Named farms (late 1800s)
Listed among notable farms in the township:
- Scott Smith
- John Shoffner
- Fulton Shoffner
- Jesse Huffman
- Sylvester Davis
- Jacob McFadden
- Darius Hettrick
- Jared Jones
- J. K. Huffman
- John Snyder
- C. Longwell
- Shannon McFadden
ⓘ
Names & Variants
If you’re not finding a family under “Polk Township,” try searching the nearest named place in the record: Schoffner’s Corners, Mundorff, or Blowtown. Then confirm the township by map or tax list.
Township History
Polk Township developed in the mid-1800s with a strong lumber economy. By the late 1800s, county histories note that most pine had been cut, while hemlock, sugar maple, and oak remained; hemlock bark was also harvested in-season. As lumber declined, residents increasingly turned to agriculture and fruit culture, with farms showing renewed growth. ⓘ
Stores, mills, and named places
- Stores: A store began about 1866 (postmaster appointed about the same time); another store opened in 1879 at Blowtown; a third store is described at Mundorff. ⓘ
- Post offices: Two post offices are noted in the township—Schoffner’s Corners and Mundorff. ⓘ
- Sawmilling: The first sawmill is described as built in 1844 on a run feeding the North Fork; by the late 1800s, a key mill is noted at Blowtown (built 1865). ⓘ
Formation and boundary context
Polk Township was formed from Pine Creek Township (parent township). For older records, verify township lines by date, then cross-check roads, streams, and named places in county atlases and tax lists.
Summary adapted from Scott (1888) Polk Township sketch and township-level patterns in Jefferson County histories.
People, Farms & Clues
County histories often identify “best farms” and local merchants as a quick index to surnames in the area. Use these names as search anchors in tax lists, deeds, newspapers, and cemetery transcriptions.
Merchants & place-names
- Schoffner’s Corners (post office locality)
- Mundorff (post office / store locality)
- Blowtown (store and sawmill locality)
Strategy: search newspapers for “of Blowtown” or “at Mundorff” and then map the mention back to Polk Township.
Also listed villages & neighborhoods
Cemeteries (Polk)
Cemetery names may appear under a nearby locality (post office, church, school) rather than “Polk Township.” Use the county cemetery directory to confirm modern names and transcription links.
Churches & Schools
School records (where to look)
For 1800s-era families, school board minutes, teacher lists, and school tax references can help place a household when census detail is thin. Check township and county-level school reports and local newspapers for Polk-area schools.
Church records
Polk Township families often appear in congregations tied to nearby hubs. When a record lists only “Schoffner’s Corners” or “Mundorff,” look for the closest church, cemetery, or school serving that locality.
If you have a denomination but no church name, use newspapers and obituaries to identify the congregation, then contact the denominational archive or local historical society for registers and anniversary histories.
Post Offices (Polk)
Post offices are often the best “address layer” for rural Polk families. If a census, deed, or obituary uses a locality name, check which post office served it and compare dates to explain why an address changes across records.
If a Polk post office you expect isn’t listed yet, search the county-wide post office page and historic postal directories by locality name.
Towns, Villages & Historic Places
These cards summarize villages, store points, named corners, and historic localities connected to Polk Township. Use them to track families who appear under changing place names across censuses, deeds, tax lists, and newspapers.
Research Links (Polk focus)
Maps & Boundaries
Use historic atlases and modern maps to locate Schoffner’s Corners, Mundorff, and Blowtown; then trace streams and roads mentioned in deeds, school lists, and mill references.
Cemeteries by Township
Cross-check Polk burials across USGenWeb, Find A Grave, and FamilySearch.
Courthouse & Archives
Deeds (Recorder), probate and guardianship (Register/Orphans’ Court), and tax lists often reveal Polk residences through neighbor networks and road descriptions.
Newspapers
Newspapers are essential for rural Polk: store ads, mill notes, school items, and obituaries often name localities more precisely than censuses.