Forest Township, Clinton County, Indiana

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Forest Township
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =

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imagesize = 250px
image_caption = Snow-covered corn fields in Forest Township


image_

mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Forest Township in Clinton County


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = Indiana
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Clinton
government_footnotes =
government_type = Indiana township
leader_title =
leader_name =
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Organized
established_date = 1882

area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 68.55
area_land_km2 = 68.52
area_water_km2 = 0.04
area_total_sq_mi = 26.47
area_land_sq_mi = 26.46
area_water_sq_mi = 0.01

population_as_of = 2000
population_footnotes =
population_total = 843
population_density_km2 = 12.3
population_density_sq_mi = 31.87

timezone =
utc_offset =
timezone_DST =
utc_offset_DST =
elevation_footnotes = GR|3
elevation_m = 268
elevation_ft = 879
latd = 40
latm = 22
lats = 16
latNS = N
longd = 86
longm = 18
longs = 51
longEW = W

postal_code_type =
postal_code =
area_code =
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 18-23944GR|2
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = [http://geonames.usgs.gov/pls/gnispublic/f?p=gnispq:3:::NO::P3_FID:453299 453299]
website =
footnotes =

Forest Township is one of fourteen townships in Clinton County, Indiana. As of the 2000 census, its population was 843. The township was named for the large amount of timber it contained at the time it was organized.cite book
last=Claybaugh
first=Joseph
title=History of Clinton County, Indiana
year=1913
publisher=A. W. Bowen & Company
location=Indianapolis
pages=p. 32]

History

After the completion of the "Clover Leaf" railroad through the area in 1874 and the establishment of the town of Forest along it, residents petitioned the county commissioners to create a new township for their area out of the existing Johnson and Warren townships. On January 2, 1882, the petition was granted and the township organized with Samuel M. Davis as the first trustee.

The first permanent white settlers in the township were Page and Sarah Sims who arrived in 1839 and resided in the township until their death. The arrival of pioneers here was somewhat later than in other parts of the county since Forest was originally within the Big Miami Reserve and off limits to white settlement until 1838. The population grew slowly and remained sparse and scattered for some years. The first church in the township was the Methodist Swamp Creek chapel built in 1850 near the southern border, and later replaced by St. Paul's church. A post office was established in 1860 in the hamlet of Martinsville, with Martin Davis as the first postmaster.cite book
last=Claybaugh
first=Joseph
title=History of Clinton County, Indiana
year=1913
publisher=A. W. Bowen & Company
location=Indianapolis
chapter=Forest Township]

Geography

Forest Township covers an area of 26.47 square miles; 0.01 square miles (0.04 percent) of this is water.

Unincorporated towns

* Forest

Adjacent townships

* Monroe Township, Howard County (north)
* Honey Creek Township, Howard County (northeast)
* Prairie Township, Tipton County (east)
* Johnson Township (south)
* Michigan Township (southwest)
* Warren Township (west)

Major highways

*

Cemeteries

The township contains two cemeteries: Saint Paul and Union.

References

* [http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cob/ United States Census Bureau cartographic boundary files]
* [http://geonames.usgs.gov/domestic/ U.S. Board on Geographic Names]

External links

* [http://www.indianatownshipassoc.org/counties/Clinton.htm Indiana Township Association page for Clinton County]