History

History of Marathon Township

Early History

Marathon Township was named for the famous Greek battlefield. Organized in 1839, the township was named by Silas D. McKeen who ran a saw mill and who was a member of the Michigan Legislature. The first town (now called township) meeting was held on the first day of April 1839, at the home of Abijah Willey. This was two years after Michigan joined the Union of the United States of America. Only 12 men were available for the 20 township offices. Horace N. Lathrop was elected first supervisor, S.D. McKeen was clerk, and Martin Volentine collector. Volentine said he never took any money in 1839 and 1840 except what turned out to be a bogus silver dollar.

Early Finances

The next meeting S.D. McKeen was moderator and Richard Bronson, Abraham Hollenbeck, Andrew McArthur and Alonzo Davis were inspectors of the election. The first business was the appropriation of $250.00 for improvement of highways. The sum of $5.00 was voted for wolf bounty. Aaron Rood was the first man to enter a land claim. He took out his claim November 25, 1836. There was a great deal of pine in the township at the time and it was for years more noted for lumbering than for farming.

Source

This information was given to the Marathon Township Board by Ilah Nicholes wife of township sexton Bert Nichols, mother of Bob Nichols, former sexton, and was read at the 1989 annual meeting of the Marathon Township Board, which was the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of Marathon Township. In October 1987, the community along with the Marathon Township Board and the State of Michigan celebrated their 150th birthdays.