The first land entry for the Forest (after the heavy growth of trees) community was made in March 1836 by James Seymour. The first settlers, Henry Heister and family, came in 1837. The township was organized in 1837, with the second settler, Nathaniel Smith, elected supervisor. In 1851, a sawmill was built by John Hayes, who sold the mill to Francis Otis the next year. On February 14, 1855, the post office opened with postmaster John Crawford. On April 5, 1861, the post office was renamed to Otisville. The village was platted by William F. Otis and T.D. Crocker in 1863. In 1874, a station opened by the Pere Marquette Railway in the village.
Passages that mention Otisville, cut from the printed page as they were published.
History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers1879 · page 49Read the page →
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miles north of Flint, to Otter Lake, a distance of fifteen miles. This latter road (now the Flint River division of the Flint and Pore JIarquette) was opened for travel between the city of Flint and the village of Otisville, in the northeastern corner of Genesee County, on the 13th of August, 1S72, and was soon after finished to Otter Lake Station, where it forms a connection with the Detroit and Bay City Railroad.
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History of Genesee county Michigan1916 · page 838Read the page →
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after which he returned home. He spent two years on a farm at Kendallville, Indiana, then took up the carpenter's trade. Leaving Kendallville in 1869, where he had resided since 1866, he came to Otisville, Genesee county, Michigan, and worked for George Reed in his sash and door factory for several years. He then worked at Clare, this state, two years, later returning to Otisville and sawing shingles for a local firm for several years. He finally purchased a farm in Forest township and engaged in general farming and stock raising until a few years ago, when he retired from active life
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History of Genesee county Michigan1916 · page 800Read the page →
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E. S. Swayzee, druggist at Otisvilfe. In 1884, he was appointed postmaster, under Cleveland's administration. In 1889 he entered the employ of the Pere Marquette railroad, as agent at Silverwood and was there one year, then came to Otisville and has been agent here ever since. He was again appointed postmaster in 1892, serving until 1896, and in 1914 was appointed a third time and is still discharging the duties of this office in a manner highly acceptable to the people and the department. He owns an eightyacre farm in Forest township.
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History of Genesee county, Michigan. With illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers1879 · page 435Read the page →
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The school-house then used stood about one-half mile south of Otisville, on the State road. The present school-house, which is a commodious, convenient, and well-proportioned frame building, was erected in 1867, on land reserved for the purpose by Dr. Rogers when his plat was laid out the year before, and at that time the school was divided into a primary and a grammar department, with William H.
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Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Otisville, 1873 to 1982
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021). How TownRatings grades history →
From Wikimedia Commons (4), Wikidata (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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