In 1835 and 1836 several white settlers began making homes within the present limits of Lowell township, most of them near by or at the present site of the village. Luther Lincoln, previously at Grand Rapids, was one of them; among the others were Lucas, Lewis and Rodney Robinson, and Philander Tracy. The Robinsons remained as permanent settlers; Lincoln went up Flat River, and Tracy afterward removed to Grand Rapids. In 1837 half a dozen families came and settled along the north side of Grand River, below Flat River. In that year a school was established, then the only one between Ionia and Grand Rapids, and in January, 1839, Caleb Page married the first teacher, Caroline Beard, in the log school house. Sylvester Hodges and Alva Jones were also among the settlers of 1836. The land taken by Luther Lincoln, and also some land occupied by Lewis Robinson and Philander Tracy, part of which is now in the village, were found to be in the "University Grant." The Indians also sought to hold some portion of it which they had been tilling, but the Government decided that they could not hold lands in their own names, so long as they remained in allegiance to their tribe. There, near the right bank of Flat River, Sylvester Hodges set the first apple trees. In 1837 were many new comers. Among them Charles Newton, Matthew Patrick, Samuel P. Rolf, Joseph B. Daniels, Thompson I. Daniels. George Brown, William Van Deusen, Ira A. Danes, Jacob Francisco, and perhaps ten or dozen more within the township. Those who first settled north of Grand River, took up land before it was surveyed and regularly in the market. The settlement at that time extended along the north bank of the river on the old Grand River road from two to five miles west of Flat River. This road came from Ionia byway of Fallassburg. where that river was first bridged in 1840. striking Grand River about two miles below Flat River, thence passing down the river bottoms near the bluffs. Lands north of the river were put in the market in August. 1839. (p.798)