George Cottrell, one of the first settlers in the river district area, arrived from Detroit in 1781 and settled on a parcel of land granted to him as a token of friendship by the Indians. This property was located on the river south of present day Marine City, where he and his wife Cecilia Cottrell farmed and operated a trading post. They raised 12 children at this location from whom local Cottrell descendants have originated. When the partition of our section of Michigan was made in 1787, there was only one township called Cottrellville, which included the present townships of Cottrellville, Clay, China, Casco, East China, and Ira. In the heart of this township was the city of Newport (later called Marine City).