MONROE TOWNSHIP.

Monroe Township was laid of in June, 1836, being taken frost the east end of Twin Township, and contained all of Township 7 north, Range 4 east, that is in the county, and the eastern tier of sections of Township 8 north, Range 3 east. This is the southeastern township of the county, and is bounded on the north by Franklin Township, on the east by Miami County, on the south by Preble and Montgomery Counties, and on the west by Twin Township. Ludlow's Creek runs diagonally across the northeast part of the township, entering the east half of Section 6. and running south by east. leaves the township from the center of Section 16. This creek has many small tributaries that afford excellent outlets for the many underground drains that farmers are putting in to dry out and warm up the land. In an early day this township was very low and wet, but, owing to the large quantity of decayed vegetable matter, these low lands are very productive ; in fact. what was once swamp and quagmire is now choice farming lands.

There is no village or city within the boundaries of this township, but a place that bears the name of Pittsburg, of which, perhaps, in a day away back in the past, some had an idle dream of future greatness. But, alas, the ravages of time, the destroyer of all things, have lain in • the dust the ambitions of its founders, and Pittsburg lives only in name and story.

The first to brave a settlement in this township, and undergo the privations and hardships of a pioneer life in a wilderness, was Asa Jones and Henry Addington, who built their cabins on Section 8, in about 1819. They were followed the next year by Mr. Mote and family. who were the third actual settlers in the township. and he lived only one year after his settlement when he died, the first death that occurred among the settlers. His remains were taken to Milton, Miami County. for burial.

Thomas Jones. brother of Asa, came in 1823, and settled in the northern part of the township. and George Gabel in the southern part in the same year. Among others who settled in the township in an early day were William .and John Richardson in the northern part, Samuel Cams and Peter Shank in the southern part, and Joseph Brown. Peter Abram and John Snorph in the southwestern part. Settlers came in very slowly, which can be attributed only to the wretched state of the country at this time.

Reader, imagine. if you can, this beautiful country of to-day, shrouded in the mantle that nature gave it, a dense forest, gloomy and almost impenetrable swamps, not a mark of civilization to greet the eye of the hardy pioneer ; no churches, no schools, with nothing but the howl of the wolf, the screech of the panther, the rapid flight of the timid deer ; the whoop of the red man or the whiz of his arrow, to break the enchanted stillness that reigned supreme in nature's wild dominion. Such was the condition of this now beautiful township of Monroe, with its highly improved and productive farms, its fine residences, its commodious barns, its churches, its schools, its roads ; and, can we not truthfully say, we owe as great a debt of gratitude to those early pioneers, as we do to our fathers that broke the: chain of oppression. and freed our beloved country from the despotic rule of cruel tyranny. We certainly do for freedom and civilization go hand in hand ; advancement and development are the fruits of liberty, and most nobly have these pioneers discharged the duty interested to them, and we are in the possession to-day of thir fruits of their labor and privation.

CHURCHES.

In an early day. these pioneers, like the Israelites of old, were without a place in which to worship. but with a spirit trues to devotion, they met in each others'

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cabins, and raised their voices in unison and praise in magnifying the name of their great Preserver. Among the early pioneer preachers in this locality was Philip Younce, a German Baptist. who preached the first sermon within the present bounds of Monroe Township.

This denomination of religionists began their labors in the Miami Valley. at the same time the first ray of civilization illumined the great forest. and with a purpose as true to the development of Christianity as the magnetic needle to the pole. They have kept unswervingly to their course, have triumphed over every opposition, borne down every calumnious thrust, and to-day the beautiful Miami Valley is dotted with their churches, their schools. their other improvements and developments. In fact, the little germ planted and so carefully nourished and trained has expanded and grown, and to-day its success is without a parallel in the great Miami Valley. These people are unostentatious, make no display of finery, or a gaudy appearance, are strictly temperate, industrious, and are among the best citizens to be found in the land. They have two churches, one in Monroe Township, the other in Franklin; they are known as the Ludlow and Painter Creek District, and have a membership of 400. who are presided over by the Rev. Jesse Stutsman, Elder William Cassell and the Rev. Tobias Kreider, all gentlemen of ability and refinement, and are doing good work in the advancement of Christianity and enlightenment.

The first members of the German Baptist Church that lived in America emigrated from Swartzenau, Germany, in the year 1719, and settled in Germantown, Penn. They had been severely persecuted on account of their religious faith, and fled to America with a hope of gaining liberty and having the privilege of worshiping God according to the dictates of their own conscience and according to His word. For sixty years their progress was slow, owing to the difficulties and hardships of a new country in its unsettled state, caused by the French war of 1755 and the Revolution, twenty years later, and many subsequent Indian wars along the borders of the new settlements. The Indian's ruthless hand was severely felt, and many fell victims to the scalping knife. At times. their danger was so severely felt that when the father or sons left the house they bade their friends good bye, with a fear of never meeting them again.

But the long, long night of woe finally began to give way, and a bright morn shone forth, which has lasted for over a century. and still shines. In 1748, Christopher Saur printed the first German Bible in America, also edited the first paper ever issued from the church. They organized their first Sabbath-school in 1740, and the first annual conference, of which we have any knowledge, was held in 1778. The liberty and protection the Constitution of the United States gave them instilled new energy, and their progress became more visible.

The first meeting-house of the church that we have any account of was built in Franklin County, Penn., in 1798.

The first Brother that settled in Virginia was John Garber, in Flat Rock Valley, in 1777 ; he was an eminent minister, and built up a large congregation. From this valley, Jacob Miller moved to Ohio, and settled on the west side of the great Miami River, near Dayton, in 1800. He was the first one that settled west of the river, and was an able man, and labored faithfully in the cause of promoting and advancing the principles of Christianity. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1735, and, at the time of his arrival in Ohio, the country was a dense forest, inhabited by numerous tribes of Indians. It is said of Brother Miller that he often visited them in their wigwams and sang and prayed with them, that his kind treatment led them to protect him. They said he was the good man the Great Spirit sent from the East. He raised a very exemplary family of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters : three of his sons became able ministers, and reside in Indiana. and have done much in building up the church in that State, which numbers eighty-five organizations at present. There are, at this time, about seventy- five organized churches in Ohio, with very large, commodious houses for worship.

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There are organized churches in twenty of the States of the Union, and one in Denmark,with an estimated membership, in the aggregate, of over one hundred thousand.

There are eleven religious periodicals printed by members of the church, and devoted to its advancement.

There are three colleges under control of the church—one at Mount Morris, Ill.. conducted by Elder J. W. Stein : one at Ashland, Ohio. conducted by Elder S. G. Sharp. and one at Berlin. Penn.. conducted by Elder James Quirtcr. These colleges are large and commodious, and have all the advantages and conveniences of modern architecture. The students are watched over with great care, and everything of an immoral nature is strictly excluded, and students are welcomed, regardless of religion or sect, if they conform to the moral standard required. Their church has-four organized congregations in Darke County, with a membership of eleven hundred—one congregation in the southern part of the county, known as Ludlow and Painter Creek ; one in the northeast part, known as Oakland ; one in the northwest part, known as Union City, and one in the southwest, known as Palestine Congregation. There are twenty-three resident ministers of this denomination in the county. and they have nine houses of worship, which are very neatly constructed and finished.

The Lutherans also have a church organization in the township, but are not so numerous as their German Baptist brethren. They have a good church building, and a membership of about forty. presided over by the Rev. Mr. Peters, a very able clerical gentleman.

Great enthusiasm prevails among the people in regard to their church, and a true Christian feeling predominates among the members. They are the best of citizens. take great pride, generally, in educating their children, are sober and industrious, and their farm improvements are number one in every particular. They are mostly old settlers, and came here with little or no money, and, by hard labor and good management (characteristics of the German people), they have made good. comfortable homes, and are living in the full enjoyment of all the necessaries of life.

There are, also, a goodly number in the township belonging to other denominations, of which we might mention the Baptists, the Methodists, the Brethren in Christ, etc., but, as they belong to churches outside of the township, cannot, properly. be spoken of here.

SCHOOLS.

A school district was laid out in this township in 1836, three east and west and one mile in width, thus leaving out a mile on the western side. Much dissatisfaction was caused by this arrangement, so new districts two miles square were formed, and in 1837, a schoolhouse which had been partly finished was removed to Section 28. There are now seven school buildings in the township, erected at an estimated cost of $6,000. The township has a total enumeration of 548 scholars. Enrollment—males 230, females 216, total 446. Average daily attendance, 126 boys and 140 girls ; average per cent in attendance 72 ; number between sixteen and twenty-one years of age, 39 , boys and 31 girls ; total, 70. Average price paid teachers per school month—men, $40 ; ladies, $20. Thus we see that the school advantages in this township are good, and the people in general are making strenuous efforts to educate their children, which certainly is very commendable to the patrons of the schools.

Asa Jones, Monroe's first settler, taught the first school in the tow nship. Children were obliged to come long distances, and we were surprised in looking over old records to find the average per cent in attendance quite as good as now

The journeying of the children to and from school at certain times was fraught with great peril, and the labyrinth in the woods was so intricate that roads had to be " blazed" so that the children might not lose their way.

The first schoolhouse was a small log structure with puncheon floor, and

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clapboard roof sections of the logs were removed to admit the light of day.and a rain replaced as a protection against the fury of storms and the biting blasts of winter. A fireplace in one end gave warmth and comfort to the occupants. In the severity of the winter, a semi-circle was formed around this fireplace, and frequently an exchange of places would occur, so that all might have a slight benefit of the coveted place, but I am sorry to say the schoolmaster most generally occupied the "warm seat," much to the dissatisfaction of his pupils.

Seats were improvised by splitting lien logs in two. boring holes in the ends. into which wooden pins were inserted, so that the flat side would he up. and undoubtedly these made very comfortable seats for the boys and girls of fifty years ago.

No maps, charts. globes or finely glazed black boards adorned the walls. no improved text-books to elucidate the mysteries of science, thus making school days more profitable and agreeable. Owing to these disadvantages, it was only by dint of hard labor and persevering industry that the young men and women of au early day acquired the rudiments of an education, and from these humble temples of knowledge men of sterling worth and ability have descended.