History of Madison County
Deer Creek Township
This township occupies a central position in Madison County, and was one of the early organized townships. It is bounded on the north by Monroe and Jefferson Townships, on the east by Jefferson Township, on the south by Union Township and on the west by Somerford Township. We find on the records at the court house in London the following bearing date April 30, 1810: "At a meeting of the commissioners of Madison County, present John Arbuckle and William Gibson; ordered that all that tract of country comprehended in the following boundaries be and the same is hereby erected into a separate township by the name of Deer Creek, and is bounded as follows, viz.: Beginning on the Franklin County line, where Jefferson Township line intersects said line, and running westward to the northeast corner of John Melville's survey on the glade; thence with the south line of Jefferson Township to the north line of Mark's survey on Little Darby Creek, including all the settlement on Spring Fork to the Champaign County line; thence with said line to the East Fork of Deer Creek, at or near Levin Gibson's; thence in a direction to strike the southwest corner of Humble's survey; thence on a direct line to the southwest corner of the Widow Taylor's plantation; thence to the northwest corner of John Melville's survey, thence to the beginning."
From the same records we find a second erection of the township bearing date June 11, 1811, as follows: "At a meeting of the Commissioners of Madison County, ordered that all that tract of country comprehended in the following boundary be, and the same is erected into a separate township by the name of Deer Creek, and is bounded as follows, viz.: Beginning at the southeast corner of Jefferson Township; thence westwardly with Jefferson Township line to Darby Township line; thence with said line to Champaign County line; thence south with the said line, to the south boundary of Levin Gibson's survey; thence eastwardly to the south boundary of Uriah Humble's tract of land, or P. Neal's; thence eastward to the Widow Taylor's on Deer Creek; thence to the northwest corner of John Melville's survey; thence eastwardly to the county line of Franklin County, and from thence to the place of beginning." The line between Union and Deer Creek Townships was changed June 6, 1836, as follows: "At a meeting of the Commissioners of Madison County, on petition being presented, ordered that the line between Deer Creek Township and Union Township, be altered to run as follows, to wit: Beginning at the northwest corner of Jefferson Melville's land, and southwest corner of John Adair's land, and to run westerly to strike the La Fayette road, ten poles south of the Glade, between B. Bowdery's and D. J. Ross; thence the same course continued until it strikes the present line which divides said townships, so as to include D. J. Ross into Union Township."
From History of Madison County, Ohio, Chester E. Bryan, Supervising Editor, B.F. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis (1915)
Deer Creek township occupies a central location in Madison county, being bounded on the north by Monroe and Jefferson townships; on the east by Jefferson; on the south by Union, and on the west by Somerford township. This township was first erected in 1810, the year of the organization of Madison county, and the following is found in the commissioners' record under date of April 30:
"At a meeting of the commissioners of Madison county, present John Arbuckle and William Gibson, ordered that all that tract of country comprehended in the following boundaries be, and the same is hereby, erected into a separate township by the name of Deer Creek, and is bounded as follows, viz:
"Beginning on the Franklin county line, where Jefferson township line intersects said line, and running westward to the northeast corner of John Melville's survey on the glade; thence with the south line of Jefferson township to the north line of Mark's survey on Little Darby creek, including all the settlement on Spring fork to the Champaign county line; thence with said line to the East fork of Deer creek, at or near Levin Gibson's; thence on a direct line to the southwest corner of the widow Taylor's plantation; thence to the northwest corner of John Melville's survey, thence to the beginning."
In the same records is found a second erection of the township under date of June 11, 1811, as follows:
"At a meeting of the commissioners of Madison county, ordered that all that tract of country comprehended in the following boundary be, and the same is, erected into a separate township by the name of Deer creek, and is bounded as follows, viz:
"Beginning at the southeast corner of Jefferson township; thence westwardly with Jefferson township line to Darby township line; thence with said line to Champaign county line; thence south with said line, to the south boundary of Levin Gibson's survey; thence eastward to the widow Taylor's on Deer creek; thence to the northwest corner of John Melville's survey; thence eastwardly to the county line of Franklin county, and from thence to the place of beginning."
On June 6, 1836, the line between Union and Deer Creek townships was changed by the following order:
"At a meeting of the commissioners of Madison county, on petition being presented, ordered that the line between Deer Creek township and Union township be altered to run as follows, to wit:
"Beginning at the northwest corner of Jefferson Melville's land, and southwest corner of John Adair's land, and to run westerly to strike the La Fayette Road, ten poles south of the Glade, between B. Bowdery's and D. J. Ross; thence the same course continued until it strikes the present line which divides said townships, so as to include D. J. Ross into Union township."
The boundaries of the township have not been changed since and remain to this day.
The first election in the new township was held in the spring of 1812, at which the following oflicers were elected: Trustees, John Arbnckle, John Wilson and John Shields; treasurer, Charles Atchison; constables, William Noteman and William Atchison; fence viewers, John Arbuckle and Thomas Gwynne; overseers of the poor, Daniel Roos and William Marp; supervisors, Curtis Ballard and William Pepper; lister, William Pepper.
By the official acts in recording the marks for stock, it appears that from 1810 to 1812, the time of the first election officially recorded, John Blair performed the work of the township clerk. Justices of the peace were not elected in the township until the year 1818, when George Prugh and John Shields were chosen.
The elections were held in Lawrenceville, more generally known as "Limerick," until the spring of 1837, since which they have been held in Lafayette, the only village in the township. In the early days the treasurer was required to give a bond of only three hundred dollars.