This is township 15 north, range 9 west,
Congressional survey, and is bounded on the north by Grant Township,
on the east by Martiny Township, on the south by Austin Township, and
on the west by Big Rapids Township. The township is drained principally
by Ryan Creek, which flows west through the northern part of the
Township. There are several good-sized lakes and a number of
smaller ponds in Colfax. The largest is Clear Lake, on
section 21. In the northwest corner are Long Pond and Town
Line Lake. On the northern boundary is Pickerel Lake; and in
the northeastern part of the township are Colby Lake, Cook Lake,
Mud Lake and Twin Lakes. In the southwestern part of the
township is the Grand Rapids & Indiana railroad, which crosses
section 31. On this road is Byers' station and post-office.
The Detroit, Lansing & Northern railroad runs through
sections 18, 17, 16, 15, 14 and 13. In section 13 the
Chippewa branch connects with the main line, and at this junction
is the new village of Rodney, which has good prospects for future growth.
The township of Colfax was organized in
1869, and its first Supervisor was Sidney L. Rood. The first white
settler was Lloyd W. Simonds, who located on section 19 in 1860. The
first death was that of Helen A. Rood. The first couple married
were Noble D. Rood and Martha A. Edwards. The ceremony was
performed June 30, 1869, by Lloyd W. Simonds, Justice of the Peace.
The first frame building was a barn erected by L. W. Simonds
in 1868. The first mill was a portable steam saw-mill, put up
by Henry Escott, in 1869. The first school house was a frame
building erected on section 31, in 1870.
The population of Colfax Township
in 1870 was only 146. In 1874 it had increased to 263; and
the census of 1880 showed a further increase to 669. It
had 2,001 acres of improved land in 1881. The present
equalized valuation of the real and personal property of the township
is $264,842. Its total vote in November, 1882, was 94.
Note: The information in the Mecosta County Portrait &
Biographical may not have always been totally accurate. The 1900 Plat
Map of Colfax Township (The Consolidated Pub. Co.; Minneapolis, Minn.)
shows the Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Western railroad passing through
Sections 7, 8, 16, 15, 14, 23, 24 and connecting with the Chippewa
Branch in Rodney in Section 24.
Last Update: 6 April 2002