1840 Census Information

The Fowlerville Historical Collection, housed in the village offices, has a wealth of information safely stored away. I feel like everytime I spend an hour or so there, something new can be found. As I perused through the 1840 census book for Michigan, this page caught my eye. It was the 1840 Federal Census for Handy Township, Livingston County, enumerated by Charles P. Bush. The names have become very well-known to me as I scan down the page. At the bottom of the page, the following information gives a quick overview of the township:

Handy township was part of Howell township until 1838. Named after Calvin Handy, its first settler of 1834. Has the village of Fowlerville founded by Ralph Fowler in 1849. Occupations: Handy, Calvin - First settler; Gaston, Elijah - Tavern Keeper & Township Supervisor; Fowler, John B. - Township Treasurer; Norton, Seymour - Township Clerk.

If you are interested in seeing a clearer copy of this page, feel free to join me every first and third Tuesday, around 9 am until 10 or 10:30 am, in the village chamber, where I have the double doors of the walk-in closet standing wide open for anyone to access all of the wonderful information to be found about the village's history.