History
The township form of government was brought to America by the Pilgrims in 1620 and was established in the Ohio Territory even before Ohio became a state. Today, as in the early years, this remains the basic unit of local government and currently functions with those powers that are specifically granted and defined by state legislature.
The first known settlers arrived in what is now Moorefield Township in 1799 and were part of a colony of five men, plus wives and children that came from Kentucky and included Simon Kenton. They made their first homes along Urbana Pike which was at that time a cleared path through the forest. Other settlers followed in the early years of the nineteenth century and made their homes throughout the area that would become Moorefield Township, which was officially organized in June, 1818.
Early businesses in the area were saw mills, grist mills and merchandising, in addition to the main pursuits of agriculture and trapping. In 1881 there were three churches and nine school districts within the township. In each district, classes were held in brick schoolhouses, which were built at a cost of $1600.00 each. During the nineteenth century and into the first half of the twentieth century, the township remained mostly rural in nature and agriculture was the chief support of local families. Historic Crabill Homestead, built in or before 1826, has been rehabilitated and stands on its original location at what is now the grounds of Clarence J. Brown Reservoir. Another historic home, known for many years as the Hunt Home, dating to the early nineteenth century, stands on the lands where Simon Kenton built his log home on Urbana Road.
Two events occurred during the middle years of the twentieth century that helped set the course for Moorefield Township as we know it today. The first occurred in the early 1950’s when local developer Edwin Hoppes constructed the first home in the community that would become known as Northridge. Construction of homes occurred at a rapid pace in the 1960’s and continued at a steady rate through the 1970’s and 1980’s and into the 1990’s. Construction continues today as Northridge is now populated by more than 2500 homes and condominiums. The second event was the construction of the International Harvester truck assembly plant. The first truck rolled off the assembly line in 1966 and the facility remains a major presence in our community today. These two historic events have, over the ensuing years, been major factors in the continued growth of population and business pursuits in Moorefield Township. Figures compiled by the 2000 U.S. Census reflected a total population in Moorefield Township of 11,402 persons; that figure is now estimated to be in excess of 12,000. There are now many new homes throughout Moorefield Township as development has spread beyond the Northridge area.
Another major event occurred in 1974-75 with the construction of Clarence J. Brown Dam and Reservoir and the development of the adjacent Buck Creek State Park. Also during the 1970’s State Route 334 was completed, connecting State Route 4 to U.S. Route 68.
Bearing a commemorative stone dated 1872, the old Township Building served as the seat of township government until a new Township Office/Fire Station was construction in 2000. Moorefield Township Fire Department was founded in 1950. The Department was housed at the Township Building in New Moorefield, with additional equipment housed at a station built in Northridge in the early 1960’s. Moorefield Township Fire Department was consolidated in one location when the new station was opened on Moorefield Road in 2000.
Some residents who have served Moorefield Township as elected officials in the past are listed below. 1933 Trustee C.J. Spahr Trustee James W. Roberts Trustee Harry Nicklin Clerk James McClintock 1935 Trustee C.J. Spahr Trustee James W. Roberts Trustee Harry Nicklin Clerk James McClintock 1937 Trustee James W. Roberts Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee C.J. Spahr Clerk James McClintock 1939 Trustee Roy Greiner Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee C.J. Spahr Clerk Willard Phleger 1941 Trustee Roy Greiner Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee C.J. Spahr Clerk Willard Phleger 1943 Trustee Roy Greiner Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee C.J. Spahr Clerk Willard Phleger 1945 Trustee Roy Greiner Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee C.J. Spahr Clerk Willard Phleger 1947 Trustee Roy Greiner Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee C.J. Spahr Clerk Willard Phleger 1949 Trustee Roy Greiner Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee Harry Ellsworth Clerk Willard Phleger 1951 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee Harry Ellsworth Clerk Russell Kile 1953 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee Harry Ellsworth Clerk Russell Kile 1955 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Harry Nicklin Trustee Harry Ellsworth Clerk Phyllis Greene 1957 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee J.R. McLendon Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Phyllis Greene 1957 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee J.R. McLendon Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Phyllis Greene 1959 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee J.R. McLendon Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1961 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1963 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1965 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1967 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1969 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1971 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1973 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Charles Baldwin 1975 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Elder Loney Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk David Arthur 1977 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk David Arthur 1979 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Gayle Arthur 1981 Trustee Fred Weber Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Gayle Arthur 1983 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Gayle Arthur 1985 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Gayle Arthur 1987 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Carl Stoll Clerk Gayle Arthur 1989 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Gayle Arthur 1991 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Gayle Arthur 1993 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Gayle Arthur 1995 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Gayle Arthur 1997 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Gayle Kuhbander 1999 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Steve Hopkins Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Gayle Kuhbander 2001 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Joseph Mosier Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Gayle Kuhbander 2003 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Joseph Mosier Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Janet Dyer 2005 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Joseph Mosier Trustee Jack McKee Clerk Janet Dyer 2007 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Joseph Mosier Trustee Jack McKee Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2009 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Joseph Mosier Trustee Jack McKee Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2011 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Joseph Mosier Trustee Jack McKee Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2013 Trustee Robert Mounts Trustee Joseph Mosier Trustee Jack McKee Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2015 Trustee Jack McKee Trustee Daren Cotter Trustee Joe Mosier Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2017 Trustee Jack McKee Trustee Daren Cotter Trustee Joe Mosier Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2019 Trustee Jack McKee Trustee Daren Cotter Trustee Joe Mosier Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2021 Trustee Jack McKee Trustee Daren Cotter Trustee Joe Mosier Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2022 Trustee Jack McKee Trustee Daren Cotter Trustee Joe Mosier Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2023 Trustee Jack McKee Trustee Daren Cotter Trustee Joe Mosier Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer 2025 Trustee Jack McKee Trustee Daren Cotter Trustee Joseph Mosier Fiscal Officer Janet Dyer