The township of Exeter was originally a part of the township of Raisinville, but was in 1833 set off to the township of London, and in 1836 formally organized as it remains at the present time.

The first election under this organization was held in April, 1826, when Gilbert Palmer was elected its first supervisor. The following year Patrick Corrigan was elected to this office, following whom the office was by Moses Bowlsby in 1838; Patrick Corrigan in 1839; John Murphy in 1842 and 1843; Luke Dunn in 1844; Lewis Welch in 1845; John Murphy in 1846-1847; Luke Dunn in 1848; Lewis Welch in 1849, and Bernard Raleigh in 1850. These men at different times represented the township on the board of supervisors for the subsequent twenty, except when some special issue was involved, such as drainage or school questions, when a chance to some new man sometimes occurred. The population of the township is approximately 1900.

The township was heavily timbered with elm, Oak and other hard woods which led to the establishment of the charcoal industry to which an extensive business was done for many years after the railroad had been built, and facilities existed for transportatin of this and other products to nearby manufacturers.

The village of Maybee, which sprung up as the result of the building of the railroad and developed into a thriving community, was located on the Maybee farm, owned by Abram Maybee, and has continued to thrive under the efforts of its public-spirited citizens.