HISTORY OF FRANKLIN COUNTY.



CHAPTER X V I.

PLEASANT TOWNSHIP

THIS Township was organized by its present name in 1807, though it then embraced four or five times its present area.  It was reduced to its present limits by the formation of Jackson in 1815, and of Prairie in 1819.  A settlement was commenced on Darby, near Georgesville, at an early age of the county.  Amongst the settlers were, Messrs. Thomas Roberts, John Bigger, James Gardiner, Samuel Dyer, Samuel Kerr, John Turner and others.  About as early as 1805, Mr. Dyer erected his mill, which was long known as "Dyer's mill," and has been kept up by repeated repairs till the present time.  It was for some years owned by James Gardiner, and bore his name; but it is now owned by William Dyer, and its former name restored.  It is the only flouring mill in the township.

In 1815, a post office was established in this township by the name of "Pleasant Post Office."  In 1816, Mr. Roberts laid out the town of Georgesville, and in



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1818, the name of the post office was changed to "Georgesville Post Office."  The successive postmasters have been:

Thos. Roberts, first postmaster, appointed in Feb. 1815.
Thos. Reynolds, second, postmaster appointed Sept. 1828.
Wm. Scott, third postmaster, (present incumbent,) appointed in Nov. 1851.

Mr. Reynolds died in July, 1851.  From that time till Mr. Scott's appointment (four months) the office was kept by his wodow.


In June, 1836, the town of Harrisburgh was laid out by Joseph Chenowith, Esq., Frederick Cole, Esq., surveyor.  It is now a lively village, containing about thirty families, two taverns, four stores, two physicians, a church, belonging to the Methodist denomination, and a post office.  The post office, however, had been established at this place, by the name of "Darby Cross Roads," some years before the town was laid out.  After the town was laid out, the name was changed to "Harrisburg Post Office." The successive postmasters have been:



John Haines, first postmaster.
George Geiger, second postmaster appointed in 1833.
Abram Buckles, third postmaster appointed, in 1836.

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Dr. T. Thompson, fourth postmaster, appointed in 1838.
Henry Miller, fifth postmaster, appointed in 1841.
J. W. Goetschius, sixth postmaster, appointed in 1841.
Henry Miller, seventh postmaster, (present incumbent,) appointed in 1853.

At the session of 1850-51, the town was incorporated, and in 1851, the following gentlemen were elected the first Board of Trustees:  Henry Miller, J. Chenowith, O. T. Curry, L. W. Sefert and G. W. Helmick.

SUCCESSIVE MAYORS, RECORDERS AND MARSHALS.

Year. Mayor. Recorder. Marshal.
1851. J. Helmick Z.G Weddle S. Swisgood.
1852. " " "
1853. " J. R. Sheeders S. H. Covert.
1854. " " "
1855. J. R. Sheeders J. Helmick J. Fuller.
1856. J. Helmick Titus England "
1857. Geo. W. Helmick " John Snyder.

The population of this township in 1840, was 807.  In 1857, the aggregate of such youth was 518.



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SUCCESSIVE JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

1807. Samuel Kerr and John Smith, elcted.
1808. John Turner, in place of Kerr, resigned.
1811. John Turner, reëlected, and Alexander Blair.
1814. Michael Dickey, elected.
1815. Samuel Dyer, "
1816. Reuben Golliday, "
1818. Samuel Dyer, reëlected.
1819. Reuben Golliday"
1821. Jacob Gundy, in place of Dyer.
1822. Reuben Golliday, reëlected.
1824. Jacob Gundy,"
1825. John Tipton, in place of Golliday.
1827. Jacob Gundy, reëlected.
1828. John Tipton, "
1830. William Walker, in place of Gundy.
1831. John Tipton, reëlected.
1833. William Walker,  "
1834. John Tipton"
1839. William Walker,  "
1840. John Tipton, reëlected, moved to the west, and same year,
1840. Richard Heath, elected in place of Tipton.


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1842. William Walker, reëlected.
1843. Henry Shenefelt, in place of Heath.
1845. William Walker, reëlected.
1846. Henry Shenefelt, "
1848. William Walker,"
1848. Geo. W. Helmick, elected in place of Shenefelt.
1850. Zelotes G. Weddle, in place of Helmick, resigned.
1851. Geo. W. Helmick, in place of Walker.
1853. J. B. Mitchel, in place of Weddle.
1854. Reuben Chaffin, in place of Helmick.
1856. J. B. Mitchel, reëlected, and William Walker, place of Chaffin, resigned.

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