The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1916-07-28
PIONEER DAYS IN MICHIGAN
Letters OF a Legislator in tho Yssrs
When Michisan's Capital Was se-
ing Moved.


When Michisan's Capital Was Be-
ing Moved.
The pioneer legislators who laid the
political foundations of Michigan were
an earnest lot of men, as contemporary
documents show. One Of these men
was sullivan r. Kelsey. who in 1S47
was an Oakland county member of the
michigan legislature. While attending
legislative sessions Mr.. Kelsey lived in
the old Railroad Hotel In Detroit. and
later followed his fellow makers
when the capital was removed to Laus-
ing Mr.. Kelsey's letters to his wife
now In the possession of his daughter
MRS Z. X. Lumber, of Bay City, and
MRS. helsey's replies. throw interesting
sidelights on those faraway days of the
beginnings of things. In a letter writ.
ten In Detroit, in February, lS47, to
Mrs Kelsey, Mr.. Kelsey says:
This is cold, stormy, gloomy Feb-
ruary morning. l have not the cour.
age or disposition to go out to church.
so have concluded to seat myself here
and write to you once more. I have q
double motive in so doing, one of which
Is that it always affords me pleasure TO
write to you, although l am aware that
my letters are but dry and compare.
lively uninteresting. The other is that
hope in return to receive one from
you which will in some degree have the
tendency las your kind letters always
do) to dispel that kind of gloom which
in spite of me will take possession of
my mind when alone. x I
must say that l have never felt so
lonely as l have since you left here.
The days seem like weeks. / know that
you and onr dear children are safe and
II could say contented and happy I
ought to be content, but fate, somehow.
orders otherwise
1T is probable that 1 shall have to
remain here 10 days or two weeks
longer. The location of the capital is
likely to consume much time yet. There
is now an effort making in the senate
to locate in Corunna or Owosso. NV
opinion remains unchanged. I think ie
it is removed from Detroit it will 90 to
Lansing"
Mr.. Kelsey's forecast was correct.
Lansing became the capital city and
the legislative session of 1859 found
MIN In that town, then very small
place, of which he said in letter TO
Mrs. Kelsey:
Lansing is dull town according to
my notion. should certainly get very
homesick If my time was not fully en-
gagged in business pertaining to NV
uties here. 1 assure you that it is no
small qualification to me that it is only
4O days that must remain here
Last evening the senate and house
met jointly to discuss the question of
restoring the death penalty for the
crime of murder We had some very
able speakers both in favor and against
and remained in session until q late
hour. The bill for that object has not
yet been reported to the house. When
The matter comes up it is quite likely
that it will occupy some considerable
Time as almost all the members will
nave something to say.
I'VE now have a bill peuding for
donating to Mrs. Elizabeth Rogers, of
saginaw county, $40 acres of land. The
'eason therefor is that January she
gave birth TO four healthy children, one
ION and three daughters"
Mrs. Kelsey wrote a letter in 1S47 to
ler husband, which is still preserved,
n which she said:
Kate says she has not seen me look
% happy In long time as since we re.
eived very polite call from Mr..
Thompson this afternoon. The letter
le gave me think revived me as much
as anything. I
lad concluded that you must be seri.
usly indisposed. am
eaily happy to hear that they are to
djourn so soon. y e Why
id you not have the capital located at
'yron9 We ladies rather anticipated
would be. think it took you long
ime to settle the question. "
he children are very anxious to see
ather"
Worn, yellow and old, the letters of
ne piopeer legislator and his wife re.
cal not only the topics of the time, but
1e spirit of the pioneers themselves,
rave in privation and beginnings And
1ey breathe domestic romance far
lore excellent than the pictures of the
ovelists of any time.
WIthiuPton-Schukn necbf