Selma Township History
Brief history of Selma township Wexford County. Organized at a regular meeting of the Board of Supervisors October 10th 1870 by the name of township of Thorp. Legislature, through Rep. W.H.C.Mitchell, changed the name to Selma. Having been a part of Colfax Twp. a settlement was effected Mat 12th, 1871. Colfax represented by Chas.E.Chaffee, Supervisor; Lucas Gates, Clark; Johnathan Wheat, Justice. Selma Township was represented by Delmer A. Durphey, Supervisor; N.W.Reed, Clark; Francis Jourden, Justice. Amount due Selma twp. from Colfax-town tax determined by the county:
- $6.50 School Tax
- $12.10 Highway Tax
First township meeting held at the residence of Eli G. Woodard, April 3rd, 1871. Township Officers elected as follows:
- Supervisor: Delmer A. Durphey
- Clerk: N.W. Reed
- Treasurer: Geo H. Winslow
- Highway Commissioners: Eli G. Woodard, R.C. Norris, Ed. B. Camp
- Justices: Francis Jourden, Geo. Boyd, James A. Danridge, Sam Earl
- School Inspectors: Gen. McClain, James A. Dandridge
- Constables: Edwin B. Camp, Jerome Woodard
Earl, Woodard, Dandridge, Camp and McClain did not qualify. Durphey sworn in by Reed. Reed sworn in by Durphey. Winslow sworn in by Reed. Justices selected by Jourden, short term. Boyd 2 year term. Sam Earl 3 year term. J.A.Dandridge 4 year term. Comissioner of highways was by desision E.C.Woodard 1 year term, Edwin B.Camp 2 year term, R.C.Norris 3 year term. Four road districts:
- No. 1 takes in sections: 1-2-3-10-11-12-13-14-15
- No. 2 takes in sections: 4-5-6-7-8-9-16-17-18
- No. 3 takes in sections: 19-20-21-28-29-30-31-32-33
- No.4 takes in sections: 22-23-24-25-26-27-34-35-36
In 1881 a A resolution was adopted calling for all town officers to make a report of all their proceedings their work, where it was done, money paid and how much they received form the town.
Resolution passed requesting the Board of Supervisors to give a complete report of all their proceedings. The first instance in our history where a township wanted to keep tab on the proceedings of the Board of Supervisors. They probably thought it was very necessary. Peter was elected by the reform element. Too much pedro playing.
The elections were held for some few years in the Ballard School House and finally changed to school District No.6 as it was near the center of town. In the spring of 1899 $500 was raised by tax, after due notice was given to the taxpayers for building a town hall. The next year $500 more was raised for that purpose and the first township meeting was held in the new hall the first Monday in April 1901. The presidential election was held there in the fall of 1900.