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| Fork Township Hall P.O. Box 203 147 Northern Avenue Barryton, MI. 49305 1-517-382-7816 FAX - 989-382-5130 website |
| Multi Mag's Fork Township Web Page |
HISTORY OF FORK TOWNSHIPTaken from the 1880 Mecosta County Portrait & Biographical Album, Chapman Bros., ChicagoFork Township is situated in the northeast corner of Mecosta county, and is Congressional township 16 north, range 7 west; and is bounded on the north by Osceola County, on the east by Isabella County, on the south by Sheridan Township, and on the west by Martiny Township. (Actually in reality - this is incorrect - Chippewa Township is to the west.) It is watered by Chippewa River, the North and South branches of the same, Rat-Tail Creek and Chippewa Creek. The last two are tributaries of the North Branch, which they join in about the center of the township. These streams, especially the South Branch, are the outlet of a score or more of lakes, of which but three or four are in Fork township. The others are mostly in Chippewa and Martiny townships. Fork has no railroad, no village, and but one post-office, --Fork. The territory above described was organized into a township in October, 1867, and William Creevey was elected the first Supervisor. The first white settler was Marvin A. Rogers, who located on section 28, in the winter of 1865-6. Among the other early settlers, who came between 1866 and 1868, were John H. Gibbs, Charles Rogers, Chauncey Rogers, Charlie Powers, Almond Mott, Leonard Chroshaw, Walter Kendall, Philip Chroshaw, William Brown, J.H. Groom, Oliver Bark, and Leland Roe. The first white child born was Gazelle Murphy, daughter of James and Josephine Murphy, Aug. 21, 1866. The first death was that of John Nicholson, in the fall of 1869. The first marriage was that of Marvin A. Rogers and Alice Ford, in the fall of 1867, solemnized by Elder Z.W. Shepherd. The first frame building in the township was erected by L.W. Roe, in the fall of 1870. The first school-house was a log building put up on section 28, in the summer of 1870; and the first school was taught by Mrs. Cynthia L. Brown, during the same summer. The first store was opened by Lewis E. Wolcott, in 1875. The first and only post-office, Fork, was established in the spring of 1860. In 1870, the population of Fork Township was 163; in 1880, this had more than doubled, being 343. In 1878, Fork had 1,670 acres of improved land. In 1881, under a different rule of assessment, it had 1,219. Its equalized valuation in 1868 was $64,096; and its present valuation is $122,705. The total vote in November, 1882, was 43. |
| Nameless Village |
| Fork News Briefs |
| Fork Township Landowner List for 1900 Plat Map |
| Fork Township Inhabitants from 1918 Farm Journal Directory |