History of Hartwick Township, Osceola County, Michigan

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HARTWICK TOWNSHIP

Hartwick Township was organized under authority by the Board of 
Supervisors dated January 5, 1870.  Acting under this authority the 
citizens assembled together at the house of Smith Hawkins the first 
Monday in April of the same year.  Smith Hawkins and W.D. Welch had 
been appointed by the Board to preside as Inspectors at this meeting. 
 Everything being ready, the polls were duly opened, and the ballots 
for the township officers were received.  When the polls were closed,
 and the votes canvassed, it was found that the following named 
citizens had been elected:  For Supervisor, Smith Hawkins; Clerk, W.D.
 Welch; Treasurer, Charles Peel; Highway Commissioners, J.W. Ricketts 
and L.C. Clark; School Inspectors, Smith Hawkins and J. Cail; 
Constables, J. Hoesfull, L. Ricketts and A.J. Mapes.

This township is numbered 19 north, of range 8 west.  Highland lies on
 the north, Middle Branch on the east, Osceola on the south, and Rose 
Lake Township on the west.  Hartwick is watered by the Middle Branch 
and the little streams putting into it, all of which head in the 
township.  Besides these streams, there are several pretty little 
lakes - Long, Hicks, Goose and Heart Lake.  There is considerable flat
 land in the township, but the major portion of it is rolling, and 
often quite broken.  The soil is clay loam, and sandy.  It is regarded
 as good lands for farming purposes.  Originally it was heavily 
timbered, with pine and the hard-woods.  A great deal of this timber 
has been carried off by the lumbermen, but their yet remains extensive
 forests of pine timber awaiting the ax and the saw of the lumber 
operators.

Smith Hawkins is credited with being the first settler here, which was
 as early as 1866.  Following him came J.W. Ricketts, W.D. Welch, 
Charles Peel, J. Cail, L.C. Clark, A.J. Mapes and J. Hoesfull.

The first child born in this township was Emma, daughter of L.C. and 
Sarah Clark, which occurred March 25, 1867.  The event was regarded 
with considerable importance at the time, and Mrs. Clark was the 
recipient of many calls, which were made to see the "first" baby. 
 Births were not so common in those days as to be received with 
indifference, and consequently, the mother of this child was the 
object of no small degree of attention.  Its gentle, sweet face, its 
soft cooings, may have seemed out of place out here in this 
wilderness, and not altogether in consonance with the wild 
surroundings; the fittings of nature, its unerring arrangement in 
properly blending in harmonious order all things, may have been 
seriously questioned by these people; this infant's cry may have 
startled the wolf as he was prowling around the cabin during the dark
 hours of the night; nevertheless, here this little stranger was, here
 it came to stay, and must be cared for and protected.

Hartwick Township has four school districts, in each of which is 
erected very good school buildings.  These buildings are located 
respectively on sections 23, 8, 2 and 22.  School-house in District 
No. I cost $600; number of pupils in attendance, 68.  In District No. 
2, cost, $500; number of pupils attending, 41.  In District No. 3, 
cost $225, number of pupils in attendance, 9.  In No. 4, the building 
cost $200; number of pupils in attendance, 14.

It is estimated that this township has about 1,500 acres under 
improvement, with 60 farms; and with a  production in the year 1884 of
 2,500 bushels of wheat.  Average yield per acre, 15.11.  Population
 in 1884 was 427, showing an increase of 188 since 1880.

The nearest railroad station is Le Roy, on the Grand Rapids & Indiana 
Railroad.

There is one postoffice in the township, located on section 8.  Alfred
 Davis is Postmaster, who also has a store here, and deals in general 
merchandise.

C.L. Gray & Co. have a lumber and shingle manufactory in this 
township, located on section 35.  Capacity of shingle-mill, 40,000 per
 day.  On section 36 they have another mill, with a capacity of 40,000
 shingles and 5,000 clapboards per day.  C.L. Gray & Co. also operate
 Cox's lumber and shingle mill on section 29; capacity in shingles 
40,000 per day.

A.J. McCarn has a lumber and shingle mill on section 35, with a 
capacity in lumber of 8,000 feet, and shingles 20,000 per day.  C.L. 
Gray & Co., of Evart, handle their stock.

The names of the Supervisors, with the terms served are given below:

SUPERVISORS.

Smith Hawkins           1870-3
D.S. Shadley            1874-6
Smith Hawkins           1877
D.S. Shadley            1878-9
N.O. Pettibone          1880
S.D. Shadley            1881
John Cockerton          1882
D.S. Shadley            1883
John Cockerton          1884