Mary Anna Williams Hodges

Birth: 9 May 1807
Concord, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, USA
Death: 21 Jan 1889 (aged 81)
Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, USA
Burial: Oak Hill Cemetery

Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan, USA Show Map GPS-Latitude: 42.6423759, Longitude: -83.2866898
Plot: Sec.3, Lot 098
Memorial ID: 24821368 View Source

Mrs. Hodges (a daughter of Major Oliver Williams), wrote about the family's journey in 1819 to Waterford, where they became the first settlers (excerpted):
"In the early part of March, the fifth day, I think, at seven o'clock in the morning, we left Detroit, all snugly packed in two sleighs. There was a light fall of snow, about six inches, perhaps, but there was no frost in the ground. There was not much road, only the Indian trail.
We arrived at Royal Oak at sundown, and stayed at Wm. Thurber's overnight. Mr. T. had built a small log house, and lately moved in a family to keep house for him. The lady had several children, but she generously divided her house with my mother and her nine children. There was but one room in the house, and she gave us one side of the fire-place, occupying the other herself. Each soon gathered her flock into her corner. The fire-place was in the old Dutch style, extending entirely across one end of the dwelling. This feature was extremely novel to us all.
After a good warm supper, the beds were made on the floor and all camped for the night, but did not sleep much, for we were too full of play, amusing ourselves looking through the 'chinks' between the logs, counting the stars, watching the moon, and listening to the hooting of owls, the barking of foxes, and the howling of wolves, while every now and then a 'hush, children!' came from our dear, good mother.
We finally passed the night, and at daybreak were astir. A big 'back-log,' ten feet or more in length and two feet in diameter, was rolled in by two men, and a rousing fire built that heated the whole habitation. After a hearty breakfast the teamsters called out, 'All aboard for Pontiac!' and soon we were snugly packed for another day's journey."