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The Township form of government is the oldest
form of government in the United States.
Township government in Ohio predates our State
government. The Pilgrim Fathers brought the
Township form of government to America in 1620,
and it spread west as far as the Rocky
Mountains. Today, 22 states have the town, or
township form of local government. As the Ohio
Territory became populated it was only natural
that the Township form of government became the
basic unit of government. In 1804, the elected
officials of a Township consisted of three
Trustees, a Clerk, overseers of the poor,
supervisors of highways and justices of the
peace. Registering brands for livestock was one
of the duties of the early Trustees.
Townships have only those powers granted to
them by the state legislature and set forth on
the Ohio Revised Code. As a result, townships
cannot pass their own laws. Township powers are
different from those of villages and cities,
which are incorporated.
Today, Township Trustees and Clerks have many
different challenges to face, but the Township
form of government still remains efficient
because of its small size, and responsive
because it offers more personal service and more
attention to individual needs.
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