Jefferson Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan

There is also Jefferson Township, Cass County, Michigan.

Jefferson Township, Michigan
Civil township
Jefferson Township Hall in Osseo
Location within Hillsdale County
Jefferson Township Location within the state of Michigan Show map of Michigan Jefferson Township Location within the United States Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 41°51′46″N84°32′39″W / 41.86278°N 84.54417°W / 41.86278; -84.54417
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Hillsdale
Established	1837
Government [1]
• Supervisor	Steve Wismar
•  Clerk	Debbie Penney
Area
• Total	36.10 sq mi (93.50 km2)
• Land	35.49 sq mi (91.92 km2)
• Water	0.61 sq mi (1.58 km2)
Elevation	1,060 ft (323 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	3,063
• Density	86.3/sq mi (33.3/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code(s)	49242 (Hillsdale) 49266 (Osseo) 49271 (Pittsford)
Area code	517
FIPS code	26-41620 [2]
GNIS feature ID	1626540 [3]

Jefferson Township is a civil township of Hillsdale County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 3,063 at the 2020 census.

Communities

• Florida is a former settlement within the township. The township was originally named Florida Township when it was created in 1837, and it was renamed to Jefferson Township in 1849. A post office operated in Florida from July 23, 1839 until it was transferred to Osseo on December 14, 1861. ^[4]
• Fountain Park is an unincorporated community located within the township at 41°49′53″N84°31′45″W / 41.83139°N 84.52917°W / 41.83139; -84.52917 . ^[5]
• Osseo is an unincorporated community located within the township along M-34 at 41°53′09″N84°32′39″W / 41.88583°N 84.54417°W / 41.88583; -84.54417 . ^[6] The community was named after an Indian chief. It served as the legal county seat of Hillsdale County from 1840 to 1843, but it never served its purpose while Jonesville and Hillsdale were competing to become the county seat, in which Hillsdale ultimately won in 1843. The Florida post office was moved and changed to Osseo on December 14, 1861. Osseo also served as a station along the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. ^[7]
• Pittsford is an unincorporated community and census-designated place on the boundary with Pittsford Township at 41°51′44″N84°28′36″W / 41.86222°N 84.47667°W / 41.86222; -84.47667 . ^[8]
• Shadyside is an unincorporated community located within the township at 41°49′22″N84°32′11″W / 41.82278°N 84.53639°W / 41.82278; -84.53639 . ^[9]

History

The township was created by the state legislature in 1837, and it was originally called Florida Township. It was renamed to Jefferson Township in 1849. ^[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.10 square miles (93.50 km²), of which 35.49 square miles (91.92 km²) is land and 0.61 square miles (1.58 km²) (1.69%) is water.

The Lost Nation State Game Area is a 2,471-acre (10.00 km²) state game area located mostly within Jefferson Township with a small portion extending east into Pittsford Township. ^[10] The protected area is also known locally as Pittsford State Game Area. ^[11]

Major highways

• M-34 enters the township from the east and has its western terminus at M-99
• M-99 enters the townships from the northwest and curves south at the junction within M-34.

Demographics

As of the census ^[2] of 2000, there were 3,141 people, 1,210 households, and 895 families residing in the township. The population density was 88.2 inhabitants per square mile (34.1/km²). There were 1,569 housing units at an average density of 44.0 per square mile (17.0/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 97.87% White, 0.25% African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.41% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.83% of the population.

There were 1,210 households, out of which 32.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.6% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.0% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 2.99.

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.7% under the age of 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.0 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $43,750, and the median income for a family was $51,786. Males had a median income of $34,266 versus $22,483 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,484. About 4.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.7% of those under age 18 and 3.4% of those age 65 or over.

Education

The township is served by three separate public school districts. The majority of the township is served by Pittsford Area Schools. The northwest portion of the township is served by Hillsdale Community Schools, and a very small portion of the southwest corner of the township is served by Camden-Frontier Schools. ^[12]

Notable people

• Charles D. Luce, state representative and supervisor of Jefferson Township ^{[13] [14]}
• Silas A. Wade, state representative and supervisor of Jefferson Township ^{[13] [14]}

Images

• 
  U.S. Post Office in Osseo
• 
  Unincorporated community of Osseo
• 
  Unincorporated community of Pittsford
• 
  Western terminus of M-34 at M-99

References

1. Michigan Townships Association (2022). "Jefferson Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan" . Retrieved December 21, 2022.
2. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau . Retrieved January 31, 2008.
3. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Jefferson Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan
4. Romig 1986, p. 200.
5. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Fountain Park, Michigan
6. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Osseo, Michigan
7. Romig 1986, p. 421.
8. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Pittsford, Michigan
9. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Shadyside, Michigan
10. Michigan Department of Natural Resources (March 30, 2016). "Lost Nation State Game Area" (PDF). Retrieved December 25, 2022.
11. Google (December 25, 2022). "Pittsford State Game Area" (Map). Google Maps . Google. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
12. Michigan Geographic Framework (November 15, 2013). "Hillsdale County School Districts" (PDF). Retrieved December 25, 2022.
13. Michigan Historical Commission (1924). Michigan Biographies: Including Members of Congress, Elective State Officers, Justices of the Supreme Court, Members of the Michigan Legislature, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, State Board of Agriculture and State Board of Education, Volume 2.
14. Johnson, Crisfield (1879). History of Hillsdale county. Michigan, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers. Everts & Abbott – via Internet Archive.

Sources

• Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities. pp. 200, 421. ISBN   978-0-8143-1838-6.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)