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Township Organization

For three years after its first settlement, township 1 of range 9, was for all political purposes and intents a part of Bloomfield, under which name had been comprehended the two southern tiers of townships in the county. But in the spring of 1827 several new townships were formed, and among them was that of Farmington, which, at its erection, included not only its present territory but also that now embraced in the four southwestern towns of the county, Commerce, Milford, Lyon and Novi.

An act of the legislative council, approved April 12, 1827, provided and directed that the townships above mentioned "be a township by the name of Farmington, and that the first township- meeting be held at the house of Robert Wixom in said township;" and accordingly the first meeting was duly held at Mr. Wixom's house, on the last Monday in May of that year. An account of the proceedings at that meeting cannot be given, because of the total destruction of the township records on the morning of the 9th of October, 1872. We know, however, that Amos Mead was chosen supervisor, and Robert Wixom clerk, and that William Yerkes, Seth A. L. Warner, and Amos Mead at the time held the office of justice of the peace, under appointment by the governor, and that the assessors elected at that first meeting were William Yerkes, Samuel Mead, and Philip Marlatt; Amos Mead being elected supervisor. He also filled that office for the years 1828 and 1833. Following are the names of some of those who held the position of supervisor after him: Edward Steel, 1829, 1832, 1834, 1835; Loring Doney, 1836; Daniel S. Lee, 1837; Benjamin P. Wixom, 1838; Eri Prince, 1842-1844; John H. Button, 1845, 1853; Samuel T. Bryan, 1854-1859; Henry F. Cobb, 1860; Jesse B. Aldrich, 1861; P. Dean Warner, 1862- 1866; Henry R. Mason, 1867-1869; Ahijah J. Wixom, 1870; Oscar S. Harger, 1871; Jas. L. Wilber, 1872; Hix Horton, 1873-1875; B. F. Grace, 1876-1877.

Among the incumbents of the office of justice of the peace are found the following: by appointment from the governor, under the Territorial form, George Brownell, commissioned September 19, 1833; Elijah F. Cook, February 24, 1834; Amos Mead, August 12, 1833; Nathan S. Philbrick, February 14, 1834. And the following, among others, have been elected to the office since the adoption of the State constitution: Nathan S. Philbrick, 1838 and 1840; Amos Mead 1836 and 1838; Isaac Wixom, 1837; Benjamin P. Wixom, 1836 and 1857; George Brownell, 1836 and 1848; John Hovey, 1839; E. G. Stevens, 1841, 1847 and 1862; Charles K. Nichols, 1842; Warren Serviss, 1843 and 1850; Levi W. Rodgers, 1844; George W. Collins, 1845; Samuel T. Bryan, 1846, 1852, and 1853; Simeon Gage, 1849; Mark Arnold, 1851, 1856, 1860; Andrew C. Walker, 1854, 1862; Isaac Placey, 1861; William L. Coonley, 1861, 1877; Andrew J. Crosby, 1862; Jacob A. Drake, 1863; J. W. Crandall, 1865; Eber Durham, 1856 and 1866; John A. Fairfield, 1867; Thomas Russell, 1870 and 1875; Horace A. Green, 1871; Dexter W. Green, 1876; John N. Power, 1876; P. Dean Warner, 1855 to 1863 and 1867 to 1875.

Among those who have filled the office of town clerk since the organization we mention: Lyman Boughton, 1829 to 1833; H. Miller, 1835; John McCarthy, 1841; John Stewart, 1842; E. G. Stevens, 1843; John T. Little, 1844; Henry F. Walker, 1845, 1847, and 1850; P. Dean Warner, 1846, 1858, 1859; Samuel S. Gale, 1851; Harley Ingersoll, 1852; M. Augustus White, 1857 and 1860-69; H. G. Saxton, 1870-71; Frank D. Clark, 1872; and he is the present incumbent.