History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

CHAPTER XXVII

HOLLY TOWNSHIP
DRAINAGE AND LAKES-FIRST ENTRY AND SETTLEM:ENT-OTHER PIONEERS OF THE TOWNSHIP-SETTLERS IN 1832-1837 —FIRST TINGS
-QUAINT ALONZO R. ROOD-DESCENDANTS OF THE PIONEERSFOUNDING OF HOLLY VILLAGE-VIILAGE SCHOOL —NEW UNION
SCHOOL-TOWNSHIP AND VILLAGE LIBRARIES —THE WATERWORKSHOLLY NEWSPAPERS-INDUSTRIES -THE CHURCHES-SOCIETIES.
The township of Holly, as we know it today, was created by act of
the legislature, March 6, 1838, being formed from the west half of
Groveland. The original townships of the county were Oakland and
Bloomfield, formed in 1820 and, in 1827, divided into five, of which
Pontiac included Groveland and Holly townships. As stated, the former was divided in 1838. At that time the first land entry within the
present limits of Holly township had b1een mIade eight years before,
and the first actual settlement, seven.
DRAINA(;GE AND I \LAKES
There are few townships in the county, whose lakes and ponls are
so generally distributed as those of Holly. They number some fifty,
which, with Shiawassee river and Swartz creek, furnish sufficient water
for the fertilization of the soil, as well as fish in season. The former
flows through the southwestern corner of the township, and the latter,
now generally known as Little creek, takes a tortuous course through
the northwestern, central and southeastern sections, connecting a majority of the little lakes and ponds. The most considerable bodies of
water in the township are Bush (on the northeastern borders of Holly
village), Crutched, Dickinson, Spring, Gravel, Strawberry, Fagan, Mitchell
and Opinoconic. They are named generally as to their location north
from the village of Holly, Opinoconic lake stretching into the extreme
northwest corner of the township from Genesee county.
IIRST E1XNTRY) AND SETTLEME1 NT
The first entry of land in Holly township was made by Nathan lHerrick on September I6, 1830, his claim being a part of section i, on the
old Saginaw trail.
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