William T. Depue, general farmer, section 31, Jasper Township was born in Trumbull Co., Ohio Dec. 16, 1830. Depue secured the organization of Jasper Township in 1860, then six miles wide east and west, and 18 miles long north and south. He was elected supervisor and served four years. He also held the offices of township clerk and justice of the peace, as well as the less important offices of his township.

His parents were the first settlers in the west half of Midland County, his father built the first house, a log cabin,the first part of April, 1856. Originally its floor was made of puncheons, and there was not a sawed board in the whole structure. The roof was made of "shakes" held on with "shake-poles." His father and his brother purchased the whole of section 31, Jasper Township.
He and Joseph Miser built the first schoolhouse on the Indian reservation in Isabella County.

The above information was taken from the 1884 Portrait and Biographical Album of Midland County. Information supplied by Midland County Historical Society, Gary F. Skory, director. It was also printed in the Midland Daily News on Jan. 14, 1993.