Harpersfield Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
|official_name = Harpersfield Township, Ashtabula County, Ohio
|settlement_type = Township
|nickname =
|motto =
|image_skyline = Harpersfield Township.JPG
|imagesize = 250px
|image_caption = Harpersfield Township's former government building
|image_flag = Flag of Harpersfield Township, Ohio.png
|image_seal = Seal of Harpersfield Township, Ohio.png
|image_map = Map of Ashtabula County Ohio Highlighting Harpersfield Township.png
|mapsize = 250px
|map_caption = Location of Harpersfield Township in Ashtabula County
|image_map1 =
|mapsize1 =
|map_caption1 =
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = United States
|subdivision_type1 = State
|subdivision_name1 = Ohio
|subdivision_type2 = County
|subdivision_name2 = Ashtabula
|government_footnotes =
|government_type =
|leader_title =
|leader_name =
|leader_title1 =
|leader_name1 =
|established_title =
|established_date =
|unit_pref = Imperial
|area_footnotes =
|area_magnitude =
|area_total_km2 = 67.2
|area_land_km2 = 67.0
|area_water_km2 = 0.2
|area_total_sq_mi = 25.9
|area_land_sq_mi = 25.8
|area_water_sq_mi = 0.1
|population_as_of = 2020
|population_footnotes =
|population_total = 2591
|population_density_km2 = 40.2
|population_density_sq_mi = 104.5
|timezone = Eastern (EST)
|utc_offset = -5
|timezone_DST = EDT
|utc_offset_DST = -4
|elevation_footnotes = {{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=2008-01-31|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=United States Geological Survey|date=2007-10-25}}
|elevation_m = 270
|elevation_ft = 886
|coordinates = {{coord|41|44|49|N|80|57|35|W|region:US-OH|display=inline,title}}
|postal_code_type =
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|blank_name = FIPS code
|blank_info = 39-33642{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}
|blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
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Harpersfield Township is one of the twenty-seven townships of Ashtabula County, Ohio, United States. The 2020 census found 2,591 people in the township.{{cite web |title=Harpersfield township, Ashtabula County, Ohio - Census Bureau Profile |url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Harpersfield_township;_Ashtabula_County;_Ohio?g=060XX00US3900733642 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=17 May 2023}}
Geography
Located on the northwestern edge of the county, it borders the following townships:
- Geneva Township - North
- Saybrook Township - Northeast corner
- Austinburg Township - East
- Morgan Township - Southeast corner
- Trumbull Township - South
- Thompson Township, Geauga County - Southwest corner
- Madison Township, Lake County - West
Part of the city of Geneva is located in northern Harpersfield Township, and the unincorporated community of Unionville lies in the township's northwest.
Name and history
It is the only Harpersfield Township statewide.{{Cite web| title = Detailed map of Ohio| publisher = United States Census Bureau| year = 2000| url = http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/general_ref/cousub_outline/cen2k_pgsz/oh_cosub.pdf| format = PDF| access-date =2007-02-16}}
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.[http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohlake/bios/harper.html A Record of the Revolutionary Soldiers buried in Lake County, Ohio]. New Connecticut Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, Painesville, Ohio, 1902.[http://www2.ashtabula.com/detail.asp?id=2199 Ashtabula County, Ohio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110040032/http://www2.ashtabula.com/detail.asp?id=2199 |date=2007-11-10 }} Ashtabula County, 2007. Accessed 2007-05-28.
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.
Harpersfield Township was described in 1833 as having one store, two flouring mills, two saw mills, one fulling mill, and two forges.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_dt48AAAAYAAJ | title=The Ohio Gazetteer, or, a Topographical Dictionary | publisher=Scott and Wright | date=1833 | access-date=12 December 2013 | author=Kilbourn, John | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_dt48AAAAYAAJ/page/n217 233]}}
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,[http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/503.24 §503.24], [http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/505.01 §505.01], and [http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/507.01 §507.01] of the Ohio Revised Code. Accessed 4/30/2009. 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 James Pristov and Raymond Gruber Jr and Cliff Henry, and the fiscal officer is Sharon Rohrbaugh.[http://www.harpersfield.us/contacts.html Harpersfield Township Contacts], Harpersfield Township. Accessed 2009-08-25.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.harpersfield.us Township website]
- [http://www.co.ashtabula.oh.us County website]
{{Ashtabula County, Ohio}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Townships in Ashtabula County, Ohio