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TOWNSEND TOWNSHIP (SANDUSKY COUNTY, OHIO) RECORDS

Local Government Records

Collection ID: LG-33
Location: L 33

(Description ID: 609911)

Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums 

Townsend Township, Sandusky County, Ohio Records 

LG-33 

Introduction
Agency History
Scope and Content
Inventory 

Introduction
These records of Townsend Township, Sandusky County, Ohio, were donated to the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums in 2024. 

Agency History
In May 1820, the newly elected Sandusky County Commissioners officially formed Townsend Township. The township, located in Sandusky County, Ohio, is bounded on the east by Erie County, on the south by York Township, on the west by Riley Township, and on the north by Erie County and the Sandusky Bay. The first settler in Townsend Township was Moses Wilson; he began living in the township in the spring of 1818.  The first election of the township was held in Wilson’s home.  The township was named for the Townsend family who were among the second group of settlers to establish a homestead in the township. Other prominent settlers were the Corbit, Tew and Jackson families. Townsend Township was heavily forested before settlers began to clear trees for farmland and utilize the fertile soil and abundance of artesian wells to create large family farms that thrived for generations.

The adoption of the Ordinance of 1787 by the federal government provided for the legal establishment of the first governmental unit in Ohio, the township. When Ohio became a state in 1803, the township became a political subdivision of state government. Its powers were granted by the state legislature and its functions were directed by the state of Ohio. In 1804, provisions were made for the care of the poor, maintenance of roads, and the general peace of the township, the registration of livestock marks and brands, and generally to meet the basic needs of township residents.

Elected officials, a board of three trustees, a clerk, two overseers of the poor, a selected number of highway supervisors and constables, and a justice of the peace carried out these duties. In later years, boards of education and health, an assessor, and a treasurer were added.

Many of the functions of nineteenth-century township officials were assumed by county and municipal governments. Currently the number of elected officials has been reduced to three trustees and a clerk. They are elected to four-year terms and fulfill their duties on a part-time basis. Their responsibilities include the care and maintenance of cemeteries and roads, providing for sanitary waste disposal, rural zoning, and police and fire protection. 

Scope and Content
The collection of Townsend Township consists of 33 ledgers of road superintendent records, bonds of township trustees, trustees’ records and meeting minutes, court records, chattel mortgage records, board of health meeting minutes, board of fruit commissioners’ records, and a poor record and account book. The collection also consists of loose-leaf trustees’ meeting minutes, officers’ bonds, fire department contracts, electric company contracts, ditch records, and correspondence. Hunting licenses and records, construction company records, land records, account sheets, and voting materials complete the collection. The collection materials span from 1871 to 2016.

A large portion of the collection is trustees’ records and meeting minutes. There are nine ledgers of trustees’ records and meeting minutes and 19 folders of loose-leaf trustees’ meeting minutes. The records extend from 1883 to 2016.  Another large portion of the collection is voting materials.  There are 45 oversize poll books and tally sheets, as well as 3 smaller poll books. The poll books feature elections for board of education, township officers, constitutional amendments, judicial referendums, ballot initiatives, and presidential elections. The poll books cover multiple precincts in Townsend Township and span from 1906 to 1929. 

A smaller portion of the collection features account sheets. Many of the account sheets hold general accounting information, but some include specific accounts on road, bridge, and gas taxes.  The account sheets extend from 1939-1949.  Six cash journals complete the collection. 

Inventory
Ac. 6130 

Box 1

  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 3/5/1883-3/11/1889
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 9/8/1896-10/10/1901
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 10/26/1901-10/31/1908
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 11/28/1908-6/12/1915
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 6/26/1915-11/17/1923
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 12/1/1923-6/25/1932
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 7/9/1932-12/31/1940
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 1/1/1941-1/9/1950
  • Trustees’ Records and Meeting Minutes 1/2/1984-10/1/1990 

Box 2

  • Road Superintendent Record 11/20/1880-4/13/1887
  • Road Superintendent Record 4/12/1883-4/13/1887
  • Road Superintendent Record 12/2/1906-12/20/1909
  • Road Superintendent Record 2/16/1907-9/3/1909
  • Road Superintendent Record 3/25/1908-12/4/1909
  • Bonds of Township Trustee 4/10/1871-10/30/1885
  • Bonds of Township Trustee 12/20/1909-7/6/1914
  • Bonds of Township Trustee 1/2/1912-1/6/1917
  • Bonds of Township Trustee 12/31/1917-12/30/1925
  • Bonds of Township Trustee 12/10/1925-12/30/1933
  • Bonds of Township Trustee 12/9/1935-1/2/1950
  • Bonds of Township Trustee 11/6/1951-5/12/1969
  • Chattel Mortgage Records 1880s-1900s
  • Chattel Mortgage Records 1890s-1900s 

Box 3

Folder

  1. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/2/1950-1/2/1956
  2. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/9/1956-12/31/1959
  3. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/1/1960-12/27/1965
  4. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/3/1966-12/31/1970
  5. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/4/1971-1/14/1974
  6. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/21/1974-11/7/1977
  7. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/2/1978-12/30/1982
  8. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/3/1983-12/30/1983
  9. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 10/15/1990-12/31/1990
  10. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/7/1991-12/30/1991
  11. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/6/1992-12/7/1992
  12. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/4/1993-12/31/1993
  13. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/3/1994-12/31/1994
  14. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/2/1995-12/30/1995
  15. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/3/1996-12/30/1996
  16. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/6/1997-12/31/1997
  17. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/5/1998-12/30/1998
  18. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/4/1999-12/30/1999
  19. Trustees’ Meeting Minutes 1/4/2016-12/31/2016 

Box 4

  • Board of Fruit Commissioners Records May 1895-April 1900
  • Board of Health Meeting Minutes 4/17/1897-1/3/1916
  • Poor Record and Account Book 3/1/1897-5/15/1912

Folder

  1. Correspondence 7/25/1907-6/9/1975
  2. Bonds and Notices 1/2/1912-12/21/1977
  3. Officer’s Bond 2/4/1966 (5)
  4. Account Sheets
             Receipts and Expenditures 1/1/1925-12/31/1925
             Cash Journal 1/5/1939-7/16/1940
             Cash Journal 7/22/1940-12/31/1941
             Cash Journal 1/1/1944-12/31/1945
             Cash Journal 1/1/1947-12/31/1947
             Cash Journal 1/1/1948-12/31/1948
             Cash Journal 1/17/1949-12/31/1949
             General Account Sheets 1/13/1941-12/31/1941
             Road, Bridge, and Gas Tax Account Sheets 1/13/1941-12/31/1941
             General Account Sheets 1/5/1942-12/31/1942
             Road, Bridge, and Gas Tax Account Sheets 2/20/1942-12/31/1942
             General Account Sheets 1/25/1943-12/31/1943
             Road, Bridge, and Gas Tax Account Sheets 2/23/1943-12/31/1943
             General Account Sheets 1/21/1944-12/30/1944
             Road, Bridge, and Gas Tax Account Sheets 1/21/1944-12/30/1944
             General Account Sheets 1/20/1945-12/31/1945
             Road, Bridge, and Gas Tax Account Sheets 1/22/1945-12/31/1945
             General Account Sheets 1/17/1949-12/31/1949
             Road, Bridge, and Gas Tax Account Sheets 1/17/1949-12/19/1949
  1. Land Records
             Petition 5/5/1888
             Land Dispute Petition and Resolution 1973
             Land Plot Map
             Land Agreement 4/19/1897
  1. Bay Shore Allotment Records 1956
  2. Ditch Records 8/21/1954-12/24/1974
  3. Voting Materials
             Polling Book (No Date)
             Democratic Poll Book 1912
             Precinct Polling Book 1917
  1. Hunting Licenses and Records 8/27/1924-11/25/1937
  2. Peerless Construction Company Records 1931
  3. Clyde Fire Contract 3/3/1952-2/8/1971
  4. Volunteer Fire Department Contracts 1/30/1961-1/19/1981
  5. Ohio Edison/Toledo Edison Records 12/5/1960-10/1/1981
  6. Ephemera
             Police Officer Oath 4/11/1966
             Road Sign Resolution 2/13/1958
             Dwight’s Saleratus Advertisement
             Road Papers 11/20/1889 

Box 5

  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/6/1906
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/5/1912
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet for Judicial Branch 11/5/1912
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/4/1913
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet for Amendments to the Constitution 11/4/1913
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet for Initiatives 11/4/1913
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet for Judicial Branch 11/4/1913
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet for Township Officers 11/4/1913
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/3/1914
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/2/1915
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/2/1915
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/7/1916
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/6/1917
  • Combined Poll Books and Tally Sheets 8/13/1918
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/5/1918
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet 6/6/1919
  • Board of Education Poll Book 11/4/1919
  • Township Combined Poll Book 11/4/1919
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct A 4/27/1920
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct A 9/14/1920
  • Combined Poll Books and Tally Sheets 11/2/1920
  • Combined Poll Books and Tally Sheets Precinct B 11/2/1920
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct G 2/15/1921
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 5/10/1921
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct G 5/10/1921
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 7/12/1921
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct G 7/12/1921
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 11/8/1921
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/8/1921
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct A 11/8/1921
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 11/8/1921
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct A 1924
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 11/4/1924
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct A 11/6/1923
  • Board of Education Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 11/6/1923
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct A 11/6/1923
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 11/6/1923
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet 11/4/1924
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 11/4/1924
  • Poll Books and Tally Sheets Precinct A 11/3/1925
  • Poll Books and Tally Sheets Precinct B 11/3/1925
  • Poll Books and Tally Sheets for Judicial Referendum Precinct A 11/8/1927
  • Poll Books and Tally Sheets for Judicial Referendum Precinct B 11/8/1927
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct A 11/5/1929
  • Poll Book and Tally Sheet Precinct B 11/5/1929
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