History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 74

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559

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Eldorado is situated in the southeastern part of section five. It is a thriving business place, and is growing rap- idly. Its growth is due entirely to the Dayton & Western railroad. The first settlement that could be called a town was at Hamburgh, a mile south of Eldorado, where Samuel Adams built the first store, on the place now owned by Mrs. Polly Kitson. It was in this place that the church interest first sprung up, and here the first churches were built. After the building of the railroad through the northern part of the State, the business grad- ually centered at Eldorado, and finally Hamburgh became deserted. It is now only recognized by a few houses standing at the cross roads. In 1852 Leroy R. McWhin. ney built the first store in Eldorado. Samuel Rhodes had built a cabin on the lot where the residence of Rev. J. H. Blackford is now standing, in the northern part of the town. One had been built by Edward Dyell, near by. Since that time the town has grown rapidly until to- day it is a place of considerable importance. Several manufactories are located within its limits, and the sev- eral branches of business are well represented, as the fol- lowing list will show: Groceries, J. Eddins, L. R. Brasier, and Nelson Beard; dry goods, M. T. McWhinney, Charles Schreel, and Schreel & Vance; drugs, H. J. Lefevre; harness, S. M. McCoy; agricultural implements, S. M. McCoy and McCabe Brothers; clothing, J. M. Kimmell; millinery, Mrs. Sally Beard; tinware, W. H. Stokely. There are two hotels in the township, kept by W. G. Smith and L. R. Brasier. The latter has just opened his house, with the modern improvements. The house kept by Mr. Smith is the oldest in the town, and for many years was the only house of its kind around. Besides the above there is a large flour- and grist-mill in town, rented by Stubbs & Company, which is doing a large business, also a tile factory, owned by F. P. Camp- bell, and two carriage shops run, one by Harvey Ault, and one by McCabe Brothers.

There are three church buildings in Eldorado, two of which are strongly supported, and are handsome edifices. The third is now not regularly used. The people are a quiet and prosperous class. No intemperance is found, as the people do not tolerate the sale of spirituous liquors.

The business of M. T. McWhinney is by far the larg- est in the town. Besides his store he has a large grain warehouse. He is a wheat buyer and handles immense quantities of grain every year.

The school board of the town is composed of the fol- lowing gentlemen: M. V. Randall, president; J. H. Campbell, clerk; M. T. McWhinney, treasurer; J. H. Blackford, J. F. Irvin, and John Disher. The school building is a large, tasty structure, standing in the north- eastern part of the town. There are two grades, each headed by a competent and experienced teacher.

Eldorado is about twevle miles north of Eaton, and

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albout fourteen miles southwest of Greenville, the county- seat of Darke county. The streets are clean and well kept, and the whole town presents an attractive appearance.

MANCHESTER,

or West Manchester, as it is more properly called, is a thriving village of about one hundred and fifty inhabi- tants, in the northeastern part of the township, in sections two and eleven. It has never been incorporated, al- though some attempt has been made in that direction, and the probabilities are that it will soon be a regularly incorporated town. Its growth is rapid, and the business increases to such an extent as to justify the expectations of some of its inhabitants that it will, some day, be a place of more than local importance. Like Eldorado West Manchester has grown up entirely since the build- ing of the Dayton & Western railroad. The first collec- tion of houses in this part of the township was at Hagers- town, a place about a mile northeast of Manchester. At Hagerstown the first post office in the township was opened August 29, 1832, and was kept by Jacob F. Miller. This office was afterwards moved to West Man- chester on the fifth of December, 1855, and there kept by John Felton. Hagerstown is now scarcely recogniz- able. All of the business is concentrated at Manchester, and Hagerstown exists more in its name than in anything else. The following list shows the principal business houses in West Manchester: James W. Richards and James M. Trone, groceries: A. and A. Leas, dry goods ; J. E. Bodine, drugs; George Grottle, tinware, and John Schram, harness. Besides the above there are several minor businesses, such as blacksmithing, barber shops, etc. The lodges of both the secret organizations of the township are located here. The business of Messrs. A. & A. Leas is the largest in the township, and equals that of any house in the county. Besides their extensive dry goods establishment, they are heavy buyers of grain, handling many thousands of bushels of wheat annually. There are two physicians in the town: Drs. J. E. Horn and F. C. Estabrook. The only church building in Manchester belongs to the United Brethren. West Manchester is on the Eaton & Greenville pike, about eleven miles from the former place.

Brown's station is a small place, a mile and a half east of West Manchester, on the Dayton & Western railroad. It is only a stopping place, and is not deserving of the name of town.

ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY.

There are seven religious organizations in the township: Three of the United Brethren, one of the Methodists, one of the Universalists, one of the Baptists, and one of the Dunkers, or German Baptists, as they prefer being called. The first church building of which any account can be found, was built in 1830, on section twenty-three, by the United Brethren, on Aaron Chrisler's place, now owned by Daniel Grubbs. It was torn down over twenty years ago. Isaac Robinson was one of the first preach- ers. In 1832 a log church was built by the Baptists in section fourteen. A building used as a union church was burned down in 1873. It stood in section one. There is no organization there now.

THE BAPTISTS.

The Dry fork of Twin church was organized about the year 1822. In 1832 their first building was erected. It was built of logs and weather boarded, and was situated in the eastern part of section fourteen. This old build- ing stood until 18So, when it was torn down. A new building had been erected a few months before, near the old one, at a cost of four hundred dollars, having a seating capacity of about two hundred. The present pastor is the Rev. G. M. Peters. The membership is twenty-three.

THE FIRST UNIVERSALIST CHURCH

at Eldorado was organized in 1849, by the Rev. E. Moore. He was originally a preacher in the Baptist church. In 1845 he began to preach the doctrine of Universalism in Eldorado, and four years after the pres- ent church was organized with thirteen members, as fol- lows: Daniel Disher, Hannah Disher, Franklin Baker, Mildred Baker, George Fudge, Mary Fudge, William Eddins, Sarah Eddins, Mary Disher, Henry Fudge, Sarah Fudge, Evan Baker, and Jane Baker; of these only Mary and Henry Fudge and Mary Disher survive. A meeting-house was erected immediately and dedicated in 1850, by Rev. Messrs. E. Moore and D. A. Sweet. The house was built on Daniel Disher's farm, and was known as the Monroe Universalist church. The house is still standing on section nine. It is used now for occa- sional services and for funerals, as it stands near the cemetery. After the building of the railroad and the consequent growth of Eldorado, the church thought proper to build at the latter place. In 1869 a brick church was built in Eldorado, and was known as the First Universalist church at Eldorado. The present pastor is the Rev. J. N. Blackford. The active member- ship is about fifty.

THE UNITED BRETHREN

of Eldorado were organized in Hamburgh, about the year 1838, by Rev. Samuel Adams. For a good many years they held meetings around in the houses of the members. In 1848 they built their first building, a frame house, which stood directly west of Hamburgh. In 1868 the congregation was induced to build at Eldorado, and a tasty building was erected, which stands in the northern part of the town. The present pastor is the Rev. H. M. Ambrose. The church has now seventy-three members.

THE UNITED BRETHREN

at West Manchester built their church building in 1868, a short time after their organization. The first class numbered only about twelve persons. The Rev. George Gilbert was the first pastor. Soon after the building of the church the Sunday-school was organized. The house is a frame building, built at a cost of one thousand seven hundred dollars, and will seat about two hundred and fifty persons. The present membership is about fifty-seven. The Rev. H. M. Ambrose is in charge.

THE UNITED BRETHREN

built their present church building in the year 1864, on land donated by Vincent Homan. This class had origi-

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nally belonged to one which had existed as early as 1835, in the central part of the township, and who had a church building on what was called the Chrisler place in section twenty-three. The class afterwards divided, and those living in the southeastern part re-organized and built a church building in the eastern part of section twenty-five, on the township line. The Rev. Charles Miller was the starter of the church, and during its erection worked as a laborer. He was also the first pas- tor. The building is a frame one, capable of seating about three hundred persons. The Sunday-school was organized at the time of the building of the church. The members at present number about forty. The Rev. J. D. Holsinger has charge of the parish.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

at Eldorado was organized in Hamburgh, about the year 1850. Andrew Sterling was the class leader, and the Rev. Levi White the first preacher. The class at first used a two-story building owned by Frank McWhinney at that time. It is now in the possession of W. G. Smith. In 1859 their church building was built, at a cost of one thousand one hundred and fifty dollars, ded- icated, and their Sunday-school was organized at the same time. The church gradually grew too weak to support a preacher, and since 1877 they have had no regular preaching. At the time of closing the members did not number over twelve. The Rev. Mr. Hull was preacher at the time the organization ceased.

THE GERMAN BAPTISTS

claim to have been organized in this township about sixty years ago. Their present district extends six miles north and reaches into Darke county, east to Twin creek, east of Lewisburgh, south about one mile south of the township line, and west into Indiana, near Richmond. They have about one hundred and forty members, and have their church buildings, two in this township and one in Darke county. One of those in this township was built in section twenty-two, on Price's creek, at a cost of two thousand five hundred dollars. The other is a Union church, but it was necessary for some denomina- tion to hold the deed, and it was deeded to the German Baptists. It is situated on Twin creek, in section twelve. Messrs. Samuel Petrey, R. Stephens, and H. P. Wehrley are the preachers for this denomination.

EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS.

The first school in the township was taught by Jerry Pense, about the year 1825. The school-house was lo- cated on the southwestern quarter of section ten. This building was burnt down in 1829, during the time Jsaac Robinson was teaching. He lacked one month of com- pleting his term, and during this month he taught school in a smoke-house. Mr. Robinson was one of the most prominent of the early teachers of this township, and is remembered by those of his former pupils who are still living, with esteem. A school building was erected the year after the destruction of the one mentioned above, and Isaac Robinson again taught there. After his re- tirement the school was taught by Miss Lucy Walker. About 1828 a school-house was built on section twenty-

nine, and for several years there was a regular school held there. No record can be obtained regarding its teachers. The building was burnt down afterwards. The blame is laid on some of the women, although no reason, however, has been assigned. This was the sec- ond house destroyed in the same manner. The first was doubtless done by one of the pupils, and this last proba- bly by some woman who was jealous of the teacher's ascendancy over his pupils. A school-house was soon afterwards built in the southwestern corner of the town- ship. As the settlements grew and the population in- creased, a number of schools sprang up all over the town- ship, taught by competent teachers. There are now as many as ten school buildings in the township. One of these, at West Manchester, is a large two story building. The board of education is composed of the following gentlemen: Samuel Miller, president; W. H. Stokely, clerk ; J. M. Moren, Jacob Beard, Samuel Coovert, Dan- iel Fudge, Jacob Gauch, William Waters, L. K. Deem, J. H. Kisling and William Brown.

SECRET ORGANIZATIONS.

There are two secret organizations in Monroe town- ship, both of which have their lodge rooms in West Man- chester, one lodge of Odd Fellows and one of the Im- proved Order of Red Men.

LODGE NO. 520 INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS was organized and chartered May 10, 1872, with fifteen charter members, viz .: Henry Snell, W. C. Corwin, N. G .; F. M. Martin, N. G .; William Braum, N. G .; George Cox, treasurer; J. W. Corwin, N. G .; J. Braddock, war- den; J. A. Lee, N. G .; J. C. Banta, N. G .; William Mil- ler, J. D. Phillips, N. G .; F. A. Black, guardian; M. Pickering, Corwin, and Banta. Their present officers are as follows: J. S. Schram, N. G .; J. P. Banta, V. G .; Jacob Bentley, S. P. G; Orland Ford, recording secre- tary; Russell Muck, permanent secretary ; and C. Pease, treasurer. The lodge numbers about thirty-eight mem- bers, and has a fine lodge building in West Manchester.

PHYSICIANS.

The medical staff of Monroe township is composed of the following gentlemen: B. F. Crumrine, alopathy, who resides at Eldorado, and J. E. Horn, of the same school, at West Manchester. The eclectic branch of the profession is represented by Drs. B. F. Beane, of Eldo- rado, and F. C. Estabrook, of West Manchester. Dr. Joseph Beck, of the Physio-Medical school, lives at Eldorado.

The first physicians of the township, as well as can be ascertained at this late day, were: William Frazy, who came about the year 1845, from Lewisburgh, and located in Hamburgh, where Dr. Robert G. Norris soon after- wards practiced, and also Jeremiah Williams.

CEMETERIES.

The several cemeteries in Monroe township have all been placed under the supervision of the township trus- tees. There are five burying-grounds in the township, situated as follows: Brown's cemetery, situated in the eastern part of section twelve-it is here that Isaac

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Robinson, one of the first school teachers in the town- ship, is buried; he is remembered by many of the old men of the township with mingled feelings of love and respect, feeling aroused alike by his naturally amiable disposition and the skilful method of applying the chastening birch ; Stump's cemetery, located on section nineteen, in the extreme southern part of the section; the Monroe church cemetery was so called because it stands near the old Universalist church, which went by the name of the Monroe Universalist church, at the time of its erection; this cemetery lies about a mile directly east of Hamburgh, in the southeastern part of section nine; Hamburgh cemetery, near Hamburgh, on section seventeen, and the Wherley cemetery, near the center of section twenty-two. This latter is used almost exclusive- ly by the German Baptists, or Dunkers, as they are bet- ter known.

MILLING INTERESTS.

Owing somewhat to the poor supply of water-power within the township, but more to the fact that the adjoin- ing townships were well supplied with mills, no mill was ever erected at an early date in Monroe township. A few miles either east or west there could be found mills at an early date, and the pioneer thought little of driving a greater distance than that to get his milling done. The only mill in the township is the one at Eldorado, built about 1854, and rented by Stubbs & Co. It is owned by Baliss, Vaughn & Co.

The first saw-mill was owned by Mr. Foos, on the present Foos farm. It was built by Stephen Johns, on Price's creek, before the year 1840. There are at pre- sent in Monroe township three establishments of the kind, two at Eldorado and one at West Manchester. At an early day there were several portable mills in the township. These were placed at some convenient place and when the work in that neighborhood was exhausted, the mill would be moved to some more favorable locality. The mills at Eldorado are owned by Messrs. Ervin & Sherman, and by Mr. Lock, and the one at West Man- chester by Michael Cotterman. Besides these mills there is a planing mill at West Manchester, owned by Messrs. Poe and Burke. It was built in the year 1878, and has done a large and increasing business since its erection. The value of such an establishment is fully appreciated by the inhabitants and is regarded as a favor- able sign of future growth and prosperity of The town.

Besides the milling interests mentioned above there are several manufactories in the township. The low and swampy nature of the country necessitates a thorough and careful drainage system and to supply the demand for drainage facilities, several tile manufactories have been started. There are three of these in the township. The oldest is the one at Eldorado, started in about 1868 by Messrs. Hilderbolt & Murray. It was at that time run by horse-power. Mr. F. P. Campbell is the present owner. It has had several improvements added since its first erection, the most important of which is the intro- duction of steam-power. The establishment has a capacity of some fifteen thousand rods of tile a year, about double that of either of the others. In addition

to the tile manufacture Mr. Campbell is extensively en- gaged in making brick. At the southeastern quarter of section eight there is a tiling establishment, started in 1875 by Messrs. Coovert, Beck & Brasier. It is now owned by Messrs. Coovert, Doyle & Doyle. They can turn out about seven thousand rods of tiling a year.

J. L. Coovert has a small tile factory near West Man- chester, started in 1879. Quite a quantity of sorgum is grown in the township, and there are a few sugar or cane mills, as they are called, located in different sections. The largest is owned by Henry Hapner, in the south- eastern part of the township. There is another owned by Mrs. John Buck, about a mile and a half southwest of Manchester. The cane is carried there and ground and the syrup made on the spot.

MISCELLANY.

The first brick house which was built in the township, was built by Darius Miner in 1830, for Daniel Disher. It is still standing on section nine, on the farm now owned by J. P. Banfill. The original contract between Miner and Disher is still in possession of Peter Disher, son of the first owner of the house. The next brick house was built in the following year (1831), on section thirty-three, now owned by J. J. Bantz. It was built for Jeremiah Blackford.

The first distillery ever started in the township, as well as can be ascertained from existing authority, was owned by Otto Brumbaugh. This was destroyed over thirty years ago. As has been stated elsewhere, the township is now strictly temperate, and nothing of the kind is tolerated within the township limits.

The oldest person now living in the township, who was born there, is Mrs. Benjamin Louk. She was Hester, daughter of Jacob Baker, one of the early settlers of the township. She was born in 1820, on section sixteen, and in 1839 married Mr. Louk. She has to her posses- sion a bed spread made in Virginia in 1818, and brought here by her family. It is in a perfect state of preserva- tion

PRESENT OFFICERS.

The following list shows the officers, who are, at pres- ent, in office: Evan Disher, Levi Creager and L. R. Brasier, trustees; Anderson Leas, treasurer; W. H. Stokely, clerk; M. V. Randall, assessor; J. H. Shoe- maker and S. H. Overholser, constables; Clinton Shurley and William Brown, justices of the peace. The super- visors are appointed by the board of trustees. The board of education is given under the head of "educational interests."

The elections are held alternately at Eldorado and Manchester. There is now a town house. By some means, a slight disarrangement has arisen in the meetings of the officers. The meetings of the school board have managed to fall behind, so that now instead of meeting in the same place with the other officers, they are, by the rule of alternation, meeting at the other side. If the council meet at Eldorado, the school board meet at West Manchester, and vice versa. It would seem to be easy enough to remedy this by one of the two meeting twice

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in the same place, but the officers will take no move in that direction.

POPULATION AND VALUATION.

The present number of inhabitants of the township is one thousand nine hundred and one. Of these, about four hundred and fifty are voters. The township has generally voted the Democratic ticket. The above es- timate of the voters does not include those persons whose religious scruples prevent their presence at the ballot box. It is incredible how anybody as a denomination can refuse to its members the privelige of voting; thus

shutting them out from any participation in the affairs of government, and yet expecting to have the interests of that body protected by those very laws they refuse to create or maintain.

The property of the township, as given by the latest assessor's returns, is rated as follows: Land valuation, seven hundred and ninety-nine thousand four hundred and fifty-nine dollars; valuation of chattels, etc., one hundred and seventeen thousand four hundred and thirty-five dollars; total value of township, nine hundred and sixteen thousand nine hundred and ninety-four dollars.

SOMERS.

Somers township was one of the original townships of the county, and as established under the jurisdiction of Montgomery county, included the whole of what is now in Monroe, Washington, Gasper and the present town- ship of Somers -- in other words the whole of the second range. This township, consisting of four townships of the original survey, was named Somers, after Commo- dore Somers, of the United States navy. Of the elec- tions held while Somers and the whole territory of Preble was included in Montgomery county, we have no record, but we are able to present the reader with the list of offi- cers elected in 1808, at the first election held after the organization of Preble. It will be seen that most of them were from the vicinity of Eaton, which village was then in Somers. The list was as follows: Daniel Hea- ton, clerk; Isaac Enoch, John Mills and Abraham Hea- ton, trustees; John Spacht and James Black, constables; James Brannon, Dennis Pottenger, John Goldsmith and Henry Johnson, supervisors of the highways; William Bruce, treasurer; Moses Dooley and John Ward, over- seers of the poor; Joseph C. Hawkins, lister; William Sellers, appraiser; George Harlan and Samuel Holliday, fence viewers.

Somers township was reduced in size May 7, 1809, when the county commissioners established Washington, but not to its present dimensions. Washington township extended south two miles farther than at present, and Somers was left with its northern boundary two miles north of the present line. We have no information in regard to early elections in Somers after the reduction in size by the creation of Washington. On June 5, 1815, Somers territory was diminished to its present extent by the enlargement of Washington, and a few years later the establishment of Gasper made the boundary a per- manent one. As now constituted, Somers is township No. 6, in range eleven, and like all of the townships in

the county, except Washington and Gasper, contains thirty-six square miles of territory, or twenty-three thou- sand and forty acres of land.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

The township contains a variety of soil, and is well adapted to the production of nearly all classes of crops which can be raised in this latitude. This part of the county presented in its primeval state a very alluring ap- pearance, and it is not strange that the Butler county set- tlers and the pioneers from the Miamis and from Ken- tucky should have penetrated the valley of Seven Mile so early as they did, nor that the country should become in a short time the home of so many of them. In nearly all parts of the country, history tells us, and observation shows us, that the pioneers, who were certainly a pre- eminently practical class of men, had some regard for picturesque and beautiful aspects, as well as richness of soil. We find as a rule that the first settlements were made in localities which had some charm for the eye, and which revealed the largest of nature in subtle beauty of form, as well as in elements of material advantage. Somers proents as varied attractions of scenery as any township in the county. Its surface is an agreeable medi- um between the flat monotony of the northern part of the county and the roughly broken lands which appear in Gratis township. The valley of Seven Mile, which at Eaton is a shallow basin, becomes in Somers a marked and striking feature in the topography of the country. Extending through the township from north to south it divides it into very nearly equal portions. At either side the table lands sweep away to the boundaries of the township, preserving a surface which approximates the level, though it is often slightly undulating, and there is a gradual rise, almost inappreciable to the eye, from the top of the hills bordering the valley to and beyond the township lines on the east and west. The surface is

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History of Preble County, Ohio, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches, Part 74

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers Publication date: Publisher: Number of Pages: 559

Author: H. Z. Williams & Brothers
Publication date:
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 559