USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 96
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BUTLER TOWNSHIP.
Butler township, in consequence of its being bounded on the east by the Miami river and on the west by the Stillwater river, is irregular on these two sides. It has the usual length of six miles from north to south, but its greater width at the widest point serves only to bring up the total area to the normal size of a township-thirty-six square miles.
The township was formed from parts of Wayne and Randolph townships, October 7, 1817. Its boundries have not since been changed.
In the early times the northern part of the township was denominated swamp land. By means of artificial drainage it has been changed into the best kind of agricultural land. The surface along the rivers and in some other parts, especially along Poplar creek, is broken and hilly. Down to this time the country abounds in large and numerous springs.
Butler township, and the adjoining part of Randolph township had a class of settlers peculiar to themselves, largely made up of people from North Carolina and South Carolina. It was a part of the stream that had settled Tennessee and Kentucky turned north into Ohio. Probably in 1800 Martin Davenport and David Hoover, Sr., came from North Carolina to the Stillwater region prospecting for land. Well satisfied with the land they started on their return expecting to bring back with them their families. Davenport died before reaching home. Hoover accompanied by several families from North Carolina, the most prominent
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
of which was that of David Mast, set out in the summer of 1801 for Ohio, or what was to become Ohio. The company spent the winter of 1801-2 nine miles north of Lebanon and went on to their Canaan in the following spring. John Quillan, who accompanied the party, married the daughter of David Mast and settled east of the Stillwater. Thomas Newman, George Sinks and Henry Yount with their families were among the early settlers coming from North Carolina.
In 1805 Daniel Waymire and Phillip Plummer with their families came from North Carolina. The parents of Daniel Waymire came from Germany about the year 1735. The mother died on the voyage. The father's sisters were sold for their passage and never afterward heard of. The father settled in North Carolina and again married. From the two unions there was a large family of children, all of whom came to Ohio, and they became the ancestors of a large progeny. Many of the descendants of the founder of this family in America reside in Butler township and the surrounding territory, a due proportion of them bearing the name Waymire.
Abijah Jones of North Carolina, a member of the society of Friends, set- tled in the southern part of the township in 1805. William Compton settled in the eastern part of the township in 1805. Sylvanus Swallow settled on section 19 in the southern part of the township in 1808. Both of the last named were members of the society of Friends, both coming from North Carolina. Thus was laid the basis of a Friends' meeting in the southern part of the township, where in 1809 on section 29, a rude meeting house was erected. Richard Sun- derland of Pennsylvania, settled in the eastern part of the township in 1805. The greater part of Butler township, lying adjacent to the Miami river, corresponding to township 3, range 6, of the originally surveyed township, was sold to pur- chasers as follows :
Sections I and 2-Joseph Evans Aug. 17, 1806
Section 3-
N. E. 14 Samuel Freeman Aug. 9, 1805
N. W. 14 John Rittenhouse May 24, 1806
S. E. 14 James Reed Aug. 13, 18II
S. W. 14 Jesse Johnson Nov. 26, 1810 Section 4-
N. E. 14 Samuel Martindale Dec. 2, 1817
N. W. 14 T. Skinner and S. Jones Dec. 30, 1816
S. E. 14 Edward Gallaher Nov. 18, 18II
E. 1/2 of S. W. 14 Samuel Martindale Sept. 15, 1828
W. 1/2 of S. W. 14 John Tenney April 8, 1829 Section 5-
N. E. 14 John Haddis April 8, 1829
E. 1/2 of N. W. 14 Joshua Cushman Nov. 29, 1817
W. 1/2 of N. W. 14 Austin Kelley Oct. 13, 1831
E. 1/2 of S. E. 14 Thomas T. Newman Feb. 4, 1831
W. 12 of S. E. 14 Keziah Jones Oct. 5, 1818
E. 1/2 of S. W. 14 Elijah Cox Feb. 7, 1817
W. 1/2 of S. W. 14 Charles B. Anderson Oct. 3, 1827
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Section 6-
N. E. 14 John Prill Aug. 21, 1816
N. W. 14 Jacob Harkarder June 30, 1812
S. E. 14 John Yount April 22, 1815
S. W. 14 Sylvanus Hall Nov. 29, 1817
Section 7-
N. E. 14 Henry Crall . May 17, 1817
N. W. 14 Anthony Couble March 12, 1813
S. E. 14 Daniel Waymire .Sept. 5, 1814
S. W. 14 Edward Galahan Sep. 18, 1807
Section 8-
E. 12 of N. E. 14 James Anderson March 20, 1828
W. 12 of N. E. 14 William Anderson March 20, 1828
N. W. 14 Andrew Critzer .Jan. 29, 1816
E. 12 of S. E. 14 John Taylor Sept. 22, 1827
W. 12 of S. E. 14 William Anderson Sept. 22, 1827
S. W. 14 Jacob Stephens . Dec. 9, 1815
Section 9 --
E. 1/2 of N. E. 1/4 James Gellespie June 14, 1819
W. 12 of N. E. 14 Roger N. Stembel May 5, 1826
W. 12 of N. E. and N. W. 14 Roger N. Stembel. May 5, 1826
S. 12 D. K. Este and E. Pearson . Jan. 6, 1806
Section 10-
N. E. 14 Samuel Dunwoody Jan. 6, 1806
N. W. 14 D. K. Este and E. Pearson Feb. 22, 1817
S. E. 14 Samuel Compton Aug. 16, 1806
S. W. 14 Henry Johnson Nov. 30, 1814
Section II-John Holdeman Aug. 13, 18II
Sections 13 and 14-W. Compton and R. Sunderland
Aug. 15, 1805
Section 15-
N. E. 14 Samuel Shoup . July 17, 1824
N. W. 14 Charles Patty March 22, 1825
E. 12 of S. E. 14 Eli Compton Aug. 20, 1827
W. 12 of S. E. 14 Robert Evans Sept. 3, 1827
S. W. 14 Benjamin Furnace
Mar. 8, 1825
Section 17 --
E. 12 of N. E. 14 W. N. Smith Oct. 7, 1816
W. 12 of N. E. 14 David Fox Aug. 20, 1827
N. W. 14 David Smith Dec. 9, 1815
S. E. 14 David E. K. Este Feb. 24, 1815
S. W. 14 Jacob Staley Oct. 5, 1814
Section 18-
N. E. 14 Joseph Staley June 12, 1813
N. W. 14 Anthony Cable Aug. 7, 1806
S. E. 14 Elijah Mendenhall . Jan. 8, 1807
S. W. 14 Prudence McMunn . July 2, 1806
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Section 19 --
N. E. 14 John Miller Dec. 6, 1806
N. W. 14 William Low Aug. 5, 1806
S. E. 14 William Farmer Mar. 10, 1806
S. W. 14 John Cox Aug. 12, 1806
Section 20 --
N. E. 14 John Swallow . Jan. 23, 1812
N. W. 14 Andrew Yount Aug. 16, 1814
S. E. 14 John Cox . Feb. 14, 1812
S. W. 1/4 Richard Jones Sept. 20, 1814
Section 21 --
N. E. 14 Samuel Shoup . July 17, 1824
N. W. 14 John M. Gillespie Aug. 16, 1824
S. E. 14 John Bradford May 4, 1816
S. W. 14 Robert Robinson Nov. 26, 1814
Section 22-
N. E. 14 Jacob Stoker June 10, 1816
N. W. 14 James McCandes Oct. 28, 1819
S. E. 14 W. and J. Bradford Aug. 7, 1824 S. W. 14 James Eledge Jan. 24, 1815
Sections 23 and 24-John Fryback Feb. 14, 1805
Section 26-A. and W. A. Smith
July 17, 1813
Section 27-
N. E. 14 Isaac Hosier . Oct. 25, 1806
N .. W. 14 Robert Hozier Sept. 12, 1812
S. 12 William Mason
Jan. 28, 1812
Section 28- N. E. 14 William Kennedy Mar. 6, 1807
N. W. 14 Adam Coffin Sep. 30, 1807
S. E. 14 S. Barnard and S. Macy Aug. 10, 1813
S. W. 14 John Sloan June 28, 1807
Section 29- N. E. 14 Sylvanus Swallow . June 14, 1808
N. W. 14 Isaac Hutchins . June 29, 1813
S. E. 14 John Woods Jan. 15, 1812
S. W. 14 B. Hutchins Dec. 15, 1810
Section 30 --
N. E. 14 Henry Yont Jan. 6, 1806
N. W. 14 Daniel Yont Nov. 29, 1806
S. E. 14 Henry Yont Jan. 6, 1806 S. W. 14 Henry Yont Feb. 13, 1805
Section 31-Robert Gilchout June 12, 1802
(resold to J. Mansfield, Aug. 6, 1807) ( Part of Section 31 in Randolph)
Section 32-
N. E. 14 Smith Gregg
Dec. 24, 1812
N. W. 14 Daniel Jones
Dec. 15, 1810
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
S. E. 14 John Miller Dec. 25, 1812 S. W. 14 Joseph Cooper Feb. 28, 1806
Section 33-
N. E. 14 Jacob Lourey . Oct. 21, 18II
N. W. 14 A. McNaughten May 20, 1812
S. E. 14 William Mason Jan. 28, 1812
S. W. 14 Henry Woodhouse Mar. 7, 1810 Section 34-
N. E. 14 Jacob Kautz Apr. 15, 1812
N. W. 14 Conkling Miller Mar. 6, 1807
S. E. 14 Adam Neff Jan. 22, 1813 S. W. 14 Jacob Rudehand Mar. 2, 1812
Section 35-Limus Bascum Sep. 1, 1813
The following list shows the purchasers of land in Butler township lying in township 5, range 5, sections 23 and 25 being divided nearly in half by the Stillwater river, and sections 3, II and 14 also being divided by that river :
Section I-
N. E. 14 Anthony Cable Mar. 27, 1806
N. W. 14 George Yount Oct. 24, 1804
S. E. 1/4 Joseph Parson Oct. 12, 1809
S. W. 14 James Ince Sept. 1, 1806
Section 2-
N. E. 14 Thomas Jay Sept. 1, 1806
S. E. 14 George Sink Nov. 10, 1804
W. 12 J. Vanarsdale and N. Talburt . Jan. 4, 1802
Section II-
N. E. 1/4 John Builling Sept. 24, 1804
N. W. 14 David Hoover Dec. 1, 1804
S. E. 14 Daniel Hoover Dec. 7, 1804
S. W. 14 John Curtis Aug. 13, 18II
Section 12-
N. E 14 Jacob Cross Oct. 23, 1809
N. W. 14 Henry Crowell Dec. II, 18II
S. E. 1/4 Josiah Lamb Dec. 20, 1806
S. W. 14 Edward Thompson Jan. 13, 1808
Section 13-
N. E. 14 William Newman Feb. 26, 1805
N. W. 1/4 Philemon Plummer Oct. 15, 1806
S. 12 Michael Ingle Nov. 15, 1804
Section 14-
N. E. 14 Robert Scott Jan. 24, 1805
S. E. 14 Sutherland and Brown April 11, 1810
W. 1/2 James Wilson May 7, 1807
Section 23-
E. 12 Frederick Waymire Aug. II, 1802
N. W. 14 Joseph Cooper Sept. 24, 1804
S. W. 14 Asa Owen Jan. 8, 1805
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Section 24-
N. E. 14 David Mast . Sept. 27, 1805
N. W. 14 John Builling Sept. 24, 1804
S. E. 14 David Swidwell . Aug. 5, 1806
S. W. 14 Frederick Waymire Aug. 6, 1806
Section 25-
N. E. 14 Henry Yount Dec. 28, 1802
N. W. 14 John Waymire Sept. 24, 1804
S. F. 14 Henry Yount Dec. 20, 1802
S. W. 14 Andrew Waymire Mar. 15, 1805
The many mill sites in Butler township were quite thoroughly used. A little stream, sometimes called Wenger's branch, running directly south and emptying into the Stillwater about one mile below Little York was completely lined with Mills. There were three sawmills, two woolen mills and one or two flouring mills on this small stream. There was also a succession of mills at Little York. There were also a number of mills in the eastern part of the township, and distilleries, large or small, everywhere.
TOWNS.
Butler township has a number of villages.
LITTLE YORK was laid out by Andrew Waymire in 1817. Its nearness to the mills on Wenger's branch helped to give it importance when those mills were in full operation.
CHAMBERSBURG in the southern part of the township on the Dayton and Troy turnpike and traction line was platted in 1830. A postoffice was established here in 1834.
JOHNSON'S STATION and TADMOR on the Dayton and Michigan railroad serve the communities about them as shipping stations and also as a center for local trade.
VANDALIA was platted August 4, 1838, and was incorporated February 7, 1848. Benjamin Wilhelm was elected the first mayor and was twice reelected.
The present village officers are : mayor, J. M. Seabrook ; members of council, P. N. Rankin, Jeremiah Wenger, James Craver, Joseph Miller, Michael Bennert and John Eschbach ; clerk, R. W. Demmitt ; treasurer, J. M. Deam. E. O. Rankin is the postmaster. He has served in that office about eighteen years.
The facilities for transportation have been greatly improved within a few years. The cutting down of the hill at Tadmor and the macadamizing of the pike between Vandalia and Tadmor have greatly helped the freighting between those places. The firm of Rankin and Son, doing a general merchandising busi- ness, annually receives by way of Tadmor fifty carloads of goods. The Dayton and Troy, given its franchise in 1900 through Vandalia, gives valuable service in transporting both passengers and freight.
The schools of Vandalia are under the care of a board of education of which John R. Pease is president and Dr. W. H. Riley is secretary. A building with two rooms furnishes the school accommodations. By arrangement with the township board of education, the eighth grade graduates who pass the Patterson examinations are received in the township high school, situated one and one-half
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
miles west of the village. J. E. Smith is superintendent of schools for the' township and also principal of the high school.
The practicing physicians in Vandalia are Dr. W. H. Riley, located there eighteen years, and Dr. J. M. Deam, located there twelve years. Dr. Riley took the place of Dr. Lee Corbin and Dr. Deam the place of Dr. M. V. Patton. Some of the earlier physicians were Drs. Miller, Hillory, Kemp, Nunemaker, Thompson and Swisher.
Vandalia is an orderly, well-kept village of three hundred and fifty inhabitants It is surrounded by a prosperous community.
CHURCHES.
The churches of Butler township have fairly kept pace with the progress in other respects, though some church organizations have disappeared. The Friends' Society, in the southern part of the township, in the course of years became extinct. The old church and the old burying ground are mute reminders of the devotion of the pioneers.
The Lutherans built a church as early as 1816 in the western part of the township. A log, a frame and a brick church succeed each other. In 1873 the congregation established itself at what is called Spankertown, where services are now maintained. The church building was dedicated November 30, 1873. The church is known as St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church.
The Evangelical Lutheran church building in Vandalia was built in 1864. It was for many years the center of an active organization but in the recent past the congregation has been without regular pastors.
Polk church, as it is called, was built by the Christian denomination in 1844. An organization with services more or less regular had been maintained, how- ever, in private houses and schoolhouses since 1816. When the church was built in 1844, the zeal of the workmen for James K. Polk in his campaign for the presidency led them to tie pokeberry bushes about the chimney and otherwise to adorn it with pokeberry bushes, hence the name Polk church. In 1877 the church was enlarged and remodeled. The annual Polk church meeting is attended from near and far. The present membership is fifty-seven. Rev. G. R. Mell is pastor of this church and also of the church at Chambersburg with forty-three members.
The United Brethren church in Vandalia was built in 1839 or 1840. A society. had been formed some years earlier, the meetings having been held in the house and barn of Christopher Shupp and at various private houses. The church building was rebuilt in 1868. The congregation has a membership of one hun- dred and eighty-eight and is served in connection with Ginghamburg by Rev. N. L. Linebaugh.
The Maple Grove cemetery at Polk church and the prominent and beautiful Poplar Hill cemetery near Vandalia deserve mention.
The present officers of Butler township are the following : O. J. Furnas, John Bohlender and George Scherer, trustees ; T. M. Farrel, clerk; Jeremiah Wenger, treasurer.
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RANDOLPH TOWNSHIP.
A township under the name of Randolph township was formed November 6, 1804, from Elizabeth township. It began on the south about two miles and a half below the present northern boundary of Montgomery county and extended twenty-four miles north of the northern boundary of Montgomery county. When the act constituting Miami county went into effect March 1, 1807, nearly all of. Randolph township fell to Miami county. June 1, 1807, what remained was taken away and added to other townships and from that time until September 7, 1807, there was no Randolph township. At the time last named a new Randolph town- ship was formed including all of the territory in the northwest part of Montgomery county extending six miles south and twelve miles east to the line dividing the fifth and sixth ranges. In 1809 a part of Randolph was taken in the formation of Madison township and in 1817 all of Randolph lying east of the Stillwater river was used in the forming of Butler township. In 1825 Clay township was formed from a part of Randolph township, since which time the boundaries of Randolph township have remained unchanged. The township is six miles from north to south and has an average width of about four and one-half miles. The surface is undulating. The township is drained by the Stillwater river and by tributaries of Wolf creek. The township abounds in bountiful springs. It is said that there are nearly one hundred living springs within its territory. An abundance of good building stone is readily accessible.
In connection with the account of Butler township a statement has been given in regard to the party of settlers led by Mast and Hoover who made their settle- ment in Randolph and Butler townships in 1802. Randolph township was un- doubtedly named from Randolph county, North Carolina, from which these early settlers of Randolph township came. Captain Mast, a son of the pioneer of that name, said of these early settlers that they were "in low circumstances, had money enough to make their entries and to buy some provisions during the winter." In going from Dayton to their place of settlement it was necessary for them to cut a road as they went. In consequence of the large number of persons coming about the same time from North Carolina, Randolph township became settled more rapidly than most other parts of the county.
The township lies wholly within the originally surveyed subdivision num- bered township 5, range 5. The sections divided by the Stillwater river have been noticed in connection with the description of Butler township. The list of original purchasers for the part of the subdivision named constituting Randolph township is the following :
Section 3-
E. 1/2 George Yount Nov. 10, 1802
W. 12 David Mort . Feb. 15, 1802 Section 4-
E. 12 William Willis Mar. II, 1802
W. 12 Benjamin Iddings . July 5, 1802
Section 5-
E. 12 Jeremiah Mate Aug. 3, 1802
W. 12 William Low May 23, 1806
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Section 6-
N. E. 14 Daniel Eller Aug. 18, 1814
N. W. 14 Samuel Miller .Dec. 11, 1818
S. E. 14 William Brumbaugh . June 17, 1814
S. W. 14 Jacob Albaugh
Aug. 15, 1816
Section 7-
N. E. 14 Henry Brumbaugh Aug. 17, 18II
N. W. 14 Joseph Rorer Nov. 29, 1811
S. E. 14 Henry Warren Aug. 27, 18II
S. W. 14 Joseph Rorer Nov. 29, 181I
Section 8
N. E. 1/4 William Willis Mar. 15, 1805
N. W. 1/4 George Beard . June 3, 1806
S. E. 14 John Bowman Mar. 6, 1806
S. W. 14 David Patty Dec. 29, 1806
Section 9-
N. E. 14 R. Ewing and D. Sampson Mar. 9, 1802
N. W. 14 William McClintock Mar. 14, 1805
S. E. 14 R. Ewing and D. Sampson Mar. 9, 1802
S. W. 14 Robert Ewing Dec. 21, 1804
Section 10-
E. 12 David Hoover .Feb. 16, 1802
W. 12 Daniel Hoover
Aug. 11, 1802
Section 15-
N. E. 1/4 Theobald Fouts Nov. 11, 18II
N. W. 14 Jacob Weybright Dec. 2, 1812
S. E. 14 Daniel Rasor . Jan. 12, 1813
S. W. 14 David Stutzman Dec. 12, 1815
Section 17-
N. E. 1/4 Abraham Detor Mar. 4, 1805
N. W. 14 'Abraham Detor . Jan. 13, 1807
S. E. 14 John Miller . Feb. 26, 1805
S. W. 14 David Miller Jan. 13, 1807
Section 18-
N. E. 14 William Snider Nov.
2, 1814
N. W. 14 Daniel Rasor
April 4, 1814
S. E. 14 John Bougher Sept. 29, 1813
S. W. 14 John Wademan
May 4, 1815
Section 19-
N. E. 14 Jacob Stover June 18, 1805
W. 12 N. W. 14 George Roudebush July 26, 1821
E. 12 N. W. 14 Daniel Ocks Aug. 15, 1821
S. E. 14 Charles Wellbaum .Nov. 8, 1813
S. W. 14 Jacob Grow April 29, 1805
Section 20-
N. E. 14 David Snider . Oct. 30, 1805
N. W. 14 Henry Absful Nov. 12, 1806
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
S. E. 14 John Miller S. W. 14 John Miller
Nov.
4, 1805
July 1, 1805
Section 21 --
N. E. 14 David Stutzman . Jan.
5, 1819
N. W. 14 Joseph Broadwell
. July I, 1824
S. E. 14 Joseph Broadwell
. July 1, 1824
S. W. 14 Aaron Thompson . Jan. 15, 1818
Section 22 ---
N. E. 14 William Farmer Feb. 3, 1815
. N. W. 14 David Stutzman . Jan. 14, 1814
S. E. 14 William Farmer Dec. 10, 1814
S. W. 14 John Vanneman
June 14, 1814
Section 26-
N. E. 14 Moses Kelly
Aug. 14, 1810
N. W. 14 Stephen Kennedy Aug. 13, 1811
S. E. 14 Mason Kelley
Aug. 14, 1810
S. W. 14 William Farmer Aug. 13, 181I
Section 27 ---
N. E. 14 David Brower
Mar. 20, 1817
N. W. 14 Jesse Farmer
Aug. 22, 1809
S. E. 14 George Hollingsworth . June 14, 1807
S. W. 1/4 Garret Rittenhouse Sept. 12, 1810
Section 28-
N. E. 1/4 John Rench
Aug. 10, 1807
N. W. 1/4 Henry Bowman . July 2, 1805
S. E. 14 Garret Rittenhause Sept. 12, 1810
S. W. 14 Henry Snider . Oct. 30, 1805
Section 29-
N. E. 14 John Miller July 1, 1805
N. W. 14 John Miller
. July 4, 1805
S. E. 14 Abraham Hess . Dec. 30, 1813
S. W. 1/4
Michael Burns . June 18, 1805
Section 30-
N. E. 14 Peter Will
. June 18, 1807
N. W. 14 Henry Bowman July 2, 1805
S. E. 14 David Miller
July 1, 1805
S. W. 14 David Kimmel May 26, 1806
Section 31-
N. E. 1/4 David Kinsey . Dec. 2, 1816
N. W. 14 David Kimmel May 30, 1806
S. E. 14 Paul Farmer . June 6, 1814
S. W. 14 Jonas Snider
Jan. 16, 1813
Section 32-
N. E. 14 David Coffman
Dec. 21, 1814
N. W. 14 David Kinsey Aug. 1, 1816
Oct. 21, 1805
S. 1/2 Henry Flory
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
Section 33-
Emanuel Flory
Oct. 21, 1805
Section 34-
N. E. 14 Evan Thomas . July 8, 1807
N. W. 14 Isaac Cooper Dec. 11, 18II
S. E. 14 Adam Rudebaugh . June 4, 1805
S. W. 14 William King Sept. 3, 1810
Section 35-
N. E. 14 Jonathan Justice Dec. 1I, 1804
N. W. 1/4 Daniel Cox . July 20, 1805
S. E. 14 Robert Wilson Oct. 14, 1805
S. W. 14 Samuel Williamson April 11, 1810
Section 36-
N. E. 14 Joseph Cooper Dec. 10, 1804
N. W. 14 and S 1/2 Joseph Cooper Sept. 24, 1804
The first mill was constructed in 1803 by Daniel Hoover on the land purchased by him in section 10. With the least effort and expense a magnificent water power was obtained. The water from a number of very large springs flowed together in a stream coming down to an abrupt fall of fifty-six feet. From this point on down to where the stream enters the Stillwater river three-quarters of a mile beyond, in course of time a number of mills were erected-first, the gristmill named with an overshot wheel and an undershot wheel each twenty-five feet in diameter, second, a stillhouse with a twenty-five foot overshot wheel, then a chair factory, and then a sawmill. Another stream, coming down to the same brink a short distance away from the first, was made to drive machinery for boring rifles. The gun factory here was very celebrated in its day. Martin Sheets, who established the gun factory, had in 1812 a contract with the government to furnish one hundred guns at twelve dollars each. He did his own boring and rifling and manufactured his own flintlocks. In 1806 there was a mill in Salem built by John Wertz and rebuilt in 1820 by John Rench. Large mills were built on the Still- water. Some cargoes of corn, flour, bacon and so forth were sent from Union on flat-boats by the Stillwater and the Miami to New Orleans. Perhaps in no equal area were there more distilleries than in Randolph township. Jacob Heck and the Turners did a large distilling business at Salem. At Union there were two or three hat shops, three shoemakers and two or three tanyards.
TOWNS.
SALEM was platted in 1816 by John Leatherman. There has been in the town a succession of enterprising and prosperous storekeepers and various forms of local manufacturing have been carried on. Wagons, saddles, harness, boots and shoes, barrels and casks were at different times extensively manufactured. It is unfortunate that in consequence of there being another town of the same name in the state it was necessary to give the postoffice another designation, namely, Clayton.
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DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY
The population of Salem is placed at about three hundred. In all its history Salem has been an important local center and has had a recognized influence on the history of the county. Well-traveled pikes lead in and out of the village and the Dayton and Northern traction line makes almost a right-angle in its course to reach it.
The practicing physicians at Salem are Dr. H. E. Gardiner and Dr. Pumphrey. Dr. G. W. Hous and Drs. Levi and Samuel Spitler, brothers, occupied a prom- inent place in the period of their practice.
ENGLEWOOD began its career in 1841 when it was platted under the name of Harrisburg by Matthias Gish. When a postoffice was established the name Iam- ton was given to the postoffice. About ten years ago, to get away from all confusion the name Englewood was given to the town and postoffice. The town has not grown beyond being a convenient neighborhood center. Since the building of the Delphos branch of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton railroad and the completion of the Dayton and Covington traction line the facilities of communication have been greatly improved. The town claims about two hun- dred and fifty inhabitants.
UNION was platted in 1816 by Daniel Rasor and David Hoover. The mills centered there at an early day have been referred to. Facilities of transportation and some conditions otherwise are the same as at Englewood. The population is given as three hundred. Dr. F. W. Smith has a well established practice as a phy- sician and is numbered with the useful citizens of the place.
Here are yet living Eli Hoover now eighty three years old and his brother William, seventy-three years old. They are the sons of Daniel Hoover, the son of Daniel the pioneer of that name. Four of the sons of Daniel Hoover, Jr., were born blind including the two named above. For many years they traveled through all parts of the country giving concerts on stringed and brass instruments. A sister was also born blind, while five others of the family were without this defect.
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