History of Evart Township 1884 Portrait & Bio Album
Evart is in the southern tier of townships, and is numbered 17 north,
of range 8 west, with Osceola on the north, Orient on the east, and
Mecosta County on the south, and Hersey Township on the west. The
meeting for the organization of the township was held in the
school-house April 5, 1870, under an order made by the Board of
Supervisors. Ine inspectors appointed were J.B. Smith, John Hoover
and Stoel J. Tyler. The 26 votes that were polled elected William
Bennett, Supervisor; William C. McMullen, Clerk, and John Smith,
Treasurer: S.J. Tyler, T.T. Beneway and John H. McMullen, Highway
Commissioners; O.R. Winsor and Stoel J. Tyler, School INspectors; J.H.
Smith, Aaron Winsor, JOhn Smith and Thomas Bennett, Justices of the
Peace; John Brecknor, F.C. Yorks, E.H. Minier, Jeremiah Means and
Thomas Bennett, Constables.
Evart has four whole school districts and one fractional, namely, No.
3, which is in Evart village. The school building in District No. 1,
is located on section 14, and cost $700; number of pupils on the list,
44. In district No. 2, the school-house on section 27, and cost
$200; number of pupils on the rolls, 23. In District No. 5, the
school-house is located on section 15, and cost $700; number of pupils
on the list is 21.
The Flint & Pere Marquette Railroad passes through the upper portion
of Evart Township, coming in at the line of the northeast corner,
deflecting northward into Osceola and then southward to Evart, and
passing south to the west between sections 6 and 7, Muskegon River;
crossing south, it enters the township at Evart, and passing through
the northwest part goes out about the middle of section 7.
Big Stone Creek, with its branches, head in this township and empty
into the Muskegon. Upper and Lower Big Lakes, Tift, Wright and Saddle
Lakes, with numerous little streams, give a liberal supply of water,
and afford ample facilities for drainage.
Portions of the township are quite rolling, and others flat. The soil
is clay loam, and sandy, with a clay sub-soil. There are some 70
farms, with about 2,500 acres improved. Wheat does very well in the
township, the yield being estimated last year atr about 5,000 bushels;
but hay and potatoes are regarded as the best crop. In agricultural
products it rates the sixth.
The trading point for the inhabitants is Evart, and to this place they
go for their mails.
As to the early settlers, and where they located, we first mention
Edward Manes, who came to the township in 1865, and located on section
23. J.B. Smith located on section 22 in 1866; John Smith on section
2 in 1867. Philander Peck and John Hoover took up homes in 1867, on
section 14. Frank Evart and Wm. C. McMullen located on section 23 in
1867, and Jeremiah Manes on section 22, in 1867. During their pioneer
life they obtained their supplies from Big Rapids, and sometimes from
the lumber camps.
Other incidents connected with this township will be found in the
history of Evart village.
About one mile below the village of Evart, J. Bowley, Jr., has a boom
siding with a mill, where he manufactures lumber, shingles, and clapboards.
Evart Township has a population of some 1,200, which has been
represented by the Supervisors named below:
SUPERVISORS.
Wm. Bennett 1870-3
Wm. C. McMullen 1874-5
Robert Sherman 1876
Wm. C. McMullen 1877
M.L. Stephens 1878
F.E. McDougall 1879
Wm. C. McMullen 1880
M.L. Stephens 1881-2
Francis York 1883
W.H. Stryker 1884
