SETTLEMENT.

     The writer has been unable to ascertain to whom belongs the honor of having been the first settler in Prairie township.
     William T. Martin says, in his history of Franklin county: "Amongst the early settlers in this township were: Samuel Higgins and family, Shadrick Postle and family, and William Mannon and family."  Numerous representatives of the Postle family are still residents of the township, and are an industrious and thrifty family.
     The Clover family, who were conspicuous among the early settlers, were natives of Virginia.  The parents were Henry and Catharine Clover.  Early in the present century, they settled in Ross county.  A family, numbering twelve came with them.  In 1813, they located in Prairie in the northern portion of the township, forming the nucleus of what is still known as the "Clover settlement."  The parents died there, though not until they had seen the happy fruition of their labors and hardships, for, indeed, had they made their wilderness home to "blossom as the rose."  Of the children - whose names were: Peter, Joshua, Jacob, Solomon, Henry, Samuel, Philip, John William, Aaron, and two sisters - Margaret, who married Joshua Cole, and now resides at Fort Wayne, Indiana, is the only one now living, though numerous descendants yet reside in Franklin county.  It is said of Solomon, that he was a great hunter, and killed more wolves, bears, and deer, with which the country then abounded, than any of his competitors.  Samuel was also proficient in hunting.
     Joseph Hickman, a native of Virginia, and a soldier of the Revolution, came to Ohio in the year 1806.  His wife was Jane Butcher, by whom eight children were born prior to removing to Ohio.  The place of his settlement was Franklinton, now a part of the city of Columbus, and here America, relict of Christopher Davis, who know lives in Prairie township, was born, Nov. 25, 1807.  To this lady the writer was indebted for many items of interest in this history.  Mr. Hickman, who was a farmer, died in about 1821, and his wie some three years later.  The children, who are all deceased except Mr. Davis, were: Tacey, Townsend, Effie, John, Sarah Ann, Elan, Susannah, and Joseph Shelton.
     James Gardner came from Harper's Ferry, Virginia, to Ross county, Ohio, at the beginning of the present century, and, for a few years, lived on the north fork of Paint creek.  Eventually, he located at Georgesville, Pleasant township, where he became prominently connected with the industries of that place.  The first business he engaged in was milling, erecting the first gristmill of anything like respectable proportions at that point.  He also built a distillery.  These flourished for a time, but eventually they went to decay, and now no trace of these pioneer improvements remains.  Mr. Gardner's first wife was a Miss Oldham, who died after giving birth to three children.  Of these, but one is living: William, who married Miss Merritt, and resides in Fairfield township.  Nathaniel, now deceased, married Mahala Walker.  A Son of Joseph C. lives in Prairie township.  James Gardner contracted a second marriage, the fruits of which were six children, the following of whom are living:  Michael; James, who married Susan Martin; Joseph, who married Catharine Melvin; Mary, wife of Dr. Martin; Nancy, now Mrs. Samuel Bradfield.  Nearly all these live in the State of Illinois.  James Gardner died in about 1857, and his wife some years previous.
     Cade Young located in Franklin county, quite early in its settlement, with a family consisting of a wife and three children.  Two of these new live in Prairie township: DeWitt Clinton, who married Mary Clover, and Jasper, who married Mary Elliott.  Both have fine farms on or near the National road.
     Thomas Graham, who married Jemima Cockrell, lived in Loudoun county, Virginia, and came to Franklinton in 1827.  Two years later he located in Prairie township, where he died.  There were eight children in the family, only two of whom live in Prairie: Thomas and Sarah (Mrs. William Clover).  John lives in Columbus, and has been quite prominent in the public affairs of the county.
     Daniel Harrington of Kentucky, located in Franklinton in its infancy, and, it is said, helped to build some of the first log cabins in that village.  He married Catharine Stiarwalt, and, in 1818, located in Jackson township, and lived there until 1824, when he settled in Prairie township, on a farm now comprised in the Gatton estate.  He died about 1847, and his widow removed to Kansas, where she died, in 1865.  Of the five children comprising his family, but two are now alive: Peter, who married Mary Ann Robinson is the village shoemaker at Alton, and Nicholas, who married Delilah Winecoop, lives in Kansas.  The father, mother, brothers, and sisters of Daniel Harrington were butchered, upon the "dark and bloody ground" of Kentucky, by the Indians. 
     William D. Mason emigrated from Scotland to America, in about 1845, going direct to Cincinnati, where he soon after married Isabelle Neave, also a native of Scotland, and, four years later, removed to Franklin county, locating on the farm now occupied by the family, who have now over three hundred acres of land.  Mr. Mason died Aug. 19, 1866.  Of the seven children who were the fruits of this union, five are now living: Lizzie, William D., and Lucretia, live at home; Mary, who married R. F. Elliott, lives in the county, and Belle, who married A. J. Snow, lives in Collinwood, Cuyahoga county, Ohio.
     Among other early settlers, we have the names of S. S. Hunter, Edward Hopper, James Daugherty, and there are doubtless many others who might be, with equal propriety, mentioned in this connection.

ORGANIZATION.

     Prairie township was erected as such in 1819.  It was formed from Franklin, and included much of the territory now known as Brown township.  An election for township officers was held soon after, but the writer is unable to give the first officers.  The present (1879) township officers are: Benjamin Elliott, Zadoc Postle, and James Cummins, trustees; Coonrad Grainer, clerk; Franklin Postle, treasurer; George Postle, assessor; Henry Alton and William Sparksman, constables.  There are nine supervisors of roads.  Following is a list o those who have served as justices of the peace for Prairie township, from its formation to the present time:

EARLY EVENTS.

     The first post-office in the township was established in the summer of 1836, and John Graham was commissioned postmaster.  Following is the succession to this office until the present: Following is the succession to this office office until the present: Mervin Stiarwalt, David P. Cole, Solomon Putman, Goodhue McGill, A. W. Shearer, Peter Harrington, William Brentlinger, and William Lambert, who is the present incumbent.  The office is now located at the railroad station.  Another post-office was established at Galloway station, a few years since.  Milton Demorest is postmaster.
     The first physician to locate in Prairie township was George Richey.  This was early in the settlement - perhaps 1820.  Dr. Richey was a skillful practitioner, and a valuable man in the community.  He practiced many years.  The present medical staff of the township is composed of L. Woodruff, T. B. Norris (who located at Alton in 1871), and William Pinkerton, all of good ability, we learn.
     A hotel was opened in Alton, soon after that hamlet came into being.  The Alton house, at this point, is now under the management of Thomas Thompson.

SCHOOLS.

     The first school in Prairie township was taught by Peter Clover in a little log building on his farm.  The date was early, perhaps in 1817 or 1818.  Catharine, Betsey, and several of the Clover family, America Hickman (Mrs. Davis), and other children, to the number of twenty, composed the school.  A log house was next built, near where Benjamin Elliot now lives.  this was occupied for both school and church purposes for many years.

CHURCHES.

     The first meetings in the township were held at the house of Henry Clover, early in the settlement, by ministers of the Methodist faith.  Revs. John Solomon and George Nealy are remembered as among the first preachers.  Soon after religious services were held at the house of Shadrack Postle, and at both these points classes were formed, which in time grew to be flourishing congregation; with substantial church edifices, Sabbath-schools, etc.  Another class was formed and a meeting-house erected on the Harrisburg and Galloway turnpike, near the southern line of the township.

VILLAGES.

     After the construction of the National road, in the spring of 1836, the town of Alton was laid out.  This was by Thomas Graham.  At this point there is now a church, school, drug-store and grocery, and a tavern.  About the same date, James Bryden and Adam Brotherlin surveyed another town, on the pike, something over two miles east of Alton; this they named Rome.  Its classic name did not, however, draw any considerable number to dwell therein, and whatever glory may have gathered about this point has assuredly departed from it.  Job Postle laid out another town which he named Lafayetteville.  It was a nice town, on paper, but never existed in fact.  At Galloway station quite a flourishing village is being built.  There is a goodly degree of thrift manifested here, and several fine buildings, a store for general merchandise, blacksmith and wagon shops, etc.  This point has excellent prospects, and may the future historian, who seeks for data, from which to prepare a history of Prairie township and its improvements, meet with better success than has this writer.