Near David M. Bradley's, or rather a little east of his place, near the junction of Little Darby and Spring Fork, was an old camping ground of the Indians. On one occasion while they were camping here, and were all peaceable and friendly with the settlers, one Mr. Lappin, a citizen of Jefferson Township, reckless in his habits, and with no sympathy in his heart, in passing near their camp, while all were out on a hunt but one lone Indian, who remained as a guard at the camp, he drew up his rifle, took aim and fired and killed the Indian in his tracks, and then hurried on to his home. One or two white settlers saw Mr. Lappin shoot the Indian, but were powerless to prevent the deed. The murder was soon reported among the settlers, and great fear and consternation prevailed, fearing that the Indians, as soon as they returned, would be so incensed at the rash deed that they would murder all the settlers. They were terribly provoked, but on being informed who had done the deed, to their credit they refrained from doing damage to any of the settlers, but started in pursuit of the murderer who had already fled to Columbus for safety, and thus escaped their vengeance. But he never dared return to his home for years, till the Indians had taken a final leave.
We will now give the officials of the township as far back as the records which are preserved will show them. We find all previous to the year 1848 are destroyed or lost. Since that date they are as follows.
Trustees.— 1848, John Baker, Elisha Bidwell and David Morris; 1849, W.M. Wadsworth, John Aylor and Elisha Bidwell; 1850-51, John Baker, David Morris and W.M. Wadsworth; 1852, John Baker, W.M. Wadsworth and D.M. Bradley; 1853, John Baker, W.M. Wadsworth and John Bradley; 1854, John Baker, John Bradley and James Guy; 1855-56, John Baker, John Bradley and David Morris; 1857-58, David Morris, John Baker and Ralston Williams; 1859-60, John Baker, Ralston Williams and John H. Finley; 1861, J.H. Finley, Ralston Williams and D.M. Bradley; 1862, D.M. Bradley, John Kreamer and Ralston Williams; 1863, D.M. Bradley, John Kreamer and William Sanford; 1864, James Guy, William Sanford and D.M. Bradley; 1865-66, D.R. Lombard, J.J. Bradley and J.W. Morris; 1867, J.M. Bradley, Washington Marks and Joseph Williams; 1868, J.M. Bradley, David M. Bradley and James Guy; 1869-72, J.M. Bradley, Henry Burnham and Charles L. Burnham; 1872, Henry Burnham, J.M. Bradley and Calvin Bradley; 1874, J.M. Bradley, Calvin Bradley and La Fayette Wilson; 1875, J.M. Bradley, Calvin Bradley and W.A. Finley; 1876, J.M. Bradley, W.A. Finley and Joseph Williams; 1877, J.M. Bradley, Jonah Woods and Joseph Williams; 1878, J.M. Bradley, Elisha Fisher and James Guy; 1879, D.R. Sanford, H.T. Finley and Elijah Fisher; 1880, D.R. Lombard, J.M. Bradley adn Calvin Bradley; 1881, J.M. Bradley, H.T. Finley and E. Webber; 1882, H. Burrell, D.R. Lombard and E. Webber.
Clerks. — 1848, J.R. Farrington; 1849-50, Henry Winklebeck; 1851, Horrace Sanford; 1852-54, John H. Finley; 1855, Israel Heath; 1856-57, J.W. Morris; 1858-64, John M. Bradley; 1865-70, J.H. Finley; 1871, Horace T. Finley; 1872-76, William F. Sanford; 1877, F.P. Sanford; 1878, Charles F. Sanford; 1879, J.A. Smith; 1880, Henry Baker; 1881, S. Finley; 1882, H.T. Finley.
Treasurers. — 1848, David Link; 1849-52, David Morris; 1853-59, D.M. Bradley; 1860-62, David Morris; 1863, Horace Sanford; 1865, Henry Burnham; 1865-68, David Morris; 1869-74, James Guy; 1865-81, HJenry Burnham; 1882, Elmer Stephens.
Justices of the Peace. — 1836, James McMann and John Baker; 1839, Matthew Y. Patrick and Andrew Parker; 1842, Andrew Parker; 1845, John Baker and Fletcher M. Pratt; 1848, James Guy and Israel Heath; 1849, John Baker; 1851, David Morris; 1852, John Baker; 1854, James R. Farrington; 1855, John H. Finley and John Baker; 1858, Joseph M. Kennedy and Benjamin W. Mann; 1862, David Morris and Henry Burnham; 1866, David Morris; 1870, John Baker and DavidMorris; 1875, Henry C. Baker and Joseph Williams; 1876, W.H. Sidebottom; 1877, J.W. Morris; 1878, Arthur Smith and Charles F. Sanford; 1881, Henry C. Baker.
Constables. — 1848, George H. Aylor and W.M. Wadsworth; 1849, W.M. Wadsworth and Smith Hewett; 1850, John K. Holycross and William Sanford; 1851, W.M. Wadsworth and David Woosley; 1852, R.M. Hawkins and W.M. Wadsworth; 1853, Isaiah Heath and William Wheatley; 1854, R.M. Hawkins and R. Helverson; 1855, Israel Heath and David A. Potter; 1856, G.H. Howser and Peter Baker; 1857, Benjamin Morris and William M. French; 1858, James J. Beals and Edson Scranton; 1859, James J. Beals and L.B. Harvey; 1860, William M. French and John Peters; 1861, D.R. Lombard and Cyrus Guy; 1862, Alexander Bradley and Joseph Williams; 1863-65 (wanting); 1866, H.C. Baker and Quincy Bradley; 1867, Solomon Morris; 1868, Jonathan Bigelow and Harvey Bradley; 1869, Henderson Baker and Jonathan Bigelow; 1870, Jonathan Bigelow; 1871-74, J.M. Willoughby; 1875, Joel Saeger and E.M. Lombard; 1876, Robert Nagley and Josiah Morris; 1877, E.W. Fisher and Josiah Morris; 1878, F.P. Sanford and F.W. Sanford; 1879, Jonathan Bigelow; 1880, Jonathan Bigelow and E.B. Tilman; 1881, Willis Foulk and E.B.Tilman; 1882, J. Bigelow.
Assessors. — 1859, Daniel Kent; 1850, Israel Heath; 1851-56, John Baker; 1857, James M. Wilson; 1859-59, John W. Morris; 1860, John Baker; 1861-65, J.W. Morris; 1866-67, David Morris; 1868, J.H. Finley; 1869-70, Ralston Williams; 1871-74, James Guy; 1875, Calvin Bradley; 1876, Joseph Williams; 1877, J.W. Morris; 1878, J.M. Bradley; 1879, A.E. Osborn; 1880, C.F. Sanford; 1881, James Guy, and 1882, L.F. Webber