After the erection of Franklin county, the territory embraced therein was sub-divided into four townships, and from the records at Columbus the following information has been obtained: "Ordered. that all that tract or part of Franklin county contained within the following limits and boundaries, to wit: Beginning on the west bank of the Scioto river, one mile on a direct line above the mouth of Roaring run; from thence, on a direct line, to the junction of Treacles creek with Darby creek, which is frequently called the forks of Darby; thence south unto the line between the counties of Ross and Franklin; thence west with said line until it intersects the county line of Greene; thence with the last mentioned line north, and from the point of beginning, up the Scioto to the northern boundaries of Franklin county, do make and constitute the second township in said county. and be called Darby township." This erection was made by the associate judges of Franklin county on May 10, 1803.
The first election was held at the house of David Mitchell in said township, and Joshua Ewing was elected justice of the peace. This was the first election for a member of Congress ever held in the state. There were four candidates, Michael Baldwin, William McMillan, Elias Langham and Jeremiah Morrow. Darby township cast its full vote, twenty-two, for McMillan; and although Franklin county cast one hundred and thirty votes, Jeremiah Morrow, who was elected to represent Ohio in the halls of Congress, received but two votes from that county.
At a session of the associate judges of Franklin county, held on January 10, 1804, the following was recorded among the proceedings: "Ordered, that there be paid unto James Ewing out of the treasury of Franklin county, the sum of $8.75. it being the compensation due to him for seven days' services in taking the list of taxable property and the enumeration of white males in Darby township for the year 1803." Thus it will be seen that James and Joshua Ewing were the first officials of the territory, subsequently erected into Madison county. At that time a living stream of settlers was pouring into the country west of the Big Darby, and so rapidly were the lands taken up that Darby township soon contained sufficient population with which to found a new county. In accordance with a petition presented by the inhabitants thereof, the Legislature passed an act on February 16, 1810, through which a new county was created, and named in honor of the illustrious James Madison, fourth President of the United States, who was then at the head of the government.