|
MONROE TOWNSHIP - 465 CHAPTER XXII. MONROE TOWNSHIP. MONROE presents a variety of soil, from light sand and gravel to heavy clay. Within the township are some fine fruit and sugar trees, with groves of elm, ash, hickory and other species of hardwood. A large number of streamlets have their sources here ; springs are found in almost every section, while small ponds may be seen at intervals. Wright Ditch, Cranberry Ditch and Grassy Run, with their tributary streams, afford a means of drainage of great importance. The highways are kept in good condition, and throughout the entire township an air of prosperity seems to pervade everything. The area is 36 square miles ; population 2,182, or about 61 inhabitants per square mile. ORGANIZATION. A petition to organize this township was presented to the commissioners of Putnam County in 1835, which was granted, and Congressional 466 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. Township 2 south, Range 7 east was established under the name Monroe, with John Peters, Peter Harpster, and Anthony Early, trustees; Benjamin Parker, clerk, and Luke Tipton, justice of the peace. N. G. Kidd has served as township clerk for many years. In 1848 this portion of Putnam was attached to Allen County. PIONEERS. In the chapter entitled Settlement and Occupation, much has been written respecting the first settlers of this township. According to William Rockhill, the first schoolhouse was built in 1834, and the first school taught by N. G. Kidd. The earliest preaching was generally in the log-cabins. Preaching frequently was held in the cabin of the Rockhills. Rev. Wesley J. Wells was among the first preachers. He was of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The first milling was on Sugar Creek. It was at a horse mill, owned by Luke Tipton. Some families went to Sidney, some to St. Mary's, and some to Wapakonetta. In those days corn was generally used by all. The first justice of the peace was Hugh Van Meter. In the following pages the names and dates of purchase are given of all who entered the United States lands of the township. This is a valuable addition to history, since it establishes the actual purchase of this portion of the county, not by speculators or absentees, but by men who entered the wilderness with strong hearts and arms, to tame it, as it were, and raise it to the high state in which it is found to-day. LIST OF ORIGINAL ENTRIES. John Featheringill, section 1, 1835. Elias Featheringill, section 1, 1835. Joseph Sheets, section 1, 1835, Josiah Saravely, section 1, 1848. John H. Milliken, section 1, 1835. Peter Lehman, section 1, 1850. John Van Meter, section 1, 1836. Abel Cook, section 1, 1835. Peter Ogan, section 2, 1833. James Crain, section 2, 1836. John Wolf, section 2, 1836. Demas Adams, section 2, 1836. John Close, section 2, 1834. James Turner, section 3, 1834. Zechariah Paul, section 3, 1835. Elias Helpman, section 3, 1834. Margaret Featheringill, section 3, 1836. John Crawford, Jr., section 3, 1836. Ellery Van Meter, section 3, 1836. Hugh Downing, section 3, 1835. Sebastian Raunchy, section 4, 1836. Wm. Turner, section 4, 1836. Jacob Andereck, section 4, 1837. Geo. H. Stevenson, section 4, 1833. Anthony Earley, section 4, 1834. Philip Hooper, section 4, 1839. Frederick Fuechey, section 4, 1836. Wm. Ward, section 4, 1836. Geo. H. Stevenson, section 5, 1833. Jacob Braughton, section 5, 1833. McDaniel Osborn, section 5, 1832. Wm. McComb, section 5, 1832. MONROE TOWNSHIP - 467 Robert C. McComb, section 5, 1834. Anthony Early, section 5, 1834. James Porter, section 6, 1831. Peter Kroninger, section 6, 1833. Henry Morris, section 6, 1832. Wm. McComb, section 6, 1833. Wm. Mcllvain, section 7, 1834. James Moore, section 7, 1833. George Wortman, section 7, 1835. Jas. Cunningham, section 7, 1839. Wesley Ransbottom, section 7, 1836. John Nelson, section 7, 1834. James Boggs, section 7, 1833. Jas. Cunningham, section 8, 1835. Hamilton Davison, section 8, 183—. John Wesley Waters, section 8, 1835. Joshua Robb, section 8, 1835. David Waters, section 8, 1835. Robt. C. McComb, section 8, 1834. David W. Coats, section 8, 1836. Elijah Drew, section 8, 1836. Adam Downing, section 9, 1835. Wm. Ward, section 9, 1836. John W. Waters, section 9, 1835. John Ross, section 9, 1835. Adams Lamb, section 10, 1849. Christopher Miller, section 10, 1833. Charles Ryan, section 10, 1850. Kendall L. Eskridge, section 10, 1836. Isaac Beemer, section 10, 1836. Robert Tate, section 10, 1835. Wm. Flening section 10, 1836. Samuel McKee, section 10, 1835. Kendall L. Eskridge, section 10, 1835. Israel Trumbo, section 10, 1836. Wm. Crain, section 11, 1834. James Crain, Jr., section 11, 1834. James Mayberry, section 11, 1833. Marmaduke Jameson, section 11, 1833. Israel Trumbo, section 11. 1833. Sam'l Van Swearingen, section 11, 1833. Peter Ogan, section 12, 1836. Jabez Cooke, section 12, 1835. Alexander Stewart, section 12, 1846. John Watson, section 12, 1835. Hugh Reed, section 13, 1831, Andrew Trumbo, section 13, 1833. Christopher Miller, section 13, 1833. Henry Lippincott. section 13, 1835. Alexander Fullerton, section 13, 1834. James Crain, Jr., section 14, 1834. James D. Van Meter, section 14, 1835. Nathl. G. Kidd, section 14, 1834. Luke Tipton, section 14, 1834. Wm. Johnson, section 14, 1830. Wm. Kidd, section 14, 1832. Christopher Miller, section 14, 1833. James Crain, section 15, 1834. Jacob Andrews, section 15, 1835. Hugh Van Meter, section 15, 1835. John Ross, section 15, 1835. Silvester Wright, section 15, 1844. Philip Yant, section 15, 1834. A. B. Melick, section 16, 1854. Nicholas Baker, section 16, 1854. Christopher Naas, section 16, 1854. Jacob Allstetter, section 16, 1854. Peter Baker, section 16, 1854. Adam Klinger, section 16, 1854. Conrad Valker, section 16, 1854. Isaac Yant, section 16, 1854. Wm. Ward, section 17, 1836. Jacob Oaks, section 17, 1836. Henry Snyder, section 17, 1836. Abraham Yant, section 17, 1836. Adam Van Meter, section 17, 1836. George Little, Sr., section 17, 1836. Robert Sheerers, section 17, 1836. James Beatty, section 17, 1836. Edwin Smith, section 18, 1835. James McFarland, section 18, 1835. Aaron W. Teegarden, section 18, 1847. Joseph Decker, section 18, 1835. Wm. Teegarden, section 18, 1835. John Marshall, section 18, 1835. Jacob Alstetter, section 19, 1844. Peter Alstetter, section 19, 1835. Samuel Shindler, section 19, 1835. Jacob F. Ready, section 19, 1836. Jacob A. Alstetter, section 19, 1835. Jacob Shindler, section 19, 1834. Edwin Smith, section 20, 1835. John J. Becker, section 20, 1847. Wm. Ward, section 20, 1835. Jacob Alstetter, section 20, 1847. Peter Alstetter, section 20, 1847. George Pettit, section 21, 1834. Abraham Herrick, section 21, 1835. Eustena Miller, section 21. 1834. John Wolf, section 21, 1834. Daniel H. Miller, section 21, 1834. Willis Sharp, section 21. 1844. Samuel Daniels, section 21, 1848. Daniel Stales, section 21, 1833. 468 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY Luke Tipton, section 22, 1834. Thos. H. Kidd, section 22, 1835. Michael Yant, section 22, 1835. Adam Downing, section 22, 1835. Michael Shinaberry, section 22, 1834. James Hayes, section 22, 1835. Andrew Crawford, section 22, 1833. Ellery Van Meter, section 22, 1835. Benjamin Parker, section 23, 1833. Jabez Cooke, section 23, 1835. John East, section 23, 1833. Luke Tipton, section 23, 1834. Nathaniel G. Kidd, section 23, 1834. Adam Downing, section 23, 1835. John Berryhill, section 24, 1835. Joshua C. James, section 24, 1835. Wm. Fleming, section 24, 1835. James Porter, section 24, 1831. John Marshall, section 25, 1835. James H. Officer, section 25, 1831. John Officer, section 25, 1831. Christian Huey, section 25, 1835. Simeon W. Bentley, section 25, 1835. Abraham Everett, section 25, 1831. John East, section 21, 1833. Luke Tipton, section 21, 1831. Mary Ann Beckwith, section 21, 1847. Julius Curtis, section 21, 1841. Henry Huffer, section 26, 1833. Isaac Kepper, section 27, 1834. Adam Downing, section 27, 1835. Abraham Miller, section 27, 1835. John Reeder, section 28, 1834. Jno. B. Reeder, section 28, 1847. Daniel Zork, section 28, 1834. Wm. Reeder, section 28, 1834. Benjamin Reeder, section 28, 1831. Thomas Fidler, section 28, 1835. Thos. C. Foster, section 28, 1835. Henry Miller, section 29, 1834. Zin. Comb. Bockhold, section 29, 1834. Henry Miller, section 29, 1834. Adam Bolinger, section 29, 1833. John Custard, section 29, 1835. Robert Walls, section 30, 1835. Peter Hertster, section 30, 1833. Anthony Hertster, section 30, 1833. Edwin Smith, section 30, 1832. Henry Foster, section 32, 1835. John Shade, section 32, 1833. Christopher Wood, section 32, 1830. Abraham Miller, section 33. 1834. Solon Staron, section 33, 1835. Gideon Jennings, section 33, 1834. Frederick Ricker, section 33, 1835. David Jennings, section 34, 1833. Chauncy Curtis, section 34, 1833. Miranda Lindsley, section 34, 1833. Chauncy A. Curtis, section 34, 1833. David Finn, section 34, 1835. Richard Hughes, section 34, 1831. Abraham Miller, section 34, 1835. Aaron Jennings, section 34, 1835. Martin Lewis, section 35, 1835. Abraham Miller, section 35, 1834. Thomas Kinney, section 35, 1835. David C. Engart, section 35, 1838. Joseph Lyons, section 35, 1835. Daniel Brandigann, section 35, 1835. Jane Elliott, section 35, 1834. Aaron F. Pitman, section 31, 1834. Andrew Campbell. section 31, 1841. Absalom Brown, section 31, 1830. Lanson Edgecomb, section 31, 1835. Martin Lewis, section 31, 1835. Gilbert C. Lyons, section 31, 1834. Jane Elliott, section 31, 1834. Henry D. V. Williams, section 31, 1837. Jacob Lyons, section 31, 1834. SCHOOLS. The first school in Monroe Township was opened in. 1833, by N. G. Kidd, and the old house on Section 14 was built in 1834, round logs being used in construction. The condition of the schools at present may be taken as a history and a prophecy combined. The receipts for 1884 amounted to $8,287.27, of which the sum of $5,640.08 was expended. The number enrolled was 1,366-729 boys and 637 girls. There are nine MONROE TOWNSHIP. - 469 school buildings, one of which was erected this year at a cost of $1,758. Fourteen teachers are employed. WEST CAIRO VILLAGE. West Cairo, on Sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, Monroe, was platted in 1848; by Jacob Miller. It extends east from the Brenneman farm to the farms of Waltz, Yant, Miller and Rainsberg. The original town lies mainly west of the Perrysburg Road, at the intersection of the Bucyrus Road. Downing's Addition extends along the south line of the Bucyrus Road, or Main Street, to a point east of the D. & M. R. R., and south along the railroad to the Waltz farm. Pangle's Addition joins the original town on the north line of the Bucyrus, and the east line of the Perrysburg Road. Brenneman's Addition is on the north line of Main Street, extending east to a point east of the D. & M. R. R. Ferguson's Addition extends east of this to the Rainsberg farm. Pant's Addition forms the eastern portion of the village along the Miller farm. Harpster's Addition extends west from Railroad Street, on each side of Wall Street, to the lands of Teegarden, a tract of about fifty acres known as Teegarden's Addition. CAIRO VILLAGE. Cairo Village was organized under authority of the commissioners, given April 12, 1875, on petition of the following named Citizens: George Harpster, W. W. Reeder, E. Lawrence, A. B. Harpster, John A. Brogan, D. Hartzog, E. G. Waltz, C. Shock, D. W. Trice, Peter Coleman, Michael Sluce, P. C. Rathbun, P. A. Lawrence, Lewis Lawrence, John Knott, S. Lawrence, Amos Rathbun, J. Warren, Benjamin Parker, L. M. Hickerson, J. Sherer, J. S. Clippinger, A. Hickerson, Alfred Ferguson, L. Eich, George W. Peach, W. J. Ferguson, G. H. Speaker, F. Arnholdt, D. Bowscher, John Hall, A. A. Lawrence, L. T. Barnes, (M. Preacher), Dr. Ewing, W. Rathbun, W. H. Clippinger, M. Mort, R. H. Downing, H. G. Corns, D. Thompson and C. H. Shock. The mayors were Dr. J. S. Clippinger, 1875; Thomas H. Waltz, 1877; David Hartzog, 1879, was re-elected in 1881, and served until October of that year, when he resigned to remove to Kansas. He was succeeded by Robert E. Davis, elected to fill unexpired term, and re-elected in April, 1883, and is now mayor of Cairo. 470 - HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY. The village has no debt, but on the contrary, has about $200 in the treasury. The present officers are R. E. Davis, mayor; S. H. Muman, clerk; J. S. Hall, treasurer; F. M. Sweany, marshal; A. B. Harpster, W. W. Reeder, A. J. McFarland, A. M. Fasig, Alfred Sneider and R. H. Hughes, councilmen. The large brick schoolhouse was erected in 1877, at a cost of about $4, 500 (see statistics). Thole is one hotel kept by J. C. Elliott. The general merchants are R. E. Davis and S. J. Riley; druggists are W. W. Reeder and A. M. Fasig; David Hartzog, postmaster, was succeeded by A. J. McFarland in 1881. The office is in the Davis store, known as the Waltz & Harpster Building, west of the D. & M. depot on Railroad Street. The old Sugar Creek Mill of Daniel Miller, was purchased by D. Hartzog, Peter Schlusser and J. Hall; repurchased in 1872 by Mr. Miller from the former company, who removed the works to Cairo, and erected the Cairo Mills. Miller Brothers took charge of the mill in 1879, after the death of Daniel Miller, and operated it until April 1, 1882, when they rented to M. Graff, next to Johnson & Fletcher, and sold to Hall & Snyder in the fall of 1883. They sold to Ferguson, Ewing & Yant in the spring of 1884. The capacity is forty barrels per day. The elevator owned by J. H. Johnson and operated by Miller & Johnson, has a capacity of about 3,500 bushels. It was erected in 1877, taking the place of Waltz & Harpster's old warehouse, burned in 1876. CHURCHES. The Methodist Episcopal Church building was erected in 1868. The German Evangelical Lutheran Church building was erected in 1870. The Christian Church on the Perrysburg Road, is one of the oldest buildings in or near the village. (See General History). ROCKPORT VILLAGE. Rockport, Section 13, Monroe, was platted in 1836 by Samuel Rock- hill. It extends from Walnut Street to Blue Street, and west from Rock Street to Hill Street, adjoining the Vertner farm. The Rockport Presbyterian Church was organized November 9, 1850, Rev. R. M. Wean and W. K. Brice constituting the committee from the presbytery for that purpose. William Crane and William G. Combs OTTAWA TOWNSHIP - 471 were elected, ordained and installed elders. This is in the Bluffton charge. There are about fifty members. MISCELLANEOUS. The Dayton & Michigan Railroad passes through Monroe Township in a northerly direction, and the Cleveland, Delphos & St. Louis Railroad crosses the extreme northwest corner. The postoffices are West Cairo and Cranberry. |