Township Officers.
     James T. Search and Hiram Creamer Justices; Frederick Wheeland, L. Freeman, and John Strauser, Trustees; Samuel Nichols, Treasurer; James Search Assessor; Warren Walters Clerk.

     On the east side of Walnut Creek, adjoining Hocking county, the country is mountainous, with narrow valleys between.  The prominent sugar-loaf peaks, covered with the evergreen spruce and cedar, were as late as 1805 famous hunting grounds for bear, panthers, wolves, wild cats, foxes, elk, deer, wild turkeys, and smaller game.  Black, racer, copperhead, rattle, and garter snakes were very abundant.  Mr. Hanson killed a racer which was sixteen feet long.  Big Foot, the Indian chief, called this the bad ground - the habitation of bad spirits.  It was considered unsafe to travel through it either on foot or horseback unarmed.  It was a noted hunting park for both the Indians and the white hunters.  The township is thickly settled along the valleys of Walnut and Sugar creeks.  The high hills are too steep to cultivate, and the soil too poor.  The high hills are too steep to cultivate, and the soil too poor to produce profitable crops.  Walnut creek is twenty miles long, rising in Colerain and emptying into Scioto river.

Early Settlers.
     Samuel Hanson and family, who emigrated in 1798; Louis Graves, George Stanhope, James and Bennett Arinesly, Joseph Vangrundy, George Bishop, Daniel Ream, Anthony Raypole, John Lewis, Joseph Farmer, George and John Robuck, William Johnson, Andrew Thompson, William Lockard, John Ortman, Stephen Ross, Thomas Hanks, James Carothers, and Samuel Nichols were all early pioneers of Harrison Township

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     The following were in the service during the war of 1812:
     Colonel Wm. Johnson,
     Captain Abram Moore,
     Major Abraham Lewis,
     Drum Major John Ortman,
     Lieutenant George Stanhope,
     Edward Satts,
     Abner and Thomas Ezra,
     Joseph Vangrundy;
     Samuel Moore, still living, aged eighty-eight years;
     Joseph Moore,
     John Young,
     Joseph and John Hanks,
     Daniel Ulm,
     A Raple,
     Lawrence Russell,
     and Hugh Dalahan.
     Mr. Aaron Syms informs us that the great abundance of game in this region drew to it daring hunters from all parts of the country, and especially Kentucky.  Major A. McClundy, the companion of Boone and Kenton, visited this region in 1778, and made his headquarters at the old earth fort.  The second day after he arrived his dog Sago started up a monstrous he-bear, and immediately attacked it.  The bear seized the dog, and started off with him, hugging him with a tight grasp.  The major followed, and when near enough to shoot without injuring the dog, fired, but only wounded the bear.  The enraged animal now dropped the dog, and made a desperate attack on McClundy, who, after a severe, close fight, succeeded in killing him with his knife.  During a hunt of ten days on the waters of Walnut and Salt creeks, McClundy killed thirteen bears, nine wolves, six panthers, and three wild eats, besides other game.

END OF HARRISON TOWNSHIP -