Early history Exeter Township was established in the late 18th century as one of the original townships of Luzerne County. It is believed to be named after
Exeter, Rhode Island; the name Exeter derives from the town of
Exeter in Devon, England. Exeter Township was later downsized when sections of the community were divided into several newer townships and boroughs (e.g.,
West Pittston Borough and
Exeter Borough).
Revolutionary War During the
Revolutionary War, the Hardings—a group of settlers from Exeter Township—were ambushed by a group of
Iroquois and
Loyalists on June 28, 1778. Five days later, on July 3, the
Battle of Wyoming, also known as the Wyoming Massacre, occurred in what is now
Exeter Borough and
Wyoming Borough. Roughly 300 Patriot soldiers were killed. In the days following the battle, settlers fled the
Wyoming Valley and spread the news of how the Patriots had been massacred. In response, a
scorched earth campaign was conducted by
Continental Army forces under the command of Major General
John Sullivan). The 1779
Sullivan Expedition destroyed numerous Iroquois villages in the Finger Lakes region of New York.
After the war In the following decades (after the Revolutionary War), American settlers poured into Exeter. Farming and logging were the primary professions in the township.
Sawmills and
gristmills were constructed along creeks throughout the community. ==Geography==