The Settlement of York Township:
The organization of York Township was completed by the
election of township officers April 7, 1834. The election was held at the house of Aaron
Shirk, and in consideration of this fact, he was permitted to cast the first vote. The
record shows that the following persons were unanimously elected to the several offices;
to wit: Trustees, Heman Tobey, Joseph Miller and Harmon Patrick; Overseers of the Poor,
Charles Miller and John Coons; Fence Viewers, George Coons, Jonathan Miller and Charles
Bennett; Treasurer, William Tobey; Constable, Aaron Shirk; Clerk, William Hartford;
Supervisors, John Stamates, Hiram Parker and Jonathan Shirk. On the 15th day of April
1834, the Trustees met at the house of Heman Tobey, and divided the township into three
road districts.
The first election for Justice of the Peace was held at the
house of Aaron Shirk October 11, 1834, and Jonathan G. Miller was elected to fill that
office. The subsequent Justices, with dates of election, are Thomas Milligan, 1837;
Jonathan G. Miller, 1839; William Tobey, 1841; Jonathan G. Miller, 1841; William Tobey,
1844, resigned in 1846; Jonathan Sterling, 1844, resigned in 1846; William Hartford, 1846;
Archibald G. Brooks, 1846; David Sterling,1849, resigned the same year; William Hartford,
1849; Samuel Hoover, 1849; J. G. Miller, 1852; James R. Smith, 1852; Alonzo Harvey, 1855;
James R Smith, 1855; Alonzo Harvey, 1858; Washington O. Davis, 1858; Archibald G. Brooks,
1859; Washington G. Davis, 1861; Archibald G. Brooks, 1862; A. E. Knox, 1864; Archibald G.
Brooks, 1865; A. E. Knox, 1867; A. P. Harvey, 1868, resigned in 1870; William P. Plotner,
1870; A. E. Knox, 1870; William H. Plotner, 1873; A. E. Knox, 1873; S. Taylor, 1873;
William H. Plotnor, 1876; A. E. Knox, 1876; William H. Plotner, 1879; A. E. Knox, 1879; L.
D. Wright, 1882.