Tittabawassee Township

Tittabawassee History Landowners  |  Tittabawassee Personal Sketches

This section of the Saginaw Valley comes next to Saginaw City in the order of settlement, is equal to it in the quality of its lands, and may be termed the third township in the order of population and wealth. The Tittabawassee river enters the township at the northwest quarter of sec. 7, flows southeast through secs. 17, 16, 21, 28, 27 and 34, where it leaves the district. Numerous small creeks, together with the north branch of Swan creek and the head waters of Cannon creek, water the township.

The Flint & Pere Marquette railroad divides the town equally; it enters at the northeast-quarter of sec. 36, runs northwest through secs. 25, 26, 23, 22, 21, 16, 8, 7 and 6, with a depot at Freelands, in the geographical center of the township. The land is comparatively well settled, there being a population of 1,506 returned by the census of June, 1880.

The principal manufacturing industry of the township is the Bond sawmill, in the northeast quarter of sec. 7, on the line of the F.&P.M.R.R.

The villages comprise Freelands and Tittabawassee, the nucleus of what may in time be a center of population in the southwest quarter of see. 6, on the line of railroad. The town may be considered purely agricultural, and as a farm country will compare very favorably with the old settled townships of the eastern counties. The inhabitants form a particularly cultivated community, earnest in every cause they espouse, and fully capable of drawing forth all the great resources of their beautiful land.

ORGANIC.

An act to organize the township of Tittabawassee, passed by the Legislature during the spring session of 1840, was approved March 30, 1840. This act directed "That the counties of Midland, Gratiot, and all the towns, according to the United States survey, north of town 12, in range 1, 2 and 3 east of the meridian, as far north as town 16, be, and the same are hereby set off and organized into a separate township by the name of Tittabawassee, and the first township meeting shall be held at the house of Obadiah Crane, in said township." A review of the names of the officials chosen at the first township election will suffice to show that the principal settlers were of that class which could master every obstacle, whether it was of a physical or political character.

The citizens of the town of Tittabawassee met according to law at the house of Obadiah Crane April 5, 1841, and organized by calling Obadiah Crane to the chair. Luke Wellington, Jefferson Jaquith, John McGregor and Murdock Fraser were chosen Inspectors of said election, and Chas. S. Tibbetts, Clerk. Below are the names of the persons elected for the several offices, as certified to by the Inspectors:

Andrew Ure, Supervisor; Thomas McCarty, Clerk; Wm. R. Hubbard, Treasurer; Obadiah Crane, Andrew Tire and Thomas McCarty Assessors; Phineas D. Braley, Collector; Lancelot Spare, Luke Wellington and Edward Green, School Inspectors; John Benson and Murdock Fraser, Directors of the Poor; Phineas D. Braley, Chas. S. Tibbetts and John Voter, Com'rs of Highways; Thos. Mc Carty, John Benson, Andrew Ure and Nelson Gary, Justices of the Peace; Phineas D. Braley, Sylvester Vibber, John Voter and Obadiah Crane, Constables. The justices were elected for the terms as follows, viz.: Andrew Ure for the term of four years; Thos. McCarty, three years; John Benson, two years; and Nelson Gary, one year.

TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.

The following is a list of the principal township officers from 1842 to the present time:

SUPERVISORS

CLERKS

TREASURERS

JUSTICE OF THE PEACE

There are five full and six fractional school districts, each provided with a school building and under the supervision of a director and teacher.

THE CHURCHES AND CEMETERY

comprise the Methodist and Adventist. These are neat buildings exteriorly and interiorly, and a credit to the societies who worship

in them. The Catholics and Episcopalians attend the churches of Saginaw or Bay City generally. The township cemetery is located in the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section 8. It is the property of the people, is well ordered, and forms, with the schools and churches, a living remembrancer of the occupation of the township by a people who honor their God and their dead.

Seventh-Day Adventist Church.—About the 15th of February, 1867, it was announced that an Adventist named M. E. Cornell, would give lectures on Bible subjects at the school-house. Subsequently he gave lectures for a month or more and aroused such interest in his belief that a meeting of citizens and believers was called March 20, when a subscription for a house of worship was taken up. This church was to be known as " S. D. Adventists' house of worship," and to be controlled by them, but to be opened for funerals and on other ocasions to all denominations. A liberal amount was subscribed, and several sites offered free. A committee on building was chosen: H. T. Hawley, W. H. Hilton and J. A. Munger; who commenced at once by selecting a site offered by Wm. Roeser, on which to erect a building 40x60 feet, letting the contract to Messrs. Babcock and Maycumber for $1,200, with material furnished. The work went on steadily until completion in October of same year, and nearly all paid for at a cost of about $3,300. There was no Church organization. Elders Cornell and Lawlence, commencing meetings again in October, perfected the work of organizing a Church of 37 members, Nov. 2, with local elders and clerk. They still continued their work until about 50 were united with the Church, when on the 23d of December a legal organization was perfected in accordance with the laws of Michigan, to hold church property. A deed from Mr. Roeser of their lot was received. The Church with all its changes has ever retained about its usual number of members, its present number being 48 and the greatest number it has had 67. In the spring of 1880 this society bought one-half lot more, adjoining the original property, on the north of Mr. Roesers' land, thus giving them two and one-half lots in the township.

The Methodist Episcopal Church.—The M. E. Society was organized in this township in 1846. In 1874 the present church was erected at a cost of $3,000, the energy of the Rev. Mr. Sparling contributing much to its satisfactory completion. The society claims a membership of 60 persons, with the Rev. J. B. Withey as pastor in charge.

PURCHASERS OF THE LANDS.

The early buyers of the township lands became permanent settlers in the greater number of instances. The names of those who purchased their lands from the general Government are as follows:

Many of the names given in the foregoing record of patentees, appear on the records of the county, both of the past and the present. It is true that a number of the pioneers of Tittabawassee have passed to the better land; yet enough remain to prove of "what stuff they are made," to continue in the service of their country, and particularly of that county which they call their home. They have witnessed great changes since their coming here, and if spared to this world for a few more years, they will witness still more important changes, grander enterprises, even a greater people.

Tittabawassee History Landowners  |  Tittabawassee Personal Sketches

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 944-956.

Copyright ©  2010 of  all rights reserved by: Volunteers hold copyright to the online material they have donated for this site.  Not to be copied and used in any format to any other site or in any other media. Personal use within family files is allowed.