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| Deerfield Township Hall 396 E. Fourth Street Morley, MI. 49336 49346 (No offices located there) 1-231-856-7008 website |
| Multi Mag's Deerfield Township Web Page |
HISTORY OF DEERFIELD TOWNSHIPTaken from the 1880 Mecosta County Portrait & Biographical Album, Chapman Bros., ChicagoDeerfield Township is thirteen north and nine west, of the Congressional survey. It lies in the southern tier of Mecosta County, and is bounded as follows: On the north by Austin Township; on the east by Hinton Township; on the south by Montcalm County; and on the west by Aetna Township. It is well watered, the Little Muskegon flowing nearly west through the middle of the township. It traverses the township on sections thirteen, twenty-four, twenty-three, twenty-two, twenty-ne, twenty, twenty-nine and thirty, from which it leaves the township. In the northern part of Deerfield are Quigley Creek, which flows with and enters the Little Muskegon near the center of the township, and the East branch of Big Creek, which flowing southwest unites with the Little Muskegon near the Village of Morley, in Aetna Township. In the southern part of Deerfield begin several small streams, which, although they flow south, finally find their way to the Little Muskegon. The Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad barely enters the township, running through sections six and seven. A portion of the thriving village of Morley belongs to Deerfield, although the main part is in Aetna Township. Bell's Crossing and Rustford, small stations on the D.L. & N. railroad, are situated in Deerfield Township. The territory included in Deerfield was organized in March 1861, and its first Supervisor was Samuel S. chipman. The first white settler was George Quigley, who located on section four. The first birth was that of James Quigley, son of George and Jane Quigley, in 1858. The first death was that of Frederick Eckard, in 1863. The first marriage was that of Isaac Sedore and Elizabeth Smith, solemnized by George Quigley, Justice of the Peace, in December 1862. The first frame building in the township was a dwelling erected by Lysander Quigley, in 1859. The first mill was a small water-power grist-mill and saw-mill, built on the little Muskegon River by Ethan Saterlee. The first school-house was a log building erected on section five, in 1862; and the first school was taught the same year by Margaret Quigley. The first store was opened by George Magill, in 1863. The first post-office, Big Creek, was established about 1865. In 1864 the population of Deerfield Township was 296; in 1870 it was 564; in 1874 it was 654; and in 1880 it was 1,093. In 1878 the township had 4,389 acres of improved land; and in 1881 it had 4,491 acres. At the time of its organization, in 1861, the equalized valuation was $40,451; and its present valuation is $300,080. The total vote of the township in November, 1882, was 145. |
| Kathy Camp's Deerfield Township Genealogy Page |