Tompkins Township is located in the northern tier of townships in Jackson County, and was set off as a Township from an area of land including Spring Arbor, in 1838. The Township was named after Gov. Daniel B. Tompkins all of New York State, as was Tompkins County, New York, from where many of the early settlers came.
The first to come, in 1832, were Nicholas Townley and his sons Anson and Richard, followed by Gardner Gould and David Adams. Descendants of many of these pioneers still live here.
Tompkins is mainly an agricultural community with the main waterways, the Grand River and Sandstone Creek, running through it. The village in itself grew around the Grist Mill situated on Sandstone Creek, and included a general store, a sawmill, blacksmith shop,Post Office, and the “Tompkins House” a stage stop on the Clinton Trail.
The first churches were Fairview, on North Parma Road, Pope, on Pope Church Road,
and East Tompkins Baptist, at Maple Lane in Dixon Roads.
By 1880 the Township had established nine schools — one brick, one log, and seven frame buildings.