The original name of the township was Canterbury. It was annexed to Clarksfield (formerly Bethel) until April 1826, when it was detached and organized as an independent township under the name of Hartland. The election of township officers followed, and by 5 Mar 1827 the first settlement of the trustees with township officers was made.
The first settlement was made on "Hartland ridge" in the spring of 1817 when William and Alva Munsell arrived to build a cabin and plant a piece of land to corn.
Other early settlers, and their dates of arrival in Hartland, were:
| Daniel Bills 1817. | Jared Tolls 1817. | Allen Blackman ca 1817. |
| Sylvester Blackman ca 1817. | Elijah Bills 1818. | Nathan Miner 1819. |
| Samuel White ca 1819. | Joseph Waldron 1821. | Joseph Osyor 1820. |
| Elnathan J. Waldron 1821. | Josiah Kilbourn 1821. | Captain William Howard 1821. |
| Daniel Miner 1824. | Jesse Taintor ca 1824. | Eli Barnum 1824. |
| Allen Mead 1824. | Libeus Stoors ca 1824. | Ledyard Family ca 1825. |
| Owen Family ca 1825. | Ezekial Phillips 1830. |
The first white child, a child of Jared Tolls, was born in 1818.
The first couple to be married was Elijah Bills and Mary Howard, daughter of Captain William Howard, on 2 Jun 1822 at the residence of the bride's parents.
The first death was that of Jared Tolls in the fall of 1818 from "eating too freely of wild plums."
Judah Ransom built the first saw mill, on Indian Creek, in the spring of 1816. There has never been a grist mill (up to 1879) in Hartland.
The first school house was built in the fall of 1821. The school house was 16' x 20' with puncheon floors, door, seats and writing desks, and greased paper for the windows.
Cyrus Munger kept the first school in the winter of 1821-22. Children from the families of Josiah Kilbourn, William Howard, Daniel Bills, Joseph Osyor, Nathan Miner and Samuel White were the first students.
The first sermon preached in Hartland was by the Rev. Lot B. Sullivan, a Congregational home missionary.
The first regular religious services were held at the home of Joseph Waldron in the summer and fall of 1821. The Revs. True Paltee and James McIntyre, Methodist circuit preachers, officiated.
In 1833, the first post office was established, with Daniel Miner as postmaster. He kept the office in his home for 21 years.
The Census of 1827 of Hartland Township showed 22 white males over the age of 21 living there.
1840 Census-- 925
1880 Census-- 954