 The township was organized on February 16, 1842.The first settler in the township was James Kirk, who moved with his family to Niles, Michigan, in 1833 and then established a residence in Pipestone in April 1837.In the fall of 1837, Dr. Morgan Enos moved from Bainbridge Township and settled at a point that became known as "Shanghai Corners", because, according to local history, Dr. Enos was the first to bring Shanghai chickens into the township.