| Official Name: | St. James Township, Michigan |
| Settlement Type: | Civil township |
| Pushpin Map: | Michigan#USA |
| Pushpin Label: | St. James Township |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location within the state of Michigan##Location within the United States |
| Mapsize: | 250 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | State |
| Subdivision Name1: | Michigan |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | Charlevoix |
| Government Footnotes: | [1] |
| Leader Title: | Supervisor |
| Leader Name: | Roberta Welke |
| Leader Title1: | Clerk |
| Leader Name1: | Julie Gillespie |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 818.18 |
| Area Land Km2: | 52.71 |
| Area Water Km2: | 765.47 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 315.90 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 20.35 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 295.55 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 259 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Timezone: | Eastern (EST) |
| Utc Offset: | -5 |
| Timezone Dst: | EDT |
| Utc Offset Dst: | -4 |
| Elevation M: | 177 |
| Elevation Ft: | 581 |
| Coordinates: | 45.7553°N -85.5489°W |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP code(s) |
| Postal Code: | 49782 (Beaver Island) |
| Area Code: | 231 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 26-70920[2] |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 1627029 |
St. James Township is a civil township of Charlevoix County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 259 at the 2020 census.[3]
The township was named for James Strang, who led a faction of Mormon settlers to Beaver Island in 1848. Producing mysterious brass plates from the ground, and receiving directives from God, Strang formed a colony on Beaver Island in 1848[6] called St. James, naming it after himself. Strang led those who accepted him to Nauvoo, Illinois, and then Voree, Wisconsin, before deciding that God wanted him to bring his flock to Beaver Island. James J. Strang appointed by Joseph Smith Jr. presided over the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) from 1844 to 1856.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 315.9sqmi, of which 20.35sqmi is land and 295.55sqmi (93.56%) is water.[7]
St. James Township is one of only seven municipalities in the state of Michigan to consist entirely of islands, including Grosse Ile Township, Drummond Township, Bois Blanc Township, Mackinac Island, Peaine Township, and Sugar Island Township. St. James Township occupies the northern portion of Beaver Island and shares the islands with Peaine Township. St. James Township consists of the following islands in Lake Michigan, in which only Beaver Island has a permanent population. Most of the township's population lives in the unincorporated community of St. James at the northeastern end of Beaver Island.
As of the census of 2000, there were 307 people, 138 households, and 82 families residing in the township. The population density was 15.4 per square mile (5.9/km). There were 331 housing units at an average density of 16.6 per square mile (6.4/km). The racial makeup of the township was 98.70% White, and 1.30% Native American.
There were 138 households, out of which 24.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were married couples living together, 5.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.9% were non-families. 34.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.22 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the township the population was spread out, with 24.4% under the age of 18, 2.9% from 18 to 24, 21.2% from 25 to 44, 29.0% from 45 to 64, and 22.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 46 years. For every 100 females, there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.0 males.
The median income for a household in the township was $33,182, and the median income for a family was $46,250. Males had a median income of $33,000 versus $20,682 for females. The per capita income for the township was $20,109. About 5.6% of families and 6.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.5% of those under the age of eighteen and none of those 65 or over.
St. James Township is served entirely by Beaver Island Community School.[8] The Beaver Island Community School is located within St. James Township and serves the entire district. It is one of only four insular school districts in the state, along with Bois Blanc Pines School District, Grosse Ile Township Schools, and Mackinac Island School District.