Parnell is an unincorporated community in the southwest corner of the township at 43°02′36″N85°24′40″W / 43.04333°N 85.41111°W / 43.04333; -85.41111.[6] The community was settled with the construction of St Patrick's Catholic Church in 1848. A post office operated briefly in Parnell from January 4, 1889 until September 30, 1903.[7]
History
Grattan Township was established in 1846, and named in honor of the Irish orator and politician Henry Grattan.[8]
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 36.95 square miles (95.70 km2), of which 33.86 square miles (87.70 km2) is land and 3.09 square miles (8.00 km2) (8.36%) is water.[9]
There are at least 25 lakes in the township, varying in size from 30 acres (12 ha) to 300 acres (120 ha) each. Many of these find a natural outlet through Seely Creek, the only stream of note in the township, and which empties into the Flat River near Smyrna in Ionia County.
Major highways
M-44 (Belding Avenue) runs east–west through the center of the township.
Demographics
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 3,551 people, 1,235 households, and 990 families residing in the township. The population density was 101.5 inhabitants per square mile (39.2/km2). There were 1,428 housing units at an average density of 40.8 per square mile (15.8/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 96.90% White, 0.70% African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.23% Asian, 0.51% from other races, and 1.44% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.56% of the population.
There were 1,235 households, out of which 37.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.2% were married couples living together, 6.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.8% were non-families. 16.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.14.
The age distribution of the township includes 27.9% of the population under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 26.6% 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 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.5 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $56,467, and the median income for a family was $62,148. Males had a median income of $44,813 versus $27,014 for females. The per capita income for the township was $23,213. About 1.2% of families and 2.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 2.6% of those under age 18 and 2.5% of those age 65 or over.
^Michigan Geographic Framework (November 15, 2013). "Kent County School Districts"(PDF). Archived(PDF) from the original on August 20, 2014. Retrieved January 2, 2022.
Sources
Romig, Walter (October 1, 1986) [1973]. Michigan Place Names: The History of the Founding and the Naming of More Than Five Thousand Past and Present Michigan Communities (Paperback). Great Lakes Books Series. Detroit, Michigan: Wayne State University Press. pp. 236, 430. ISBN978-0-8143-1838-6.
