Chapter IV

LATTY TOWNSHIP
Pg. 65

       This township, the last to be organized in the county, occupies a place in the southern tier of townships, south of Jackson, west of Washington, east of Blue Creek, and extends on the south to Hoaglin township, Van Wert county.  The township was named Latty in honor of Judge Alexander Sankey Latty, who was a resident of the county and in an official position at the time of its organization.  Its first settlement began in the year of 1853.  In the autumn of that year Edward Leonard Kimmell built the first cabin, on section 36, and became the first actual settler.  The township was organizedin 1855, and prior to this date Edward McQuestion, Lydia Kohn, Mark Pease, Lee Kohn, William Eaton and a few others had planted homes within its limits.  The first election held in the township was at the cabin of Lemuel Tucker, in 1856.  Nine votes were cast at this election, the names of voters being as follows:  Lemuel Tucker, William Eaton, Edward McQuestion, J. Bennett, William Grove, Lee Kohn, Mark Pease, William Priest, Wilson Kohn and Adam Weimer.  The first officers elected were: Justice of the peace, Adam Weimer; trustees, William Eaton, Lemuel Tucker and Fred Bennett; clerk, Edward McQuestion.  The soil of the township is exceedingly fertile and is destined to become one of the best agricultural townships in the county.  Within the past few years great improvements have been made in the way of ditching, building roads and clearing up farms.  The ditching of Prairie creek, alone, which extends entirely across the township, cost the county about $13,000.  The first school taught in the township was a small log house which stood on the corner of William Eaton's farm.  The name of the first teacher has been forgotten.  Fifteen or twenty pupils were enrolled.  The first school house in the township was built in 1857.  It was located on the northwest corner of section 36.  There are now eight school buildings, all good, commodious frames.  The first saw mill erected in the township was in the year 1872, by Philander Gilbert.  The first postoffice was named Gilbert's Mills and was established in 1873.  Philander Gilbert was the first postmaster.  The office has been transferred to Grover Hill, a small village one and a half miles north of its former location.  It is the only office in the township in the township and bears the name of the village in which it is located.  The first sermon preached in the township was at the school house in section 36, by a Methodist minister named Emanuel Kauffman.  He also organized the first church society the following year.  Rev. Kauffman enlisted in the late war, became a captain of Company I, One Hundredth O. V. I., and served gallantly on the tented field.  His widow yet resides in the village of Antwerp.  The names of some of the members of the first religious society were Hannah Kohn, A. T. and Margaret McClure, James McClure and Lucinda McClure.  The second church organization was effected in 1877, by the Christian denomination.  The Methodist Episcopal chapel is a neat frame structure, 32x50 feet in dimensions.  The first Sunday-school was organized in 1860 by a Methodist minister named Miller.  Grover Hill is the only village in the township.  It was laid out, in 1887, on the prospective line of the American Midland railway, which was then being graded through the county.  It was named in honor of ex-President Grover Cleveland, and ex-Congressman W. D. Hill.  It is quite a busy little place, being the location of Lenhart's stave factory, and containing some good business houses and several residences.  The number of voters in the township in May, 1891, was 447.  Its population in 1880 was only 617; it in 1890 it was 2,010.
 

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