Mission:

where families grow...and businesses prosper

History:

This is a very brief history of West Chester. More detailed and further information is provided in A History of Union Township, Butler County, Ohio by Virginia Shewalter.

West Chester Township lies within an oval area geologically known as the "Cincinnati Arch." This area has been one of the best collecting grounds for fossils on the continent, due to the fact that the Miami Valley was once at the bottom of an ancient ocean.

The earliest inhabitants were probably migrants from Asia. In Ohio, Butler County is only second to Ross County in the number of antiquities and Native American mounds discovered. At one time, West Chester claimed eleven mounds.

By nationality, the largest group of early inhabitants were German. The Irish were the next largest group followed by the English. Some of the pioneers were merchants, blacksmiths, tanners, and millers. Some were transporters of goods, others were teachers or ministers. However, most of the pioneers were farmers who were attracted to a place like West Chester because of the beauty of the area and the quality of the land. These pioneers had no money to buy land and simply took over an unoccupied area.

Probably the earliest settler to come to West Chester was Joseph McMaken. He was born in Cumberland County, PA in 1755. McMaken moved to Ohio in 1789, moved into the county and applied for land in West Chester on July 4, 1791. Other notable first settlers were Joseph Cox (1767-1842), the Swearingen Family (1700s), Samuel Seward (1754-1828), Abraham Montanye (1752-1828), Matthew Van Dine, Jr. (1752-1837), Isaac Paxton and Michael and John Ayers.

On March 24, 1803, the General Assembly of the State of Ohio passed an act "for the division of Hamilton County...by which the county of Butler was established." This new county was named after General Richard Butler, a Revolutionary War hero.

On June 2, 1823, the County Commissioners met and petitioned for the division of Liberty Township, and that this new Township be called Union Township. So far, no reason has been discovered as to why the name "Union" was chosen. Union Township ended up with 35 sections.

By 1805, the population was increasing rapidly. Settlers were coming in larger numbers. Things were beginning to look up, but transportation was still a problem. There were no roads...only trails. Travelling on foot or by horseback was the only suitable means of transportation over these primitive trails. Our highways of today are named after these trails. The U.S. Mail was delivered in the county once a week over these trails by a mounted post rider.

Between 1806 and 1812, the first school was built. It was a log cabin constructed on the property where Mrs. Clyde Rosselot and her daughter Margie now live. Until churches could be built, services were held in members' homes and conducted by traveling ministries.