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     Morgan township was originally a part of Ross township. and was created March 4. 1811.  It lies in the southwest corner of the county and borders on the Indiana line. The surface of the township is partly undulating. but the greater portion of it is rough.  Along the principal streams bottoms extend on either side from one-quarter to one mile in width.  The uplands are not so productive as the valleys, but the soil is generally favorable to agricultural pursuits. In the region of Shandon is an extensive valley that is famous for its fertility and productiveness.  Dry Fork, of Whitewater, Howard’s creek and Paddy’s run are the principal water-courses. The former is the longest as well as the largest stream, and has for its tributaries on the east Buck run and Kiatta creek.
     Among the first settlers were Edward Bebb, James Nicholas, John Vaughn, Jacob Phillis, Bryson Blackburn, George Drybeard, John Howard. Thomas Millholland. William D. Jones. Maxwell Parkinson, William Jenkins, Martin Simmons, William Evans. King DeArmond, Peter Youmans, Ephraim Carmack, David Lee, Brant Ignene, Hugh Smith, William Gwilyms and Abel Appleton. Other early settlers were named Abbott. Bell, Faucett, Wynn and George.  The first roads were blazed through the forests and were often supplemented by bridle paths.  The first state road led from Lawrenceburg, Indiana, to Oxford, Ohio.  This road was known as the “post road” from the fact that over this road the early mails were carried.  Another prominent road in the early day followed the Dry Fork valley from Scipio to Okeana, and thence to Venice.  It is now about the present route of the Brookville branch of the Colerain turnpike.  Before pikes were built, for many years a stage-coach line was conducted over this route between Connersville, Indiana, and Cincinnati.
     Edward Bebb, father of ex-Governor

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Bebb, was the first settler to enter land in Morgan township.  It was the half of section 27.  The first store keeper was William D. Jones, a Welshman, who conducted a bartering stand for time on Paddy’s run, near the present site of Shandon.  James Nicholas was the first blacksmith, as well as the first miller in the neighborhood of Paddy’s run.
     The villages of the township are Alert, Okeana, Scipio and Shandon.

ALERT.

     Alert is a small hamlet on Howard's creek in the southwest corner of the town ship.  John Iseminger kept store here from 1842 for over forty years.  Amos Jones succeeded him in the business.  About 1818 a school house was built here near the present site of the postoffice and store of Amos Jones.  David Lloyd was among the early teachers.  The first land entered in the town ship was on the adjoining section No. 27, by Edward Bebb.  His son, William Bebb, conducted an academy or preparatory school near the Bebb homestead in the "twenties and early thirties. Among the scholars who attended the Bebb school were the late Judge Carter, of Cincinnati; William Dennison, afterwards governor of Ohio, and Hon. Daniel Shaw, a  member of the first legislature of Louisiana after the Civil war.

OKEANA.

     Okeana, a station on the Chicago, Cincinnati & Louisville Railroad, was originally called Tariff postoffice.  The postoffice was created as early as 1828, and continued under the name Tariff until May 27, 1858, when it was changed by petition to Okeana.  Okeana was the name of the daughter of the Indian chief, Kiatta, whose remains he buried near the mouth of the stream hearing his name, Kiatta creek, which empties into Dry Fork at a point about a mile north of the village.  Okeana was laid out by Rev. Benjamin Lloyd, who owned the land where the village stands.  The first store keeper was Alexander Lloyd. Charles Shields kept store here in 1845.  Alexander DeArmond and Joseph Smith sold dry goods and groceries about 1850 and also Jenkins and Evans were early merchants.  William Wright was another business man, who occupied one-story house which stood in the lower end of the town at the forks of the road. Henry Brandenburg did an extensive business here in the early ‘seventies.  He built the store room later occupied in turn by Phellis Bros., Perry Clawson and Boutcher & Garner.  William Mercer kept store in the room later occupied by J. W. Phellis.  The present merchants are Charles Wagner and Jeff Boutcher.
    In the early days of the township William Jenkins kept a tavern in a log house a half mile below the present site of Okeana.  Jenkins' tavern was the first voting place and the seat of justices of the township.  Jenkins also conducted a distillery, of which there were nearly a score in operation at one time in the township about 1825 or 1830.  Among the blacksmiths in Okeana have been James Bowman who was here in 1845; William Pierce, Alex. Frost, Thomas Hughes, John Looker, Henry Spangler, Stephen Mullen and Louis Wilhelm.  The first resident physician was Dr. Benjamin Morris.  Dr. Eli Parkhurst, Dr. H. H. Smith were later physicians.  Dr. Frank J. George is the present medical practitioner.

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The Okeana Methodist Episcopal church was founded in 1851.  The place of worship was built and dedicated in 1853. The dedicatory sermon was preached by Rev. Thomas A. Goodwin, of Brookville, Indiana.  Prior to the founding of this church the Methodists worshiped at Hickory chapel after 1849.  Before that date the church was known as the Ephraim Carmack Society, founded in I817.  In 1829 the place of worship was changed to the house of Peter Youmans, one mile northwest of Shaudon.  The Okeana society has been prosperous, and is now constructing splendid new church edifice to take the place of the old house of worship which has been in use for over half a century.
     In the early days two churches were built on section 32, in the southwest part of the township; Mt. Tabor church, by the Methodists in 1818, and the Lutheran Fair view church by the Congregationalists. These churches have long ago fallen into decay.
     In 1840 the Christians began holding services among the people in the neighbor hood of Macedonia.  Later religious services were conducted by Elder Rude, of Harrison, in the old school house of District No. 4. In 1850  a church was built, which was recently replaced by a new structure.  Among the pastors who have had charge of the church are the following: Elders Rude, Balaridge, Campbell, Patterson, Henry, Land and Brown. Elder Knowles Shaw, the distinguished evangelist, often visited here.
     The oldest church in the township stood on the county line in the middle of section 34. In 1817 it was an old church.  In connection with it was a burying ground. The last interments were made in 1827.  It is said that Adam Poe, the renowned Indian fighter who fought with Big Foot, is buried here.

SCIPIO.

     Scipio Philanthropy postoffice ——was laid out in 1827 by Joseph Alyea.  Philanthropy postoffice, established February 15, 1823, was the first in the township and Capt. William D. Jones, a tavern keeper and merchant, became the first postmaster.  Captain Jones was a soldier of the war of 1812, having organized and commanded a company from Morgan township.  His place of business was two story log house which stood on the site of the town hall.  Joseph Alyea, the founder of the town, lived on the Indiana side and kept a store in a log house which stood on the site of Mrs. Hodson’s residence.  He was succeeded by George Hubbell, and later by William White, a son-in-law of Hubbell.  Other merchants here were Elias Gaston, Clark & Pierson, Thompson & Hodson, Reuben George, William Mixer, William Sortman, Samuel and James Fye, Cornelius Bartlow, Charles Faucett, Smith & De Armond, Miller & Jaquish, Thomas Watson, George Boyd, F. W. Oliver, John Phellis, H. W. Clark, James Beard, J. D. Stout and Milton F. C. Perry.
     The first blacksmith was Michael Mc Carty.  Later Joshua Nye worked at the trade.  In 1830 James Thompson, a son-in law of William D. Jones, conducted a shop on the Ohio side.  The present shop was built by Elias Gaston, which in recent years has been occupied by Isaac Liming, Charles Roberts and Court Rymond. Abram Boyd was a cabinetmaker.  Mc

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Cormick Bartlow, carpenter, located here in 1834, and W. H. H. Bartlow in 1835.  During recent years Cates & Sons conducted a wagonmaking and carpenter shop.  About 1830 George Hubbell had a grist mill on Dry Fork, just below Scipio, half mile below Hubbell’s mill was Jeremiah French’s mill.  These mills ceased running more than sixty years ago.
          In 1820 a  log school house was built in the upper side of the town which stood near the present residence of John Bowers.  It stood for about twenty years and was used sometimes for church purposes.  John Cavender, James Osborn and Moses Hornaday were early teachers.
     The Scipio church was established in 1860 and was built by four denominations; Methodists, Presbyterians, Baptists and United Brethren.  The church was destroyed in March of 1884 by a cyclone, which also nearly wrecked the town.  Later the church was rebuilt at a cost of three thousand dollars.  The Christians or Campbellites took the place of the United Brethren in the construction of the new church.  Among those who have preached here as pastors are Moses Hornaday, William Tyner.  Joseph Flint, Abram Thurston and Rev. Williams. Baptist; Revs. Bigelow, D. Ryan and Black, Methodist; Revs. Moore, Olmstead and Rayber.  Presbyterian; and Elders Land and Brown, Christian.

SHANDON.

     Shandon, originally known as New London, is the oldest village in the township.  It was settled as early as 1803.  The town was nicknamed “Bagdad" by the boys at Bebb’s school.  The name of the postoffice has undergone several changes.  For many years it was called Paddy’s Run.  During the 'eighties it was changed to Glendower, and soon thereafter this name was dropped and that of Shandon substituted.  The settlement about Shandon has been augmented frequently by companies of immigrants from Wales, who have added much to the general wealth and progress of the community.  Of the families that came from Wales may be mentioned Jones, Morris, Breese, Davis, Williams, Humphreys, Evans, Owens, Davies, Griffiths, Watkins and Roberts.
     The first minister who preached in this locality was Rev. John W. Browne, of Cincinnati, a Congregationalist from England.  In July, 1803, a committee was appointed to draft constitution and articles of faith for the proposed religious society, and present it before the people.  On September 3, 1803. at the house of John Templeton, on Dry Fork, near New Haven, the report of the committee was adopted, and the society was called the Whitewater Congregational church.  Other ministers were Rev. Rees Lloyd and Rev. Thomas Thomas.  Until 1825 the services were held in the cabins of the members, in the school house, and when the weather was favorable in the open air, beneath the shade of the forest trees.  In that year the old meeting house was completed.  It was a brick structure thirty by forty-three .feet.  The church has prospered under the pastorates of Rev. Thomas Thomas, Rev. Thomas G. Roberts, Rev. Evan Roberts, Rev. B. W. Chidlaw, Rev. Ellis Howell, Rev. Mark Williams and Rev. Joseph H. Jones.  Later pastors have been James W. Pryse, D. W. Wilson, J. M. Thomas. H. R. Price, J. C. Thompson, George Candee, John L. Davies and Rev M. P. Jones.  St. Aloysius Catholic church was built

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in 1878. It is a small parish, but is prosperous. The services are conducted by priest from Cincinnati.  The old church burned in 1900, but was rebuilt soon after ward with money contributed by the members and the friends of the church residing in neighboring towns and cities.  Shandon has long been an educational center.  The first school house in the town ship was built in 1807, in section 35, and was taught by Miss Polly Willey.  A Mr. Jenkins succeeded her in 1808.  In 1810 the people of Paddy’s Run built log school house near the village.  Here the children were taught the three R's.  This school was kept going until 1819, when David Lloyd, college graduate, was employed to teach.  He introduced grammar and geography, and classified his scholars.  In 1821 Rev. Thomas Thomas established a high school.  In 1826 a new school house was built and William Bebb, who became governor of Ohio in 1846, was the first teacher employed under the state school law.  Evan Davies, B. W. Chidlaw and other noted teachers taught here.  In 1858 the academy, or high school, was organized on a more permanent basis. D. W. McClung was the first principal.  Notable among his successors were Rev. David Wilson, Rev. Mark Williams and James A. Clark.  On December 10, 1869, the New London special school was organized, with Samuel I. Mc Clelland as principal.  In 1871 the present school building was erected at cost of $13,000.  In 1872 Professor Clark was again employed as principal, and remained so until his death in 1880.  The principals during recent years have been James R. Bickley, Franklin T. Du Bois and J. A. Goshorn, all graduates of Miami University, and teachers of excellent ability.