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Monroe County, Ohio
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MONROE TOWNSHIP

Source:
History of Monroe County, Ohio
- Illustrated -
A Condensed History of the County;
Biographical Sketches: General Statistics; Miscellaneous Matters &c.
Publ. H. H. Hardesty & Co, Publishers
Chicago and Toledo
1882
 

[Page 209] -

     Prosecuting Attorneys:  Seneca S. Salisbury, Samuel H. Guthrie, Daniel Gray, Franklin Gale, Edward Archbold, Thomas West, Daniel H. Wire, Wm. P. Richardson, James O. Amos, John P. Spriggs, A. J. Pearson, John P. Spriggs, and John B. Driggs.
     The following attorneys, now deceased, formerly lived and practiced in the county:  Daniel Gray, Thomas West, William C. Walton, Archibald Ross, Daniel H. Wire, Joseph M. Mason, John Sinclair, Samuel H. Guthrie, William F. Hunter, Edward Archbold, Nathan Hollister and Franklin Gale. 

COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - FINANCES

     It would, no doubt, be quite interesting to the reader, did time and space permit, to give extensive extracts from the journals of the proceedings of the County Commissioners during the first few years of the County's history.  The duties of the Board, however, are generally understood and were then pretty much confined to the erection of new townships, establishing roads, appointing assessors of property and collectors of taxes, and in general, then as now, regulating and superintending the county finances and the erection of public buildings.
     The Commissioners elected in April, 1815, were John Linn , Elijah Stephen, and Cornelius Okey, and were to hold their office only until the fall election following.  They met and organized June 5, 1815, and appointed Cornelius Okey, clerk of the Board, and Arthur Okey, Treasurer.  At the same session the boundaries of Centre, Salem, Seneca and Jackson townships were fixed, and embraced the whole territory.  The date of the organization of the other townships will be given under their proper headings.  The first county road was ordered to be surveyed at this session, leading from the mouth of Sunfish to Woodsfield.  Viewers:  Nathan Hollister, John Palmer, and George Steed.
     The Commissioners elected at the annual election in 1815, met in December following, and by lot determined the duration of their several terms of office.  William Atkinson drew one year, Arthur Scott two years, and William Dement three years.  At this session the price of wolf scalps was fixed at two dollars for the scalps of wolves over six months old.  Licenses were regulated as follows:  Stores, fifteen dollars per year; taverns, in Woodsfield, eight dollars; other places, six; ferries across the Ohio river, six; across creeks, one dollar.  These rates, in other years, were sometimes increased, at others, reduced.
     The journals afford no evidence that Arthur Scott ever served as Commissioner.  Cornelius Okey served until 1822.  After those above named came Peter Witten, 1819; John Bevan, 1822; John Linn, 1822; Wm. Smith, 1823; Joshua Richardson, 1824; John Henthorn, 1826; William Crawford, 1827; Elisha Enoch, 1828; Peter Witten, 1829; John Gray, 1830; William Johnston, 1831; William Smith, 1832; Isaac A. Brock, 1834; Ambrose Rucker, 1834; Thomas Mitchell, sen., 1836; Randolph Laing, 1839; Edward Salisbury, 1841; Wm. Cochran, 1842; Joseph Caldwell 1842; Joel Yost, 1842; Thomas Orr, 1843; John Cline, 1844; Thomas Griffith, 1845; Henry Ford, 1849; Stephen Henthorn, 1850; Jacob Tschappat, 1851; Wm. Myers, 1855; John W. Wheeler, 1856; Joseph Moose, 1857; Frederick Muhleman, 1857; Thomas Mitchell, jr., 1858; Barnet Mann, 1860; George S. Algeo, 1862; Wm. F. Booth, 1863; Thomas Murphy, 1865; F. A. Lamping, 1866; Wm. Workman, 1867; Isaac Bernhard, 1868; Christian Cehrs, 1869; James Armstrong, 1871; Edward Okey, 1873; David Lentz, 1875; Jacob Affolter, 1877; Jonathan Lieuellen, 1879; Nicholas D. Garden, 1881.
     Fees, salaries, taxes, and the prices of labor, in the first decade of the county's history, compared with the  last, afford striking contrasts; and yet, perhaps, times were considered as hard, and as much complaint made then as now.  In the journals of the Commissioners in 1822, this entry may be found:  "The Commissioners allow the County Auditor for his services from the first Monday of March, 1821, to the first Monday of March, 1822, the sum of seventy-five dollars, and two dollars for stationery."  This two dollars would, no doubt, buy more than half a ream of paper - enough for a whole year, judging from the way business was done.  This is only given as one of many similar entries, for the fees and salaries of all other officers were in about the same proportion.
     Prior to 1826, the taxes for the support of the State government were raised by taxing the lands at a certain sum per acre.  The lands were classified as first, second and third rate, and each bearing a different rate of taxation.  In 1816 the lands were taxed as follows:  First rate, 3 cents per acre; second rate, 2¼ cents per acre, and third rate 1½ cents per acre.  In that year there were, in the county, as taxable, 1,534 acres classed as first rate; 1,780 acres as second rate, and 6,676 acres as third rate, the total State taxes upon which amounted to $186.24.  In 1823 there were 1,563 acres of first rate, 47,384 acres of second rate, and 24,210 acres of third rate, the State taxes upon which were $940.42, and a road tax of $313.48 - making a total tax of $1253.90.  It must not be understood that these were all the taxes paid in 1823.  In addition there was paid into the county treasury, including licenses, fines, etc., for county purposes, $847.15.  In 1826, a different revenue law having been adopted, the total taxable value of all the real and personal property of the county was $202,697, and the total taxes thereon for State, county, township and school purposes was $2,066.75.
     The tax duplicates for the years prior to 1833, were destroyed in the burning of the court-house in 1867.  The following table shows the number of acres taxable, the total value of real and personal property, and the total taxes thereon for the years given in the table:

YEARS No. of Acres. Total Value of all
Taxable Property
Total Taxes.
1833.....
1840.....
1850.....
1860.....
1870.....
1880.....
1881.....
$   81,706
149,290
271,127
286,530
288,914
286,536
285,767
$    251,421
446,780
2,131,057
4,615,360
5,335,439
5,655,034
5,380,686
$   3,499.70
9,819.39
26,324.13
51,240.19
102,686.70
93,217.41
91,333.00

     A new valuation of real property will account for the reduction between 1880 and 1881.  The tax on dogs for 1880 was $3,264, and for 1881, $3,082
 

STATE LEGISLATURE - SENATORS.

     Below will be found a list of the Senators from the districts, of which Monroe county was a part, from 1815 to, and including, 1882, with the years when their terms of office began, and the county in which the Senator resided.  Prior to 1852, the districts were formed by enactments of the General Assembly; since 1852, the Constitution prescribes what counties shall constitute a district:
     1815, John Patterson, of Belmont; 1819, David Jennings, Belmont; 1823, Zacheus A. Beatty, Guernsey; 1825, Thomas Hanna, Guernsey; 1827, David Robb, Guernsey; 1829, Thomas Weston, Monroe; 1831, Robert Thompson, Guernsey; 1833, Isaac Atkinson, Monroe; 1835, Wm. Scott, Guernsey; 1837, Wm. C. Walton, Monroe; 1839, Wm. Scott, Guernsey; 1841, Wm. C. Walton, Monroe; 1843, Wm. Armstrong, Guernsey; 1845, Benjamin Mackall, Belmont; 1847, Edward Archbold, Monroe; 1849, Wm. P. Simpson, Belmont; 1852, John Ferguson, Guernsey; 1854, Western T. Sinclair, Monroe; 1856, William Lawrence, Guernsey; 1858, Marshall Morrow, Monroe; 1860, Stephen Potts, Guernsey; 1862, John D. O'Connor, Monroe; 1866, Robert Savage, Guernsey; 1868, Wm. Lawrence, Guernsey; 1870, James O. Amos, Monroe; 1874, John W. Laughlin, Guernsey; 1876, Joseph B. Williams, Monroe; 1880, Frank M. Atkinson, Noble; 1882, A. J. Pearson, Monroe.

REPRESENTATIVES.

     It was not until 1824 that Monroe was entitled to a separate representation.  Prior to that time, all the representatives were from Belmont county, with which Monroe voted as a district, except Isaac Atkinson, in 1823.  In 1824, Isaac Atkinson was re-elected; 1825, Cornelius Okey; 1826, Thomas Weston; 1828, Cornelius Okey; 1830, Thomas Mitchell; 1831, Philip Darby; 1832, Isaac Atkinson 1833, Joseph Morris; 1835, Wm. C. Walton; 1837, Peter Witten; 1839, Wm. Johnson 1841, Cornelius Okey; 1843; Edward Archbold; 1845, Joel Yost; 1847, Wm. Johnston; 1848, James R. Morris; 1849, Wm. Johnston; 1850, James Okey; 1854, Horace Holland; 1856 Henry T. Grier and Alfred Ogle, of Noble; 1858, Jere. Williams, James M. Stout; 1860, James M. Stout; 1862, John Keyser; 1866, Eliel Headley; 1870, Wm. Milligan; 1874, James Watson; 1878, Henry Maury, 1880, Geo. W. Stewart; 1882, Henry Maury.
     The celebrated lawyer and editor, Charles Hammond, represented the counties of Belmont and Monroe three times between 1816 and 1820.

SCHOOL EXAMINERS.

     The efficiency of our schools and school system, under the beneficent laws of our State, is measurably dependent upon the qualifications and character of the Board of Examiners.  Who were the members of the first Board the writer cannot now call to mind.  The first he remembers was Franklin Gale, a graduate of Amherst College, who came to the county in 1833.  The people of Woodsfield finding him to be a thoroughly competent teacher, induced him to remain.  In the years following - 1833 to 1840 - he taught several select schools, was a member of the Board of 1840- he taught several  select schools, was a member of the Board of Examiners and became identified with the educational interests of the county.  Under his auspices the old Monroe Academy was built, of which Prof. A. Ross and Prof. J. P. Mason had charge, and who were afterwards chosen Professors of Bethany college, on its first organization.  Mr. Gale, while a resident of Woodsfield, read law, and after being admitted to the bar, was elected Prosecuting Attorney.  He married a daughter of Timothy Cleveland, of Seneca township.  About the year 1841, he removed from the county and finally located in Columbus, where he died a few years since.  His son, Hon. John W. Gale, is now Probate Judge of Franklin county.
     It would be of interest to give the names of all who have been members of the Board of School Examiners, but there are no records within the knowledge of the writer to show who were, prior to Jan. 1, 1872.  Since that date, the following have been appointed and served:  Enoch Martin, John W. Doherty, R. E. Tilford, A. J. Pearson, S. A. Atkinson, S. Scholcraft, W. F. Wire, G. O. Dougherty, G. W. Hamilton, J. A. Watson and David McVey Messrs. Hamilton, Watson and McVey are the present incumbents.

THE PRESS.

     Daniel Arnold, of Cadiz, Ohio, in January, 1832, issued the first number of the first paper printed in the county, under the title of the Woodsfield Gazette.  At this day, the press upon which it was printed would be a

[Pg. 210]
curiosity.  It was home-made, and its sand-stone bed now lies in the pavement, in front of Fred'k Diehls property.  The paper was of four pages of five columns each.  In this office the writer began his apprenticeship.  In May, 1833, Joseph Morris purchased the office and continued the publication of the paper, until November, 1834.  In the meantime, however, he had purchased at public sale the press and type of a paper proposed to be published by Dr. Jonathan Knight, at Clarington, which would have been the first paper in the county, had it been issued as proposed.  Dr. Knight had purchased, at St. Clairsville, the old Ramage press and type, on which the Ohio Federalist had been printed, by Charles Hammond  The bed of  that press is now in the office of the Spirit of Democracy, and is of yellowish grey marble.
     In 1836, Mr. Morris resumed the publication of his paper, under the name of the Monroe County Republican, the title that Dr. Knight had chosen for his proposed paper at Clarington, and continued its publication for one year.  It was Democratic in politics.  In the same year, Edward Archbold commenced the publication of a Whig paper, called the Monroe Patriot, which survived only four weeks.  It was, perhaps, the most remarkable paper ever issued in the State.  It contained scarcely a single article but what was written by the editor.  All the older people of the county will remember Mr. Archbold for abilities, his learning and his eccentricities.  The material of this office was sold to Samuel H. Guthrie, and by him taken to Harrison county.
     After the suspension of the Monroe County Republican, in March, 1837, the office was leased to Mrs. Morrill and her sons, John C. and Jacob T., who published the paper for about a year under the name of the Monroe Republican.
    
In 1838, Mr. Morris published a campaign paper called The Buckeye, edited by Wm. C. Walton and F. Gale, Esqs.  It was discontinued at the end of three months.  From that time until 1841 there was no paper printed in the county.
     In 1841, James M. Stout took charge of the office and published the Monroe Sentinel until the fall of 1843.  The paper was Democratic in politics.
     In January, 1844, James R. Morris purchased at auction, in Washington City, the press and other material of a paper called the Spirit of Democracy that had been published at Leesburg, Virginia, and on the first day of March, 1844, issued the first number of the Spirit of Democracy in Woodsfield.  He continued as sole editor and proprietor until March, 1856, when he sold to Jere. Williams an interest in the office, and, in a few years thereafter, sold his remaining interest to Henry R. West, who is now sole editor and publisher.  Its name indicates its party politics.
     In 1855, a paper, called the Monroe Journal, was started in Woodsfield, in the interests of what was then an American, or more familiarly known as the Know-Nothing party, edited by David Maclane.  It shortly passed successively under the editorial control of Warren Hollister, J. B. Lengly and Lewis Shipley, and was published in the interests of the Republican party.  While Mr. Shipley had control the material was sold and removed to Noble county.
     In 1873, a joint stock company established a new Democratic paper in Woodsfield, entitled the Monroe County Democrat, and edited by W. H. Kernan and J. P. Spriggs.  About March, 1874, J. B. Driggs became the editor and publisher; but after about a year disposed of the paper to Charles H. Goodrich and Jesse Jackson who continued its publication for some years as an independent paper, under the title of the Monroe Democrat, when Mr. Goodrich became sole editor and proprietor, and after a time changed the title to the Monroe Gazette.  Mr. Goodrich continues its publication as the Republican paper.
     In April, 1881, W. T. Bottonfield and W. T. Powell established, at Clarington, the Clarington Independent.  Its publication is still continued.
     This ends the history of the newspapers of Monroe county, as now remembered.

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