The process by which Columbus Township was named may be the best one of these stories.

It involves a friendly disagreement. And much whiskey.

Schenck’s History of Warren County details that the area was initially called Northwest Township and formed in March 1821 when it was attached to Spring Creek Township.

Four years later, the township struck out on its own and held its own election in the home of Captain David Curtis.

Here’s how Schenck tells the story of how the name came to be: “The township is said to have received its name in the following manner: David Curtis, from Sherburne, N.Y., and Kimball Webber, from Columbus, N.Y., both wanted to name the town from their former places of residence, and after much hot debate it was agreed that the person who should furnish the most whisky at election day should have the privilege of naming the new township. Webber offered five gallons and named the township.”

That’s a much better story than a passive naming for a certain explorer, isn’t it?

Schenck noted that it wasn’t possible to know (when he wrote in the 1880s) just what those election results were but did note that he did learn “that not all the whisky contributed for the first election was then consumed.”

Given the township population in those early days, that’s probably a good thing for all involved.

An article on place names in Warren County notes that Columbus Borough was formed out of the township in March 1853 but folded and became part of the township again in 1925.