![]() What remained in 1767 was then renamed Lower Paxton Township. Hanover Township was cut off the east in 1736 and Upper Paxton Township was cut off the north in 1767. In the years after Dauphin County was established, the township was slowly divided. Organized long before the City of Harrisburg, it was at that time about the size of Dauphin County. Paxton Township was created in 1729 within Lancaster County.This Indian derivation would roughly translate "Place-where-the-water-stands-still." "Peshtank" became "Paxtang" and finally "Paxton." John Harris, in fact, wrote his letters from "Paxtang" or "Paxton," not Harrisburg. The second theory is that "Paxton" is a derivation of the Indian name "Peshtank" which was originally given to the area by its Indian settlers, the Susquehannocks.Possibly the name comes from the Latin "pax" meaning "peace." With the addition of "ton," Scottish for "town," the liberal translation can be "Peace Town." The first theory is that it may have been brought here from Scotland by the Scottish Presbyterian settlers who settled in the upper area of what was then Lancaster County. The name "Paxton" has a long history in Pennsylvania and there are two theories about its origin.His son, John Jr., laid out the town of Harrisburg in 1785. ![]() In colonial days, John Harris operated a ferry at Harrisburg.As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 44,424. The township was incorporated in 1767 from Paxton Township. ![]()
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