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Historg of Leslie 
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 HISTORY 
 
 ofAe 
 
 EARLY LIFE and BUSINESS 
 INTERESTS 
 
 Of the VILLAGE and TOWNSHIP of 
 
 LESLIE 
 
 INGHAM COUNTY 
 MICHIGAN 
 
 PUBLISHED UNDER THE AUSPICES OF 
 
 THE ELIJAH GROUT CHAPTER; DAUGHTERS OF 
 
 THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 
 
 1914 
 
'Ik ' 
 
 r^ 
 
 Copyright, IQ14 
 
 The Elijah Grout Chapter 
 
 Daughters of the American Revolution 
 
 Leslie, Mich, 
 
 JUN -3 1914 
 
 0)CIA376136 
 
To Horace H, Rackham 
 
 Who so generously aided us financially in the 
 publication of this History of the Early Life 
 and Business Interests of Leslie, the Elijah 
 Grout Chapter, Daughters of The American 
 Revolution, is deeply grateful, and hereby 
 expresses its sincere thanks. 
 
fllSTORY of the Early Life and Business 
 Interests of the Village and Township of 
 Leslie, Ingham County, Michigan. Compiled 
 and arranged by Mrs. Mina A. Vliet. Assisted 
 by an Historical Committee, Mrs. Lennie Stitt, 
 Mrs. Lois Du Bois, Mrs. Henriette Taylor and 
 Mrs. Lenora Hutchings. 
 
preface 
 
 The Daughters of the American Revolution have 
 endeavored, in this history, to preserve the story of 
 the struggles of the early pioneers of the village 
 and township of Leslie. 
 
 A few who remember the early days are yet alive. 
 We feel indebted to the following : 
 
 Henriette Taylor, Palmyra Hahn, Leonard Rice, 
 Betsey Shaw, L. A. Royston, Jerome Scovel and 
 A. A. Lumbard, for the material they have furnished 
 and suggestions made. Many others have freely 
 given aid. The committee wishes to express its 
 great appreciation for what they have done. With 
 the new material we have woven in some extracts 
 from the published histories of Ingham county 
 which were written many years ago. An effort has 
 been made to carry the record of each family who 
 came to Leslie before 1850 to the third generation. 
 
 The committee begs the indulgence of the reader 
 for any omissions or possible mistakes in this 
 history. All dates and places have been verified so 
 far as possible, from actual participants or family 
 records. To the generations yet unborn this little 
 volume is commended as a sacred roll of honor for 
 those who, by their toil and struggle with a primi- 
 tive wilderness, made possible the beautiful farms 
 of Leslie township and the charming village in which 
 we live. 
 
Zablc of Contents 
 
 Introduction. 
 
 Geography 13 
 
 Aboriginal Inhabitants 13 
 
 Early Settlement 15 
 
 Early Settlers 19 
 
 Early Pioneer Home Life 65 
 
 The First Celebration of the Fourth of July in 
 
 Leslie 68 
 
 A List of the resident Taxpayers of the Town- 
 ship of Leslie for 1844 whose Family Records 
 
 were not obtained 69 
 
 The PubHc Schools of Leslie 73 
 
 The Churches of Leslie. 
 
 Methodist Episcopal 76 
 
 First Baptist 78 
 
 Free Will Baptist 79 
 
 First Congregational 80 
 
 Seventh Day Adventist 81 
 
 St. Mary's Catholic 82 
 
 Leslie Boys Worthy of Special Mention 85 
 
 Early Business Interests of Leslie 93 
 
 Village Incorporation 95 
 
 Village Plat and Additions 96 
 
 Business Interests of Leslie 96 
 
 The Builders and Date of Building of the Busi- 
 ness Part of Leslie 104 
 
 Societies 109 
 
Introduction 
 
 In looking back over half a century we find Leslie 
 township just merging into history and taking its 
 name and place among the numerous townships 
 being formed from government land in lower Mich- 
 igan. It lies in the central part of the state and, on 
 the government survey, is Township No. 1 North, 
 Range No. 1 West. The eastern and southern bound- 
 aries were surveyed by Joseph Wampler in 1824, the 
 northern and western boundaries by John Mullett in 
 1824-25, and the township was subdivided by Her- 
 vey Parke in 1826. 
 
 Leslie township was at first a part of the town- 
 ship of Aurelius. It was organized as a separate town- 
 ship on December 30, 1837, and received its name as 
 follows: Dr. J. A. Cornell of Spring Arbor was a 
 member of the legislature at that time. When 
 Ingham county was organized and the townships 
 named, each township was called by description and 
 a name was given by various members of the House. 
 When township No. 1 North, Range No. 1 West 
 was called. Dr. Cornell proposed naming it ** Leslie" 
 in honor of a much respected family by that name 
 whom he knew in Eastern New York. The name 
 was accepted and appears in the formal act of organ- 
 ization of this township, which was passed in March, 
 1838. The first township meeting was held at the 
 home of Henry Fiske, a log dwelling which stood 
 near the present site of the Allen House, on the first 
 Monday in April, 1838. Henry Fiske presided as 
 Moderator and Benjamin Davis was elected Super- 
 visor. 
 
Htdtorp of XeeltCt ADicbioan 
 
 GEOGRAPHY 
 
 The township of Leslie Hes in the southern tier 
 of Ingham county, Michigan. It is bounded on 
 the north by Vevay, on the east by Bunker Hill, 
 on the south by Rives, and on the west by Onon- 
 daga. It has a level or slightly rolling surface, is 
 well drained by natural watercourses and is suited 
 to general agriculture. Huntoon Creek runs in a 
 general southerly course across the township, hav- 
 ing its sources in Mud Lake on Sec. 3 and 10, and 
 Huntoon Lake on Sec. 13 and 14. The water 
 power on this stream was used in an early day, but 
 later the dams were destroyed and the ponds 
 drained for the promotion of health. 
 
 The creek valley serves in part as the right of 
 way for the Michigan Central Railroad and the 
 electric line of the Michigan United Railroad, 
 which give ready access to Jackson, Lansing, and 
 all points north and south. 
 
 The village of LesHe is situated in the southern 
 part of the township, and North Leslie is a hamlet 
 lying northwest from the center. 
 
 ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS 
 
 The early settlers in Leslie found many traces of 
 the long occupation of the county by the various 
 Indian tribes, Pottawattomies and Chippewas, who 
 wandered over the Saginaw and Grand river valleys 
 in pursuit of the game so abundant in their time. 
 Every field, when brought under cultivation, yield- 
 
 13 
 
14 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 ed specimens of stone arrow heads, skinning knives, 
 hammers and hatchets. Specimens of copper showed 
 that by trade routes the copper from the upper 
 peninsula had been distributed far from the mines. 
 Bones were frequently plowed up. On Sec. 20, the 
 quantity of bones found near each other suggested 
 either an ancient battle ground, or else a cemetery 
 or burial place. 
 
 Indeed, the Indians were yet present in numbers 
 within the memory of some now living. Awed by 
 the strength of the government of the United States 
 as shown by the war of 1812-15, they had by treaty, 
 1819, surrendered their broad acres to the govern- 
 ment and become its pensioners. This pension or 
 annuity was paid annually at Detroit and thence they 
 wended their way once each year to receive the 
 same and participate in a few days of riotous indul- 
 gence inthat great luxury — fire-water of the white man. 
 The rest of the year was spent in hunting and trap- 
 ping. Always hungry, their general relation to 
 the early settlers was that of beggars of flour, tea 
 and food. The settlement of their hunting grounds 
 by the whites soon drove out the game; the dis- 
 eases — smallpox and measles — so common among the 
 white settlers were invariably fatal to those of the 
 Indians who took the same and thus, as if by magic, 
 they vanished from the land they had so long in- 
 habited. Only one place in Ingham county com- 
 memorates an Indian name and that is Okemos, 
 which is named after the Chippewa chief of that name 
 who died at his wigwam near that village in 1858. 
 However, the old Indian trail from the north to 
 Detroit by way of Jackson ran through the town- 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN lo 
 
 ship and served in an early day as the road over 
 which all new settlers came into the township. 
 
 EARLY SETTLEMENT 
 
 Many of the early settlers of LesUe were educated 
 people who came from refined and religions homes 
 in the east. Fortunately, they did not lose their 
 church letters in Lake Erie on their way to a wilder- 
 ness home. They left their impress of Christian 
 lives upon the new community where their devotion 
 to truth and practical godliness was known. They 
 met with many trials and hardships but kept ever 
 before themselves the thought that some glad day 
 the wilderness would yield to them of its fruits, 
 giving them homes with all provisions and comforts. 
 At times severe homesickness swept over them and 
 they felt they had not counted the cost. They 
 were obliged to make their beginning in the most 
 primitive way, Hving in their covered wagons until 
 the little log home could be built. Cooking 
 was done over a fire on the ground. Bread was 
 baked in an iron skillet over the coals. When the 
 nights were cool, fires were built on each side of the 
 wagon. These also served to keep the howling wolves 
 at a proper distance. Indians were often unwel- 
 come visitors. The primitive sounds, sights and 
 conditions reminded them that they were indeed in 
 a new and strange land. Sometimes a letter came 
 to cheer them, but alas! too often the eastern friend 
 forgot the necessary postage of twenty-five cents. 
 Several days would elapse before the required 
 amount could be secured and the message of the 
 loved one obtained. Nearly all privations incident 
 
16 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 to the settlement of a new country came to these 
 pioneers, but no repining was heard. A daughter 
 of an early settler says: "I remember when we had 
 only salt and potatoes to eat and we thought it 
 more of a picnic than a hardship — at least the chil- 
 dren did." 
 
 Early in March, 1836, the first log house in the 
 village of Leslie was built by Elijah Woodworth, on 
 Bellevue Street, near Huntoon Creek. This was 
 followed by a second one near Five Corners, owned 
 by Mr. Loomis; a third near the Methodist Church, 
 by Henry Meeker, and a frame one which is now 
 called the Dowling residence, on Bellevue street 
 by Mr. Elmer. Friends and relatives of the then 
 venturesome pioneers soon followed. Among these 
 were the father and mother of Henry Meeker, two 
 married daughters and another son, Dr. Valorous 
 Meeker, who was the first physician to settle in 
 Ingham county. These families, as was customary 
 in an early day, gave their name to the place 
 where they settled and thus Leslie was christened 
 "Meekerville." 
 
Earlg Settlers 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 19 
 
 EARLY SETTLERS 
 Elijah Woodworth 
 
 Elijah Woodworth was born in Mayfield, Mont- 
 gomery Co., N. Y. He was a soldier in the war of 
 1812. He came to Jackson Co., Mich., in 1835, by 
 way of Canada. In March, 1836, he cut a road 
 through the forest to Grand River and crossed on a 
 raft. He then came north to the present site of 
 Leslie and built his log house near Huntoon creek. 
 He was assisted in the building by Amos Wortman. 
 He said: "My nearest neighbors north were at 
 DeWitt, Clinton Co. ; south four miles there were 
 settlers in Jackson Co., east and west none but 
 natives that I know of. During the summer, new 
 comers in pursuit of homes found my habitation. 
 Each had his name booked as he came to the door 
 and his turn of choice of land followed his registry. 
 Amos Wortman, Jasper Wolcott, and myself, became 
 their guides in the wilderness. Our land was located 
 at Kalamazoo in the order the applications were 
 made." 
 
 Elijah Woodworth had two sons : 
 
 (1) Solomon. 
 
 (2) Albinus. 
 
 To Solomon were born seven children: Loretta, 
 Esther, Sarah, Byron, Hattie, Herman and Burdette. 
 Sarah married A. A. Lumbard. Sarah and Bur- 
 dette live in Leslie. 
 
 Josiah Rice 
 
 Josiah Rice and family arrived in Meekerville, or 
 Leslie, in 1839. He was a brother of Grandmother 
 Meeker. "Uncle Josiah," as everyone called him, 
 established a pottery near where Mr. Kent's house 
 stands. It was a wonder and delight to all the chil- 
 
20 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 dren. They eagerly watched him take a piece of 
 clay, mould it like bread, throw it upon a revolving 
 table, and gradually with his hands and a piece of 
 wood raise and shape it into a bowl, a pan, a jug, or 
 a vase. In the rooms of the Pioneer Society in 
 Lansing may be found a vase marked, "Made by 
 Josiah Rice at Leslie, Mich., 1849." 
 
 Josiah Rice married Laura Stone in Sheldon, 
 Vermont, Feb. 26, 1812. Eleven children were 
 bom to them: 
 
 (1) Fornia, married Clark Graves. No children. 
 
 (2) Palmyra A., married Alba Blake. No children. 
 
 (3) Stillman, married Harriet Childs. Their 
 children were Mary, Laura, Emma, Augusta, 
 Hattie and Kit tie. 
 
 (4) Loretta Sophia, died in infancy. 
 
 (5) Edwin Nelson, was a bachelor. 
 
 (6) Samuel, died in infancy. 
 
 (7) Josiah Wood, was a bachelor. 
 
 (8) James Hamden. No record. 
 
 (9) Leonard C, married Jane Woodhouse. 
 Their children were Mary, Bert, and Edwin. 
 
 (10) Laura Ann, married David Lester. Their 
 children were Forest, Florence, Pet, Laura, Gladys, 
 and Roy. 
 
 (11) WilHam Henry, married Helen Armstrong. 
 Their children were Eva, Minnie, Blanche, and 
 Lester. 
 
 Jacob Armstrong 
 
 Jacob Armstrong came from Charleston, Mont- 
 gomery Co., N. Y., to Michigan in the fall of 1837. 
 Mr. Armstrong has related his experiences as follows : 
 **I hired a man and a team to transport my goods 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 21 
 
 and arrived at the Freeman bridge over the Grand 
 River on the 9th of September, 1837. I found the 
 river impassable on account of heavy rains. The 
 causeway some thirty rods long between the bridge 
 and the north bank was afloat. I left my goods on 
 the ground on the south side and my wife and I 
 crossed on the floating logs by jumping from one log 
 to another and came to Leslie that night, five miles, 
 on foot. Next morning I started with an ox-team 
 for my goods. The river was still impassable for 
 a team. By the help of three hired men we 
 loaded into the wagon what we could draw, and 
 drew it across on planks laid on the floating cause- 
 way and by taking two sets of planks, we could 
 shift them every length of the wagon. We worked 
 faithfully all day — a part of the time up to our waists 
 in water — and got them over and arrived at our 
 home in Leslie some time after dark. Usually when 
 it was known that a family was at the river waiting 
 to come over, settlers would go to their assistance. 
 Sometimes whole days would be taken in getting 
 them and their household goods across. After a 
 time rough canoes were hewn out of basswood trees. 
 The use of these lessened the dangers somewhat. 
 During 1836 the river was crossed on a log raft. As 
 soon as there were men enough to warrant the under- 
 taking, a log bridge was built." Jacob Armstrong 
 was one of the first settlers at North Leslie in 1837. 
 
 Amos Wortman 
 
 Amos Wortman came to Michigan in 1835 from 
 Genesee county, New York. He remained in Jack- 
 son over winter and on March 11, 1836, filed on Sec- 
 tion 21. He assisted Elijah Woodworth to build 
 
22 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 the first house in Leslie, and boarded with him for 
 two years. On October 28, 1838, he married Miss 
 Charlotte Woodworth and settled upon his farm 
 the following year. He helped cut the first road in 
 the township of Leslie and also helped cut trails or 
 roads through other townships while on hunting 
 trips. These roads were little more than cow-paths. 
 By his first wife he had five children: 
 
 (1) Jane, married Leroy Landfair. 
 
 (2) Emily, married George Curtis; second hus- 
 band, Dudley Porter. 
 
 (3) Milton, married Rose Doyle. 
 
 (4) Charlotte, married John Robinson; second 
 husband, George Burt; third husband, Seneca 
 Huntley. 
 
 In 1855 Amos Wortman married Mrs. Sybil 
 Barnes. By his second wife he had three children: 
 
 (1) Orlando, married Hattie Barnes. 
 
 (2) George. 
 
 (3) Ella. 
 
 Mr. Wortman sold his farm in 1888. He died in 
 Lansing on Sept. 29, 1892, and was buried at Leslie. 
 
 Sidney 0. Russell 
 
 Sidney O. Russell, of Seneca Falls, N. Y., filed on 
 land in Section 20 and 29, Leslie, in May, 1836. The 
 following year he brought his family and settled on 
 his farm. Having made a small clearing, he sowed 
 that fall the first field of wheat in Leslie township. 
 Indians were numerous and made frequent calls at 
 his log house, demanding flour, etc., which were not 
 to be denied. Old Chief Okemos was a common 
 visitor. In 1842 Mr. Russell moved into the village 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 23 
 
 of Leslie that he might operate a water-power saw- 
 mill he had bought. To this he added a small store 
 which was the beginning of his mercantile success. 
 Afterwards he erected a steam mill which furnished 
 employment to a large number of men. The last 
 of his building operations were those of his brick 
 business block and his residence on Belle vue street. 
 Mr. Russell's first wife was Mary Fox, of Seneca 
 Falls, N. Y. To them were bom six children of 
 whom three are now living: 
 
 (1) Mrs. James Torrey. 
 
 (2) Mrs. Mary Baggerly. 
 
 (3) Mr. W. S. Russell of Jackson. 
 
 To Mrs. James Torrey were bom two sons, Lyn- 
 ford and Clayton. 
 
 To Mrs. Mary Baggerly, one son, J. Russell. 
 
 To W. S. Russell four children were bom: Clara, 
 Osmer, Juanita and Leslie. 
 
 Mr. Russell's second wife was Rumina Haynes. 
 She survived Mr. Russell who died Nov. 8, 1894. 
 
 John J. Turtle 
 
 John J. Tuttle was born in Metz, N. Y., and came 
 to Leslie and settled on Section 7, in 1836. In 1837 
 he brought his wife, Emma Warren Tuttle, to the log 
 cabin he had erected in the wilderness. She was a 
 granddaughter of General Warren of Revolutionary 
 fame. 
 
 His biographer says: "It was five years after 
 taking up his abode in his new home before a team 
 passed his door, or before he was able to see the smoke 
 of any dwelling save his own. His good wife was 
 ever ready to help indoors or out. Often in winter 
 
24 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 she assisted him in clearing land by piling and burn- 
 ing the logs. Lye was obtained from the ashes by 
 leaching in sycamore gums and then boiled down 
 to "black salts" which could be sold for making sal- 
 eratus used in cooking. This and maple sugar were 
 the only products which could be sold for cash in 
 those early days." 
 
 Mr. Tuttle was always a good friend to the Indians 
 who frequently encamped on his land. He was a 
 strong-minded man and a delightful story-teller, 
 always trying to make others happy. During his life 
 he served at different times as Supervisor, Justice 
 of the Peace, and Coroner of Ingham county. He 
 had three children: 
 
 (1) Sarah Jane. 
 
 (2) Ogden V. 
 
 (3) Celestia. 
 
 Sarah Jane married Daniel Frary. Their chil- 
 dren were Elizabeth, Emma, and Blanche. 
 
 Ogden V. married Elizabeth McArthur. Their 
 children were Arthur J. and Grace. 
 
 Celestia died in 1863. 
 
 Mrs. John J. Tuttle died Sept. 2, 1887. John J. 
 Tuttle died Jan. 20, 1903. Both are buried in Leslie. 
 
 Daniel Ackley 
 
 Daniel Ackley was bom in Batavia, N. Y. In 
 1829 he married Sarah Wortman. They came to 
 Michigan in 1836 and settled on a farm north of 
 town. Bears were plentiful at that time. One 
 Sunday morning he and his wife were taking a walk 
 when she saw an animal which she mistook for an 
 Indian pony. Mr. Ackley secured his rifle and killed 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 25 
 
 the animal which was a bear seven feet two inches 
 
 in length. 
 
 To them two children were born : 
 
 (1) Eleanor, born Nov. 14, 1841 ; died April 17, 1848. 
 
 (2) Martin, born April 10, 1845; died April 5, 1912. 
 Martin had two children: 
 
 Fred, born Dec. 21, 1873; died July 9, 1908. 
 
 Sarah E., born June 9, 1876; married Addison 
 Van Alstine and now Hves on the old homestead. 
 Benjamin Davis 
 
 Benjamin Davis of Jefferson county, N. Y., re- 
 moved to Michigan in October, 1836. He remained 
 in Wayne county until January 1, 1837, and then 
 removed to Leslie, having filed on land in Section 
 20 in May, 1836. His children by his first wife were : 
 
 (1) Richard H., married Sallie DuBois, daugh- 
 ter of Asa and Arvilla DuBois. Their children were 
 Clarence, Richard, Benjamin, and John. 
 
 (2) Clarissa, married David Potter. Their chil- 
 dren were Benjamin, MeHssa and David. 
 
 The children by his second wife were : 
 
 (1) Wilson, married Kate Van Wert. Their 
 children were Stella, Clara and John. 
 
 (2) William, had two children. Perry and Delia. 
 
 (3) Emily, married Joseph Smith. 
 
 (4) Bramwell, had two children, Ivan and Emily. 
 
 (5) Dempster, married Mary Haskell. Their 
 children were Willard, Hattie and Stella. 
 
 (6) Delia, married W. W. Gates. Their children 
 were Effie, Arthur, William, Olive, Clyde and Olia. 
 
 Asa DuBois 
 
 Asa DuBois came to Leslie in 1841. He married 
 Orvilla Searls. Their children were: 
 
26 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (1) Samuel, married Mary Jane Helden. Their 
 children were Pluma, Edith and Holden. 
 
 (2) Sallie, married Richard Davis. Their chil- 
 dren were Clarence, Richard, Benjamin and John. 
 
 (3) Meramina, married Miles Smith. They had 
 but one child, Claude. 
 
 (4) Caroline, married Thomas Wildey. They had 
 one son, Thomas. 
 
 James Royston 
 
 James Royston was born in Somerset county, 
 N. Y., April 14, 1800. He came to Michigan in 
 June, 1836, and located upon the place where L. A. 
 Royston now resides. The family came by way of 
 Buffalo to Detroit on the lakes and from Detroit to 
 his farm by ox-team. At the time Mr. Royston built 
 his log cabin there was but one other family within 
 the limits of the present township of Leslie. He 
 may, with propriety, be called one of the founders 
 of the township inasmuch as he was elected Justice 
 of the Peace at the first town meeting in 1838. His 
 children were : 
 
 (1) Thomas. 
 
 (2) Lemuel A. 
 
 (3) William. 
 
 (4) Mary Ann. 
 
 (5) Sarah. 
 
 (6) Cornelia. 
 
 William died of sunstroke at Resaca de La Palma 
 in the Mexican War. Thomas died in 1846. Lem- 
 uel A. resides on the old homestead. He has six 
 children: Herbert, Phoebe D., Luella, Ellen, Mabel 
 and Vene. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 27 
 
 Elisha Godfrey 
 
 Elisha Godfrey came to Leslie in 1836, bringing 
 his family with him. When he reached Grand River 
 he found a bridge made of logs which would sink 
 into the water if stepped upon. The father was 
 unwilling to venture with his family in the wagon 
 over this primitive crossing. His little girl, Betsey, 
 who was a cripple, heroically placed her crutches 
 upon a log, pressed it down until it rested stationary, 
 then swung herself upon the log and tried the next 
 in the same manner until she reached the farther 
 shore. This incident shows the inherent bravery, 
 independence and determination which have made 
 the life of Betsey Godfrey Shaw a success and bless- 
 ing, regardless of environment. Her life history 
 shows the struggles of a child of a pioneer. Her 
 father was not strong and she was thrown upon her 
 own resources early in life. Her school privileges 
 were few. When about fifteen years old she had 
 earned and saved enough money to pay for eight 
 yards of calico at twenty-five cents a yard to make 
 herself a new dress. A little later she added two 
 light calico aprons and a cape to her wardrobe. 
 These capes were made to cross in front and were 
 considered quite dressy, but she had no shoes. For- 
 tunately, an aunt bought herself a new pair and 
 gave the old ones to the girl. These she had nicely 
 mended and though they were two sizes too large 
 she wore them to school all winter and began teach- 
 ing in the spring. From that time on she was self- 
 supporting. 
 
 Elisha Godfrey married Polly Barden. To them 
 were bom thirteen children* 
 
28 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (1) Betsey Gk)dfrey Shaw, had two children, Ed- 
 win and Emery. 
 
 (2) Charles, the second son of Elisha Godfrey, 
 died in infancy. 
 
 (3) Sophia Godfrey Jacox, had two children, 
 Henrietta and James. 
 
 (4) Richard, had one child, Matie Drake. 
 
 (5) William, had five children: Charles, Ada, 
 Frank, Norton and Albert. 
 
 (6) Rosetta, died at 14. 
 
 (7) Rosina, died at 18. 
 
 (8) Berinthe, died in infancy. 
 
 (9) Russell, had one child, Mrs. Grace Reid. 
 
 (10) Eldridge, died in the civil war. 
 
 (11) Pearletta, had seven children. 
 
 (12) Pluma Godfrey Tarbell, had seven children. 
 
 (13) Harietta Godfrey Small, had five children: 
 Warner, Herbert, Henry, Homer and Boyd. All ex- 
 cept Warner and Boyd died in infancy. 
 
 Clark Graves 
 
 Clark Graves came to Leslie about 1836. He mar- 
 ried Fornia Rice, daughter of Josiah Rice. They 
 had no children but adopted a little daughter who 
 is now Mrs. Palmyra Hahn. Mrs. Hahnhas one son, 
 Earl. Mr. and Mrs. Graves also raised two boys 
 but they|were not adopted. 
 
 Mahlon|Covert 
 
 In 1837 Mahlon Covert settled in Leslie township 
 upon a government claim of two hundred acres. Be- 
 fore leaving New York he married Sallie Chandlers. 
 He began at once to clear the land and build his log 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 29 
 
 cabin. The forests soon gave way to a fine farm 
 and in 1855 the log house was replaced by a mod- 
 em home. 
 
 In his life Mahlon Covert exemplified strong pos- 
 itive characteristics. His home was blessed with 
 four children: 
 
 (1) Ansel. 
 
 (2) Samantha. 
 
 (3) Mary Ann. 
 
 (4) Monmouth. 
 
 Ansel Covert had six children: Fred, Carrie, 
 Vernie, Gertrude, Grace and Katherine. Fred and 
 Vernie died in childhood. The others are now 
 known as: Mrs. Carrie Pickett of Des Moines, Iowa; 
 Mrs. Gertrude Graves, Mrs. Katherine Ludwick of 
 LesHe, and Mrs. Grace Stewart of Cleveland. 
 
 Monmouth Covert had one son, Vinton. 
 
 Samantha settled in the East. 
 
 Mary Ann married Isaac Talman and has two 
 children, Samantha and Fred. 
 
 Rev. Elijah K, Grout 
 
 Rev. Elijah K. Grout of Fairfax, Vermont, set- 
 tled in Leslie in October, 1838. He came in the 
 common conveyance, a covered wagon, bringing 
 his wife and three young children with him. He 
 purchased forty acres inside the present village cor- 
 poration but this he afterwards sold. A new plank 
 house was built on the hill on Belle vue street. This 
 house, without windows or doors except as blankets 
 or pieces of carpets were substituted, was made their 
 happy home in the new land for many years. 
 
 In the spring of 1839 Mr. Grout assisted in the or- 
 
30 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 ganization of a Baptist church in LesHe and was him- 
 self ordained to the ministry in 1841. 
 
 This young preacher rode on his pony many miles 
 through the woods, following the blazes on the trees, 
 fording the streams, and hearing the wolves howling 
 in the distance, in order that he might carry to hun- 
 gry souls the bread of life. For nearly thirty-seven 
 years he preached the Gospel of the loving Christ, 
 endured hardships as became a soldier of the Cross, 
 was faithful unto death and, we believe, obtained a 
 crown of life. His loss was sincerely mourned by 
 all who knew him. He was a fine type of the pioneer 
 minister and knew no man as his enemy. 
 
 Mr. Grout had six children, two of whom are now 
 living, Mrs. Henriette Taylor and V. H. Grout of 
 this village. 
 
 (1) Mariette, married Amsa Rust. To them were 
 born five children : Minerva, Charles, Ezra, William 
 and Ida. 
 
 (2) Henriette, married William Taylor. Their 
 children were Kittie, Carrie, Alfred and Mariette. 
 
 (3) Gardner, married Mary T. Harrison. Their 
 children were Hattie, Louise, Gerald and Marie. 
 
 (4) Idris Sophronia, married Gurdon Corning. 
 No children. 
 
 (5) Hiram Valorous, married Flora Either for his 
 first wife and Charlotte A. Stuart for his second 
 wife. They have one child, Stuart. 
 
 Mrs. Elijah K. Grout was a sister of Henry and 
 Dr. Valorous Meeker, and the daughter of Benjamin 
 Meeker, who were among the first settlers in Leslie. 
 
 It is of further interest to state that Rev. Elijah K. 
 Grout was a grandson of the Elijah Grout in whose 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 31 
 
 honor the Daughters of the American Revolution 
 Chapter at Leslie is named. 
 
 Jonas Nims 
 
 Jonas Nims moved from Cleveland, Ohio, to Mich- 
 igan in 1838 with his wife and family of eight chil- 
 dren, making the journey with an ox-team, fording 
 rivers and traveling over rough roads. He came by 
 way of "Jacksonburg" and moved into a log house 
 on the Austin farm where he lived for some time. 
 He afterwards bought the Mixer farm and built a log 
 house. He was obliged to go to Eaton Rapids to 
 mill as it was the nearest place where his grist could 
 be ground. It sometimes took a week to complete 
 the trip, and the mother having died, the children 
 were compelled to remain alone in the wilderness un- 
 til he came back. 
 
 Jonas and Elinor Nims had eight children. 
 
 (1) The oldest daughter died in childhood. 
 
 (2) Benjamin, married Mary Godfrey. They 
 had two children, William and a daughter. Electa 
 Miner was Benjamin's second wife. They had one 
 child, Elinor Nims Down. 
 
 (3) Juliette, married Joseph Godfrey. Their 
 children were George, Sheridan, Adelaide, Eunice, 
 Janette, Clarissa, Marie and Luna. 
 
 (4) Joseph, married Maria Smith. Their child- 
 ren were Etta and Hattie. 
 
 (5) Caroline, married WiUiam Wright. 
 
 (6) Betsey, married Daniel Wright. 
 
 (7) Clinton, married Clarissa Monroe. One child, 
 Elinor. His second wife was Eunice Youngs. They 
 
32 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 had six children: Elmer, Curtis, Arthur, Estelle, 
 Abigail, and Wilson. 
 
 (8) Dwight, married Mary Jane Monroe. They 
 had two children, Monroe and Jessie. 
 
 Washington Scovel 
 
 Washington Scovel came to Leslie in 1838. His 
 children were : 
 
 (1) Jerome. 
 
 (2) Thales. 
 
 (3) Orcelia. 
 
 (4) Angelette. 
 
 Jerome Scovel celebrated his seventy-fifth birth- 
 day in May, 1912. He says that he is the oldest man 
 living in Leslie who was born here. When he was 
 nine years old he helped drive the seven yoke of oxen 
 while Eli Barden held the plow which was used to 
 plow up the land where Main street is now located. 
 It was several years before this, while he was riding 
 behind an ox-team with his father, that the dog 
 which ran ahead began to bark furiously. His father 
 said the dog must have treed a squirrel, but investiga- 
 tion showed it to be a large black bear. Settlers al- 
 ways carried a gun with them on trips those days so 
 the bear was shot and Mr. Scovel received ten dollars 
 for the pelt. The little boy Jerome was so frightened 
 by the rapid occurrence of events that he fell on the 
 ground and clasped his arms around his father's 
 knees. 
 
 Jerome Scovel married Rhoda Miner. Their chil- 
 dren were Lydia and Orcelia. 
 
 Thales married Emma Clatworthy; second wife, 
 Malvina Craig. They had one son who died in in- 
 fancy. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 33 
 
 Orcelia died unmarried. 
 
 Angelette married Mr. Thorn and had one son, 
 Walter Thorn. 
 
 Nelson Norton 
 
 Nelson Norton came from Cuyahoga Co., N. Y., in 
 June, 1838. He brought with him his wife, Hattie 
 Clark Norton, and one child. He drove some stock 
 with him and at Detroit, where they stopped for one 
 night, a fine new milch cow was missing, but, happily, 
 was located by the call of her calf. When he reached 
 Leslie he had but ten dollars in his pocket. It took 
 nine dollars of that to buy a barrel of flour. He 
 bought an eighty-acre farm one-half mile south and 
 one mile east of Leslie. Not a tree had been cut on 
 the place until they arrived and commenced to build 
 their log house. Soon after commencing housekeep- 
 ing Mr. Norton decided he would try to get some ven- 
 ison for his family to eat. Starting out through the 
 woods he soon scared up a deer which he chased into 
 a neighbor's clearing. The two sons of the neigh- 
 bor saw the deer coming, hurried into the house for a 
 gun and killed the animal just as Mr. Norton came 
 running into the yard. The meat was divided be- 
 tween them. 
 
 The children of Nelson Norton were : 
 
 (1) Theodore Norton, single, died 1912. 
 
 (2) Celestia, married George Taylor. Their chil- 
 dren were Flavius, Margaret, Florence and Homer. 
 
 (3) George, married Mary Walker. Their chil- 
 dren were Ada, Levi and Claude. His second wife 
 was Frances Gibboney. Their children were Nelson, 
 Barry, Elsie and Paul. 
 
34 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (4) Albert, never married. 
 
 (5) Edwin, married Catherine Gray. Their chil- 
 dren were Albert, Ethel and Sophronia. 
 
 (6) Caroline, single. 
 
 (7) Adaline, single, died in 1910. 
 
 (8) Levi, died in infancy. 
 
 Nelson Norton was born in 1813, died in 1884; 
 Hattie Clark Norton was born in 1818, died in 1887. 
 
 Calvin Edwards 
 
 Calvin Edwards came from Cayuga Co., N. Y., in 
 1837, with his wife and six children. The family 
 were originally residents of Newark, N. J. They 
 came in a covered wagon and it took a period of five 
 weeks to make the trip. They traveled around Lake 
 Erie through Ohio and could make ten miles a day. 
 Mr. Edwards settled on Section 6 and later moved 
 to Section 18. He was a very energetic, public- 
 spirited man and was prominent in all township 
 affairs until his death in 1851. 
 
 Calvin Edwards married Jemima Wade July 4, 
 1814. She died December 20, 1817. There were 
 two children: 
 
 (1) Martha, born July 3, 1815; died April 2, 1816. 
 
 (2) Liddie, born June 15, 1817; died Sept. 6, 1817. 
 His second wife was Phoebe Tuttle whom he mar- 
 ried June 7, 1818. By this wife he had six children: 
 
 (1) Jemima, born Jan. 15, 1820; died April 24, 
 1848. 
 
 (2) Stephen, born June 14, 1821. 
 
 (3) Ogden, born August 8, 1823. 
 
 (4) Elizabeth, born May 22, 1825; died Nov. 28, 
 1862. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 35 
 
 (5) Oliver, born April 23, 1828. 
 
 (6) Sally, born Oct. 24, 1831 ; died June 29, 1857. 
 Jemima married Jebulen Eggelston Jan. 15, 1843. 
 
 They had two children, Willington, born April 11, 
 1844; died Sept. 22, 1873; and Phoebe, born Feb. 19, 
 1846; died April 27, 1848. 
 
 Stephen married Ruth Spalding Dec. 12, 1849. 
 Their children were: 
 
 Mary M., born Dec. 11, 1846; died Sept. 22, 1850. 
 
 Ophelia, born May 17, 1849; died Aug. 5, 1849. 
 
 Mary O., born Dec. 12, 1850. 
 
 Phache A., born June 29, 1853. 
 
 Willis, born Feb. 19, 1865; died Feb. 11, 1866. 
 
 Ogden married Jane Austin. They had four chil- 
 dren : 
 
 Flora, born Oct. 10, 1845. 
 
 Floridon, born Oct. 5, 1847. 
 
 John, born May 5, 1850. 
 
 Ella, born Dec. 26, 1853. 
 
 For his second wife he married Marion J. Young. 
 They had one child, Ogden J., born April 25, 1881. 
 
 Oliver married Catherine Beach, March 9, 1851. 
 They had six children : 
 
 Etta, born March 8, 1856; died October 9, 1863. 
 
 Cora L., born April 26, 1858; died Dec. 27, 1860. 
 
 Mary A., born June 12, 1860; died Jan. 16, 1861. 
 
 Ogden D., born Aug. 5, 1862; died Sept. 20, 1863. 
 
 Oliver A., born Aug. 5, 1862; died Sept. 25, 1863. 
 
 Allen R., born April 30, 1869. Allen R. married 
 Miss Anna Sayres of Leslie. 
 
 Jotham Morse 
 
 Jotham Morse left New York for the west in 1831. 
 He made his first stop in Ypsilanti. While there he 
 
36 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 married Sarah Harwood of that place. In 1840 he 
 settled on his farm which was located two miles 
 south of Leslie. His first home was a log house. 
 The logs were paced as to length. The roof was 
 made of split shakes. These were held in place by 
 binding poles. The floor was the earth until it was 
 replaced with one of plank hewn out with an ax. 
 The door was a blanket. The chimney was made of 
 split or rived sticks laid up in mud. Windows were 
 a luxury to be obtained afterwards. When the 
 shanty was finished, Mr. Morse took stock and found 
 he had just three dollars in cash. Fuel and food 
 were required. His ax became dull in preparing the 
 first and he had to go two and one-half miles south 
 to Deacon Freeman's who owned the only grindstone 
 in the vicinity. After getting up a woodpile he 
 secured a job threshing wheat for Alva True who 
 lived five or six miles away. The wheat was 
 threshed with a flail. He secured five bushels of 
 wheat as pay but he was obliged to go fifteen miles 
 to mill over bad roads with an ox-team before the 
 wheat could be had as flour for bread. 
 
 Mr. Morse lived on the same piece of land for forty- 
 eight years. He died Aug. 13, 1890, and his wife 
 May 28, 1908. 
 
 Jotham Morse had eight children: 
 
 (1) Olive, married E. W. Kitchen. They had 
 one child, Olive, who was brought up by her grand- 
 parents as her mother died when the babe was five 
 weeks old. 
 
 (2) Mary, married E. W. Kitchen after the death 
 of her sister Olive. Two children were born to them, 
 Nellie and Alva. Her second husband was D. J. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 37 
 
 Owens. Their children were Adelaide, Lloyd and 
 
 Vera. 
 
 (3) W. H. Morse, married Eugenia Way. They 
 have two sons, William and Roy. 
 
 (4) Josephine, married William McLennon. They 
 have three sons, Fred, William and George. 
 
 The first land entries in Leslie township were made 
 by William W. Harwood, father of Mrs. Jotham 
 Morse. 
 
 William Barden 
 
 William Barden was bom in New York. He came 
 with his famliy from Cuyahoga county, Ohio, in 
 1837. They traveled with a horse team. The trip 
 was very slow and tedious as the road and trails were 
 very rough. When they reached the Grand river 
 the water was very high and the bridge appeared to 
 be afloat. They crossed by stepping on the floating 
 logs. A few more hours of travel brought them to 
 their future home in the Walker district. Every trial 
 incident to pioneer life came to them. It was fifteen 
 miles to a store. While the father was absent, the 
 family Hved in daily terror of the Indians. The 
 mother was very anxious that her children should 
 have an education so she started a school in her home 
 and taught all who came free of charge. 
 
 Mr. Barden died in 1881and Mrs. Barden in 1898, 
 leaving five children. 
 
 (1) Sally, married Elisha Godfrey. Their chil- 
 dren are given in the Elisha Godfrey history. 
 
 (2) WilHam, married Harriet Finch. Their chil- 
 dren were Corliss, Ceilon, Ida, Fidelia, James and 
 Norton. 
 
38 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (3) Charles, married Jenneth Austin. Their 
 children were Lavance and Nora. 
 
 (4) Eli, married Eliza Philkins. He still lives 
 in Leslie. 
 
 (5) Julius, married Melinda King. Their chil- 
 dren were Ora and Rosa. His second wife was 
 Phoebe Austin Pugsley. 
 
 Joseph Godfrey 
 
 Joseph Godfrey was born in New York in 1807. 
 He married Lydia Miner of Massachusetts. They 
 settled in Leslie township in 1839. They came from 
 Cuyahoga county, Ohio, with an ox-team. He was 
 a large strong man, well fitted for the hard work 
 necessary in making a home in the wilderness. He 
 made a practice of buying land, making some im- 
 provements and then selling at a good profit. The 
 Indians feared "Big Joe" as they called him. For 
 that reason his wife and family never felt uneasy 
 when left alone. He was a hunter and killed much 
 game while looking land. No one in the township 
 seemed more prosperous than "Big Joe." However, 
 after six years of hard work he was taken sick and 
 died. His good wife, with the help of her three sons, 
 continued to improve the farm. In 1850 she mar- 
 ried Mr. Reynolds and returned to Ohio. She died 
 in 1856. Her sons were: 
 
 (1) George. 
 
 (2) Emmons. 
 
 (3) Russell. 
 
 George, born in 1833, married Mary Cravatt. 
 They had ten children : 
 
 Martha J., Seth B., John A., Harvey F., George E., 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 39 
 
 Ida M., William F., Stuart E., Henry W., and Asel B. 
 
 George is living at Tryon, Neb. 
 
 Emmons, born in 1836, married Elizabeth Ray- 
 mond. She died in 1864. He enlisted in the army 
 and returned to Leslie in 1865. He was married a 
 second time and died at Lincoln, Nebraska. He 
 left three children: Dr. Frank Godfrey, Jessie 
 Barnes and Phila Dickeman. 
 
 Russell B., the third son, was one of the first to 
 enlist in the war. He was killed at the battle of 
 Gettysburg. 
 
 Mrs. Abbie Haynes 
 
 Mrs. Abbie Haynes left New York in 1837 with 
 her three children and started for Michigan, the state 
 selected as her new home. Her journey via Canada 
 was uneventful and in due course of time they 
 settled in White Oak township. Later she moved to 
 a farm three miles southwest of Leslie where she 
 lived for twelve years. Then she moved to Leslie. 
 Mrs. Haynes was no common woman. She had a 
 fine intellect, possessed great executive ability and 
 had a vigorous constitution. Her cheerfulness, 
 added to her ready wit, made it a treat to converse 
 with her. She loved society, did not grow old until 
 deprived of her strength, and when she answered to 
 her Father's call she went with the perfect faith and 
 trust of a little child. 
 
 The children of Mrs. Abbie Haynes were: 
 
 (1) Rumina Haynes, married S. O. Russell. No 
 children. 
 
 (2) Ephraim, married Abbie Anne Earl. Their 
 children were Ann, Horace, Sarah, Ed. and Fred. 
 
40 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (3) Frances S., married J. W. Burchard. Their 
 children were John W. and Louisa F. Her second 
 husband was Mr. Newman. They had one daughter, 
 Isadore. 
 
 (4) Martha L., married J. C. Leonard. Their 
 children were Frank, Mattie and John. 
 
 (5) Horace, had no children. 
 
 (6) Barbara, married Mr. Mills. They had one 
 son, Fred. 
 
 (7) William, married Geraldine Lansing. No 
 children. 
 
 Lester Miner 
 
 Lester Miner and his wife, Emily Jones Miner, 
 came to Leslie in 1838. They had seven children: 
 
 (1) Washington, married Mary Brown. No 
 children. 
 
 (2) Electa, married Benjamin Nims. They had 
 one child, Eleanor Downs. 
 
 (3) Harrison, married Josephine Miner. They 
 had one child, Nettie. 
 
 (4) Rhoda, married Jerome Scovel. They had 
 two children, Luda and Celia. 
 
 (5) Daniel, married Mary Ann Sones. No chil- 
 dren. His second wife was Sate Barden. Their 
 children were Claude, Nona, George and Albert. 
 
 (6) Joseph, married Nettie Lybolt. No children. 
 
 (7) Benjamin, married Emily Jones. Their chil- 
 dren were Jennie, Octavia, Emma, Zepha and 
 Everet. 
 
 David Jones 
 
 David Jones and his wife, Almira Frost Jones, 
 came to Leslie in 1850. Their children were: 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 41 
 
 (1) Daniel. 
 
 (2) Emily. 
 
 (3) Lafayette. 
 
 (4) Helen. 
 
 (5) Eveline. 
 
 The children of Daniel and Mary Jones were Alice, 
 Thomas and Fred. 
 
 The children of Emily and Benjamin Miner were 
 Jennie, Octavia, Emma, Zepha and Everet. 
 
 The children of Lafayette and Adeline Jones were 
 Addie, Frank and Bert. The children by his second 
 wife, Martha Elliot, were Anna, Milo and Glen. 
 
 The children of Thomas and Evelina Hunt were 
 Mira, Arthur, Cecile and William. 
 
 The children of Thomas and Helen Hunt were 
 Earl and Clarence. 
 
 Joseph Woodhouse 
 
 Joseph Woodhouse and his wife, Clarissa Dunham, 
 settled in Leslie township in 1842. They had seven 
 children : 
 
 (1) Eliza, married Mr. Dikeman. No children. 
 
 (2) Emily, died unmarried. 
 
 (3) Lemuel, married Caroline Ward. Their chil- 
 dren were Estella and Olive. 
 
 (4) William, married Sarah Kirby. Their chil- 
 dren were Charles, Bert, Fred and Frank. 
 
 (5) Nancy, married Daniel Crossman. They 
 had one child, Onie. 
 
 (6) Jane, married Leonard Rice. Their children 
 were Mary, Bert and Edward. 
 
 (7) Isaac, married Jane Eaton. Isaac invented 
 the first paper-cutting machine ever made. His son. 
 
42 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 Camie, possesses the gold medal awarded him for 
 this machine. 
 
 Willliam Doty 
 
 William Doty came to Leslie by way of Detroit in 
 1837. S. O. Russell was to assist him in locating a 
 claim. He invited Mr. Doty to stop for dinner on 
 his arrival, but Mr. Doty declined, saying he did not 
 have time to stop just then. Mrs. Russell gave him 
 a slice of bread which he ate on the run as he tried to 
 keep up with Mr. Russell who took him at his word 
 and plunged into the woods at once. They located 
 160 acres three and one-half miles north of Leslie, 
 now known as the "Campbell Farm." Soon after 
 his arrival he bought the state right for a patented 
 water-lime cistern. His brother assisted him in the 
 construction and they frequently cleared $25 a day. 
 
 Later he disposed of the homestead and purchased 
 what is now known as the "Elias Sanders Farm," one 
 mile north of Leslie. Here he carried on a large stave 
 mill and cooperage business. The mill was operated 
 by horse-power, for which he kept fifteen horses. He 
 afterwards tapped maple trees for sugar, making as 
 high as 2000 pounds in one season. 
 
 Wolves were so common that he gave them little 
 thought. His great personal strength made him in- 
 different to physical danger. He seldom carried a 
 gun for protection. He could hold an iron weight 
 of seventy-five pounds poised on his extended hand. 
 No Indian he ever met could hold more than fifty 
 pounds. He was a man of an iron will and great 
 energy. He was said to have seen more daylight 
 and worked more hours than anv other man in the 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 43 
 
 surrounding country. He died in 1895 at the age 
 
 of 83 years. 
 
 William Doty married Matilda Page in 1840. 
 They had two children. 
 
 (1) WilHam, married Augusta White. Their 
 children were Edward, Oscar, Clarence, Maurice and 
 
 Richard. 
 
 (2) Libby Doty, married Albert Dennison. 
 Their children were Nellie and Albert, both of whom 
 died in infancy. 
 
 William Doty married Rebecca Harlow for his 
 second wife in 1860. Their children were: 
 
 (1) Dora. 
 
 (2) Jay. 
 
 (3) Clara. 
 
 Dora married John Clatworthy. Their children 
 were Clara and Ray. 
 
 Jay Doty married Harriet Eliza Pickett. Their 
 children were Paul, Harriet, Elizabeth and Clarence. 
 
 Clara Doty married Charles Frederick Pickett. 
 They have no children. 
 
 Nelson B. Backus 
 
 Nelson B. Backus and bride, Nancy Bugbee, set- 
 tled in Leslie township on Section 9 in 1837. Their 
 first child, James, was born the following year in 
 February. He is said to have been the second white 
 child and the first boy born in the township. There 
 were four children in this family : 
 
 (1) James P., married Almira DeLamater, Feb. 
 22, 1860. They had four children: William, Alta, 
 Artie and L. C. who died in childhood. 
 
44 HISTORY OP LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (2) Ellen, married William DeLamater. They 
 had one child, Cora, who died in infancy. 
 
 (3) Edwin N., married Mary Wilcox, daughter 
 of J. W. Wilcox. They had one son. Nelson. 
 
 (4) Fred, married Celia Miner in 1877. They 
 had one son, Victor O., who died in 1912. 
 
 Silas Kirby 
 
 Silas Kirby and his brother, Isaac Kirby, settled 
 on the farm now owned by George Wilcox in 1837. 
 Later this place was known as the *' Tufts Farm." 
 
 Silas Kirby had seven children: 
 
 (1) Mary. 
 
 (2) Austin. 
 
 (3) Allen. 
 
 (4) Stephen. 
 
 (5) Charles. 
 
 (6) Fred. 
 
 (7) Sarah. 
 
 Stephen ran away from home at night in borrowed 
 clothes to go sailing. The father took away the 
 clothes of the son at night to prevent his threatened 
 departure. This great love for marine life descended 
 to his son, Frank E. Kirby, who is, without doubt, the 
 greatest marine engineer America has ever produced. 
 He has designed the largest passenger boats on the 
 Great Lakes, among them being the Tashmoo, the 
 Eastern States, the Western States, and the See and 
 Bee. His latest river passenger steamboat "Wash- 
 ington Irving," largest carrier in the world, 6000 
 people, runs from New York to Albany. He has rep- 
 resented the United States in many important con- 
 ferences and recently returned from Europe where 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 45 
 
 he attended the International Marine Safety Confer- 
 ence as one of the delegates from the United States. 
 
 Homer King 
 
 Homer King and his wife, Arsenith Giles, came 
 to Leslie in 1836. As first settlers they experienced 
 the usual hardships and privations. Mrs. King said 
 that at times wolves came so near to the log cabin that 
 she could see their eyelashes. Mr. King was famous as a 
 hunter. S. O. Russell gave him $10 as a bounty for 
 the first wolf killed in the township. Often when 
 walking to his own home from the farm of Nelson 
 Backus, he was obliged to carry a burning fagot to 
 keep the wolves at bay. Indians were proverbial 
 beggars, especially for buttermilk. It was the fam- 
 ily custom when a band came to set out the stone 
 churn that they might have all they desired. Honey 
 was often exchanged for baskets which the squaws 
 were expert in weaving. 
 
 Homer King had four children: 
 
 (1) Hiram. 
 
 (2) Cynthia Ann. 
 
 (3) Henry. 
 
 (4) Charlotte. 
 
 Hiram married Frank Hoyt. They had two chil- 
 dren, Addie and Frank. 
 
 Cynthia Ann married James H. Ford. They had 
 six children, Lenora, Homer, Myrtie, Lenna, Nina 
 and Ben. 
 
 Henry married Flora Bennett. They had three 
 children, Jerry, Claude and Harry. 
 
 Charlotte died when twelve years old. 
 
46 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 Theodore Clark 
 
 Theodore Clark married Delia Parish. They set- 
 tled on the county line in 1 840, but later moved to a 
 farm one and one-half miles north and two miles 
 east where they lived for many years. This is the 
 Mr. Clark mentioned in connection with Dr. Wood- 
 worth. He had six children; 
 
 (1) Polly, married Austin Haywood. Their chil- 
 dren were Delia and Adelbert. 
 
 (2) Alva Clark, no record. 
 
 (3) Charles, married Josie Russell. Their chil- 
 dren were Alva, George, Dewitt and Charles. 
 
 (4) Elmina, married George Bonnell. Their chil- 
 dren were Herbert, Henry, Theodore, George, 
 William, Charles, Mary and Edna. 
 
 (5) Eunice, married Hersley Marston. Their 
 children were Boyd, Pearl, Floy and Delia. 
 
 (6) Anson, married Laura Kinsinger. Their 
 children were Freda, Fay and Howard. 
 
 Orange Barlow 
 
 Orange Barlow came from New York to Leslie in 
 184L His wife, Elizabeth Whaley, and five child- 
 ren came with him. Their home was a very primi- 
 tive log house with a blanket for a door and cloth for 
 windows, keeping out, as Artemus Ward has 
 said, "the coarsest of the cold." After paying for the 
 moving Mr. Barlow had fifty cents left to tide over 
 until he could get a start in his new home. He ob- 
 tained his meat by hunting and earned flour for 
 bread by day labor for his wealthier neighbors. 
 Bears, wolves and deer were very plentiful. In- 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 47 
 
 dians were also numerous, but friendly. A squaw 
 sometimes came to the door with a quarter of a deer 
 to exchange for a bag of potatoes. At one time Mr. 
 Barlow loaned his rifle to an Indian. Six months 
 later the Indian returned the rifle. His squaw bride 
 came with him. She had prepared a deer skin that 
 was as beautiful as a piece of white silk in payment 
 for the use of the rifle. Mr. Barlow thanked them 
 and then returned the gift. 
 
 Orange Barlow had six children: 
 
 (1) Caroline Elizabeth, married Clark Harlow. 
 Their children were Alfreda, Cynthia, Sarah, Lynn, 
 Jasper, Laura, Samuel, Charles, Fred and Lloyd. 
 Second husband was Enoch Haynes. 
 
 (2) James, married Martha Cornell. Mrs. Ann 
 Wilson was his second wife. He had two children, 
 Nettie and Lewis. 
 
 (3) Nathan, married Lizzie Humphrey. Their 
 children were Edith, Everet, Brunson, Juliette, Oli- 
 ver, Ula, Claude, Ch ff or d, Florence, Chester and Iva. 
 
 (4) Abner, married Adella Cornell. No children. 
 
 (5) Louisa, married Philander Doxtader. They 
 had one child, George Gaylord. 
 
 (5) Ann, married W. D. Longyear. Their chil- 
 dren are Henry B. and Burton O. 
 
 (6) Juliette, died in childhood. 
 
 Hiram Austin 
 
 Hiram Austin came to Leslie in 1841. His wife 
 was Mary Jared. They had seven children: 
 
 (1) Thomas, married Lucy Hull. They had 
 eleven children. 
 
 (2) Hiram, married Phoebe Covert. No children. 
 
48 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (3) Henry, married Eleanor Lyon. Had four 
 children. 
 
 (4) Albert, had three children. 
 
 (5) Janette, married Charles Barden. Two chil- 
 dren. 
 
 (6) Lydia Ann, married George Loomis. Three 
 children. 
 
 (The names of the children in the third generation 
 were not obtained.) 
 
 Thomas Peach 
 
 Thomas Peach came to LesHe in 1840 and settled 
 just east of town. He afterwards sold this place 
 and bought a farm in Rives township. In 1842 he 
 married Clarissa Harlow. They met with many in- 
 teresting experiences in the new country. Indians 
 were common. They were friendly, but Mrs. Peach 
 did not trust them. When she saw one coming, she 
 would go to the door and call "Thomas." After 
 she had done this a few times at the visit of one 
 old chief, he ever after when nearing the house 
 would shout at the top of his voice "Thomas" be- 
 fore he approached the door. Pork and potatoes 
 were traded for baskets. When they could spare 
 no more, they hid the supplies in the cellar and asked 
 the Indians to look into the empty barrel. 
 
 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. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 49 
 
 (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) EHzabeth, 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) WilHam, married in the East and his family 
 is unknown. 
 
 (7) Orson, died in childhood. 
 
 Truman Wilbur 
 
 Truman Wilbur located in Leslie in 1842. In 
 
50 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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, 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 51 
 
 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 Ferine. 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. 
 
52 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 : 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 53 
 
 (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 
 bum 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 bom Oct. 23, 1826, and died in 
 LesHe June 24, 1896. Mr. Norton was born May 4, 
 1820, and died Feb. 18, 1904. Their childem were: 
 
 (1) Alma. 
 
 (2) Aurelia. 
 
54 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 (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 EUena 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 55 
 
 stock, Mr. Lumbard felled elm and basswood trees 
 for the cattle to browse upon. 
 
 Erastus Lumbard had eleven children: 
 
 (1) WilHam. 
 
 (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 Baclnxs 
 
 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. 
 
56 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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 Avhose 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 57 
 
 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 Vemor, 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. 
 
58 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 59 
 
 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) CaroHne, 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, 
 
60 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: 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 61 
 
 (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 enhsted 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 LesHe in 1850. To them were bom 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) EHza, 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 EHzabeth Hill. Their chil- 
 dren were Maude, Edward and John. 
 
Earli) Pioneer Home 
 Life 
 
t HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 65 
 
 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 com 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. 
 
66 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 67 
 
 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 com 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 com 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. 
 
68 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 Pumpkin pie and sometimes cider were served as 
 refreshments. 
 
 Sometimes two or three f amiHes 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, 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 69 
 
 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, WilUam 
 Page, Enoch Hare, Thomas Clossen, A. C. Harlow, 
 Wheaton Sanders, William Jones, WilUam W. Dewey, 
 Chauncy Smith, Sally Miles, Seneca Hale, Joshua 
 Whitney, Anthony Ingalls, Ephraim Wortman, 
 Whitman Albro, Peter Ward, Stephen Weeks, EHz- 
 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, WilHam Htmtoon, 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, WilHam Barden, D. Wright, W. Wright, 
 Benjamin Norton, Daniel Marston, Lyman C. Miner 
 and W. D. Landfair. 
 
Schools and Churches 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 73 
 
 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. 
 
 The first schoolhouse in the township was built in 
 Leslie village in the fall of 1837. It was a frame build- 
 ing and was located near the present site of the Congre- 
 gational Church. It is now used as a part of a car- 
 riage house by J. R. Baggerly. Stillman Rice, a 
 brother of Leonard Rice, was the first teacher. The 
 second teacher was Mrs. Butler, a sister of Mrs. E. K. 
 Grout. Miss Messenger was the next teacher after 
 Mrs. Butler. In 1843 Elizabeth Bugbee taught in 
 District No. 1 and EUzabeth Godfrey in No. 4. The 
 latter district was formed in 1842 in the southwest 
 part of the township. 
 
 The first schoolhouse in the village served for many 
 years both for schools and religious meetings. One 
 old resident says: "I remember the schoolhouse 
 distinctly. We spent many exciting afternoons in 
 it, choosing sides for a spelling-down contest. There 
 was a plaj^-house too, built in the woods just west of 
 Mr. Tuttle's residence. There the largest boy or 
 girl was elected father or mother and chey had a busy 
 time keeping order in their unruly family." In 
 time the first building gave way to a brick struc- 
 ture which is now used as a chapel by the Congre- 
 gational Church. 
 
 Shortly after the Civil War when the town was 
 
74 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 animated by the return of those engaged so long in 
 that deadly strife, there arose an urgent demand 
 for a better school building and more teachers. An 
 acre of ground for the new school building was given 
 by W. J. T. Armstrong on Wood worth street. The 
 contract for building the central part of the present 
 building which stands on the Armstrong site was 
 awarded in 1867 to Woodhouse & Rice, for some- 
 thing over $10,000. The building was finished in 
 1868. Sept. 9, 1871, this district was organized as 
 a Union Graded School District and has continued 
 so ever since. A wing on the south side was added 
 in 1873 and one on the north side in 1907. The 
 present building has nine rooms and is in excellent 
 repair. The various grade rooms are adorned with 
 beautiful pictures, the gifts of successive classes. 
 The laboratory is one of the most complete in the 
 county and the library of 1900 volumes is not sur- 
 passed by that of any similar school in the state. 
 In 1912, the lots at the south side of the Armstrong 
 site were purchased for a playground and for agri- 
 cultural extension work. 
 
 At the death of C. W. Tufts in 1906, he made pro- 
 vision in his will for establishing a township high- 
 school in Leslie township but the bequest never 
 materialized. His library, however, forms the basis 
 of the handsome collection of books mentioned above. 
 
 Since the erection of the present building, the fol- 
 lowing men have served as superintendents of the 
 Leslie school: Wellington Carleton, 1868-1869; 
 Thomas C. Taylor, 1869-1870; Elmer D. North, 
 1870-1871; Charles A. Cook, 1871-1879; Charles K. 
 Perrine, 1879-1880; Henry C. Rankin, 1880-1884; 
 Charles H. Chase, 1884-1886; Alton D. DeWitt, 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 75 
 
 1886-1888; Charles E. Bird, 1888-1894; Abraham 
 Knechtel, 1894-1899; Allen F. Rockwell, 1899-1901; 
 Henry C. Rankin, 1901-1902; Clarence VHet, 1902- 
 
 1913. 
 
 The teaching force at the present time is as follows : 
 Science, Clarence Vliet; EngHsh and History, Flor- 
 ence Galusha; Language, Florence Fisher; Mathe- 
 matics, Adelaide Cashing; Grades 7 and 8, Miss 
 Grace Fisher; Grades 5 and 6, Miss Clara Brown; 
 Grades 3 and 4, Miss Lillian Coe; Grades 1 and 2, 
 Miss Verna Downs; Kindergarten, Miss Lucile Davis. 
 Miss Downs also has charge of the music and draw- 
 ing. The present enrollment is 265. 
 
 The first class to graduate from the high school 
 was that of 1873, consisting of three members. 
 Since that time there have been thirty-five classes 
 with two hundred and seventy-six members who 
 have graduated. The 1914 class numbers seven- 
 teen. Ten of these classes with a membership of 
 one hundred and ten have graduated under Mr. 
 VHet, the present superintendent. Brief sketches 
 of some of the graduates who have become famous 
 in the world will be found under their proper head- 
 ing. At the present time the high school is on the 
 "Approved List" of the University of Michigan, and 
 its graduates are admitted to the University and all 
 the colleges of the state without examination. 
 
 It is fitting that tribute should be paid to two men 
 at least who did yeoman service for the Leslie school 
 in its early history. S. O. Russell, that sturdy pio- 
 neer, was very active in the struggle to build the new 
 building. With his own hands he set out the avenue 
 of maples that leads up to the building from the 
 street. Professor C. A. Cook on the teaching side 
 
76 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 first established a high standard of scholarship 
 among the student body and urged young men to 
 greater effort and a wider sphere in life. To both 
 of these men the Leslie school is greatly indebted. 
 
 METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH 
 
 The economy of the Methodist Church in its organ- 
 ization is peculiarly adapted to pioneer work. Hence 
 we find as early as 1830 that Eastern Michigan had 
 been assigned to the supervision of North Ohio Con- 
 ference, Detroit District, and Ann Arbor Circuit. 
 Leslie received a small share of the work done in this 
 large circuit. 
 
 In June, 1837, the First Methodist Society of Les- 
 lie was organized with thirteen members, viz. ; Hen- 
 ry Meeker and wife, Benjamin Davis and wife. Dr. 
 Valorous Meeker and wife, S. O. Russell and wife, 
 James Royston and wife, Benjamin Meeker and 
 wife, and Denzil P. Rice. S. O. Russell was the 
 first class leader. Washington Jackson and Brother 
 Sullivan served as pastors. At this time the name 
 of the circuit was changed to Ingham and the 
 Conference to Ingham. The meetings were first held 
 at the residence of Benjamin Davis one mile west of 
 the village. Afterwards they were held in the school- 
 house. In 1838 the following members were added 
 to the church: Josiah Rice, Laura Rice, Flavel J. 
 Butler, Florella Butler, Richard Davis, Susan Caton, 
 Washington Scovil, Ephraim Wortman, Anna Wort- 
 man, Susan Kirby, Laura A. Rice, Alba Blake, 
 Catherine Blake, Nancy Carson, Laura Filkins, Louis 
 A. Ravelin, Wm. Vredenburg, Betsey Vredenburg, 
 Mary J. Carson, John Hawkins, Nancy Hawkins, 
 Samuel Vredenburg, Henry D. Rice, Clarissa Dunsha, 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 77 
 
 Van Ransaler Polar, Bathsheba Rice, John Parish 
 and Edna Rice. 
 
 About 1848 the first society in Bunker Hill on 
 Felt Plains was organized and attached to Leslie. 
 Ingham Circuit at this time embraced Leslie, Mason, 
 Okemos, Bunker Hill, Dansville, Stockbridge and 
 some schoolhouse appointments. A. L. Crittenden, 
 pastor, lived in Mason where the circuit owned a par- 
 sonage. He remained two years and preached once 
 in two weeks at each of the places mentioned above. 
 Hiram Law was presiding elder. 
 
 In 1856 a Union church was built in which both 
 Baptists and Methodists worshipped until 1868. 
 Then the Methodists rented a hall until they built a 
 church of their own which was completed in 1870. 
 In 1866 Rev. Burton S. Mills, a local preacher from 
 Lansing, was employed by Rev. C. C. Olds, Presiding 
 Elder, to supply the charge. He was the first res- 
 ident pastor in this church which consisted at that 
 time of Leslie, Felt Plains, and a schoolhouse appoint- 
 ment. In 1867 a great revival was held and one 
 hundred new members joined the church. Pastor 
 Mills remained two years and was greatly beloved. 
 The pastors since that time have been as follows: 
 
 1869, A. A. Rolfe; 1872, H. D. Jordan; 1873, J. 
 GuHck; 1876, N. L. Brockway; 1878, W. J. Swift; 
 1880, Louis De Lamatar; 1883, Charles A. Jacokes; 
 1885, Geo. W. Tuthill; 1887, James Webster; 1892, 
 Lewis M. Edmonds; 1894, Cyrus A. Varnum: 1897, 
 Albert Smith; 1899, Warren W. Lamport; 1907, R. 
 Bert Cilley. 
 
 As auxiliaries to the church work there are at 
 present a Woman's Foreign Missionary Society, 
 Home Missionary Society, two children missionary 
 
78 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 societies and an Ep worth League. The Sunday 
 School has an average attendance of 89 and E. C. 
 Chapman is superintendent. The membership of 
 the church is 200. 
 
 FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 
 
 The First Baptist Church of Leshe was organized 
 on April 12, 1839, with the following members: 
 
 Mahlon Covert, Sally Covert, Lewis Reynolds, 
 Laura Reynolds, Martha J. Ives, Mariah Hazleton, 
 Harriet Barden, and Elijah K. Grout. 
 
 Calvin Straight and wife united with the church 
 May 11, 1839, and on the same date application was 
 made for admission to the River Raisin Baptist As- 
 sociation. Elijah Grout was ordained as a minister 
 Feb. 16, 1841, and became the first pastor of the 
 church. He continued as pastor until 1847. The 
 pastors since have been as follows: 
 
 1847, F. Freeman; 1849, David Hendee; 1852, H. 
 B. Fuller; 1861, Elijah K. Grout; 1866, Rev. Vro- 
 man; 1867, John Dunham; 1868, John B. Kemp; 
 1870, W. C. Gunn; 1871, W. C. Archer, W. Gregory; 
 1872, H. C. Gallup; 1877, H. S. Bower; 1879, John 
 Heritage; 1883, A. M. Buck; 1885, J. W. Ainsworth; 
 1887, W. H. Mills; 1890, F. M. lams; 1891, H. A, 
 McConnell; 1894, H. K.Wilbur; 1897, J. C. Robillard; 
 1899, R. H. Monroe; 1903, John O. Vince; 1907, M. 
 J. Holtsclaw; 1909, LesHe Bower; 1910, W. J. Cop- 
 sey. Rev. McConnell supplies the pulpit at present. 
 
 The early meetings of the church were held in the 
 schoolhouse. In 1856 it was voted to make an effort 
 to build a meeting-house and a frame structure was 
 commenced which was completed two years later. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 79 
 
 William Taylor had the contract for the building of 
 the church. He was assisted by Lorenzo Whitney, 
 Mr. Hoag and others. This building was after- 
 wards veneered with brick in 1887 and is the present 
 church edifice. In 1871 a parsonage on Race street 
 was constructed at a cost of $2000. During the 
 pastorate of Rev. Vince a pipe organ was installed 
 in the church. The present church membership is 
 140. The Sunday School has an average attendance 
 of 89 and A. C. Lake is the superintendent. 
 
 At the time of the building of the Baptist Church, 
 Mrs. Romina Haynes and Mrs. P. Rolfe, organized a 
 Ladies' Sewing Society to assist in furnishing the 
 church. There were 13 charter members: Mrs. 
 Abbie Haynes, Henriette Taylor, Mary Woodworth, 
 Lucinda Rolfe, Romina Haynes, .Sally Ann Sitts, 
 Susan Robinson, Emily Gibbs, Idris Grout, Mary 
 Russell, Celia Adams, Ellen Adams, and Catherine 
 Weeks. They employed the time at their meetings 
 in sewing, knitting, and embroidery. They sewed 
 for individuals, bought material for garments, and 
 sold them at the stores. They also bought calico 
 pieces and made quilts. In time the society was 
 able to buy the sash and glass for the windows in the 
 new church which they also painted. On Novem- 
 ber 26 they appointed a committee to select and pur- 
 chase the articles which were required for the fur- 
 nishing of the edifice. 
 
 FREE WILL BAPTIST CHURCH 
 
 The Free Will Baptist Church was organized in 
 1873 with about 35 members. The organization 
 of the church was due principally to the Rev. Wil- 
 
80 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 Ham Gray. A frame chapel was built in the sum- 
 mer of 1874. It was situated near the sight of the 
 first schoolhouse on the corner of Bellevue and Arm- 
 strong streets. 
 
 The pastors of the church were : 
 
 WiUiam Gray, J. S. Manning, Milo Coldron, J. F. 
 Bolles, F. R. Randall, C. S. Bisby and Rev. Van 
 Warmer in the order named. In 1880 the church 
 had a membership of 80. The society was disbanded 
 in 1890 and the building sold to Mr. Bickhart who 
 moved it to Mill street where it was later destroyed 
 by fire. 
 
 CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH 
 
 A Congregational Church was organized in the 
 village of Leslie with eight members on Feb. 12, 
 1843, by Rev. Marcus Harrison, pastor of the church 
 in Jackson. The members were: Henry Fiske and 
 wife, William Huntoon and wife, Benjamin Bing- 
 man and wife, Kendrick Leach and wife and Eliz- 
 abeth Bugbee. Meetings were held once a month 
 by Mr. Harrison and Rev. Thomas E. Emerson for 
 eight months. At the end of this time the organiza- 
 tion was dissolved. 
 
 In 1861 the Rev. Edwin W. Shaw, a member of the 
 Southern Michigan Association, visited Leslie. He 
 moved here with his family in October, 1861, and 
 labored until April, 1865. On April 9, 1865, the fol- 
 lowing persons constituted the First Congregational 
 Church of Leslie: Mrs. Sarah Tufts, Mrs. Elizabeth 
 Barlow, Rev. Edwin W. Shaw, Mrs. Mary Wheaton, 
 William F. Huntoon, Mrs. Clarissa Huntoon, Mrs. 
 Amanda Shaw, Mrs. Phoebe Perrine, Mrs. Mary 
 Woodworth, Nelson B. Slocum, Edward M. Craig and 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 81 
 
 Mrs. Agnes Slocum. Rev. Thomas Jones of Olivet 
 and Rev. Marshall Tingley of Sioux City, Iowa, 
 assisted at the organization. William F. Huntoon 
 was chosen deacon and E. W. Shaw church clerk. 
 The organization took place in the schoolhouse at 
 Leslie. In October, 1868, the old brick schoolhouse 
 was purchased by the society and converted into a 
 chapel. It was dedicated Jan. 3, 1869, by Rev. 
 W. B. Williams of Charlotte and is still in use as a 
 part of the church property. In 1869 Mr. Shaw 
 resigned the pastorate and Rev. J. W. Allen began 
 his labors which continued until 1875. In 1869 a 
 parsonage was purchased for the use of the pastor of 
 the church and a permanent organization was 
 effected in August of the same year. The present 
 church edifice was dedicated in 1884. Great credit 
 should be given Rev. W. C. Allen who was pastor at 
 that time for urging the work to completion. The 
 pastors since the establishment of the church have 
 been as follows : 
 
 1869, J. W. Allen; 1875, William Mulder; 1878, 
 John Visscher; 1879, A. E. Ross; 1881, James L. 
 Watts; 1882, Rev. Wilkinson, J. M. Smith; 1883, W. 
 C. Allen; 1887, F. M. Coddington; 1890, F. W. Bush; 
 1892, C. M. Arthur; 1894, J. J. Stealey; 1896, John 
 Clafiin; 1908, W. C. Allen. 
 
 The present membership of the church is 78. The 
 Sunday School has an average attendance of 50. 
 J. R. Baggerly is the superintendent. 
 
 THE SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH 
 
 The Seventh Day Adventist Church was organ- 
 ized in 1877 with the following charter members: 
 
82 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGA^f 
 
 Wm. B. Irwin, Mary Irwin, A. J. Richmond, 
 Nellie Richmond, Wm. Barden, Harriet Barden, 
 Martha Pasco, Betsey Shaw, Elizabeth Page, Char- 
 lotte Chapman, Edson Hazelton, Wm. J. Stone and 
 Lucy Stone. The present church building was built 
 in 1883. The present church membership is 14. 
 
 ST. MARY»S CATHOLIC CHURCH 
 
 St. Mary's Catholic Church of Leslie was estab- 
 lished in 1882 by Rev. Fr. Buysse of Jackson. 
 Meetings were held in Union Hall until the church 
 was completed. At first there were about thirty 
 regular communicants but owing to death and re- 
 movals this has been reduced to twenty-one at the 
 present time. 
 
o 
 
 00 
 
 o 
 <u 
 
Leslie Bogs Worthy 
 of Special Mention 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 85 
 
 LESLIE BOYS WORTHY OF SPECIAL MENTION 
 
 Homer Reed 
 
 Homer Reed, son of Thomas Hitchcock Reed and 
 Mary Wilcox Reed, was bom in Rives township, 
 August 26, 1847. In 1854 his father moved to Les- 
 lie and engaged in business with H. T. Allen and 
 later with R. L. Covert until his death in 1866. 
 
 The early education of Homer Reed was under 
 the guidance of James Blackmore in the old brick 
 district schoolhouse of Leslie. Of Mr. Blackmore 
 and his early school life Mr. Reed says: ''The fig- 
 ure of James Blackmore stands out prominently as 
 a teacher well equipped to meet the rough conditions 
 encountered in the pubHc school of that day where 
 in one room a teacher was obliged to teach seventy- 
 five pupils in all branches from A B C to algebra. 
 Mrs. William Taylor was also one of my teachers in 
 the brick schoolhouse. She was a most gifted and 
 accomplished instructor who made study a labor of 
 love." 
 
 Mr. Reed graduated from the University of Mich- 
 igan in 1872. In 1873 he located in Kansas City 
 where he still resides. He studied and practiced 
 law for awhile and later adopted real estate loaning 
 as a business which he still prosecutes under the 
 name of the ** Homer Reed Investment Company." 
 He was postmaster of Kansas City under Cleveland. 
 He was a charter member of the Humane society, 
 is somewhat of a writer on economics and sociology, 
 and is an enthusiast on peony culture, having over 
 200 varieties — the finest collection in the middle 
 west. 
 
 In 1879 Mr. Reed married Laura Coates, daughter 
 
86 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 of one of the prominent pioneer families of Kansas 
 City. They have six children. 
 
 Norman W. Haire 
 
 Norman W. Haire was born in Jackson county, 
 Mich., Feb. 24, 1855. He obtained his early educa- 
 tion at the Annis district school, the Leslie high 
 school, and the Ann Arbor high school where he 
 graduated in June, 1876. He graduated from the 
 University of Michigan with the degree of A. B. in 
 1880, and with the degree of LL.B. in 1885. He 
 was admitted to the bar in 1885, settled at Rock- 
 land, Mich., was elected prosecuting attorney, 
 1886, and held the office until 1891 when he was 
 appointed by Governor Winans as judge of the new 
 32d Circuit. In the fall of 1892 he was elected to 
 fill out the term and was re-elected in 1893 and 1899 
 and again in 1905 without opposition. Soon after 
 his election in 1905 he resigned to take charge as 
 General Manager of the Bigelow Mines — Osceola, 
 Tamarack, Isle Royal, Ahmeek — and the Lake 
 Superior Smelting Co. In 1909 he resigned from 
 this position since which time he has been manager 
 of mines in Utah and New Mexico although contin- 
 uing to reside in Hancock, Michigan. 
 
 Judge Haire was married July 3, 1880, to Miss 
 Lydia Moore of Leslie. They have two children. 
 
 Charles W. Tufts 
 
 Charles W. Tufts was bom in 1856. He was the 
 son of George A. Tufts and Sarah Petty s. He grad- 
 uated from the Leslie high school in 1876 and en- 
 tered the University of Michigan in the same year, 
 graduating in 1880 with the degrees of A. B. and 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 87 
 
 M. A. He began teaching at once in Sheboygan, Wis., 
 and afterwards became principal of the Kalamazoo 
 high school and of the township high school at Ot- 
 tawa, 111. He remained in Ottawa until 1887 when 
 he went to Germany and studied at Berlin and Leip- 
 sic. On his return to this country he located in 
 Grand Rapids and, in company with a classmate, 
 opened a law and real estate office. While there he 
 built two hundred dwelling houses and the apart- 
 ment house known as the Wellington. In 1901 he 
 removed to Detroit and formed a partnership with 
 W. W. Hannan, under the firm name of Hannan & 
 Tufts. This firm built the Madison, Pasadena and 
 other well-known apartment houses in that city. 
 At the dissolution of this partnership Mr. Tufts 
 undertook the building of the finest structure he 
 had ever planned. The Charlevoix, in Detroit, and 
 had made plans for erecting a yet larger building in 
 Brooklyn. He died in 1906 after a short illness, 
 from uraemic poisoning. 
 
 Mr. Tufts was married Sept. 18, 1877, to Gertrude 
 Clapp. He had one adopted daughter, Lura Brown. 
 
 Mr. Tufts was greatly interested in the village of 
 Leslie. For several years he wrote a weekly letter 
 to the Local-Republican in which there was much 
 philosophy of Hfe and evidence of the cultural priv- 
 ileges he had enjoyed in his University and foreign 
 study. For several years he gave the graduating 
 classes beautiful class pins. He also gave town im- 
 provement prizes, prizes for the final debates in the 
 Lyceum, and prizes for personal hygiene in the 
 grades. At his death his will made provision 
 for the founding and support of a township high 
 school in Leslie township. His library and pictures 
 
88 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 were to go to this school. This library at present 
 forms the basis of the excellent library in the public 
 school. It is said that when a child, he visited the 
 only library in Leslie, consisting of a few worn books in 
 Burchard's store. The need of a library for the com- 
 munity use was so evident to him that he exclaimed : 
 ** Leslie shall have a library when I am a man if I 
 buy it myself!" The provision in his will was the 
 evident outgrowth of the childish resolve. 
 
 Had Charles W. Tufts lived, the bequest in his will 
 of $10,000 in cash and $1000 a year for twenty years 
 for the proposed township high school would have 
 been but a modest beginning for the many helpful 
 plans he had in mind for his native place. That the 
 proposed school has not been built because, in the 
 final settlement of the estate, its shrunken values 
 would not permit the fulfillment of the bequest is 
 simply indicative that no one could direct his intri- 
 cate affairs so well as the master himself. Had he 
 lived, all his plans and more would have been 
 realized. 
 
 Horace H. Rackham 
 
 Horace H. Rackham was born in Harrison town- 
 ship, Macomb Co., Michigan, on June 27, 1858. He 
 is the son of Simon Rackham and Ann Rackham. 
 His parents became residents of Leslie township in 
 1874. As a boy Mr. Rackham attended the dis- 
 trict school taught by Joseph Compton, and entered 
 the Leslie high school in 1877. At this time Prof. 
 C. A. Cook was principal and Norman W, Haire his 
 assistant. He graduated from the high school in 1878 
 and through the advice of Professor Cook and Mr. 
 Haire decided to study law. He accordingly entered 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 89 
 
 the office of a practicing attorney in Detroit and on 
 June 5, 1884, was admitted to the bar in the Wayne 
 County Circuit Court, and on Nov. 18, 1898, to 
 the District Court of the United States for the East- 
 ern District of Michigan. 
 
 Since his admission to the bar Mr. Rackham has 
 led a busy professional life. He has never entered 
 into politics. 
 
 In 1903 Mr. Rackham assisted in the formation of 
 the Ford Motor Company of Detroit and has shared 
 in the prosperity of all connected with that great 
 automobile concern. Although at the present time 
 he has ceased the active practice of his profession, 
 his many business interests require a large share of 
 his time. 
 
 On Nov. 11, 1886, Mr. Rackham was married to 
 Mary A. Horton, of Fenton, Mich. They have no 
 children. 
 
 Edward Boyle 
 
 Edward Boyle was born in Leslie March 5, 1863. 
 He graduated from the Leslie high school in 1883. 
 He spent one year at Olivet College and four years 
 at Ann Arbor where he graduated with the degree of 
 A. B. in 1888. After graduation he taught in Mich- 
 igan City, Ind., for five years as principal of the high 
 school, and then as superintendent of the city schools 
 for six years. He then studied law in the Kent 
 College of law in Chicago and graduated in 1893. 
 Since that time he has been a member of the law 
 firm of Boyle, Mott & Haight, and Secretary and 
 Treasurer of the firm of Abraham Baldwin. Mr. 
 Boyle is also Commissioner and Chairman of a Drain- 
 age and Levee District in Illinois, comprising about 
 
90 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 10,000 acres which has recently been brought under 
 cultivation. 
 
 Arthur J. Tuttle 
 
 Arthur J. Tuttle was born in Leslie township Nov. 
 8, 1868. His grandfather, John J. Tuttle, was one 
 of the pioneers of Leslie. He graduated from the 
 Leslie high school in 1888, and in 1892 from the lit- 
 erary department of the University of Michigan with 
 the degree of A. B. In 1895 he graduated from the 
 law department of the University of Michigan with 
 the degree of LL. B. In 1896 he commenced to prac- 
 tice law in Leslie and in 1898 was elected prosecuting 
 attorney of Ingham County. Two years later he 
 established a law office in Lansing under the firm 
 name of Tuttle, McArthur & Dunnebeck. He 
 has served two terms as state senator, from 1906- 
 10. In 1911 he was appointed U. S. District Attor- 
 ney for the Eastern District of Michigan and in 
 August, 1912, was appointed District Judge for the 
 same district, which office he now holds. 
 
 Judge Tuttle was married March 11, 1903, to Jessie 
 B. Stewart who died August 24, 1912. He has two 
 daughters, Ruth and Esther. 
 
Business Interests 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 93 
 
 EARLY BUSINESS INTERESTS OF LESLIE 
 Stave Factory 
 
 The stave factory of A. J. Bailey & vSon was estab- 
 lished in 1868, and did a thriving business for many 
 years. A cooperage was also owned and operated 
 by the same firm. About 2,000,000 staves were 
 manufactured annually. The yard and mill were 
 opposite the Michigan Central depot. This firm 
 went out of business in 1895. 
 
 Tannery 
 
 Andrew and Emory Hahn established a tannery 
 soon after their arrival in 1860 and continued in bus- 
 iness for several years. This tannery was near the 
 present home of Mr. Hocking. 
 
 Mills 
 
 Two saw-mills were built upon Huntoon creek in 
 early times. The one was called the Upper Mill 
 and was built by Woodworth, Dwight & Co., in the 
 summer of 1836. It was about twenty rods east of 
 Bailey's stave mill. The other called the Lower 
 Mill was owned by Henry Meeker and was on Mill 
 street. It was later run by Jonathan Shaw and Rice 
 Bros., but was finally dismantled. About 1850 S. O. 
 Russell erected a steam mill at the comer of Belle- 
 vue and Spring streets, which was operated for eight 
 years. In 1867 a saw-mill was built by E. Oldmah 
 and L. G. Becker, on the east side of Huntoon Creek 
 east of the M. E. Church. It was burned after run- 
 ning for ten years, but was rebuilt by Dean Tylor. 
 
 The first grist mill had about the same location as 
 the Meeker saw-mill. It was built in 1838 by David 
 
94 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 D wight. William Spears completed the mill and 
 put it in running order. Dell Haines was the next 
 owner. At the time it was burned it was owned by 
 Henry Hawley. 
 
 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 comer 
 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 95 
 
 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- 
 Ham 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; 
 
96 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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; vShaw, 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-oflSice 
 
 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 97 
 
 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 comer 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- 
 
08 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 99 
 
 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 
 
100 HISTORY OP LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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 LesHe 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. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 101 
 
 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, 1 % ; 
 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. 
 
102 HISTORY OP LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 103 
 
 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 LesHe 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 
 
 r 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 
 
104 History OF Leslie, Michigan 
 
 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 suljjhide 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 Btiilders 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. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 105 
 
 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. 
 
106 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 109 
 
 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: 
 
110 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 111 
 
 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, 
 
112 
 
 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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. 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 113 
 
 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, NeUie Morea; Ruth, 
 May Norton; Esther, Tillie Young; Martha, Lucile 
 Davis; Electa, Sybil Edwards; Chaplain, EHzabeth 
 Wood; Organist, Emma Johnston; Warder, Lena 
 Miner; Sentinel, A. V. Norton. 
 
114 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., LesHe 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.ofW., F. J. McDaniels; M. of E., 
 W. H. Johnston; M. of F., W. H. Graves; K. of R. 
 and S., A. Bowling; 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, 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 115 
 
 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- 
 
116 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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: 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 117 
 
 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. Van Auker; 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- 
 
118 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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. 0. 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. Delia 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- 
 
HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 119 
 
 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 OUve 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. DeHa 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 
 
120 HISTORY OF LESLIE, MICHIGAN 
 
 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 
 
Ellis Publishing Company 
 
 Printers, Binders, Electrotypers 
 
 Battle Creek, Mich. 
 
Deacidified using the Bookkeeper process. 
 Neutralizing Agent: Magnesium Oxide 
 Treatment Date: 
 
 1998 
 
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