USA > Michigan > Ingham County > Lansing > Past and present of the city of Lansing and Ingham county, Michigan > Part 59
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The first thing I remember was the burn- ing of the broom. It was the spring I was three years old. It had been used to sweep up the coals on the hearth then stood brush end up in the corner of the house with a coal among the splints which soon blazed and consumed the broom.
Again at five years of age, when I saw a horse for the first time; a wonderful sight for a little boy. I also remember the same year of hearing much talk among my elders of what was believed by many as the coming of the end of the world in April by the sect called the Millerites. My father got one of the believers, a cooper by trade, to make him a pork barrel during the winter previous and he would take no pay, saying he had plenty to last him until the great day came. Some went so far as to make their ascension robes. The disappointment must have been great.
That spring I remember the snow was two feet deep at the time of the spring elec- tion. The town meeting was held at the home of Michael Matison on section fifteen ; those going from our neighborhood took the shortest route, one man going ahead a few rods to break the way, then falling to the rear, the next in line leading, until each had served his time following.
By the next spring the little log cabins were fast filling up with pioneer boys and girls and the great question in the com- munity was the one of schooling. A meet- ing was called at my father's house early in 1844 to consider the matter. It was voted a school house should be built one hundred rods east of the northwest corner of section nine and that $100 should be raised by direct tax for the purpose. After giving the sub- ject more thought another meeting was called at my father's house to reconsider the vote on the amount to be raised ; several
being of the opinion that the sum was too burdensome to be borne. After much dis- cussion it was left at the same figure but agreed that each resident could give labor toward the erection of the building at fifty cents a day, no charge to be made for team work. Logs were cut and hauled by some, scored and hewed by others. One man got out material and built a stick chimney, his share, another got out shakes for the roof, his part, and so on. The labor amounting in all to $67, leaving $33 to be raised by tax which was quite sufficient for sash doors, glass, nails, lumber and the inside mechanic work which was hired done. This house stood directly across the road from where I now live, and here at the age of six years I first attended school. The building stood for many years a monument to the enlight- enment and intelligence of the neighborhood. My mother had taught me my letters, so I was quite a scholar at the start. I had my first primer full of pictures with words un- derneath descriptive of the same. These I must spell and pronounce. I went at it with a will. There was the word "gate" beneath the picture and I spelled g-a-t-e-bars, the word "spade" s-p-a-d-e-shovel. I had seen bars and a shovel but never a gate nor a spade, yet to me they were the same. So I surprised my teacher by my ability to pro- nounce such words so readily. She laughs to this day as she relates the incident. She still lives in the community at more than four score years of age.
The summer I was seven there were en- camped across the road from my father's for a short time a small band of Indians. I remember a little Red who was doing some quite fine target practice with bows and ar- rows. I had a penny, no inconsiderable sum for a small boy at that time. In some way it was arranged by our elders that I should put my penny up as a target for the little
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Red to shoot at, and if he hit it the first trial he won it. The distance as arranged was so great that my father thought my money was safe. It was put in a slit in the top of a stake and the stake set in the ground. The little Red won with the first shot hitting the target square. I was sad for many a day from the loss of my fortune but in time it became a golden memory. I remember Chief Okemos well. He visited my father's home a number of times during my boyhood. One time offering my father a pony for me, saying he would teach me to fish and hunt like Indian.
I was in my teens when the last Indian located in the forest close by. us. Game was still plenty. His was quite a peaceable fam- ily, but some one didn't like him or didn't want him to be killing off the wild game, so he with a jack knife carved the portrait of an Indian in the bark of a tree where the Indian would be likely to see it, then he fired two or three bullets into the portrait. This was a suggestion that an Indian always understood, so he soon left for other parts. Some of us were sorry to see him go for we liked him, at least I did.
In the spring that I was eight two neigh- bors were going through a piece of woods and came across a bear and three cubs. They managed to secure two of the cubs. My father bought one of them, then I had a playmate, but he played rough and so did I. He was chained to a post that was about ten feet in height and wore a light chain about the same length. He would travel all day going one way until his chain was wound up, then the other way until un- wound and wound up again. Sometimes he would climb to the top of the post and re- main some little time. He was always ready for the scrap and many were the cuffs I re- ceived when I got near enough to be reached by him. Although still a little fellow, some-
times when he was eating I would grab him both sides of the neck and shake him thor- oughly to get even. We had much respect for each other. When just out of reach, it used to please me greatly to induce some playmate to go near enough to get him cuffed over by bruin. Once he got hold of a little fellow and nearly tore all the clothes off from him. The neighbors found so much fault because their children got so roughly treated that father sold him.
I was nine years old the year the capital was located at Lansing. There was to be a big Fourth of July celebration in the new city and everybody from our neighborhood was going, so father permitted myself and older brother to go. We went on foot. It was only twenty-four miles there and back. I had the time of my life. I listened to an oration by George W. Peck, a prominent Democratic politician. The exercises were held in a grove very near where what was once known as the Benton House now stands. My brother and myself had a shil- ling to spend on that occasion, twelve and a half cents. There was a coin of that de- nomination in circulation at that time. It answered our purpose well. We blowed our- selves and came home financially busted, but to this day I still feel that it was one of my big days.
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My first hunting was done with a flint lock gun and my first game secured was a black squirrel. As soon as I had fired, I dropped my gun and ran home as fast as I could to exhibit my game and boast of my marksmanship. In my enthusiasm the gun was forgotten for the time and was left fully a half mile from the house.
In those early times before the days of lucifer matches the problem that required constant solving was to keep or to secure a fire. A big log or a dry stub in the forest was kept burning. If those failed, we would
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resort to flint, steel and punk. These fail- ing, we would use a gun, putting in a light charge of powder and a little tow in the muzzle then fire the gun, which would set the tow burning, and so with proper mate- rial at hand we would soon have a blazing fire.
One neighbor whittled out brooms for several families. Another gauged the sap neckyokes and another made the ox yokes. There was a good sized mortar made in some big stump in almost every door yard, where corn was often pounded into meal and other things with a pestle.
The Fourth of July when I was six the whole neighborhood went to Mason to cele- brate. A big, long sled, such as was com- mon for both winter and summer use at that time, had been shod the day before. Four yoke of oxen were hitched to the sled, and perhaps a score or more of women and chil- dren climbed on while the men walked and drove the teams. When we had crossed the stilt bridge, which was near the southeast corner of Maple Grove cemetery, the road led directly up to Steel's Tavern. A boy was put onto each nigh ox and the procession entered the town with colors flying. Chaun- cey Osborne was marshal of the day, a great man in our estimation and the admira- tion of all boys.
In an early day we sought anything that would furnish amusement for boys. My father had a section cut from a large hollow tree about five feet in length and with a hollow perhaps four feet across. This we often used to roll down hill in when not in use as a smoke house. We would get inside and standing, bending the head forward so the shoulders would brace onto one side and the feet on the other. Some one would start the thing rolling and if started rightly would go flying down grade for twenty or thirty rods. It was a novel way to ride and pro-
duced a novel sensation while riding. One day a young fellow came along, who after seeing us perform, wanted to try it. We wanted he should. So we placed him inside with proper caution to keep his bracing and then cut her loose. Three or four stones got in the way, the log bounding and jump- ing over them, broke his bracing. His feet were dangling out of one end, arms out of the other and he was making two hundred revolutions a minute when he finally reached the foot of the hill. He was considerably dazed, slightly bruised, but not much hurt If we could have got him to take another trial trip we would have given him a square deal. All persuasion, however, failed. The poor fellow never caught onto the kinks of the game. For we boys those were happy days and full of fun.
Those old school days. How many pleas- ant memories go back to them. We usually got three months schooling during the year. The rest of the time .were put on the farm at hard labor. Valuable lessons were inter- spersed. I recall at one time an Indian came into the school room, unannounced, unin- vited ; squatting down on the hearth he pro- ceeded to sharpen his big hunting knife on a whetstone. The teacher, a young lady, went on with her school duties just as if nothing was going on. That was pioneer nerve on her part.
One teacher, I remember, opened the school each morning with devotional exer- cises, then carried a ferule or whip in his hand all day. At the slightest provocation, he would use them severely. We took de- light in keeping him busy in that branch of his calling. Another teacher, I remember, who didn't try to govern us, yet we were thoroughly governed. We obeyed every rule we had ever heard of and some good ones that we never heard of. We had a practical demonstration every day in our copy books
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and I have had it in mind ever since. It ran, "The best government is that which governs least."
Our school was taught by and we received instruction from such men as Judge George M. Huntington, Judge M. V. Montgomery, Hon. S. L. Kilborne and may others who later came into prominence in the affairs of the State.
So many recollections come trooping along down the lines of the past bringing happy memories of the long ago. There were apple paring bees, singing and spelling schools. The latter, in which we took much pride to down the best foreign spellers, was our ambition.
The best year of my life, or the one I look back to with most satisfaction, was the one I spent in the Union army during the great Civil war. I was a member of Co. C, 8th Michigan. My command was on the move most of the time, which suited me. We had an occasional brush with the enemy, which suited me also. I was on duty every day during my term of service. I never reported at sick call, had no occasion to. I did not see the inside of a hospital, field or else- where, while in the army, there being no oc- casion for that either. I obeyed every or- der given me, so far as I know, except one. Condititions at a certain time became very much mixed, union soldiers and rebels were everywhere. A confederate colonel rode up and in a stentorian voice and with an excit- ing flourish of arms ordered several of us to surrender. This was a new command and one in which we had not drilled. We simply put the spurs to our horses. The prompt action of a nearby comrade pre- vented the officer from giving farther or- ders to union soldiers.
I enlisted the 26th day of August, 1864, was discharged the 6th of June, 1865. Ar- riving at home June 13. There were eight
young men from this and nearby neighbor- hoods who enlisted at the same time. A short time and two had found resting places in Southern cemeteries. Most of the duties I had to perform were pleasant duties, but when detailed to march with trailing arms and to fire a volley over the grave of a de- parted comrade, was to me extremely sad.
W. M. WEBB, FAMILY.
My father was born near Bristol, Eng- land, April 14, 1803. He came to America in 1825, and for some time followed the butcher's trade at Syracuse, New York. My mother, Anne Marie (Kelley) Webb, was born in Vermont in 1805, and was mar- ried to my father in 1832 at Syracuse. They came to Michigan in March, 1837, and set- tled in Aurelius township on section nine, where he lived until his death, which oc- curred on the 6th of March 1890. My mother died the 7th of June, 1847. Of this union there were five children : John H., born in Syracuse, May 20, 1834. He died in Aurelius in September, 1887. David, born in 1836, died at the age of fourteen months; William M., born May 21, 1838; Lucy M., born September 8, 1840. She owns and lives on the old homestead. Mar- tha A .; born November 27, 1842, now Mrs. Nichols, living a mile from her birthplace.
WILLIAM M. WEBB.
William M. Webb was married to Miss Alice R. Brown of Delhi, August 13, 1865. She was born December 15, 1836, and died June 21, 1882. Of this union three sons were born: Charles E., born August 26, 1867; Burton E., born April 14, 1871; Hugh, born February 10, 1869, died June 23, 1869.
Charles E. is a graduate of the Mason high school and was employed in the Pull-
JAMES THORBURN (Deceased)
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man Bank, Chicago, for twelve years and is now similarly employed in New York City. He was married to Miss May Dotson of Elkhart, Ind., September 18, 1889. They have one son, Leland, born April 7, 1891, now in school at Dayton, Ohio.
Burton is a farmer in Aurelius township, married Miss Grace Holley of Aurelius, February 10, 1892. They have one son, Lawrence, born March 29, 1896.
One who has known William M. Webb from boyhood has this to say of him. Mr. Webb is a man of sterling worth. Having lived a strenuous, industrious life, he has little sympathy for indolence. Himself frugal, he has scant-love for the spendthrift. Being strictly temperate, finds few excuses for the inebriate. For any measure that is calculated to advance the social, moral or intellectual standard of the individual or community, he is ever ready to help with voice, hand or purse. A man of deep thought and strong convictions; and while vigorously maintaining his own, he courte- ously respects the opinions of others. A man of the strictest integrity. His best friends are those who know him best. These are a few of the prominent characteristics of my friend "Mac" Webb.
JAMES THORBURN (DECEASED).
The frequency with which we are called upon to pay the last sad tribute to the men- ory of our beloved dead is the most forceful reminder of . the mortality of man. How truly is it recorded in the "Book of Books" "He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down." How better can our reverence for our departed dead be shown than by gather- ing up the eventful facts of their active lives and placing them in permanent form of pres- ervation? Who can estimate the far-reach-
ing influence of the truthful record of the just men upon posterity ? "Though dead, he speaketh."
James Thorburn, late of the township of Delhi, was born July 11, 1827, in Scotland. He was the son of James and Christina Thorburn, who were natives of the same place. In 1855 he left his native land, Glas- gow, taking passage on a sailing vessel, known as the "Harmonia," and after a some- what eventful voyage of six weeks, he ar- rived at Castle Garden in the city of New York. From there he came direct to Mich- igan and settled in the Township of Delhi, in Ingham county.
Ten years prior to his coming to this coun- try, our subject was married to Marion Sym- ington, then a bonnie lass of his native town. This event took place August 22, 1845. Mrs. Thorburn was born March 24, 1824, and as the fruit of their wedded lives nine children were born to them; seven are living: Jean- ette is the wife of Nathan Severance of Alaiedon township : James S. resides at Ma- son; A. J., residing on the farm; Robert, a resident of this township; John N., a stock dealer and engaged in the meat market busi- ness in Mason ; Thomas, a resident of Mason and Anna Christina, the wife of John Bell of Lansing.
In the year 1855 Mr. Thorburn purchased one hundred and twenty acres of heavy tim- bered land. This was the nucleus of what became later the Thorburn home. By the assistance of his family of growing boys, the forests were cleared away, buildings erected and other modern and up-to-date improve- ments were made. During all the active and busy years of his life he was engaged in the routine of farm work. He cast his first vote for Stephen A. Douglas for president of the United States.
Mr. and Mrs. Thorburn have been inter- ested helpers in the Presbyterian church at
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Holt. Our subject helped to organize this church and contributed liberally of his sub- stance toward the erection of the church and later to its maintenance. Mrs. Thorburn, though eighty years of age, is still active in her domestic duties, cheerful and contented. abiding her time for the final reunion in the "Summerland of Song." Mr. Thorburn departed this life November 19, 1904. In his death his neighbors mourn the loss of a good man. He lived and died a Christian and the example of his just life still remains a benediction upon his children and his chil- dren's children long years after his manly form, once so familiar, shall have passed away from the memory of man.
Our subject has passed from the busy scenes of this mortal conflict, to repose in the beautiful and bright beyond, but to such as live as he lived, even in the hour of death, in the silent tomb, in the day of judgment. in the life to come, "All is well-all is well."
How pathetic has the poet sung this sad truth :
"Never here, forever there, Where all parting, pain and care, And death and time shall disappear, Forever there but never here, The horologue of eternity Sayeth this incessantly.
'Forever-never, Never-forever.'"
A. J. DOOLITTLE.
Almost the entire life of A. J. Doolittle has been passed within the borders of Ing- ham county and he is therefore thoroughly familiar with its development and growth in the last half century. His father, James, and mother, Lucy Doolittle, were natives of New York, the former born in 1817 and the latter in 1823. They emigrated westward,
and arriving in Ingham county in 1855, lo- cated north of Mason upon the property where A. I. Barber now resides. Here the father bought one hundred and sixty acres of partially improved land. He at once be- gan its development and eventually placed the greater portion of this under cultivation and here resided until 1869, when he sold this property and removed to Aurelius town- ship. on Section eleven, where he purchased one hundred and seventy acres. This was also devoid of any particular improvement, but he began the development of the place, built upon it, tiled it and fenced it, and as the years went by added various improve- ments, until it eventually became a produc- tive and valuable property. Here he lived continuously until his death, which occurred in 1896. He was a Republican in politics and took an active part in the local affairs and anything that pertained to the general good of the community. Both he and his wife were active members of the M. E. church and liberally contributed towards its maintenance. The mother died in 1902 and both were laid to rest side by side in Maple Grove cemetery. The business career of our subject began with farming, as his father gave him a start of one thousand dollars at the age of twenty-one and he and his brother in partnership, bought forty acres of land, which they continued to cultivate jointly un- til 1872, when Mr. Doolittle purchased the brother's interest in this property.
To this tract of land our subject added forty acres and now owns eighty acres of well improved and productive land, where he is engaged in general farming and stock raising. Upon his place is also a splendid orchard of four acres, averaging fifty trees to the acre. He is also an active member of the M. E. Church and in his political views affiliates with the Republican party, in which he has taken local interest, having held the
JAMES B. THORBURN
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office of Treasurer of Aurelius township and also that of Justice of the Peace. He is like- wise a member of the K. O. T. M.
Our subject has two brothers, namely : Reuel R., whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume, and Oscar, a twin brother of our subject. Mr. Doolittle was married April 16, 1871, to Miss Sally, daughter of Hiram and Margaret Smith, natives of New York and Ireland, respectively. Mrs. Doolittle was born Jan. 27, 1852. Unto them were born three children: Mittie, Dec. 8. 1873, the wife of Newton Bateman, and they have two children, named Blanche and Lois; Ettie, born May 9, 1875, the wife of Bert Rowe, and they have one child, Paul; Maude, Dec. 19, 1881, married Austin J. Smith, and they have two children : Lloyd and Grant.
Emanating from one of the old pioneer families, our subject, Mr. Doolittle, can look back upon the last half century with a par- donable pride, in realizing what the Doolit- tle family has contributed towards the his- tory of Ingham county.
JAMES B. THORBURN.
There are farmers and farmers, but there are few farmers in Ingham county whose outfit and farming operations equal in extent those of James B. Thorburn of Delhi town- ship. His extensive and pleasantly situated farm buildings, located upon the "Hogs- back." about a mile southeast of the enter- prising Village of Holt, are among the most imposing to be seen on the public highway between the cities of Mason and Lansing. The farm, consisting of five hundred and ninety acres of choice land, is under a high state of cultivation. Mr. Thorburn raises the crops common in this section of the coun- try and keeps large herds of cattle, with a liberal quota of hogs, sheep, horses and other domestic animals. He keeps a good work-
ing force of farm hands, for the most part occupying tenement houses on the premises. He is thorough and energetic in his business enterprises, and the marks of thrift and suc- cess are manifest on every hand. He uses the most improved of modern machinery, and the cultivation of the crops and care of the stock and premises, each indicate the well-read, up-to-date farmer. Always a busy man, yet he has time for friendly greet- ings with stranger or acquaintance. His is the characteristic cordiality that "never wears off."
James B. Thorburn was born in the city of Lansing, September 3, 1855. His parents, John and Hannah Thorburn, were natives of Lesmahagow, Lannark Shire, Scotland, and Prattsburg, Steuben Co., N. Y., respectively ; father born March 29, 1824, and the mother March 31, 1829. The elder Thor- burn came to America in the year 1848, on a sailing vessel from Glasgow. Two and one-half months time was occupied with the voyage, during which time the vessel fell into a calm and lay for nearly four weeks in mid ocean. Arriving in New York, he went to Pittsburg. Pa., where he remained for a time, and later made the wise choice of com- ing to Lansing, Michigan, which at that time was little more than a thriving village. Hav- ing equipped himself with a good trade in his native country, he at once opened a blacksmith shop, which he conducted in a most successful manner for the term of five years. He was married January 26, 1854, in Lansing, and three children were the fruit of their wedded life: James B., the first born ; Dr. W. W. Thorburn, born August 18, 1858, has a well established and extensive practice. as a veterinary surgeon in Lansing city ; Robert C., born August 14, 1865, enlisted in Co. F. 31st Michigan, and went with his regiment to Cuba, experienced thirteen months' service and was mustered out as
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Sergeant. He returned to the avocation of farming and settled in the township of Alaiedon. He died while yet a young man, honored and respected by all who knew him.
James B. was educated at the Mason High School and at the age of nineteen years started out for himself upon a farm in Delhi township. December 23, 1874, Mr. Thor- burn was united in marriage with Miss Louisa M., daughter of Casper and Cather- ine Lott of Delhi. Mr. Lott was for many years a highly esteemed and successful farmer of Delhi township. Soon after their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Thorburn moved to the old Thorburn homestead, which has since been their residence. This farm Mr. John Thorburn purchased at an early day and still has in his possession the old patent land grant issued by the General Government and signed by President John C. Fremont.
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