History of Saginaw county, Michigan; together with ... portraits ... and biographies ... History of Michigan ...

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LAKEFIELD TOWNSHIP.
This section of the county may be said to be still in its primitive
state. South of Beaver creek it is occupied with but a few settlers;
while the road leading into the settled sections is so strangely rude
that one who ventured to travel over it once, and succeeded in reaching a dwelling-house, is surprised at the courage and perseverance
which enabled him to battle with and conquer the difficulties of
travel in that western township.
The head-waters of the north branch of Bad river pertain
properly to this township. This tributary of the river waters its
southern sections; while the more important stream known as
Beaver creek courses through sections 4, 9, 16, 15, 22, 23 and 24.
The only manufacturing industry in Lakefield is the saw-mill on
section 3.
In the summer of 1875 the settlers of Northern Lakefield met to
consider the advisability of seeking local government. The result
of that meeting was an application to(the Supervisors' Board,
signed by 21 freeholders of the township of Fremont, asking the board to order the organization of fractional township 11
north, of range 3 east, into the township of Lakefield. The board
ordered, under date Oct. 16, 1875, " that all that part of the township of Fremont, as now heretofore last organized, to-wit: fractional township 11 north, of range 1 east, be, and the same is,
hereby set off from the township of Fremont, and organized into a
separate township by the name of Lakefield, and the first township
meeting in the said township of Lakefield shall be held at the
dwelling house of H. C. Fessenden; that the first township meeting of the said township of Lakefield shall be holden on the first
Monday of April next, and that H. C. Fessenden, Thomas M.
Gould and William C. Dickinson be, and they are, hereby appointed
Inspectors of said township meeting, whose duty it shall be to preside
at such meeting, appoint a clerk, open and keep the polls, and exercise the same power as the inspectors of elections at any township meeting; that Thomas Gould be and is hereby appointed to
post up notices, according to law, of the time and place of holding
the first township meeting in the said new township of Lakefield."
This resolution to organize was opposed by one member of the
board against forty supporters. The principal officers of the town,
since its organization, are named as follows:
SUPERVISORS.
Herbert C. Fessenden......... 1876-9 1 William C. Galloway......... 1880-1
(863)