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The English controlled the area after nearly 70 years of battling with France for the frontier. | U.S. Congress establishes Michigan Territory with growing population of settlements. | States developed out of the Michigan Territory. |
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Territorial Governors.
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Congressional Delagates (Congress, date):
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Internet Resources.
Provides historical details regarding the Michigan Territory. |
The Saginaw Valley was initially a part of the very large Michilimackinac county until 1832 when it became a part of new formed Oakland County. Oakland stretched as far north as Alpena. In 1831, the territorial legislature created Arenac, Gladwin, Midland and Saginaw counties, but they were not organized. They had no elections or governing bodies of their own until 1835 when Saginaw county was organized, two years before Michigan became state. Saginaw provided judicial services for the others until Midland county was formed in 1851.
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Counties as they appeared in 1818 before statehood. | Counties changed rapidly as new settlements developed. Oakland Co. established in 1820 stretched all the way to Tawas. | Territory legislature created several new counties, but they were not not organized, they had no elections, officers or courts. Saginaw Co. handled county affairs until Midland was organized in 1851. |
In 1857, Bay County was organized from portions of Saginaw and Midland counties, and all of Arenac. The new county was comprised of two townships initially, Williams and Hampton. The first new townships were added in 1859, Arenac, Bangor and Portsmouth. During the 1860s, Beaver, Kawkawlin and Monitor were added. In the 1870s, AuGre, Clayton, Merritt, Pinconning, Fraser and Deep River became new townships. In the 1880s, Frankenlust, Garfield, and Gibson were added. Arenac County was organized 1883 from the northern townships reducing the size of Bay County to what it is today. Mount Forest was the last township to be organized in 1890.
Present Bay County Township Map: | Township Chronology
1857: Williams & Hampton 1859: Bangor 1859: Portsmouth 1859: Arenac* 1867: Beaver 1868: Kawkawlin 1869: Monitor 1870: AuGre* 1870: Clayton* 1871: Merritt 1873: Pinconning 1873: Standish* - (aka: Granton) 1875: Fraser 1879: Deep River* 1881: Frankenlust 1886: Garfield 1888: Gibson 1890: Mt. Forest * - Detached in 1883 when Arenac Co. was organized. |
Village Incorporations:
1849: Lower Saginaw (V) 1858: Auburn (V) 1871: Banks (V) 1947: Auburn (C) City Incorporations: 1865: Bay City 1877: West Bay City 1947: Auburn |
First plats for villages:
Banks: 1857, Jos. Tromble' Essex: 1850, Ransom Essex Kawkawlin: 1873, (unk.) Linwood: 1882, (unk.) Lower Saginaw: 1837, Saginaw Bay Co. Portmouth: 1836, Portmouths Co. Salzburg: 1867, F.H. Fitzhugh. |
The following series of maps represent what we have been able to identify on township formations. What's missing are the actual geograhical area of many townships when they were organized. The following lists townshps for which this information still needs to be developed:
1859: Bangor, Portsmouth and Arenac.
Assumptions: Bangor included today's Monitor and ran north to the southern boundary of the new township of Arenac. Arenac was carved from both Williams & Hampton twsps and may have comprised most of today's Arenac county. Portmouth carved out of Hampton include present twsp. boundary plus that of Merrit.1867: Beaver.
Assumptions: Carved out of Williams, may have ran from present Williams northern boundary to southern boundary of Arenac township created in 1859.1868: Kawkawlin.
Assumptions: Carved out of Bangor, may have ran from present northern boundary of Bangor to southern boundary of Arenac township, and western boundary of Beaver.1871: Merritt.
Assumptions: Carved out of Portmouth only.
 Before Bay County.
Map showing the territory detached from the counties of Arenac, Midland and Saginaw when Bay County was organized in 1857. |
 1857: Townships & villages.
Williams and Hampton townships were previously organized under Midland and Saginaw counties respectively, however, their geographic area was altered under Bay Co. Bay County. |
 1859: First new townships.
The geographic area of Williams and Hampton townships were reduced to make room for these new townships. Portsmouth include a section detached from Saginaw Co. geographic area. |
 1867: Beaver Twsp. added.
Formed from portions of west portion of Arenac and northern portion of Williams. |
 1868: Kawkawlin Twsp. added.
Formed from northern portion of Bangor and southern portion of Beaver. |
 1869: Monitor added.
Formed from the southern half of Bangor. |
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Garfield township is added from western portion of Fraser township. the same time. | Gibson township is added from north west section of Pinconning township. | Mount Forest township, the last organized, is added from the west half of Pinconning township. |
| 1895 MICHIGAN ATLAS LISTING OF PLACES FOR BAY COUNTY pop = populaton, PO = postoffice, RR = railway service | ||
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Auburn: pop. 150, PO, RR
Banks: pop. --, PO, RR Bay City: pop. 27,839, PO, RR Beardsley's: pop, --, RR Bedell: --, PO, -- Bently: --, PO, -- Brooks: --, --, RR Brown's: --, --, RR County Line: --, --, RR Essexville: --, PO, -- |
Fisherville: --, --, RR
Frankenlust: --, PO, -- Freeman: --, --, RR Hamblen: --, PO, -- Kawkawlin: --, PO, RR Linwood: --, PO, RR Michie: --, PO, -- Monitor: --, --, RR Mt. Forest: --, PO, RR Munger: --, PO, RR Nine Mile: --, --, RR North William: --, PO, -- |
Oa-at-ka Beach: --, --, RR
Portsmouth: --, PO, -- Salzburg: --, PO, RR South Bay City: --, --, RR State Road: --, --, RR Water Street Junction: --, --, RR Wenona Beach: --, --, RR West Bay City: 12,981, PO, RR White Feather: --, --, RR Willard: --, PO, -- |
Sources:
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