Shelby County History

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Green Township  Location & Features | First Families | Other firsts | Churches (for a larger view of the map, click here)     Green Township is situated in the Southeast corner of Shelby County and is five miles square.  It is bounded in the North by Perry Township, on the East by Champaign County, on the South by Miami County, and on the West  by Orange Township.
    Green township is level.  The Northeast part is drained by Tawawa and Mosquito Creek.  The Central area is drained by Leatherwood Creek.
     
 

First Families of Green Twp. 
(this list is by no means complete - others were settled in the area that I do not have listed)

1814	The first family who attempted to establish a home in the area was Henry Sturm, who came from Clark Co., Ohio.
March 1815	Samuel Robinson, who is a son-in-law of Henry Sturm.
1816	Ezekiel Sargeant, who was from Clark County.
1816	William Bothel, who was from Pennsylvania.
1817	John R. & Abraham Medaris (brothers).
Feb. 1817	John Ellsworth, who originally was from Clark County, Ohio.
1817/1818	Peter Princehouse
1818	Thaddeus Tuttle
???	William Richardson was also an early settler, but when he arrived is unknown. Other early settlers with unknown arrivals are: Jacob Kizer, George W. Frazier, Daniel Apples, and John Botkin.
1818	Edward Conroy
1815-1817	John Dorsey
1818	David LaRue, who was from Champaign County, Ohio
1819	Robert C. Cunningham
1819/1820	Samuel Redenbo
1820/21	Dr. Pratt (stayed one year and then Dr. Little came)
1824	Silas Dorsey
1831	Peter V. and David S. Sherwood
1832	Samuel Bird and William Niswanger
1833	John Platt and William B. Williams
1834	Elias Barbee
1835	Timothy Conover and John Dicken-Sheets
1836	Heman R. Hunt
1837	Matthias Gray
1839	Paul F. Verdier & Samuel Woodward
1840	Mahlon Moon
1842	Dr. John C. Leedom

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Other Firsts

1818/19	The 1st school in Green twp. was taught by Charles Dorsey in a log cabin that stood on the Larue farm.
1820	1st schoolhouse was built.  Miss Lucy Wilson taught the first term at the school.  Other early teachers were Patrick Armstrong, Patrick Good, and Isaac Botkin.
April 1820	It was at the house of John R. Medaris that the first election in Green Twp was held.  The first Justices of the Peace, Henry Sturm & Chas Johnson were elected.
1821-1822	a log cabin house was built for a school.  Dr. Pratt taught the 1st term at this new school during the winter.
*	1st township clerk was Charles Dorsey.
*	1st Road was Urbana-Sidney Road.
1824	1st brick house was built by John Medaris.
*	1st mill built by John Medaris.  It was a corn cracker built near Plattsville.
1826-27	William Ellsworth built a water power sawmill on Leatherwood Creek near Plattsville.
1854	the Hageman brothers built a steam sawmill 1 mile south of Plattsville.

  top   Churches    

The Spring Creek Christian Church	Organized on March 15, 1851 by J.T. Hunt & James Skillen with 61 members.  The first meetings were held  in a log school-house on Cephas T. Sanders farm.  In 1852, a frame church building was built near the line between Shelby and Miami counties.  The new  building was commenced in 1852, but was not completed until 1853 when it was dedicated by Rev. Griffin.  In 1868, a new building was built (still in use in 1883).  The third church building was dedicated November 1868 by Rev. James Linn.
Salem M.E. Church	Organized about 1825 by Rev. Simes or Rev. Westlake.  By 1840, they ceased to be an organization because part of the members withdrew to form another church society known as the Methodist Protestant Church.
Charity Chapel Methodist Protestant Church	Organized about 1840 with 12-15 members.  Silas Dorsey was their leader.  They met and held meeting at the house of Silas Dorsey until a frame church was built on section 4.  In 1864/5, the church died because they were weak in numbers.  Some members went to the the Christian Church Society.
Charity Chapel Christian Church	Organized in 1864/5 in the Methodist Protestant Church building by Elder Asbery Watkins.  A wooden frame church building was built and dedicated December 27, 1878 by Elder E.M. Rapp.
The M.E. Society at New Palestine	Organized about 1820 by Rev. Finley.  They worshipped at the homes of different members.  The M.E. Society remained an organization until about 1837 when the Christian Church was organized.  Members joined the new Christian Church.
New Palestine Christian Church	Organized September 1837 at the residence of Daniel Neal in Champaign County, by Elders Jeremiah Fusion & John T. Robertson.  17 members were in attendance.  In May 1838, seats were built in an empty house that stood on the farm them owned by Ira Hunt.  This house was used for several years.  In June 1851, a frame church building was dedicated by Elder Samuel Fusion, assisted by Elder Justus T. Hunt.  In 1881, a new frame church was built.
Plattsville M.E. Church	Formerly known as the Antioch M.E. Church Society.  Organized about 1819/20.  They met and worshipped at the homes of it's members. In 1828/29, a hewed log church was built on land donated by Thaddeus Tuttle for church purposes and a burial ground.  In 1849, a lot was purchased in Plattsville and a frame structure was built.  The new church was dedicated in 1850.
Plattsville Universalist Church	Organized September 30, 1877 by J.D. Lawer with 36 members.  A frame Church building was used.

top   Information was gathered from the following sources: "History of Shelby County, Ohio" by R. Sutton & Co. 1883      Back to Shelby County OHGenWeb ©1999 by Tina Hursh