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| History
of Franklin Township |
Franklin Township covers
(22) twenty-two square miles and is bordered by the irregular shoreline of
Grand Lake, once known as the Grand Reservoir, to the north. Its
east borderline is Auglaize County, with the west border Butler Township
and the south border Marion Township. It is approximately (6) six
miles in length, stretching from State Route 127 on the west to The
Auglaize/Mercer County line. It covers nearly (3 1/2) three and
one-half miles from its northern most boundary to its southern most
boundary.
The township was organized December 7, 1841 with the first elections held
on Christmas Eve 1841. The first settlers to Franklin Township were
Stephen Sprague, Abraham and John Miller, and the Lacey, Beauchamp, and
Johnson families. The Botkin family settled on the Big Chickasaw
Creek. Other early settlers to the township were William Winter, the
Ballinger, Bennett, Brandon, Long Preston, McGee, Buxton, Selby, Dabbelt,
Dammeyer, Burdges, and Trim families. Isaac Ellis, another early
settler, was the chief fur buyer in this part of the country.
Descendents of these early settlers still reside in the township and the
county.
At the time of settlement, the Big and Little Chickasaw Indian tribes
occupied the township. Two township streams currently bear their
names. The citizens of the township and the Indians lived peaceably.
The Indians never gave settlers cause for alarm. They lived along
side one another for many years.
This township was, and continues to be, one of the county's best farming
districts. Grains were the crops of choice. From the beginning
of settlement, the residents of the township belonged to the important
Mercer County fair board.
After the Grand Reservoir was dug, it was an abundant supply of fish.
Wild ducks and geese were also plentiful. This gave individuals the
prosperous vocation of shipping ducks, geese and fish. It was
through this vocation that many farmers paid for their homes and farms.
Fish, at this time, went for a very high price, making it an important
business.
Once the fish and game resource was exhausted, a new wealth was
discovered. Oil and natural gas were discovered in the township.
More wells were drilled in Franklin Township than any other township of
the county. Natural gas proved to be more profitable and many large
wells were drilled. This proved to be such a profitable venture that
many towns in this part of the state were supplied with gas from these
wells. Two pipelines supplied Celina, Greenville, Piqua, Springfield
and all nearby towns. The gas era was short lived, with towns
reverting to coal and wood. |
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