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| This is one of the earliest settlements in the county and contemporaneous with Monroe, and the other settlements along the River Raisin. The farms were generally located along other creeks extending eastward to the lake. There were twenty-two families here in 1794, but no organization as a township took place until 1830, when a portion of Erie was set off. There were additions of several American families from Ohio and Pennsylvania during the next ten years after its organization and the "Otter Creek Settlement" gradually increased, and schools were established. The soil is productive and farmers are in good circumstances. The First Presbyterian church and Sunday school was organized in 1844, by families who had previously been members of the Presbyterian church of Monroe, who found it more convenient to have a worship in their own community. At the first township election, held July 1, 1830, at the house of Antoine La Fountain, Francis Charter was elected supervisor and Charles Villette township clerk. Mr. Charter was thereafter elected supervisor for several years, and Mr. Villette as clerk each year during more than forty years. Samuel M. Bartlett, Lucien B. Miller, Dennis Sharkey, Orrin Leonard, John G. Kiehl, Peter Dusseau, Neal O'Connor, James Gilday, Chas. E. Kirby, Lewis Darrah, were among residents of the township who were honored by the choice of their fellow citizens for township officers. At the present time Alfred H. Gilday is supervisor. The geological features of this township present no marked characteristics, differing from those in adjoining townships noted in the chapter on Geology of Monroe County, printed in this volume. |