History of Marion Township 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
