This township is situated in the extreme southwest corner of Madison County, and is bounded on the north by Clark County and Paint Township, on the east by Range Township, south by Fayette County, and on the west by Greene County. It is one of the original townships of Madison County. The records give its erection as follows: "April 30, 1810, Ordered that all that tract of country contained in the following boundary be and the same is hereby laid out into a separate township, to be known by the name of Stokes, and is bounded as follows, viz.: Beginning at the southeast corner of Champaign County, and running in a southeast direction, on the north side of Big Prairie, east of John Mozer's, to the head of the East Fork of Paint Creek, and with the said East Fork, including the inhabitants on each side of said fork, to the Fayette County line; thence west to the corner of Greene County; thence with Greene County line to Champaign County line; thence with said line to the place of beginning; by order of the board." In the erection of Clark County in 1817, some of the territory included within the above-described boundaries as forming Stokes Township was cut off and taken into that county. The township elections in 1810 were held, by order of the Associate Judges of Madison County, at the house of P. Cutright. On June 11, 1810, the Commissioners "ordered that the rate of a license for a tavern in Stokes township shall be $5 for the present year." In 1811, it was made $4. In 1853, Paint Township was erected, and a part of hte above-described territory embraced in Stokes Township was taken to form a part of that township.
From Atlas of Madison County by J.A. Caldwell, Condit, Ohio (1875)
Stokes Township was organized for civil purposes by the County Commissioners in 1810, and is the south-west township. It is bounded on the south by Fayette, and west by Greene counties, north by Clarke County and Paint Township, east by Range Township. It posseses [sic] excellent lands and fine oak timber, the principal stream is Paint Creek. Stokes like the rest of the townships of the county is well adapted to the growing of corn, oats and hay. Stokes has a great many productive and valuable farms, fine residences dot the township everywhere. The surface of stokes is level, and in the early settlement, the prairies produced excellent pasturage for the cattle of the Pioeers [sic]. Mr. David Selsor who resides in this township, ranks among the leading stock men of the county, for a number of years he has each year shipped to the east, what is called christmas cattle, and has taken the first premium for several years on his blooded stock, at the different fairs. The first land surveyed in this township was in 1801.
Stokes township is located in the extreme southwest corner of Madison county, being bounded on the north by Clark county and Paint township; on the east by Range township; on the south by Fayette county and on the west by Greene county. It was one of the original townships of the county and the commissioners' records have the following to say about its erection:
"April 30, 1810, ordered that all that tract of country contained in the following boundaries be and the same is hereby laid out unto a separate township, to be known by the name of Stokes, and is bounded as follows, viz.: Beginning at the southeast corner of Champaign county, and running in a southeast direction, on the north side of Big Prairie. east of John Moxer's, to the head of the East fork of Paint creek, and with the said East fork, including the inhabitants on each side of said fork, to the Fayette county line; thence west to the corner of Greene county; thence with the Greene county line to Champaign county line; thence with said line to the place of beginning, by order of the board."
The township election in 1810 was held, by order of the associate judges of Madison county, at the house of P. Outright. There are no records available from which to find who were chosen to flll the various offices. All the township records before the year of 1833 have disappeared.
In the erection of Clark county in 1817, some of the territory of the township went to form that county. Again, in 1853, Paint township was erected and a part of the above described territory embraced in Stokes township was taken to form a part of that township.