Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2012, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== SOURCE: Portrait and Biographical Album of Newaygo County, Mich. Chapman Brothers: 1884 BROOKS TOWNSHIP According to the Congressional survey, Brooks Township is 12 west, 12 north, and is bounded on the north by Everett, on the east by Croton, on the south by Grant, on the west by Garfield. It at first contained the entire western half of the county, and was one of the first townships organized before the county itself. For many years it contained the west half of township 12 north, 12 west, and the east half of 12 north, 13 west. In 1880, the latter tract was used in making the new town- ship of Garfield, and half a township was taken from Croton, by way of compensation. By this arrangement, the village of Newaygo is thrown on the line between Garfield and Brooks. The Muskegon River winds through the township from east to west, crossing sections 23,13,14,15,23, 26,27,22,21,20 and 19. The Newaygo division of the Chicago & West Michigan railroad runs through the northwestern quarter of the township, crossing sections 3,4,9,17 and 18. In the southwestern corner lie Big Brooks (or Hess) Lake and Little Brooks Lake. The former is about two miles long, and one of the largest bodies of water in the county. In the northwestern corner is Great Marl Lake, and portions of Little Marl and Pickerel Lakes. Brooks was one of the two townships organized in 1851, before the county was organized. Isaac D. Merrill was the first Supervisor. At the last election, held April 2, 1883, the following officers were elected: Sanford Brown, Supervisor; Frank Towns, Clerk; James Herron, Treasurer; Otis Freeman, Highway Commissioner; Henry Hyde, Drain Commissioner; Samuel D. Bonner, School Inspector; Sanford Brown and John A. Brooks, Justices of the Peace; Aaron Court- wright, George King, John T. Thompson and Anselm Miller, Constable. The population of the township of Brooks in 1880 (then containing all of Newaygo Village) was 1,497. There are now four school districts in Brooks Township. For the year ending Sept. 3, 1883, the number of children between the ages of 5 and 15 was 502; the number of children that attended school, 295; number of non-resident pupils, 8; num- ber of days school taught, 498; number of frame school-houses, 3; number of log school-houses, 1; number of pupils that can be seated, 384; value of school property, $5,500; number of male teachers employed, 3; number of female teachers employed, 5; wages paid male teachers, $1,372; wages paid to females, $956. The valuation of property in this township has in- creased from $44,613.33 in 1853 to $127,775 in 1883, and the taxation from $189.79 in 1852 to $2,242 in 1883. SUPERVISORS Isaac D. Merrill 1851 Ephraim H. Utley 1852 John A. Brooks 1853 Sullivan Armstrong 1854 Ashley B. Furman 1855 Alfred A. Maguire 1856 Hiram Baker 1857 Theodore Wilson 1858 Justus C. Hubbard 1859 Amasa B. Watson 1860-1 Warren P. Adams 1862 Dexter P. Glazier 1863 Amasa B. Watson 1864-5 William T. Howell 1866 E. S. Gray 1866 William D. Fuller 1867 Augustus Paddock 1868 Wm. D. Fuller 1869 Wilkes D. Stewart 1870 William D. Fuller 1871 Sanford Brown 1872 John A. Brooks 1873 Timothy Edwards 1873 Sanford Brown 1874 James Herron 1875 Sanford Brown 1876-8 George W. Fry 1879 Sanford Brown 1880-1 C. K. Carter 1882 Frank Hoag 1883 Sanford Brown 1883 Wm. Glanville 1883 ===========================================================================