Fitchville Township, Huron County, Ohio
Township #2 in Range 21
Early Beginnings
Fitchville Township is thought to have been named after a man named Fitch, who was a large land-holder in the township, and who lived in Connecticut. (The name Fitch is seen in a list of Fire Land "sufferers" and their losses.) Prior to 1820, Hartland, Fitchville, and Greenwich Townships were grouped together for civil and judicial purposes. In 1820, Hartland was detached and connected with Clarksville. Fitchville was detached from Greenwich in 1828 and organized as a separate township. Rundel Palmer was the first justice of the peace, and Samuel Palmer, clerk.
Fitchville Township is thought to have been named after a man named Fitch, who was a large land-holder in the township, and who lived in Connecticut. (The name Fitch is seen in a list of Fire Land "sufferers" and their losses.) Prior to 1820, Hartland, Fitchville, and Greenwich Townships were grouped together for civil and judicial purposes. In 1820, Hartland was detached and connected with Clarksville. Fitchville was detached from Greenwich in 1828 and organized as a separate township. Rundel Palmer was the first justice of the peace, and Samuel Palmer, clerk.
Early Settlers
Peter Mead, Abraham Mead, and Amos Reynolds were the first to settle in Fitchville in the summer of 1817. The Meads came from Carmel, Putnam county, New York, but were originally from Connecticut. Amos Reynolds came from Westchester county (New York?). They were forced to cut a road into the township. Immediately upon their arrival, they prepared the ground for a crop of corn, and then built log cabins to house their families who meanwhile had no shelter but that of the wagons. Abraham Mead, after clearing several acres of land, became dissatisfied with his location. Desiring to get as close to the center of the township as possible, he measured it off each way by rope and a pocket compass, and took possession of the land lying near the center. It was here that the little village of Clinton was later built.
Some other early settlers, and their dates of arrival in Fitchville, were:
Some other early settlers, and their dates of arrival in Fitchville, were:
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Rundel Palmer 1818
Alvah Palmer 1818 Seeley Palmer 1818 Linus Palmer 1818 Samuel Palmer 1818 Abijah Palmer 1818 Matthew Laughlin 1818 Gilbert Martin 1819 William W. Watrous 1819 Charles Lyon 1819 J. N. Pickard c.1819 Henry Pickard c.1819 Absalom H. Coleman 1820 Jotham W. Curtiss c.1820 Hiram A. Curtiss c.1820 Joseph C. Curtiss c.1820 Joseph Washburne 1820 Daniel Ward 1820 |
Austin Ward 1820
John Barnes c.1821 Lewis Barnes c.1821 Henry Hickok 1822 Henry Morgan 1824 Ebenezer Green 1824 Allen Johnson c.1824 Joseph Barker 1824 James Barker 1824 Jabez Denton 1825 Ashbel G. Post 1825 Ebenezer Osborne 1825 Joseph C. Washburne 1826 Abel F. Eaton 1826 Isaac Eaton c.1826 William Eaton c.1826 Amos Green 1826 Cyrus Green 1826 |
Some First Events
- The first white child born in the township was Varney P., son of Peter and Alice Mead.
- The first death was that of Deborah Mead, wife of Abraham Mead on 23 Jul 1823.
- Robert Golden and Rosannah Washburne, a sister of Joseph Washburne, were the first couple to marry.
- The Meads built the first log house, and Ludovicus Robbins built the first frame house, about 1827.
- Alvah Palmer planted the first orchard from seed.
- The first church -- the Congregational -- was organized in the summer of 1819 through the efforts of two missionaries (Rev. John Seward and Rev. Joseph Treat) who were sent by the Connecticut missionary society. The first members were Rundell, Robert, Delia, Claudia and Tamira Palmer; and Mary and Deborah Mead.
- The first Sunday school was held by Allen Johnson at his house in 1825. Members were Edward and Benjamin Green; Barnard Johnson; Louisa Johnson; and Sarah Palmer. Assisting Mr. Johnson were Ebenezer Osborne and Zetta Green.
- The first school was taught in a small log building, a short distance south from the center of the township. It also served as a place of worship for many years. Samuel Palmer taught the first school here in 1824, with students from the families of Rundel and Abijah Palmer; Charles Lyon, Abraham Mead; Gilbert Martin; and Joseph Washburne.
- The first physician was Dr. William M. Ladd who arrived in the spring of 1822, and made his home in the cabin of Abraham Mead.
- The first tavern built in Fitchville was built by Hiram A, Curtiss in 1833. It was a large frame building of two stories, and was well patronized.
- Union White opened the first store in the fall of 1830.
- The first mill, a primitive one, was in use in 1825 and the property of J. N. Pickard.
- A saw mill was built as early as 1830 near the township center by William, Rundel and Samuel Palmer.
- The principal cemetery of Fitchville was laid out about 1826. Alvah Palmer, who died in 1827, was the first person buried there, and Louisa Green, the second.
- The first post office was established about 1828 with Rundel Palmer as postmaster. He kept the office in his home.
- Henry Hickok was the first blacksmith in the township.
- The Village of Clinton, within the township, was laid out in 1832.
Early Population Indicators
- Cyrus Green, one of the early settlers in Fitchville, is reported as saying that there were 40 families in residence when he came to the township in 1826.
- 1830, Fitchville had a population of 330 persons. After that year, the population rose rapidly until about 1842, when it decreased.
- 1840 U. S. Census - 1,294
- 1880 U. S. Census - 822
Cemetery Locations in Fitchville Township
The numbers of the cemeteries below, correspond
with the circled numbers on the map above.
with the circled numbers on the map above.
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Information compiled by Ken Shute.
Maps by Bob Kerner.
Transcribed from the old Huron County OHGenWeb site
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