History of Byron Township

from the Illustrated Historical Atlas of Kent County, Michigan
(1876)

    Nathan Boynton located a farm in Byron Township in the year 1835, but being taken sick, his brothers Jeremiah and William Boynton began his improvements for him, and they became citizens of the Township in the year 1836, settling in the northwestern part.  They were followed in 1837 by John Harmon, Harmon Kellog, and James B. Jewell, and perhaps a few others, and soon after by Mr. Ella Judson, Larkin Ball, Peter Golden, Eli Crossman, Amalek Taylor, Alden Coburn, and Benjamin Robinson.  William Olmstead came to the town in 1840, and soon after, Samuel Hubbel, Joseph Gallup, Henry Vannest, Oliver Harris, Ezekiel Cook, E.R. Ide and James McKenny.

    As will be seen in the notice of Wyoming Township, Byron was organized in 1836, and the first town meeting was held at the house of C.H. Oakes, in Grandville, by far the largest portion of the voters of that day residing in and near that village.

    The officers elected for the year 1836 were:
    Supervisor - Gideon H. Gordon
    Clerk - Issac A. Allen
    Assessors - Eli Yeomans, Ephraim P. Walker, Justin Brooks
    Justice of Peace - Gideon H. Gordon, Robert Howlit, E.P. Walker
    Collector - Lorenz French

    At the general election in November, but 20 votes were polled for any one candidate.  The present Township of Byron did not fill up so rapidly as some others and by the year 1850 its population had increased to only about 300.

    For more information on the history of Byron Township, contact the Byron Township Historical Society - 878-1898.