This township lies east of and adjoining Athens Township.  The Hocking River passes through the middle of it, the township from west to east dividing in into two almost equal parts, which are locally designated as North Canaan and South Canaan.  It is difficult to separate the first settlement of Canaan Township from that of Athens, of which Canaan was originally a part.  It will have been notice that the Pioneer settlements clung pretty closely to the water courses  In the absence of roads or any other means of communication, the navigable streams, always decided the movements of emigrants.  The Hocking was, from all accounts, a considerably deeper stream and carried much more water eighty-five years ago than now, and was easily navigable for heavily laden barges.  It thus became valuable as a means of communication and supplies, and the regions accessible to it were the first to be settled in the county.  Accordingly many of the first settlers of Athens Township located within the present limits of Canaan, whose rich bottom lands proved very attractive.

POPULATION AND ORGANIZATION.

     The township was organized in 1819.  The name Canaan was suggested by Judge Walker, of Ames Township, one of the County Commissioners at this time.
     The population of this township in 1820 was 356; in 1830 it was 375; in 1840 it was 800; in 1850 it was 1,142; in 1860 it was 1,272; in 1870 it was 1,543, and in 1880 the census gave 1,499.

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     Back from the river bottoms the land is rough over almost all of this township.  Along the bottoms and over parts of the upland the soil is very fertile, but a great deal of the hilly part of the township is too steep or too poor for cultivation, and is devoted to grazing.  Some coal is mined in the township, but the hill beds are thin, and it is mined only for local use.  At present there are four banks upon in different parts of the township.

AGRICULTURALLY DISPOSED.

     The industry of the inhabitants of this township is almost exclusively farming.  There is but one store in the township, and but one postoffice.  The only manufactory in the township is the flouring mill at Canaanville.  It was first built in 1824, by Ephraim webster in 1872.
     In the township there are thirteen school districts and five churches - two Methodist Episcopal, two United Brethren, and one Baptist.

ELECTION AND OFFICERS.

     The first election for Township Trustees was held at the house of Edward Pilcher, Apr. 5, 1819.  John C. Carico and Stephen Pilcher were Judges, and Joshua Hoskinson and John McGill, Clerks of the Election.  The township officers up to the presenttime are as follows:
     1819. - Trustees, Parker Carpenter, Stephen Pilcher and George Bean; Justices of the Peace, Stephen Pilcher and Martin Mansfield.
     1820. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, Stephen Pilcher and George Bean; Justice of the Peace, Wm. StewBart.
     1821. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, Martin Boyles and George Bean.
     1822. - Trustees, Parker Carpenter, Martin Boyles and Elijah Pilcher; Justice of the Peace, Martin Mansfield.
     1823. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, A.  J. Hoskinson and Samuel Warren; Justice of the Peace, Stephen Pilcher.
     1824. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, A. J. Hoskinson and Phillip M. Starr.
     1825. - Trustees Joshua Hoskinson, Stephen Pilcher and John Boyles; Justice of the Peace, Wm. Thompson.
     1826. - Trustees, John C. Carico, George Boyles and Wm. Hallert.

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     1827. - Trustees, Stephen Pilcher, Parker Carpenter and John Boyles; Justice of the Peace, Stephen Pilcher.
     1828. - No election - old trustees acted; Justice of the Peace, Wm. Thompson.
     1829. - Trustees, Stephen Pilcher, Parker Carpenter and Joshua Hoskinson.
     1830. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, Martin Boyles and Elijah Pilcher; Justice of the Peace, Joshua Hoskinson.
     1831. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, Martin Boyles and Stephen Pilcher; Justice of the Peace, Martin Mansfield.
     1832. - Trustees, Wm. Burch, George Bean and Stephen Pilcher.
     1833. - Trustees, Wm. Burch, George Bean and Stephen Pilcher.
     1834. - Trustees, Wm. Burch, Martin Mansfield and Robert Bean; Justice of the Peace, George Bean.
     1835 - Trustees, Elijah Pilcher, Joshua Hoskinson and Robert Bean; Justice of the Peace, John McGill.
     1836. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, Joshua Hoskinson and Frederick Wood.
     1837 - Trustees, Amos Miller, John G. Bean and Parker Carpenter; Justice of Peace, George Bean.
     1838. - Trustees, Martin Mansfield, Jacob Tedrow and Parker Carpenter; Justice of the Peace, Joshua Hoskinson.
     1839. - Trustees, Elijah Pilcher, John Boyles and John G. Bean.
     1840. - Trustees, Elijah Pilcher, John Boyles and John G. Bean; Justice of the Peace, George Bean.
     1841. - Trustees, E. C. Wright, Richard Poston and David Jordan; Justice of the Peace, George N. Reade.
     1842. - Trustees, D. M. Pruden, Richard Poston and David Jordan.
     1843. - Trustees, D. M. Pruden, Isaac Long and David Jordan; Justice of the Peace, Robert Bean.
     1844. - Trustees, D. M. Pruden, G. N. Reade and David Jordan; Justice of the Peace, G. N. Reade.
     1845. - Trustees, D. M. Pruden, G. N. Reade and David Jordan.
     1846. - Trustees, Clayton Starr, G. N. Reade and Harrison Halbert.
     1847. - Trustees, Clayton Starr, G. N. Reade and D. M. Pruden; Justice of the Peace, D. M. Pruden.

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     1848. - Trustees, Wm. Henry, N. O. Warren and John Druggan; Justice of the Peace, A. Buckley.
     1849. - Trustees, David Jordan, N. O. Warren and John Druggan.
     1850. - Trustees, Richard Poston, Peter Sams and Peter Stalder; Justice of the Peace, Nathan S. Pilcher and Aaron Hull.
     1851 - Trustees, A. Buckley, George Mansfield and Peter Stalder; Justice of the Peace, Richard Preston.
     1852. - Trustees, Peter Davis, Nathan S. Pilcher and David Jordan.
     1853. - Trustees, Peter Davis, Nathan S. Pilcher and David Jordan; Justices of the Peace, Nathan S. Pilcher and Aaron Hull.
     1854. - Trustees, Peter Davis, Peter Stalder and Peter Finsterwald; Justice of the Peace, Elijah Tucker and Thomas Grosvenor.
     1855. - Trustees, Peter Davis, Peter Stalder and Peter Finch.
     1856. - Trustees, David Jordan, Peter Stalder and Peter Finch; Justices of the Peace, Joseph Border, Charles C. Pruden and Peter Davis.
     1857. - Trustees, David Jordan, Peter Stalder and Peter Finsterwald.
     1858. - Trustees, Nicholas Stalder, James Sams and Peter Davis.
     1859. - Trustees, Nicholas Stalder, Joseph Border and Thomas Grosvenor; Justices of the Peace, David Love and J. W. Baird.
     1860. - Trustees, Nicholas Stalder, Henry Finsterwald and E. D. Sheridan
     1861. - Trustees, Nicholas Stalder, Henry Finsterwald and E. D. Sheridan; Justices of the Peace, David Love and J. W. Baird.
     1862. - Trustees, L. D. Bean, Henry Finsterwald and S. L. Mohler.
     1863. - Trustees, Curtis Dean, Henry Finsterwald and William Burch; Justices of the Peace, David Love and J.  W. Baird.
     1864. - Trustees, S. McLeade, Henry Finsterwald and William Burch.
     1865. - Trustees, C. B. Cunningham, J. W. Baird and Joshua Wyatt; Justices of the Peace, David Love and J. W. Baird.
     1866. - Trustees, Curtis Bean, N. Warren and J. W. Baird.
     1867. - Trustees, Curtis Bean, N. Warren and Peter Finsterwald.
     1868. - Trustees, Curtis Bean, F. C. Wyatt and Peter Finsterwald; Justice of the Peace, T. W. Stewart and Arnold Hill.

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     1869. - Trustees, Curtis Bean, F. C. Wyatt and Peter Finsterwald; Clerk, J. W. Hoskinson; Treasurer, L. D. Bean.
     1870. - Trustees, Curtis Bean, F. C. Wyatt and Peter Finsterwald; Clerk, J. W. Hoskinson; Treasurer, L. D. Bean.
     1871. - Trustees, Curtis Bean, F. C. Wyatt and Peter Finsterwald; Clerk, J. W. Hoskinson; Treasurer, L. D. Bean; Justices of the Peace, T. W. Stewart and Arnold Hill.
     1872. - Trustees, N. Stalder, J. O. Hill and William Stewart; Clerk, W. D. Mansfield; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster.
     1873. - Trustees, J. O. Hill, William Stewart and Elias Poston; Clerk, W. D. Mansfield; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster.
     1874. - Trustees, J. O. Hill, Elias Poston and D. D. Dowler;  Clerk, E. B. Hoskinson; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster; Justices of the Peace, T. W. Stewart and A. Tucker.
     1875. - Trustees, Elias Poston, D. D. Dowler and Z. W. Hoskinson; Clerk, E. B. Hoskinson; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster.
     1876. - Trustees, Z. W. Hoskinson, T. W. Stewart and Robert Dunlap; Clerk, E. B. Hoskinson; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster.
     1877. - Trustees, Z. W. Hoskinson, Robert Dunlap and J. M. Lamborn; Clerk, E. B. Hoskinson; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster; Justices of the Peace, D. D. Dowler and J. M. Maxwell.
     1878. - Trustees, J. M. Lamborn, William Marshall and J. McClanahan; Clerk, E. B. Hoskinson; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster.
     1879. - Trustees, J. M. Lamborn, J. McClanahan and William Marshall; Clerk, J. W. Baird; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster.
     1880. - Trustees, Henry Finsterwald, J. McClanahan and William Marshall; Clerk, D. Flesher; Treasurer, C. D. B. Webster.
     1881. - Trustees, J. B. Phillips, Peter Finsterwald and Frank Finsterwald; Clerk, D. Flesher; Treasurer, F. M. Webster; Justice of the Peace, J. O. Hill.
     1882. - Trustees, Peter Finsterwald, J. B. Phillips and C. I. Ham; Clerk, D. Flesher; Treasurer, F. M. Webster.
     1883. - Trustees, C. I. Ham, J. O. Maxwell and Robert Patterson; Clerk, D. Flesher; Treasurer, F. M. Webster.

CANAANVILLE.

     The only village in Canaan Township, Canaanville, is situated on the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad, about the center of the township.  It never was laid out in lots, and has only a population of about fifty-five inhabitants.  It has one store, kept by J. W. Baird, who also keeps the postoffice; one flouring mill owned by the

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Webster Brothers, and one blacksmith shop, kept by Draper Flesher.  Considerable lumber and timber is shipped from the station at this point.  A village was laid out in this township about a quarter of a mile east of Canaanville in 1855, on the land of Nathan Pilcher, but it never was settled upon to any extent.  The name of this imaginary village is Detroit.  The postoffice was established and originally kept near its present location, on the old Athens and Marietta mail route.  The first Postmaster was Stephen Pilcher, who held the office from 1834 until 1839.  He was followed by N. O. Warren, who was Postmaster from 1839 until 1866, when J. W. Baird, the present Postmaster, was appointed.  The village has also a hotel kept by N. B. Owens.

A FEW REMARKS.

     The township has not improved much the past decade, and its population proved to have been a trifle less in 1880 than in 1870.  The southern portion of the township is watered by Willow Run, and through that portion of the township the land is fertile.  The northern section of the township is more broken and the valley smaller after leaving the Hocking River.  The Valley of McDougal's Creek lies in the northeastern part and is extremely rich, and the hills excellent pasturage grounds.  Stock and sheep raising especially is an important element of wealth to the farmers.  It is bounded on the north by Ames Township, on the east by Rome, south by Lodi, and west by Athens townships.  The Hocking Valley Railroad, following the river bank, also runs  through the township from west to east and has one station, Warren depot, about midway or central in the township, which gives the farmers splendid shipping facilities, the most distant point being but a trifle over three miles from the station.  The fact that Canaan Township has retrograded the past ten years instead of growing, when the nature of the township is known, the nearness of railroad facilities, schools, churches and the county seat, is something hard to understand, but there seems to be a disposition to congregate in the mining townships.  While the present outlook is not flattering, it is not altogether without promise.

BIOGRAPHICAL.

  J. W. BAIRD - 631
HARRISON BEAN - 632
JEREMIAH BURROUGHS - 633
HARVEY CARPENTER - 633
OLIVER CARPENTER - 634
ROBERT COOK - 634
HENRY FINSTERWALD - 634
PETER FINSTERWALD - 635
DRAPER FLESHER - 636
MRS. MARY C. GROSVENOR - 636
CHARLES J. HAM - 637
ARNOLD HILL - 637
ZIBA W. HOSKINSON - 638
GEO. B. HULBERT - 638
JOHN MILTON LAMBORN - 639
GEO. MANSFIELD - 639
L. E. MANSFIELD - 640
JOHN MUSSELMAN - 640
[PORTRAIT OF LEVI DAVIS]
NELSON B. OWENS - 641
REV. J. N. PILCHER - 642
ELIAS POSTON - 642
GEO. W. POSTON - 643
CHARLES C. PRUDEN - 643
NATHAN SAMS - 644
WM. SMITH - 644
NICHOLAS STALDER - 645
WILLIAM W. STARKEY - 645
AARON TUCKER - 645
C. D. B. WEBSTER - 646
HADLEY H. WICKHAM - 647
FREDERICK C. WYATT - 648
JOSHUA WYATT - 648