USA > Indiana > Adams County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 24
USA > Indiana > Wells County > Standard history of Adams and Wells counties, Indiana : An authentic narrative of the past, with an extended survey of modern developments in the progress of town and country, Volume I > Part 24
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Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40
GENE STRATTON-PORTER'S LIMBERLOST CABIN
and mattoek-and going to the woods and swamps in quest of bird specimens. She was quite an artist, and would spend days in digging out, and trying to get the photo of a king fisher on her nest. The water and mud were never too deep, nor the brush too thick, nor the trees too tall for her, if she thought there was a specimen anywhere in the neighborhood that she wanted. She was determined on a liter- ary career-an ambition in which her husband did not at first share- but she had the faith and the nerve which it takes to succeed in any line of work. Her first book, 'The Song of the Cardinal,' was pub- lished in 1903, and had a very good sale. 'What I Have Done with Birds' and 'The Birds of the Bible,' were excellent works, but the books that brought her fortune and made her known over the entire country were 'Freckles' and the 'Girl of the Limberlost.' As stated,
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and illustrated in this history by extracts especially from . Freekles,' the foundation for these works was laid in a large extent of country, very dense, wet and boggy, that was almost inaccessible except in certain seasons of the year. It was known as the Limberlost or Lob country. The author built what is known as the Limberlost eabin, in which all of her literary work has been done. She still owns it, but having built a home similar to the Limberlost cabin on the banks of a lake at Rome City, Indiana, with a farm in connection with it, she spends practically all her time there." In Mr. Hale's pen-picture of Gene Stratton-Porter one clearly recognizes the Bird Woman of "Freckles" and "The Girl of the Limberlost."
Mr. Kern, the merchant, was the first postmaster at Geneva. The next buildings ereeted there after those of Messrs. Porter and Kern were some small plank business rooms on the south side of Line Street west of the railroad. Another that was among the first was George Iholt's store room that occupied the ground where the 1. O. O. F. building is located. In 1876 Jerry L. Cartwright built a two- story store room to the east of this, and furnished the amusement- loving publie its first opportunity to see shows by theater troupes in Geneva. At this time there were a great many strangers in and about the timber towns, and the dances and masquerades were well attended. Perhaps the third building in the Town of Geneva was the Hleaston Hotel. It was located just east of the railroad on Line Street. This was built about the latter part of 1872 and had a good patronage. The Watson House was the next in the line of taverns or boarding houses. About this time the Shackley Wheel Company started a spoke and heading factory in Geneva. Several sawmills were put in operation and employment was given to a large number of men in the timber industries.
EDUCATION, EARLY AND LATE
Continuing, as regards early and late efforts to edueate the juve- niles of Geneva, Mr. Snow writes in 1906: "Before their incorporation as a town with Geneva, the residents of Alexander and Buffalo sent their children to the district school. The schoolhouse was located at the present corner of Railroad and Bradford streets in North Geneva, on the corner now oeeupied by the residence of Dr. L. L. Mattax. This schoolhouse was a small frame building with five little windows, two in each side and one at the end opposite the door. The inside walls were ceiled with rough oak and ash boards when the lumber was unseasoned, and the openings between the boards furnished plenty
Vol. 1-16
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of ventilation in winter and a fine escape for wasps and lizards in the spring and summer time.
"In 1873 the township trustee built a frame schoolhouse on West Shackley Street near Main. In 1877 the attendance could not be accommodated in a single-room house and the school was divided, a part attending school in the old log church building. The first brick schoolhouse was built in 1878. This was also the first brick school- house with more than one room in the county. The first brick school- house in Root Township was a district school building of one room built in 1873. The Geneva graded school building was a large two- story, four-room building with seating capacity for about two hundred pupils. This building was destroyed by fire in 1904 and has been recently (1906) replaced by a commodious structure not exceeded in appearance or convenience by any in the county. The cost of the building is not far from $20,000. It is located on the north side of Line Street in West Geneva." Within the past decade Geneva has maintained a high grade public school. The building was erected in 1902 at a cost of $20,000. It is now (January, 1918) under the super- intendency of A. E. Harbin and has an enrollment of 202 pupils, of whom 86 are in the high school.
AS A CENTER OF METHODISM
What is now Geneva has long been a strong center of Methodism, and has been to the southern part of the county what Decatur has been to the northern. That field of the work has been described by that pioneer, Rev. W. J. Myers, of Decatur, as follows: "Geneva is the second largest and strongest society in the county. In 1856 the New Corydon circuit was organized, and Rev. E. E. Pearman was the first pastor. There had been Methodist preaching and prayer, and class meetings held in schoolhouses and private houses for a number of years. Nuclei of Methodist societies sprang up at Hartford, Ceylon, Union Chapel, Buffalo, Oakland and New Corydon, all of which were brought together by Presiding Elder D. F. Strite, organized into the New Corydon cirenit and a preacher sent to them the following year. The population of this part of Adams County increased rapidly during the following years. Methodism did not suffer so much in the southern part of the county, as the northern, during the Civil war. The Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad was completed in 1871, and the town of Buffalo was rechristened Geneva. Owing to mail and railroad facilities, the pastor of New Corydon circuit found it convenient to live at Geneva, and, in a few years, the society there
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outgrew the others. In 1876 the work was called the Geneva circuit and the first pastor was Rev. R. HI. Smith. Geneva was made a station in 1896, and the other appointments were called Ceylon circuit. Rev. J. B. Cook was sent in 1898 to Geneva. After twenty years and more the old frame church building became too small and was not in keeping with the demands of the people. During the three years of his pastorate, Brother Cook, with his usual energy, raised the money and built the present commodious and tasteful brick building. When Geneva became a station, the membership was less than 100; now (1915) it is nearly 300." It may be added that the present society is in charge of Rev. J. F. Lutey.
UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH
The United Brethren Church of Geneva was organized in 1875, with about a dozen active members, among whom were Daniel MeCol- lum, George W. Pyle, Adam Cully and their families. Rev. E. B. Cunningham is in charge of the present society.
GENEVA INCORPORATED
Geneva was incorporated by act of the Legislature and the charter election held January 27, 1874, when the following officials were chosen : Trustees-R. Todd (president), John D. Hale and N. P. Heaton; clerk, John Q. Anderson ; treasurer, Charles D. Porter. As stated, the postoffice was originally named Limberlost, from the stream thus known and continued so until 1871 when it was given the name of the railroad station. The first recorded addition to Geneva was Pyle's, filed on the 29th of March, 1877. Additions filed previ- ously are shown as parts of the Town of Buffalo.
EARLY IN NEWSPAPER FIELD
Geneva was early in the newspaper field and entered it with an enterprising spirit. In April, 1876, largely through the initiative of William Fought and Jerry Cartwright, C. K. Thompson brought a printing outfit and a press from Fountain City, Indiana, and set up his plant on ITigh Street, Geneva ; his was the first steam power press in Adams County. It was established as a weekly, and its publication was continued for more than four years. It was suspended in June, 1881, and was published during the last six months of its existence as the second daily newspaper in the county. The Triumph was then moved to Shane's Crossing, Ohio.
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The Geneva News issued its first number September 20, 1881, soon after the suspension of the Triumph. In May, 1883, after several changes in proprietorship, it was sold to H. S. Thomas, a Willshire editor and publisher, who moved his own plant from that point to Geneva, discontinued the News and started the Independent. In the fall of 1885 he sold his establishment to E. B. Detter, who had issued the first number of the Herald November 8, 1883. The combined establishment took the name of the Geneva Herald, which it has retained to this day. Among its proprietors, besides Mr. Detter,
GENEVA'S BUSINESS STREET
have been Lew G. Ellingham, W. Fred Pyle, O. G. Rayn, Shephard & Mattax and Mattax (Harold) & Conner (Earl).
THE BANKS OF GENEVA
Although the Bank of Geneva, under its present state organization, was not established until 1895, its real history antedates that year by a decade. In 1885 Charles D. Porter opened a sort of a 'bank in the rear of his drug store, and four years afterward eame ont in the open as a full-fledged banker. In 1892 he started the Geneva Bank, with himself as president and cashier and M. E. Beall as assistant cashier. When it was organized as a state bank in 1895, with a capital of $45,000, the following were elected its officers: A. G. Briggs, president ; C. D. Porter, cashier; W. B. Hale, assistant cashier ; J. W.
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Watson, vice president. The present officers are: C. D. Porter, presi- dent ; A. G. Briggs, vice president ; J. A. Miller, cashier. The capital of the Bank of Geneva is $50,000; surplus and undivided profits, $9,500; average deposits, $300,000; total resources, $375,000.
The Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Geneva was ineorpo- rated in June, 1910, and opened for business in October of that year, with a capital of $25,000. Its first offeers were as follows: Martin Laughlin, president : J. W. MeCray, vice president ; other members of the Board of Directors-Isaac Teeple, Samuel H. Teeple, George Ineichen, George Shoemaker, G. W. Schaefer, Thomas Drew and A. G. Kraner. The bank was organized largely through the efforts of S. H. Teeple and E. C. Arnold, the latter being elected eashier. There have been a few changes in the management, Mr. McCray being now president and Isaac Teeple, vice president. Mr. Arnold is still cashier, The capital of the bank is $35,000; surplus and undivided profits, $5,000; average deposits, $270,000.
PATRIOTIC ORGANIZATIONS
Its favored position in the southern part of the county made Geneva a natural center of many activities identified with trade and banking, Civil war work, religious influence and the sceret and benevolent propaganda of the standard lodges. The soldiers of the Civil war had been organized at Geneva long before any other bodies were in the field. The John P. Porter Post, as has been stated in the War chapter, was mustered in July, 1882, with John M. Hollo- way as commander, and the Relief Corps was established in January, 1898. The Sons of Veterans had followed their fathers as an organ- ization in May, 1884, and all of these patriotic societies, based on the memories of the Civil war, after having remained in the field with noticeable activity to the limit of their membership strength, have, in the natural order of events, been largely displayed by patriotic organ- izations founded by younger men and women on the great patriotic issues of today.
As matters of interesting local history, however, sketches of the John P. Porter Post and the MePherson Camp, Sons of Veterans, both organized over thirty years ago and for many years very active in the community, should here be given before they are further, and perhaps permanently obscured by the vital issues of the present. Unfortunately, the books of the Post were burned in 1895, but through the courtesy of William H. Fought, a Civil war veteran of Geneva,
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and J. R. Fesler, assistant adjutant general of Indiana, the faets sought in the destroyed records were supplied.
John P. Porter Post No. 83, G. A. R., was mustered July 24, 1882, by Col. R. S. Robertson, with the following charter members: J. M. Holloway, commander; William H. Fought, senior vice com- mander; Lafayette Rape, junior vice commander; John C. Hale, adjutant; S. G. Ralston, surgeon; W. R. Meeks, chaplain; G. W. H. Riley, officer of the day; William Drew, officer of the guard; A. J. Judy, quartermaster; J. P. Scheer, quartermaster sergeant ; John D. Hale, sergeant-major. Since the mustering of the Post the following have served as its commanders: John M. Holloway, 1883; William H. Fought, 1884; John M. Holloway, 1885; Michael O'Harra, 1886; J. P. Scheer, 1887; S. W. Hale, 1888; John J. Watson, 1889; J. A. Hendricks, 1890-91; Lafayette Rape, 1892-93; J. P. Scheer, 1894; J. A. Hendrieks, 1895; John M. Holloway, 1896-98; A. Burris, 1899; John M. Holloway, 1900: J. L. Juday, 1901-02; I. N. Veley, 1903-04; John J. Juday, 1905; Socrates Cook, 1906-07; J. G. Breuner, 1908; J. L. Juday, 1909-10; William Drew, 1911; S. Cook, 1912-13; J. L. Juday, 1914-18. Five years after the organization of the Post, it had a membership of 124-90 in good standing; a decade afterward, it numbered 165; but at present there are only thirty-five, with a pros- pect that it will before long be disbanded.
McPherson Camp No. 11, Sons of Veterans, was organized May 6, 1884, with the following sixteen members: Charles Rhone (eaptain), Joseph Wagner, Gus. Wagner, Joe W. Hendricks, C. E. Lyons, Allen Sholtz, W. E. Buckingham, Dan P. Bolds, I. N. Havelin, Thomas Drew, William Harris, W. A. Lyon, J. A. Lyon, A. L. Coolman, John Iliff and Atris Buckingham. Succeeding Mr. Rhone as captain were Charles D. Porter, 1885; J. A. Hendricks, 1886-88; A. L. Coolman, 1889; E. E. Fredline, 1890; F. H. Hale, 1891; D. F. Connor, 1892- 93; H. V. Juday, 1894; R. R. Bradford, 1895; Thomas Drew, 1896; Lon. Burdg, 1897; D. F. Connor, 1898; W. C. Glendening, 1899; W. C. Campbell, 1900; C. W. Muth, 1901; L. E. Rape, 1902; W. C. Glendening, 1903; I. M. Dickerson, 1904; R. L. Towns, 1905; M. Kelley, 1906; John Leichty, 1907; D. F. Connor, 1908; W. M. Potter, 1909; C. D. Porter, 1910; J. A. Coolman, 1911-13; Henry Muth, 1914; W. C. Glendening, 1915: Alfred Burk, 1916; Henry Muth, 1917. The Sons of Veterans and the Woman's Relief Corps, as well as the Post, have decreased steadily in membership, and the active patriotic organizations are now connected with the Red Cross, the war work of the Y. M. C. A. and the Y. W. C. A., and the activities centering in government conservation of food and fuel.
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SECRET AND BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES
After the Post and the Sons of Veterans, the Odd Fellows were the first to organize at Geneva, forming Lodge No. 634. April 7, 1887. The first officers were: C. II. Bell, N. G .; W. H. II. Briggs, V. G .: Frank H. Hale, secretary ; A. G. Briggs, Per. See. ; F. M. Rynearson, treasurer; H. M. Aspy, warden; Samnel Biteman, Cond .; Ervin Thompson, I. G .; W. H. II. Briggs, host; M. Gottschalk, R. S. N. G .; W. S. Sutton, L. S. N. G .: M. O'HIarra, R. S. V. G .; Martin Herr, R. S. S. ; Hiram Kraner, L. S. S .; B. F. Aspy, chaplain. The sueces- sive noble grands have been C. H. Bell, W. H. H. Briggs, Frank H. Hale, Hiram Kraner, S. F. Biteman, E. Barnes, M. J. O'Harra, L. G. Ellingham, W. F. Pyle, I. N. Veley, E. P. Menefee, A. J. Byrd, N. Shepherd, Jacob Butcher, A. T. Lyon, L. D. Mason, M. Schindler, F. F. Gregg, B. R. Waite, T. K. Williams, E. S. Callihan, F. M. Rynearson, Alonzo Burdge, Henry Stahl, M. Rynearson, D. C. Baker, F. N. Hale, E. M. Atkinson, D. B. Linton, Emmett Le Favour, J. M. Pease, Jacob Stahl, M. T. Atwood, F. M. Connor, I. N. Ford, Jesse Thorp, John Kraner, John W. Burris, C. O. Rayn, F. K. Hanghton, A. J. Sanders, John Dilts, Harry Moore, A. Harlow, W. J. Nelson, F. S. Armentrout, S. W. Ilale, Jesse Mann, J. A. Coolman, D. F. Odle, Roscoe Glendening. I. C. Lybarger, George O. Staley, W. W. Le Favour, A. Haughton, W. II. Bradford and E. II. Shepherd. Be- sides Mr. Shepherd, the following are now serving the lodge: C. Lybarger, V. G .; W. B. Hardison, secretary; J. L. Love, P. Secy .; George O. Staley, treasurer and warden; F. F. Gregg, Cond .; W. H. Bradford, I. G .; P. E. Glendening, O. S .; A. Haughton, R. S. N. G .; Fred Burris, L. S. N. G .; Henry Stahl, L. S. V. G .; John Miller, R. S. S .; Ira Lybarger, L. S. S .; D. F. Odle, chaplain. The present membership is nearly 130.
After the Odd Fellows, the next order to institute a lodge,at Ge- neva were the Knights of the Maccabees of the World, who, in April, 1895, formed Geneva Tent, No. 106.
Geneva Lodge No. 621, A. F. & A. M., was organized July 29, 1898 (A. L. 5898), with the following charter members: Silas W. Hale, Frederiek Mc Whinney, James B. Brown, Charles Reicheldaffer, Charles D. Porter, John E. Lung. J. H. Hardison, W. B. Hale, W. C. Campbell, Adolph Liebert, John P. Scheer and Rinaldo Sumption. The worthy masters of the lodge have been : William B. Hale, William C. Campbell, James B. Broas, William C. Campbell, Frederick J. Me Whinney, William B. Ilale, John A. Anderson, William C. Camp- bell, Jesse Throp, Frederick J. Me Whinney, Orous E. Johnson, Ezra
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E. Rupel, Wallace B. Hardison, Alva Rupel, Everett C. Arnold and John A. Miller. The first officers of the lodge; William B. Ilale, W. M .; William C. Campbell, S. W .; Frank L. Rinehart, J. W .; Silas W. Hale, Treas .; John E. Lung, Secy .; James B. Broas, S. D .; Fred E. Lindsey, J. D .; Rinaldo Sumption, S. S .; James H. Hardi- son, J. S .; Adolph Liebert, Tyler. Present officers: John A. Miller, W. M .; Josephus Martin, S. W .; Earl HI. Shepherd, J. W .; Gottlieb W. Schaefer, Secy .; Wallace B. Hardison, S. D .; Frank J. Ineichen, J. D .; Alva Rupel, S. S. ; William E. Shepherd, J. S .; Albert Pontius, Tyler. The lodge has a membership of about 115.
There is also a chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star (No. 263), which was organized in 1900 and chartered in April of the fol- lowing year.
The Geneva Lodge No. 514, Knights of Pythias, was instituted in April, 1904, with forty-eight members. It has a present membeship of 120, Frank Ineichen being chancellor commander.
OLD TOWN OF MONROE
Fleeting glimpses have been obtained of the settlement and Town of Monroe, located in the township by that name in the geographical center of Adams County, and, therefore, long ambitious to become its seat of justice and the gathering place of its lawyers, judges and politicians. With this special idea in view, on the 11th of December, 1847, John Everhart recorded it as a plat embracing eighty lots in the extreme northeast corner of section 4, Monroe Township. Its four original streets were Washington, Jackson, Van Buren and Polk. In the contest for the county seat, which was a feature of the general election of 1850-at least, for Adams County-Monroe was considered the leader of the southern voters, but, although the candi- dates for county offices who hailed from that section were elected, it is believed that the strong influence of the "solid" merchants of Decatur decided the issue. That was Monroe's most valiant attempt to secure the prize, and it was the last serious effort to wrest it from Decatur. Soon afterward a part of the recorded plat was vacated by order of the County Board, and for twenty years Monroe barely existed.
THE RAILWAY REVIVAL
When the Grand Rapids & Indiana Railroad was completed to the site of Monroe, in 1871, less than half a dozen buildings appeared there. It was in that year that the first frame house was built in
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the village by Dr. Charles F. Rainier, who afterward practiced in Monroe and vicinity for more than twenty years. For many years before the railroad revived the settlement, the leading citizen of Mon- roe was William Stockham. He was also reputed to have been its first permanent resident. About 1853 he built a two-room log hut on the south side of Jackson Street near the location of what was afterwards Ilocker's drugstore. Mr. Stoekham was an ex-soldier of the War of 1812, was also an associate judge, and opened a store in his log honse at Monroe, at which he sold everything from whiskey and tobacco to ax handles and ox yokes, and received in exchange
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TWELVE-CORNERED CHURCH SOUTH OF MONROE
articles ranging from coon skins to maple sugar. He was really "con- siderable of a man."
For several years after the coming of the railroad, Monroe prom- ised to be quite a shipping point for timber, lumber and wooden manu- factures. In fact, much was shipped for nearly ten years, including railroad ties, heading and staves. In 1873 Gillig & ITower com- pleted the first sawmill at Monroe, and still later C. W. Hocker es- tablished a hoop factory and a burr for chopping grain. Gradually, the surrounding county developed and Monroe drew such strength to itself that an elevator was built to handle the large quantities of grain which were brought to that point for shipment. The farmers also commenced to raise and deal extensively in live stoek, especially hogs, cattle and calves, and to facilitate the handling of that trade,
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the citizens of Monroe built convenient Stock Yards. The town also became the center of a productive sugar-beet district, most of the growers sending their crops to the great Holland-St. Louis factory at Decatur. While awaiting shipment, the beets had to be provided with storage room and means of handling, and a modern Dump was therefore constructed for the purpose. At the present time, Monroe has two large grain elevators; a sale yard for fuel and building ma- terials; the facilities mentioned, as well as others, to meet the de- mands upon it as the center of a country rich in natural products; a tile factory, patronized by neighborhood farmers, who see that their lands are thoroughly drained and scientifically improved and a well-organized bank, which is ten years of age.
THE BANK AND TELEPHONE SYSTEM
The Monroe State Bank was organized in March, 1907, chartered in the following April, and opened to the public in September of that year. Its first officers were as follows: President, W. S. Smith ; vice president, J. F. Hocker; cashier, M. S. Liechtey. In 1908 Mr. Hocker became president and M. F. Parrish vice president, serving thus until 1911. Dr. Parrish was chosen president in the latter year and W. L. Keller, vice president, and continued in these offices until 1915, when E. W. Busche, the present incumbent, was elected head of the bank. In 1916 Mr. Liechtey, who had been cashier of the in- stitution since its organization, resigned that position and was elected to the vice presidency, which he still holds. W. S. Smith then be- came cashier. The capital of the Monroe State Bank is $25,000; surplus and undivided profits, $2,500; average deposits, $100,000; re- sources, $132,000.
Another institution should be mentioned which tends to give Mon- roe standing as a rural center of growing importance, as well as pres- ent strength. It has a good telephone system, established recently by Dr. M. F. Parrish, and which already embraces an area of some thirty square miles and includes nearly 400 machines.
FINE HIGH SCHOOL
As an incorporated town, Monroe is well into its thirteenth year. In that connection, its birthday dates from April 17, 1905. For thirty years its citizens have supported and encouraged a good school, which has finally developed into something like a modern rural high school. The first school building erected in the village was completed in
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1887, and it was the second brick schoolhouse in the township. It was remodeled and increased in size during 1902. It was located on Seetion Line Street in the eastern part of town and afterward be- came a graded school building. The handsome two-story and base- ment building, with imposing tower, known as the Rural High School, was erected in 1911, at a cost of $22,000. The number of
RURAL HIGH SCHOOL
pupils enrolled is now (December, 1917) 145. W. H. Oliver is the principal of the Monroe High School.
BUSINESS HOUSES AND NEWSPAPER
Monroe has quite a number of substantial business houses, in- chiding two general, hardware and drug stores. What is known as the Home Store is capitalized at $25,000.
Monroe has also a newspaper, the Reporter. It was established by I. H. Drollinger in May, 1912, and in the following August was purchased by John L. Mayer, its present editor and proprietor.
THE CHURCHES
The local churches include societies organized by the Methodists and Friends. During the few years previous to 1871, while Mon- roe as a village was very dormant, most of the church-going people in the neighborhood attended the Twelve-Cornered meeting house of
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