Swan Creek Township

The organization of this township was ordered Aug. 30, 1860, as follows: "Resolved, That the territory described in said application as follows, to wit, township number 11 north, of range 3 east; sections number 5, 6 and 7, and fractional sections number 2, 3, 4, 8, 9,17 and 18, in township north,of range 4 east (said sections and fractional sections lying between the Tittabawassee and Shiawassee rivers); also fractional sections 31 and 32, south of the Tittabawassee river, in township number 12 north, of range 4 east, be, and the same is, hereby erected into a township to be called and known by the name of the township of Swan Creek. The first annual township meeting thereof shall be held at the house of George W. Beaman, on Monday, the first day of April, 1861, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon; and at said meeting George W. Beaman, Colin McBratnie and John Leighton, three electors of said township, shall be the persons whose duty it shall be to preside at such meeting."

The township officers from 1870 to the present time are named in the following list; those who served from 1861 to 1869 cannot be given, as the township records for that period were not forthcoming:

SUPERVISORS

CLERKS

TREASURERS

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE

The present township officers of Swan Creek include the names-given in the list, together with Russell J. Webb, Commissioner of Highways; R. W. Beeman, Superintendent of Schools; Ezra C. Barr, School Inspector; Sabina Robinson and Jesse E. Crosby, Constables. There are 239 children of school age in the township.

H. Nason has been the owner of the large saw-mill at Garfield Station for the last three years. It was previously operated by Mr. Penoyer. Helon B. Allen, W. Husen and R. H. Nason are owners of the salt well and block built in November, 1879. These great industries give employment to a large number of hands, and form a village in themselves.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

B. Allen, of the firm of Nason, Allen & Co., salt manufacturers, Garfield, Mich., was born in Niagara Co., N. Y., Nov. 28, 1844; parents are D. P. and Clarissa Allen; father a native of Massachusetts; mother, of New York; subject of sketch was reared on a farm, receiving his education at the Union school of Lockport, N. Y.; in 1869 be came to this county, and engaged in making salt until 1879, when he removed his interests to Garfield, Mich.; is a Republican in politics, and is the present Clerk of this tp.; was married, Dec. 16, 1875, to Nellie R., daughter, of William and Laura McKnight. Mr. Allen is a man of enterprise and sterling business qualities.

Henry Tefft, school-teacher, district No. 2, St. Charles tp., was born in New York in 1844. His parents are Rowland and Lucy (Bill), Tefft, the former a native of Rhode Island, and of Scotch descent, the latter of Vermont, and of English descent. Henry was educated in the Normal school at Albany, N. Y., graduating July 11, 1867. He immediately commenced to teach school in St. Charles village for one term; he had taught two years in New York previous to graduating. In the fall of 1867 he came to Michigan, where his father had purchased a saw-mill in Swan Creek tp., and for 10 years assisted him in its operation. In 1880 he obtained his present position (his father still owns and operates the saw-mill). He is Republican in politics, and was once Superintendent of Schools of Swan Creek tp. Mr. Tefft is the present principal of schools in St. Charles village, having held the position for two years.

BACK TO LIST OF TOWNSHIP HISTORY 1881

Source: History of Saginaw County Michigan, By Michael A. Leeson, Damon Clarke, Published 1881 Chas. C. Chapman & Co., Chicago pages 915-916.

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