THIS  subdivision lies in the southern range of townships, and is bounded on the north by Eagle Township, on the east by Madison, on the west by Orange, and on the south by Hardin County.  Its present territory was embraced in Findlay Township until the erection of Liberty in 1830, when it became a part of the latter subdivision.  On petition of sundry inhabitants, Townships 1 and 2 south, Range 10, were, on the 7th of March, 1831, set off from Liberty and Findlay, and named Van Buren in honor of Martin Van Buren, a leading Democrat of the nation, afterward President of the United States.  The two eastern tiers of sections in both Townships 1 and 2 were previously a part of Findlay Township, while the four western tiers of each belonged to Liberty.  On the 3d of December, 1832, Township 1 south, Range 10 was cut off Van Buren and erected as Eagle, and Mar. 4, 1834, Township 2 south. Range 9 was attached to Van Buren and so remained until its separate erection as Orange, Dec. 5, 1836.  Upon the erection of Madison Township, June 1, 1840, the two eastern tiers of sections of Van Buren were taken in the formation of that subdivision, leaving this township with an area of twenty-four square miles, or 15,360 acres.  Its population by decades has been as follows: 1840, 432; 1850, 536; 1860, 713; 1870, 780, and 1880, 907, showing a slow but steady growth from 1840 to 1880 of 475 inhabitants.
     The head-waters of Ottawa (locally called Tawa) Creek are located in the central portion of Van Buren, its several branches thoroughly draining the northern half of the township.  The west branch of Eagle Creek,  heads in Hog Creek Marsh and flows across the southeast corner of Van Buren, uniting with the east branch in Madison Township.  Riley Creek takes its rise on Section 29, and passes westward into Orange Township, which it traverses in the same general direction.  The beds of these streams afford good natural drainage.  The wells range from ten to thirty feet in depth, and considerable sulphur water is found in this section of the county.  The surface of Van Buren is gently rolling and sheds easily the usual waterfall.  The uplands are composed of a clay soil and the balance of vegetable and alluvial deposits, forming a rich black loam of unusual fertility.  The heavy forest that once grew upon the soil has given place to well-tilled farms and comfortable homes.

     First Settlers. —The pioneers of Van Buren Township were nearly all Germans, and the township has always been regarded as a German settlement.  They brought with them from their fatherland those stern qualities

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     In May, 1833, Benjamin Sparr, Charles O. Bradford, Charles Herron and George Hart came together from Licking County, Ohio, and all settled in Van Buren Township.  Mr. Sparr had entered the northwest quarter of Section 97, June 4, 1831 and upon coming at once erected a cabin on his ....MORE TO COME

     CHARLES O. BRADFORD

     CHARLES HERRON

     In the fall of 1834 NICHOLAS ESSINGER, PETER PIFER and ADAM REDDICK took up their abode in this township.   MORE TO COME

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     PETER, PHILIP and HENRY HELDMAN

     In the fall of 1835 the township received two more German families, viz: ADAM GOSSMAN AND JOHN RANCH.

     In 1836 HENRY HULL settled ....

     Justices -

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     Schools. -

     Churches. -

     Villages. -  

     A small hamlet called New Stark on Sections 29 and 32, has been in existence for many years, though  no plat has ever been recorded.  We find here at present a general dry goods and grocery store, a saw mill and a blacksmith and wagon shop.  The place contains about a dozen buildings.

     Jenera was laid out Apr. 3, 1883, by Peter Traucht, Samuel Feller and John Heldman on Sections 4 and 5.  It had its inception in the completion of the Cleveland, Delphos & St. Louis Narrow Gauge Railroad, which passes through the north part of this township.  The road was commenced in 1881, finished through Van Buren in the fall of 1882, and reached Mt. Blanchard in December of that year.  A postoffice was established here in 1883, with Dr. A. B. Jenner as postmaster.  He was succeeded in October, 1885, by John Price.  The village now contains one dry goods and drug store, a hardware store, a general grocery store, a steam grist-mill, two saloons and a blacksmith shop, and has one physician, Dr. A. B. Jenner, after whom the town was named.  A warehouse stands close to the railroad, and as soon as this road is changed to the standard gauge, Jenera will become the shipping point for this portion of the county.