 The township was named after Peter Chartier, a trapper of French and Shawnee parentage who established a Pekowi Shawnee community in this area in 1734.In April 1745 Chartier and the Shawnees abandoned the town when the Pennsylvania provincial council indicted him for treason after he defied Governor Patrick Gordon over the sale of rum to the Shawnees.The historical character of Chartiers Township has been significantly influenced by its agricultural history, its natural resources such as coal and oil and its location along major transportation routes.