Daily
hamilton township administration
The mornings are getting crisper, the evenings a little cozier, and pumpkins are making their way onto porches around town; fall has arrived in Hamilton Township! Whether you've been secretly savoring pumpkin spice since August or you're holding on tight to your summer shorts, we're excited to share another season with you. This time of year is all about community and connection. Friday night lights at the stadium, hayrides, pumpkin patches, and the glow of autumn leaves in our parks remind us how special our community is when neighbors gather close to home. As the leaves change, we're reminded that fall in Hamilton Township is also about looking ahead...growing, building, and preparing for the future while celebrating our roots. Inside this issue, you'll find stories about our community's history; like the farm cemeteries that hold the memories of our earliest settlers, as well as exciting updates that shape the future such as our investments in public safety. Whether you're firmly on team apple or rooting for pumpkin, grab your favorite cozy treat, settle in, and take some time to see what's happening in Hamilton Township!
OSU Extension Fall Wellness Walk Monday, 9/22 9am
Field of Blooms
- 4851 Stubbs Mill Rd.
Mounts Park
Text
* See pollinators at work * Family photo opportunities * Beautiful sunsets
7780 S. State Route 48 Maineville, OH 45039 Phone: (513) 683.8520 Fax: (513) 683.4325 Joe Rozzi - Board Chair Darryl Cordrey - Trustee Mark Sousa - Trustee Leah Elliott - Fiscal Officer Township Administrator Jeff Wright (513) 239.2372 Police Department Scott Hughes - Police Chief (513) 683.0538 (Non Emergency) Fire & Emergency Services Jason Jewett - Fire Chief (513) 683.1622 (Non Emergency) Public Works Director Don Pelfrey (513) 683.5360 Planning and Zoning Administrator - Cathy Walton (513) 239.2371 Assistant Fiscal Officer Ellen Horman (513) 239.2377 Human Resources Manager Cheryl Allgeyer (513) 239.2384 Zoning Inspector Cory Sanders (513) 334.9689 Parks & Recreation Nicole Earley (513) 239.2391 Administrative Assistant Heather Murdock (513) 683-8520
Fall 2025
mid to late September
falling for hamilton Township
Newsletter
Click here to learn more about Economic Development, including major projects and available commercial properties.
We're thrilled to share that the Home Builders Association of Greater Cincinnati has announced Hamilton Township will host the 2026 HOMERAMA®! This prestigious event will take place at The Estates at Bothe Farms, a new community being developed by Brookstone Homes, Inc., featuring 18 exclusive 2+ acre estate lots along Cozaddale-Murdock Road. HOMERAMA® is expected to draw between 20,000 - 35,000 visitors to Hamilton Township, shining a spotlight on our community and all it has to offer. This will be the third time our township has been selected to host the event, previously showcased at River's Bend in 2000 and Rivercrest in 2017.
McDonalds 90 towne center blvd. hamilton twp., OH 45039
economic development
Fleet for the Future
Click here TO LEARN MORE ABOUT the fire department
Your Hamilton Township Fire Rescue team is gearing up for some exciting upgrades! We're adding two new trucks to our fleet to replace aging equipment that will make a big difference in how we serve our community. First up is the new tanker truck, replacing an old unit that could no longer safely stay on the road. This truck will strengthen our ability to protect the Township's rural areas, where hydrants aren't always nearby. This truck ensures we can get water where it's needed most, fast.
We're also thrilled the new ladder truck is nearing completion after a three year waiting list to replace an aging piece of equipment. The ladder truck has a 107' ladder, carries 500 gallons of water, and has a 2,000 gallon per minute pump. As our Township continues to grow and new developments take shape, this ladder truck will serve the community for 20-25 years. This truck is expected to be completed and ready for final inspection at the end of September. Together, these investments strengthen our ability to serve you today while preparing us for the future of Hamilton Township.
We now offer WebCheck fingerprinting services for anyone needing a civilian background check. This includes: ✳ Teachers & school employees ✳ Childcare & daycare workers ✳ Healthcare professionals ✳ Volunteers working with youth or vulnerable populations ✳ Security guards & licensing applicants ✳ Federal firearms licensing requirements …and many other jobs that require state or federal background checks. ✔ Faster turnaround...most results are back in just a few days ✔ No messy ink cards — quick, digital scanning ✔ Safe & secure - Processed through the Ohio BCI&I Click here for hours, pricing, and scheduling information
The Hamilton Township Police Department has been selected to participate in the Ohio Collaborative Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (OCLEAP). OCLEAP was established by Governor Mike DeWine and is administered by the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services. This is Ohio's first comprehensive, state-run accreditation program for police departments. It sets nearly three dozen standards covering professional conduct, crisis intervention, and community engagement. This is a voluntary program and is offered at no cost to agencies. As of February 2025, only ten agencies in Ohio have completed the OCLEAP accreditation process. Hamilton Township's acceptance in this program highlights our dedication to continuous improvement and adherence to best practices in policing. Stay tuned for updates as the HTPD progresses through the accreditation process. This is another example of the departments efforts to enhance the quality of law enforcement services in Hamilton Township.
Click here TO LEARN MORE ABOUT the police department
Now Offering
Fingerprinting Services
Wreaths Across America 12.13 | 12:00 pm | Maineville Cemetery
Please join us for a day at Station 76. We're opening our doors for our residents to meet your Chiefs and Firefighters, have an up-close look at the station, check out the services we provide, demonstrations, and activities for the kids. FREE hot dogs brought to you by Kroger, popcorn, and FREE KONA Ice.
Dress the whole family up, including man's best friend for some fall fun! Kids can trunk hop for candy and pups can enjoy a pup cup, games, monster tunes, hay rides and a photo backdrop to snag a family photo. Food trucks & concession stand treats available for purchase. Want to dress up your trunk? Click here to register your trunk!
Hamilton Township & the Village of Maineville have created a wonderful partnership and will be hosting some community events jointly to benefit all of our residents together!
EVENT CORNER
Wreaths Across America Day is held annually at cemeteries across the nation. The mission is to Remember the Fallen, Honor those who Serve, and Teach our Children the value of Freedom. Become a wreath sponsor for just $17 by clicking here. This ensures a wreath is laid at each our 450 veterans headstones.
Fall Decorating Contest October | Various Locations |
Decorate your house for all of our residents to see! Fall and Spooktacular categories. Entries must be received by 10/16 & online community voting begins October 20th. Enter here or stay tuned to our Facebook page to vote!
Trunk or Treat & Pet Masquerade 10.18 | 1:00 pm-3:00 pm | Testerman Park
Hamilton Township and The Village of Maineville want you to join us for some holiday fun! Pictures with Santa, s'mores station, games, cookies, coffee and hot chocolate. Performances by Santa's Goody Bag Band, Members of the Little Miami Select Choirs, LMHS Symphonic Band, NCYO and more. Fireworks and drone show finale!
Click here to see our full event calendar
Station 76 Open House 10.11 | 11:00 am-1:00 pm | Station 76
Joint Tree Lighting Celebration 12.6 | 4:00 pm-6:00 pm | Station 76
Warren County Community Shred & Electronics Recycling Day 10/4, 10am-1pm Warren County Administration
Antique Firetruck Muster & Ice Cream Team 9/13, 11am-3pm
LPGA Kroger Queen City Championship 9/11-9/14 TPC River's Bend
LMHS Homecoming Parade 9/18 - 6pm Stubbs Mill Rd.-US 22/3-to LMHS
Little Miami High School Schedules
Bethel Murdoch Presbyterian
Fall on the Farm 9/13-10/31 Blooms and Berries
Submit your township happening!
F.A.R.M. Club Antique Tractor Days 9/18-9/21 Oeder's Lake
Kings High School Schedules
9/11 Remembrance Fundraiser Indoor Golf Scramble Saturday, 9/13 Tee 18
What's Happening!
We celebrated the groundbreaking of the new Hamilton Township Public Works Building on State Route 48, located between the Administration/Police Department and Fire Department. This state-of-the-art building will: Protect and extend the lifespan of township equipment and vehicles House three service bays with lifts to service police, fire, EMS, and public works vehicles in-house Free up space in Testerman Park for expanded community use Create a more efficient, centralized township campus A huge thank you to our Board of Trustees, Fiscal Officer Leah Elliott, Conger Construction, MSP Design, and the Hamilton Township staff for their hard work and dedication in making this project a reality. We're excited for what's to come as we continue to grow and serve our community!
Digging into the Future
Tales of the Township
Nesbit Cemetery
FARM CEMETERIES
In our last issue, we explored six of Hamilton Township’s farm cemeteries, each a resting place for the township’s earliest settlers and their descendants. These cemeteries tell stories of perseverance, sacrifice, and deep community roots. In Part 2, we continue with the remaining five farm cemeteries. Located two miles south of Foster is The Butterworth Farm Cemetery. This cemetery is particularly unique as it was started on Butterworth land and remains on property still owned by Butterworth descendants. The cemetery began with the burial of Benjamin Butterworth in 1833. Benjamin had purchased a 1,500-acre survey along the Little Miami River in 1812 and built a three-level stone house that sheltered hundreds of runaway slaves on their journey to freedom. The cemetery lies on a hill behind this historic house, at the end of Sibcy Road west of Butterworth Road. Benjamin’s simple gravestone bears only the letters “BB.” He is buried there with his wife, Rachael, and several generations of Butterworth descendants, including the Fosters and Neumans who descend from the youngest son, Henry Thomas. Henry’s oldest daughter, Jane, married John Wilber Fisk Foster, headmaster of the Maineville Academy. Captain Horace Danforth, a Civil War veteran, is also buried here alongside his wife Emma, daughter of Henry Thomas. The last person buried in the Butterworth Farm Cemetery was Rev. Thomas Foster in 1964. A few miles east, at 9304 Maineville Road, is the small Nesbit Farm Cemetery where six members of the Harris family and Rosemary Nesbit are buried. This cemetery is connected to the Butterworths through Martha Butterworth, Benjamin Butterworth’s sister, who moved with her family from Virginia to be near her brother. The first burial here was William Harris, son of Martha Butterworth Harris, who died in 1834. Martha herself was buried here after her death on February 26, 1837, followed just three days later by her husband, Isaiah. Of Martha and Isaiah's five daughters, three never married and were buried here as well. The farm later passed to their son, Isaac, then to J. Giddings in 1867, and eventually to Theodore Sengstack, who sold it to E.B. Nesbit in the early 1900s. Up to then, the cemetery only contained graves of the Harris family. The Nesbits had three daughters and Rosemary, who never married, chose to be buried here in 2005. After her burial, the cemetery was beautifully restored with new markers placed beside each old one, and a new fence with the initial “N” added to the gate as directed by her estate. On the east side of the township, at 2098 Mounts Road, lies the Ertel–Patterson Cemetery, located in a small grove of trees. It began on Ertel land, where Daniel and Catherine Ertel buried four of their ten children: Valentine, Daniel, John, and Elizabeth. Daughter, Elizabeth married Thomas Patterson, whose family is also buried here.
Historic
Butterworth Farm Cemetery
of Hamilton Township - Part 2
Benjamin Butterworth's gravestone
Mount Cemetery
Ford Cemetery
Farm Cemeteries, cont. The earliest burial was in April, 1820 for Valentine, who had served in the War of 1812, and died at the age of 26. Sadly, another Valentine, who served in the Civil War, died in 1864 at the age of 22. The Ertels who settled in the southern part of the township in 1798, are buried on one side and the Pattersons on the other side with the Patton family buried in between. A tall pillar monument marking the burials of Thomas and Elizabeth Patterson and two of their young children once stood as the cemetery’s focal point. Sadly, today, the cemetery is so overgrown and neglected that most gravestones are broken and unreadable. South of the Ertel–Patterson Cemetery, hidden in a heavily wooded area at 9882 Cozzadale Murdock Road, lies the Ford Cemetery. It was one of the township’s earliest farm cemeteries beginning with the burial of Gabriel Morgan in 1815. Gabriel had purchased the land in 1803 and several other Morgan family members are buried there. There are 33 burials here, including members of the Snell, Family, and Creamer family who came from Kentucky and settled nearby in 1805. Why it is called the “Ford” Cemetery remains a mystery, as there are no Fords buried here and the land was owned by the Spence family for many years. The last burial was in 1886 for Abraham Morgan, Gabriel’s eldest son, who was born in 1798. Sadly, the cemetery was abandoned, and most of the stones are no longer standing. South of the Ford Cemetery and the final farm cemetery is the Mount Cemetery; located near Comargo at 9325 Morrow Cozzadale Road, just north of Dallaburg Road. It began in 1818 with the burial of Patience Mount on land purchased by Elijah Mount of New Jersey in 1809. There are 25 Mount family members buried here, including Elijah and his parents along with Francis Elzroth, who purchased land across the road in 1802. Of the 63 people buried here there are members of the Bennett, Covenhover, and Conover families and Civil War veteran, Melvin Gaskill. The last known burial was that of Daniel Leer in 1910. Unfortunately, this cemetery has also fallen into shameful neglect. Altogether, Hamilton Township is home to eleven farm cemeteries, hallowed grounds that hold the remains of our earliest settlers. These men and women cleared heavily wooded land filled with wild animals, planted crops, built roads and started schools. Many risked their lives in the French and Indian War, Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War. Their hard work, sacrifice, and determination molded our township. It seems the least we can do today is show our respect and gratitude by keeping these historic cemeteries cleaned and preserved. They are not just burial grounds, they are living reminders of the lives that shaped Hamilton Township.
Ertel-Patterson Cemetery
Historic Tales of the Township is researched and written by Dr. Karen Dinsmore. Special thanks to Dan Kindel for his assistance with this article.
did you miss PART one OF FARM CEMETERIES? Click here to get caught up!
NEXT ISSUE: A Mystery Footbridge across the Little Miami River
F U N F A C T S
The word cemetery comes from a Greek word meaning resting place. The first gravestones in the farm cemeteries were simple tablet stones, made of sandstone that were about 2.5" thick. They were placed upright with 1/3 of the stone placed underground. Initially, each person was remembered with their own stone, which included their name, date of death, and the number of years, months, and days the person lived. If it was a child, the stone usually said "son or daughter of" and listed the parents names. If it was a married person, it said "wife or husband of" and stated the spouse's name. After 1900, most stones simply stated the date of birth and date of death. With the arrival of the Little Miami Railroad in the township, gravestones became heavier and more elaborate as they could be shipped cheaply. The closer the cemetery was to the tracks, the faster the transition was to larger stones of differing shapes and harder materials, such as marble and granite.
Ingredients
Molly's Magic
Nostalgia in every bite, only better!
Oatmeal Cream Pies
This annual tradition can be enjoyed in any neighborhood in Hamilton Township. Rain or Shine.
10.31 | 6:00pm-8:00 pm
1. Preheat oven to 375°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. 2. In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla, and molasses and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. 3. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and oats. 4. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients. The dough will be quite thick and very sticky, and you may have to mix it all by hand after a few seconds in the mixer. 5. Scoop the dough, about 2 heaping Tbsp per cookie and arrange 3" apart on baking sheets (about 6 cookies per sheet). Bake for 10-13 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges. The centers will look very, very soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool on sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack to cool completely. 6. Filling: In a large bowl using hand or stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat the butter on high speed until creamy (1min.). Add confectioners sugar and beat on medium speed for 1-2 min. Pour in heavy cream and vanilla extract. Beat on high speed for 2-3 min. Taste and add a pinch or two of salt, if needed. Beat in another Tbsp. of room temp. heavy cream. 7. Spread about 1 1/2 Tbsp. of cream filling on bottom side of cookies; top with remaining cookies, right side up. Cover and store leftover sandwich cookies at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Directions
1 1/4 Cups Unsalted Butter 1 Cup Dark Brown Sugar 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar 1 Large Egg, room temp. 2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract 1 Tbsp. Dark Molasses (do not use blackstrap, Grandma's brand is preferred) 1 2/3 All-Purpose Flour 1 tsp. Baking Soda 1/2 tsp. Salt 3/4 tsp. Ground Cinnamon 1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves 3 Cups Quick Oats (not whole oats) Cream Filling 3/4 Cup Unsalted Butter, softened to room temp. 3 Cups Confectioners Sugar 3 Tbsp. Heavy Cream, room temp. 1 1/2 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract Salt, to taste
Molly Hayslip is the Community Resource Officer for the HTPD and is responsible for all things Community! She organizes self defense classes, the Citizens Police Academy curriculum for adults and kids, drug take back days, National Night Out, Fishing with the 5-0 and so much more! Her smile brightens every room she enters!
Be part of charitable giving in Hamilton Township with WCF through: Legacy planning, Scholarship funds, Donor advised funds www.WarrenCountyFoundation.org 513-934-1001
The Warren County Foundation (WCF) helps impact Hamilton Township by delivering its mission to enhance the quality of life in Warren County through charitable giving.
WCF's Impact in Hamilton Township: "Cancer Family Care (CFC) hosts 50 kids at our annual Camp Courage held at Camp Joy. Staff and volunteers orchestrate a day full of fun, friendship, and healing for children who have been affected by cancer in their lives. Kids ages 5-14 have the opportunity to meet other kids going through similar experiences and facing similar challenges. CFC would like to send out a special thank you to the Warren County Foundation and all of the amazing donors who make Camp Courage possible!" -Jill Settlemyre, Executive Director, Cancer Family Care
Warren County Foundation - Our Community Resource for Charitable Giving
Cancer Family Care impacts individuals with children and families affected by cancer in our community with support from the Warren County Foundation.