fortune for themselves and those that they held most dear on earth, and many thanks to them for this goodly heritage which shall be left to their children long after they have passed away-as I said, in attempting to prepare anything of interest I can only claim your leniency in presuming upon the time it must take for this paper to be read, as I know that time is most precious on these occasions. Yet, hoping I may not weary you, but rather, on the other hand, entertain this large assemblage for a few moments, I am proud to say that I am a member of this State Pioneer Society, and regret most sincerely my being unable to meet you all here and to read my paper myself; but circumstances over which I have no control prevent it. But I have the most profound regard and reverence for it and its silver haired members.

In regard to the early history of the pioneer life of my father, Hon. L. B. Price I have no doubt there are many here personally acquainted with him he came with his father's family, which consisted of himself, wife and six children (my father being the eldest) from western New York, Monroe Co., Township of Rush, and located in what is now called the village of Utica, situate 25 miles north of Detroit, in the township of Shelby, Macomb Co. This place consisted then of not more than three or four dwelling houses and two, or perhaps three, places of business; on one side of Clinton river there was a blacksmith shop and a distillery-it seems they were a necessity in those days as well as now. The nearest point where dry goods or groceries could be obtained was at what was then (and is now, I think) called Troy Corners, in a little store kept by Mr. Johnson Niles; or at Mt. Clemens, eleven miles distant. The first saw mill and grist mill built in the village of Utica were built by my grandfather, Mr. Jacob Price; the saw mill was built in 1828, and the grist mill was completed in 1829, and very soon after, in that same year, he died. Of course at that time there were many tribes of Indians in this State, and of these I have heard my father say they had little fear, but when I was a child and used to hear him tell some of his exploits with them I must confess the stories would almost make my little heart stand still and I could feel my hair rising on my head, and I would ask in a frightened whisper; "Papa, weren't you afraid?' By the death of grandfather, father was left, comparatively speaking, at the head of the family at the early age of sixteen years; he seemed to be the main-stay of his widowed mother and younger brothers and sisters, for death had spread his shadowy wing over their home and darkened it in removing husband and father when needed most; but my father, nothing daunted, assumed the responsibility of this large family, and by his sturdy

industry, perseverance and integrity, managed to keep the home for his mother and the little ones. When about twenty-two years of age he made the acquaintance of Miss Ann Eliza Merrifield, daughter of John Merrifield (also an old pioneer) and sister of E. R. Merrifield of Lansing; and at twenty-four years of age was united to her in matrimony, and located on a farm three miles north of Utica village, where he resided about fourteen years. Having always been an ardent Democrat he held many offices of trust given him by that party. In the year 1847 (I think) he was nominated and elected as representative to the State Legislature, which was the year, I believe, of the removal of the Capitol from Detroit to what was then almost a wilderness, but which is now the beautiful city of Lansing: his vote counted one for the removal. He subsequently removed to the village of Lakeville, Oakland county, where he has since resided. To say that the vicissitudes of life have not been many with him would not be true, as all that remains of our happy family of five are father, sister and myself. If Ex-Gov. Begole is in this audience he will remember him well, as he and my father were very warm friends during their senatorial sitting in 1872-3. Although his hair is frosted with the snows of seventy- three winters, he stills maintains his vigor well, attends to his business himself with perfect accuracy, and enjoys remarkably good health for one of his years.

MEMOIR OF JOHN MULLETT.

BY JOHN H. FORSTER.

James Mullett, the father of the subject of this memoir, was born in England, and came to America with Burgoyne's army of invasion, having been seized by a press-gang in the city of London, and forced to serve King George III in the strife with his rebellious colonies. He had just completed his apprenticeship as a tailor, and was returning to his home in the country, when the pitiless minions of an obstinate ministry forced him to embark on a troop-ship and sail away from his native land. From that time forth he was lost to his parents and relatives. He participated in the battle of Bennington, and was taken prisoner. He escaped, but subsequently he

joined the continental army, having no good will toward a king who had thus cruelly torn him from his home and country. After the war he settled in Vermont, and married Sylvina Perry, who was a very superior woman, a descendant of the early Pilgrims, and a relative of Commodore Perry, of Lake Erie fame.

John Mullett, the subject of our sketch, was born in Halifax, Windham county, Vermont, July 11, 1786, and was the second son of James and Sylvina Mullett-one of an old-fashioned family of fourteen children. In 1807, the family moved to Genesee county, New York, and there, in the dense wilderness, hewed out a large farm, which has remained in the family until quite recently. To show how dense the trackless forest was, John used to relate that when he and his brothers, with their axes, first entered upon the land, to clear a building spot, they felled trees all day long, and then returned at night to their distant camp. The next day they started out to resume their labors, but were utterly unable to find the spot where they had worked the day before. So they began anew. After some time had elapsed, John left the farm and went to the village of Buffalo, at the foot of Lake Erie, where he engaged in the tailoring business, a smattering of which trade he had learned from his father, during the long winter evenings spent on the isolated farm. Doubtless the industrious father and son fabricated and mended the garments of that growing family of sons. In 1814 he was married to Lucy Henry, of Coleraine, Massachusetts. This union was a very happy one. Mrs. Mullett was a true mother in Israel, a loving wife, devoted mother and sincere Christian. This pair were blessed with eleven children, five sons and six daughters. Four sons and two daughters survive; they reside in Meridian township, Ingham county, Michigan.

In the war of 1812 John was an officer in the Buffalo Home Guards, and was present at the battle of Black Rock, which was the only fighting he did. He was a Federalist and opposed to the war, but turned out to defend his home, when invaded. Many of the advocates of the war took the field with the legend, "Liberty or death," inscribed on their hats. John Mullett used to describe, with much gusto, the conduct of these brave sons of Mars, when attacked by the invading army. At the first volley, they incontinently fled toward their homes in the Genesee country, and as they ran pell mell through the woods, it was amusing to see the valorous heroes scrambling over logs and pushing through the underbrush, with the legend always blazing in front: "Liberty or death!"

In 1818 John came to Detroit and engaged in the tailoring business for a short time. But this trade was not suited to his tastes, intellect, active disposition, and temperament. He had a great taste for mathematical

studies, and his acquirements in those branches of human knowledge were very considerable. He became an excellent engineer and surveyor. In 1821 he was appointed, by General Cass, surveyor of Michigan. During subsequent years he was often employed in engineering duties and in laying out streets and avenues in the rapidly extending domain of his adopted and well beloved city of Detroit. While thus engaged he was frequently interrupted and threatened with stones and shot guns. The conservative yet chivalrous old Frenchmen did not want their farms ruined by having Jefferson avenue projected through them.

In 1822 John was appointed by Edward Tiffin United States deputy surveyor, and was engaged in surveying government lands till 1849. In 1825, while surveying the township line in Eaton and Calhoun counties, the Indians undertook to drive him and his party from the woods. They were determined that their lands should not be surveyed. A little fracas occurred near a creek, in which two Indians were so badly pounded that they died shortly after, and the surveying party left the woods. That stream has been called Battle Creek ever since.

From 1831 to 1834 Mr. Mullett was engaged in surveying in Wisconsin. He surveyed all south of Fox and Wisconsin rivers, and was driven out by the Indians during the Black Hawk war. He was employed by General Scott to go east and purchase wagons for the transportation of troops.

He surveyed the road from Pontiac to Saginaw in 1822. He located the University lands in 1830.

He likewise surveyed the town line from the meridian line to Lake Michigan, south of the base line, and sub-divided into sections large portions of both peninsulas. He surveyed private clams at Green Bay and Mackinaw and laid out many towns and villages in this State and Wisconsin. Mr. Mullett was a charter member of the Detroit lodge of Free Masons and was its first master. He was the second Grand Master of the Michigan Grand

Lodge.

In 1853 he removed to Meridian township, Ingham county, where, after an illness of several years, occasioned by paralysis, he died January 10, 1862, aged seventy-five and one-half years. His remains lie in the little rural cemetery near the village of Okemos.

John's brothers were men of ability, but only two of them were conspicious in public life. Dunkirk, New York. and Buffalo, New York.

Ernest Mullett was a sound lawyer, who died at James Mullett resided for many years in Fredonia He was a very learned, able lawyer, a most eloquent advocate and orator, and a sound jurist. For many years before his

death he was one of the judges of the supreme court of the State of New York.

In person Mr. John Mullett was rather tall, lithe and active, full of genial bonhomie. He possessed an inexhaustable fund of anecdote and humor, which made him the life of every company he was in. Like our lamented President Lincoln, he always had a story to tell apropos to everything, and no one excelled him as a story-teller. His intellect was keen and incisive. He was well informed and full of pioneer lore. In Detroit he numbered among his warmest friends most of the leading, distinguished men of his generation. He was very domestic in his tastes, and he loved his fireside, with his wife and children gathered around it, better than anything else in the world; very courteous in his manners, at home or abroad, he was a pleasant gentleman of the old school. As before stated, he was an able mathematician, a thorough master of his profession. He was as modest as he was able. He was kind, honest and honorable in his intercourse with his fellow He loved his adopted city, Detroit, and his adopted State, Michigan, with an intensity that often made him blind to the merits of other places and States.

men.

He was truly an active pioneer, having with compass and chaiu marked the way for the incoming settlers, inviting them to meet in our pleasant peninsula.

FATHER WINTER AND HIS FAMILY.

BY C. B. STEBBINS.

On my settlement in Adrian, in 1842, I found my next door neighbor to be an affable gentleman of sixty-four years, of commanding presence, and in every way of a patriarchal appearance, called by everybody, "Father Winter." He died about six years later. Sometime after his death, Mrs. Winter related to me the remarkable history of their emigration from Vermont to western Pennsylvania, and afterwards to Michigan. I was deeply interested in her story-truly romantic-both on account of the thrilling scenes