Editing Forest Township, Genesee County, Michigan

{{Hatnote|For other Forest Townships in Michigan, see [[Forest Township, Michigan (disambiguation)]].}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
<!-- Infobox begins -->{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Forest Township, Michigan
| official_name      = 
| other_name         = 
| native_name        = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English -->
| nickname           = 
| motto              = 
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = 
| image_flag         = 
| flag_size          = 
| image_seal         = 
| seal_size          = 
| image_shield       = 
| shield_size        = 
| image_blank_emblem = 
| blank_emblem_size  = 
| pushpin_map        = Michigan#USA
| pushpin_label_position = left<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
| pushpin_label      = Forest Township
| pushpin_map_caption = Location within the state of Michigan
| pushpin_mapsize    = 
| image_map          = Forest Township (Genesee), MI location.png
| mapsize            = 250
| map_caption        = Location within [[Genesee County, Michigan|Genesee County]] (red) and the administered villages of [[Otisville, Michigan|Otisville]] and portion of [[Otter Lake, Michigan|Otter Lake]] (pink)
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Michigan]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Genesee County, Michigan|Genesee]]
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = Supervisor
| leader_name        = Mary Ann Price
| leader_title1      = [[Municipal clerk|Clerk]]
| leader_name1       = Lisa Margrif
| leader_title2      = [[Treasurer]]
| leader_name2       = Linda Smoke
| leader_title3      = 
| leader_name3       = 
| established_title  = Settled
| established_date   = 
| established_title2 = Organized
| established_date2  = 
| established_title3 = 
| established_date3  = 
| area_magnitude     = 
| area_total_km2     = 93.6
| area_total_sq_mi   = 36.1
| area_land_km2      = 92.7
| area_land_sq_mi    = 35.8
| area_water_km2     = 0.9
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.3
| area_water_percent = 0.94
| area_urban_km2     = 
| area_urban_sq_mi   = 
| area_metro_km2     = 
| area_metro_sq_mi   = 
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_note    = 
| settlement_type    = [[Civil township]]
| population_total   = 4447
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_metro   = 
| population_density_metro_km2 = 
| population_density_metro_sq_mi = 
| population_urban   = 
| population_density_urban_km2 = 
| population_density_urban_sq_mi = 
| timezone           = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset         = -5
| timezone_DST       = EDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -4
| coordinates        = {{coord|43|10|25|N|83|31|16|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
| elevation_m        = 369
| elevation_ft       = 1211
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
| postal_code        = 48458 ([[Mount Morris, Michigan|Mount Morris]])<br>48463 ([[Otisville, Michigan|Otisville]])<br>48464 ([[Otter Lake, Michigan|Otter Lake]])<br>48746 ([[Millington, Michigan|Millington]])
| area_code          = [[Area code 810|810]]
| website            = {{URL|www.foresttwp.com}}
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 26-29440<ref name="GR2">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |accessdate=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 1626294<ref>{{gnis|1626294}}</ref>
| footnotes          = 
}}
<!-- Infobox ends -->
'''Forest Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Genesee County, Michigan|Genesee County]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Michigan]].  Survey township designation is 9 north and 8 east.<ref name=ellis>{{cite book|last=Ellis|first=Franklin|title=History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers.|year=1885|publisher=Everts & Abbott|location=Philadelphia|pages=423–434|url=http://name.umdl.umich.edu/bad0919.0001.001}}</ref> The population was 4,447 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], which makes Forest Township the least populated township in Genesee County.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Forest_township,_Genesee_County,_Michigan?g=060XX00US2604929420 |access-date=2024-04-20 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref>

==Communities==
*[[Otisville, Michigan|Otisville]] is a small village within the township.
*[[Otter Lake, Michigan|Otter Lake]] is a small village partially within the township in the northeast corner, and is also in [[Lapeer County, Michigan|Lapeer County]]'s [[Marathon Township, Michigan|Marathon Township]].

==History==
On March 1, 1836, James Seymour purchased the property first in the future Township in section 36. Henry Heister, with his wife and three children, were the first settlers in the spring of 1837, coming from [[Livingston County, Michigan|Livingston County]]. His home was on the Butternut Creek on the piece of property he purchased, the southwest quarter of section 19. Heister's son, George, was the first born in the Township.  With in a few years after arriving, he move to Genesee Township.<ref name=ellis/>

The residents petitioned the state to form a township with no name selected. Paris was soon selected but was already taken, then a legislature offered Forest.<ref name=ellis/> Originally a part of [[Richfield Township, Genesee County, Michigan|Richfield Township]], [[Lapeer County, Michigan|Lapeer County]], the Township was formed on March 31, 1843 when the range 8 survey townships were transferred from Lapeer County to [[Genesee County, Michigan|Genesee County]]. The 13 voters first met on the first Monday in April 1943 to select their officers, choosing Nathaniel Smith as supervisor.<ref name=ellis/>

A U.S. Post Office called Forest was opened in 1855 in section 24 at the residence of the first postmaster, John Crawford. In 1859, the Post Office was moved to Otisville with Robert Shaw appointed deputy postmaster. The Post Office's name was changed in 1861 to Otisville.<ref name=ellis/> On June 2, 1882, the Clew Post Office was opened in the northwest part of the Township and was closed on November 28, 1884.<ref>{{gnis|2585860}} Citation: Ellis, David M. Michigan Postal History, The Post Offices 1805-1986. 12-Dec-1993.</ref>

'''Huntingtown'''  was an [[unincorporated community]] in the township that existed in 1873 on State Road ([[M-15 (Michigan highway)|M-15]]) north of Vienna Road ([[M-57 (Michigan highway)|M-57]]) and south of Farrand Road at Butternut Creek.<ref>[http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~22387~730139:-Map-of-Genesee-County,-Michigan--D Map of Genesee County, Michigan]. Drawn, compiled, and edited by H.F. Walling, C.E. ... Published by R.M. & S.T. Tackabury, Detroit, Mich. Entered ... 1873, by H.F. Walling ... Washington. The Claremont Manufacturing Company, Claremont, N.H., Book Manufacturers</ref> In 1885, the first schoolhouse, the Smith school house, was built at the northeast corner of section 33.<ref name=ellis/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|36.1|sqmi|km2}}, of which {{convert|35.8|sqmi|km2}} is land and {{convert|0.3|sqmi|km2}} (0.94%) is water.

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 4,738 people, 1,706 households, and 1,371 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|132.4|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 1,774 housing units at an average density of {{convert|49.6|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 97.28% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.36% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.34% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.21% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.02% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.55% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.25% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.18% of the population.

There were 1,706 households, out of which 35.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.4% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 7.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.6% were non-families. 15.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.07.

In the township the population was spread out, with 25.4% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 29.7% from 25 to 44, 27.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.0% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 103.3 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $51,235, and the median income for a family was $57,880. Males had a median income of $48,393 versus $22,788 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $20,773.  About 1.1% of families and 3.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.4% of those under age 18 and 3.2% of those age 65 or over.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Genesee County, Michigan}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Genesee County, Michigan]]
[[Category:1843 establishments in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1843]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]