History

Pleasant Township, situated to the north of the Fairfield County seat of Lancaster, is one of the fastest growing counties in Ohio. The present population is in excess of 5,500 residents.

The township was settled as early as 1798 and was named for its fertile lands. The first settler was probably William Green who did not get to enjoy his “pleasant” surroundings very long as he died in 1799.

David, Thomas and Matthew Ewing were also among the first settlers, locating land near what would become Ewing’s Run in 1800.

George Arnold built the first water-powered grist mill in Pleasant Township on Arnold’s (Fetter’s) Run. This enabled settlers to get their meal and flour locally instead of having to travel to Zanesville or Chillicothe. Mr. Arnold also had the first saw mill which was operated in conjunction with the grist mill.

Zane’s Trace which ran from Wheeling, West Virginia to Maysville, Kentucky was the first road to traverse the township and remnants of it can still be seen.

Pleasantville, the largest village in the township, lies partly in Walnut Township. It was laid out by John Boston in 1828 who also built the first home in the village. Fairfield Union Academy opened in Pleasantville in 1860 and closed in 1903.The Academy offered Certificates of Graduation in the Classics, Science, and English. Today, Pleasantville Elementary is the only school in the village.