Pioneer history of Ingham County, compiled and arranged by Mrs. Franc L. Adams, secretary of the Ingham County pioneer and historical society.

CHAPTER XVII.
WHIEATFIELD TOWNSHIP.
History by Mrs. S. A. Warner; sketch by Ir. F. N. Turner; George Traver,
reminiscences.
Read at the Annual Meeting of the Ingham County Pioneer and
Histori.cal Society, in 1915, by tlhe Writer, Mrs. S. A. Warner.
Originally what is now the township of Wheatfield formed part
of the township of Ingham, organ.ized oil the 1lth day of March,
1837, and includ.dilg what now constitutes the fourth congressional
township of Inghlam, White Oak, W1heatfield and Leroy. The
first town meeting was held at the home of Caleb Carr. However,
previous to this, township lines were run by Joseph Wampler,
and the subdivision lines two years later. On the I2d of March,
1839, the Legislature formed a new townshli) from Ingham called
Brutus, a name chosen by Ephraim Meech, the first white settler
in Leroy. Brutus included the north half of the old township or
what now constitutes Wheatfield and Leroy.
On March 19, 1840, tlhe eastern half of Brutus was organized
as a separate township under the name of Leroy, which left the
present town of Wheatfield a congressional township bearing the
name of Brutus. This name not being quite satisfactory, at the
suggestion of David Gorsline a petition was drawn up and forwarded to the Legislature, which on March 20, 1841, changed the
name to the present one of Wheatfield.
This s as roposed by Mr. Gorsline, who emigrated from the
township of Wheatfield, Niagara county, N. Y. IIe was the first
white settler within the limits of Wheatfield Townsllip. lie entered land on the northeast quarter of section 34 on the 15th day
of June, 1836. and settled there with his family in October of the
same year.
Mr. Gorsline stated before his de(ath that the township of Wheatfield had never had a store, a tavern, church, saloon or practicing
physician within its borders. The present church was built in
1900.