Who settled here
An 1895 county history says the first settlers in Jackson Township were largely from northern Ireland, while the main body of settlers were Germans, who are credited with building up Zelienople and Harmony. Irish arrivals such as James Magee and William Martin came about 1797.
Dettmar Basse, a German diplomat, bought about 10,000 acres of Depreciation Lands in 1802 and laid out Zelienople in 1803. George Rapp's Harmony Society arrived from Germany in 1805 and founded Harmony. In 1815 the society sold its holdings to Mennonites and moved to New Harmony, Indiana, not Ohio.
Why families moved on
- A community that left. The Harmonists' move away shows how a large group left Butler County within ten years, though it went to Indiana, not Ohio. Check whether a Butler County ancestor belonged to the society.
- Land held by speculators. Depreciation Lands, like the Donation Lands to the north, were often sold on to investors, so many settlers bought from owners who had never lived here.
Records that say exactly why a family left are rare. Treat these as leads, and look for evidence about your own ancestors in deeds, tax lists, court cases, and church records.
Clues to look for
- Look for deeds from Dettmar Basse and other large landholders.
- Check Allegheny County records for pre-1800 events.
