PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 375 CEMETERIES. In addition to the cemeteries adjoining the churches at New Lexington and Shiloh, there are graveyards near Brennersville, on the old Royer farm, and one on the John Hart farm. In this latter graveyard a number of the early Tunkers are buried, among whom was Jacob Baer, one of the early settlers, and father of the late Elder Harry Baer. QUARRIES. Until recent years, the John O. Deem quarry, in section 17, was one of the most flourishing in the township. Farther north, on Price's creek, was the Whipple quarry, which did an extensive business in earlier days. BRENNERSVILLE. Brennersville was laid out about 1825 by John Brenner, but the plat was never recorded. It is on the south line of section 8, and never boasted of its commercial activities and is probably better known by the name of Scuffle-town. NEW LEXINGTON. New Lexington is the oldest town in Preble county. It was laid out by Judge James I. Nisbet, November 18, 1805, plat book I, page 22, of the Preble county plat records, and for some three years was the rival of its sister town, Eaton, in importance. About three months prior to the founding by William Bruce, of Eaton, James I. Nisbet laid out part of his farm, in section 27, into town lots, and named it New Lexington, in honor of Lexington, from whence he had migrated. He built the first house, a log cabin in the eastern part of the village, on the site of the three-story brick house that he built in 1811, near Twin creek. A number of other houses were built soon after Judge Nisbet's log cabin was built, and the enthusiastic and enterprising founder thought he saw in the little town a city in embryo ; and when Preble county was organized, he worked hard. to have New Lexington selected for the county seat, Eaton being the only contender, and, while Eaton had the advantage of being more centrally located, New Lexington had the precedence of birth, beside being located on the banks of the principal stream, the broadest and most fertile valley. The matter, finally, was decided by a commission, con- 376 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO sisting of Messrs. Ichabod Corwin, Aaron Harlan and Ichabod B. Halsey, appointed by the Legislature, which returned its findings to the court of common pleas June 23, 1808. After viewing both places, they found that, as far as the town were concerned, it was "six of one and a half a dozen of the other ;" but, in respect to position, Eaton had the advantage of a central location, wherefore, the permanent seat of justice was "fixed at the town of Eaton, provided that the money, lands, lots, stone and labor subscribed by the inhabitants of the town, shall be duly secured for the use of said county towards erecting public buildings." Since the decision against it, and the death of Judge Nisbet, New Lexington has lacked the spirit and enterprise which are necessary to the growth of a town. BUSINESS. Judge Nisbet was New Lexington's first merchant and postmaster ; the mail was carried on horseback between Dayton and Richmond, via New Lexington, over a direct route. The Columbian pike through West Alexandria was built later and the office removed there in 1828, and this village was without a postoffice until February 19, 1889, when one was established under the name of Twin, the mail being carried by the Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw railroad, but on May 14, 1906, the office was discontinued and its patrons served from West Alexandria, through the rural free delivery system established by the United States government some years prior. Taverns were kept by John Hawkins and Nathaniel Benjamin. The Hawkins house was the first, but there are no public documents showing how long this inn was open to the public. Mr. Benjamin's hostelry was run by him for a number of years, as he served at least twelve years, while so engaged, as a justice of the peace, and went directly from the hotel to the farm on the hill east of Twin creek, in 1831. There was a hattery in the village at one time, probably in the twenties, but the length of time it was in operation is not known. It was conducted by Mr. Foreman, father of "Aunt Polly" Bare, late widow of Elder Henry Bare, pioneer farmer of Twin township. There is at present in the village one general store, one tobacco warehouse, one box factory, two blacksmith shops, one junk dealer, and one huckster, with a population of one hundred and twenty. The township house and school buildings are treated elsewhere in this history. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 377 WEST ALEXANDRIA. Located on the west bank of Twin creek, in the midst of the richest agricultural territory in Preble county, West Alexandria contains about eleven hundred inhabitants. Half of the town lies on the south side of the old Columbia (Dayton and Eaton) pike, in Lanier township, and half on the north side of the pike which forms the boundary line in Twin township. The town is said to be the wealthiest in the state, in proportion to its population. It has four substantial churches, one newspaper, two flourishing banks, steam and electric railroads, and the finest school building, with auditorium, in the county, and many handsome residences. The town presents a neat, attractive and thrifty appearance, and evidences of prosperity are to be seen upon every hand. Whether viewed from an interurban or a steam car, one is impressed with the evident care and attention its people pay to the upkeep of property, public and private. The streets are wide and lined with magnificent shade trees, which partially conceal the houses, and are well kept. Its people, intelligent, moral and hospitable, take pride in their home and town, which is attested by the tastily-built residences and well-kept lawns. West Alexandria was laid out in August, 1818. Forty lots comprised the original town plat, twenty on the Lanier side being laid out by William Alexander, for whom the town was named, and twenty on the Twin side by Henry Keisling, one of Twin township's earliest settlers, who never became extensively identified with the town, but Mr. Alexander, who did, has always been regarded as its founder and will be the subject of a brief sketch here. He was born in Virginia in 1791, and in the spring of 1817, with his wife and one child, migrated to Ohio. Leaving his wife and one child with his brother at Hamilton, he came to the Twin valley, where Jacob Sorber, his brother-in-law, had moved a year previous, and purchased of Jacob Hill eighty acres, a part of which now constitutes the south side of town. The next spring he brought his little family from Hamilton. They found here, where West Alexandria now stands, a little clearing and four rude .buildings of logs ; a school house, the Union church, and two log cabins. One, the Coble cabin, stood on the northeast corner of Main and Dayton streets, known as the Davis corner, and the other stood on the present site of the Twin Valley Bank and was occupied by John Clapp as a dwelling and blacksmith shop. These two families, squatters, soon after moved away, and 378 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. Alexander moved into the Clapp cabin and, soon after, William Sherman took possession of the Coble domicile. The following autumn Alexander erected .an addition twenty feet square, and in the spring following (1819) Valentine. Mikesell moved from Nisbet's mill into the original Clapp cabin. From this humble beginning has grown the present beautiful hustling town of West Alexandria. Mr. Alexander, its founder, died April, 1837, but his widow continued to live here for many years afterwards, .in all a period of nearly seventy years. Only two of the eight or nine children born to them survived her, Mrs. John Winter, of Springfield, Ohio, who died on February 24th, 1915, and Perry Alexander, of Eaton. INCORPORATION. The town was incorporated by act of the Legislature March 14, 1836, and on the third Monday of April following, a municipal government was inaugurated by the election of a mayor and board of trustees. Charles Smith was elected to the mayoralty, and his successors in office were: Elias Herdman, 18'38-39; Mahlon Karn, 1840, 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 51, 54, 64; Josiah Davis, 1844; J. B. Watts, 1848-49 ; J. W. Templeton, 1850; Nathaniel Benjamin, 1852, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 6o, 63, 67; Johnson McClean, 1861, 62, 72, 73, 74, 75, 92, 91; Moses Marquis, 1865; Nelson Donnellan, 1866; Michael Aker, 1868, 69, 70, 71, 78, 79, 82, 83 ; John Wolf, 1876-77; James Campbell, 1880-81, 86, 87, 88, 89; Nathan S. Hart, 1884-85; George Buck, Jr., 1890-91, Isaac Van Ausdal finishing his term. D. V. Wachtel, 1894-95; S. B. Smith, 1896, 97, 98, 99, 1900-01, 6, 7, 10, II, 12, 13; Philip A. Saylor, 1902 to January, 1905; H. M. Brewer, since January, 1914. The present village officials are : H. M. Brewer, mayor; Glen Davis, clerk; Andrew Rupp, treasurer ; C. B. Dye, marshal and street commissioner ; Charles Rinck, S. M. Myers, Abner N. Clemmer, Samuel Fudge, John Block and John Snaveley, councilmen. WATERWORKS. The village, in 1897, installed one of the first waterworks systems in the state, at a cost of about seventeen thousand dollars ; the supply being obtained from artesian wells in the southern part of the city, and pumped through the town to a stand-pipe located in the northern part, opposite the public school buildings. The wells are drilled to a depth of one. hundred and thirty feet, affording not only an abundant supply, but an excellent PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 379 quality, of water for culinary and drinking purposes, as it flows. out from the wells, instead of being drawn from the stand-pipe. A substantial brick pump-house provided with two forty-five horsepower boilers and two pumps with a capacity of seven hundred and twenty-five thousand gallons each and a sixteen by forty foot standpipe, with bottom elevation of about eighty-five feet above the village proper, giving a domestic static pressure of forty-seven pounds, and a fire pressure of one hundred and twenty-five pounds. A GALA DAY. When the Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw railroad was built to this town, in 1886, the people of Twin valley decided upon "Mackinaw Day," a day of celebration in honor of the event. A great cedar arch spanned the track at the Dayton street crossing, cannons awoke the denizens of the valley to the fact that the day of their deliverance was at hand, that the "iron horse" would bear their burdens, that a new era was about to begin, that no longer were they compelled to wagon to Dayton for their salt and to Cincinnati to deliver their produce, but that it would bring a market, and make possible the exchange of commodities at their very doors. All roads led to West Alexandria that memorable 9th of October, 1886, and a hearty welcome was extended to all that came. The crowd was conservatively estimated at five thousand. Banners, bearing the word 'Welcome" and others bearing the picture of a locomotive, with the inscription "Progress," were visible everywhere. The public school campus was handsomely decorated, a huge platfrom for speakers, brass bands and drum corps had been erected; over six hundred feet of table groaned with the good things the ladies of the old Twin valley know so well how to cook, roast or bake, awaited the maw of a hungry public, and it was certainly satisfied. ELECTRIC RAILROAD. One June day in 1898 excitement, but of a more subdued nature, prevailed among the citizens, when cars, with no visible power, went skimming through the town and across the country, returning by the aid of the same agency. Thus was ushered in the "interurban" in West Alexandria, the "Dayton Western railway," and, today the town boasts of both steam and electric lines, the former a north and south and the latter an east and west road. Under its franchise it had to maintain its power plant here, so it purchased four and one-half acres of land of S.. V. and J. E. Motter, in the 380 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. eastern part of town, and erected a large brick power house and two large brick car barns. Since the line is operated by the Ohio Electric Railway Company, the high tension system has been substituted and the power house is used as a sub-station. The barns and shops are in full operation, and most of the operating force live here. POSTOFFICE. In the spring of 1828 the postoffice at New Lexington was removed to West Alexandria and Judge Nisbet, the postmaster, placed it in charge of a clerk. Mails were received but once a week, and the duties of the postmaster could hardly be classed as strenuous. The office has since been served by the following postmasters : Elias Hardman, Squire Taylor, John H. Gale, John Bowers, Julia Holland, John Roselius, A. G. Albaugh, E. J. Henry, H. C. Glander, and the present incumbent, O. V. Fritz. From one mail in a week to six mails per diem, is the growth of the village postoffice in number of mails ; but the number of pieces or pounds of mail matter transmitted through the office is proportionately much greater ; there are four rural free delivery carriers wrestling with the tons of mail matter each month received at their office, and many departments have been added since its establishment. NEWSPAPERS. On April 15, 1886, Gale & Wilson made their bow to the public as publishers of a newspaper, which they christened the Twin Valley Times. After the death of Mr. Wilson this property passed into the hands of D. E. Stubbs, who was succeeded by the following owners and publishers : E. H. Graham, 0. H. Smith, C. M. Hane, E. A. McKee, Lewis & Drury, Griswold & Drury, Todd & Bundy and H. A. Smith. The Twin Valley Echo, a second local newspaper, was started on March 33, 1898, by Snyder & Griswold, as proprietors, Mr. Snyder retiring in October, 1900. Mr. Griswold continued to conduct the paper until about June I, 1902, when he sold to F. E. Vance, who published the sheet until March, 1906, when it again passed to a new owner, D. W. Calahan, who, in the spring of 1909, leased the same to Joe Murphy, but revoked the grant the following September. About a year later, C. W. McIntosh, the present publisher, bought the plant. The West Alexandria Record, a newspaper owned and printed by Earl H. Irvin, publisher of the Eaton Democrat, was launched in January, 1905, PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 381 under the management of Harry Eby, who, a year later, was succeeded by W. W. Crouse, who edited the same until its extinction, for political reasons, in June, 1910. BANKS. In the present age and, to some extent, in the past, banking institutions have constituted a most vital part in the business of the commercial world. Their influence and fortune are the financial barometers of the business world, even governments have, in a measure, been dependent upon them. Of this branch of business, Twin Valley Bank (S. S. Black & Company) has been a part since 1888, when this institution was organized by upwards of a dozen of the most prominent citizens of the town and vicinity, and today it ranks third in respect to resources, in the county. A second bank, the Farmers & Citizens, was organized early in 1905, and, despite pessimism, has flourished, and has, today, fully as great resources as Twin Valley Bank had in 1905, which proves that healthy competition is the life of any business. TAVERNS. In the spring of 1819 Valentine Mikesell built a small frame tavern on the northwest corner of Main and Dayton streets, where Henry Lang in 1887-8 built the present building, and, shortly afterward, Mr. Alexander erected a larger one on the site of his dwelling, which passed into the hands of Dennis Kelly and burned on July 26, 1863, as the result of a public jollification over the capture of Morgan, the rebel raider. This was the most disastrous fire in the history of the town, the Huston block, adjoining, having been consumed. The Mikesell tavern was successively owned by Michael Klinger, Samuel Fisher, Miller, Isaac Johnson, Fred Shafer; Henry Lang, Joseph En-dress and Henry Fadler. It has since passed into other hands and is used for other purposes. The Twin Valley House was established by Jacob Winters in a frame dwelling, previously occupied by George Loy, and afterward conducted by Jacob Feary, Jacob Good, Hiram Burk, John Wysong, John Early, Johnson Brothers, E. P. Galbraith, Wolf Brothers, Feager Hefflinger, Wolf & Johnson, Wolf & Company, David Wolf, John Weaver, W. H. Weaver, Segelke Bohlman and Herman Cordes. The present owners of this property, T. G. Dininger and John Block, 382 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO bought in August, 19o5, since which time it, was for. a while occupied by the Ohio Electric Railway Company for freight and ticket offices, but for the past few years it has again been used as a hotel by Charles Houk and Elmer Koeller, under the euphonious name of the "Astor House." PIONEER MERCHANTS. George Gilbert kept a store in a one-story, building owned by Jacob Sorbet, located on the site of the residence of the late Dr. O. E. Tillson, and some say ,he was preceded at the same place by Mr. Wearshoff. Mr. Gilbert subsequently moved to Dayton and was succeeded by George Taylor. Henry Hathaway soon afterward erected a building on the northeast corner of Main and Dayton streets. He did a flourishing business and was also engaged in pork packing, but failed. In 1838 Josiah Davis entered into the grocery business on this corner. Some fifteen years earlier Frederick Zitzer, father of the late John Zitzer, opened a cabinet shop here and was succeeded by his son and he by his son. Nathaniel L. Derby was one of the pioneer merchants of this town and was succeeded by John G. Gale, in 1847, who was succeeded in turn by Baker, Smith & Company, Smith & Swank, Smith & Unger, Unger & Derby, Unger & Gale, Unger & Glander, Glander.& Herlman, and Glander. In 1850 the late Johnson McLean succeeded Jerome Waters in the harness and saddlery business. PUBLIC SCHOOLS. In the absence of records we are compelled to depend on recollection and impressions, but all seem to agree that the first term of school was taught by William Sherman, the second by David Williamson, and the third by the founder of the town, William Alexander, in a log cabin built by Jacob Parker, the first settler of Lanier township, at, or near, the northwest corner of the old graveyard, west of Salem Evangelical Lutheran church,. on East Dayton. street. This building was supplanted by a small frame building erected by Mr. Alexander, about the year 1818. He purchased a part of the materials at Cincinnati. Later, Henry Kissling, who laid out the north part of the town, donated a lot on East Second street for school purposes, upon which a small brick house was built, which was later displaced by the two-room brick building, which has been converted into a dwelling, owned and occupied by Scott F. Wilson. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 383 . In the year 1871 a three-story brick mansard roof building, occupying the site of the present building; was begun. and Hon. Oscar. Sheppard was the first principal to occupy the new building, costing thirteen thousand dollars, serving until 4878. Algebra, geometry, physiology, natural philosophy, history and English literature were among the branches taught. In 1870 M. D. Tyrell succeeded to the. principalship and was followed by J. W. Halley, E. P. Vaughan, C. O. Howell, Joseph Brouse, W. T. Heilman, B. A. Landis, Lon Disher, E E. Rinehart, 'Douglas Brouse, C. H. Carey. and C. A. Matheny, The present superintendent. A. J. Surface was the last teacher in the building on Second street, He was immediately preceded by Billy Barnhiser and C. C. Featherling. Hon. John M. A. McNutt and John Graham, author of the Graham arithmetic, were early teachers of West Alexandria public schools. A northwest wing was added to the school building and, in 1904, the east wing was built; but, the growth of the schools necessitated the building of the present house, which has few, if any, equals in towns of like size in the state and is by far the finest and most commodious school building in the county. Superintendent Matheny is ably assisted by the following principals and teachers : Clara Smith, E. A. Holcomb, John Winkleman, and the grade teachers : Minnie Bohlman, Carrie Roselius, Alfred Schell, Ida Drene, Hazel Weier and Marie Sheppard, with Miss Zetta Huber, normal teacher. LODGES. King Hiram Lodge No. 88, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered March 19, 1842, with the following members : N. Benjamin, H. M. Eidson, Jacob Stotler, Josiah Davis, Dr. N. Donnellan, Dennis Kelly, Henry Garber, Jacob W. Swerry, Thomas Hill, William McChesney and James B. Dix. The officers were : N. Benjamin, worshipful master; H. M. Eidson, senior warden; D. N. Donnellan, junior warden ; J. W. Sweeney, secretary ; Josiah Davis, treasurer; Jacob Stotler, senior deacon ; Henry A. Garber, junior deacon ; Thomas Hill, tyler ; James B. Dix, steward. The lodge room was in the Huston block, until its destruction by fire, in 1863, and after the erection of the Stotler-Glander block, in r866, they took up quarters there ; but, in 1905, it moved into its own temple, the third floor of the J. H. Jordan building. Its present officers are : Raymond Hornbeck, worshipful master; .Earl Cloyd, senior warden ; Andrew Rupp, junior warden; J. B. McLean, secretary ; J. E. Davis, treasurer ; Eli McGregor, senior deacon ; H. M. Brewer, junior deacon ; James Coffman, tyler. 384 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. The Eastern Star Gleaners have an organization, but records were not available owing to a recent fire that visited it. INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS. Lanier Lodge No. 521, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was instituted July i 1, 1872, with Peter Smith, David Yohe, Dr. 0. E. Tillson, Rev. R M. Herman, Samuel Mowery, L. V. Motter, Luther C. Black, Jos. M. Kinsell, John Swisher, David Wood, George T. Sauer, David Wolf, Nahlon Karn, Josiah Rape and H. C. Burns, as charter members. The following officers were elected : Peter Smith, .noble grand; Doctor. Tillson, vice-grand; Elijah Fonta, recording secretary ; David Wolf, treasurer ; L. C. Black, financial secretary ; D. G. Naeff, conductor ; David Yohe, warden; M. Karn, right supporter noble grand; L. V. Motter, left supporter noble grand; J. M. Krissel, right senior supporter; J. E. Motter, left senior supporter ; David Wood, inner guard; Samuel Mowery, outer guard; Josiah Rape, right supporter vice-grand ; George T. Sauer, left supporter vice-grand ; H. M. Herman, chaplain. The present officers are : T. H. Rule, noble grand; J. L. Emlet, vice-grand ; J. M. Saylor, recording secretary ; George M. Fritz, financial secretary ; J. E. Motter, Jr., treasurer ; John Block, right supporter noble grand; L. A. Deardorff, left supporter noble grand ; S. P. Geeting, warden. Its lodge room was and is in the old Stotler-Glander building. REBEKAHS. Priscilla Lodge of Rebekahs was organized, October 29, 1902, with the following charter members : J. E. Van Ausdal, E. C. Fouts, John Herman, S. B. Smith, Ida C. Van Ausdal, Eva Smith, Anna Harmon, David Yoke, Sarah F. Yohe, S. P. Geeting, Amanda Geeting, J. H. Fritz, Nettie Fritz, O. E. Tillson, Caroline Tillson, Julia Holland, George M. Fritz, Samantha J. Fritz, Melissa Wolf, John W. Saylor, Lucinda Saylor, Louise Deckwitz, Minnie Campbell, Alonzo Strader, J. M. Saylor, Anna M. Klinger, Delilah, Harry, Lon. E. Fouts, H. E. Van Ausdal, George W. Bickel, Adda Gregg, Eliza N. Hoffman, T. E. Hoffman. The following were the officers : Louise Deckwitz, noble grand; Emma Saylor, vice-grand ; Adda Greeg, recording secretary ; Julia Holland, financial secretary ; Melissa Wolf, treasurer ; Elizabeth Hoffman, conductress ; Caroline Tillson, warden ; Delilah, right supporter noble grand ; Nettie Fritz, left supporter noble grand ; Eva Smith, inner. guard ; Lon E. Fouts, outer guard ; Ida Van Ausdal, chaplain. The PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 385 present officers are : Anna M. Klinger, noble grand; Eva Smith, vice-grand; Minnie Campbell, recording secretary ; E. Saylor, financial secretary ; Nettie Fritz, treasurer ; Clara Libecap, conductress ; Jane Riley, warden ; Grace Marke, right supporter noble grand ; Idella Deardorff, left supporter noble grand ; Julia Holland, inner guard; S. P. Geeting, outer guard; Jennie Fouts, chaplain; Elizabeth Hoffman, right supporter vice-grand; Emma Kelley, senior supporter vice-grand. KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS. Royal Lodge No. 320, Knights of Pythias, was chartered May 21, 1889. The following were charter members : Rev. H. L. Hart, D. E. Stubbs, A. H. Campbell, J. M. Saylor, W. L. Burtner, H. O. Kirkpatrick, L. M. Wolfe, M. A. Burke, S. M. Myers, F. J. Swartsel, W. I. Aydelotte, E. M. Sauer, O. E. Paullens, E. S. Saylor, J. Strader, H. H. Dirfenbaugh, A. G. Albaugh, Henry Huette, J. P. Stock, Corwin Smith, Lewis Wachtel, James Carroll, Sebastian Deem, J. N. Lanier, Lon Ozias, G. M. Shower, McClellan Saylor and F. E. Hoffman. The officers were : J. M. Saylor, chancellor commander ; W. J. Aydelotte, vice-chancellor ; H. L. Hart, prelate ; F. S. Saylor, master at arms ; Corwin Smith, master of finance ; Ferd J. Swartsel, master of exchequer ; D. E. Stubbs, keeper of records and seal; Sebastian Deem, inner guard; Henry Huette, outer guard ; E. M. Sauer, L. M. Myers and Lewis Wachtel, trustees. A. H. Campbell, past commander and representative. The present officers are : Charles Blose, chancellor commander ; Delmer Crouse, vice-chancellor ; John Bower, prelate ; Harry Windle, master at arms ; Roy Jellison, master of work; George Huber, keeper of records and seal ; N. L. Paxson, master of finance; F. J. Plander, master of exchequer ; F. E. Rinehart, Walter Copp and J. S. Emlett, trustees. The temple of their lodge is in the Ehler block, built in 1893 by the late A. A. 'Unger, on the corner of Main and Dayton streets. PYTHIAN SISTERS. A charter was granted, March I o, 1899, to Sincerity Temple No. 132, Rathbone Sisters. Since its organization, the name has been changed to that of Pythian Sisters. The members meet in the temple of Roy Lodge No. 320, K. of P. building. (25) 386 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. JUNIOR ORDER UNITED AMERICAN MECHANICS. The Junior Order United American Mechanics, was organized, November 23, 1910, with the following charter members : W. A. Davis, J. S. Long, H. Newport, Harrison Long, J. Tipton, John Wilt, W. A. Robbins, C. H. Price, J. L. Emlet, J. W. Gilmer, V. S. Singer, Clarence Wade, V. B. Furrey, Carl Furrey, Willard Swartz, George Mikesell, Samuel Wiley, William Greggs, J. E. Greggs, Elmer Emrick, Charles Mars, George G. Long, Ola Albaugh, Frank Roberts, and Dr. H. Cloyd. Meetings are held on Friday nights, in the Mills building. PATRONS OF HUSBANDRY. West Alexandria Grange No. 363, Patrons of Husbandry, was organized, January 12, 1874, and among its charter members were David and Julia A. Lowman, Catherine Gale, Jacob, San and Catherine Eby, James. and Caroline Campbell, Samuel and Sarepta Crouse, James M., J. E. and Van Ausdal, Joseph, Miriam and Emma Copp, N. S. Hart, R. J. W. Ozias, J. E. Emrick, Ezra Sigler and H. Campbell. Its first master was Squire Campbell, but the records up to 1878 are missing, when the following officers were elected : Jacob Eby, master; Darnel Eby, overseer ; James M. Van Ausdal, lecturer ; J.. W. Wampler, steward ; J. Black, chaplain; Joseph Copp, treasurer ; N. S. Hart, secretary ; T. E. Van Ausdal, gate-keeper ; Julia A. Lowman, ceres; Emma Copp, pomona; Emma Van Ausdal, flora; Sarepta A. Crouse; lady assistant steward. This organization disbanded in the early eighties. MACCABEES. At a preliminary meeting called at the Commercial Club rooms for the purpose of organizing a tent, thirty-two. applications for membership were received, as follows : James Mountcastle, Frank Pitman, John Cordell, Oliver Keimkle, Floyd Layman, Oliver Oswalt, George Reid, H. H. Carter, C. E. Parker, Mark Boor, S. S. Hawley, Forest Myers, Raymond Shank, Omer Slifer, Ellis Shiflett, Jacob Kabler, Charles Mountcastle, F. M. Roach, Charles Elliott; Harry. Windle, George Faddler, "Clifford Craig, Orlando Jackson, Irvin Clark, James Bineger, Walter Copp, Ed. Longmecer, Harr); Gephart, Scott Shiflett, James Frinley, Alvin Cunningham and J. S. Emlet. The organization was effected under the name "Twin Valley Tent" of the Knights of the Maccabees No. 538, through deputy C. O. Fife, and the following officers were elected : J. L. Emlet, commander ; S. S. Hawley, lieutenant- PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 387 commander; Oliver Oswalt, chaplain; Walter Copp, record keeper; James. Mountcastle, master at arms ; F. M. Roach, sergeant; Charles Elliott, master commander; Earl Hutte, record keeper ; Francis M. Roach, master at arms; Ervin Burnett, sergeant; J. L. Emlet, chaplain; Oliver Oswalt, first master of guard, and William Kenworthy, second master of guard. Their tent is in the Mills building on North Main street. LADY MACCABEES. A Lady Maccabee society has recently been organized, but sufficient facts to write a history of their organization were not available. CHURCHES. The First Brethren church of West Alexandria was organized soon after the division in 1883, probably in 1884-5. Meetings, were held at the homes of members and at the Baptist church north of New Lexington, continuing. until February 26, 1888, when a new frame church, built the preceding year on the site of the present church, was dedicated by Rev. Ed. Mason. J. M. Tombaugh of the Bear creek charge, preached for this congregation afterward, succeeded by the following ministers : S. H. Bashor, A. A. Cober, M. Richards, Martin Shiveley, George Copp, Josiah Keim, J. M. Mackey, C. J. Shock, and J. A. Garber, during whose ministry an addition was built to the church and the house rededicated in October, 1908, by Dean J. A. Miller of Ashland College, Ohio. He was succeeded by George Ronk, Harley Wolf ord, C. E. Kobb, and, in 1911, Rev. Garber was recalled by this congregation and has served it since. The state conference of Brethren churches was held in this church during the last week in March, 1915. REFORMED. The first church services of the German Reformed denomination were held at the members' homes and in the open air, and the first church building of which we find any account Was the log church which stood •west of a graveyard, near the site of the dwelling of John L. Emlet. This was built in 1816-17, and known as the "Union" church, being used jointly by the German Reformed and Lutheran denominations, until about 1853, when the first named, under the pastorate of Rev. John Rike, built a new and substantial church on the site of their present church building, which was erected 388 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. in 1893, under the pastorate of Rev. Reuben Keller. Rev. Thomas Winters was the first pastor of the Reformed congregation in the old "Union" log church, and continued to serve it until 1840. Rev. A. Leis succeeded him for a year, when Rev. John Kercher took up the work for a couple of years, after which Rev. Thomas Winters returned to their charge for a period of five years. In 188o Rev. John Rike began a four-year pastorate, during which the first brick church in West Alexandria was built. He was succeeded by his brother, Levi Rike, who served two years, and was followed by Rev. A. C. Kendig, who preached to this congregation until 1891, when Rev. Harry M. Herman (who died March Jo, 1915, at his home in Dayton, Ohio), became its pastor, serving twenty years. He was succeeded by Reverend Shoemaker, and the latter was followed by Reverend Schulmberger. Then Rev. H. L. Hart officiated, followed by Reverends Keller, Goeckler and the present pastor, Reverend Miller. This congregation continues to grow and, as one of its auxiliaries, the Sunday school is wide awake. LUTHERAN. Salem Evangelical Lutheran church, as has already been stated, jointly occupied the old "Union" log church built in 1816-17, under the pastorate of Reverends Man, Morgan, Esbich, and Henkle, until 183o, when Rev. Jacob Gruber was called as its pastor. He served it until about 1848, when Rev. Andrew Henkle was recalled, serving them until June, 185o, when Rev. George Baughman took charge and served it for forty years. During his pastorate, a commodious brick building was built in 186o, and the congregation kept pace, there being about three hundred communicant members when he laid down the work. Rev. E. F. W. Stellhorn, a young minister, fresh from college, succeeded Reverend Baughman, and, marrying during his pastorate, the congregation bought the Sheppard residence on the northwest corner of Main and Oak streets for a parsonage. While he served this society, efforts were going forward toward the erection of a new church, but the church at Marion, Ohio, called him to its pastorate before the accomplishment of his plans. It fell to the lot of his successor, Rev. S. Schillinger, the present incumbent, to carry to completion the building proposition, and in June, 1906, its people saw it dedicated, one of the finest, if not the finest, churches in the county. PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 389 METHODIST. The absence of records compels us to depend upon obtaining facts by reminiscence. It seems that, in the earlier settlement of West Alexandria, those of the Methodist faith met for worship in the first school house in the town, which stood near to its present site, on the opposite side of the street. At the home of Doctor Gray, in 1841-2, a class of, perhaps, a dozen was organized by Reverend Davis, which was increased, as the result of a revival held in the summer of 1842. After the formation of this class, services were held in the brick school house, on the she f the present dwelling of Scott Wilson, on East Second street, and later in the Protestant Methodist church, just east of the brick school house, which has since disappeared. A small, one-story brick church building was built about 185o, which was replaced by the present house, in 1878, at a cost of about three thousand dollars. Rev. R. C. Moon has been serving this congregation the past few years, CEMETERY. Fairview cemetery, just south of town, is the property of this village. It is laid out on a slight knoll, on the west side of the Winchester pike. The town laid a cement sidewalk from the corporation line to the cemetery gate, drilled an artesian well, built an arch over the drive-gate and put in a watering trough by the roadside. For the time, about ten years, that it has been ,open, it has been beautifully kept. CHAPTER XXVII. HARRISON TOWNSHIP. The history of the formation of this township is given in the chapter on Organization of the County. Harrison township presents a variety of soil, the bottom land along the streams being a rich loam, while in the western part of the township, and the northeastern part; the land, in an early day, was swampy and has required drainage. The balance of the township, and the greater portion, may be described as rolling land. Along the streams there is some broken land, but as soon as the hills, on either side of the stream, are climbed, the land presents long slopes of rolling land. The soil generally may be described as clay, but there are few hillsides that are not cultivated. There are four principal streams : Twin creek, with its source in Darke county, flows across the corner of Monroe township and enters Harrison township from the west in section 6, then flows southeasterly, and easterly, but trending to the south, to nearly east of Euphemia, where it turns and flows a south course into Twin township, being joined, practically at the bend to the south, by Millers fork from the north, and Swamp creek from the northeast, both of which latter streams have their sources in Darke county. Price creek, with its source also in Darke county northwest of Eldorado, flows southeasterly across section 31, of Harrison township, across Twin township and into Twin creek. The outcrop of stone along the banks of Twin creek, and where the small tributaries break down from the higher land to the creek, from the earliest times have been a source of profit to many people. Down to within the last fifteen years many quarries furnished building stone for houses and public work, and from the quarry northwest of Euphemia much stone was shipped to other counties for such constructions, while there was a considerable home demand for the stone from all quarries ; also south and east of Lewisburg and northwest of Euphemia were built and operated large lime kilns that burned great quantities of lime of the very best quality, which was hauled and shipped to many of the neighboring towns and cities. This burning of lime for many years furnished a ready market for the wood cut by the farmers. But times and business changed, and now the lime kilns PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 391 are all blown out; many of the quarries abandoned as quarries, while the larger -ones, notably the ones northwest of Euphemia, have installed large stone-crushing plants, into which the stone is fed, crushed, dumped into waiting cars and sent out, some to distant cities, for concrete or macadam work and road construction. EARLY SETTLEMENT. The first settler in the township is generally conceded to have been George Leas, who arrived about 1801 or 1802, and settled near Twin creek, in section 21. In 1804 the Tillmans located land on Swamp creek, in the eastern part of the township, and in 1805 Tobias Tillman, with his family, a large one, came from Tennessee and settled, forming a strong colony: The next year came Tillman's son-in-law, Alexander McNutt, who settled near Twin creek. Both men had been soldiers during the Revolution and both left large families, McNutt having thirteen children in his family. He was elected as the first surveyor of the county. About 1804 John Singer came from Virginia. He is said to have walked in and later settled in section 34. In 1805 John Locke, from Maryland, settled where Euphemia is now laid out and later built the mill at the stone-arch bridge over Twin creek. The same year came. Abraham Hapner, from Virginia, and in 1807 Jacob Werts came from Pennsylvania and settled in section 21. In 1809 John Aikman came from Pennsylvania and settled in section 23. Thomas Wilson and John Ott also becoming residents of the township in that year. In 1810 Patrick McGriff came from South Carolina and found a home in section 6. Jacob Kesler, in 1811, settled about a mile south of Lewisburg. John Wikle came from Pennsylvania and settled at Lewisburg in 1812. Henry Horn, born in Germany, in 1815, settled in section 27, and became the founder of Lewisburg. In 1816 John Etzler, from Maryland ; John Brown, from North Carolina ; William Swisher, from Pennsylvania ; Henry Cassell, from Virginia, with others, now not remembered, settled in the township. Within the next five to fifteen years John Schlosser, Peter Studybaker, Christian Disher, Daniel Wolf and Peter' Homan became citizens. Christian Disher was the father of Capt. Mathias Dishes, and of Christian Disher who ran a quarry and lime kiln for many years on the old homestead, in section 35, near Lewisburg. 392 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO About the same time came Andrew Zeller, Elias Bunger, Jesse Smith, David Hoffman and Samuel Dinwidie. Nearly all of those early settlers left large families and the names given are among the most common in the township today. About 1807 Zachariah Hole is said to have settled on Twin creek and in 1809 he built the first mill, later owned by Henry Horn ; later yet by Perry Turner, and now by E. C. Crider, on Twin creek east of Lewisburg. It has been remodeled several times and is still doing good work. TROUBLESOME REDSKINS. In 1812 the Indians began being troublesome and a block house was built on the northwest quarter of section II, and a greater or less force was stationed there for some two years, among which were companies from the central and southern parts of the county, as well as nearly every able-bodied man in the township. No fighting followed, but scouts were kept out, sometimes going long distances to discover signs of the red man, who, also discovering them, sought other places where danger to himself was less. A transcript of the discharge given those who served in this home defense is set out in the chapter on the War Record. At different times, an Indian sneaking through the woods, tried to shoot William Myers, and again John Aikman, but in each instance the flint failed to ignite the powder and the .snap caused the white man to seek cover before a second effort could be made. It is said that, later, Myers buried an Indian on his farm, and it may be that he got the drop on the Indian next time, but the Indian couldn't tell and Myers never would. At one time an Indian tried to break into the house of Mr. Abbott, on Miller's fork, and was brained by Abbott. In 1812 Rebecca Sharpe, a girl, was captured by the Indians and taken north into Darke county, where she was kept about a year, at the end of which time she was brought back and released. GRAVES AND GRAVEYARDS. The cemeteries are five. The Union cemetery was located along the west line of the township, and in 1871 grew across the line into Monroe township. The cemetery originally called the United Brethren cemetery, lying just east of the town, was started by the United Brethren about the year 1835. The Lewisburg cemetery, located at the northwest corner of Lewisburg, is the oldest in the township, having been started about the year 1815. Prob- PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 393 ably the first grave dug there was for the burial of Henry Sharpe, a brother of Rebecca Sharpe, the maiden named above. This burial place is well known over the county as Lewisburg cemetery. It is frequently stated that a daughter of Daniel Boone is buried there, but there are no records showing that the historic character known as Daniel Boone ever had a daughter who migrated to this county. There was a Daniel Boone, however, a nephew or cousin of the hunter, who, in an early day, settled about a mile south of Gratis on a branch, which still is called Boone's branch. He had a number of children, among them daughters, and it may be that one of his daughters is buried there. The Verona cemetery or West Baltimore cemetery is of more recent origin and is located near the center of section 12. It was laid out in 1871, by deed record ; but it is said there were a number of graves there earlier. The Tillman cemetery, located in section 3, was laid out in 1831, by John Tillman, who deeded a half acre of land therefor. SCHOOLS AND RAILROADS. The first school in the township is said to have been kept in a building on section 24, about the year 181o. Soon after this, schools were started in sections 28 and 22 by the settlers thereabouts. Some forty-five years ago, the central section of the township got a law passed by the Legislature creating a special school district, No. 1, of a strip of territory two miles wide across the middle of the township, east and west, which continued until two years ago, when the present school "ripper" law was passed. The county school board is now dividing the township up differently, but until then there were three school houses in the north third of the township, three in the middle third, and four in the south third, besides the Lewisburg school, the middle third being controlled entirely by their own directors. Three steam railroads touch the township, the Dayton & Western, now a part of the Pennsylvania Railway system ; the Dayton & Union, and the Cincinnati Northern ; also the Dayton & Greenville interurban line crosses the northeast corner of the township. (See Chapter on Railroads.) In an early day, there were the usual number of small distilleries, one run by Henry Horn, as early as 1811, near Lewisburg. SONORA. Sonora is located near the south line of sections 9 and 10, at the point where the section line is crossed by the Dayton & Western Railroad, and was 394 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. really. put on the map by the railroad, which was finished- in 1852, and which established a station at that point to accommodate Lewisburg and Euphemia, two and one-half miles south, and the town just grew up around the station. It is not incorporated, but has a population of about two hundred and does quite a little business. William Leas was the first resident. A township school house is located at the north side of the town. There is a United Brethren church, erected in 1861, and rebuilt in 1904 at a cost of three thousand five hundred -dollars, with a membership of ninety, and a Sunday school of one hundred and twenty-five enrolled, M. L Comfort, pastor. The lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows moved to Ithica about -1885. There was a Methodist Episcopal church erected about 1850, and rebuilt in 1905 at a. cost of two thousand, five hundred dollars, but which is not holding 'services -now. A brass band of seventeen pieces provides music for the town. A postoffice was established about 1853. One remarkable circumstance is that though there are no doctors in the town, there are nine people there over eighty years old, all of whom seem healthy. In the town there is one grain elevator, two grocery and dry goods stores, one coal yard, one agricultural implement store, two wagonmakers, one blacksmith, one barber shop and the postoffice. The town is surrounded by a beautiful and fertile country and topographically is exactly on a level with Eaton. LEWISBURG AND EUPHEMIA. Lewisburg and Euphemia are practically one town. A stranger passing through would not notice that they were not one. Lewisburg, which alone is incorporated, is situated in four sections, 27, 28, 33 and 34, while Euphemia is located in section 27, touching the west line of the section: The Cincinnati Northern Railroad passes through Lewisburg, whence all shipping is done, and the town is the business center of a large and prosperous community. A large number of the first settlers of the township located in and around Lewisburg. The village has all the assortment of trades, stores and business usually found in a live, bustling town of its size. Its business and growth were greatly retarded for want of a highway until the year 1826, in which year the great national road was surveyed straight across the country and cut out, about 183o, passing about a half mile north of what was then Lewisburg. Great talk was had of its future and John Mumma, who owned the land, conceived the idea of laying out a town on that great artery of trade, and making Lewisburg move to town. He accordingly laid out Euphemia on the great road, naming it after his wife, and for a while the project grew and boomed, but PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 395 the railroads came, the great artery became a country road, and the people of Lewisburg stayed at home. Finally a railroad hit Lewisburg and the village rivalry ended for good. The first store opened in Lewisburg is said to have been opened by Cornelius Vanausdal, of Eaton, early in 1816, on the west side of Greenville street near the center of town, a branch store. The first. postoffice was established about the year 1825, the mail being 'brought on horseback or' in hack from Dayton for a number of years, until the completion of the Dayton & Western Railroad, after which it was brought from Sonora, two and one-half miles north, until the completion of the Cincinnati Northern Railroad. The early school history of the village seems to have been lost, by reason of lost records and the death of the old people who knew, who passed on without leaving any written history thereof. But tradition handed down to the Present old people say that at an early day there was a school started in or near the village. As soon as the school laws gave the school directors power, they erected a school house in the village, near the cemetery, on North Main street, which served its purpose well until the year 1908, when bond's were issued and the present two-story, eight-room brick building was erected on ample grounds on Greenville street, near the north corporation line, one of the finest buildings in the county, built at a cost of about twenty thousand dollars, the campus covering three and one-half acres of land. The school now enrolls one hundred and seventy-five pupils and Harry Huffman is the superintendent. During the past sixty years the village has been blessed with some of the Most progressive, wide-awake teachers of the county, the teachers, after all, being the bulwarks of a good school. A fine building and grounds may be some help, of course, but what man, in looking back, pauses to describe the school house ? On the other hand, he grows enthusiastic as he describes the qualities of that teacher who worked him up, and set his thinking-machine going, making him hungry for knowledge. After all, the live teacher makes a good school. Among the teachers who have had charge of the schools at Euphemia and Lewisburg in the past fifty years are : F. M. DeMotte, for thirty years or more': Lon Disher, M. M. Leiter, Charles S. Bunger and one or two others whose names are not now remembered. It must be apparent that the people appreciate a good teacher, when it is remembered that Miss Anna Woods, the present primary teacher, has been continuously employed as such for forty years. For over seventy years there has been a school house at Euphemia. The primitive building gave way to modern ideas about i866, at which time a fine brick school house was erected near the big spring. This eventually developed 396 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. into the township high school, and has for many years rivalled in quality and importance that of Lewisburg. During the last year it enrolled about one hundred pupils. THE CHURCHES. The early settlers of Lewisburg and Euphemia seem to have been mostly Lutherans and Reformed German Baptist in their religious predispositions, the former seeming to predominate. About 1817 the two agreed to erect a union church and did so, making it a jolly affair, like a log-rolling, with a big dinner, the combined forces erecting a church thirty-two by thirty-six feet, of hewed log timbers, so smoothly hewed that ax marks were not seen. The benches were hewed puncheon. A fireplace was provided, but in winter it poorly heated the big room. This church was located in the edge of what is now the Euphemia cemetery. It stood until about the close of the Mexican War, when each denomination built its own church. The Salem Evangelical congregation, about 1848, built a church costing about three thousand dollars, which continued to be used until about 1884. It then becoming too small and out of date, the present church was erected at a cost of about six thousand dollars. The members number about four hundred, with a Sunday school of about three hundred and fifty enrolled. This congregation built a parsonage about the year 1870. Hiram Peters has been pastor since 1909. The First Reformed church was the first to leave the Union church, named above, the Reformed congregation building their own church about 1855, at a cost of about three thousand dollars, which they rebuilt in 1900, at a cost of more than twice that amount. This church numbers about one hundred and thirty members, with a Sunday school of one hundred and twenty-five enrolled. J. W. Miller has been pastor since 1905. The Methodist Episcopal church erected a building about the year 1842, the Methodists previously having held meetings in private houses and in other buildings, until they felt strong enough to manage their own house. After that they grew until in 1875 the building became too small and they rebuilt. In 1899 they erected the present brick church, and it answers well the purpose. Within three or four years after building the first church the Methodists started a Sunday school. The church numbers about two hundred and the Sunday school about two hundred. W. C. Moon has been pastor since 1912. The United Brethren began their organization in the early thirties and held meetings at private houses and elsewhere, as best they could, until about PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 397 1840, in which year they built a brick church costing about six thousand dollars, which they remodeled in 1894 at a cost of about three thousand dollars. They have about four hundred members, with a Sunday school of about three hundred and fifty enrolled. W. T. Frank has been pastor since 1912. The Memorial Evangelical church was organized and the congregation built a church in Euphemia in 1852. This church proving inadequate, the congregation purchased land on the west side of Main street in Lewisburg and in 1893 built the present brick church. It has a membership of about one hundred, with a Sunday school of about the same number. At present this flock has no regular pastor. LODGES AND THEIR HISTORY. Lewisburg Lodge No. 571, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was organized in 1872. The members rented a lodge room until 1899, in which year they built a three-story frame building at the southwest corner of Greenville and Water streets at a cost of six thousand dollars. They rent the lower story and now are out of debt. This lodge numbers one hundred and twenty members. In 1882 they organized an encampment lodge, No. 225, which now has eighty-five members. In 1897 they organized Preble Lodge No. 444, Daughters of Rebekah, which now has one hundred and ten members. All three lodges use the same building. Lodge No. 695, Knights of Pythias, was organized in January, 1896, with forty-two charter members, Albert Douglass being the first chancellor commander. This lodge rents a room in the Wilson store building. It now numbers one hundred members. Twin Valley Grange, No. 657, was organized in 1874, Mathias Disher being the first master. The lodge soon grew strong and bought a lot on the west side of Dayton street, between Greenville and Main, on which it erected a two-story frame building at a cost of about three thousand dollars. This lodge now has one hundred members. Libanus Lodge No. 8o, Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered in October, 1845, with the following charter members : William Collins, James Boleus, W. B. Gray, J. A. Boleus, John C. alerts, A. L. P. Varine, Irwin E. Freeman, Andrew McCampbell and John Singer. For some twtwentyears the Masons rented a room, but in 1866 they purchased a lot and erected their present building, which since, with repairs and remodelling, has furnished them a splendid lodge home. The lodge now numbers about eighty members. 398 - PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO. AN IMPORTANT INDUSTRY. Joseph F. Wilson operated a stone quarry on a large scale at the old Swisher mill, a mile northwest of Euphemia. In 1907 he sold out to the Lewisburg Stone Company, capitalized at one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, which put up a large stone-crusher plant, elevator, steam drills and shovels, with an annual crushing capacity of two thousand cars, crushing stone for roads and concrete. The company owns its own switch track from the railroad, over a mile long, and is busy all the time, doing the most extensive business in the county in that line. Joseph Patterson, of Lima, Ohio, is president, and E. T. Paul is manager. About 1912 the Interstate Stone Company was formed, with a capital of forty thousand dollars. This company purchased land one and one-half miles south of Lewisburg and erected a stone-grinding plant to pulverize, for agricultural purposes, the limestone found there, the state analysis giving the quality as ninety-six per cent. The pulverized stone is sown on land and also used as a fertilizer base. This plant has a daily capacity of one hundred tons. This company also quarried and shipped two thousand tons of stone last year to sugar refineries, this being the latest business started in tire county. E. T. Paul is president and general manager and J. J. A. Zeller is the treasurer. PHYSICIANS. There have been several physicians in the past who resided at Lewisburg and Euphemia, who had a good practice and enjoyed the confidence of the community, but who long since have gone over the river to rest on the farther shore. Among these were : M. Pretzinger, William B. Gray, E. P. Ebersole, who served as county treasurer, and John C. Fall. The physicians who are at present in the active practice are W. G. Brown, P. H. O'Hara and Osa Hoerner, doctors of medicine, and Edmond Coffman, dentist. I can say all are good men. Of course, it behooves all to speak well of the doctor, because we may fall into his hands sometime, but it is a pleasure to do so when we feel it is truthfully said. PUBLIC SERVICE AND COMMERCE. On the east side of Greenville street, just south of Dayton street, a large spring gushes out of the rocks, and in those early days, when transportation was by teams, quite a little plot of ground around this spring was reserved by PREBLE COUNTY, OHIO - 399 the town as a place for feeding teams and watering them. In 1899 the town built a fine town hall and assembly room along the side of the spring at a cost of fifteen thousand dollars. In 1912 Lewisburg built a water-works system at a cost of twenty-six thousand dollars, for which bonds were issued. The water is obtained from three driven wells in Twin creek bottoms, just east of the town, at a depth of about sixty feet in gravel, from which the water is pumped to a standpipe about one hundred and twenty feet high, built on the hill near the west corporation line. The electric lights, both for street lighting and commercial uses were installed in 1913 by the company at Greenville, from which city the current is obtained. A gas-pipe line was put in by the Jantha Lighting Company, natural gas, in 1913, and has about two hundred patrons in the two towns. The business of the two towns is conducted by the following: One bank, six groceries, three dry-goods stores, five restaurants; two bakeries, one hardware store, one furniture store; two plumbers, one drug store, two agricultural implement stores, one grain elevator, four tobacco warehouses, two coal-yards, one lumber yard, two jewelers, one woodworker, three livery barns, one garage, one auto repair shop, two hotels, one cement block and vault plant, one saw-mill; two blacksmith shops, three butchers, two undertakers, one monument works, and no lawyers, the people being peaceable. VERONA. Verona is the latest incorporated village of the county, it having been incorporated in 1911, with a population of about five hundred. It was originally called West Baltimore. Verona is situated in both Preble and Montgomery counties, at the junction of the line between sections 1 and 12 of Harrison township with the county line, but much the larger part of the village is in Preble county. The Dayton & Union railroad and the Dayton & Greenville interurban railroad pass through the village. Verona is surrounded by a very fertile country in both counties, and the business done is quite considerable. The town has one bank, five tobacco warehouses, one grain elevator, six groceries, one lumber yard, one general store, one hardware store, one grist-mill, one hotel, two- restaurants, one plumbing shop, one coal yard, one bakery, one shoemaker, one tinner, one barber, one machine shop and one woodworking shop. The town is now engaged in putting in electric lights, both street and commercial, the current being obtained from the Greenville company. It has been decided to pave Main street, about