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 XXXVII
ROSE AND WEST BLOOMFIELD
PHYSICAL FEATURES OF ROSE TOWNSHIP-ROSE CENTER, OR ROSE-WEST
BLOOMFIELD AS A LAKE TOWNSHIP-EARLIEST PIONEERS-SALE OF
INDIAN RESERVATIONS-FIRST POSTOFFICE-ORCHARD LAKE POSTOFFICE-THE POLISH SEMINARY.
What is now known as Rose township was originally included in
the township of Oakland, and was created by act of the legislature of
March II, I837. In that act the first township meeting was ordered to
be held at the house of David Gage, which was accordingly done on the
following 3d of April. John A. Wendell was chosen supervisor and
Henry Phelps township clerk.
PHYSICAL FEATURES OF ROSE TOWNSHIP
The southern and southeastern portions of the township contain beautiful plains, the one in the southeast being an extension of White lake
plain. These were originally covered with a scattered growth of oak,
interspersed with roses. The water area of the township covers about
nine hundred acres and includes some forty-five lakes and ponds. Long
lake is the principal sheet of water; it is mostly in section 30, in the
southwest. The drainage of the greater part of the township is through
the various branches of the Shiawassee river, which, however, in this
part of the county are insignificant creeks.
The township is strictly agricultural, with a soil prolific of grain
and fruit. It has but one postoffice-that at Rose Center, or Rose, in
the center of section 22, which is also just southeast of the center of
the township.
The first entry of land in Rose township was made by I. N. Voorheis
and Daniel Hammond on June 8, 1835, and included a mill site on section II. But no mill was built and neither claimants to the site ever
appeared. The first improvements were made by John C. Garner, who
afterward lived in the locality for many years; but before Mr. Garner
settled Daniel Danielson located (I835). eighty acres on section 35, in
the extreme southeast, and built upon his land the first house in the township. His tract was then covered with timber and his log house stood on
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