“In May, 1837, we left my native place, Farmington, Ontario Co., N. Y., in company with Azariah Mallory and family, of Macedon, Wayne Co., who were also bound for the same destination, the then far West, the State of Michigan, my husband having purchased three-eighties in the north-west portion of Hanover township the year previous, where we now reside. Emigration in those days was less expeditious than in these modern times. We went aboard the canal boat, and jogged along at a slow rate; but as it ran both night and day, we made considerable progress. Arrived at Buffalo, we took the steamboat for Toledo, not much of a village at that time, there being but a few houses. We made out to climb the bank, and then started by team for Adrian, Mr. Mallory having transported his wagon and horses across the lake. We found the roads rough passing through the cottonwood swamp, through mud and muck, where many a wagon had been stuck, Mrs. Mallory and myself walking four miles on logs and rails. We saw the first locomotive with cars making their first trip in Michigan. My uncle, Darius Comstock, and Geo. Crane, from Farmington, N. Y., who were stockholders, were on board. When the train stopped at Blissfield the old gentlemen alighted with buckets in hand, and descended the bank of the River Raisin, and up again as sprightly as young men, with their buckets of water to supply the tender. Both men are now dead. We arrived at Moscow Plains, and put up with an old acquaintance of ours for six weeks, who made our stay very pleasant until our houses were finished, which, of course, were built of logs. We then began keeping house. We experienced many privations, having to go thirty miles to mill with an ox-team, taking two days for the journey. Our neighbors were few and far between. No roads at that time except the main traveled road, three miles south, known as the Chicago turnpike. Now and then we came across an Indian trail, though only one Indian called on us. Though our mode of conveyance for a few years was by ox-teams, we could expedite by taking a bee line nearly to the different points, as there was no underbrush, the Indians having kept it burned down. Afterward, by chipping the trees, or blazing the lines, the tracks were followed by others until they became established roads.

     “Jonesville had only one store at that time. Immigration was very great in 1837. It made very hard times, on account of the scarcity of provisions. Many were afflicted with ague, for which Michigan became proverbial. The first fall my husband had 49 ‘shakes’ in 49 days; our daughter suffered from it at the same time, and none of us escaped it entirely. Mr. Mallory’s people seemed like relatives, though living three miles away. On Sunday the old gray horse would bring the wife and youngest child, while he and one or two others trudged on foot; then was appreciated the face of a friend, and the attachment thus formed has ever since existed. In the spring the fire would run through the woods, which warmed up the ground and caused vegetation to spring up, beautiful to behold. The flowers covered the earth and yielded a fragrant perfume. The wild deer would gambol over the plains, and the turkey was also seen. Now and then a massasauga, put in the appearance, and the wolves and screech-owls would sometimes make night hideous.

     “We soon had a flock of sheep, from which we spun and wove our own cloth, and had to be tailoress and dressmaker too; but clothes were made in plainer style then than now-a-days.

     “Where the village of Hanover is located were only two or three residences, and one log school-house, a few rods northeast of where the M. E. church now stands, where we used to attend meetings.

     “The first tombstone in the cemetery marked the grave of our son. It was a brown sandstone, taken from the quarry at Stony Point, some ten years before its inexhaustible stones were developed.

     “And thus we might extend our view of pioneer life; but perhaps enough has been said. The improvements since those days that tried men’s souls are before us; our State being traversed by the numerous railroads, and the facilities we enjoy for communication, enable us to see the progress in civilization; that which 50 years ago was an unbroken wilderness is now dotted with cities and villages, with the advantages of modern improvements, and we truly can sit under our own vine and fig tree.”