Cohoctah Township was originally known as Tuscola Township 1833 Settlers and speculators began purchasing land in Tuscola Township 1857 the name was changed to Bristol Township 1867 the name was changed to its present name It is believed that Cohoctah was the name of a former Native American chief, and means "many trees in water," although no one knows for sure The territory was bought by two types of purchasers; those intending to develop and settle the land and those looking to be investors. 1833 - First settler was a trader named Gilbert W. Prentiss, who made two claims in the NE 1/4 of section 22, totaling 120 acres. 1834 - Second settler and the first permanent resident, was John Sanford from New York. He began what was known as the Sanford Settlement in section 27 (Byron and Chase Lake Road), which was for some time the center of the township's population. 1836 - Three-quarters of the township's acreage was purchased in one year, beginning in May, average size of 146 acres per sale. 1836 - The first surveyor's record of the first regular highway in Cohoctah, from Howell to John Sanford's residence. 1846 - The first grist mill and dam were built on a 40 acre tract of land in the North part of section 36 on Bo-bish-e-nung creek, which at this point had a fall of over 13 feet. About the same time a small store was built, and soon a village began to develop. It was called Chemungville after a county in New York. The post office was called Oak Grove. In the late 1850's or 1860's, the area known as Sprungtown grew up around a steam sawmill near the current Cohoctah Center. Named after a prominent citizen, Isaac Sprung, at its peak Sprungtown contained two stores, two blacksmith shops, about a dozen homes, and a population of 50. It was hoped that the railroad would come to Sprungtown, but was instead built through Tuscola, which was started shortly after Sprungtown. 1874 - The Sprungtown post office was moved to Cohoctah. The other post office in the township remained in Oak Grove. Sources: Mrs Chester Randles in History & Folklor of Livingston County (1969, Livingston County Extension Council) and History of Livingston County, Michigan, 1880. Past Elected Officials in Cohoctah Township Cohoctah Township Supervisor Mark Fosdick compiled the information after making a review of records in Cohoctah Township. The records only date back to 1911, but provide valuable information on the history of Cohoctah Township. Up until 1943 the terms of elected office were one year. Starting in 1943 the terms of elected office were two years, and later changed to four years. Supervisors 1911 – 1913    Clarence Fuller 1914                William Trowbridge 1915 – 1916    Edwin Pratt 1917 - ?           Daniel C. Richards 1932 – 1933    O.H. Holmes 1934 – 1936    John Layton 1937 – 1968    Carl Raddatz On February 16, 1968 a special meeting was called to choose a new supervisor due to the accidential death of Carl Raddatz. Glendon Hoisington was appointed to fill the remainder of the term. Mr. Hoisington was not at the meeting, but when called he came over and was sworn in. Mr. Hoisington resigned from the zoning board. 1968 – 1984    Glendon Hoisington 1984 – 1996    Rex L. Peckens 1996 – 2000    Joseph Miesle 2000 -              Mark Fosdick Clerk 1911 – 1912    William H. Slider 1913 -              William H. Trowbridge 1914 – 1915    Bruce Hadsall 1916 –  ?         Paul Steinacker 1932 – 1933    Earl Bohm 1934 – 1935    Harold Allbright 1936                Russel Switzer 1937 – 1938    Floyd E. Lott, Sr. 1939 – 1941    Lloyd Allbright 1942 – 1947    Mary Lott 1947 – 1948    Arthur Otts 1949 – 1959    Edward Schroeder 1959 – 1984    Ralph Peckens 1984 – 1989    Sandra Klender 1989 – 1993    Gary Campbell 1993 – 2008    Karen Thurner 2008 –              Brenda Meek Treasurer 1911                Alva Ellis, Jr. 1912 – 1913    Joseph Hibbard 1914 – 1915    Roy M. Lannen 1916 –  ?         Ray Carlson 1932 – 1935    E.T. Jubb 1936 – 1959    Vera Kessler 1959 – 1977    Thomas Lound 1977 – 1982    Margaret E. Holmes 1982 – 1992    Mary Ann Reneaud 1992 – 2002    Marshal Forbush 2002 – 2003    Michelle Julvezan 2003 -              Tami Bock Justice of the Peace 1911                John Fredrickson, 8 months 1911                Frank Handy, 4 years 1912                John Fredrickson, 4 years 1913                William B. Slider, 4 years 1915                Roy Carlson, 4 years 1916                John Fredrickson, 4 years 1917                William B. Reader, 4 years 1932                Dan Hendryx, 4 years 1933                George Killen, 4 years 1934                Clare Wessinger, 4 years 1935                Carl Raddatz, 4 years 1936                Dan Hendryx, 4 years 1937                George Killen, 4 years 1938                George Surtzer, 4 years 1939                Joe Brown, 4 years 1940                Dan Hendryx, 4 years 1940                Kenneth Steinacker, 1 year 1941                Kenneth Steinacker, 4 years 1942                Edwin Pratt, 4 years 1943                Eugene Pitteys, 4 years 1945                Kenneth Steinacker, 4 years 1945                Dan Hendryx, 4 years 1947                John Wrigglesworth, 4 years 1949                Vernon Praatt 1953                Kenneth Peckens, full term 1953                Kenneth Steinacker 1959                Kenneth Steinacker Highway Commissioners 1911                William Lott 1912                William Wrigglesworth 1913                Albert S. Crawford 1914                Benjamin Knapp 1915 – 1916    Richard Wrigglesworth 1917 – ?          Bradley M. Lott 1932 – 1934    William Stone 1935 – 1937    Edwin Pratt 1938 – 1945    Clair Lott 1945 – 1949    Ernest Tisch 1953                John Wrigglesworth Overseer of Highways 1911                Greenley Elwell 1912                H. G. Elwell 1913                Benjamin Knapp 1914                Richard K. Wrigglesworth 1915 – 1916    Bradley Lott 1917                G. D. Cook Trustee 1953                Charles Ward                         Floyd Lobdell 1954                Ellmer Boillat, appointed to fill vacancy 1955                Thomas Jackson and Tom Lound, appointed to fill vacancy 1956 – 1959    Tom Lound 1956 – 1961    Thomas Jackson 1959 – 1968    Andrew Jackson 1961 – 1967    Charles Ward 1967 – 1981    Harold Lieberman 1968 – 1984    Joseph Miesle, Jr. 1981 – 1988    John A. Ishler 1984 – 1989    Gary Campbell 1984 – 1992    Marshal Forbush 1989 -              William Thurner 1992 -  2008    Ron Smith 2008 -               Fred Buckner