Harrison Township
(excerpted from Leeson's History of Macomb County, Michigan, pp.888ff.)

The first meeting was held May 28, 1827, in accordance with the terms of the act, with William Meldrum, Moderator; Francis Labadie, Justice of the Peace, and Henry Taylor, Clerk. The first officers elected were: James Meldrum, Clerk; Jacob Tucker, Collector; Charles Tucker, B. Thomas and F. Labadie, Commissioners of Highways; Charles Peltier, Sr., Overseer of the Poor; John B. Chapman, Constable. A tie vote was given for the office of Supervisor. A special election was held June 9, 1827, which resulted in the choice of Henry Taylor to fill that office.

In acquiesence with the prayer of citizens of Macomb County, the district which lies east of a line between a tract of land confirmed to John Tucker and James Connor, and extending to the Saline River on the north side of the River Huron, and all the country which lies east of a line between a tract confirmed to Lewis Peltier and a tract confirmed to Pierre Phenix, on the south side of the River Huron, including the settlements northeast of the base line, near Milk River on the lake shore, to the mouth of the said River Huron, was erected into a township under the name of Harrison. This act was approved August 12, 1818.

Harrison Township, as erected under legislative enactment, April 12, 1827, comprised all the country between the county line of Macomb and St. Clair, on the town line between Town 4, Range 13, and Town 4, in Range 14, running south to the lake, near the farm of Joseph Sansfacon, so as to include his farm in the town of Clinton, which includes Towns 4, 3 and a part of 2, in Range 14, was named Harrison, and the first town meeting was ordered to be held at the house of Charles Peltier, Jr., the last Monday in May, 1827.

The first house of worship erected in the county was the Catholic Church, in 1775. This old house stood on the south bank of the Clinton, about four miles below the site of Mt. Clemens, in Harrison Township.

Click here to read the history of South River School, written by the students.

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