Clayton Township, Genesee County, Michigan

Charter Township of Clayton, Michigan
Clayton Township
—  Charter township  —
Charter Township of Clayton, Michigan
Location within the state of Michigan
Coordinates:
Country United States
State Michigan
County Genesee
Settled 1839
Organized 1846
Government
 • Type Supervisor-Board
 • Supervisor Brian Sepanak
 • Clerk Dennis Milem
 • Treasurer vacant
 • Trustee Greg Childers, Rick Caruso, Chris Gehringer, Tammy Kapraun
Area
 • Total 34.2 sq mi (88.7 km2)
 • Land 34.3 sq mi (88.7 km2)
 • Water 0.0 sq mi (0.0 km2)
Elevation 764 ft (233 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 7,581
 • Density 221.67/sq mi (88.51/km2)
Time zone Eastern (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) Eastern (UTC-4)
ZIP code 48433, 48449, 48473, 48532
Area code(s) 810
FIPS code 26-16260[1]
GNIS feature ID 1626093[2]
Website http://www.claytontownship.org/

Clayton Charter Township, or more officially Charter Township of Clayton, is a charter township of Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 7,581 at the 2010 census.

Contents

Communities

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 34.2 square miles (89 km2), all land. The south east corner is separated from the rest of the Township by the City of Swartz Creek.

The Central Michigan Railway runs northeast toward Flushing and, ultimately, Saginaw, and southwest through Lennon toward Durand.

In the late 1980s, the township's land was mostly dedicated to farming. A few subdivisions existed on the north and east sides of the township, closer to urban areas, as well as one in the middle of the township. The Village of Lennon and Swartz Creek Meadows, a mobile home park near the village, were the other built-up areas.

Since then, several large farms have been turned into subdivisions, and large houses have been constructed in more rural sections.

Government

Clayton has a Supervisor-Board style township government with elected supervisor, clerk, treasurer and four trustees.

The township and Swartz Creek cooperate in operating the Swartz Creek Area Fire Department, which has one fire station in each of the two municipalities. The Clayton Township Police Department was formed in 2002 after the passage of a public service property tax by residents.

District Number Officeholder
U.S. Representative 5 Dale E. Kildee
State Senate 27 John J. Gleason
State Representative 48th Richard E. Hammel
49 Jim Ananich
County Commissioner 8th Ted Henry
School District Swartz Creek Multiple: see article
Flushing Multiple: see article
Community College C.S. Mott Multiple: see article
Polling Locations

Demographics

Historical populations
Census Pop.
2000 7,546
2010 7,581 0.5%
Source: Census Bureau. Census 2000, 2010.

At the 2010 census[1], there were 7,581 people, 2,897 households and 2,198 families residing in the township. The population density was 221.67 per square mile (88.51/km²). There were 3,097 housing units at an average density of 90.56 per square mile (34.92/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 93.2% White, 3.2% African American, 0.5% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.1% from Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, 0.8% from other races, and 1.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.8% of the population.

There were 2,897 households of which 20.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.7% were married couples living together, 8.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 24.1% were non-families. 20.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.01.

History

The earliest settler in the survey township area occurred in Miller's Settlement which was latter incorporated into the City of Swartz Creek. The Lyon's Settlement, or just Lyons, was first in the current remaining township area in August 1836 and was settled by Isaac Lyons, Sr. and his sons: Isaac, William, Abrams and Daniel along with Jacob H. Coddington and John C. Clement, all of New York. Lyons was located northwest of Miller's Settlement.[3] Flint Township was organized in 1836 and included the township areas of Burton, Clayton, Flushing, Mt. Morris, Genesee, Thetford, Vienna and Montrose. Clayton Township government was started in 1846.[4] On November 3, 2009, a successful recall took place removing the township supervisor, Bruce Beatty, and two trustees, Glenn Huffman and Chuck Shinouskis.[5][6]

Years Supervisor Clerk Treasurer Justices of the Peace Constables Highway Commissioners Overseers of Highways
1846 Alfred Pond Francis Brotherton Theron Wallace Seth Newell, Isaac Lyons, Caleb Calkins John Nash, Silas Henry, Elhanan (sic) Fenner Richard C. Goyer, John C. Clement, Jon Nash Alfred Richardson, Wright Clement, Albert Granger, Alexander Fenner, William Piper, Bernard Lennon, John Nash, Morgan Champman, Abraham Knight, David Felt[7]
1916 Walter Morrison Earl West John Kountz Albert Lewis

[8]

Years Supervisor Clerk Treasurer Trustees
2004–2008 Roderick Shumaker Sally Lurvey Beth Perkins
Patti Mlynek (Interim)
Greg Childers Glenn Huffman Roger Meier John Sayer
2008–2009 Bruce Beatty1. (11/3/2009)[5] Dennis Milem Natalie Dennings Greg Childers Jennifer Henry2. (5/12/2009) Glenn Huffman1. (11/3/2009)[5] Chuck Shinouskis1. (11/3/2009)[5]
2009–2010 Roger Meier 3. (12/10/09)[6] Dennis Milem Natalie Dennings Greg Childers John Simor3. (7/09/09) John Sayer3. (12/10/09)[6] Jane Wracan3. (12/10/09)[6]
2010–2011 Brian Sepanak Dennis Milem Natalie Dennings Greg Childers Rick Caruso Chris Gehringer Tammy Kapraun

1. Recalled. 2. Resigned. 3. Appointed.

References

  1. ^ a b "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Clayton Township, Genesee County, Michigan
  3. ^ Hayes, Yutha (1976). Going up the Swartz. Swartz Creek: Bicentennial Commission of Swartz Creek. pp. 28. 
  4. ^ Wood, Edwin O. (1916). History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions. Michigan Historical Commission. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mi/county/lapeer/gen/ch5/pio.html. 
  5. ^ a b c d Bryn Mickle. Voters recall supervisor and two trustees in Clayton Township. November 03, 2009 (retrieved on 11/16/2009). Flint Journal: (Booth Newspapers), Flint, Michigan.
  6. ^ a b c d "Supervisor gets wish -- a Pay Cut." Page A9. December 13, 2009. Flint Journal: (Booth Newspapers), Flint, Michigan.
  7. ^ Wood, Edwin O. (1916). History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions. Michigan Historical Commission. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mi/county/lapeer/gen/ch5/clayton.html. 
  8. ^ Wood, Edwin O. (1916). History of Genesee County, Michigan, Her People, Industries and Institutions. Michigan Historical Commission. http://www.usgennet.org/usa/mi/county/lapeer/gen/twpoff.html. 

External links