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190 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES CHAPTER XXIV MONROE TOWNSHIP GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION - ORGANIZATION - POPULATION - TOPOGRAPHY - EARLY SETTLEMENTS - RESOURCES VILLAGES CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS-DELL ROY VILLAGE-EARLY POSTAL FACILITIES-NAMED MONROE FOR PRESIDENT MONROE-LAND TITLE-SOME "BAD MEN"-PIONEER FAMILIES. Monroe civil township named for President Monroe, who signed many of the first land patents and warrants for the early settlers here, is situated in township 15, range 7 and is bounded on the north by Rose and Harrison townships, on the east by Union Township, on the south by Orange Township and on the west by Tuscarawas County. It contains about twenty-seven sections of land. The Wheeling & Lake Erie Railway passes through the township in a semicircle, extending from section 15 up the western side and thence through the northern tier of sections, through Dell Roy, leaving the township from section 24. The recent maps show the defunct and the still existing villages and postoffices as follows: Dell Roy, Tabor, Scott Station, Atwood, Barrack, Queensboro and Leavittsville. POPULATION The United States census reports show the population for three decades to have been: In 1890 it was 1,487; in 1900 it was only 1,336; in 1910 it was decreased to 1,128, about its present population, TOPOGRAPHY This township, like most of the sub-divisions in Carroll County, is rough and hilly, cut up by ravines, leaving only small narrow valleys suitable for cultivation, aside from many of the hillsides which are used in places almost to their very peaks for grazing and pasture purposes. ORGANIZATION Monroe Township was ,established by metes and bounds at the first session of the county commissioner's board, held in the tavern of David J. Levy in Carrollton, after the organization of the county in 1833. It contains twelve full sections and three half sections taken from the original township 14, range 6, contributed from Harrison County ; also twelve full sections and two and a half sections from original township 15, range 7, as contributed from Tuscarawas County at the time Carroll County was erected by contributions from surrounding counties. (See "Act to erect Carroll County", passed December 25, 1832.) CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES- 191 LAND TITLES Following is a list of thoSe who entered government land m what is now Monroe Township and received patented titles at the Steubenville land office: (1) James Madison patented, as President of the United States, in the year 1811 to James Woodburn for the northwest quarter of section 6, township 15, range 7, found in Carroll County records, Vol. 8, page one. (2) James Madison, President of the United States, to John Yant in 1812, for the northwest quarter section 11, township 15, range 7, Vol. 9, page 128. (3) James Madison, President of the United States, to Robert Russell, 1812, for the northeast quarter of Section 36, township 14, range 6. In 1818 from the same to the Same the southeast quarter of section. Philip Crabbs laid out the town of Cannonsburgh in 1849, the same being changed to Dell Roy. (4) James Madison, President of the United States, to William Croxton in 1819, for the northwest quarter of section 26, township 14, range 6. James Monroe signed the above deed as Secretary of the State in President Madison's cabinet. (5) James Monroe, President of the United States to Andrew Block, 1820, the northwest quarter of section 34, township 14, range 6. (6) James Monroe, President of the United States, to John Dunlap, 1824, the southwest quarter of section 21, township 14, range 6. (7) John Quincy Adams, President of the United States, to William Carlisle, 1825, for the northwest quarter section 23, township 14, range 6. (8) John Quincy Adams, President of the United States, to Abraham Barline, 1826, the east half of the northeast quarter section 24, township 14, range 6. (9) Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, to Adam Rail, 1830, the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 21, township 14, range 6. (10) Andrew Jackson, President of the United States, to Robert Marshall, 1831, the west half of the southwest quarter section 35, township 4, range 6. (11) Sloan & Fawcett as executors to Philip Crabbs, 1839, the east half of section 36, township 14, range 6. Ten years later he laid out the village of Cannonsburgh (now Dell Roy). STREAMS In this township is Indian Fork of Conotton Creek, flowing through the north part of this township and McGuire's Fork flows across the southeast corner of the township. SOME BAD MEN Horse thieves, counterfeiters and men escaped from the justice in older states east of the Allegheny Mountains, came to this valley in an early day because of the canal routes and therefore less liable 192 - CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES to be detected. Counterfeiters were very numerous at the place where now stands Dell Roy and finally reached many other parts of the county before the gang was entirely broken up. MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS Tredmills and still-houses were "home markets" for the surplus grain crops of the farmers. After the old men and boys had taken a week's ride in a fox hunt they usually wound up at one of these still-houses and replenished their jugs with corn and rye whisky, which was partly made into tansy bitters and served at meals as a beverage. But let it be stated that the circuit rider was early in this field and preached the gospel. Next came in the hunters and ax-men and the "pill doctor" with his saddle-bags. A Methodist class was organized and a log meeting-house erected near the present site of Leavittsville, then called Monroe, but no church was organized until Rev. John Hare of Carrollton circuit preached a few times in the grove. He was a great preacher, a good hunter and dearly loved the chase with its pack of trained hounds. Presbyterian and Methodist Protestant churches were also early in this township. Among the early families of this township may be recalled the Marshalls, the Russells, the Scotts, the Thorleys, the Wilkins, the Yarts, the Colemans, and the Junklins. VILLAGE OF DELL ROY This sprightly village was platted as Cannonsburg in section 36, by Philip Crabbs, October 2, 1849. Colonel William Brown opened the first store and his son Henry used to trap fur-bearing animals, taking the pelts to Carrollton and there sold them to Nick Burger and Adam Crosier, who converted them into hats and caps. Those times men and boys had their heads measured the same as they did their feet for a good fit in boots and shoes. The first store in old Cannonsburg was kept by Samuel Allen in a room on Main street. The first postoffice was in charge of John P. Miller and Samuel Semple. They got mail addressed to this part of the county from Carrollton and carried the same until they chanced to meet the parties to whom addressed at some log-rolling, barn-raising or general muster-day, when they delivered it to the parties for whom intended. The first regular established postoffice at Dell Roy vicinity was named Leavitt and it was kept at Colonel Brown's store. There was plenty of coal in this neighborhood, but little was mined until the building of the railroad, through the influence of General Eckley, aided by local stockholders of the Ohio & Toledo Railroad Company, which road was extended southward from Carrollton, a distance of eight miles with the southern terminus at Cannonsburg. Then it was that coal mines were rapidly developed till the railroad changed hands, its name being changed to the Youngstown & Conotton Valley Railroad and it was extended on to Sher- CARROLL AND HARRISON COUNTIES- 193 rodsville under the name of the Conotton Valley Railroad. Coal mines were well developed and all boomed at a lively rate for a time. In 1893 Dell Roy had its Odd Fellows Lodge, the Jr. 0. U. A. M., Grand Army of the Republic, a fine cornet band, a town hall and a base ball club. At this date (1921), the business and other interests of Dell Roy include the following: Dell Roy has a Methodist Episcopal, Methodist Protestant and a Presbyterian church, each provided with a building and a pastor— see Church Chapter for details. The lodges of the village include the Grange and the Odd Fellows orders. The business is represented mainly as follows : Auto- garages, R. D. Fry, H. R. Davy ; barbers, R. D. Fry, C. G. Wegman; blacksmiths, Ross Cogan; furniture, H. R. Davy, also undertakers ; feed store, S. W. Snell ; grocers, R. D. Fry, Fred Bratzman; hardware, S. W. Snee, G. G. Nigee ; hotel, Mrs. H. T. Thorley ; meats, George German ; lunches, R. D. Fry ; shoe repair, William Snee ; undertakers, H. R. Davy. MUNICIPAL Dell Roy is an incorporated village. Its 1921 elective officers are as follows : Mayor, W. M. Lytle; clerk, Clare Close ; marshal, Joseph Russell ; councilmen, M. S. Hoobler, W. T. Thorley, L. T. Trushell, George German, Neal Wetzel, Milton Wishart. The old Catholic church building has been converted into a town hall. There is no fire protection, but the volunteer fire company under chief H. R. Davy, has prevented any disastrous fires in the village for many years. LEAVITTSVILLE This place was given a name by Thomas James in 1850. It was three miles from Dell Roy saw mill. Agricultural implements were sold there. It is within the great Carroll County coal belt. In 1884, there were 2,214,000 bushels of coal mined in -Monroe township by the six firms operating. The hamlet of Leavittsville is an inland place, hence when the railway went through the county and left it off its line it naturally never grew to speak of. |