| SHARON TOWNSHIP.
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THE Township of Sharon consists of a small part of what was once Liberty Township. It is just five miles square, and is known on the maps as township two, in range eighteen. It was established by its present name the 14th of March, 1806. Its first settlement was commenced in the spring of 1803, by the Scioto Company, as related in the first Chapter of this work. In 1804, the town of Worthington was laid out. In 1805, the Worthington Post Office was first established, and William Robe* was appointed the first Postmaster in 1805. *Mr. Robe was a dwarf, or man of remarkabley small size, not weighing more than from fifty to sixty pounds in ordinary health. He was well proportioned and neat in his appearance; a well educated man, and gentlemanly in his manners. He was a teacher in the Worthington Seminary—afterward a clerk in the State Auditor's office. He died in January, 1823, aged about forty-five years. 180
Arora Buttles, second Postmaster, appointed in 1815. Recompence Stansberry, third Postmaster, appointed in 1821. R. W. Cowles, fourth Postmaster, appointed in 1841, and died the same year. Recompence Stansberry, fifth Postmaster, appointed again in 1841. Geo. H. Griswold, sixth Postmaster, in place of Stansberry, deceased, in 1843. Geo. Taylor, seventh Postmaster, appointed in 1849. Geo. H. Griswold, eighth Postmaster, appointed again in 1843. Charles Martin, jr., ninth Postmaster, appointed in 1857 in 1811, the Worthington Manufacturing Company was incorporated. Col. Kilbourne was the President and general agent of the Company. They made some good improvements on the factory ground (so called) and about the year 1813 or '14 they went extensively into business. They not only manufactured woolen cloth, but carried on various other mechanical branches. They also engaged largely in the mercantile business, and in banking. They had their stores in Worthington, Franklinton and Columbus, and their bank notes in general circulation. The Company, however, eventually 181
failed, and the whole concern went down about the years 1819 and '20. About the time the Manufacturing Company went into operation, the first newspaper ever published in Franklin County was commenced at Worthington. It was called the Western Intelligencer. It is noticed under the head of Newspapers—Chapter IV. In 1835, the town of Worthington was incorporated, and in the spring of 1836, the corporation organized by the elections of the following officers, to wit: Mayor, James Kilbourne; Recorder, G. H. Griswold; Trustees, Samuel Abbott, Wm. Bishop, Ira Metcalf, A. H. Pinney, Wm. S. Spencer, and R. W. Cowles; Treasurer, Levi Pinney; Marshal, Chauncey Barker; Street Commissioner, Abner P. Pinney; Dayton Topping and D. W. Harrington, Fire Wardens. The subsequent elections were (omitting all minor officers) as follows:
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The population of this township in 1840 was 1,168, including the town of Worthington. In 1850, it was 1,509. In 1853, the township contained thirteen school districts, including the town; and, agreeably to the returns, an aggregate of 550 youth between the ages of five and twenty-one yars. In 1857, the aggregate of such youth was 494. The following list of the Justices of the Peace who have been elected and served in Sharon Towship:
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