TOWNSHIP DESCRIPTIONs

Amity 

Amity township is in the south-east portion of the county, south of Venango, and is known as a good grazing township.

Concord 

Concord township is bounded by Warren and Crawford counties on the east and south.  The Pittsburgh and Erie railroad passes through the township.  William Miles and William Cook came into this township as first settlers.

Conneaut 

Conneaut township occupies the south-west corner of the county.  The Pittsburgh and Erie railroad passes through the eastern portion of the township.  It was early settled, many of its inhabitants coming from New York and the Eastern States.  The borough of Albion is in this township.

Elk Creek 

Elk Creek township joins Conneaut on the east.  It was settled chiefly by eastern people.  Wellsburg borough and Cranesville are villages in this township.  The Cranes and the Coltons were among the early settlers.

Fairview 

Fairview township and borough joins Mill Creek on the west.  It is one of the best townships of land in the county.  Among the early settlers were the McCrearys, Moorheads, Caugheys, Arbuckles, Reeds, Sturgeons, Eatons, Swans, Vances, Ryans, Farges, Baers, etc.  It was almost wholly settled from Dauphin and Lancaster counties.  The first pastor to settle here was the Rev. Johnston Eaton, from Franklin county, and his was the first church.  It belonged to the Scotch-Irish Presbyterians, and was situated near the present village of Manchester, near the mouth of Walnut creek, and within sight of the waters of Lake Erie.  It was built of hewn logs, about 1807, and was the mother church of all in this region.  Fairview borough, Swanville, and Manchester are all within the township of Fairview.

Franklin 

Franklin township is comparatively new, and was formed from portions of M'Kean, Elk Creek, and Washington about 1844.  It is chiefly a dairy township.

Girard 

Girard township and borough are also on the Lake Shore railroad.  The township adjoins Springfield and Lake Erie.  It was named for Stephen Girard, who had large landed possessions in its limits.  The borough is finely situated.  It has an academy, several churches, numerous very tasty grounds and residences.  There is a monument of white marble in a prominent street of the village erected by Dan Rice to the memory of the Erie county volunteers in the civil war.  Lockport borough is in this township, and is a place of considerable manufacturing business and trade.

Greene 

Greene township was made from what was known as Beaverdam township.  The Browns and Phillips were early settlers.  The Coovers came from the Susquehanna valley in an early day; the Grahams about 1802.  The township is extensively engaged in the manufacture of cheese.

Greenfield 

Greenfield township is south of North-East, and joins the New York line.  It was settled in 1795, by Judah Colt.  It attracted much attention early in the century, but has not kept pace with the lake townships in growth, not having the advantages of soil and situation.

Harbor Creek 

Harbor Creek joins Mill Creek on the east, and lies upon the lake shore.  The Prindles, Elliots, Moorheads, Jacks, Allens, Backus', Hintons, etc., were some of the early settlers.  We have from Miss Sanford's history the record of the first Sabbath school in the county.  It was established in a log school-house, at Moorheadville, in 1817, by Colonel James M. Moorhead and Rev. Mr. Morton.

LeBoeuf 

LeBoeuf township is south of and adjoining Waterford, and is the only one in the county retaining the name of the first occupants, the French.  The Pittsburgh and Erie railroad passes through it.  The Kings and the Blacks were among the early settlers.  It contains the best quarries of stone in the county.

M'Kean 

M'Kean township is north of and adjoining Washington.  Among the early settlers were the Sterretts from Cumberland and Fayette counties, and the Dunns from Ireland.

Mill Creek 

Mill Creek township adjoins the city of Erie, and lies upon the lake shore, and is divided into East and West Mill Creek.  The Reeds, Russells, McNairs, Caugheys, McCrearys, Grubbs, Nicholsons, McClellands, Saltsmans, Browns, Riblets, Weiss', Millers, etc., were among the first settlers.  Their names indicate their origin.  It is a township rich in good farms and good men.  Captain N. W. Russell, the able county historian, is a resident of Belle Valley, a pleasant village in this township.  

North East 

North East township and borough are on the Lake Shore railroad.  The township adjoins the lake and the New York line.  The land is good and peculiarly adapted to the growth of the grape and small fruits, as are all the townships on the lake shore.  The borough has a population of about two thousand eight hundred, and is growing more rapidly than any other borough of the county.  The seminary is a large and handsome building of brick, and is in a flourishing condition.  The place is well supplied with churches and banks.  A fine cemetery in wood land is situated at the western end of the village.  There are extensive industrial establishments located here.  The South Shore wine company have between one and two hundred acres in grapes, and many thousands of gallons of wine are annually made.

Springfield 

Springfield township was one of the original townships of the county - is celebrated for its first-class farms.  It joins the Ohio line on the west, and Lake Erie on the north.  The Lake Shore railroad passes through the township.  The Millers, Rees', Hollidays, Eagleys, and Dunns were among the first settlers.  East and West Springfield are its villages.  It contains a moral, intelligent, and enterprising population, and is noted for its tasty and substantial homes and surroundings.

Summit 

Summit township was made from what was known as Beaverdam township.  The Browns and Phillips were early settlers.  The Coovers came from the Susquehanna valley in an early day; the Grahams about 1802.  The township is extensively engaged in the manufacture of cheese.

Union 

Union township and Union City is at the junction of the Philadelphia and Erie, Atlantic and Great Western, and Union and Titusville railroads.  Union City is a stirring and active borough.

Washington 

Washington township is east of Waterford, and adjoining Crawford county.  The chief village is Edinboro, which has a State Normal school in flourishing condition.  It was settled very early, and was known by the name given to the beautiful lake upon its borders "Conneauttee.".

Waterford 

Waterford township and borough was formerly known as Fort LeBoeuf.  Waterford is situated on the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, and immediately adjacent to LeBoeuf creek and a little lake of the same name.  It is an old borough, was laid out in 1795, and was settled by the hardy Scotch-Irish race from the Susquehanna valley.  Prior to 1820, Waterford was busy in the salt trade.  Of judges we have had from Waterford two of the name Vincent, Judge Smith, Judge Hutchins, and Judge Benson.  The Kings have filled important county offices, and Judges John P. Vincent, Wilson Smith, and Samuel Hutchins, have represented us in the Legislature.  The Waterford academy was organized about 1820, and was endowed by the State.

Wayne 

Wayne township joins Warren county and New York.  It is well watered and adapted to the dairy business.  The Smiths, Grays, and Kincaids were among its first settlers.

Source: Abstract from the book, An Illustrated History of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, by William H. Egle, published in 1876; located on the website, Hathitrust Digital Library (http://www.hathitrust.org), accessed 18 January 2026.

BACK TO TOP