T. 2, S. R. 10 E.
AREA 15,360 ACRES.

T. 2, S. R. 11 E.
POPULATION 1,235

     At the June session, 1840, of the County Commissioners, it was "Ordered that sections No. 1, 2, 11, 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25, 26, 35 and 36 in township 2 south, range 10 east,, and sections 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32 in township 2 south, range 11 east, be set off and constituted as a new township, called Madison."  Those sections in range 10 were a portion of Van Buren township, and those in range 11 were a part of Delaware township.
     This township was named in honor of James MADISON, fourth President of the United States.  It lies on the south side of the county, and is bounded on the north by Eagle and Jackson townships, on the east by Delaware, on the south by Hardin County, and on the west by Van Buren township.
     On the first day of June, 1829, Abel TANNER made entry of the west half of the north-west quarter of section 23, and on the same day William Y. WOODRUFF entered the north-east quarter of section 2.  These were the first entries of lands in the township.
     Squire CARLIN on the 9th day of July, 1829, entered the west half of the south-west quarter of section 11.  John LONGWITH, of Pickaway County, entered the east half of the north-east quarter of section 5, on the 5th of May,

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1830, and in September of the same year, Chaney RICKETS entered the east half of the south-west quarter of section 2.  In November, 1832, the north-east quarter of the south-east quarter of section 5, was entered by Alexander GRANT, of Franklin County.
     In October, 1834, Robert HURD and Robert SHAW, both of Portage County, made entries of lands in section 7, and Henry IMHOFF, of Stark County, entered the west half of the north-west quarter of section 6.  Other entries speedily followed, and settlements were made in many portions of the township.
     The timber in this part of the county is maple - sugar and soft - beech, hickory, ash.  The different varieties of oak was abundant in all parts of the township.  Black walnut, blue ash, and red elm is found along the streams.  On the wet lands are black ash and sycamore.  This part of the county was very heavily timbered.
     The soil for the most part consists of a compact yellow clay subsoil, covered with a vegetable mould.  Along the streams may be found small areas of alluvial lands, which are very fertile.  The soil on the wet lands consists of a deep black loam, which is very productive when properly drained.  Generally speaking the lands of this township can be considered as only moderately fertile.
     Although the township is well watered, there are but few streams of water, and they are not of much importance as water courses.  Eagle Creek, which is formed by the junction of what is called the east and west branches, which unite about eighty rods north-east of the south-west corner of section 14, and thence take their course as one creek.Flat Branch is so called on account of the small amount of fall it has.  It drains the south-eastern part of the town-

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ship, and is a tributary of the East Branch.  Buck Run is in the north-eastern part, and empties into Eagle Creek near the north line of the township.  The West Branch of Eagle Creek rises in the Hog Creek Marsh in Hardin County, and the East Branch rises near the Hardin County line.
     "The weight of authority," writes Dorillas MARTZ of this township, "is that Simeon RANSBOTTOM was the first to settle in this township, though Abel TANNER and Abner HILL came the same year."  TANNER came in February, 1825, from near Kenton, Ohio, where he had resided for three years previous.  He and his wife were both natives of Rhode Island.  He located on the banks of the West Branch of Eagle Creek, near the camping ground of Gen. HULL, as he passed through in 1813.  Mr. TANNER died in 1833, aged forty-two years, and his wife died three years later.
     Simeon RANSBOTTOM settled on the west bank of Eagle Creek, two miles below TANNER.  He was a native of Virginia.  His wife was born in Ireland.  Mr. RANSBOTTOM died in 1851, his wife having died many years previously.
     The family of Abner HILL consisted of himself, wife, and step-daughter.  He resided in the township for several years.  He committed a burglary by breaking into CARLIN's Mill at Findley, for which exploit he was sent to the OhioPenitentiary, and was the first representative to that institution from this township, if not from the county.
     Settlements were very soon after made by Jacob HELMS, Benjamin SPART, Andrew RICKETS, John DILLER, N. B. MARTZ, J. W. WILLIAMS and others, and farms were opened up all over the township.
     Mr. N. B. MARTZ says that when he came to this township in 1834, he found a man by the name of John DILLER living.

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in section 11, on lands which he had bought of a Mr. MORELAND, who claimed to have purchased the lands of Simeon RANSBOTTOM.  Mr. MARTZ adds that his impression is that RANSBOTTOM was the first settler within the present limits of Madison township, and that John TULLIS came with him perhaps.  Mr. MARTZ says that from the appearance of the buildings, clearings, and fruit trees when he first visited the DILLER's and other places, he is led to believe that the first settlement had taken place at least ten years before that visit.
     The first church building erected in the township was by the Methodist Episcopals at Arlington, in 1858.  It must not be supposed that religious worship was unknown prior to this time, or that no minister had visited this region.  Here as elsewhere the school houses and private houses were used as places of worship.  There are now four church buildings in the township; two Methodist Episcopal, one Protestant Methodist, and one Disciples.
     The first school house built in the township was on the land now occupied as the German Lutheran Cemetery, at the west line of the township.  It was of the usual style, of logs, with clapboard roof There are now eight school buildings, all comfortable and commodious.  The enrollment of youth is two hundred and twenty-three males, and one hundred and ninety-five females, making a total of four hundred and eighteen.
     The first hotel, or tavern as such places were then called, was kept by John DILLER, and was located on the west bank of Eagle Creek, at the place now known as Waterloo.  This tavern was called The Cross Keys.
     The people of this township devote themselves to agricultural pursuits, and are a peaceable, quiet and thrifty com-

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munity.  Education and religion command the respect and attention of all.  The first settlers are principally from the eastern part of the State and from Pennsylvania.  There are, however, quite a number of Germans, and their descendents.
     John W. WILLIAMS, one of the early settlers, and proprietor of the village of Williamstown, died but a few years ago, at a ripe old age, and was perhaps at the time of his death the oldest person in the township.  Mr. WILLIAMS was Post Master for many years, and was ten times elected Justice of the Peace.  He commanded the confidence and respect of his neighbors, and had many friends.
     Christian WELTY, a resident here, was one of those substantial men, who early sought a home in the west.  He was a man of good judgment, sound mind and strict integrity.
     Andrew RICKETS, after a long and useful life, died but a few years since, leaving his family a goodly heritage, accumulated by industry and frugality.  His widow, a very estimable lady, and a fair specimen of the goodly dames of the early years of the township, now resides in Findley, respected by all who know her.
     Mr. RICKETS, besides holding several township offices, was for two terms, a Commissioner of the county, and filled the office with both ability and fidelity.
     Robert HURD, who came to this township in 1839, was born at East Haddam, Conn., Mar. 16th, 1785, and emigrated to Portage County, Ohio, in 1820, and settled in Twinsbnrg township, as agent for the brothers, Aaron and Moses WILCOX - twins - from whom the township derived its name. Mr. HURD made extensive entries of lands in and about the site of the present town of Arlington, in 1834,

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and his sons, William B. and Lorenzo and son-in-law, Joseph FITCHC, at once settled on part of these lands, then all a wilderness.  Mr. HURD laid out the town of Arlington, and was active in the formation of the township of Madison, from parts of Delaware and Amanda townships.  For a number of years Mr. HURD held the office of Justice of the Peace.  He frequently appeared in Justice's Courts as an attorney, conducting his cases with much ability.  Mr. HURD died at Arlington in 1861.

NAPOLEON B. MARTZ.

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     J. W. WILLIAMS - 1846, 1849, 1852, 1855, 1858, 1861, 1864, 1867, 1870, 1873.
     Joel MARKE - 1849, 1852
     L. P. WING - 1855, 1858
     Robert HURD - 1859
     David WARDWELL - 1861.
     L. D. WISEMAN  - 1864.
     Philip WILCH - 1867
     Peter WILCH - 1869
     E. LONGWORTH - 1870
     J. C. CLINGERMAN - 1873
     Jonas HUFF - 1876, 1879
     T. H. BUSHONG - 1876
     D. MARTZ - 1878

WILLIAMSTOWN.

     This town was laid out in 1834, and named in honor of John W. WILLIAMS, the Proprietor.  It is located on part of the north-west quarter of the north-west quarter of section 31, and the north-east quarter of section 36.  In originally contained forty-eight lots, and as remarked by a resident, "it commenced small, and has held its own exceedingly well."  At the time the town was laid out, there was no family within three miles of it.
     Mr. WILLIAMS opened a store and tavern in the place, and travel commenced along the range line now the Bellefontaine State road.  In about 1837, Christain WELTY also opened a store, and a Dr. Smith located here for a short time, being the first in the township.  He was succeeded by Dr. A. F. Burson, now of Mt. Blanchard, famous for his success in treating the "Milk Sickness," then prevalent in this part of the county.

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     The village is about fourteen miles directly south of Findley, and about three miles from the Hardin County line.  The business of the town consists of one steam saw, shingle and lath mill, by William HEACOCK; a wagon and carriage shop, by Joseph PHILLIPI; a shoe shop, by William KNIGHT; a blacksmith shop, by William VANSCOICH; two grocery stores, one by J. B. DeHAVEN, and one by CRAMER & CRABILL, and one physician. Population 128.
     A Post Office was established here in 1835, and Christian WELTY was first Post Master.  The office was called "Eagle," but in 1866 it was changed to Williamstown.  The Post Masters have been Christian WELTY, J. W. WILLIAMS, B. D. EVANS, John DeHAVEN, and again Dr. B. D. EVANS, the present incumbent.

WEST UNION.

     This place was laid out by Andrew SHELLER, in January, 1835, in the south-east corner of section 36, in lands now owned by A. WOODS, and comprised forty-eight lots.  It has no other history.

ARLINGTON.

     In November, 1854, Robert HURD, Esq., laid out the town of Arlington, on the south-west part of section 6, and the south-east part of section 1.  The township originally contained seventeen lots, but since its first platting, successive additions have been made, until now it is quite a village.
     Its business interests are not very extensive.  There is one wagon and carriage shop, operated by Julius DORNEY.  Eli BOWMAN has a blacksmith shop, and HUFF & CRAMER are the proprietors of a steam saw and planing mill.  There is one shoe shop; one pump factory.  WOODS & Co., and Jo-

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seph HUFF each have a dry goods and grocery store, and Dr. J. S. LAFFERTY keeps a drug store in connection with his practice as a physician.  There are also two saloons.  A tile factory is in successful operation, owned by BROTHERS & Son.
     The population of Arlington in 1880, was one hundred and thirty-six.
     Upon the establishment of a Post Office here in 1846, Dr. B. BEACH, was appointed Post Master, and has been succeeded by L. P. Wing, E. B. Vail, W. K. Drake, Thomas Stark, Philip Wilch, L. S. Lafferty, E. P. Lease, and C. F. King.
     An exhibit of the number of acres and bushels of cereals, and the number and value of live stock, as returned by Township Assessor in 1881.