Harpersfield Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Harpersfield Township is one of the twenty-seven townships
of Ashtabula County
, Ohio
, United States
. The 2000 census
found 2,603 people in the township.
Part of the city of Geneva
is located in northern Harpersfield Township, and the unincorporated community
of Unionville
lies in the township's northwest.
The township was first settled by Revolutionary War Colonel Alexander Harper and his family, who moved from Harpersfield, New York
on June 28, 1798. Colonel Harper died there in September of that year.
It is said that soon after landing, Colonel Harper placed his staff in the ground and dedicated a portion of land as a cemetery, and he himself was the first to be buried there; he being the first white person buried in the Western Reserve, whose grave can be identified. An appropriate monument bearing an inscription with the name and date of birth and death, and recounting the virtues of the pioneer and patriot still marks the spot. This cemetery is on the county line at Unionville village.
Currently, the board is composed of chairman James Pristov and members Edward Demshar and Cliff Henry, and the fiscal officer is Sharon Rohrbaugh.
Civil township
A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States, subordinate to, and geographic divisions of, a county. Specific responsibilities and the degree of autonomy vary based on each state. Civil townships are distinct from survey townships, but in states that have both,...
of Ashtabula County
Ashtabula County, Ohio
Ashtabula County is the northeasternmost county in the state of Ohio. As of 2010, the population was 101,497, its county seat is Jefferson. The county is named for a Native American word meaning "river of many fish"....
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The 2000 census
United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
found 2,603 people in the township.
Geography
Located on the northwestern edge of the county, it borders the following townships:- Geneva TownshipGeneva Township, Ashtabula County, OhioGeneva Township is one of the twenty-seven townships of Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 11,954 people in the township, 3,814 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
- north - Saybrook TownshipSaybrook Township, Ashtabula County, OhioSaybrook Township is one of the twenty-seven townships of Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 10,051 people in the township, 5,957 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
- northeast corner - Austinburg TownshipAustinburg Township, Ashtabula County, OhioAustinburg Township is one of the twenty-seven townships of Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,234 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northwestern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...
- east - Morgan TownshipMorgan Township, Ashtabula County, OhioMorgan Township is one of the twenty-seven townships of Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,954 people in the township, 780 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
- southeast corner - Trumbull TownshipTrumbull Township, Ashtabula County, OhioTrumbull Township is one of the twenty-seven townships of Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,461 people in the township.-Geography:Located on the western edge of the county, it borders the following townships:...
- south - Thompson Township, Geauga CountyThompson Township, Geauga County, OhioThompson Township is one of the sixteen townships of Geauga County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,383 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northeastern corner of the county, it borders the following townships:...
- southwest corner - Madison Township, Lake CountyMadison Township, Lake County, OhioMadison Township is one of the five townships of Lake County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 18,428 people in the township, 15,494 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
- west
Part of the city of Geneva
Geneva, Ohio
Geneva is a city in Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The area which would become Geneva was originally settled in 1805, and was incorporated as a city in 1958. It is named after Geneva, New York. The city's population was 6,595 at the 2000 census....
is located in northern Harpersfield Township, and the unincorporated community
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
of Unionville
Unionville, Ohio
Unionville is an unincorporated community on the line between northwestern Harpersfield Township in Ashtabula County and eastern Madison Township in Lake County in the U.S. state of Ohio. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44088...
lies in the township's northwest.
Name and history
It is the only Harpersfield Township statewide.The township was first settled by Revolutionary War Colonel Alexander Harper and his family, who moved from Harpersfield, New York
Harpersfield, New York
Harpersfield is a town in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 1,603 at the 2000 census.The Town of Harpersfield is on the northern border of the county.- History :...
on June 28, 1798. Colonel Harper died there in September of that year.
It is said that soon after landing, Colonel Harper placed his staff in the ground and dedicated a portion of land as a cemetery, and he himself was the first to be buried there; he being the first white person buried in the Western Reserve, whose grave can be identified. An appropriate monument bearing an inscription with the name and date of birth and death, and recounting the virtues of the pioneer and patriot still marks the spot. This cemetery is on the county line at Unionville village.
Government
The township is governed by a three-member board of trustees, who are elected in November of odd-numbered years to a four-year term beginning on the following January 1. Two are elected in the year after the presidential election and one is elected in the year before it. There is also an elected township fiscal officer, who serves a four-year term beginning on April 1 of the year after the election, which is held in November of the year before the presidential election. Vacancies in the fiscal officership or on the board of trustees are filled by the remaining trustees.Currently, the board is composed of chairman James Pristov and members Edward Demshar and Cliff Henry, and the fiscal officer is Sharon Rohrbaugh.