Transcription contributed by Martie Callihan 14 April 2005

The History of Warren County Ohio
Part IV Township Histories
Harlan Township by J. A. Runyan
(Chicago, IL: W. H. Beers Co, 1882; reprint, Mt. Vernon, IN: Windmill Publications, 1992)

Page
671

Harlan Township lies in the southeast corner of Warren County, and as a political division, dates from March 16, I860, being the most recently organized township in the county.

Upon the first organization of Warren County the territory forming this township was included in the township of Hamilton, which it soon became necessary, because of its large territory and increased population, to divide into two townships. This was done June 24, 1818, and the township of Salem created, which included within its boundaries all of the territory now constituting Harlan.

The integrity of Salem Township was preserved for nearly half a century, when again a diversity of local interests demanded that a new township be carved out of the territory comprising it. By an act of the Legislature, passed March 10, 1853, Salem Township was divided into two voting precincts, the boundaries of each being practically as they now exist between the two townships. Questions frequently arose which provoked much feeling between the two precincts, and made it desirable to the people of each to have the township divided.

In 1859 a petition was presented to the .Legislature, and on March 16, 1860, the following act was passed. (Vol. 67, page 185, O. L.):

Section 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, that Salem Township, in the County of Warren, be, and the same is hereby divided into two townships; the eastern to be called Harlan and the western to be called Corwin.

Section 2. The division line shall commence at a point in the west bank of Todd's Fork where it intersects the line dividing the townships of Salem and Washington in said county, thence down Todd's Fork with the meanderings thereof, to the mouth of Second Creek; thence in a straight line to the mouth of Wolfs Run; thence up said run to the forks thereof; thence up the west fork of said run to the line dividing the lands of Robert C. Shurts and Allison Mounts; thence on a direct line to a point where the county road leading from Rossburg to Camargo crosses the line dividing the townships of Hamilton and Salem in said county.

Section 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

The new township created by this act was named Harlan, in honor of Hon. Aaron Harlan, who at the time the act was passed, resided in Xenia, and represented Greene County in the Ohio Legislature, and who had represented this Congressional District in the National Congress, from 1853 to 1859, having been succeeded in the latter year by Hon. Thomas Corwin. (The act, it will be observed, gave the name of Corwin to the western township. This was changed to Salem, June 15, 1860.)

The division line, as defined by the above act, constitutes the northwest boundary line of Harlan Township, making the township triangular and irregular

That portion of the township bordering on the northwest boundary, is considerably broken and diversified by Todd's Fork of the Little Miami River, and the several streams tributary thereto. In the south and central part, much of the surface is level and flat, and until artificial drainage was resorted to, was in places wet and swampy. These lands, however, were drained with little expense and difficulty, and are now all cultivated, and constitute the most valuable and fertile farming lands in the township.

The soil is generally good and easy of cultivation. In recent years farmers have given more attention to the improvement of the soil, and in 1875 an effort was made to introduce the dairy business by establishing a creamery and cheese factory. Several meetings were had and an organization partly effected, but for some reason the enterprise failed.

The principal streams of this township are Lick Run, Second Creek and First Creek, all of which flow in a northwesterly course through the township and empty into Todd's Fork. These streams for many years furnished power for several small mills, but since the general drainage of the lands in their vicinity, are dry most of the year.

The land in Harlan Township forms a part of the territory comprised in the Virginia Military District, and is included in twenty-six surveys and a few fractional surveys, each of which is known and designated by number, and usually by the name of the person who originally entered it. These surveys are irregular in shape, and vary in size from 2,666 2/3 to 140 acres. The earliest entries were made in 1787, five having been made in that year. The latest was made by John Shawhan, Esq., April 28, 1831, which was also the smallest, containing 140 acres only. Cornelius Skinner entered 2,666 acres, survey No. 1552, in February, 1793. These two names, Shawhan and Skinner, are the only names of the original purchasers own familiar in the township, and it is probable that few, if any other of the original owners, ever in fact occupied any of the lands.

The want of system in the plan of Virginia in disposing of these lands has caused great irregularity and confusion in lines and boundaries, and in many cases boundaries dependent on the original survey lines can not be definitely ascertained. The want of uniformity in boundaries is a great source of annoyance, also, in locating roads, and in many instances the value of lands, is greatly impaired and their beauty marred by that which otherwise would improve and adorn them.