|
History
Click on the map to see more detail. Map is a reproduction of
the Deerfield Township land map from the Bones Atlas of Warren
County, Ohio 1891 from Rand McNally. Courtesy of the Bob
Carter family.
Deerfield Township’s name is derived from its many former “deer
licks” - springs that had a saline content that supported a large
deer population in the area. The township lies in the former Symmes
or Miami Purchase. Early settlement dates from the late1790s. The
township was established on May 10, 1803.
Originally the township included more than half of Turtlecreek
Township, all of Union Township, and all of Salem Township north of
the Little Miami River. Today, Deerfield Township occupies the
southwest portion of Warren County. It is the most heavily developed
township in the county.
During the first 40 years of its existence, “Overseers of the Poor”
were elected. Their function was to see to the welfare of the
township citizens who were unable to make a living. The “Overseers,”
in essence, “sold” the care of these citizens to the lowest bidder.
The buyers were then responsible for these citizens for a year. The
township also had a practice for some years of expelling those it
thought would commit crimes and/or become a burden on it. The
township would issue warrants on these individuals telling them to
leave it.
In the early 1800s,the township was such an important crossroads for
travel and commerce that road building, linking it to Cincinnati and
points elsewhere, began soon after it was established. Later in the
19th century, an organization was formed called “The Horse Rangers.”
Its mission was the maintenance of the laws of the township, the
detection of villainy and outlawry and the pursuit of the
perpetrators. The group recovered over 20 stolen horses and most of
those involved in their thefts. This resulted in similar group’s
creation in the Twenty Mile Stand area in the southern part of the
township.
William Mason, a Revolutionary War veteran, purchased a square mile
of land in 1815 and platted it as Palymra. After his death, the name
of the town was changed to Mason. It was incorporated as a village
in 1840. Over the years, Mason grew quite substantially, covering
more than 11,000 acres. It was incorporated as a city in 1971 and in
1997 it withdrew from the township..
The company that would become the King Powder Company and Peters
Cartridge Company began around 1850 by Ahimaaz King. By 1878, it
relocated to an area a few miles east of Mason in the sheltered
valley of the Little Miami River. Mr. King built a complete village,
Kings Mill, for his workers, with homes and schools for their
families. During its period of operation, the company experienced
several major explosions and large fires. The factories closed in
1958
This article was written for
the Warren County Bicentennial by Mr. John Zimkus and the Honorable
Pat South, Warren County Commissioner. Used by permission. |
