By Jennifer Eblin
Hardin County is located in northwestern Ohio. The county is one of the smaller counties in the state, with a fairly small population. The largest city in the county is Kenton, Ohio.
Formation
Hardin County was formed in 1820 by the government of Ohio and named after John Hardin, a soldier from the Revolutionary War who was from the area. The land once belonged to Native Americans in the region.
First Residents
The first residents in the county was Alfred Hale and his family. They arrived in 1817, and his wife gave birth to a boy, Jonas, in 1819, making him the first child born in the county.
First Settlement
The first settlement was built by Peter C. M'Arthur and Daniel Campbell in 1818. They built residences and setup farms but left quickly because attacks by Native Americans.
Fort M'Arthur
Fort M'Arthur was a fort that once sat near modern-day Kent. The fort was built to protect local residents from attacks from Native Americans and took up nearly one-half of an acre, but no signs of the fort exist today.
Organizing
The county didn't become self-governing until 1833. Prior to that, government services were provided by adjacent Champaign and Logan Counties.
Court System
The court system in Hardin County began in 1834. Judge William McCloud served as the first judge and held trials in his home. In April of 1834 the county began electing officials to serve office.
About the Author:
Jennifer Eblin has been a full-time freelance writer since 2006. Her work has appeared on several websites, including Tool Box Tales and Zonder. Eblin received a master's degree in historic preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design.
