![]() Scipio Township had a precarious grasp on its existence. Moses Allen gave his name to the town of Allen and, when Hillsdale County came into formal existence, was honored by having one of the original four townships carry his name. The initial survival of the Allen family (and many others in Hillsdale County) depended on the care and largesse of the Potawatomies who hunted and fished in the area. Moses brought his family to that spot when his surveying job was complete. When Moses reached the about the present intersection of US12 and M49 in Allen he looked at the prairie and envisioned a prosperous farm for his family (as well as a profitable tavern that would provide food and shelter for the expected traffic following the new road). Moses and his fellow surveyors pretty much followed the well-worn path that the Native Americans called the Sauk Trail. He had been part of a surveying team charged with establishing the route for a road between Detroit and Chicago. ![]() Moses Allen was the first white settler in Hillsdale County. Here are some of the more interesting bits of history concerning the evolution of the townships in Hillsdale County.Īllen Township took its name from Allen Prairie. When the townships were named, sometimes it was a mere formality others came with a story attached. Townships were formally established to facilitate elections, town meetings, meetings of the township board and to make the distances people had to travel more managable. With a small population individual voices had more power, and participation in local government was common. Some of the settlers wanted space and privacy, but most desired neighbors. In the 1820's and 1830's the United States government actively encouraged the settlement of the "western lands," which included the Michigan Territory.
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