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Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott
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SOURCE: Portrait and Biographical Album
        of Newaygo County, Mich.
        Chapman Brothers: 1884
        
        
                            ASHLAND TOWNSHIP
         
           is one of the oldest and wealthiest in Newaygo
        County. It is township 11 north, 13 west, Congres-
        sional survey, and lies in the southern tier of town-
        ships in the county. It is bounded on the north by
        Garfield, on the east by Grant, on the south by Mus-
        kegon County, and on the west by Bridgeton.  The
        Muskegon River flows through sections 4,5,6 and 7,
        in the northwestern corner. The Newaygo division
        of the C. & W. M. R. R. runs almost due south
        through the eastern tier of sections 1,12,13,24,25
        and 36. Sand Lake is on the south half of section 
        19, Mud Lake in the southwest quarter of secion 29,
        and the greater part of Blanche Lake is on section
        13, in the eastern part of the township.
           Ashland was the fifth township organized in Ne-
        waygo County, and was the first one erected after the
        county machinery was fairly started. It was organ-
        ized by the Board of Supervisors Oct. 9, 1854, and
        the first "town meeting" was held at the house of
        Sullivan Armstrong, the first Monday in April, 1855.
        Sullivan Armstrong was chosen the first Supervisor.
        At the last election, April 2, 1883, the following
        township officers were chosen: Orvin Headley,
        Supervisor; Nathaniel H. Brown, Clerk; Robert C.
        Wallace, Treasurer; Hiram L. Brace, Highway Com-
        missioner; Henry Avery, School Inspector; Samuel
        W. Peterson and William N. Hutchinson, Justices of
        the Peace; Sylvester Peats, Henry J. Brown, John
        Raymer and Wm. H. Soyer, Constables.
          The population of Ashland Township in 1880 was
        1,436.
          There are now six school districts in the township.
        For the year ending Sept. 3, 1883, the number of
        children between the ages of five and twenty was
        514; the number that attended school during the
        year, 392; number of non-resident pupils, 8; num-
        ber of days school taught, 1,059; number of vol-
        umes in district libraries, 186; number of brick
        school-houses, 1; number of frame school-houses, 6;
        number of pupils that can be seated, 496; value of
        school property, $6,580; number of male teachers
        employed, 5; number of female teachers employed,
        9; amount paid to male teachers, $950; amount 
        paid to female teachers, $840.
          The equalized valuation of the property of Ash-
        land Township in 1855 amounted to $39,740.50, and
        the taxes collected to $198.70, while for 1883 the
        value of property was $181,615, and the taxes
        $2,176.70.
          The following is a complete list of the Super-
        visors of the township:
        
                        SUPERVISORS.
                        
                Sullivan Armstrong      1855-7
                George Fuller           1858
                Sullivan Armstrong      1859-60
                Alfred F. Armstrong     1861-2
                George Fuller           1863
                Alfred F. Armstrong     1864
                John L. McLain          1864
                Milo White              1865-9
                Sullivan Armstrong      1870-2
                Alfred F. Armstrong     1873
                Sullivan Armstrong      1874
                S. W. Peterson          1874
                Andrew T. Squier        1875-8
                George Fuller           1879
                Orvin T. Headley        1880
                Sullivan Armstrong      1881
                W. Seaman               1882
                Orvin T. Headley        1883
                
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