the land that is today westerville was settled by those of european ancestry around 1810. in 1818, matthew, peter, and william westervelt, settlers of dutch extraction, migrated to the area from new york. matthew westervelt donated land for the construction of a methodist church in 1836, and the settlement was subsequently named in the family's honor. in 1839, the blendon young men's seminary was chartered in westerville; matthew westervelt was one of its first trustees. the church of the united brethren in christ bought the seminary in 1846, and the next year the seminary was reformed, and renamed otterbein college after the church's founder philip william otterbein. it continues today in westerville as the private otterbein university.