Marathon Twp, Lapeer Co, MI

Marathon Township (T9N-R9E), Lapeer County, MI

Early History

The area T9N-R9E, now known as Marathon Township, was originally part of Lapeer Township, formed 30 Dec 1834, part of Lapeer County, Michigan Territory. Michigan was not yet a state -- that happened on 26 Jan 1837. Marathon was first organized as a township in 1839. In 1840 the population of the town(ship) was 52.

In the Spring of 1836, Ephraim CLUTE and Abijah WILEY became the first white settlers in Marathon.

Land speculation began suddenly in Marathon, in 1836. The land office, crowded and controversial, was moved from Detroit to Flint in Fall 1836. Land could be bought in 40-acre parcels, for $50 each, or $1.25 per acre. Loans were readily available. Most of the speculators bought their land without having seen it. Some never did visit their land. By the end of 1836, about 3/4 of the land in Marathon was owned by speculators.

Early Land Entries

date	name	section
22 Jan 1836	Oliver OLMSTED	20
29 Jan 1836	David BURRITT	20
13, 15 Feb 1836	Lewis GODDARD, Jonathan R. WHITE	23, 25, 26
15 Feb 1836	J. B. WHITE, Lewis STODDARD	36
25 Feb 1836	John R. WHITE	24
27 Feb 1836	Cullen BROWN	33
7 Mar 1836	Gershom M. WILLIAMS, John WINDER	33
9 Mar 1836	Thomas L. L. BRENT	33, 34
9 Mar 1836	Eurotas P. HASTINGS	33
6 Apr 1836	Jarvis HURD	22
6 Apr 1836	Horatio N. FOWLER, Asahel HUBBARD	27, 28
7 Apr 1836	Sylvanus P. GERMAIN	28, 33
2, 7, 18 Apr 1836	Nathan DICKINSON, William H. IMLAY, George BEECH	13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 36
18 Apr 1836	Homer FOOTE	34
20 Apr 1836	Abraham A. POST	22, 34
2 May 1836	Oliver WISWALL	35
2 May 1836	Henry S. PLATT	11, 12, 14
17 May 1836	Eurotas P. HASTINGS	36
19 May 1836	Ira DAVENPORT	34
21 May 1836	Moses DOLE	36
21 May 1836	Delos DAVIS	32
21, 27 May 1836	Abijah WILEY, Evart CLUTE	29, 33
6 Jun 1836	John SHAEFER	21
6 Jun 1836	Amasa NASH	29
11 Jun 1836	David VOSBURGH	21
11 Jun 1836	Aaron C. WILLIAMS	21
11 Jun 1836	Asahel WISE	21
11 Jun 1836	Abraham HOLLENBECK	21
29 Jun 1836	David BURRITT	17
29 Jun 1836	Josiah SNYDER	17
24 Aug 1836	William G. STONE	8
15 Sep 1836	Albert LESTER	9
15 Oct 1836	Samuel VOLENTINE	29
17 Oct 1836	Julius B. HART	20
17 Oct 1836	Justus B. HART	29
14 Nov 1836	Abijah WILEY	20
24 Nov 1836	Edward G. FAILE	19
25 Nov 1836	Aaron ROOD	4, 5
25 Nov 1836	George ROOD	9
19 Dec 1836	Calvin C. WALLER	4, 5
19 Dec 1836	Charles LINSLEY	4
19 Dec 1836	Reuben A. LAMB	4, 5
19 Dec 1836	Minor Y. TURRELL	4
19 Dec 1836	Almon BROOKINS	4
19 Dec 1836	Aaron ROOD	5
19 Dec 1836	Henry WHEELOCK	8
16 Jan 1837	Henry K. SANGER	10, 11, 15
23 Jan 1837	Alva BISHOP	4
17 Feb 1837	Conckling CARR	31
10 Mar 1837	George F. BALL	19, 20
28 Mar 1837	George W. WILLIAMS, James FRASER	17
15 Apr 1837	Stephen I. PAYNE	18
4 Aug 1837	Horace B. HARRISON	17
6 Sep 1837	William HOLDRIDGE, Jr	8

Early Business

"There was a great deal of pine in this township, and it was for years more a lumbering than a farming community. Among the early lumbermen were S. D. McKEEN, John SHAFER, Rufus PIERSON and Henry NIVER." [HRP, p. 138]

In 1840 Dennis LAWRENCE helped cut a direct road to Lapeer. [HRP, p. 138]

In 1841 the first school-house was built on HOLLENBECK's Corners (sections 20, 21) near the cemetery, and the first school teacher was Miss Sarah HART. [HRP, p. 138]

W. W. WAGNER, assisted by Duncan LAWRENCE, built the first water saw-mill.
In 1850 John PIERSON built the first steam saw-mill at Piersonville (later called Marathon), and the same year lumber was first rafted down the Flint River. Not until 1864 did the town contain a grist-mill, viz., the one built by RICHARDS Bros, on the stream at Columbiaville. [HRP, p. 138]

First Government

Marathon Township government was officially formed in 1839. The first meeting was held on 1 Apr 1839 at the home of Abijah WILEY. The moderator was Silas D. McKEEN, and Richard BRONSON, Abraham HOLLENBECK, Andrew McARTHUR and Alonzo DAVIS were inspectors of election. Horace N. LATHROP was elected first supervisor, Silas D. McKEEN was elected town clerk, and Martin VOLENTINE was elected collector.

1863 map of Marathon Township (T9N-R9E) cropped from the 1863 map of Lapeer County.
The image looks blurry, but if you click and expand, the names can be read.[MLC]

1874 map of Marathon Township (T9N-R9E)

1893 map of Marathon Township (T9N-R9E)

1893 map of Columbiaville, Marathon Township

1893 map of Otter Lake, Marathon Township

References

[MLC] 1863 Map of Lapeer County includes names of property and business owners.

[HRP] History of Lapeer County, Michigan : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers (1884) by H. R. Page

Wikipedia page on Marathon Township

Names of property owners can be seen on the 1863, 1874, 1893, 1906 and 1921 plat maps. See the Maps page for links to these.

Back to History of Each Township and Village in Lapeer County, MI

This page was last revised 25 May 2025 by William Haloupek.