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Official Website
History
Before the present era, the Michigan peninsula was long occupied by bands of the Potowatomi and Ojibwe of the Lake Superior Band of Chippewa Indians. The United States government forced the tribes to cede their extensive territories to the federal government, in exchange for annuities and small reservations. The federally recognized Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottowatomi has a reservation in Allegan County, just west of Barry County.
Barry County was described and delineated by act of the Territorial legislature on April 29, 1829, carved out of previously unorganized lands in the Territory. It was named to honor William Taylor Barry, who was serving as United States Postmaster General at the time of the county's proclamation. Barry was one of US President Andrew Jackson's cabinet members who were memorialized in names of ten Michigan counties, the "cabinet counties".
By 1839, the Territory had been admitted into the Union as Michigan State. In 1839, the Michigan State Legislature approved the organization of Barry County as an independent entity.
In the early years of the twentieth century, petroleum deposits of varying magnitudes were discovered and developed in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. This discovery was made in Barry County in 1939.
Adjacent Counties
Cities, Villages & Townships
- Assyria
- Baltimore
- Banfield
- Barry
- Carlton
- Castleton
- Cloverdale
- Coats Grove
- Delton
- Dowling
- Freeport
- Hastings (County Seat)
- Hickory Corners
- Hope
- Irving
- Johnstown
- Lacey
- Maple Grove
- Middleville
- Nashville
- Orangeville
- Prairieville
- Quimby
- Rutland Charter
- Schultz
- Thornapple
- Woodland
- Yankee Springs
Links
Michigan Family History Network
