Updated 10/31/2023

OLD SETTLEMENT AND POST OFFICE NAMES
OF LENAWEE COUNTY

Extracts from "There was a Place Called What???" In Lenawee County Michigan (past and present) by Carol Stevens.
Used with permission.

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Some of these communities have undergone name changes and still exist today, while others are a thing of the past.
ABBOTT
Located just north of Manitou Beach, located on the 1921 and 1928 plat maps, but not found in Romig's work, lies in Section 4 of Rollin Township, along the Cincinnati Northern Railroad.
ADDISON
See Manetau...
ADDISON JUNCTION
In 1894 a station at the junction of the Ohio branch of the C., J. & M. Railroad with the main line, a mile east of Addison.
ADRIAN
See Logan...
ATTICA
Charles Perry became the first postmaster of this rural post office in Medina Township on May 1, 1851, the office operated until July 17, 1868.
BAKER'S CORNERS / BAKER'S
Moses, Orin and Jacob Baker bought land here in 1831-32, the settlement became known as Baker's Corners, a post office known as Baker's opened on Jan. 29, 1835, with Orin Baker as its first postmaster. On April 13, 1842 the office name was changed to Fairfield, after it's township. In 1998 Fairfield is a place where the residents hang out a sign to advertise their business; the home of an orchard/outlet store, the Fairfield Cemetery, and the Fairfield Baptist Church. It is a pleasant place to call home, quiet streets lined with maple trees.
BALCH
The railroad came through this settlement and named it Balch on August 13, 1881; after several trips to Detroit and a payment of $500 a Balch storekeeper, John Britton, was able to get the railroad to rename the settlement Britton on April 13, 1888.
BATEMAN
Storekeeper Albert L. Gilhouse became the first postmaster for this rural post office on June 22, 1898, the office closed June 30, 1903.
BEAN CREEK
It received its name from its location by a stream, which had been so named for the quality of bean timber growing on its banks. Hiram Kidder, with his wife and family, from Yates County, NY, became the first settler in 1833. Beriah H. Lane was the principal landowner and was appointed postmaster on April 19, 1836, the town was renamed Lanesville. With common consent, in 1840, it took the name "Hudson", named for Dr. Daniel Hudson, from Geneva, NY, who was one of the first landowners in the town.
BIMO
A station on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, the first postmaster was Frazey S. Johnson opening his office on Nov. 23, 1896 . The office closed Dec. 31, 1903. The 1921 Atlas and Plat map, shows Bimo just west of Weston.
BIRDSALL
Darius Comstock, father of the founder of Adrian, Addison Comstock, and fruit grower settled here in 1827. In 1831 he gave the land and promoted the building of a Quaker Meeting House, he gave land and promoted a Quaker school/seminary in 1848 (the school operated from 1850 until 1908, it was known as the Raisin Valley Seminary).
BLANC
The first postmaster of this rural post office was James McCrillen. The office opened Feb. 24, 1843 and closed July 29, 1845.
BLISSFIELD
William Kedzie, of Delphi, Delaware County, New York, entered the first land purchase, but Hervey Bliss was the first to actually move onto his lands, moving in during December of 1824, making Blissfield the second settlement in Lenawee County (see Illustrated History & Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Michigan by John I. Knapp & R.I. Bonner, published by the Times Printing Company, Adrian, Michigan, 1903.)
BLISSFIELD JUNCTION
This station was at the junction of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad and the Chicago & Canada Southern Railroad, 2 miles west of Blissfield opened in 1874.
BONNEY
Herman W. Gillett, a storekeeper, was the first postmaster of this rural post office in Rome Township. The post office opened Dec. 15, 1891 and operated until April 30, 1902. On the 1893 Atlas, in section 19 of Rome Township (due west of Rome Center, bordering on Rollin Township) there can be found property identified as belonging to the Levi Bonney Estate, with property owned by a Mrs. B. F. Gillett close by.
BRIGHTON
It was established in 1833 along Bean Creek. It was then discovered that there was another town by the same name and its new name became Morenci There has been some controversy as to the history of the name Morenci, one story is that was an Indian name, the other story is that it comes from "Mount Morency" and that they changed the "y" to an "I". Two men have been given the most credit for the name, Simon D. Wilson and Jeptha Whitman.
BRITTON
See Balch...
BROWNELL'S MILLS
See Manetau...
BROWNVILLE
The first land purchased of the government here was in 1823 by Austin Wing. He purchased two lots which covered the Brownville mill privilege and was located on Evans Creek. The settlement and the stream were named for the founders of Tecumseh, Musgrove Evans and Joseph W. Brown. It was less than a mile north of Tecumseh, was annexed by the village in 1838.
BUTLER
See Holloway Corner's/Holloway...
CADMUS
A station in Dover Township on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad. Frank Potts began the village by building a store in 1887. Peter W. Gander became its first postmaster on Oct. 2, 1888.
CAMBRIDGE JUNCTION
See Walker's Tavern...
CANADAIGUA
The Indians had a village on Bean (now Tiffin) Creek. In 1824, Samuel Gregg became the first white settler. Most of the early settlers were from New York and they named the settlement after Canadaigua, NY. It was platted by Ira White in 1835 and given a stage coach post office in 1837.
CARPENTER
See Ogden...
CEDAR POINT
Found on the 1916 Atlas, Cedar Point, located on the shores of Devil's Lake is treated by the publishers as a small village or town, but is in fact, little more than a subdivision, with less than 20 platted lots.
CEMENT / CEMENT CITY
See Woodstock...also Kelly's Corners...
CHASE'S
See Raisin Center (Centre per Romig)...

The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad gave it a station in 1878. Romig considers Chase's and Raisin Centre to be one and the same. However, on the 1928 plat map they appear as two separate towns;
CLARK
A station on the Toledo & Western Electric Railway, found on a map in the work The Teeter & Wobble, Tales of the Toledo & Western Railway Co., by Bob Sell and Jim Findlay, June 1993, Blissfield Advance. The third station east of Adrian, between Adrian and Palmyra, Palmyra being the next station if you were riding east.Not in Romig's work.
CLARK'S COVE
According to Margaret Brighton in her work Lake Reflections, Chronicles of Devils and Round Lakes, Published by the Lakes Preservation League in 1996, this beach development on Devil's Lake has a history back to the original settler (before 1837). One of the first cottages built there was one put up in 1908 by Mr. Rooney of Toledo.
CLAYTON
See East Dover...
CLINTON
According to Romig, Clinton was named for DeWitt Clinton, father of the New York State's Erie Canal, on which many of the early settlers came to Michigan. John Terrill (also found spelled Tyrrel) looked at land in 1825 and in 1830 returned with Thaddeus Clark.
COLLINGS
A station on the Toledo & Western Electric Railway, found on a map in the work The Teeter & Wobble, Tales of the Toledo & Western Railway Co., by Bob Sell and Jim Findlay, June 1993, Blissfield Advance. Found between Blissfield and Riga. Not in Romig's work.
COON TOWN
During the political Campaign of 1840, nearly every voter in the village of Addison was a Whig, and coon skins (one of the Whig campaign emblems) were displayed at nearly every door.Thomas McCourtney gave Addison the nick-name Coon Town, it took nearly 50 years to outgrow this label, however Dan Cherry reports in his work on Addison, that some local residents still remember hearing the name. See also Manetau.
CORBUS
A station on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad in 1884.
COWHAM
Both the 1921 and 1928 plat maps by the Adrian Daily Telegram, show Cowham just south of Cement City. It is not listed in Michigan Place Names by Romig According to Dan Cherry, historian of Addison, Cowham was probably a station on the Cincinnati Northern Railroad station. Apparently named for William Cowham, owner of a cement company in Cement City (which he named).See also Woodstock.
DEERFIELD
See Kedzie's Grove...
Is said to have been named by Pottawattomi Chief Meteau (or Metteau)His tribe had inhabited the area and it was so named because his daughter who was a fine swimmer had drowned in the lake and her body was never recovered Chief Meteau believed her spirit had been taken away by evil spirits. One of the first white men to visit the area was Musgrove Evans, a surveyor, who stayed there one night in 1826.
DOVER
See Unionville...
EAST DOVER
According to Romig, East Dover was first settled in 1836, given a post office from its location in Dover Township, with Levi H. Soper as its first postmaster, opening on March 8, 1837.
EAST OGDEN
The first postmaster was J.P. Hubbard, appointed on October 10, 1843 The office operated until May 22, 1867.
EAST RAISIN
The first settler was Noah Norton in 1825. The village developed, in 1831, when emigration from Raisin Township flowed eastward.
EAST RIDGEWAY
According to the History of Britton, Bygone Days, by the Britton-Macon Area Camp Fire Girls and Leaders, Britton was first called East Ridgeway See also Balch.
ECHO'S COVE
Found on the 1916 Atlas, Echo's Cover, located on the shores of Devil's Lake is treated by the publishers as a small village or town, but in fact is a subdivision, with about 12 platted lots.
ENNIS
A railroad station in Seneca Township, named after the disastrous Wabash railroad accident, in 1901. The train was loaded with immigrants. The accident happened between Sand Creek and Seneca, when the engineer misunderstood his directions to pull over at "S".The name Ennis was given so that this type of mis-communication could never happen again, replacing the station named Seneca.
EVAN'S LAKE
Storekeeper Edward L. Clapp became the first postmaster of this rural post office in Franklin Township on Aug. 23, 1890, the office closed Sept 15, 1900. Evans Lake, a private lake in the Irish Hills of Lenawee County, is a favorite vacation area.
FAIRBANKS
The 1921 and 1928 plat maps by the Adrian Daily Telegram, show Fairbanks, which is almost to the state line, south of Ridgeville, in Ogden Township This town is not listed in Michigan Place Names by Romig.
FAIRDALE
Cornelius Milspaw was the first post office of this rural post office which opened Jan. 15, 1836 and closed Dec. 29, 1836. See also Millspaw's for further reference to Cornelius.
FAIRFIELD
see Baker's...
FAIRPORT
Alvin D. Rice was the first postmaster of this rural post office in Rome Township, the post office opened Jan 12, 1891 and closed April 10, 1912 Fairport can be found on the 1928 Atlas and Plat map, at the corner of sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, due west of Walworth.
FRANKLIN
See Franklin Center...
FRANKLIN CENTER
Founded by Rev. Henry Tripp in 1831, organized in 1833, named after Benjamin Franklin. Later renamed Tripp Town, and finally shorted to Tipton. William Camburn became its first postmaster on June 6, 1834. The history of Tipton and Franklin Township are interwoven and duly recorded in A Little Bit of Yesterday, A History of Franklin Township, written by the people of Franklin, compiled and edited by Vicki J. Cook, July 10, 1976.
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP
See Franklin Center...
FRUIT RIDGE
See Granger...
FULLER'S
A station on the Toledo & Western Electric Railway, found on a map in the work The Teeter & Wobble, Tales of the Toledo & Western Railway Co., by Bob Sell and Jim Findlay, June 1993, Blissfield Advance. The second station east of Adrian, between Adrian and Palmyra. Not in Romig's work.
GAULT
According to the History of Britton, Bygone Days, by the Britton-Macon Area Camp Fire Girls and Leaders, Britton was called Gault in many of the early Tecumseh Herald newspaper articles. See also Balch.
GENEVA
Considered to be the first permanent settlement on either Devil's Lake or Round Lake. During the late 1800's Geneva was in the business of lumber and shingles, by the 1930's it was becoming known as a resort area. This rural post office in Rollin Township, on the south shore of Round Lake, was opened July 7, 1854, William Town being the first postmaster. The office closed Jan. 15, 1908.
GOAT TOWN
According to the History of Britton, Bygone Days, by the Britton-Macon Area Camp Fire Girls and Leaders, Britton was called Goat Town by many of the local citizens because there was a man who lived north of the village who raised goats. See also Balch.
GOODRICH CORNERS
According to Clara Waldron in her history of Tecumseh, One Hundred Years A Country Town the Village of Tecumseh, Michigan 1824-1924, 1968, Ira Goodrich, originally from Jefferson County New York, settled in the fall of 1824 about three miles north of Tecumseh and founded Goodrich Corners or Newburg.
GORMAN
Timothy E. Bentley was the first postmaster of this village in Madison Township. The office opened on March 3, 1893 and operated until Oct. 31, 1902. In the far northeast corner of Section 36 of Madison Township on the 1893 Atlas, a T.E. Bentley is found owning 4 acres.
GRANGER
This village in Fairfield Township was given a post office named Granger Feb. 20, 1882; storekeeper J.B. Horton was its first postmaster. Renamed Fruit Ridge on Aug. 28, 1883 the office closed June 15, 1932. The name, Fruit Ridge, is still recognized by residents of the county.
GRIFFITH
Orson D. Griffith platted the village in 1881 and named it Griffith From its location, due north of Morenci, it was given a post office as North Morenci on Feb. 12, 1883, Nathan Justice was its first postmaster.
GROSVENOR
See Blissfield Junction...
HAMBURG
According to Romig's work, the village named Cadmus was begun by Frank Potts who built a store in 1887. Peter W. Gander became its first postmaster on Oct. 2, 1888. A station in Dover Township on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad. According to Romig, the station was named by W. H. Shaw after Cadmus, Kansas. However, according to a history of the town, The Story of the Village of Cadmus, by Marjorie Stout, 1972, revised (she was 90 years young at the time of this revision), the town was first called Hamburg, and the name was changed to Cadmus in 1889 by H.W. Shaw after a town in New York.
HARRISONVILLE / HARRISON
In 1837, a village on the Raisin River, Blissfield Township, was renamed Harrison by 1859.
A station on the Toledo & Western Electric Railway, found on a map in the work The Teeter & Wobble, Tales of the Toledo & Western Railway Co., by Bob Sell and Jim Findlay, June 1993, Blissfield Advance. Found between Palmyra and Blissfield. May not be the same Harrison found in Romig's work (See Harrisonville/Harrison).
HALLOWAY'S CORNERS / HOLLOWAY
Romig has these as separate entries, however, Richard Illenden Bonner in his work Memoirs of Lenawee County Michigan Vol 1., 1909, states that Dr. William Holloway, the first physician to locate in Raisin Township, he settled here with his four sons, Edwin, William, Silas and Butler about 1833 on land purchased on sections 23 & 24.Bonner continues by telling us that the intersection was known as Holloway's Corners for over 70 years.
HOLTZ
A station on the Toledo & Western Electric Railway, found on a map in the work The Teeter & Wobble, Tales of the Toledo & Western Railway Co., by Bob Sell and Jim Findlay, June 1993, Blissfield Advance. If you were riding from Riga to Ohio, Holtz would be the second station you passed through Not in Romig's work.
HONKEY TOWN
Two miles from Blissfield, this settlement was named from its first having been occupied by a colony of Hungarians. In 1940, it became a colony of Mexican migrant workers from Texas. Not found on any map.
IRISH HILLS
In 1831, a small colony of English and Irish settled in this area, the rolling hills and nearby 62 lakes reminded them of the Emerald Isle, the area became known as the Irish Hills, it remains so and is a very popular tourist attraction in the summer, with Walter J. Hayes State Park and the Michigan International Speedway as two of its many attractions.
JACKSON'S MILLS
See Manetau...
JASPER
First settled by Andrew Millet in 1824. The post office opened June 18, 1874, Henry Ferguson was the first postmaster.
KEDZIE'S GROVE
William Kedzie from Delhi, New York was the first land purchaser (1824), the first white settler (1826), and the first postmaster (office opening March 20, 1828). He was also the first death and burial in the township, dying on August 5, 1828, leaving a widow and 7 children, aged 3 years to 16 years. On August 29, 1837 the town was renamed, Deerfield, after the numerous deer in the area. Ephraim Hall had suggested the name.
KELLY'S CORNERS
The post office, named for pioneer, Orson Kelly, was opened on February 17, 1868, and John E. Turk was named its first postmaster. The office name was changed to Woodstock on December 6, 1886, then to Cement on February 21, 1901, and finally on March 5, 1901, to Cement City.
KNIGHT'S STATION
Per Romig's work, a John Knight took up the first land claim in 1844 However, in his work Memoirs of Lenawee County, Michigan, Vol 1, 1909, R I. Bonner tells us that Roswell W. Knight was the first to erect a house at the site of present Riga.
KORTH STATION
Per Romig, a hamlet near Riga in 1910. According to Riga Township History 1993---the first 150 years, by the Riga Book Committee, Korth Station was on station on the T & W (Toledo and Western) Railroad. Mr. Messers, Korth, Kellogg and Bettis were responsible for arranging the stop.
LAKE RIDGE
Henry Darling became the first postmaster of this hamlet in Macon Township Sept. 5, 1851, the office closed April 25, 1898. Lake Ridge can be found on the 1874 Combined Atlas Map of Lenawee County, By Everts & Stewart, Chicago, Ill.
LAKEVIEW
Found on the 1916 Atlas, and on the 1921 and 1928 plat maps, located on the southwestern shore of Devils Lake, between Manitou Beach and Geneva, in Rollin Township. Known as a subdivision, not a town or village. Not in Romig's work.
LANESVILLE
The settlement got its name from Beriah H. Lane, the first settler and first postmaster, the post office opened May 19, 1836. In the summer of 1836, H.P. Oakley started a grocery and novelty store, and a blacksmith shop was started by David Stuck.
LENAWEE
Not found in Romig's work, but mentioned on page 35 of The Bean Creek Valley, Incidents of its Early Settlement, by James J. Hogaboan, published 1876 Jas. M. Scarritt, Hudson, Mich, reproduced by Whipporwil publication for the Lenawee County Historical Society, Adrian, Michigan, as follows, "In the early part of June [1834] Hiram Kidder platted the village of Lenawee, and June 13th the plat was acknowledged by the proprietors, Daniel Hudson and Nathan B. Kidder, and recorded in the Registrar's office of Lenawee County. On the next day four lots were sold." No specific mention is made to when the name was changed, however on the same page of The Bean Creek Valley, Hogaboan mentions that in December John Davenport settled in Lanesville See Lanesville and Bean Creek.
LENAWEE JUNCTION
Lying east of Wellsville, and west of Adrian in Palmyra Township, Lenawee Junction was named by 1864, it is the crossing point of the Jackson branch and the main line of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad.
LEROY
Hamlet in Palmyra Township in 1837.
LIME CREEK
In Medina Township, there is also a waterway named Lime Creek that runs from Morenci to the northwest and on into Hillsdale County (not necessarily the direction in which the water runs).
LITTLE HOPE
Does not appear in Romig's work. Appears on 1921 and 1928 plat maps by the Adrian Daily Telegram. Near the intersection of Wilmouth Highway and Laberdee Road in Raisin Township.
LOGAN
Addison Comstock came looking for land in 1825, acquired 1,100 acres He then returned to New York State and took a wife, Sarah B. Deane. They were married February 1826 with hopes of leaving for Michigan in the spring as soon as the boats began to leave for the west. However, Sarah took seriously ill and could not make the trip with Addison. He left in April along with his father and other members of his family. There were 18 people, two yoke of oxen, one wagon, one cart, two horses with saddles and bridles, furniture, bedding, doors, sash, glass for windows and household supplies. Logan was platted in 1828, but Addison's wife persuaded him to rename it for her hero in history, the Roman emperor, Hadrian. Mr. Comstock became the first postmaster on March 20, 1828, it was incorporated as a village in 1836, as a city in 1853. The township remained named Logan until March 6, 1838, when the legislature renamed it Adrian. Adrian is the county seat.
LOWELL
A hamlet in Blissfield Township in 1837, it had a stage coach post office.
LYONS
Land on the east side of the River Raisin in Blissfield Township, located by George Giles in 1826, he opened an inn, platted a village and named it Is shown on the 1874 Combination Atlas Map of Lenawee County by Everts & Stewart of Chicago, Ill.
McKENZIE'S PORT
A settlement on the west shore of Devil's Lake, named for the original landowner Charles M. McKenzie, from Vermont, 1834.
MACON
See Pennington's Corners...
MADISON
(Actually a township, but Romig included in his work, so we will as well.) The first settlers were Nelson and CurranBradish from New York. They came in 1827. The township was originally named Lenawee, but was confused with the name of the county, so was renamed Madison in 1838.
MADISON CENTER
Located on the 1921 and 1928 Plat maps, on the Wabash Railroad, near the intersections of Sections 14, 15, 22 & 23.
MANETAU
John Talbot built a grist mill here in 1835-36. The settlement was given a post office named Manetau which opened May 11, 1838, Brayton Brown was the first official postmaster.

The office was renamed, Peru on December 8, 1838.Next, the name of the settlement was changed to Talbot's Mills in 1839 in honor of John Talbot The town was renamed again, Brownell's Mills on July 24, 1840.Talbot sold his business to Darius C. Jackson, the post office was renamed once more, Jackson's Mills, on May 2, 1844.

In 1847 part of the village was re-plated and was called Harrison, but the village citizens never accepted the name change. In 1851, Addison Comstock, purchased extensive land here, platted it and called it Addison. The post office took the name Addison on Jan. 15, 1852. Addison was incorporated as a village in 1893.
See also Peru and Coon Town.
MANITOU BEACH
Reportedly an Indian word for great spirit, good or evil, located on Devil's Lake. Almost named Cheesekaw (who was the brother to the Indian Tecumseh).
MANSON
Found on the 1928 Plat map, obviously a misprint for Munson.
MARVIN
See Packard...
MEDINA
MEDINA: According to Romig, the first settler was Daniel W. Upton, from Peterboro, NH, in 1812, a Mr. Allen became the first postmaster on September 20, 1837. However, Richard Illenden Bonner in his work Memoirs of Lenawee County Michigan Vol 1., 1909,states that the first settler was actually a Nathaniel W. Upton who in 1834 entered land in Section 3 and 4.
MENDON
Matthew Bennett was the first postmaster of this hamlet, the post office opening March 27, 1838 and operating until July 1, 1854.
MILLSPAW'S
Named for Cornelius Millspaw, who with Jesse Osborn, made the first land purchase and settled there in 1833. Was organized as Woodstock Township in 1836, Nahum Lamb (who came in 1834) was its first supervisor. Note of interest, Millspaw also found spelled Millspau and Millspaugh in County records Also note, that by 1837 Cornelius Millspaw had moved west into Somerset Township, Hillsdale County.
MORENCI
See Brighton...
MULBERRY
Storekeeper George A. Pifer became the first postmaster of this rural post office in Ogden Township on May 17, 1897. The office closed Nov. 30, 1904. If you study Ogden Township on the 1893 Atlas, you will find the names Mulberry and Pifer in sections 33 and 34.
MUNSON
Munson was settled by the Blanchard family ca 1838. Levi Blanchard platted the village in 1881, and was the first postmaster, the office opened on Nov. 23, 1881. The Blanchard family came from Monson, Mass. See also Manson.
NEWBURG/NEWBURGH
Helen L. McNeil became the first postmaster of this rural post office on April 29, 1891. The office closed Oct 15, 1909. About half way between Clinton and Tecumseh, it can be found on the 1893 Atlas of Lenawee County, Michigan published by George B. Cadwell & Co. in Clinton Township. See also Goodrich Corners.
NORTH ADRIAN
Rural post office, north of the city of Adrian, opened May 13, 1839, Asahel B. Treat was the first postmaster. Office closed April 14, 1860.
NORTH MORENCI
See Griffith...
OAK OPENING
It was named by the Indians for a natural opening in the oak forest and later renamed Clinton.
See also Clinton...
OAKFORD
In 1835, Erza Cole was Fairfield Township's first settler. The village was first known as Oakford and the post office was named on July 27, 1854 Northright Knapp was appointed its postmaster.
OGDEN
A station on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, the settlement was named after its township, then given a post office on November 24, 1874 Russell B. French was appointed its first postmaster. The office operated until July 30, 1932. It was also known as Carpenter.
OGDEN CENTER
The first settler in the area was Moses Valentine, from New York State, who built his home in 1826, but the township was not organized until 1837 The town was named from its location in Ogden Township.
OGDEN STATION
The railroad came through, but it was some three miles from the village of Ogden Center, so the settlement around the depot took the name Ogden Station, but naming it Ogden after its township.
ONEIDA
George H. Deline became the first postmaster of this rural post office, 3 ? miles from Clayton, on October 30, 1897 and the office operated until April 10, 1902. Many of the settlers came from Oneida, NY, therefore naming it after that settlement.
ONSTED
Onsted was founded around the time that the Cincinnati-Jackson and Mackinaw railroad came through in 1883. The Onsted name is of Dutch origin, possibly, "Ahnstadt" or "Ahnsted". Mapbook of Michigan Counties, TwoPeninsula Press, publishing unit of Michigan Natural Resources Magazine, 1984 shows the population of Onsted to be 555.
ONTARIO
A railroad station in the southwest corner of the county. Edwin Ash became its first postmaster on June 28, 1881. The office operated until January 31, 1902.
PACKARD
Given its first post office on Feb. 5, 1898, it was named for a pioneer settler and storekeeper in Seneca Township, Marvin A. Packard.
PALMYRA
PALMYRA: Founded in 1827 by Thomas B. Goff and named after his home town in New York. The first postmaster was Alexander R. Tiffany. The post office opened March 27, 1833.
PENNINGTON'S CORNERS
In 1824 William C. Kendell of Tompkins County New York was the first to buy government land here, John Pennington did so in 1829. The first actual settler was Samuel Klee in 1830.
PENTECOST
George W. Fuller was the first postmaster of this station on the C., J. & M. Railroad in Franklin Township, 10 miles northwest of Adrian The office opened May 26, 1887.
PERU
See Manetau...
PLEASANT VALLEY
In the spring of 1825 Addison Comstock and his father, Darius, came to the areas around Detroit, Frenchtown and northern Ohio looking for a place to settle.
PRAIRIE
Found on a 1921 Atlas and Plat map, Prairie was located between Tecumseh and Adrian and spelled "Pariria". On the 1928 Plat map, it is located in Raisin Township, section 8, along the Detroit Toledo Ironton Railroad line.
PUTNAM
Rural post office named for Elmer E. Putnam, the first postmaster. Opened April 18, 1898. Found on the 1921 Atlas and Plat map, Putnam was located on the eastern shore of Sand Lake, in Franklin Township.
QUAKER
A Quaker settlement in Rollin Township, post office opened June 3, 1886 Solomon B. Hughes was first postmaster. Office closed June 30, 1906.Found in section 20 on the 1893 Atlas.
RAISIN
On September 9, 1835, Darius G. Jackson became the first postmaster of this Raisin Township settlement. The office operated until March 22, 1855.
RAISIN CENTER
The Quakers built a meeting house here in 1834.
RIDGEVILLE
Charles I. Quick was the first postmaster of this Fairfield Township rural post office which opened on Dec. 9, 1898 and closed Nov. 29, 1902.

The following document (deed abstract), contributed by Dennis Gibbs, shows the owner of the property where the post office was located as Charles I. Swick, not Quick.


Courtesy of Dennis Gibbs, October, 2013
RIDGEWAY
Coonrad Lamberson built the first house here in 1826. The post office was opened on July 26, 1834 with Stephen V. Miller as its first postmaster It lies on the ridge way which is an old Indian path along a ridge, a valley on either side, this path is now known as Ridge Highway
RIGA
See Knight's Station...
ROLLIN
Named by Deacon Matthew Bennett for his friend, Rev. David Rollin, located in the southern portion of Rollin Township.
ROME CENTER
John B. Schureman, from New York came and settled in 1832. This village is in the center of the township for which it is named. The township was first named Junius, by David Smith, but Lyman Baker, who settled here in 1833, convinced the legislature to change the name to Rome.
SAINT JOSEPH'S
SAINT JOSEPH'S: The first postmaster of this territorial post office was Thomas H. Edwards. The office opened Dec. 4, 1828. At that time Lenawee County included Cass, Van Buren, St. Joseph, Berrien and other counties On Feb. 1, 1830 the office was changed to Edwardsburg. (Edwardsburg today lies in Cass County.)
SAND CREEK
See Thurber...
SEDGWICK
Mary Bettis was appointed to be the first postmaster of this rural post office on Feb. 2, 1899, but she declined. Jacob Rosenstiel became the first postmaster on April 22, 1899.
SENECA
The first settlers arrived in 1833, Archibald Brower and Roswell J. Hayward, but the township was not organized until 1836, with Elias J. Baldwin as its first supervisor. It was named after Seneca County, NY, where many of the early settlers came from.
SISSON
According to Romig, Sisson is named for Thomas Sisson who bought land, six miles northeast of Tecumseh before 1840. There was a station on the Lake Shore & Michigan Railroad called Sisson's which operated from 1878-1908 In the 1921 Atlas and Plat map, Sisson is found almost due west of Adrian between Wellsville and Deerfield.
SMITH'S MILLS
A sawmill settlement in 1864.
SOUTH ADRIAN
Found on the 1921 Atlas and Plat map, lying south Adrian. Is not included in Romig's work.
SOUTH FAIRFIELD
Rufus Rathbun became the first postmaster of this rural post office in Ogden Township on Feb. 23, 1874. The office closed Nov. 14, 1903.
SOUTHLANDS
A station on the T. & W. Electric Railway, it was near the southeastern border of the county in 1910, about 3 miles south of Korth Station in Riga Township.
SOUTH WOODSTOCK
Neander Darling became the first postmaster of this rural post office in southern Woodstock Township on Sept. 28, 1842. The office closed Oct 28, 1846.
SPRINGVILLE
from the Standard Atlas of Lenawee County, Michigan, by Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1916; First settled in 1832, it was named for the many springs and flowing wells in the area.
SQUAWFIELD
Romig in his work Michigan Place Names lists Squawfield in Lenawee County, his entry quoted here in full, "this village in southwestern Pittsford Township, the home of chief Baw Beese, was the last home of the Indians in the area before the government moved them west in 1839."
STODDARD
Storekeeper Harry Winter became the first postmaster of this rural post office on April 17, 1894. The office in Rome Township closed July 20, 1904.
SUTTON
It was a station on a branch of the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, located in Raisin Townhip. It was named after Townsend I. Sutton, who also was its first postmaster. The office was open from December 20, 1883 to April 15, 1903.
TALBOT'S MILLS
See Manetau...
TASGOLD
A station on the Toledo & Western Electric Railway, found on a map in the work The Teeter & Wobble.
TECUMSEH
Named after the Shawnee chief Tecumseh it was founded by Musgrove Evans, Joseph W. Brown and Austin E. Wing in 1824, becoming the first settlement in Lenawee County (per Illustrated History & Biographical Record of Lenawee County, Michigan, by John I Knapp & R. I. Bonner, Adrian, Michigan, published by The Times Printing Co., 1903).
THURBER
According to Romig, government land was granted in Madison Township to Joshua and RebeccaThurber in 1820. We must question this date. According to Landsmen of Lenawee County by Lt. Col. Paul R. Peck, copyright 1981, Liberty Town Press, Clark Lake, MI. the earliest land patent in Madison Township was Dec. 26, 1825 given to Adeline S. Dennis. Peck also reports a Joshua W. Thurber granted land in Fairfield Township on Nov. 3, 1835. The 1874 Atlas shows J. W. Thurber in Section 32 of Madison Township.
TIFFIN
The first postmaster was Warren Aylsworth, the office opened May 2, 1835 and closed June 5, 1835. Site of a sawmill in 1840, built by Lauren Hotchkiss.
TIPTON
See Franklin ...
TOWN HOUSE
A station on the C., J. " M. Railroad in Rollin Township. Storekeeper Chester C. Clark became its first postmaster on Feb. 16, 1892. It was renamed Townley on March 31, 1902, Clark was still the postmaster.
TOWNLEY
See Townhouse...
TRIPP TOWN
See Franklin Center...
UNIONVILLE
Given a post office on Jan. 5, 1836, with James Phillips as its first postmaster, it was renamed Dover, after its township on April 22, 1842. Office was closed Nov. 29, 1867.
UPTON SETTLEMENT
Named for Nathaniel Upton who made the first land purchase along with Dexter Smith and George W. Moore and settled here in 1834. See also Medina.
VALLEYVILLE
Romig does not show Valleyville in his work Michigan Place Names. It is found on the Standard Atlas of Lenawee County, Michigan, compiled and published by Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1916, just north of Birdsall.
VICTORSVILLE
The first postmaster of this rural post office was storekeeper William H. Marshall. Four miles from Blissfield the office opened June 25, 1890 and closed Sept. 30, 1901. Lies in Ogden Township at the corners of Sections 2, 3, 10 and 11. Found on the 1893 Atlas.
WALKER'S JUNCTION
Norman Geddes, from western New York, purchased the first government land here in 1833, settling on it in 1835. In 1838, Sylvester Walker, who later was a state senator, built a tavern at the crossroads of the Chicago Turnpike and LaPlaisance Bay Road, the place became known as Walker's Junction.
WALWORTH
According to Romig, a rural post office it was 7 miles east of Adrian, in Rome Township, and named for Eugene D. Walworth. He became the first postmaster on Sept. 30, 1893, the office operated until Sept. 15, 1900.
WARSAW
This settlement dates from about 1878, but did not get a post office until Sept. 8, 1892. Frank Bugbee was the first postmaster, the office closed June 15, 1895.
WELLS
See Wellsville...
WELLSFIELD
See Wellsville...
WELLSVILLE
This village in Palmrya Township was named for Allen G. Wells who became its first postmaster on March 8, 1859. The office closed on Octboer 12, 1877, but was restored from November 6, 1977 to July 14, 1904. It was give a station on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad in 1878. In some records it is called, Wells, as well as, Wellsfield.
WEST OGDEN
Benjamin L. Hicks was the first postmaster of this rural post officeIt was in Ogden Township, opened Oct. 11, 1843 and closed Jan. 11, 1878 B. L. Hicks can be found with 80 acres in Section 7 of Ogden Township in the 1874 Atlas.
WESTON
See Oakford...
WILDWATER BEACH
Found on the 1916 Atlas, Wildwater Beach, located on the shores of Devil's Lake in Rollin and Woodstock Townships
WILSON
A station on the Toledo & Western Electric Railway, found on a map in the work The Teeter & Wobble, Tales of the Toledo & Western Railway Co., by Bob Sell and Jim Findlay, June 1993, Blissfield Advance. Found between Palmyra and Blissfield.
WINDOM
A settlement in Rollin Township which formed around the mill of F. H Whitaker & Company. Amanda Whitaker was the first postmaster, the office opened May 29, 1891 and operated until April 30, 1902
WOLF CREEK
According to Romig, the village was located on Wolf Creek, in Rome Township, the post office opened May 2, 1835, Lyman W. Baker was the first postmaster Office closed Nov. 20, 1866 and was reopened from Jan. 15, 1892 to Dec 31, 1902.
WOOD
A station on the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railroad, on the line between Lenawee and Monroe Counties in 1882.
WOODBRIDGE
Farmer DeWitt C. Turner was the first postmaster of this rural post office in Woodstock Township that was open between Oct. 8, 1879 and Aug 8, 1887. DeWitt Turner lived in Section 36 of Woodstock Township, a few miles east of Devil's Lake, as found on the 1874 Atlas.
WOOD STATION
A depot on the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad in Riga Township. It was 3 miles east of Knight's Station (now Riga). It was founded in 1853 by Roswell W. Knight who built side tracks and sheds there to furnish wood for the railroad.
WOODSTOCK
The first postmaster was Almer Smith, the office opening Jan. 3, 1838 It closed Oct. 13, 1859, but was reopened in December 1859 and remained open until May 5, 1871. It also was restored from Jan. 27, 1881 until May 21, 1887.
WOODWARD
Found on the 1921 and 1928 Plat maps, just north of Adrian, in Adrian Township, on the Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad line. Located just west of the State Industrial Home, now known as the Adrian Training School.
Sources

Starting with an article in the Lenawee County Family Researchers Newsletter March/April 1993, Vol 6, Issue 5; or May/June 1994; vol 7, issue 6. (used with their permission) about place names in Lenawee County, Stevens has compiled this page and kindly submitted to me for inclusion on this Lenawee County site.

Other Sources:
  • Michigan Place Names, 1973; by Walter Romig, L.H.D.
  • Combination Atlas Map of Lenawee County, Michigan, compiled, drawn and published by Everts & Stewart, Chicago, Ill. 1874
  • Atlas of Lenawee County,Michigan, published by George B. Cadwell & Co., 1893
  • Standard Atlas of Lenawee County, Michigan, compiled and published by Geo. A. Ogle & Co., Chicago, 1916
  • Atlas and Plat Book of Lenawee County Michigan and History of the World War, Published by the Adrian Daily Telegram, Adrian, Michigan, The Kenyon Company, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, 1921
  • Plat Map of Lenawee County Michigan, Published by the Adrian Daily Telegram, Adrian, Michigan, Compiled by The Thrift Press, Map Makers, Rockford, Illinois, not dated, but generally accepted date of publication is 1928
  • Mapbook of Michigan Counties, Two Peninsula Press, publishing unit of Michigan Natural Resources Magazine, 1984
  • Various town, village and county histories written about Lenawee County.
Most of these maps and histories can be found at the Lenawee Historical Museum Archives.