CAMP CREEK TOWNSHIP
Pages 843 - 844

 BOUNDS AND AREA

     This is one of the southern trio of townships lying on the west side of the Scioto River, and having that stream as its eastern boundary.  On the south and west is Scioto County, and on the north Sunfish and Newton townships form its boundary line.  It is rather a small township, its area being 17,579 acres, with an assessed valuation of $85,966, a personal property of $79,239; total, $165,205.
     The township is irregular in form, being some three miles in width from north to south on the west end at it widest part before it runs to a point in the extreme northwest part of the township, while on the east side it is but two and a half miles in width.  The canal passes through the township near the river, a distance of two and one half miles.  Its length from east to west is also at variance, being about ten miles long on its northern border and eight and a half on its southern.  It was named after the principal stream of water within its border, Camp Creek.

TIMBER AND WATER.

     Camp Creek is the only stream within its borders and rises within its limits.  It runs in an easterly and then a southeasterly course, flowing into the Scioto River near the southeastern corner of the township.  The western boundary of the township is also the western boundary of the county as far as the township extends, and the old survey followed a ridge without any regard to section lines or any other, which caused considerable trouble in early times, but was finally settled by adopting the old survey or ridge line.  There is some excellent land along the Scioto bottoms and also in the narrow valley of Camp Creek.
     The western portion of the township is rough and broken, and its hills and gulches are well timbered.

THE SETTLEMENT.

     The first settler in Camp Creek was Hezekiah Merritt, who settled there about 1801, removing from near Lucasville, where he had settled Dec. 24, 1795.  At that time Camp Creek Township belonged to Scioto County; a few years later when that county was formed it was known as Seal Township.  Afterward it became a part of Union Township, Scioto County, and in 1815 a part of Sunfish Township, Pike County.  About 1825 Camp Creek became one of the municipal divisions of Pike County.
     The farm settled by him is now occupied by Moses Merritt, who is still living at the age of seventy-two years.  Mr. Merritt lived several years here before he had any very near neighbors.  What is now known as the Star farm was settled a few years later, and then they came in more rapidly, and formed a neighborhood along the creek.

COOPERSVILLE.

     Camp Creek Township may be said to be strictly an agricultural one, for there is but one small hamlet, Coopersville, within its limits.  It has a store, is located on the canal, and is in the southeast corner of the township, just above the mouth of Camp Creek.  It numbers some twenty souls.  It was named after a person by the name of Cooper, who had a trading-boat on the canal and remained there for some time.  This was in the year 1857.  He finally built a small shanty and sold goods.  A few years later a postoffice was established, but was discontinued.  It was re-established, however, but located about a mile west of the old place on the canal, but given the same name, so that the hamlet and postoffice are about one mile apart.

EDUCATIONAL.

     Camp Creek is not well provided with schools.  But four school districts are in the

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township, with 340 children of school age.  The school-houses are not large enough to accommodate over 200 pupils.  The school property of the township is valued at $1,600.

CHURCHES

     Henry Chapel of the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized during the civil war, in 1863.  In 1876 they erected a very neat church plainly but comfortably furnished, at a cost of $600.  There is now a membership of forty with Rev. Morris as pastor.  A Sabbath-school is connected with the church and is fairly attended.

     Mt. Etna Church is of the denomination of the United Brethren and was organized in 1874.  The church edifice was erected in 1877.  Among its first members were G. W. Dieterich, W. J. Brown and their families, and their present pastor is the Rev. George Morgan.  The membership has grown steadily, is not even now very large, but has a healthy and it

TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS.

POPULATION

BIOGRAPHICAL