Sharon Township, Johnson County, Iowa
Encyclopedia
Sharon Township is one of the twenty townships
of Johnson County
, Iowa
, United States
. It is located on the southern county line, about 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Iowa City (at Township 78 North, Range 7 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian
). It is adjacent to Washington, Union and Liberty Townships, as well as Washington County.
A significant part of the Sharon Township population are Amish and Mennonite, and Amish buggies are a common sight on the roads in the township.
Sharon Township was originally part of Liberty Township to the east, and Washington Township to the west. It became a township in its own right on February 1, 1858, likely named after the Biblical Plain of Sharon, a beautiful and fertile land. The first election was held in Bonn's school house on the first Monday in April 1858 for township officers.
There was a post office at Belle Aire (or Bell Air), in the northwest part of section 35, from September 26, 1857 to January 22, 1877, and again from July 13, 1877 to October 29, 1877. Sharon Center had a post office from January 28, 1878 to August 15, 1900.http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iajohnso/place_names.htm
Sharon Township had a prominent group of Welsh settlers, members of the Welsh Church in Union Township to the north.http://spruce.flint.umich.edu/~ellisjs/Walley.PDF
Another place called Bayertown existed until at least 1930, but it was not really a town, just a building that served as a general store, dance hall and community center. It was located in section 24, in the eastern part of the township.http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iajohnso/place_names.htmhttp://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/hixson&CISOPTR=945&CISOSHOW=923&REC=7
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 Johnson County
Johnson County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 130,882 in the county, with a population density of . There were 55,967 housing units, of which 52,715 were occupied.-2000 census:...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located on the southern county line, about 6 miles (9.7 km) southwest of Iowa City (at Township 78 North, Range 7 West of the Fifth Principal Meridian
Fifth Principal Meridian
The Fifth Principal Meridian starts from the old mouth of the Arkansas River, and, with the base line running west from the old mouth of the St. Francis River, governs the surveys in Arkansas, Missouri, Iowa, North Dakota; those in Minnesota, west of the Mississippi River and west of the third...
). It is adjacent to Washington, Union and Liberty Townships, as well as Washington County.
Geography
Sharon Township has an area of approximately 36 square miles (93.2 km²), and contains 36 sections of 640 acres (2.6 km²) each. There are several small rivers in Sharon Township, including Dirty Face Creek, Picayune Creek and Old Man's Creek. The major roads are Highway 1, Sharon Center Road (F62) and 500th St. (the "Frytown Road").Population
Sharon Township is largely rural, consisting of small farms and acreages. The current population is 1,325.http://www.johnson-county.com/auditor/voter/repct-co.htm#Census%20Population%20of%20Rural%20PrecinctsA significant part of the Sharon Township population are Amish and Mennonite, and Amish buggies are a common sight on the roads in the township.
History
The first settlers arrived in the Sharon Township area around 1838, including Nathaniel McClure, William B. Ford and Asa Bailey.Sharon Township was originally part of Liberty Township to the east, and Washington Township to the west. It became a township in its own right on February 1, 1858, likely named after the Biblical Plain of Sharon, a beautiful and fertile land. The first election was held in Bonn's school house on the first Monday in April 1858 for township officers.
There was a post office at Belle Aire (or Bell Air), in the northwest part of section 35, from September 26, 1857 to January 22, 1877, and again from July 13, 1877 to October 29, 1877. Sharon Center had a post office from January 28, 1878 to August 15, 1900.http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iajohnso/place_names.htm
Sharon Township had a prominent group of Welsh settlers, members of the Welsh Church in Union Township to the north.http://spruce.flint.umich.edu/~ellisjs/Walley.PDF
Localities
The unincorporated town of Sharon Center is located in Sharon Township at the intersection of Sharon Center Road and 500th St. It consists of about a dozen houses and several small businesses.Another place called Bayertown existed until at least 1930, but it was not really a town, just a building that served as a general store, dance hall and community center. It was located in section 24, in the eastern part of the township.http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~iajohnso/place_names.htmhttp://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/hixson&CISOPTR=945&CISOSHOW=923&REC=7