Other early settlers settled in an area called Fletcher's Corners.

Philander McLain's family settled in what is now the City of Swartz Creek.

[1] Ephraim Fletcher came to Gaines from New York in 1836 and settled on Van Vleet Road (section 16).

[8] Joshua Dart, the oldest male resident, was given the honor of naming the township.

Purchasing four, pure Herefords from Canada, Crapo began a herd of cattle.

[15] William died in 1926 thus the farm passed to one of his sons, Stanford Tappan Crapo.

[15][16] At Stanford's death in 1939, William (Bill) Wallace Crapo II took over as the final owner of the farm.

After multiple violations in 1975, Berlin & Farro lost their landfill and incinerator license but continue to dump waste there.

Genesee Circuit Judge Judith A. Fullerton ordered a clean up in 1980 and an evacuation of the area.

The next year, doctors indicated that the site affected five residents with mild to severe damage to multiple organs.

[19] In November 2013, the township approved a .5 mil police millage by 1 vote.

[20] In 2014, Supervisor Chuck Melki, Gaines Township Clerk Mike Dowler and Treasurer Diane Hyrman had recall petitions filed against them.

[21] As part of the first of its kind recall, the three faced off against other candidates to retain their offices.

Dowler and Hyrman defeated their Republican opponent while Melki lost to Paul Fortino.

[25] The township residents approved a fire department 1-mil millage proposal in November 2024 with 59.78% casting their ballots in favor of the measure.

This new funding will be collected over a five-year period, from 2024 through 2028, and is specifically for the purchase of vehicles, apparatus, and equipment needed by the fire department, per the proposal.

The millage is expected to generate an estimated $255,917 in its first year of collection, providing a significant boost to the township’s ability to equip its fire department.