At the division of old Sandy Creek into four townships in 1851, the southwest township was given the name Mineral. The iron ore and coal deposits in the township account for the origin of the name. Some years later the name was changed to Perry, which commemorates the naval hero of Lake Erie in the war of 1812.

Perhaps the first settler in this portion of the old Sandy Creek township was the Revolutionary veteran, Martin Carringer, who built a cabin here about 1796. He was noted for his generosity. A pioneer community is naturally liberal and hospitable, and the fact that Carringer was marked for this trait indicates that his generosity was much above the general average. His children were Jacob, George, Henry and Joseph, and descendants of these still live to honor their Revolutionary ancestor.

Perry township has considerable commercial and industrial history. On the line between this and Otter Creek was one of the first blast furnaces of the county, the “Harry of the West.” The ore at this point was one of the valuable resources of the township until the better ores from the Lake Superior region came into use. A second furnace was started near this ore bed, using charcoal as fuel, but in a few years the industry lost its hold in this part of the county.

The manufacture of lumber early became an important industry in this and other sections of old Sandy Creek, and from the introduction of the first steam sawmills about 1855-60 until the timber supply was inadequate to the demands a great quantity of raw lumber, staves, shingles and other marketable forms of wood product were manufactured in this vicinity.

Giles Clark in 1838 established a mill in the east part of the township and began a milling business which fixed the name Clark’s Mills among the villages of the county. In the sixties the branch of the Lake Shore Railroad brought better transportation for the mills and other business interests of this place. The postoffice of Clark’s Mills was established in January, 1871, with Jacob M. Vaughn as postmaster.  

David Hadley came to Perry township in 1843. He was a shoemaker by trade, but with his family took such an active part in clearing his lands and building mills that when the Lake Shore Railroad was built across the township and a station erected on land donated by him, the locality was given the name of Hadley in deserving honor of his worthy life and character. Hadley postoffice was established in May, i868, with David Pattison as postmaster, and several years later the town was platted. A barrel factory was the important early industry, established in i868. Hadley Presbyterian church was organized in 1875, and its building dedicated the following year. A Methodist church was organized in 1882 and their building erected in 1884. 

Twentieth Century History of Mercer County, 1909, pages 162-163