Crane Township, like many Ohio townships, was established in a place where there was no existing government and there were very few people. As a result, early Ohio townships assumed the responsibility of maintaining order. Horatio Nelson Curtis was elected Crane Township’s first Justice of the Peace in 1825. Justices were responsible for keeping the peace, but also possessed the authority to perform marriages, write deeds, settle debtor claims, and administer oaths of office. All townships had a constable until 1957 when the Secretary of State eliminated the position.
Members of the Crane Bicentennial Committee met at Riverside Cemetery in Antwerp recently to honor the Township’s first Justice of the Peace by cleaning his tombstone. Curtis is one of just two pioneers identified in the Township’s origin. The other is Oliver Crane, for whom the Township is named.
The Committee is planning a bicentennial celebration which will take place in August 2025. Activities will include:
• A hog roast at New Rochester Park prepared by Crane Township Cecil Volunteer Fire Department.
• Homemade ice cream at New Rochester Park made by Bethel United Methodist Church.
• Guided nature tours at Forrest Woods Nature Preserve, focusing on how the area looked two centuries ago and what wildlife existed at that time.
• Production of the play titled “No Compromise!” at the Cecil fire house. The play was written by local historian Jane Nice about the Reservoir War which took place in 1887.
