Jamestown Charter Township, Michigan

Jamestown Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 5,062 at the 2000 United States Census.

There is also James Township, Michigan in Saginaw County.
Jamestown Charter Township, Michigan
Charter township
Jamestown Charter Township, Michigan
Location within the state of Michigan
Coordinates: 42°49′12″N 85°50′24″W
CountryUnited States
StateMichigan
CountyOttawa
Government
 • SupervisorKen Bergwerff
Area
 • Charter township35.6 sq mi (92.2 km2)
 • Land35.6 sq mi (92.2 km2)
 • Water0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)  0.03%
Elevation
722 ft (220 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Charter township7,034
 • Density76.3/sq mi (29.5/km2)
 • Metro
1,306,768 (Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland MSA)
Time zoneEST
ZIP code
49427 (P.O. box only)
Area code(s)616
FIPS code26-41520[1]
GNIS feature ID1626537[2]
Websitewww.twp.jamestown.mi.us

Communities
  • Forest Grove – near Jamestown
  • Gitchel – the area settled by S.L. Gitchel had a post office from 1886 until 1902.[3]
  • Jamestown – unincorporated community

History

Interest in Jamestown Township had its beginning when Grandville on the east and Holland on the west was being settled. Rex Robinson induced people of the east to come this way and the area was covered with a fine forest. Grandville was the central point of settlement and land offices were established there. In 1831 the land was surveyed and labeled as Township 5,Range 13 West.

James Cronkright and his wife were the first settlers in the township. In 1843 they settled in Section 11 in where they built a 16 X 22 foot house. The closest neighbors were over four miles away and there were no roads. Bears, wolves, deer and other wild animals were common. Some were important for food. S.L. Gitchel first settled on the SW corner of Sec.1 in 1845 and finally on Sec.33. He became a specialist in making small bridges and corduroy roads. Monsur Brown, parents of Mrs. Gitchel, followed in 1846 settling in the SE corner of Sec. 11 with a son James M. Brown who was married three years later. He also settled in Sec.11. More families followed from the east but some Hollanders were entering from the west. Later Germans entered from the south.

Until 1849, Georgetown and Jamestown were under the same jurisdiction. All taxes were paid in Jenison. Evidently there were no printed blanks, for tax receipts were written out in full.

Twelve voters were required in what is now Jamestown before the towns could be separated. In 1849 there were a sufficient number and steps were taken to bring this about. The meeting took place at the James Cronkright Jr. home in Sec. 11. In April, Mrs. Cronkright prepared a dinner for the men and spent the day with her mother. Twelve men attended and were assisted by a Mr. James Scott from Grandville. Each was elected to an office.

Of the twelve men present one-third were named James, so this new township was named Jamestown. Six men living in the township were not there. It is believed that four men from the western part of the township could not yet speak English.

There were fifteen residents on the first 1849-tax roll covering seventeen parcels of land. These seventeen parcels were found in only 9 of the 36 sections of the township. Six of those sections were in the west one third of the township. Eleven family names were included in those fifteen residents.

In 1850 the town meeting was held at the Cronkright home again but the 1851 and 1852 meetings were held at the first log schoolhouse in Sec. 11. In 1853 it was held at the log schoolhouse in Jamestown Center, which was the second schoolhouse in the township. The Forest Grove log school was built in 1853 by the third district in the township, out of seven, that finally served the township's educational needs for many years.[4]

Points of interest

Cemeteries
  • Zutphen Cemetery
  • Star Cemetery
  • Forest Grove Cemetery
  • Jamestown Cemetery

Lakes
  • Mud Lake

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 35.6 square miles (92 km2), of which 35.6 square miles (92 km2) is land and 0.03% is water.

Demographics

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 5,062 people, 1,500 households, and 1,354 families in the township. The population density was 142.2 per square mile (54.9/km²). There were 1,553 housing units at an average density of 43.6 per square mile (16.8/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.97% White, 0.45% African American, 0.14% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.34% from other races, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.13% of the population.

There were 1,500 households out of which 49.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 84.1% were married couples living together, 4.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 9.7% were non-families. 8.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.37 and the average family size was 3.59.

The township population contained 34.9% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 28.4% from 25 to 44, 21.9% from 45 to 64, and 5.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $68,689, and the median income for a family was $71,438. Males had a median income of $46,825 versus $27,688 for females. The per capita income for the township was $21,184. About 0.5% of families and 1.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 1.5% of those under age 18 and none of those age 65 or over.

References
  1. "U.S. Census website". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  2. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Jamestown Charter Township, Michigan
  3. Walter Romig, Michigan Place Names, p. 224
  4. The Early History of Jamestown, Pauline Hall Gitchel
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