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| This was one of the first five organized in Monroe county under the act of Congress in 1827, which by act of the legislature council, comprised all that part of the county of Monroe south of the south line of Monroe township and east of the east line of the township of Rasinville, bounded on the south by township No. 8, south of the base line, and including ranges 6, 7, and 8 east of the meridian.
It was provided that the first election should be held at the house of Francis Cousineau. Thus the township of Erie, Bedford, La Salle, except a strip of about a half mile in width lying between the present Ohio line and south line of township No. 8; this by the same act was to constitute the township of Port Lawrence; as before stated was in the "disputed territory;" -- in this position the geographical lines remained until after the "Toledo War," after which this strip was attached to the townships lying north of it in Michigan. Father Gabriel Richard was a power politically as well as religiously at that time, and his nomination to any office was equivalent to his election, and it so occurred that the election for delegate to Congress, being held in the territory on July 9, Father Richard received one hundred and fourteen votes in the township, while his opponents, Austin E. Wing of Monroe, received five, and John Biddle one. This remarkable result is explained by the fact that the population was French-Canadian at that time, and their descendants are among the most industrious farmers and merchants of the township. Intermarriage with American families and the establishment of public schools has changed the former characteristics of the inhabitants very much, and the French language is seldom heard. The first supervisor, elected in the spring of 1827, was Levi Collier, who died during the year, and Antoine La Fountain was elected to fill the vacancy. John Mulks was elected for the year 1828; |