1884 Portrait & Bio Album
| 1884 Portrait & Bio Album | |
| Marion Township was the last to organize and make up the full quota of townships for Osceola County. This was done by order of the Board of Supervisors made January 9, 1877. the meeting for the organization was held at the residence of C. Clark on the first Monday in April following. Ahira Chapin, J.r. Sawtell, and U.O. Chase presided at the meeting, which elected Ahira Chapin Supervisor. This tonwhsip is situated in the northeast corner of the county, in number 20 north, of range 7 west. It is bounded on the north by Missauke County, on the west by Clare County, and the south by Middle Branch, and the west by Highland Township. It is watered by the Middle Branch and its tributaries, and other feeders of the Muskegon River. The land is mostly covered with hard-wood timber, there being but very little pine, except in the eastern part. It is rolling in the northwest portions, and rather flat in other parts. Soil, clay loam with some mixture of sand.Population in 1884 was 194, showing an increse since 1880 of about a hundred.There are about 700 acres of land improved, with some 22 farms. Hay is regarded as the best crop. POtatoes also do well. Marion has six school districts, with two frame and three log school buildings, and are located as follows: No. 1, on section 35, and cost $275; No. 2 on section 1 and cost $300; No. 3 has a log house and is built on section 30 and cost $75; Nov. 4 has a log building which cost $50, and is situated on section 17; No. 5 is log, cost $100, and is built on section 6; No. 6 has no building. The scholastic population in this township is quite limited. Distric No. 1 has 20 pupils; No. 2, 26; No. 3, 4; No. 4, 14 and No. 5, 6 pupils on the rolls. The lumbering business was carried on here at one time quite extensively. The timber was cut and hauled to the Middle Branch and from it floated down to the Muskegon River, and thence onward.At Chesetopler Creek there is a saw-mill and a shingle-mill; also a supply store. There is another mill known as Clark's mill, where there is a postoffice. The nearest railroad station for the people of Marion is Tustin, on the Grand Rapids & Indiana. Immigration is coming in and the township is growing slowly. It has been represented by the folling named: SUPERVISORS. Ahira Chapin 1877-8 Daniel Marsh 1879 Ahira Chapin 1880-4 |