Townsend Township, Huron County, Ohio
Cemeteries are listed below this map along with an early history of Townsend Township.
The numbers of the cemeteries below, correspond with the circled numbers on the map above.
1. Townsend Center Cemetery (Section 1)
2. Petteys Cemetery (Section 1)
3. Church or Barber Settlement or Whitman Cemetery (Section 1)
4. Milliman Cemetery (Section 3)
5. Burdue Cemetery (Section 3)
6. Collins Cemetery (Section 2)
TOWNSEND TOWNSHIP
(Township number 4 in range 21)
Early Beginnings
Townsend Township was named after Kneeland Townsend who owned the
greatest part of the land in the settlement. Prior to coming to Ohio he
was a merchant in New Haven, Connecticut. The first election of township
officers was held 15 October 1820 at the house of Benjamin Bailey. On 15
November 1820, Jasper Miles was elected Justice of the Peace. The first
election for State and County offices was held 9 October 1821. The
different settlements were so separated that election days were the only
occasions when settlers could get together. Men and boys attended the
elections as a holiday, bringing their rifles with them to shoot at
targets.
Early Settlers.
George Miller is generally acknowledged as being the first settler. He
came originally from Pennsylvania and arrived in Townsend in 1811.
Other
early settlers, up to about 1820, and their dates of arrival in Townsend
are:
| William Burdue 1811.
| Orisimus Kellogg 1811.
|
| Bryant Milliman 1816.
| Jasper Miles 1817.
|
| Benjamin Bailey 1817.
| Hezekiah Barber 1817
|
| Amaziah Barber ca 1817.
| Abijah Barber ca 1817.
|
| Augustus Barber ca 1817.
| Samuel Sherman 1817.
|
| Frederick Perring 1818.
| Thomas E. Fletcher 1818.
|
| Ephraim Munger 1818.
| David Lee prior 1820.
|
Some First Events.
The first wedding was that of Dr. Lyman Fay of Milan, and Miss Caroline
Kellogg, daughter of Orisimus Kellogg, on 21 July 1816.
William and Elizabeth Burdue were the parents of the first white
children (twins) born in 1816, but who lived only a few months.
David Sayre was the first person to die in the township, date unknown.
The first tavern was opened by Moses D. Fowler about 1834.
The first school house was built in the Barber settlement about 1818.
Lucy Tenant was among the earliest school teachers; the first school
teacher was possibly Jasper Miles who taught a winter school.
The first resident physician was Dr. G. R. Stanton who began his
practice in 1847.
The first saw mill was built by David Lee in 1820.
The first post office was established in 1833 or 1834 with Daniel
Phillips as postmaster.
Early population indicators.
The 1827 census of Townsend showed 35 white males above age 21 living
there.
1840 Census-- 868.
1880 Census-- 1,405.
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