Editing Union County, Ohio (section)

==History==
===Early history===
Union County has been under the rule of three countries in its history: France, England, and the present-day United States. It was discovered by the French explorer La Salle, along with traders and missionaries who accompanied him. After the [[French and Indian War]], the [[Treaty of Paris (1763)|Treaty of Paris of 1763]] placed the area under British rule. Following the [[American Revolution]], in 1783, the area would eventually become known as the Northwest Territory and part of the United States.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173846/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.33,34, accessed April 11, 2009</ref>

[[File:Cavelier de la salle.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Robert de La Salle, French explorer of pre-modern Ohio]]
After the American Revolution, former soldiers from New England poured into Ohio after being granted land by the government. They surveyed the land, and sought to develop a state between Lake Erie and the Ohio River. Their proposals for the governance of the territory led to the passage of the Ordinance of 1787, which guided the establishment of states within the Northwestern Territory.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173846/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.35-38, accessed April 11, 2009</ref> Bitter struggles with American Indians over the next decades would follow, culminating with the [[battle of Tippecanoe]] in 1811, which saw the final defeat of the American Indian tribes in Ohio led by [[Tecumseh]].<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173846/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.33-43, accessed April 11, 2009</ref> A notable victim of the warring between the settlers and Indians was [[Jonathan Alder]], who resided in and around the Union County area throughout his life.

===Original settlements===
The first town laid out in the county was North Liberty, established by [[Lucas Sullivant]] in 1797, but the first settlement in the county was made in present-day Jerome township by Joshua and James Ewing in 1798. An important settlement made in the county was by Abraham Amrine, of Swiss descent and a revolutionary soldier, in 1817, {{convert|2|mi|km|spell=in}} northwest of Marysville.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173846/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 |date=July 27, 2011 }} p. 106</ref>

===Formation===
As part of negotiations with Virginia, who had claimed land in Ohio, to sign the [[Articles of Confederation]], the United States granted them claims to land in Ohio which became known as the [[Virginia Military District]]. Union County was in this district. In 1803, Ohio became an independent state.

After lobbying by Col. James Curry, who represented the area in legislature at the time and a resident of what would become Jerome township, Union County was established by the Ohio legislature, and became official in 1820 with the appointment of the original commissioners: Stephen Bell, Reuben Wallace, and John Huston. The county commissioners eventually established the townships, including Union (1820), Darby (1820), Mill Creek (1820), Jerome (1821), Paris (1821), Liberty (1822), Leesburg (1825), Allen (1827), Jackson (1829), York (1834), Washington (1836), Dover (1839), Claibourne (1834), and Taylor (1849), while they designated Marysville as the county seat.

The town of Milford Center was established in 1816 by George Reed, Marysville in 1819 by Samuel Culbertson, Richwood in 1832 by Philip Plumber, Kingsville in 1834, Somerville in 1835, Watkins and Arbelia in 1838, Newton in 1838 by David Paul, York Center in 1841, Frankfort in 1846, Unionville in 1847, Pharisburg in 1847, New California in 1853, Dover in 1854, Union Center in 1863, Broadway in 1865, Pottersburg in 1869, Peoria in 1870, Magnetic Springs in 1879, and Claibourne in 1881.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173846/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p. 100-104, accessed April 11, 2009</ref>

====County seat====
[[File:First Congregational Church Marysville.jpg|thumb|left|First Congregational Church, Marysville]]
After the organization of the county by the Ohio Legislature, Marysville was designated as the seat of Union County.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Union County], p. 313</ref> The first recorded meeting of the commissioners was in 1820.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Union County], p. 342, 347</ref> Between 1835 and 1840, a courthouse was constructed.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Union County], p. 318</ref> Eventually, a new courthouse would be built in Marysville, dedicated on January 27, 1883. This is the present courthouse today.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Union County], p. 319</ref>

In 1849, a county infirmary was authorized. The first county jail was a log structure that sat on the southside of East Center street, in the rear of the courthouse. Eventually, a new jail was authorized by the commissioners and built in the 1870s. In 1878, the county purchased a 10-ton safe for the treasury, that eventually was moved into courthouse.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Union County], p. 323-324</ref>

The first county fair was held in 1847 in Marysville, in the public square. In 1852, the Agriculture Society moved the fair to the current location, on the northside of town.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Union County], p. 328</ref>

In 1866, the Union County Teachers' Institute was organized in Marysville, with Franklin Wood serving at the first President. In 1882, the Normal School was organized by J.S. Wharton, which specialized in instructing future teachers.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Union County], p.338</ref>
{{Clear}}

===Early growth===
====Infrastructure====
The county lacked transportation infrastructure until 1812, when the first known highway named Post Road was constructed across the southern portion of the county. In 1844, the legislature by act created a free turnpike that ran from Columbus to Bellefontaine, passing through Marysville, originally costing $230,000. This road eventually became what is known as U.S. Route 33 today. In 1853, the Marysville and Essex Plank Road Company was organized and constructed a road from Marysville north, through Pharisburg. The company sold capital stock for $30,000, and this road today is known as State Rt. 4. By 1915, the county had built {{convert|705|mi|km}} of roadways, the most of any county in the state for its size.<ref name="History of Union County">[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173915/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.139</ref>
[[File:Richwood.jpg|thumb|right|200px|Richwood]]
By the late 19th century and into the 20th century, the county began developing its electricity infrastructure. By 1915, electricity lines ran from Magnetic Springs to Richwood.<ref name="History of Union County"/>

The county's first railroad was constructed between 1850 and 1854, a line that ran from Springfield to Delaware and crossed through the county in Milford Center, Marysville, Irwin, and Dover. A railroad called the New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio line was chartered in 1851 and would eventually run through Union County with station points at Richwood, Woodland, Claibourne, Pottersburg, Broadway, and Peoria. The Columbus and Bellefontaine railroad was incorporated in 1878 and had station points in the county at Marysville. The Toledo and Central railroad ran from Columbus north through the county, with station points at Marysville, Peoria, and Raymond.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173915/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.140</ref>

The first telegraph line was completed in 1859, which connected Marysville with the world via Springfield.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173915/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p. 141</ref>

====Agriculture====
[[File:New California Ohio.jpg|thumb|left|New California]]
Because of the fertile soil in Union County, the county's farmers required minimal fertilizer. There were hundreds of farms in the county in its early stages. The crops grown in Union County's early history included wheat, oats, corn, Irish potatoes, clover and alfalfa. The county was a large producer of milk, butter, sugar, syrup, apples, and pears.

In 1911, {{convert|270000|acre|km2}} were owned in Union County, with 85,000 cultivated for farming. The farms had a total of 9,355 horses, 8,110 milk cows with 14,000 total cattle, 43,727 sheep, and 32,000 hogs. {{convert|312,000|lb|kg}} of wool was produced that year.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173915/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.141-142</ref>

====Commerce and industry====
[[File:Uptown Marysville Ohio1.jpg|thumb|left|Uptown Marysville]]
Union County was home to many industries in its original days from hotels, tanneries, distilleries, breweries, mills, asheries, manufacturers, energy production, banks, grocers, and retailers, among others.
Marysville's industrial roots can be traced back to many early companies. Among those were the Marysville Pearlash Factory, an ashery founded in 1848, which by 1874 was the largest in the United States. The first steam-grist mill was erected in 1856 by Saxton and Casil. In 1867, Miller & Snodgrass constructed a flour mill. In 1874, Marysville Butter Tub and Spoke Company was incorporated with $50,000.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History], Paris Township, p.55</ref>

A wool company, Woodbury & Welsh, constructed a brick factory on the northeast part of town in 1864, and a brewery was built in 1866 on the eastside. In 1868, [[Scotts Miracle-Gro Company|O.M. Scotts and Company]] was organized. In 1871, the Marysville Cheese Manufacturing Company was built on the eastside. Many carriage manufacturing companies were placed in Marysville, including Bauer, Schepper & Devine in 1882, City Carriage Works in 1871, and L. E. Helium in 1874.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Paris Township], p.56</ref>

In 1875, Rice, Fleck & Co. opened a lumberyard. The Marysville Gas Light Company was incorporated in 1878 following almost a decade of the city using gasoline for lighting.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untitle.htm History, Paris Township], p.56,57</ref>

Richwood was home to hotels such as the Parsons House and Beem House. Large mills in Richwood included Beem and Biddle, Loveless, Howe, and Bishop, and S. M. and A. J. Blake. There were large tile manufacturers, and a plethora of commercial and industrial interests including jewelers, furniture retailers, and lumber yards.<ref>[http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Union/Untp12.htm History, Union County], p.604</ref>

Milford Center was home to mills, distilleries, tanneries, and companies such as the Milford Center Lumber and Supply Company, Ohio Elevator and Grain Company, Robinson and Richter Company, and Childs and Cover, a carriage manufacturer.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.phpCISOROOT=2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court History of Union County]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, p.399-401</ref>
[[File:Dr. Henderson's House Marysville Ohio.jpg|thumb|right|Dr. Henderson's house, now a restaurant, Marysville]]

Magnetic Springs, following the discovery of natural healing waters, became a tourist haven in the late 19th century until the innovation of modern medicine in the early 20th century. Tourists from all over the world visited the springs and stayed at resorts such as "The Park" and "The Columbus". "The Park" was home to the "Sager Sanitarium Bath".<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727174055/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court |date=July 27, 2011 }}. p.456</ref>

====Legal====
Union County was home to many notable jurists in its early history, including [[John F. Kinney]], who practiced in Union County in 1836 and eventually became a supreme court justice in Iowa and later a congressman from Utah. [[Edward Stillings]] grew up near Milford Center and was a graduate of Harvard, and became one of the top jurists in the country, practicing before the United States Supreme Court and helping to form the legal code of Kansas in the 1870s. [[James Wallace Robinson]] was a native of Union County and went on to become a U.S. congressman in 1872. [[James E. Robinson]], a native of Union County, would eventually become an Ohio Supreme Court justice.

[[File:Roosevelt-Fairbanks.jpg|thumb|left|225px|Union County native and U.S. Vice President Charles W. Fairbanks, right, with U.S. President [[Theodore Roosevelt]], left.]]
[[Otway Curry]] was a nationally known poet who also became a jurist in 1840. Hylas Sabine graduated from Harvard in 1863 and practiced law in the county. Ulysses Cole, the son of Judge P.B. Cole, attended Harvard, practiced law with his father in 1867, and after being elected to the legislature in Indiana, became Deputy United States Assessor for Internal Revenue. Joseph Kennedy was admitted to the bar in 1871, and would become mayor of Marysville. [[Charles W. Fairbanks]] was admitted to the bar in 1874 and went on to become a United States Vice President.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOSHOW=2551 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070116125946/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php |date=January 16, 2007 }}, p.174-201</ref>

====Media====
[[File:Preston B. Plumb - Brady-Handy.jpg|thumb|Preston B. Plumb, U.S. Senator, and one-time Marysville resident]]
Publishing exerted great influence over public opinion in the county in its early days. Monthly and weekly publishings were the earliest known forms of the media in the county originally. The earliest known newspaper in the county was the ''Our Freedom and Union County Advertiser'', first published in Marysville in 1839 by Stephen McClain, Robert McBrattney, and William Lawrence. The newspaper was then renamed the ''Union Star'' after a year and continued until May 1841, when it was purchased by John Cassil and renamed the ''Union Gazette''. In 1842, the paper moved to Bellefontaine and was edited by Thomas Robb, with the paper sent weekly to Marysville. In 1843, the paper moved back to Marysville and was published until 1844. During the period it was owned by Cassil, it politically leaned Democratic.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173846/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.155-156</ref>

In 1844, the paper was purchased by P.B. Cole and W.C. Lawrence, who renamed it the ''Argus and Union County Advertiser'', and moved the politics toward the Whig party. In 1845, the paper was sold to James Alexander, and after only six weeks, sold back to John Cassil, who turned the paper back into a Democrat political newspaper. In 1846, P.B. Cole bought the newspaper back and turned it back into a Whig political newspaper. In 1849, he sold the paper to C.S. Hamilton, who renamed it the ''Marysville Tribune''. A notable printer of the Marysville Tribune was [[Preston Plumb]], who eventually left Marysville and became a U.S. Senator in Kansas. The paper would eventually be purchased by the Shearer family, who published daily editions that were Republican-leaning, and weekly editions that were independent.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.phpCISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOSHOW=2551 History of Union County]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}, p.157</ref>

Other papers in the county were the ''Eaglet'', formed in 1845, and lasting only a few months. The ''Union Journal'', formed in 1853, lasted a year. It would be moved to Xenia, where it became the ''Xenia News'', and edited by [[Whitelaw Reid]]. The ''Union Press'' was formed in 1858 by Hylas Sabine and was Republican-leaning. In 1863, it was purchased by the Vallandighamer family and changed to the ''Union Democrat'', which changed the paper in politics and spent its time attacking the Union government during the [[American Civil War]]. It ceased operations in 1864. In 1883, the ''Darby News'' was formed in Milford Center and eventually became the ''Milford Echo'' before folding. Also, were the ''Milford Ohioan'' was formed in 1887, the ''Richwood Gazette'' in 1872, the ''Richwood Reporter'' in 1882, which ceased operations two years later when destroyed by fire, and the ''Octograph Review''.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOSHOW=2551 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005054056/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOSHOW=2551 |date=October 5, 2011 }}, p.158-161</ref>

In 1874, the ''Marysville Journal'' was formed by C.M. Kenton, later becoming the ''Union County Journal'', and leaned Democratic. By 1883, the ''Marysville Tribune'' and the ''Union County Journal'' were the only newspapers published in the county. Bruce Gaumer purchased the ''Union County Journal'' in 1904, and later bought the ''Marysville Tribune'' in 1951. In 1952, Gaumer merged the two newspapers into what is known today as the ''Marysville Journal-Tribune''.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

====Banking====
The pioneers who composed the large majority of county residents in the early 19th century were generally very poor, meaning that there was no need for a bank in the county's early years. Trade was done by barter, including the exchange of coon and deer skins, whiskey, honey, and other durable goods. The state bank issued currency in the early periods known as "red dogs", "[[wildcat banking|wildcats]]", and other currencies which passed through the county, with a [[bank note reporter]] published weekly to inform consumers of exchange rates of these currencies. Gold and silver was of little value in the early days, and what banks were formed usually failed.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173915/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.150</ref>
[[File:Richwood Banking Company.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Richwood Banking Company headquarters, Richwood]]
After some banking laws were passed and the production of the county grew, currency gained value in trade, including paper, gold, and silver, and banks were permanently established in the county. The first bank in the county was the Bank of Marysville, established by Andrews, Evans, and Woods in 1854.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173915/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=alder |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.150-152</ref><ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=/mpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727173846/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1 |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.153-154</ref>

===Modern development===
[[File:Dublin Entrepreneurial Center1.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Dublin Entrepreneurial Center, Dublin]]
[[File:War of the Rebellion Memorial Milford Center Ohio.jpg|thumb|right|150px|War of the Rebellion memorial, Milford Center]]
Memorial Hospital of Union County was constructed in Marysville in 1952.<ref>[http://www.memorialhosp.org/about/history.asp Memorial Hospital] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090508221717/http://www.memorialhosp.org/about/history.asp |date=May 8, 2009 }}, History</ref>  Many other developments would take place during this time, including the construction of the Union County Airport in Marysville,<ref>[http://www.airnav.com/airport/KMRT AirNav], Union County</ref> as well as numerous manufacturing companies and small housing developments throughout the county. [[U.S. Route 33]] was expanded from a two-lane highway to a four-lane highway in the 1980s.

===Military heritage===
[[File:ONG Marysville Ohio.jpg|thumb|left|300px|Ohio National Guard training center, Marysville]]
Union County has a military heritage dating back to the [[American Revolution]], and was a frequent location for the organization of military companies. Because the government paid the soldiers with land grants in the west during the revolution, Union County became home to many of these soldiers after the war. A recorded 14 soldiers from the revolution eventually made their way to Union County, with many others unrecorded because of poor record keeping.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727174055/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.269-270</ref>
[[File:Norton P. Chipman - Brady-Handy.jpg|right|thumb|125px|[[Norton P. Chipman]], co-founder of the Grand Army of the Republic, author of order creating Memorial Day, and U.S. Congressman]]
The [[War of 1812]] broke out with early battles fought in the Northwest Territory, including Lake Erie. A descendant of a hero, [[Oliver Hazard Perry]], from the War of 1812, named [[Robert S. Beightler]], was a native of Union County. A company of 13 Union County men was assembled for this war, with many other natives of Union County joining companies from outside the county, including a company formed by [[Jonathan Alder]]. Over 100 natives of the county would serve in the war.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727174055/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.271-272</ref>

When the [[Mexican–American War|Mexican War]] broke in 1845 following the annexation of Texas into the United States, Union County provided men, totalling over 30.<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727174055/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.280</ref>
[[File:Union County Veterans Memorial.jpg|thumb|left|Union County Veterans Memorial, Marysville]]
The [[American Civil War]] followed, which was not greeted in the same manner the previous war was. However, Union County would provide 3,200 men for that war, while producing notable leaders such as [[Norton P. Chipman]].<ref>[http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court History of Union County] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727174055/http://contentdm.photohio.org/cdm4/document.php?CISOROOT=%2Fmpl_his1915&CISOPTR=3602&REC=1&CISOBOX=supreme+court |date=July 27, 2011 }}, p.281-346</ref>

In 2007, the Union County Veterans Remembrance Committee dedicated the Union County Veterans Memorial on the northeast lawn of the courthouse. This was sponsored through private, public, and corporate grants and donations, including support from the Union County Foundation.<ref>[http://www.unioncountyfoundation.org/Annual%20Report/2007grant.htm Annual Report] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802181555/http://www.unioncountyfoundation.org/Annual%20Report/2007grant.htm |date=August 2, 2009 }}</ref> In 2008, the [[Ohio National Guard]] opened a new $8.2&nbsp;million Marysville facility.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marysvillejt.com/web/index.php?sid=50&id=2562 |title=New Armory |access-date=April 12, 2009 |archive-date=August 2, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802215334/http://www.marysvillejt.com/web/index.php?sid=50&id=2562 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20101228055140/http://www.marysvillejt.com/archivelocal/2007localarchives/localarchivemay07.htm#Areamemorialday Area Memorial]</ref>