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Columbiana County Townships
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Columbiana County Townships
In 1785 provision was made by Congress for the division of the Northwestern Territory into ranges and townships, to facilitate the sale of public lands. Columbiana County was formed in 1803 from the counties of Jefferson and Washington. On Feb. 16, 1846, the northern tier of townships (Smith, Goshen, Green, Beaver, Springfield) in Columbiana County were set off, with other territory, to form Mahoning County.
Each township is laid out in rows of 1 square mile sections. The section numbering starts with #1 in the northern east corner of the township. The numbers top row increase to the western border. The next row is numbered from the western border to the eastern border. This pattern continues to the southern border of the township.
BEAVER Township, Mahoning County (Range 2, Township 13)
This was the second township from the east in the northern tier of the original county, and was organized in 1811, with its present name. Before that date it was only designated as township 13, in range 2. Since, 1845 it has formed a part of Mahoning County. The boundary townships on the east, south, and west, respectively, are Springfield, Fairfield, and Green.
BUTLER Township (Range 4, Township 16)
This township lies upon the north border of the county, west of the centre, and is township 16, in the fourth range. It is bounded on the north by Goshen and Perry townships, on the east by Salem and Perry, on the south by Hanover, on the west by Knox.
Butler Township contains an area of thirty two square miles. Its surface is mostly hilly upland covered with fertile farms and dotted with woodlands. A branch of the west fork of the Little Beaver rises in the eastern portion of the township, flows a little east of south through Winona, and passes out of the township at the southeast corner. Cold Run rises near the south line of Perry township, flows southerly and out the southeast corner. Winona is situated in the south part of the township in sections 26 and 27. The first persons were James Burson, John Johnson and the Whinnery brothers, Robert, Thomas, Zimri, and John. New Middleton a small hamlet situated near the center of the township. Valley a settlement located in section 17 in the western part of the township settled by John Emrich. Damascus,was laid out by Mr. Hoopes and Horton Howard, and plot recorded April 8, 1808
CENTRE Township (Range 3, Township 14)
Township No. 14, in range 3, of the government surveys, received the name of "Centre" in 1803, soon after the organization of the county, from its occupying a central position. Its proportions remain as surveyed, and the boundary townships are: on the north, Salem; on the east, Elk Run; on the south, Wayne and Franklin; and on the west, Hanover.
Centre township is hilly, the northern part of the township is more fertile than the southern. The middle fork of Beaver Creek enters the township from Salem township flows on a southeastern course. Traversing the entire length of the township from north to south near the west line is Cold Run and flow into Beaver Creek as it leaves the township. Lisbon Village, New Lisbon Village, as it was formerly called, is located in Centre Township, and is the seat of justice for Columbiana County. On the north bank of Middle Beaver Creek, Lisbon was founded soon after 1800. The southeast quarter of section 14 was purchased by Lewis Kinney from the government in about 1802. On Feb. 16, 1803, he laid out Lisbon. The village was incorporated under a special act of legislature on Feb. 7, 1825. The inhabitants are principally from Virginia, Pennsylvania and Maryland, and the religions are mainly Presbyterian and German Lutheran. In 1803, the population was 543.
ELK RUN Township (Range 2, Township 11)
The township of Elk Run occupies an interior position, and has for its border townships, on the north, Fairfield; on the east, Middleton; on the south, Madison; and on the west, Centre. It is designated in the government surveys as township No. 11 range 2. .
The township of Elk Run embraces 36 full sections and is designated in the government surveys as township No. 11 Range 2. The surface is broken by deep hollows and high hills, but along the larger streams are rich and beautiful valleys. The principal stream is the Middle Beaver which inters the township at a central point on the west line and flowing southeast passes out of the township near the southeast corner of section 36. Elkrun Township was settled around 1800 by John Snyder and others from York County, Pa. The township was organized in 1806 and taxes were levied for township funding in 1807. The Sandy and Beaver Canal was built along the north bank of Middle Beaver Creek There wasn't sufficient water and the canal was abandoned. While farming and orchards were the main business, there was also coal. Elkton was platted April 30, 1835 with one major street.
FAIRFIELD Township (Range 2, Township 12)
Township No. 12, range 2, in the county of Columbiana has been known by the above name- Fairfield since its organization, in 1805. It is on the northern border of the county, and has for its boundaries Beaver township on the north, Unity on the east, Elk Run on the south, and Salem on the west.
The surface is level on northeast, undulating in the central part, and moderately hilly in the southern part. Fairfield Township was organized in 1805, mainly a farming area It is believed the first permanent setter was Mathias Lower, who arrived prior to 1805. East Fairfield was founded in 1803 by John Crozer and John Bradfield. An early and probably very prominent settler was Joshua Dixon and his wife Dinah. They settled in 1802 in Fairfield Township. Dixon was responsible for laying out the Village of Columbiana on Aug. 21, 1805. Columbiana had a railroad and three stores by 1831. In the northern part of section 19 Col. Allen Way platted a village and called it Unionville. The village of New Middleton was platted by William Heald soon after the settlement of the township.
FRANKLIN Township (Range 4, Township 14 & Range 3, Township 13)
Franklin, occupying the western border of the tier of southern townships in Columbiana, was originally numbered township 14, in range 4, but, by the accession in 1832 of a portion of Wayne township, lies now partly upon range 3, and partly also in township 13. Its boundaries are Hanover and Centre townships on the north, Carroll County and Washington township on the south, Wayne and Washington on the east, and Carroll County on the west.
Franklin township was organized in 1833, although settlement in present township boundaries began in 1804 with a Maryland native, William King. Franklin Township originally shared its name with the village now known as Millport, laid out in 1853, but the name was changed to avoid the confusion with Franklin Square in Salem Township. Millport derives its name from grist and sawmills around which the village grew. Summitville was laid out a few months later than Millport and got its name from the belief that it was the highest point in elevation between the waters of Lake Erie and the Sandy Creek
GOSHEN Township, Mahoning County ( Range 4, Township 17)
The township of Goshen is No. 17, in range 4, and is bounded on the north by the townships of Berlin and Ellsworth, in the "Western Reserve"; on the east by the township of Green; on the south by Butler and Perry; and on the west by Smith. It was originally in Washington County and in 1803, was included in the territory of Columbiana County. In 1846 the northern tier of townships in Columbiana, including Goshen, were set off, with other territory, to form Mahoning County.
GREEN Township, Mahoning County ( Range 3, Township 13)
This township is situated on the southern border of Mahoning County, near the centre, and is bounded on the north by the townships of Ellsworth and Canfield; on the east by the township of Beaver; on the south, by Salem and Perry ; and on the west, by Perry and Goshen. Its northern boundary is the southern line of the "Western Reserve."
HANOVER Township (Range 4, Township 15)
The township of Hanover, numbered 15, in range 4, is one of the townships of Columbiana which still retain the originally fixed territory of six miles square. It is bounded on the north by Butler township, on the south by Franklin township and Carroll County, on the east by Centre township, and on the west by West township.
The surface of the township in undulating, and to the eye of the tourist offers many inviting prospects. The west fork of the Little Beaver Creek flow through the township southward along the eastern border. Named Hanover village, known as Hanoverton Post office, it was laid out in May, 1813, by James Craig, who, purchasing the northwest quarter of section 28 of Joseph Milner, platted a village. The village street was the one now called Plymouth Street, running north and south. Craig organized a stock company obtained an appointment as postmaster, built a saw and grist mill and gave the village a good start. The village got on slowly until 1834, when the Sandy and Beaver Canal was projected to pass through Hanover Township. The villages prospects of growth came to an end with the failure of the canal in 1847. The historic Plymouth Street is now a favorite stop in the county for history buffs, with beautifully restored homes. Gillford Village, upon the projection of the Sandy Beaver Canal, a part of whose course was to pass through Hanover township a town was laid out and given the name of Gillford, in honor of Gill, the engineer in charge of work on the canal. New Garden Village was laid out in 1810 by Sinclair and Benjamin Saunders. Dungannon was laid out by George Solan named after his native village of Dungannon Ireland. Kensington Village was laid out in 1852, upon the completion of the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railroad, and was called Maysville, in December 1876 the name was changed to Kensington.
KNOX Township (Range 5, Township 17)
The township of Knox, No. 17 in range 5, is the northwest corner township in the present county of Columbiana. The township is bounded on the north by Smith Township, on the east by Goshen Township, and on the west by Stark County, and on the south by West Township.
The township of Knox is the North West corner Township in the present county of Columbiana, It comprises 36 square miles of land, more or less hilly, and is well drained by the Mahoning River and its tributaries. The first permanent settler of the township was John Thomas, of Adams County Pennsylvania who came with a family of grown children. Knox was organized as a township June 1808 in which year the tax levy was $39.54. North Georgetown, occupying an elevated position at the intersection of two highways, on section 24 and 25, was laid out in the year 1830. George Stiger platted the north and John Whiteleather the south. Homeworth was laid out and platted Aug 28 1851 under the proprietorship of Jonas Ruff, Samual Fox and Jacob Williams. Reading was a small village, situated midway between North Georgetown and Homeworth. The original plat was made about the year 1840.
LIVERPOOL Township (Range 1, Township 5 & 6)
Liverpool township, numbered 5 and 6 in range 1, occupying the southeastern corner of Columbiana County, lies upon the north bank of the Ohio River, and is bounded upon the north by St. Clair; on the south, the Ohio River, which separates it from the State of West Virginia; on the east, the Pennsylvania line; and on the west, the townships of Yellow Creek and Madison.
Liverpool Township was created by county commissioners in 1834 acting on a petition submitted by residents of what was then part of St. Clair Township. The township was settled as early as 1795 and derives its name from East Liverpool, which is the only town in the township. East Liverpool was incorporated on Jan. 4, 1834. In 1878 it had a population of 4,160. Originally known as Fawcettstown as late as 1810, the city was also frequently referred to as St. Clair. The land was occupied by several Indian tribes prior to its purchase by Isaac Craig under the Land Act of 1796. Thomas Fawcett migrated to the area that is now East Liverpool in, April of 1799. Fawcett donated a portion of his 1,100 acres to lay out the town he called St. Clair, after the township. Inhabitants of the area renamed the village Fawcettstown, in honor of its founder. The village retained that name until it was later re-christened as East Liverpool by English potters who migrated here.
MADISON Township (Range 2, Township 10)
Madison township, numbered 10, in range 2, one of the seven southern townships in Columbiana, is the largest of the seven, and still retains its original territory of six miles square. Its boundaries are Elk Run township on the north, Yellow Creek on the south, St. Clair and Liverpool on the east, and Wayne and Washington on the west.
Madison township, one of the seven southern townships in Columbiana, is the largest of the seven,- and still retains its original territory of six miles Square. Its boundaries are Elk Run township on the north, Yellow Creek on the south, St. Clair and Liverpool on the East, and Wayne and Washington on the west. The surface of the township is hilly in every part, and, in common with neighboring elevated regions. The west fork of Beaver Creek flows through the township in an exceedingly eccentric course from the western line to the northeast corner at Williamsport. Madison township received its earliest settlers from a thrifty, hardy race of people who came from the Highlands of Scotland. The tract taken up by them was chiefly in what is now Madison township; it measured ten miles in length: From three to five miles in width, and was known as the " Scotch settlement.." One of the first to locate upon this tract was Andrew McPherson, who came over in 1802 with two sons and two daughters, and took up the southeast quarter of section 36. Madison township was organized in 1809 and its earliest villages, Williamsport , Glasgow and West Point are still in existence. Williamsport was laid out in 1835 and named for the builder of the first mill there, William Crawford. Glasgow, laid out in 1852, reflects in its name the Scottish heritage of organizer William McBane. West Point was named a postal station in 1836.
MIDDELTOWN Township (Range 1, Township 7)
This, township is located on the Pennsylvania line, and is known in the government survey as township No. 7, in range No. 1. It boundaries are on north, Unity; on the west, Elk Run; and on the south, St. Clair.
The surface of the township presents a broken, and, in some localities, even a mountainous, aspect. The principal stream is the North Beaver Creek, which enter the township from the east and after flowing southwest a mile and a half and taking the waters of Bull Creek, has a general southerly course. The first setters of Middleton township were believed to be squatters from Pennsylvania. Settlements were made along the streams of the township and John Leslie was probably the first permanent settler shortly after 1800. The most abundant mineral for the township was coal and orchards were also plentiful. The Valley of Achor was the name applied by Abraham Z. Rogers to a village which he platted before 1807. Bellefont was platted March 9, 1816 by Nicholas Young, a native of Bellefont Pa. New Liberty was platted in March 1817 by Levi Guy. Clarkson was platted February 19, 1816 by William Heald for the proprietor Robert Hanna. Rogers and Negley are the current densely populated areas.
PERRY Township
Formed in 1832 from
Sections 1, 2, 11, 12 of Butler Township
Sections 25, 26, 35, 36 of Goshen Township
Sections 29, 30, 31, 32 of Green Township (Green now in Mahoning Co.)
Sections 5, 6, 7, 8 of Salem Township
This is the central northern township of the county, and was constituted from four sections taken from each of the townships of Butler, Greene, Goshen, and Salem. The village of Salem was incorporated prior to the erection of the township, and is the only village in it's territory.
With the then-named village of "Salemtown" incorporated before the township, many people became confused about where to travel to in order to participate in elections Since Salem was incorporated in 1830 at the intersection of Salem, Butler, Goshen and Green Townships. To avoid further confusion, residents of Salem petitioned county commissioners for the creation of a separate township around the area, to be named Perry Township. The area includes four sections each of the original four townships and was finally incorporated by county officials in 1832. The first elections and installation of Perry Township Trustees was held in 1833. Salem, in the year 1806 John Stern and Zadok Street laid out and platted the village of Salem. The village was named "Salem" after Salem, N J. from which the early settlers came. The town of Salem was incorporated by an act of Assembly passed Jan. 8, 1830.
SALEM Township (Range 3, Township 15)
The township of Salem is number 15, of range 3, in the original survey, and is the centre township of the northern tier in Columbiana County. It contains thirty two full sections, four sections in the northwest quarter having been taken off in 1832 to form a part of the township of Perry. The boundaries are Green and Perry townships on the north, Fairfield on the east, Centre on the south, and Butler on the west.
The township is generally rolling hills, though the southern portion of the township is more hilly. The principal streams are the middle fork of Beaver Creek which enter on the north and flowing in a direction west of south, divides the township into nearly two equal parts. The Village of Washingtonville was laid in 1832 out by Michael Frederick and incorporated in 1844 but was not formally organized until some years later. Part of it is in Salem Township and part is in Green Township, Mahoning County. Franklin Square the area was originally entered by Conrad Bennett and was later laid out by Frederick Best. The first post office was established in 1844 with Best serving as the first postmaster. In Leetonia, trees were felled by the Betz family after they began traveling to the area in 1804 from Franklin County Pa. Leetonia was named for William Lee Randolph N.Y. Lee was one of the incorporators of the Leetonia Coal and Iron Co. The company laid out the village in 1866-67.
SMITH Township, Mahoning County (Range 5, Township 18)
The township of Smith is situated in the northwest corner of the county and is township No 18, range 5. It is bounded on the north by Deerfield township, in Portage County; and Berlin township, in Mahoning Co.; east by Goshen, in Mahoning County; south by Knox township, Columbiana Co.; and west by Lexington township, in Stark County.
SPRINGFIELD Township, Mahoning County (Range 1, Township 9)
This township formed the northeastern part of the original Columbiana County. It is bounded on the north by the south line of the Western reserve; on the east by the State of Pennsylvania; on the south by the township of Unity, and on the west by the township of Beaver. It is designated in the government survey as township 9, in range 1. It was one of the oldest townships in the county, having been organized for civil purposes in 1803. In 1846 Springfield was attached to Mahoning County.
ST. CLAIR Township (Range 1, Township 6)
Designated township No. 6, range 1. Its boundaries are Middleton township on the north, Liverpool township on the south, the Pennsylvania line on the east, and Madison township on the west.
St. Clair is one of the original townships of Columbiana County. The township is rich in natural beauty and contains a vast scope of wildly rugged and romantic scenery. The expansive views obtained from some of its higher elevations are charming, while here and there thickly wooded dells, which shelter mountain brooks, are in turn guarded by towering hills, present to the eye pictures that engage and impress the attention of the lovers of nature. Beaver Creek flows through the township in an exceedingly sinuous course along the eastern border, and, emerging at the southeast corner, passes across the northeast corner of Liverpool and so into Pennsylvania. It was organized in 1803 and had its boundaries axed by the county commissioners March 5, 1805. John Quinn, familiarly known as Hunter John Quinn, settled in St. Clair in 1792 or 1793, and is believed to have been the first white man to locate in the township. St. Clair contains no incorporated village, but there are four villages or hamlets, known as Calcutta, Cannon's Mills, Sprucevale and Fredericktown, of which Calcutta, the place of earliest settlement, is the seat of township government.
UNITY Township (Range 1, Township 8)
This township forms the northeastern corner of the present county, and is known in the government survey as township 8, in range 1. Its original proportions are yet preserved, Unity being six miles square, and bounded on the north by Springfield, in Mahoning County, on the east by Pennsylvania, on the south by the township of Middleton, and on the west by Fairfield township.
Unity Township was settled before 1800 by a man with the name of Beard. 1801 saw the arrival of many settlers including John Taggart, who owned the land that would later become East Palestine. Unity was platted in 1810 by John Augustine, and had stores and a post office. East Palestine was platted in 1825 by Thomas McCalla and William Grate. The original name was Mechanicsburg but was changed in 1832 to East Palestine. The wife of the city doctor suggested the name be changed because the rolling hills and beauty of the area reminded her of the Holy Land. East Palestine the largest and most prosperous village in the township. New Waterford . This village has a pleasant location on both sides of Big Bull Creek New Waterford was laid out in 1851 by John and Robert Silliman in anticipation of the railroad. John Taylor made two additions later. The railroad station was originally called Bull Creek Station in 1852, but was changed a few years later to New Waterford. It is believed the first Taylor family came from Waterford, Ireland. This township forms the northeastern corner of the county and is known in government survey as Township 8, in range 1. It's original proportions are yet preserved, Unity being six miles Square, an bounded on the north by Springfield, in Mahoning County. It is said that a man named Beard was the first settlers in the township he having located on Section 19 some time before 1800, or in that year.
WASHINGTON Township (Range 3, Township 12)
Washington, township No. 12, range 3, lies on the southern border of Columbiana, and is bounded north by the townships of Franklin and Wayne; south, by the Jefferson County line; east, by Yellow Creek township; and west, by Carroll County and Franklin township.
Washington Township was first organized as part of Saline Township in 1816 and then renamed Washington in 1833 after a portion of the township went to the Carroll County township of the same name and territory out in 1839 and incorporated in 1848. The village owes its name to the salt boiling industry on Yellow Creek which drew setters to the area Highlandtown, laid out in 1834, owes its name to the Scottish roots of original owner Angus McDonald and the first post office in the area was known by the name Inverness.
WAYNE Township (Range 3, Township 13)
Wayne, township 13, range 3, contains an area of five miles square, and is one of the seven townships forming the southern tier of Columbiana. Its boundaries are Centre township on the north, Washington on the south, Madison on the east, and Franklin on the west.
The west fork of Beaver Creek flows through the township from the northwest corner to the middle of the eastern boundary. Wayne is a productive farming region, and is noted for its picturesque scenic endowments. High elevations dot the surface in every part, and from there summits views of a wide sweep of fertile hills and plain, relived by woodland scenes, are presented in a particularly engaging form. Wayne Township was organized in 1806 and settlement dates back to 1802 with Aaron Hull. One of two original Wayne Township station sites, Gavers, named after early settler Gideon Gaver, who settled the place known as the Gaver farm
WEST Township (Range 5, Township 16)
The township of West, No. 16 north, range 5, is bounded on the north, by Knox township; on the east, by Hanover township; on the south, by Carroll County; and west, by Stark County.
The whole township is well drained by the Mahoning River and its numerous branches on the north, the Big Sandy and the tributaries of the Tuscarawas on the west and south. The surface of the land is undulating, and in some localities quite hilly, but not sufficiently so to be termed mountainous. The highest elevation is attained in the vicinity of Chambersburg. Among the early settlers of the township were the families of Michael Sanor, John Ruff, Henry King, David Smith all of Westmoreland Co. Penn. New Alexander probably the oldest hamlet in West township. No positive record of its platting exists, but it must have been laid out about the year 1812. Chambersburg was originally platted and laid out the 20th day of December, 1828,, under the proprietorship of Michael Coxsen, David Myers, George Ball, and William McMillon. Rochester before it was formally laid out, was a post office station known as Emmons Cross-Roads On the 25th of December, 1834, J. G. Williard, Surveyor of Columbiana County, platted the village under the proprietorship of Thomas Emmons and Isaac Davis. Lynchburg first platted on Dec. 4 1834. Bayard was laid out and surveyed in April 1852, under the direction of Cyrus Prentiss and James Farmer. Minerva is now the main center of population.
YELLOW CREEK Township (Range 2, Township 9)
The township of Yellow Creek, lying partly upon the Ohio River, where that stream describes its great northerly bend, No. 9, range 2, and contains nineteen full sections and four fractional sections, the latter lying upon the river. The boundaries are, Madison township on the north, Jefferson County on the south; Liverpool township and the Ohio River on the east; and Washington township and Jefferson County on the west.
Yellow Creek Township was organized in 1805 and achieved its present form in 1832. Its earliest settlers bought land near the mouth of the Little Yellow Creek an the Ohio River, eventually laying out the town of Wellsville in 1820. Wellsville was settled in the late 1700's by William Wells, for whom the town is named. Feb. 6, 1833, the village was incorporated. The river town has had a boisterous history with a diversity of industry, including ship building, pottery making. As the location for the first rail of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad southern terminus. Among some of the more colorful incidents in the town's history include the imprisonment of Confederate Gen. John H, Morgan after his capture near West Point and the start of the chase after Charles "Petty Boy" Floyd, who was killed outside East Liverpool.
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