Newaygo County MI Archives History - Books .....Big Prairie Township 1884
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Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 March 6, 2008, 10:37 pm

Book Title: Newaygo County Portrait & Biographical Album

Big Prairie Township is one of the two townships organized at the first 
meeting of the Board of Supervisors of 

Newaygo County, March 20, 1852, and was made to include townships 13, 14, 15 
and 16 north, ranges 11 and 12 west.  It 

has been cut down to form new townships, untuil it now contains only township 
13 noth, 11 west.  It was one of the 

first in the county to be settled, on account of the prairie from which it 
derives its name.  The Muskegon River 

winds in a tortuous course through the township, crossing sections 1, 11, 13, 
24, 23, 14, 15, 21, 22, 27, 28 and 32.

The first settler of the township was John McBride, who located some year 
previous to 1849, when he sold his claim to 

Ephraim H. Utley.  Other early settlers, who came not far from 1850, were 
Alexander Dalziel, Solomon Godfrey, James 

Barton, William Barton, Benj. F. Olney, Walter Bonney, Emerson Bonney, aaron 
Swain, James M. Gibbs, Egbert Goodrich, 

"Capt." Smith, William Millard, Samuel Conkwright and Theodore Taylor.

The first election was held on the first Monday in April 1852, and John Betts 
was chosen the first Supervisor.  This 

office has been filled continuously for the last 31 years by Hon. James 
Barton.  At the last election, held April 2, 

1883, the following officers were elected:  James Barton, Supervisor; William 
S. Utley, Clerk; J. Elmer French, 

Treasurer; Wm. Dunham, Highway Commissioner; Nelson P. Cook, Drain 
Commissioner; JOhn E. Webster, School Inspector; 

Lewis Mayer, Justice of the Peace; Morris E. Slade, Hiram B. Height, Charles 
E. Lafferty and Joseph Franklin, 

Constables.

The population of Big Prairie in 1880 was 572.

There are now five school districts in Big Prairie Township.  For the year 
ending Sept. 3, 1883, the number of 

children between the ages of 5 and 20 was 177; number who attended school, 
123; number of non-resident pupils, 8; 

number of days of school taught, 485; number of rame school buildings, 2; 
number of log school buildings, 3; number 

of pupils that can be seated, 172, value of school property, $1,035; number of 
male teachers employed, 1; number of 

female teachrs employed, 6; wages paid male teachers $66.65; wages paid female 
teachers, $617.

the value of property in Big Prairie Township in 1852 was $16,232.37, and the 
taxes collected was #130.63, and the 

records give the equlized valuation of the property in 1883 as only $59,600.  
As far back as 1871, when the township 

comprised more territory the valuation was $120,000.  The amount of taxes 
raised for 1883 was $1,898.57.

The township ha had only two Supervisors.  In 1852 John Betts was elected, 
since which time Hon. James Barton has 

served without interruption.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/newaygo/history/1884/newaygoc/bigprair71gms.txt

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