Editing Somerset Township, Michigan

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name            = Somerset Township, Michigan
|settlement_type          = [[Civil township]]
|nickname                 = 
|motto                    =

<!-- Images -->
|image_skyline            = Somerset Township, Michigan hall.jpg
|imagesize                = 275
|image_caption            = Somerset Township Hall and Fire Department
|image_flag               = 
|image_seal               =

<!-- Maps -->
|pushpin_map            =Michigan#USA
|pushpin_label_position =top<!-- the position of the pushpin label: left, right, top, bottom, none -->
|pushpin_label          =Somerset Township
|pushpin_map_caption    =Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States
|pushpin_mapsize        =
|image_map                = Somerset Township, MI location.png
|mapsize                  = 250
|map_caption              = Location within [[Hillsdale County, Michigan|Hillsdale County]]

<!-- Location -->
|subdivision_type         = Country
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Michigan]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Michigan|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Hillsdale County, Michigan|Hillsdale]]

<!-- Government -->
|government_footnotes     = <ref>{{cite web|last=[[Michigan Townships Association]]|url=https://michigantownships.org/find-a-township/?fips=74560|title=Somerset Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan|date=2022|accessdate=December 26, 2022}}</ref>
|government_type          = 
|leader_title             = Supervisor
|leader_name              = Timothy Shaw
|leader_title1            = [[Municipal clerk|Clerk]]
|leader_name1             = Mike Bohnet
|established_title        = Established
|established_date         = 1837

<!-- Area -->
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = 
|area_magnitude           = 
|area_total_km2           = 92.10
|area_land_km2            = 86.53
|area_water_km2           = 5.57
|area_total_sq_mi         = 35.56
|area_land_sq_mi          = 33.41
|area_water_sq_mi         = 2.15

<!-- Population -->
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_total         = 4532
|population_density_km2   = 
|population_density_sq_mi = 135.6

<!-- General information -->
|timezone                 = [[North American Eastern Time Zone|Eastern (EST)]]
|utc_offset               = -5
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = -4
|elevation_footnotes      = 
|elevation_m              = 326
|elevation_ft             = 1070
|coordinates              = {{coord|42|03|03|N|84|25|09|W|region:US-MI|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type         = [[ZIP Code|ZIP code(s)]]
|postal_code              = 49220 ([[Addison, Michigan|Addison]])<br>49233 ([[Cement City, Michigan|Cement City]])<br>49249 ([[Jerome, Michigan|Jerome]])<br>49281 (Somerset)<br>49282 ([[Somerset Center, Michigan|Somerset Center]])
|area_code                = [[Area code 517|517]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 26-74560<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 1627090<ref>{{GNIS|1627090}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.somersettownship.org/|Official website}}
|footnotes                = 
}}
'''Somerset Township''' is a [[civil township]] of [[Hillsdale County, Michigan|Hillsdale County]] in the U.S. state of [[Michigan]].  The population was 4,532 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

==Communities==
* '''Bakers''' is a historic settlement within the township.  It served as a station along the Detroit, Toledo and Milwaukee Railroad and briefly had its own post office from October 20, 1897 until December 14, 1903.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=40}}
* '''[[Jerome, Michigan|Jerome]]''' is an [[unincorporated area|unincorporated community]] located within the township at {{coord|42|01|37|N|84|28|10|W}}.<ref>{{GNIS|629265|Jerome, Michigan}}</ref>  The community was formed when the [[Indiana Northeastern Railroad#Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway|Detroit, Hillsdale & Indiana Railroad]] built a line through the area in 1871.  Jerome Smith platted the community and gave it his name.  He also worked as a railroad agent and served as the first postmaster when the office began operating on April 26, 1871.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=292}}
* '''[[Lake LeAnn, Michigan|Lake LeAnn]]''' is an unincorporated community and [[census-designated place]] within the township at {{coord|42|03|45|N|84|25|49|W}}.<ref>{{GNIS|2806329|Lake LeAnn, Michigan}}</ref>
* '''Somerset''' is an unincorporated community located along [[U.S. Route 12 in Michigan|U.S. Route 12]] at {{coord|42|02|54|N|84|22|36|W}}.<ref>{{GNIS|638242|Somerset}}</ref>  Somerset was first settled by James D. Van Hoevenburg in 1832.  He sold his farm to Thomas Gamble, who became the first postmaster when a post office began operating here on September 9, 1835.  Originally part of [[Wheatland Township, Hillsdale County, Michigan|Wheatland Township]], the post office was named Wheatland then renamed Gambleville on October 17, 1837 when Somerset Township was created from the northern half of Wheatland Township.  In 1841, the post office was renamed Somerset and moved to Somerset Center in a more centralized location in the township.  The Gambleville post office was later restored and renamed to Somerset in 1898, and Somerset Center retained its own post office.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=522}}
* '''[[Somerset Center, Michigan|Somerset Center]]''' is an unincorporated community located in the center of the township along U.S. Route 12 at {{coord|42|03|04|N|84|24|49|W}}.<ref>{{GNIS|638243|Somerset Center, Michigan}}</ref>  The community was settled as early as 1833 and named for its centralized location in the township.  Its postal history is similar to Somerset to the east, while Somerset Center received its own post office on June 19, 1872.{{sfn|Romig|1986|page=522}}

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau|U.S. Census Bureau]], the township has a total area of {{convert|35.56|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|33.41|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|2.15|sqmi|sqkm|2}} (6.05%) is water.

The township contains numerous small lakes, as well as the {{convert|748|acres|ha|adj=on}} Somerset State Game Area.<ref>{{cite web|last=[[Michigan Department of Natural Resources]]|url=https://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/sga/Somerset_SGA_map.pdf|title=Somerset State Game Area|date=25 March 2016|accessdate=December 21, 2022}}</ref>  The [[Grand River (Michigan)|Grand River]], which is the state's longest river, has its source within the township.

===Major highways===
*{{jct|state=MI|US|12|name1=E. Chicago Road}} runs east–west through the northern portion of the township.
*{{jct|state=MI|US|127}} runs briefly through the township in the northeast corner.

==Demographics==
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 4,277 people, 1,687 households, and 1,312 families residing in the township.  The population density was {{convert|128.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  There were 2,161 housing units at an average density of {{convert|64.8|/sqmi|/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}.  The racial makeup of the township was 97.90% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.37% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.21% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.16% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 0.05% [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]], 0.44% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.87% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.38% of the population.

There were 1,687 households, out of which 28.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 6.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.2% were non-families. 18.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.  The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.88.

In the township the population was spread out, with 23.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 30.3% from 45 to 64, and 14.9% who were 65 years of age or older.  The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.7 males.  For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.8 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $48,529, and the median income for a family was $51,278. Males had a median income of $43,973 versus $29,244 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the township was $22,462.  About 2.8% of families and 4.0% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 1.8% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
The township is served by four separate public school districts.  The western portion of the township is served by [[North Adams-Jerome Schools]], while the eastern portion is served by [[Addison Community Schools]] in [[Lenawee County, Michigan|Lenawee County]].  A very small portion of the northern edge of the township surrounding parts of [[Lake LeAnn, Michigan|Lake LeAnn]] are served by [[Hanover-Horton Schools]] to the north in [[Jackson County, Michigan|Jackson County]].  Another very small portion of the northeast corner of the township is served by [[Columbia School District (Michigan)|Columbia School District]] in Jackson County.<ref>{{cite web|last=Michigan Geographic Framework|url=http://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/mgdl/pdfmaps/CountySchools/SD_BYCO_esize_HILLSDALE%20COUNTY.pdf|title=Hillsdale County School Districts|date=15 November 2013|accessdate=December 26, 2022}}</ref>

==Notable people==
*[[George A. Smith (Michigan politician)|George A. Smith]], state senator and representative<ref name="book_hist">{{cite book |last=Michigan Historical Commission|date=1924 |title=Michigan Biographies: Including Members of Congress, Elective State Officers, Justices of the Supreme Court, Members of the Michigan Legislature, Board of Regents of the University of Michigan, State Board of Agriculture and State Board of Education, Volume 2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UYAGAQAAIAAJ|page=300|language=en }}</ref>

==Images==
<gallery widths="220px" heights="125px" perrow="4">
File:Jerome, Michigan road signage.jpg|{{center|Community of Jerome}}
File:Somerset, Michigan (2022).jpg|{{center|Community of Somerset}}
File:Somerset Center, Michigan road signage.jpg|{{center|Community of [[Somerset Center, Michigan|Somerset Center]]}}
File:Lake LeAnn (Michigan).jpg|{{center|Community of [[Lake LeAnn, Michigan|Lake LeAnn]]}}
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Sources===
*{{cite book |first1=Walter |last1=Romig |title=Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities |type=Paperback  |orig-date= 1973 |date=October 1, 1986 |publisher=[[Wayne State University Press]] |isbn = 978-0-8143-1838-6 |location=Detroit, Michigan| pages=40, 292, 522}}

==External links==
* [http://www.somersettownship.org/ Somerset Township official website]

{{Hillsdale County, Michigan}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Townships in Hillsdale County, Michigan]]
[[Category:Townships in Michigan]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1837]]
[[Category:1837 establishments in Michigan]]