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PHYSICAL FEATURES
Between 288 and 289 -
GEORGE KIMMEL
Page 289 -
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
Owing to the lack of positive authority we are
unable to state the exact date of the first
settlement in Monroe township. That it was
settled much later than the other townships is
certain, as the land was in such a condition as to
discourage the pioneers from any attempt at
settling. The whole surface of the township
was boggy, and in places covered with stagnant
pools. This was due to the fact that a great
many small streams found their rise in this part of
the county. The township was severed from
Washington township on the twenty-ninth of
September, in the year 1817.
It is certain that the country was quite settled before
that time. Although the only positive date of
entry is that of Josiah Davison, in 1816, on
section fourteen. Several years before this,
however, Charles Armantrout moved from
Rockingham county, Virginia. He made a camp in
the woods and lived in it until he could build his
cabin. He is familiarly known as "old daddy
Armentrout," by those who can remember him.
At the time of his entry he was single, but
afterwards married Christina Gray a daughter
of one of the next settlers who came after
Armantrout. He entered eighty acres of
land on the road passing through Hamburgh and
Eldorado, and about one mile south of the former.
His entry was at such an early date that he was
accustomed to have Indians stop at his cabin to
solicit permission to warm and to borrow some
fire to roast their potatoes.
After Armantrout, came William Brown,
from Pennsylvania. He settled on section
twenty-nine, in the south-eastern quarter, on the
farm now known as the Brown place.
At an early
date John Jellison settled in the
south-eastern part of section twenty-three.
Isaiah
Adams, from New Jersey, settled on the eastern
half of the section on which Hamburgh now stands.
His house was the first one built there where the
town is located.
Jacob
Baker, from Rockingham county, Virginia, settled
on section sixteen.
Aaron
Chrisler, from the same place, entered one
hundred and sixty acres in section twenty-six.
The above,
together with the Murdocks, who settled in
section five, were doubtless the first settlers, but
whether they are arranged in the order of their
entry is a question no one now living can decide.
Josiah
Davisson was born in Rockingham county Virginia,
in 1742, and died in Monroe township, in 1825.
He came to this State in 1816, and settled section
fourteen of Monroe township. He was married
twice, but none of his children are now living.
By his second wife, Nancy Williams, who was
born in Virginia in 1772, and whom he married about
1800, he had six children, all now deceased.
Josiah, one of these children of the second
marriage, was born in Harrison county, Virginia, in
1808. His first wife, whom he married in 1841,
was Jane Blackford, born in Preble county in
1822. She died in 1845. Three children
were born of this marriage, none of whom are now
living. His second wife was Hannah Foos,
born in Warren county, Ohio, in 1819. They
have five children, viz.: Francis M.,
Elizabeth A., Oscar E., Edward C., and Sarah
A. Mr. Davisson was township trustee for
twenty-one years, and a justice of the peace from
1857 to 1863. He also held several minor
offices. His farm contained two hundred and
three acres. In 1863, he died at the old
homestead, where his widow and children now reside.
Mr. Davisson was a prominent citizen, and was
always identified with the interests and
improvements of the township and county.
Francis M. Davisson was born in 1847. He
was elected county surveyor in 1878,and is still
holding that office, and gives general satisfaction.
Samuel
Parks was born in North
Carolina in 1771, and died in Preble county in 1848.
His wife, Charity Runyon, was born in North
Carolina in 1776, and died in Preble county in 1856.
Eleven children were born to them, five of whom are
living. Curtis, born in 1804, lives in
Indiana; Katharine, born in 1809, widow of
Ambrose Huffman, lives in Indiana;
Sarah, born in 1815, widow of Stephen
Johns, lives in Illinois; Samuel, born in
1818, married and lives in West Manchester;
Selina, born in 1820, wife of Thomas
Murray, lives in Oxford, Ohio. Mr.
Parks first settled in Dixon township, near
Sugar valley. He was in the War of 1812.
Samuel
Parks was born in Dixon
township in 1818. In 1838 he married Lydia
McDonald, born in Gasper township in 1822.
They have seven children. His son Henry was in
the war of the Rebellion for three years, as private
in the Fifth Ohio cavalry. Mr. Parks
owns a farm of two hundred and forty-three acres,
part of which is farmed by his son. Hugh
McDonald, father of Mrs. Parks,
was born in Maryland in 1777, and died in 1856.
Mrs. Parks is the only child now
surviving.
Anderson
Leas was born in
Harrison township, Preble county. His father,
John Leas was born in Lewisburgh, in
1809, and died in West Manchester in 1873.
Anderson Leas was born in 1839. In
1864 he married Lydia A. Townsend, who was
born in Darke county in 1844. They have two
children - J. Warren and John Edgar.
Mr. Leas has been township assessor
for seven terms - from 1874 to the present date.
He and his brother Asa furnished substitutes
in the three years’ service, although not drafted
in. John Leas, father of
Anderson and Asa Leas, established their
present business in 1857, under the name of Townsend
& Co. They were engaged in the dry goods
and grocery business, and were also large buyers of
grain and wool. They were the largest grain
buyers in the county. In 1863 Anderson
Leas was taken in partnership, and his
brother Asa in 1867. They now carry on
the business under the name of A & A. Leas.
Page 290 -
Mr. Anderson Leas has been
postmaster for about fifteen years. He has
also had charge of the railroad office of the
Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis railroad for
about twelve years. Their business amounts to
about sixteen thousand dollars per year. Asa
Leas was born in Harrison township in
1841. In 1867 he married Jennie
Zarber, born in 1849. They have had four
children, three of whom survive. Mr.
Leas has been in business with his brother
Anderson in West Manchester since 1867.
John
Juday
Jacob
Shewman, sr.
George
Coppock
Elias
Bunger was born in
Virginia in 1809, and in 1817 came to Preble county
with his father. In 1830 he married Nancy
Utz, who was born in Virginia in 1812.
They have eleven children, all married. Mr.
Bunger commenced in Preble county with a
capital of fifty cents after paying the preacher for
marrying him. By dint of hard labor he has
accumulated two hundred acres of land, which he has
given to his children.
Jonathan
Shurley
Peter
Pense
Peter M.
Pense
Daniel
Disher
Page 291 -
His son,
Peter,
Evin,
son of Daniel Disher, was
John
Mills, a native of Ireland,
settled in this township in 1820. His son,
William C. Mills, a well known resident of
Jackson township, was born in Monroe in 1821;
married in 1843 Miss Harriet West.
He was elected justice of the peace in 1861, and
held the office nine years. In 1865 he was
elected county commissioner, which position he held
six years, when he was succeeded by Eli
Conger. He is now township trustee, having
officiated in that capacity for some fourteen years.
John
Banfill
William
Pense
Isaac
Pense
The
first man to build in Elderado was Leroy
McWhinney, who
Matthew
T. McWhinney
Adam
House
Phillip
House
Page 292 -
William
M. Fowble
F.
K. Smith was born in
Germany in 1798, and when a child was brought over
to this country. The first place where they
settled in Ohio was in Butler county. In the
year 1828 they settled in Jefferson township, Preble
county. F. K. Smith married Sarah
Reed, who was born in Pennsylvania in 1800.
Twelve children were born to them, nine of whom
survive, namely: Daniel, W. G., Elias P., Silas
A., Mary, Eliza, Nancy, Sarah and Elizabeth.
William G. Smith was born in Butler county in
1824. When four years of age he came with his
father to Preble county. In 1848 he married
Katharine Stakebake, who was born in
Preble county in 1830. They have four children
- Matilda Ann, Sarah E., Theodore S. and
Sadie. Mr. Smith has kept a hotel at
Eldorado for seventeen years. He also owns a
farm in Jefferson township.
John H.
Ford
Alexander C. Ford,
Jonathan
Wearley
Levi
Wearley
Joseph
Lee
William
Brown was born in Monroe
township in 1835. In 1856 he married Sarah
Kyle, who was born in this township in 1838.
They had eleven children, nine of whom are now
living. Mr. Brown was a justice
of the peace for fifteen years; he has also been
trustee, clerk and assessor for the township.
His farm is situated on section twelve of this
township and contains one hundredand two acres.
Jeremiah
Blackford
John H.
Blackford
Martin
V., son of William C. Randall
James W.
Richards
Page 293 -
Leander
R. Brasier
Charles
Schreel
Jacob
Beard
Isaac N.
Henderson
William
H. Stokely
H. J.
Lefevre
John
Vance
Albert
W. S. Lock
William
Shewman
Page 294 -
Charles
S. McCoy
Jacob
Bickle
James
Fudge
ELDERADO.
Page 295 -
about fourteen miles southwest of
Greenville, the county-seat of Darke county.
The streets are clean and well kept, and the whole
town presents an attractive appearance.
MANCHESTER.
ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.
THE BAPTISTS.
THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH.
THE UNITED BRETHREN.
at Eldorado were organized in
Hamburgh, about the year 1838, by Rev. Samuel
Adams. For a good many years they held
meetings around in the houses of the members.
In 1848 they built their first building, a frame
house, which stood directly west of Hamburgh.
In 1868 the congregation was induced to build at
Eldorado, and a tasty building was erected, which
stands in the northern part of the town. The
present pastor is the Rev. H. M. Ambrose.
The church has now seventy-three members.
THE UNITED BRETHREN
at West Manchester built their
church building in 1868, a short time after their
organization. The first class numbered only
about twelve persons. The Rev. George
Gilbert was the first pastor. Soon after
the building of the church the Sunday-school was
organized. The house is a frame building,
built at a cost of one thousand seven hundred
dollars, and will seat about two hundred and fifty
persons. The present membership is about
fifty-seven. The Rev. H. M. Ambrose is
in charge.
THE UNITED BRETHREN
built their present church building
in the year 1864, on land donated by Vincent
Homan. This class had origi-
Page 296 -
THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
THE GERMAN BAPTISTS
claim to have been
organized in this township about sixty years ago.
Their present district extends six miles north and
reaches into Darke county, east to Twin creek, east
of Lewisburgh, south about one mile south of the
township line, and west into Indiana, near Richmond.
They have about one hundred and forty members, and
have their church buildings, two in this township
and one in Darke county. One of those in this
township was built in section twenty-two, on Price’s
creek, at a cost of two thousand five hundred
dollars. The other is a Union church, but it
was necessary for some denomination to hold the
deed, and it was deeded to the German Baptists.
It is situated on Twin creek, in section twelve.
Messrs. Samuel Petrey, R.
Stephens, and H. P. Wehrley are the
preachers for this denomination.
EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.
SECRET ORGANIZATIONS.
There are two secret organizations in Monroe
township, both of which have their lodge rooms in
West Manchester, one lodge of Odd Fellows and one of
the Improved Order of Red Men.
LODGE NO. 520 INDEPENDENT ORDER
OF ODD FELLOWS.
was organized and chartered May 10, 1872, with
fifteen charter members, viz.: Henry Snell,
W. C. Corwin, N. G.; F. M. Martin, N.
G.; William Braum, N. G.; George
Cox, treasurer; J. W. Corwin, N. G.;
J. Braddock, warden; J. A. Lee, N. G.;
J. C. Banta, N. G.; William Miller,
J. D. Phillips, N. G.; F. A. Black,
guardian; M. Pickering, Corwin, and
Banta. Their present officers are as
follows: J. S. Schram, N. G.; J. P. Banta,
V. G.; Jacob Bentley, S. P. G;
Orland Ford, recording secretary; Russell
Muck, permanent secretary; and C. Pease,
treasurer. The lodge numbers about
thirty-eight members, and has a fine lodge building
in West Manchester.
PHYSICIANS.
The medical staff of Monroe township is composed of
the following gentlemen: B. F. Crumrine,
alopathy, who resides at Eldorado, and J. E. Horn,
of the same school, at West Manchester. The
eclectic branch of the profession is represented by
Drs. B. F. Beane, of Eldorado, and F. C.
Estabrook, of West Manchester. Dr.
Joseph Beck, of the Physio-Medical school, lives
at Eldorado.
The first physicians of the township, as well as can be
ascertained at this late day, were: William
Frazy who came about the year 1845, from
Lewisburgh, and located in Hamburgh, where Dr.
Robert G. Norris soon after wards practiced, and
also Jeremiah Williams.
CEMETERIES.
The several
cemeteries in Monroe township have all been placed
under the supervision of the township trustees.
There are five burying-grounds in the township,
situated as follows: Brown's cemetery,
situated in the eastern part of section twelve- it
is here that Isaac
Page 297 -
Robinson, one of the first school teachers in
the township, is buried; he is remembered by many of
the old men of the township with mingled feelings of
love and respect, feeling aroused alike by his
naturally amiable disposition and the skilful method
of applying the chastening birch; Stump's
cemetery, located on section nineteen, in the
extreme southern part of the section; the Monroe
church cemetery was so called because it stands near
the old Universalist church, which went by the name
of the Monroe Universalist church, at the time of
its erection; this cemetery lies about a mile
directly east of Hamburgh in the southeastern part
of section nine; Hamburgh cemetery, near Hamburgh,
on section seventeen, and the Whereley
cemetery, near the center of section twenty-two.
This latter is used almost exclusively by the German
Baptists, or Dunkers, as they are better known.
MILLING INTERESTS.
MISCELLANY.
The first brick house which was built in the
township, was built by Darius Miner in
1830, for Daniel Disher. It is
still standing on section nine, on the farm now
owned by J. P. Banfill. The original
contract between Miner and Disher is
still in possession of Peter Disher,
son of the first owner of the house. The next
brick house was built in the following year (1831),
on section thirty-three, now owned by J. J. Bantz.
It was built for Jeremiah Blackford.
The first distillery ever started in the township, as
well as can be ascertained from existing authority,
was owned by Otto Brumbaugh.
This was destroyed over thirty years ago. As
has been stated elsewhere, the township is now
strictly temperate, and nothing of the kind is
tolerated within the township limits.
The oldest person now living in the township, who was
born there, is Mrs. Benjamin Louk.
She was Hester, daughter of Jacob
Baker, one of the early settlers of the
township. She was born in 1820, on section
sixteen, and in 1839 married Mr. Louk.
She has to her possession a bed spread made in
Virginia in 1818, and brought here by her family.
It is in a perfect state of preservation.
PRESENT OFFICERS.
The following list shows the officers, who are, at
present, in office: Evan Disher,
Levi Creager and L. R. Brasier,
trustees; Anderson Leas, treasurer;
W. H. Stokely, clerk; M. V. Randall,
assessor; J. H. Shoemaker and S. H.
Overholser, constables; Clinton
Shurley and William Brown,
justices of the peace. The supervisors are
appointed by the board of trustees. The board
of education is given under the head of “educational
interests.”
The elections are held alternately at Eldorado and
Manchester. There is now a town house.
By some means, a slight disarrangement has arisen in
the meetings of the officers. The meetings of
the school board have managed to fall behind, so
that now instead of meeting in the same place with
the other officers, they are, by the rule of
alternation, meeting at the other side. If the
council meet at Eldorado, the school board meet at
West Manchester, and vice versa. It would seem
to be easy enough to remedy this by one of the two
meeting twice
Page 298 -
in the same place, but the officers will take no
move in that direction.
POPULATION AND VALUATION.
The present
number of inhabitants of the township is one
thousand nine hundred and one. Of these, about
four hundred and fifty are voters. The
township has generally voted the Democratic ticket.
The above estimate of the voters does not include
those persons whose religious scruples prevent their
presence at the ballot box. It is incredible
how anybody as a denomination can refuse to its
members the privelige of voting; thus
shutting them out from any participation in the
affairs of government, and yet expecting to have the
interests of that body protected by those very laws
they refuse to create or maintain.
The property of the township as given by the latest
assessor's returns is rated as follows; Land
valuation, seven hundred and ninety-nine thousand
four hundred and fifty-nine dollars; valuation of
chattels, etc., one hundred and seventeen thousand
four hundred and thirty-five dollars; total value of
township, nine hundred and sixteen thousand nine
hundred and ninety-four dollars.
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