Ionia is the county seat of Ionia County and is located approximately two miles from its geographical center. The city is partly in Easton and partially in Ionia. The Grand River forms the southern and northern boundaries of the city. The city's total assessed value was $117,844 and the resident assessment was 48,788 dollars. Ionia was founded on September 22, 1836. Today, it is a lively farming community with several manufacturing plants and many small businesses.
The first religious organization in the county was the First Baptist Church, which remains very prosperous and wealthy. The church was named Washington Centre when it was founded in 1834. The first pastor was Elder E. Loomis of the American Baptist Home Missionary Society. He was a missionary at the Thomas Missionary Station in Grand Rapids. The congregation consisted of the Anniba family, Samuel Dexter and Alfred Cornell. The Dexters had two children: Alfred and Nancy. Their son-in-law, A. H. Tibbitts, a farmer, had a farm in Ionia City.
Early traders included John Lloyd, a tailor, and Ira Porter, who lived on the corner of Dexter and Main Streets. The first newspaper, The Ionia Journal, was published in 1843. Other local merchants include Dr. W. B. Lincoln, Samuel Dexter, and John W. Robinson. The city also featured a blacksmith and a harness-maker.