Bangor Township History

Formation and Early Settlers

Bangor Township was established during the first U.S. survey of Van Buren County as Township Number 2 South, Range Number 16 West. Originally part of South Haven, it became an official township in March 1837, approved by the Michigan legislature. On March 11, 1853, the Van Buren Township Board of Supervisors designated it as the Township of Marion, and five days later, it was renamed Bangor.

The township government was organized in 1837, and the first election took place on April 3, 1854. Mansel M. Briggs was elected as Township Supervisor, and Charles U. Cross as Clerk. The first school was organized in 1839 but opened in 1845.

Charles U. Cross and Community Growth

Charles U. Cross was the first settler, arriving in March 1837. He settled in the northeast quarter of Section 12 and later founded the Village of Bangor, serving as its first President. A farmer and logger, he built a sawmill in 1846 and played a key role in bringing the railroad to the township.

Between 1838 and 1839, there were eight homesteads in the township. By 1840, this number grew to twenty-two, and by 1856, there were nearly 100 homesteads.