mason Branch and Second Judge, Orrin Sharp.
PROBATE COURT.
In 1818 a Court of Probate was estab- lished in each county to be held by "some able and learned person" appointed by the Governor. The Revised Statutes of 1838 made the office of Judge of Probate elective for the term of four years -- that provision is still in force.
The following are the names of the Judges of Probate with their terms of service: Val- orous Meeker, 1839-1842; Henry Fiske, 1843-1845; Amos E. Steele, elected to fill vacancy; Richard Ferris, 1847-1848; Grif- fin Paddock, 1849-1852 ; Wm. H. Chapman, 1853-1856; Wm. H. Pinckney, 1857-1864; Horatio Prat, 1865-1872; Mason D. Chat- terton, 1873-1880; George F. Gillam, 1881 - 1884; Quincy A. Smith, 1885-June 30, 1891, resigned, George W. Bristol appointed by the Governor to fill vacancy, July 1, 1891- 1892; Albert E. Cowles, 1893-1896; Frank S. Porter, 1897-1900; Jason E. Nichols, 1901-1904; Henry M. Gardner, 1905-Dec. 31, 1908.
COURT HOUSE.
At a meeting of the County Commission- ers in December, 1842, $800 was appropri- ated for the purpose of building a court house. A building committee was appointed consisting of Minos McRobert, Peter Linder-
31
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
man, George Mathews, Benjamin Davis and Samuel Skadan, who were authorized to let the contract, which they did to William Hammond & Co., for the sum appropriated, and the building was erected in 1843 on lot
tion to submit to the people a proposition for building a new court house and to raise for the purpose $10,000, $5,000 by tax and $5,- 000 by loan. The people voted upon it at the election in April. 1856, the result being
INGHAM'S OLD COURT HOUSE.
four, block seventeen, according to the plat of the Village of Mason. It was a two-story frame building, twenty-eight by thirty-four feet. That building was the Ingham county court house for fifteen years. But it having become inadequate to the needs of the rap- idly growing county, the Board of Super- visors in December, 1855, passed a resolu-
for the tax 1,090 to 665 against it and for the loan 1,088 to 652 against it.
The Board of Suprvisors appointed a com- mittee consisting of P. R. Peck, Wm. Wood- house and J. C. Bailey to select a site and procure plans and specification. Plans and specifications furnished by Mathew Elder of Lansing were adopted and the contract for
32
PAST AND PRESENT
building was let to him June 20, 1857, for the sum of $11,700, Mason having sub- scribed $1,700. The building was of brick and erected in the center of the public square, the site selected by the committee, and was completed at a cost of $12,229.19 and ac-
offices, some of which prior to this had been in a separate building, a frame building erected in 1840 at a cost of $325, on the site now occupied by the jail.
This court house at the time it was built was considered quite an imposing structure
-
NEW COURT HOUSE AT MASON.
cepted by the Board of Supervisors by a resolution passed April 19, 1858.
With money raised by subscriptions of Mason people in the fall of 1858, the court house grounds were graded, walks made and shade trees set out. This building, besides the court room, contained all of the county
and answered its purpose for forty-five years, though very poorly and inadequately. Dur- ing the last several years of that period it had also become badly in need of extensive repairs and the question was should it be repaired at large expense or should it be torn down and a new one erected? It de-
33
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
volved upon the Board of Supervisors to de- cide that question and on the 26th day of October, 1901, the committee of the Board on public buildings, reported that in their opin- ion "some steps should be taken towards securing plans for remodeling of the present court house and an estimate of the relative cost for a new one, for comparison and rec- ommend that a commission be appointed by the chairman consisting of four members who shall visit in their discretion, not to ex- ceed three county seats within a reasonable distance of Ingham county, to assist them in their deliberations, and to be prepared to report their findings and to offer such other suggestions as they would deem profitable to this board at its next meeting in January, 1902."
At the same meeting the chairman of the Board appointed as the committee recom- mended, F. L. Dodge, C. H. Sibley, W. C. Nichols, A. I. Barber and J. T. Bullen. At the January, 1902, meeting of the board, the above named committee reported that they had visited four county court houses in the State, naming them, and that in their opin- ion a new court house should be erected in this county and that "action be taken to sub- mit the question to the people for expression by vote at a date hereafter to be decided upon."
At a meeting of the Board, January 8, 1902, on motion of Supervisor Shank, the following was adopted :
"WHEREAS, The present court house of the County of Ingham lias become inade- quate to supply the needs of the county, and
WHEREAS, For numerous reasons a new court house for said County of Ingham has become a necessity ; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the Board of Supervisors of the County of Ingham that there be submit- ted to the qualified electors of said county, at the annual spring election to be held on the
first Monday in April, A. D. 1902, the proposition to borrow on the faith and credit of said county, at such times and in such amounts as the same shall be needed, and to issue its evidence of indebtedness therefor, the sum of $40,000, the proceeds to be used solely for the purpose of erecting a suitable building for a county court house and county office building on the site of the present court house of said county. Said money so bor- rowed to be paid in five equal annual install- ments of $8,000 each, the first installment thereof to be paid in the year 1903. Said sum so borrowed to be repaid by spreading the same upon the taxable property of Ing- ham county as follows : $8,000 in the year 1903 : $8,000 in the year 1904 : $8,000 in the year 1905 : $8,000 in the year 1906 and $8,- 000 in the year 1907."
The vote at the election in April. 1902. was as follows :
For
Agalust.
Townships and Wards.
Loan.
Loan. Total
Alaiedon
250
17
267
Aurelius
323
18
341
Bunkerhill
195
36
231
Delhi
209
Ingham
266
306
Lansing
106
S3
199
Leroy
228
127
355
Leslie
130
172
302
Meridiau
192
25;
Onondaga
184
104
Stockbridge
219
120
339
Vevay
252
254
Wheatfield
156
196
White Oak
202
304
506
Mason. 1st ward
278
281
Mason, 2d ward
192
166
358
Lansing. 2d ward. 1st precinct.
165
26;
431
Lansing, 2d ward, 2d precinct ..
142
202
Lansing, 3d ward. 1st precinct ..
131
194
325
Lansing. ad ward. 2d precinct ..
137
134
271
Lansing. 4th ward, Ist precinct ...
9
15€
Lansing. 5th ward. 1st precinct ....
156
913
369
Lansing. 6th ward, Ist precluet.
125
138
263
lansing. 6th ward, 2d precluct ...
. .
115
202
Total
5,601
3,503
9.194
Majority for 2.18S.
At a special session of the Board of Super- visors held in April, after the election, a building committee of five was appointed with power to procure estimate of cost and plans and specifications for a new court
26S
473
Lansing. 4th ward, 2d precluet .....
475
Lansing, 5th ward. 2d precinct ..
..
.دع
268
Lansing, 1st ward
277
200
Locke
231
253
Williamston
3
34
PAST AND PRESENT
house and county office building to be erected upon the site of the court house in the city of Mason, to be reported to the Board for ap- proval or objection, and with authority for awarding and execution of a contract on the bid to be approved: the committee to con- tinue in authority in the supervision of the construction of the building until completed and accepted. The chairman of the Board, A. I. Barber, was made chairman of the committee and he appointed as the other members. Dodge. Bullen, Lathrop and Phil- lips. At the same session an auditing and loan committee was appointed to take charge of the business of negotiating the necessary loans for money to be used in the construc- tion of the building and given power after the loan was authorized by the Board. to audit all bills, which were not to be paid until approved by the building and auditing committee. The chairman appointed as such committee, Lawrence Price, L. C. Webb. W. A. Steele. L. T. Hemans and W. C. Nichols.
A committee was also appointed to pro- cure accommodations for the county officers and the board while the old building was be- ing torn down and the new one constructed.
At the same meeting this committee made report which was adopted, and in accord- ance with it the woodhouse attached to the old building was moved to the southeast cor- ner of the court house square. an addition built to it and fitted up for the offices of the County Clerk. Register of Deeds and Judge of Probate, and temporary quarters were provided for the Circuit Court, Treasurer and Board of Supervisors. At the adjourned special session of the Board. June 2, 1902. the building committee reported that they ad- vertised for plans and specifications and had received a number which were submitted. The various architects explained their plans. The plans were referred to a committee that reported four of them for the consideration
of the Board. After careful consideration the Board proceeded to ballot upon the ac- ceptance of a plan and on the one hundred and eighth ballot the plans of E. A. Bowd of Lansing were adopted and Mr. Bowd chosen as the architect to superintend the construction.
The cornerstone of the new court house was laid on the fifth day of May, 1903, with imposing ceremonies by the Grand Lodge of the Masonic fraternity, a large concourse of the people of the county being present.
The following articles were placed in a copper box and deposited in a stone, to be uncovered and displayed to the view of per- haps some generation of the twenty-first or maybe of the twenty-second century, to-wit :
Programme of the laying of the corner- stone.
Tenth annual announcement of the Ma- son Tourist Club. 1901-1903.
Manual of the Presbyterian church.
Vandercook's Past and Present Life of Mason.
Directory of the First Baptist church of Mason.
Circuit Court Calendar for January term, 1903.
Mason W. C. T. U. programme for 1903.
Roster of Steele Bros. Post, G. A. R.
Charter and policy of Farmers' Mutual Fire Insurance Company of Mason.
List of teachers, school directors and board of examiners.
Staats Zeitung.
M. A. C. Record.
The State Issue.
The Industrial Enterprise.
History of Mason Lodge, No. 70, Knights of Pythias.
Early history, charter present membership
of Capitol Grange. Souvenir of National Grange.
Autograph list of members of Junior
35
INGHAM COUNTY, MICHIGAN.
Christian Endeavor Society of the Presby- terian church of Mason.
Roster of Mason Lodge, No. 70, F. & A. M., and Ingham Chapter, No. 51, R. A. M. ' of July, A. D. 1903, the proposition to bor-
Roster of Eastern Star Chapter, No. 150 of Mason.
Roster of Loyal Temperance Legion of Mason.
List of officers and data concerning M. E. church of Mason.
G. A. R. lodge and roster of Phil McKer- nan Post, No. 53.
Woman's Relief Corps, No. 131 of Ma- son.
Ten cents in script. 1385432
Sketch of the Village of Stockbridge.
Roster of Rebekah Lodge of Stockbridge.
Roster of Mason Hive, No. 120, L. O. T. M. M. of Stockbridge.
Roster of Stockbridge Lodge, No. 130, F. & A. M.
Roster of Eastern Star Lodge of Stock- bridge.
At a further session of the Board, the building committee reported that they had advertised for bids for construction, which were submittted and recommended that the contract be awarded to the lowest bidder, George Rickman's Sons, at the sum of $39,- 879, which was done, and the building com- mittee was authorized to sell the old build- ing or make the best disposition of it.
At a special meeting of the Board of Su- pervisors on the third day of June, 1903, the building committee reported that the build- ing could not be completed for the $40,000 voted by the people and recommended that the question of an additional appropriation of $36,000 for the completion of the build- ing, be submitted to be voted on by the peo- ple of the county, and in compliance with such report, the following resolution was adopted by the board :
Resolved, By the Board of Supervisors of
the County of Ingham, that there be submit- ted to the qualified electors of said county at a special election to be held on the 20th day row on the faith and credit of said county at such times and in such amounts as the same shall be needed, and to issue the bonds of the county therefor, the sum of $36,000, the proceeds to be used solely for the purpose of erecting and completing the county court house and county office building now in pro- cess of construction; said bonds to be di- vided into six equal series, and to become due and be paid in six equal annual install- ments of $6,000 each. The first series or in- stallment to become due and be paid Decem- ber 3Ist in the year 1908; the second series or installment to become due and be paid December 3Ist in the year 1909; the third series or installment to become due and be paid December 3Ist in the year 1910; the fourth series or installment to become due and be paid December 3Ist in the year 19II ; and the fifth series or installment to become due and be paid December 3Ist in the year 1912; and the sixth and last series or in- stallment to become due and to be paid De- cember 3Ist in the year 1913, etc., together with annual interest thereon, not to exceed the rate of four per cent. per annum. Said bonds and the money so borrowed, together with the interest thereon, to be repaid by spreading the same upon the taxable prop- erty of Ingham county, as follows : $6,000 and interest, to be raised by tax in the year 1908: $6,000 and interest, to be raised by tax in the year 1909 ; $6,000 and interest, to be raised by tax in the year 1910; $6,000 and interest. to be raised by tax in the year 19II : $6,000 and interest, to be raised in the year 1912; $6,000 and interest. to be raised by tax in the year 1913.
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