HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY, MICHIGAN; TOGETHER WITH SKETCHES OF ITS CITIES, VILLAGES AND TOWNSHIPS, EDU OF REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS. HISTORY OF MICHIGAN, EMBRACING ACCOUNTS OF THE PRE HISTORIC RACES, ABORIGINES, FRENCH, GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP. Most of the township is rolling, and a considerable portion very hilly, and generally oak openings or heavy timber. A half a dozen or more small lakes dot its surface. The only one, however, of much consequence is known as Reed's lake, which is much the largest, being about three-fourths of a mile wide by about two miles in length. It is finely stocked with fish, and has been long a summer resort for pleasure seekers; a hotel and grounds, with boating facilities in season. are among the attractions, and a small steamer glides over its placid bosom. The lake is in the southeast direction, about three miles from the center of the city, and a splendid drive may be enjoyed to its shores. A street railway is in operation from the city to this miniature inland sea, and during the summer season the cars make regular trips. Grand river runs within half a mile, or less than half, of the east side of the town in its great bend to the northward, and after flowing across the town of Plainfield, barely cuts the northwest corner of the town, and then keeps within half a mile, or less, of the west line of the town. for five miles. There are no streams of any considerable size in the township. The soil of this township is not so good as some others, though some of it is first-class. A portion of it is heavy clay, but much of it a sandy loam, very valuable for either cereals or fruit-raising. The history of this township is so intimately connected with that of the county and city, there is no existing necessity to do more than make a mere reference to its settlement here and give a full record of the officers. Grand The township of Kent, the original or Territorial town, embraced all of the county south of the river, and appears to have been organized at the house of Joel Guild, April 4, 1834. This appears to have been the legitimate forerunner of Grand Rapids township, which retained the records, but merely changed the name. Rapids township is south and west of the geographical center of the county, and lies north and east of the city limits, to which some three and a half square miles of the town have been surrendered; the remainder of the corporation domain, about seven square miles, being originally a portion of Walker township. EARLY SETTLEMENT. The first settler within what is now the town of Grand Rapids, was Ezekiel Davis, who settled near Reed's lake in 1834, followed almost immediately by Lewis, Ezra and Porter Reed, David S. |