The township, like the county, is named for governor, general and ninth President William Henry Harrison.

The majority of land in the township was in his possession in the first decade of the 19th century.

He donated a parcel of land for the construction of Corydon and sold much of the rest of his land in the township by 1815 to the settlers who were rapidly occupying the countryside.

Corydon Battle Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

(This list is based on USGS data and may include former settlements.)