The first permanent white settlers in the township were John F. Terrill, Charles W. Ingalls, and John Brown from Vermont, who arrived in 1838. An earlier settler by the name of Jones had arrived in 1836 with his wife, but did not remain in the area. Terrill located on section 25 and Ingall and Brown in section 36. In 1843, Terrill, along with Anson W. Halbert, built a sawmill on the Sebewa Creek, just west of "The Corners" located where the corners of four sections met along the eastern township line. Halbert had arrived in 1841 and married one of Terrill's daughters and carried out some trade at the Corners. 