Windham Township, Portage County, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Windham Township is one of the eighteen townships
of Portage County
, Ohio
, United States
. The 2000 census
found 2,060 people in the township.
, it is the only Windham Township statewide.
Prior to 1811, the land now comprising the Village and Township of Windham was owned by Caleb Strong
, as part of his holdings through the Ohio Company of Associates
. On September 11, 1810, a group of sixteen men met in Becket, Massachusetts
at the home of Thatcher Conant to discuss the purchase of land in Ohio for settlement. These men, who would be known as the Beckett Land Company, consisted of Conant, Elijah Alford, Nathan Birchard, Gideon Bush, Dillingham Clark, Elisha Clark, Isaac Clark, Benjamin Higley, Aaron P. Jagger, Enos Kingsley, Jeremiah Lyman, Bill Messenger, Ebenezer Messenger, Benjamin C. Perkins, John Seely, and Alpheus Streator.
On November 11, 1810, the Beckett Land Company purchased about 14825 acres (60 km²) from Caleb Strong. The land was divided into 100 lot
s, and allotted according to each family's investment in the company. Conant, his wife Elizabeth, Dillingham and Abigail Clark, and Alpheus and Anna Streator donated portions of their allotments near the center of the township for a village green
, which was common practice for townships in the Connecticut Western Reserve
. The group of sixteen families then departed from Massachusetts on May 2, 1811. Six weeks later, they arrived in the purchased survey township
, which was located immediately south of Nelson Township
in the Connecticut Western Reserve. This new township, known today as Windham Township, was survey town 4 in range 6 of the Western Reserve.
The first religious service in the new township was held on July 28, 1811 in the home of one of the settlers. This service was very likely Congregationalist
, as several of the families belonged to the Congregational Church in Becket, Massachusetts.. The Congregational Church eventually constructed a building on the Green, and today that church still remains on the Green as a member church of the United Church of Christ
.
The Windham Historical Society notes that the township was originally named Strongsburg, however, some sources cite the original name as Strongsburgh.. The namesake was original landowner Caleb Strong, who was by then the Governor of Massachusetts
. There is some discrepancy in how this township came to be known as Windham. According to the Windham Historical Society, the name of the township "was changed to Sharon, by an act of legislature in about 1820….
A few years later the name was again changed to Windham, which it has remained to present." The Historical Society also cites political concerns as the reason the name was changed from Strongsburg to Sharon. However, on Windham Township's website, March 2, 1813 is cited as the date on which "the Township was made a district by itself and the name was changed to 'Sharon'." The website goes on to state that in 1820, by an act of legislature
, the name was changed again to Windham.. Yet another source, The Ohio Gazetteer, and Travelers's Guide, states that the name was changed from Sharon to Windham in January, 1829.. Still another source places these dates as 1817 and 1820, respectively. Common to most sources are a few claims which reasonably can be ascertained to be fact:
The village of Windham
, which became independent of the township in 1993, is almost completely surrounded by Windham Township. The village of Windham borders Braceville Township in Trumbull County at the village's easternmost boundary.
Formed from Town 4, Range 6 of the Connecticut Western Reserve
, Windham Township covers an area of 23 sq mi. The township is nearly bisected from east to west by Interstate 80
, also known as the Ohio Turnpike
. The Ravenna Training and Logistics Site covers most of the southern half of the township. Hiram Township once adjoined Windham Township at the latter's northwesternmost point. When the village of Garrettsville annexed this portion of Hiram Township, that ceased to be true.
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 Portage County
Portage County, Ohio
Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
, 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 2,060 people in the township.
Name and history
Named for the town of Windham, ConnecticutWindham, Connecticut
Windham is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It contains the city of Willimantic and the villages of Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham. The city of Willimantic was consolidated with the town in 1983...
, it is the only Windham Township statewide.
Prior to 1811, the land now comprising the Village and Township of Windham was owned by Caleb Strong
Caleb Strong
Caleb Strong was Massachusetts lawyer and politician who served as the sixth and tenth Governor of Massachusetts between 1800 and 1807, and again from 1812 until 1816.-Biography:...
, as part of his holdings through the Ohio Company of Associates
Ohio Company of Associates
The Ohio Company of Associates, also known as the Ohio Company, was a land company which is today credited with becoming the first non-American Indian group to settle in the present-day state of Ohio...
. On September 11, 1810, a group of sixteen men met in Becket, Massachusetts
Becket, Massachusetts
Becket is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,779 at the 2010 census.- History :...
at the home of Thatcher Conant to discuss the purchase of land in Ohio for settlement. These men, who would be known as the Beckett Land Company, consisted of Conant, Elijah Alford, Nathan Birchard, Gideon Bush, Dillingham Clark, Elisha Clark, Isaac Clark, Benjamin Higley, Aaron P. Jagger, Enos Kingsley, Jeremiah Lyman, Bill Messenger, Ebenezer Messenger, Benjamin C. Perkins, John Seely, and Alpheus Streator.
On November 11, 1810, the Beckett Land Company purchased about 14825 acres (60 km²) from Caleb Strong. The land was divided into 100 lot
Lot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
s, and allotted according to each family's investment in the company. Conant, his wife Elizabeth, Dillingham and Abigail Clark, and Alpheus and Anna Streator donated portions of their allotments near the center of the township for a village green
Village green
A village green is a common open area which is a part of a settlement. Traditionally, such an area was often common grass land at the centre of a small agricultural settlement, used for grazing and sometimes for community events...
, which was common practice for townships in the Connecticut Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
. The group of sixteen families then departed from Massachusetts on May 2, 1811. Six weeks later, they arrived in the purchased survey township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
, which was located immediately south of Nelson Township
Nelson Township, Portage County, Ohio
Nelson Township is one of the eighteen townships of Portage County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,985 people in the township.-Geography:...
in the Connecticut Western Reserve. This new township, known today as Windham Township, was survey town 4 in range 6 of the Western Reserve.
The first religious service in the new township was held on July 28, 1811 in the home of one of the settlers. This service was very likely Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, as several of the families belonged to the Congregational Church in Becket, Massachusetts.. The Congregational Church eventually constructed a building on the Green, and today that church still remains on the Green as a member church of the United Church of Christ
United Church of Christ
The United Church of Christ is a mainline Protestant Christian denomination primarily in the Reformed tradition but also historically influenced by Lutheranism. The Evangelical and Reformed Church and the Congregational Christian Churches united in 1957 to form the UCC...
.
The Windham Historical Society notes that the township was originally named Strongsburg, however, some sources cite the original name as Strongsburgh.. The namesake was original landowner Caleb Strong, who was by then the Governor of Massachusetts
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
. There is some discrepancy in how this township came to be known as Windham. According to the Windham Historical Society, the name of the township "was changed to Sharon, by an act of legislature in about 1820….
A few years later the name was again changed to Windham, which it has remained to present." The Historical Society also cites political concerns as the reason the name was changed from Strongsburg to Sharon. However, on Windham Township's website, March 2, 1813 is cited as the date on which "the Township was made a district by itself and the name was changed to 'Sharon'." The website goes on to state that in 1820, by an act of legislature
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
, the name was changed again to Windham.. Yet another source, The Ohio Gazetteer, and Travelers's Guide, states that the name was changed from Sharon to Windham in January, 1829.. Still another source places these dates as 1817 and 1820, respectively. Common to most sources are a few claims which reasonably can be ascertained to be fact:
- Caleb Strong was the original namesake of the township.
- The name of the township was changed from Strongsburg/Strongsburgh, to Sharon, and again to Windham.
- The second name change, from Sharon to Windham, was in honor of Windham, ConnecticutWindham, ConnecticutWindham is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. It contains the city of Willimantic and the villages of Windham Center, North Windham, and South Windham. The city of Willimantic was consolidated with the town in 1983...
-- home to at least some of the township's original settlers.
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.Geography
Located in the northeastern part of the county, it borders the following townships and municipalities:The village of Windham
Windham, Ohio
Windham is a village located in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is formed from portions of Windham Township, one of the original townships of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The population was 2,209 at the 2010 census. In 1942, the US government chose Windham as the site of an army camp...
, which became independent of the township in 1993, is almost completely surrounded by Windham Township. The village of Windham borders Braceville Township in Trumbull County at the village's easternmost boundary.
Formed from Town 4, Range 6 of the Connecticut Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
, Windham Township covers an area of 23 sq mi. The township is nearly bisected from east to west by Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
, also known as the Ohio Turnpike
Ohio Turnpike
The Ohio Turnpike, officially the James W. Shocknessy Ohio Turnpike, is a -long, limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of Ohio, serving as a primary corridor to Chicago and Pittsburgh...
. The Ravenna Training and Logistics Site covers most of the southern half of the township. Hiram Township once adjoined Windham Township at the latter's northwesternmost point. When the village of Garrettsville annexed this portion of Hiram Township, that ceased to be true.