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     Madison township was originally a portion of Lemon.  The Miami river flows along its eastern and southern border, and separates it from Lemon township.  It is bounded on the north by Preble county, and on the west by Wayne township.
     The surface of Madison township in the northern portion is hilly, while the southern part is a wide alluvial plain.  The soil is fertile and agriculture is carried on extensively.
     The township had few settlers before 1802.  The first compact settlement was at Bloomfield, now known as Trenton.  Among the earliest settlers were Samuel Dickey, who came from Franklin county, Kentucky, in April, 1799, and settled on section 28, township 2, range 4 east, where Isaac Dickey was born in the same year, being the first white child born in the township. He was followed by Jesse McCray, Edward and Job Gee, in 1799; Joel Martin, Llewellyn Martin, Llewellyn Simpson and Bambo Harris, colored, in 1800; Alexander Chambers and William Baldwin, 1801; Adam Deem and Thomas Israel, in 1803; Daniel Drake, in 1804; Andrew Wagner, Henry Huffman, Noah Long, Gideon Long and David Long, in 1805.
     Other settlers who came before the war of 1812 were Abraham Miller, John Snyder, Sr., John Miller, Jeremiah Miller, Abraham Marts, Jacob Francis, Jacob Snyder, Samuel Snyder, John Snyder, George Snyder, Daniel Kemp, John Kemp, Jacob Kemp, Philip Kemp, Nathan Dougherty, Adam Deem, John H. Deem, John Sarver, John Chambers, Alexander Chambers, Andrew Garison, Jacob Widner, John Widner, Samuel Widner, John Lingle, Sr., John Lingle, Jr., Philip Leffler, Solomon Leffler, Leonard Lingle, Michael DeBolt, Henry Weaver, John Thomas, Joseph Hinkle, Elias Compton, Thomas Israel, William Weaver, John Lucas, David Banker, Jacob Temple, Christopher Reed, Andrew Waggoner, Henry Hoffman. John Francis, Christian Coon and John Webber.
     The first grist mill was built on Elk creek in 1801 by Bambo Harris.  The first saw mill was built on Elk creek the same year by Joel Martin.  In 1810 Mr. Gunkle built mill near the mouth of Elk creek, which was constructed of hewed logs.  It had saw mill attached.  In 1814 flouring mill, with saw mill attached, was built at Miltonville.  The third mill on Elk creek was built by Jacob Snyder on the northeast

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quarter of section 18.  Flour from the Snyder mill was shipped to New Orleans in the early days by flat boats.
     The Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad passes through the township and has stations at Trenton and Heno.  The Cincinnati, Dayton Toledo Traction Road crosses the lower end of the township and has its car-barns located at Trenton.
     About eighty-five or ninety years ago, at point where the old State road, thoroughfare from east to west, met the Miami river, ferry was maintained by Davis Ball.  The ferry was located about half mile south of the bridge at Trenton, and was familiarly known as Ball’s ferry. The settlement there was called Brownstown, but in after years its inhabitants died or moved away and the place and ferry would, perhaps, be entirely forgotten except for tragedy which happened there in March, 1819. The river at the time was at great height and the current at the ferry crossing was very formidable, when one morning party of several men and boys, with young lady, came down from Seven Mile and asked to be put over.  Mr. Ball, the ferry man, at first refused, declaring it would be dangerous to attempt to cross the stream at that time.  They insisted and he finally consented.  The men promised to help him work the boat, which was operated by the force of the water pressing sideways upon it, rope reached across the river from bank to bank, on which were two pulleys, with ropes passing from them to the boat.  Before consenting to take his load, Mr. Ball made condition that the girl should be left behind.  The boat started with its freight, consisting of Captain Aul and his son, Thomas Wilson, William and Daniel Craig, Thomas Thompson, Mr. Ball, dog and two horses.  When near the middle of the stream the ropes suddenly snapped in two and the boat overturned, spilling the party into the raging current.  All attempts made by bystanders to save the passengers were unavailing and the entire party was drowned except young Aul, who succeeded in getting on top of the boat and floated down with it to a place of safety.  The dog and the two horses were also drowned.

TRENTON

     The largest village in the township is Trenton.  It is situated on the adjoining corners of sections 5, 6, 31 and 32, on the road leading from Seven Mile to Middletown.  Its population in 1900 was 847.  The town was originally called Bloomfield, after Governor Bloomfield, of New Jersey, from which state the first settlers of the town immigrated, in the year 1800, under the leader ship of Deacon Michael Pearce and Elder Stephen Gard.  The village was platted in 1815, but there was number of houses there previously.  Several additions have been made in recent years. In 1831, when the postoffice came to be established, it was found that there was another postoffice in Ohio by the name of Bloomfield and so the name of Trenton was substituted, also in honor of New Jersey.  Since 1898 the village has been incorporated. and is governed by mayor and village council.  The earliest church organization in Butler county was founded near this place.  It was of the Old School Baptist type and is still in existence.  Elder Stephen Gard and Dr. Squier Littell, respectively, the first resident minister and doctor of the county, lived at Bloomfield in 1800, and in that year Elder Gard estab-

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lished the Baptist church short distance west of the village, and continued as its pastor until his death, August 14, 1839.  He it was who organized nearly all the Baptist churches in the Miami valley.  Be sides the Baptist church, founded in 1800, Trenton has four other churches:  The German Evangelical Protestant, founded in 1867, the St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran, built in 1878, the Roman Catholic, and the United Presbyterian; the latter, the finest church edifice in the village, was built during 1904 and 1905 and was dedicated by Rev. Dr. Moorhead, January 29, 1905.
     The first tavern keeper was named John Smith.  The first store keepers were Squire Littell and Stephen Gard.  Later Clark Potter engaged in the general merchandise business.  Still later James Patterson and McKnight Lee were the village merchants.  Other merchants have been Ezra Potter, Henry Burke. Frederick M. Burke.  Dill Andrews and Joseph Eicher. Trenton is quite shipping point, and since the construction of the Cincinnati.  Dayton Toledo Traction Road business has been revolutionized and the town has grown rapidly in population and wealth.

MILTONVILLE.

     The village of Miltonville was laid out nearly ninety years ago. and for many years it was one of the most important trading points in the county west of the Miami river.  In 1852 it had nearly two hundred inhabitants, one church, a school house, two stores, two taverns, a grist mill, a sawmill and two potteries which made much of the pottery used in this region.  The place was laid out by Richard Crane and Theophilus Egglesfield, who were first settlers.  Among

HENO.

     Heno is suburb of Middletown and is located about one mile distant on the opposite side of the Miami river from that city.  At Heno is located the Middletown station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton 81 Dayton Rail road, the two points being connected by a  paved street. and a bridge spanning the Miami river.  The village. prior to 1882, was called Madison City, but, with the establishment of the postoffice in that year. the name Heno was adopted.  In 1846 a tavern was built at this point by John Mumma and was called the Madison House.  Considerable grain is shipped from this point. and the town has a variety of business interests.  The Miami hills west of the river at this point afford beautiful views and in recent years a number of suburban residences have been built here.  The population of the village at the present time numbers about two hundred.

WOODSDALE.

is situated partially in St. Clair township. but lies principally in section 19 of Madison

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township. It was founded in 1867 by the Beckett Paper Company, at which point it erected an immense paper mill.  Here also were located the grist and saw mills of Samuel Augspurger.  For several years the town prospered, and an immense amount of freight was shipped by canal to and from these mills.  In the latter ’seventies the paper mill was totally destroyed by fire, since which the town has lost its business importance.  There is a saw mill, store and postoffice located here.  Near the village is situated the Woodsdale Island, well-known summer resort.  The L. C. & D. branch of the Cincinnati, Hamilton 81 Dayton Railroad passes this point and has a station located there.

POASTOWN.

     This village is situated in section 12, township 2, range 4 east, and was laid out in 1818 by Peter Post.  It was originally called West Liberty.  A store was located here as early as 1815 by Christian Coon.  It is a station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad.  The postoffice was established in August, 1848.  The country surrounding the village is noted for its fertility and productiveness.  Tobacco is grown extensively in this locality.