Tuscola Township lies in the southwest corner of Tuscola County in the “thumb” of Michigan. Established in 1847, the Township is bound on the east; by the City of Vassar and on Vassar
Township, and on the west by Saginaw County. The Cass River runs diagonally through the Township flowing from the northeast to the southwest.
The town of Tuscola was organized under an act of legislature passed in the winter of 1840 and comprised the territory of Tuscola County which was at the same time set off from Sanilac
County. The first town meeting was held on April 15, 1840, at the home of E.W. Perry on the Cass River. There were twelve eligible voters. Dennis Harrison was elected supervisor, treasurer and highway commissioner. Others elected to the office at this meeting were: Martin L. Miller, Lovira Hart, Ebenezer W. Davis, Ebenezer W. Perry, Cornelius B. Leonard, Samuel H. Downs, John Miller and Jarvis Freeman. In 1848 there were twenty-six voters, and in the general election of 1880 there were two hundred and eighty-three votes cast. The first permanent settlers in the township included Edwin Ellis (1835-37, 1840) and Ebenezar Davis and family (1836).
The first Township Hall was located at the corner of Van Cleve and Bray Roads, next to the old tavern.
In 1966 Tuscola Township purchased the building located at 8861 Van Cleve Rd., from Harlan Harrison to use it as the township hall. Harlan had used the building as a general store and
post office.
In 1998 the Township began renovating the old school building located at 8561Van Cleve Rd. to be used as the new Township hall. On September 16, 2002 the township dedicated the new
hall, which has provided offices for each member of the board, a record storage room, and a public meeting room which was named in honor of Trustee Henry Hohman, who served the Township for 40 years.
Currently, there are over 800 homes in Tuscola Township, and approximately 2400 residents.
The Tuscola House was built by Dennis Harrison in 1856. When it was first built it was operated as a hotel. The first person to run the Hotel was Dr. William Johnson of Vassar in 1857. He operated the Hotel for one year, and was the first doctor to practice in Tuscola. He married Elizabeth Harrison of Tuscola, the daughter of Dennis Harrison. At the end of the year, Dr. Johnson moved his practice back to Vassar. While he was in Tuscola, he had his office in one of the back rooms of the Hotel. Besides his medical practice, Dr. Johnson was also Vassar’s first Postmaster. After returning to Vassar, the Johnsons spent the rest of their lives there.
The next people to manage the Hotel were Mr. and Mrs. James McPherson. They came from Livingston County in New York, and ran the Hotel for several years, all through the Civil War. During the Civil War, men from Tuscola and Arbela who joined the Army became part of the Company that was formed at Tuscola. Mr. Harrison had the men all come and stay at the Hotel until they left for the service.
Mr. and Mrs. McPherson had one son, James. In later years, he owned a farm on the north end of Tuscola. Mrs. McPherson was married three times! After Mr. McPherson passed away, she married Electus Harrison. He died in 1881 and she then married L. H. Culver!
In 1870 there was a wedding at the Hotel. During the summer of 1870, Ida Francelia Belmer, the youngest daughter of Harriet Belmer, was married to Myron Eugene Camp. The ceremony was performed in the Hotel parlor.
The Tuscola House building is now owned by the I.O.O.F. Grand Lodge of Michigan.
Jame McPherson, owner of the farm on the north end of the Village, lived here all of his life. He did not have any children and he left his property to his niece, Nina Patterson (a cousin of Harlan Harrison). Nina and her husband sold the farm to Dayton Davis. The Davis family lived on the farm for many years, until they sold the property and moved to Vassar.