T. 1, N. R. 11 E.
     AREA 15,360 ACRES

   T. 2, N. R. 11 E.
POPULATION 987

     The Commissioners at their session on the 6th day of December, 1830, caused the following record to be made:  "It appearing to this Board necessary to divide the townships of Findley an Amanda into three townships after the following manner, to-wit:  Beginning at the south-west corner of section 31, in township 1 north, in range 12, running thence north of the north-west corner of section 6 in township 2, in range 12, thence west to the north-west corner of section 4, in range eleven, thence south to the south-west corner of section 33, in township one north, in range 11, thence east to the place of beginning, which boundary shall be a separate township, and become a body corporate and politic and shall be known and designated by the name of Marion."
     The township was named in honor of the dashing South Carolina Ranger, Francis Marion, of Revolutionary notoriety, and is bounded on the north by Cass township, on the east by Big Lick, on the south by Amanda and Jackson, and on the west by Findley, and comprises sections, 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 36, in township 1 north, and range 11 east.
     Elnathan CORY made the first entry of lands on the 28th

[Pg. 405]
day of November, 1822, of the north-east quarter of the north-east quarter of section 21.
     On the 24th day of October, 1825, Alexander ROBERTSON entered the south part of the north-east quarter of section 23.  Jonas HARTMAN, of Pickaway County, entered the south-east quarter of section 24, on the 28th of April, 1830, and on the 15th of October of the same year, Rezin RICKETS, of Seneca County, entered the west half of the southeast quarter of section 15.  Dec. 28th, 1830, Allen Wisely entered the east half of the south-west quarter of section 14.
     Other entries were made by Jacob ILER, of Pickaway County, Joseph ORWIG, Daniel EGBERT and Major BRIGHT of Fairfield, Nimrod BRIGHT and Jacob LEEDER, of Pennsylvania, Isaac JONES of Richard, and others.
     On the 24th day of October, 1825, Alexander ROBERTSON entered the south part of the north-east quarter of section 23.  Jonas HARTMAN, of Pickaway County, entered the south-east quarter of section 24, on the 28th of April, 1830, Allen WISELY entered the east half of the south-west quarter of section 14.
     Other entries were made by Jacob ILER, of Pickaway County, Joseph ORWIG, Daniel EGBERT and Major Bright, of Fairfield, Nimrod BRIGHT and John LEEDER, of Pennsylvania, Isaac JONES of Richland, and others.
     Walnut, oak, ash, beech, sugar, elm and buckeye are the prevailing kinds of timber.
     The soil in the north part of the township is clay and sand.  The river bottoms are exceedingly rich and productive, being a vegetable soil, and the south portion of the township has a soil of loam, very rich.
     The township is well watered by the Blanchard River, and its tributaries, the outlet of the Prairie on the north, and Deer Creek on the south.  On the farm of Allen WISELY are sulphur springs or deer licks, at which places the hunters of the early day laid in wait for the unsuspecting game.  Good water may also be obtained by sinking wells.  The river and creeks form a perfect system of drainage, and heretofore furnished water power for several mills.
     Marion, though one of the smallest, is yet one of the wealthiest agricultural townships in the county.  There are very many valuable farms and farm buildings.

[Pg. 406]
     The first settlers were Asher WICKHAM, Joseph SARGEANT and Othniel WELLS.  These parties settled near the western line of the township, Ashar WICKHAM on the George BURNS farm, Joseph SARGEANT on the T. J. BURNS place, and WELLS on the Charles THOMAS farm.  Very shortly after, Allen WISELY, Major BRIGHT, Edward BRIGHT, Joseph BAKER, Lewis THOMAS, and others commenced improvement in different parts of the township.

     MAJOR BRIGHT became the owner of a large tract of valuable land.  He at one time held the office of Associate-Judge for this county.  Several of his children reside in this and Big Lick townships, and are quite well off.  Mr. BRIGHT was long a resident of the township.

     LEWIS THOMAS is still a resident of the township, owning a fine farm on the banks of the Blanchard, with good buildings and pleasant surroundings.  Mr. Thomas, thought well up in years, is vivacious, and loves to recount the incidents of his pioneer life.  He is an earnest christian, an honest farmer, a good neighbor, and a valuable citizen.

     No man in the township perhaps is better known, or more generally respected than is Allen WISELY.  He owns a very valuable farm, well improved and delightfully located.  Mr. WISELY has lived in the township long enough to see it change from an unbroken wilderness to fruitful fields; the rude log cabin replaced by the elegant frame and brick residences of the prosperous and happy farmers.
     The old Baptist Church at William DAVIS' was the first one erected in the township.  It has long since been replaced by a fine frame structure called the Union Bethel, in which any orthodox denomination have a right to worship.  There are three United Brethren and one Methodist Episcopal Church buildings in the township,

[Pg. 407]
     The first school house was built on William MARVIN's farm in 1836, and the first school was taught by Adam ROBINSON.  There are now six good school buildings in the township, with an enumeration of three hundred and twenty-two youth of school age.
     The first election was held in April, 1831.  Asher WICKHAM, Joseph SARGEANT, Allen WISELY, ____ DeWITT, Lewis WARD, Joseph JOHNSTON, Joseph BAKER, Major BRIGHT, Adam BEARD, Justin SMITH, ____ POWELL, Edward BRIGHT and O. WELLS, thirteen in all, were the voters.  The emigrants to this township came mainly from the eastern portion of Ohio.
     In 1837, Daniel OPP put up a frame building on the farm now owned by Edward WISELEY, and commenced tavern keeping.  A Post Office was also established at his place, and called CROW, and Mr. OPP appointed Postmaster.  After about two years Mr. OPP died, and the Post Office expired with him, since which time there has not been a Post Office in the township.
     The office of Justice of the Peace has been filled by the following named persons:
     Willis WARD - 1831.
     Major EGBERT - 1831.
     Charles THOMAS - 1833
     David EGBERT - 1832, 1853.
     Adam HEISLEY - 1835,
     Albert RAMSEY - 1838, 1841, 1844.
     Allen WISELEY - 1838, 1859, 1862, 1865, 1868.
     Rezin RICKETS - 1841, 1844, 1847, 1850, 1853, 1856.
     William MARVIN - 1847, 1851.
     William DAVIS - 1853, 1856, 1859, 1862.
     Daniel ALSPACH - 1863.
     B. J. McRILL - 1866.

[Pg. 408]
     Isaac DAVIS - 1869, 1872
     Michael GLENNER- 1871, 1874.
     Amasa BUCKINGHAM - 1875.
     James WILSON - 1877, 1880.
     Andrew BISH - 1878
     C. S. JOHNSTON - 1880

BIOGRAPHIES:

WILLIAM B. MILLER.

[Pg. 409]

WILLIAM MARVIN, SR.

WILLIAM DAVIS

[Pg. 411]

     Table of statistics, showing crops, and stock, as returned to County Auditor by the Township Assessor in 1881.