Darke County, Ohio - The whole text, 1880 (part 16 of 31)

The staple products of the townshp are corn and wheat, with considerable «>ats and barley raised. Much of the corn is fed to stock, which receive considerable attention. There is no grain market in the township ; the nearest being Weaver's Station, in Neave Township, on the Piqua, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railroad. In the early years, what surplus grain was raised was hauled by team. either to Dayton or Piqua, and later, to Richmond, Ind. No line of railroad has. as yet, been constructed through the township, though it is thought one could be built with great advantage to the people and profit to the builders. The appreciation of education was a marked feature of pioneer settlers. As early as 1820, a schoolhouse was erected oil the southwest quarter of Section 14. on land now owned by George Kester. The structure was by no means imposing or attractive. It was of logs and nailless. without glass or sawed lumber. The first teacher was William R. Jones, whose reputation comes down to us, as of " an excellent man and teacher.'- The second schoolhouse was built in 1822, on the northwest quarter of Section 13, on land now owned by J. Wenrick. This dates the beginning of school interests in German Township, which have held even place with those of other townships from origin. There are now eleven school buildings, besides the one situated in the village of Palestine, three of which belong to the colored settlement. The number of school children enumerated in German Township in 1370 was as follows : White youth, 364 ; colored, 151 ; total, 515 ; number in the Palestine school, 133 ; total number in the township, 648. The number of youth between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one was 140. The school buildings are all good, substantial structures, with the single exception of a frame house, and the schools are reported to be in fine condition. The first settlers were obliged to erect their cabins without the use of sawed lumber, there being no saw-mills accessible at the time, in the vicinity. One of the first demands of the settlers was for lumber, to erect buildings. In the absence of saw-mills, this want was frequently met by the use of the whip-saw. or more commonly, the puncheon. The former of these methods was extremely slow and laborious, and the latter was the dernier resort to secure lumber. To meet the urgent demands, the rude pioneer saw-mill was erected, propelled always by water power, as steam was not then in use as a motor. The first mill of this kind erected in the township was built by Joshua Mitten, in 1820, on Section 24, on West Branch. This was rude enough, but still a great advance over the former method. Some years after, this mill had been built, an apparatus for cracking corn was attached to it, and this was noted as the pioneer grist-mill of the township. She served to supply the few scattered inhabitants with cracked corn, which, at the time, largely took the place of wheat flour. In order to supply another and urgent demand, a copper still was erected on Section 36, by John Puterbaugh. Its capacity was not very great, and for its influence, value and success, we cannot speak. A cheese factory was soon started at the same place, and by the same person, the Mr. Puterbaugh above named. All of these pioneer enterprises, rude, but bespeaking a disposition to make the most of home products, have been supplanted by more pretentious and modern structures. At present, a large steam flouring-mill run by Ira McClure, and a large saw-mill owned by James McCabe, in Palestine, furnish the necessary supply in this direction in the township.

Churches And Ministers

The first religious meetings in German Township were held in the cabins of the settlers. The pioneer preacher was Jacob Ashley, of the Lutheran Church. He came up once a month from Germantown and held services, for which he received a salary of $12 per year. David Miller, son of old Jacob Miller, first minister of the Miami Valley, and Benjamin Bowman, came over from Indiana at an early da}*, and spoke to the people of things eternal and spiritual. They were ministers of the German Baptist Church. The first church built in this township was known as the "St. John's," a Lutheran enterprise, erected in 1826, south of Palestine, on land owned by John Ketring. The old structure was constructed of tree-trunks cut from the forest surrounding, but. in 1868, this was supplanted by a more comfortable and pretentious frame building. The old church was used by the Lutherans alone for many years, and then the German Reformed organization united with them, the two using the same church, employing the same minister, but having two separate and distinct societies, and two sets of church officers. In 1S66, the latter-named society re-organized, and -the Lutherans from that date were merged with them. Rev. I. Stuck was the first minister under the new organization.

Wesley Chapel, on Section 29, was probably the next church erected. It was built and used up to within a few years of the present time by the Methodists. It is not now in use by any denomination. Possibly the next church building constructed was the house built on Section 24, on the farm of William Wagner, by the Lutherans. It is now used by the members of the German Reformed denomination.

The Cniversalist Church at Palestine was organized by Rev. Elihu Moore and ten others, on June 1 8, 1 868. The minister named was the one first employed. Their first meetings were held in the old Palestine schoolhouse. Within a few years subsequent to the organization, the society erected their present fine building, at a cost of about $3,000. The first officers of the society were H. L. Hill. George Kester and M. M. Jeffries, as Deacons ; George Kester, Treasurer, and Harrod Mills as Clerk. Six deaths have transpired in the society since its origin, and there is a present membership of 105 persons. The Disciple Church of Palestine was organized in April, 1873, by John M. Smith, with about twenty members. Earlier meetings were held in the Universalist Church. In the summer of 1877, the denomination erected their present fine and commodious building at a cost of $1,500. The officers at organization were Joseph Snyder and James Willery, as Elders ; Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, Deacon, and J. A. Spittler. Clerk. There is an adjunct of value in a flourishing Sabbath-school, superintended by James Wilcox.

The German Baptist Church was constituted an organization at an early day by David Miller and Benjamin J. Bowman. John Weaver was the first preachar to serve the new society. He was succeeded by John Crumrine. Since then, William Marius, Mr. Harter and Jacob Miller have had charge of the congregation. Meetings were held in barns and houses till 1868, when their present fine building was erected, just south of Palestine. The membership is about one hundred and seventy-five persons. The Pleasant Grove U. B. Church is situated in the extreme northern part of the township, near the Washington line, thus serving both townships. The society was formed January 14, 1857, and meetings were held in a private house, located on the southwest quarter of Section 3, for two years, when room was supplied by the construction of the present church edifice. The organization was effected by Rev. Jacob M. Marshall. Elias Ross has been Steward since its formation. The Palestine Christian Church was organized in the year 1836, by Elijah Williamson, with a small membership. The first meetings were held in an old schoolhouse. Mr. Williamson and Richard Brandon were the first ministers. James Woods, Thomas Himes, John Crum, Joseph Heck, Henry Grove and their wives, and Philip Manuel were among the first members. The present meeting-house was built in 1859, and the society has an enrollment of 103 members.

The early custom of burial at sites near the homes has originated a number of grounds in the township. There are eight cemeteries in the township, of which the one at Palestine is the chief and largest.

The population have been peaceful and law-abiding, hence any infraction of right is the more marked. Two crimes have been committed of late, most sanguinary in character. The victims were Wesley Guger and Stephen Wade. On the evening of October 24, 1877, after dusk, a body of armed and masked men halted before the house of Mr. Guger in Palestine, called him out, and deliberately shot him down. Where the mob was from, where they went, or who they were. has never been ascertained. The murder had no grounds so far as known save a charge of petty thieving. The second murder was committed in the dead of night in the fall of 1878. Stephen Wade, a colored man, was shot in his own house by a body of mounted men, masked and armed. He was charged with stealing, or more especially with harboring his sons, who had annoyed the community by various thefts. Two notices were served upon them to leave the country. The first was thus worded": "To Stephen Wade. Robert, Benjamin and Philip Wade - you are each and every one of you hereby advised to leave and stay away from Darke County, Ohio, within thirty days from date, or suffer the penalty. This means business." The above was penned in red ink. A second notice was dated September 14, 1878, but not received by the Wades till October 1. following. It was as follows :

This was legibly written in black ink. No notice was given to these warnings. A mob. at midnight, surrounded Wade's dwelling, and aroused him. A shot was fired through the front window and struck an old clock just over Wade's bed. He discharged a shot into the mob, without effect, followed by yells and execrations. Wade reconnoitered from a window, and saw the mob firing at random into the house. He ran to the back door to escape, but. as he threw it open, a gun was fired, and he received a load of shot in the left eye. which penetrated the brain. A cry, and then he expired without a struggle. A post-mortem examination disclosed sixteen No. 1 shot in the brain. We turn relieved from the inscription of these acts, whose bearing is a cloud upon the fair fame of any community, and reflect upon a love of law and justice. Such acts belong in localities destitute ol school and church, and the better class of townsmen reprehend them, and would gladly see their perpetrators punished with the rigors of the law.

We find that the first piece of ground platted for a village site in the township was located on the northwest quarter of Section 24. The survey was caused at the instance of Nathaniel Ross, and the incipient town at one time contained a saw and grist mill, a grocery and a store. Bright anticipations of churches, schools and factories were doomed to disappointment. A rival sprang up across the prairie, which in time proved its ruin, and New London City exists only in this brief allusion to it.

Palestine was laid out, in 1833, by Samuel Loring. A beautiful view from the site of the present village is thought to have suggested the name. Loring's plat consisted of ten lots in the southeast part of the present corporation. Kester made the first addition, just north of the original sites. Samuel Gruger and Abraham Weaver laid out the northwest part, and William Miller the southwest part. Col. David Putnam has since made an addition to the northeastern part. Palestine is to-day a very flourishing country village, containing one drug store, two groceries, one dry -goods store, one hotel, two blacksmith-shops, a wagon-shop, meat-market, grist-mill, saw-mill, shoe-shop, and health is attended to by three physicians.

In the northwest corner of the township, there exists a colored settlement, the foundation of which was laid by a man named Clemens. It has grown to considerable proportions. They have three schools, and a church (Methodist Episcopal) building. There is a small hamlet, known as Tampico, here.

This township was organized on the 5th of December. 1821. and at that date contained eight sections, in what is now Van Buren Township, making it eight miles east and west and four miles north and south. All of Neave Township lyingin Range 3 was taken, in June, 1838, to form the township above named, and so the present dimensions were reached.

The pioneer settler in the lands now constituting Neave Township was Andrew Noftsinger. who came to Darke Count}' in 1810. Sometime about 1817, he built a grist-mill on Mud Creek, below the outlet of the lake, where later stood the mill of Dr. Otwell. In the order of construction, this was the third mill built in the county. At the old post, known as Fort Jefferson, James Hayes was one of the earliest settlers. John Ryerson moved in in 1810. ami during the two vears following, settlement was made in the township by Moses Arnold, George W. Hight. William Townsend, Hezekiah Veitz. John Puterbaugh and Christian Schlechty.

Dennis Hart, of Connecticut, located on Bridge Creek, in the fall of 1819, on the lands of George, W X. Wright, near the farm now owned by A. IT. Vandyke. During the year 1820, the neighbors built a log sclioolhou.se. on the Greenville and Eaton road, cast of the present residence of A. H. Vandyke, on the land then owned by Joseph Townsend. In this house. Mr. Hart taught during the winter of 1820-21. Mr. Hart died at the ripe age of eighty-four years. He was known as an honorable and worthy townsman.

Peter Weaver came from Butler County. Ohio, to this township in 181!> ; here purchased land, cleared him a farm, and year after year has found him living upon it. till 1880. He built the first house in Weavers Station, named after him. and since grown into a thriving little town. On his first arrival, he found here a block house, situated about one-fourth of a mile north of where Mount Zion Church now stands. This rude pioneer fort was built by Mr. Nbftsinger, of whom we have spoken. It is claimed by some that this same man built the first cabin in the county. It was located on Mud Creek, about one-half a mile south of Mr. Weaver's cabin, as early as 1816. Its structure was unique and commensurate with the ability of the builders. It consisted of forks set in the ground, upon which poles were placed, and covered with clapboards.

In 1819. John Puterbaugh built a mill, whose motive power was found in oxen. It stood about two and a half miles southeast of Mr. Weaver's land. This improvement dispensed with water-power, and motion was communicated to the buhrs by cog-wheel connection with an upright shaft, which was turned by attaching oxen to transverse levers, passing through it. When the inflow of settlers and the organization of the county into townships set in operation a system by means of which public improvements could be made, numerous roads were laid, and took up a sinuous course around obstructions, and in close proximity to settlers' doors. Sparse settlements caused the formation of districts extensive in area and meager in population.

Mr. Weaver went six miles to the first bridge that was erected across the mouth of Mud Creek, to work out his road tax. As an illustration of the manner of procedure, it is said that settlers were accustomed to work during the winter clearing a patch of ground. This was planted to corn in the spring, and in the fall it was sown to wheat or other winter grain.

When the settler wanted groceries, he went into the woods and cut a load of hoop-poles, and took them for sale to Martinsburg. Coonskins and hoop-poles were Darke County currency in those days. All the cabins, single and double, were built of logs, with puncheon-logs split and hewed on one side for floors ; greased paper took the place of glass, and wood latch and string were the pioneer's substitute for door-knob and bell. At this time there were only two cabins between what is now Louisburg and Matchett's Corner, and only one little cabin between Weaver's and Fort Jefferson. Deer, turkeys, bear and other animals abounded, and furnished meat supply to the table. Mr. Weaver himself killed about one hundred deer, two bears, and very many turkeys. As is the case with all old sportsmen, Mr. Weaver enjoys a relation of early experiences, and tells the following concerning a bear-hunt in which he was engaged.

It so happened that he had loaned his gun to some boys of the neighborhood, to kill squirrels, and after hunting nearly till night the dogs struck the trail of a bear, which they followed rapidly, and soon drove the animal to seek refuge in a tree.

It was near where Mr. Weaver chanced to be, and. hearing an outcry, he went to the spot and found several of the settlers already standing around the tree, endeavoring to get a good position for an effective shot, Weaver took his gun from one of I he number, and soon after delivered his fire at the bear. But the load did not even cause the animal to change position. A neighbor then fired, and struck a leg, upon which the bear scrambled down, and set off up the banks of the creek, followed pell-mell in hot pursuit by all the men and dogs. One only remained behind of the men. Weaver stopped to put a heavy charge in his gun, and had just completed the act and was about to set forward when down the creek he saw men. dogs and bear coming bark with as great celerity as they had departed, only the conditions were reversed, and instead of many for the one, it was one for the many. Weaver waited till the bear was within ten feet of him, when he fired with fatal effect.

George Noggle and T. C. Neave, William and Simeon Chapman and Adam Belles were all of that class known as early settlers in this township. It is said that, when this township was organized, a game of cards was played by H. D. Williams and John Douglass on the one side, against Easton Morris and T. C. Neave on the other, to determine who should have the honor of giving to it a name. The first party won, and they two playing again between themselves, the game was won by Williains, but Neave was so anxious to name the township, that he paid Williams $10 for the privilege, and then named it after himself. Fort Jefferson, built by the soldiers of St. Clair, in 1791, was the first structure erected by white people in the county. There is much of real interest connected with this old post which should be gleaned and placed on record.

There are a number of churches in the township, among which are a Methodist and a Union Church at Fort Jefferson, a United Brethren near Weaver's Station, and a church at Sampson. The village of Fort Jefferson was laid out in 1818, and Sampson in 1816. There are about fifty miles of road, much of which is piked. The population in 1870, of Neave Township, was 1,093.

In June, 1838. Van Buren Township was organized, and named after the President then in office. James Grower, an early settler and a present pioneer of ninetythree years, was the "moving spirit" in its formation, which was not accomplished without much opposition and difficult}-, and this now aged man was he who gave the township its name. It was taken from the south end of Adams and the east end of Neave, and contained all of Township 8 north Range -1 east, that is in this county, and all of Township 9 north. Range 3 east, except Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, which are included in Greenville Township. In June, 1839, Franklin Township was formed, containing all of Van Buren east of a line running north from the southwest corner of Section 36. Township 9 north Range 3. The township, as now constituted, contains t wenty-six sections. The surface is extremely level and the soil excels in fertility, being of alluvial formation, with good body to it. In years past, from one to five feet of water covered most of the surface, during half the year. Now, by an artificial S3'stem of drainage, it has been reclaimed to the uses of civilization, and is producing a hundred fold. The eastern part of the township is not so well advanced in improvement as is the rest, from the fact that its lands were, for man}T years, held mostly by speculators, who would not or at least did not either dispose of or improve it. There are no considerable water-courses in the township, the channels by which its surface is drained being small tributaries to Greenville and Panther Creeks. An extensive moraine passes from north to south through it, along the track of which are found an abundance of bowlders, many of which are of remarkable size, being from ten to twelve feet in diameter. Some gravel beds have been deposited on its surface, which afford convenient and valuable material for the improvement of public highways. The roads are mostly in good condition, the larger proportion of them being piked. Some of these, however, from much travel and heavy hauling, are well-nigh worn out, and need considerable repairs. The staple products are corn and wheat, the soil being admirably adapted to the cultivation of the former grain. Barley, oats, rye and tobacco are raised to a considerable extent. The entire township is thoroughly agricultural, and in 1870 contained a population of 1,212, a small part of whom were colored and some foreigners. A few settlements were made within the present limits of the township before the close of the lirst quarter of a century, but improvements were slowly made, and for many years the clearings formed a small part of the area of the lands, owing to the wet. swampy condition of the country. Just who was the first settler and when he moved in, cannot be known with precision. There were probably no settlers in Van Buren Township previous to 1818, about which time several men built them cabins within its present limits. .Samuel Pearce, Samuel .Martin and Elias Burt were probably the first to erect houses in Van Buren, in about 1818. Eli Townsend and Jacob Sebring followed soon after. In the spring of 1820, came John Charkwith. and settled in the extreme southwest corner of the township. He was born in New Jersey, and came to this part of Darke County from Montgomery. Isaac Byers, who was the first Justice of the Peace, moved up from Preble County the same spring ; a Virginian by birth, he yet preferred this section to his native State. His widow still survives. James Gregory settled, about this time or perhaps a year or so sooner, on lands he afterward sold to Benjamin Roe, and now owned by William Shields. David and William Byers. brothers to Isaac, came soon after he had got located. Richard and James Gower moved, in 1826, into the extreme north part of the township, where they were among the first settlers. John Fourman entered land in the southeast part of the township. Mordecai Ford, who was the first Clerk in Van Buren. was, also, a pioneer. Jacob Potoff, at Nineveh, was an early settler at that point, and is remembered to have built the first blacksmith-shop in the township. Several others are deserving of mention in this connection, as pioneers of Van Buren. but authentic accounts of them have not been gained. The first election of the township was held in the smithery of Potoff, at Nineveh, at which time there were about forty or fifty votes cast. Improvements progressed quite slowly for some time, the characteristic pioneer cabin prevailing for many years. Finally, these began to give way to the more pretentious frame buildings, and occasionally a brick residence made its appearance. The first two of the last-named were built by John Fourman and John Walker. At the present day, there are many fine frame dwellings and substantial brick residences in the township.

There being no water-power facilities of any consequence, manufacturing industries developed slowly. The first mill of any kind in Van Buren was an old " flutter-wheel " saw-mill built by John Fourman, on Panther Creek. This establishment furnished lumber for a large tract of country for a considerable period, some of the buildings in the extreme southern part of the county having been furnished with lumber from this mill. The second mill of this kind was erected near Jaysville, by Messrs. Kilbourne and Jay. There are now four saw-mills in the township, with capacities ranging from three to six thousand feet per day. These represent the manufacturing interests of Van Buren.

Schools began in a small, crude way. about a half-century ago. and have steadily advanced to their present nourishing condition. There is a great contrast between the pioneer log houses and their rude belongings, as compared with the newest structures. Then a single small rude house stood on the land of William Townsend, and within was Mordecai Ford, well skilled to rule and ferule. Now there are eightsubstantial brick buildings, having ten rooms, and requiring the employment of eight teachers. School statistics for the year ending August 31, 1879, are as follows: Amount paid teachers, $1,906.20; expense of sites and buiidngs, $2,143.14 ; incidental expenses, $499.97, and the entire expenditure! was $4,549.31. There were eight gentlemen and live ladies, or a total of thirteen teachers employed, at wages averaging, for males. *:',!», and for females, $20 ; 212 boys, lsn girls, or a total of 392 pupils attended the schools ; the average monthly enrollment was. of boys, 161 ; of girls. 139 ; total. 300. Daily attendance of boys, 114 : of girls. 99 ; total. 21:!.

pel into the forests of Van Buren. The pioneers of this sect were Revs. Sneithen, Ashley, Williams and Mordecai Ford. They erected their first church in 1851. at Delisle There are now three churches in the township. Two United Brethren and one Methodist. The former at Abbotsville, and the Methodist at Jaysville, were built about the same time, not far from 1850. The other United Brethren Church was built about 1868 or 1870, at Nineveh, and was called Keyler's Chapel, from the name of him who was the means of its construction.

There are but two cemeteries in the township, one of which, old and dilapidated, is now almost abandoned. The first was established nearly fifty years ago by the society of the Christian Church, and is known as the Abbottsville cemetery. The second was recently established under the auspices of the Township Trustees, and is located upon a fine tract of six acres, inclosed with a substantial board fence.

There are several small villages in the township, but the tendency was to farms exclusively. The proximity to Greenville and Arcanum to a great extent dispenses with the necessity of more than exist. The first regularly laid out town in the township was Abbottsville, deriving its name from its founder. Abbott. This center for a time made an advance which promised much to its anxious inhabitants , but it was a transient effort, and its existence is known only to the pages of history. The eager speculation of that day caused the platting of thousands of sites which showed in later years a few ominous-looking houses and straggling occupants and seeming mourners of a drifting center of settlement, and Abbott was one of those not favored. Storekeeping was first engaged in by George and William Falkners and in addition to the store, there, was a wagon and blacksmith shop. Delisle, now the only village regularly laid out in Van Buren Township, was platted under direction of the widow Fairchild in 1850. and a building for the purpose having been erected, the pioneer store in the place was opened by John Tillman and Jesse Lease. Aaron Vanatta was the first smith. The village, as at present constituted, contains a dry -goods and grocery store, a blacksmith and a wagon shop and sawmill. It is located on the Dayton & Union Railroad, which gave rise to the place.

Jaysville is a small hamlet on the same road, and is located about five miles south of Greenville. It contains a single store and a saw-mill. In the township, there are three post offices - one at Delisle, at Jaysville and at Poplar Ridge, in the northeast part of the township.

This township comprehends thirty sections, or over nineteen thousand acre, of land. It lies in the eastern tier of townships, and was formed in June, 1839, from a portion of Van Buren Township. It received its name from the illustrious printer, Benjamin Franklin, and possesses a surface almost a monotonous level, the sameness being broken here and there by occasional gravel drift or cairn.

The soil is extremely fertile, and is composed of a rich alluvial formation of well-nigh inexhaustive durability. Formerly, it was very wet. but has now been nearly all reclaimed by general and thorough drainage. The principal stream is Painter Creek, which flows diagonally across the township. Entering in the southwest corner, it trends to the northeast till it reaches the northeast corner of Section 18, whence it takes an almost due east course, passing out of the township in the southeast corner of Section it. This, with its tributaries, constitutes the central drainage system of the town. The northern part is drained by tributaries of Greenville Creek, and the southeastern by tributaries to the Stillwater.

In the way of improvements, Franklin Township is not in the van. but, since 1 870. rapid advance has been made in this respect. The chief products are corn and wheat. The cultivation of tobacco has become a subject engaging considerable attention.

The German Baptists had the first organization in the township. Philip V ounce, a minister of this society, preached the first sermon in this part of the county. Having held meetings for some time at their several homes, the people at length erected a building on land now owned by Samuel Bean, for such use as occasion might require, and the Baptists therein held services.

The Christians were the second religious sect to form an organization in Franklin, and, in time, built them a church on land now owned by John Spidel The sect has now two organizations in the township, the one named, and the other in the northeastern part of the township. This latter society was formed, in 1S77. with seventy members, now increased to one hundred.

The " Brethren in Christ" have had a society since 1863. This was founded, with twelve members, by Revs. John Winger and Jacob Swank. The society now numbers thirty-eight members.

The German Baptists now have a fine church building on the farm of John Flory. The above denominations comprise all the religious bodies in the township.

Daniel Oakes is by some accredited with having been the first white man to build a cabin within the limits of Franklin. He came hither from Montgomery County, and settled on the banks of Panther Creek, on land now owned by Hiram Rhodes. Theophilus Penny arrived about the same time as Oakes, and entered land now owned by Jacob Swinger. Eli Inman was the pioneer in the northeast corner of the town, to which he removed from Miami County. F^lisha Penny, Christian aSewcomer, Martin Brant, Jacob Stauffer, Henry Finnifrock, William and John Hess, Samuel Hall, John Hayworth, John Karl, Gideon Varnum, Jacob Marker. Varnum Aldrich. Charles Birch and John Brooks were all early settlers in Franklin. Hall and Hayworth came in 1824; Eli Inman, in 1826. William Hess, in 1829 or 1830. opened a little stock of goods and groceries, consisting principally of whisky and tobacco, these being disposed of to the settlers ; there was received in exchange staves, hoop-poles, skins and pelts.

In 1830, Jacob Marker, an old wagoner, came and settled on land now owned John Swinger. He had a good team of horses, and a strong wagon, and his services were in almost constant demand, hauling staves, etc.. to Dayton, loading back with salt and other goods for the stores on his route, and to those of Greenville, Adams' mill, etc. Until the date of the township's formation in 1839, the settlers voted at New Harrison or Adams' mill, as the little settlement was then called.

The first schoolhouse built in the township was put up by John Hess in 1838. on the present farm of Hiram Rhodes, on Section 19, on Panther Creek. Prior to this, however, school had been taught for some time in a private house owned by William Hammel, and located on the Swinger farm. The first teacher was David Clevine. There are now in the township seven brick schoolhouses and one frame. There are 655 youth of both sexes in the township, ranging in age from six to twenty-one. Between sixteen and twenty-one, there are 131 persons. The amount paid teachers was $2,111.26; contingent expenses. $264.24; total, $2,375.50. Value of school property is $8,000. The average wages is $38 and $18, and the average time of school session for the year was thirty-four weeks. There is but one village in the township ; it is known as Vienna. It is situated on the Greenville and Milton turnpike, in the south central part of Franklin, and was laid out in 1870 by George Wright and John Hayworth. The hamlet contains two drygoods stores, a confectionery and a saloon. There are in Franklin two post offices, and the population in L870 was 1,366.

On October 2i!. 1879, Wiley Coulter was shot to death by Monroe Roberson in Vienna, lie died on the evening of the next day. Roberson was tried in February, 1880. and March 6, was sentenced by Judge Meeker to be kept in solitary confinement until Friday. July 10. 1880, and on that day to he " hanged by the

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

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

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

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

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

In an early day. these pioneers, like the Israelites of old. were without a place in which to worship, but with a spirit true to devotion, they met in each others' cnli ins, and raised their voices in unison and praise in magnifying the name of their great. Preserver. Among the early pioneer preachers in this locality was Philip Y ounce, a German Baptist, who preached the first sermon within the present bounds of Monroe Township.

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

The first members of the German Baptist Church that lived in America emigrated from Swartzenau, Germany, in the year 1719, and settled in Germantown, Penn. They had been severely pei'secuted on account of their religious faith, and fled to America with a hope of gaining liberty and having the privilege of worshiping God according to the dictates of their own conscience and according to His word. For sixty years their progress was slow, owing to the difficulties and hardships of a new country in its unsettled state, caused by the French war of 175") and the Revolution, twenty }rears later, and many subsequent Indian wars along the borders of the new settlements. The Indian's ruthless hand was severely felt, and many fell victims to the scalping knife. At times, their danger was so severely felt that when the father or sons left the house they bade their friends good bye, with a fear of never meeting them again.

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

The first Brother that settled in Virginia was John Garber, in Flat Rock V alley, in 1777 ; he was an eminent minister, and built up a large congregation. From this valley. Jacob Miller moved to Ohio, and settled on the west side of the great Miami River, near Dayton, in 1800. He was the first one that settled west of the river, and was an able man. and Labored faithfully in the cause of promoting and advancing the principles of Christianity. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1735, and, a1 the time of his arrival in Ohio, the country was a dense forest, inhabited by numerous tribes of Indians. It is said of Brother Miller that he often visited them in their wigwams and sang and prayed with them, that his kind treatment led them to protect him. They said lie was the good man the Great Spirit sent from the East. He raised a very exemplary family of twelve children, nine sons and three (laughters ; three of his sons became able ministers, and reside in Indiana, and have done much in building up the church in that State, which numbers eighty-five organizations at present. There are. at this time, about seventylive organized churches in Ohio, with very large, commodious houses for worship.

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

There are three colleges under control of the church - one at Mount Morris, 111., conducted by Elder J. W. Stein ; one at Ashland, Ohio, conducted by Elder S. G. Sharp, and one at Berlin. Penn.. conducted by Elder James Quirter. These colleges are large and commodious, and have all the advantages and conveniences of modern architecture. The students are watched over with great care, and everything of an immoral nature is strictly excluded, and students are welcomed, regardless of religion or sect, if they conform to the moral standard required. Their church has four organized congregations in Darke County, with a membership of eleven hundred - one congregation in the southern part of the county, known as Ludlow and Painter Creek ; one in the northeast part, known as Oakland ; one in the northwest part, known as Union City, and one in the southwest, known as Palestine Congregation. There are twent}r-three resident ministers of this denomination in the county, and they have nine houses of worship, which are very neatly constructed and finished.

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

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

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

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

Asa Jones, Monroe's first settler, taught the first school in the tow nship. Children were obliged to come long distances, and we were surprised in looking over old records to find the average per cent in attendance quite as good as no w

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

clapboard roof sections of the logs were removed to admit the light of day. and again replaced as a protection against the fury of storms and the biting blasts of winter. A fireplace in one end gave warmth and comfort to the occupants. In the severity of the winter, a semi-circle was formed around this fireplace, and frequently an exchange of places would occur, so that all might have a slight- benefit of the coveted place, tint 1 am sorry to say the schoolmaster most generally occupied the "warm seat." much to the dissatisfaction of his pupils.

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

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

Twin Township was erected in July, 1817, from Greenville Township, which then comprised the whole territory within the limits of Darke County, consequently Twin was the second civil division of land made. Its limits embraced all that part of the county south of a line running due east from the northeast corner of Section 31. Town 11 north. Range 1 east.

The area of the township has been reduced b}' the successive formation of other townships till it now lacks one tier of sections on the east, of including all of Town S north. Range 3 east. Its name was taken from Twin Creek. It contains no considerable streams. Miller's Fork rises in the northwestern part, and flows in a southerly course, passing out of the township from Section 33. This stream throughout its course Mows with a rapid current, and with its many tributaries affords an excellent system of drainage for the surrounding country. Painter ('reck Hows eastward across the north part of the town on into the Stillwater. Several creeks which flow into Ludlow's Creek head in the eastern part and afford drainage thereto.

The eastern half and north part of Twin Township have a Hat surface, originally swamp lands. The rest of the land has a more elevated and rolling surface. The soil is rich, black and very productive. Corn, wheat, oats, flax and barley are successfully and profitably grown, and the cultivation of tobacco is gradually assuming greater proportions as acreage annually increases, the strong soil being well adapted to sustain its rank growth. There is scarcely any waste land. Most farms are well improved, and the general appearance of the country suggests thrift and enterprise. Twin was early settled. .Miller's Fork, with swift water and high land, attracted the settlers' eyes, and Wayne's trail from Lewisburg to Fort Jefferson and Greenville ran along the banks of flu- stream. Here the pioneer was monarch, untrammeled by society restraints, and free to wage war with the kingly trees of the forest. The pioneer of Twin Township was Jacob North. The date of his arrival is conjectured to have been previous to or during the war of 1812. He moved from the Lewisburg settlement and built his domicile on the creek bank, near the present location of the township cemetery. His sojourn was but transient. The passions of the \v(\ men were aroused, and depredations upon his little property became frequent. North was several times admonished to leave the locality, but he apprehended no danger and still remained. At length. Stoner and Elliott fell victims to the tomahawk and scalping knife, and the pioneer was marked as a victim. One day. a half-breed quietly stepped into into his cabin and informed him that for the safety of himself and family he had better return to the settlement at once. Acting upon this advice. Mr. North and his wife gathered up their few movables and went back to his old home. Shortly following his departure, a party of Indians surrounded his cabin and burned it to the ground, and it was probably well for the owner that a friend had given him warning. Thus terminated the first attempt at a residence in the land of Twin Township.

On Christmas Day, 1800, a company of emigrants began a long and toilsome journey from North Cai'olina westward, across the Ohio River, and northward, into the Indian country. Accounts of the fair, fertile valleys of the Miamis had reached their homes and incited them to go forward to settle upon the banks of the Upper Miami. These emigrants located north of Dayton, in the fertile valley of the Stillwater. From the ranks of this colony, about 1816, came the first permanent settlers of our township. The van was led by Richard Robbins, born in Randolph County, N. C, where he celebrated his marriage previous to his removal to the Stillwater. He became a resident of Twin Township in 1815, having settled on land just west of the present site of Ithaca. From this dates the actual settlement of the township. The war had closed, but the Indians remained, and white and red men regarded each other with distrust. Both went armed. One day, while Robbins was feeding some pigs which were confined in a small pen to protect them from the wolves, the sharp report of a flint-lock rifle was heard, and the settler saw an Indian neighbor withdrawing his body behind a tree hard by. He charged the attempt to shoot him upon the Indian, who earnestly denied any such intention. Robbins would not be convinced. He always maintained that the shot was fired with a view of getting possession of a fine rifle much coveted by the Indians. The settler was carried off by an attack of the measles, in 1824. David Lucas, from the same company of immigrants, followed Robbins in 1816, and located just south of Ithaca on land owned by Champe McGoff. In the same spring, two brothers, William and Eli Curtner, entered land and began a clearing further up Miller's Fork, on land now owned by Mr. Albright. These men located here in March, and in May following, a son, named William, was born to Eli Curtner, and this was the first white child born in the township.

The fall of 1816 brought in a few more settlers from the Stillwater. Land was cheap and good, and attracted many intent upon securing themselves homes. One after another settled along the creek and began his labor, encouraged by the older settlers, former neighbors. In the fall, came Philip Shank, his father, Frederick, and their families, and entered the land now owned by George Corwin. Again the season went round, and again there came an influx of ininiigrants. David Shearer and James McDole settled on the Colville farm, just west of Ithaca. The Shanks were natives of Virginia ; and of the earliest settlers on the Stillwater, Philip Rutter, of Virginia, and Daniel Baumgardner, of North Carolina, located on Section 16, school land ; three brothers. Isaac, Thomas and George Walker, primarily from Rhode Island, and later from Virginia and Tennessee, from which State they early made their way to Stillwater Valley, whence they moved to this township, locating on land owned by Troxel & Trump. Frazee Doty came in the spring of 1817, and settled just west of Ithaca, on land now owned by Matthew Guy. Mr. Dot}' was one of Twin's prominent townsmen, and officiated as a local minister. A few years ago, he removed to Missouri, where, a short time ago, he was found by the roadside dead, as was the horse which he had been driving. The cause of the accident was unknown. Mrs. Doty, his widow. Mrs. Shank, wife of Philip Shank, and Mrs. Curtner, wife of William Curtner, are the only surviving persons of the original first settlers. During the fall of 1817, quite an addition was made to the settlement from Stillwater. Andrew Burkett was one who came at this time. For several years, immigration was slow, but constant. We are not able to trace in order the arrival of settlers ; however, we may recall Michael Bickett, Emery Rogers and William Lemon, who was the first Justice of the Peace and Captain of the militia company of the neighborhood. For many years, the east and northeast parts of the township remained somewhat unsettled, owing to the swampy condition of the surface, but, in time, these lands were entered, drainage was resorted to, and. as elsewhere, they have become by far the choice farming lands of the country.

The early settlers have nearly all been called from their toils and privations to final rest. Peace be to their memories, green grow the grass over their gravis. May the present generation preserve inviolate, and carry to perfection, the sacred heritage bequeathed by them. In this as in nearly all newly settled countries, the industries dependent upon trade were slow of development. Pioneer wants were proportionate to their abilities to satisfy them. Milling was done at the Stillwater and Big Twin, at the Lewisburg settlement, for many years. The first mill - and this appellation is scarcely applicable to it - was erected upon a branch in Section 32, by John Osbrook. This was the old-fashioned corn cracker, and cracked corn then constituted one of the staple articles of food. The daily capacity was limited to a few bushels, and the mill ran but a short period of the year. The first saw-mill built was on Miller's Creek, near Ithaca, by the enterprising John Colville. This man was an early settler, and by energy and enterprise did much for his neighbors and for the township. This mill, like the preceding, was imperfect and rude, but answered its purpose and well fulfilled its work. As the country increased and the wants of the townsmen demanded more pretentious manufactures, these were supplied by remodeling the old mills or by building others. The water-power of the country was defective and difficult of being utilized. Steam power had to be introduced. The first steam grist-mill was erected in Ithaca, by Caswell Sharp. This marked an epoch in the milling line of this section of country. The mill is still in use, being owned and operated by Watson West, and doing good work. In order to preserve the health and spirits of the community, a copper still was erected in the southern part of the township by Daniel Phillips. It was probably the only one ever operated in Twin Township. How long this "venomous worm-' was operated, or what was its capacity, it is not known, but it was inefficient to meet the local demand. If ever intemperance reigned and ruined in after-times in the history of the township, but little harm can be charged to this still. There are now in the township three grist-mills of good capacity and four saw-mills, three of which are circular, with large capacity. These, with several manufactories in Arcanum to be mentioned hereafter, now mark the improvement which the industry and enterprise of a half century have wrought in the township. Almost as soon as the settler had provided a shelter for himself and family, he took counsel with his neighbor for the erection of a place for public worship. From house to house the preacher traveled until increased numbers permitted a house, and as time wore on this was kept in repair, until increased wealth enabled the worshipers to erect churches in cost and character in accord with the times.

The first ones to bear the glad tidings of salvation to the settlers of Twin Township were Abraham Sneethan and Levi Purviance, of the Christian society. Who came first is not known, and a third name, that of John Williams, is given as a cotemporary with them. This trio were early engaged in the work of disseminating (lospel truths. The first church built in the township was by the Christians, on land now owned by W. H. Tillman. At a later period, they erected another church, just one mile south of Arcanum. Both of these have gone down years ago, and now the denomination which was seen to have planted the first germs of practical religion in Twin Township has no organization within its boundaries. The United Brethren in Christ had the next regular organization. They built their first church in Ithaca, where the present one now stands, which building was the second of the kind raised in the township, nearly fifty years ago. The church interest is strong and healthy at both Ithaca and Arcanum.

The Methodists, progressing with the van of civilization, were here, as elsewhere, early promulgators of the Scriptures in Twin Township. The first organization was effected at Ithaca, in 1840, with forty-two members, and two years subsequently, their present house of worship was erected, the first in the township. They now have three societies - one at Ithaca, one at Gordon, and the third at Arcanum. Four other organizations, two of them Lutherans, one German Reformed and one Baptist, complete the list of the religious associations in Twin Township.

There are two cemeteries in the township ; these cities of the dead are both located at Ithaca. One is under the control of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the other belongs to the township, and takes its origin from the date of the first settlement therein. Here was buried Jacob Baumgardner. who died in the spring of 1817, and was the first burial in the township.

Twin has its full proportion of villages, thei'e being three regularly laid out villages within its limits. The oldest in point of survey is Ithaca, which was platted by John Colville, in 1832. This served as the trading center for a circumference of many miles and for a number of years. Joseph Evans established the first dry-goods store in the place. It was kept by " Jacky " North, previously mentioned. The first tavern, or at least place where the public were invited to " bed and board," was kept by Eli Shearer, upon the site occupied by the present hotel. The village now contains one dry-goods store, one grocery, one clothing' store, two blacksmith-shops, one hotel, and among shops, a shoe, a meat, a harness. a cabinet and an undertaker's. There is a single physician onl}r in the place.

Here are the headquarters of Ithaca Lodge, F. & A. M., No. 295, whose charter was granted July 17, 1857. At this time the members were William H. Matchett, Daniel Ridenour, William Colville, S. C. Engle, Martin J. Colville, Milton McNeal, J. H. Engle, Caswell Sharp, Clark Baker and Elijah Heath.

The first Master was William H. Matchett ; the first Senior Warden, Clark Baker ; the first Junior Warden, Martin Colville. The lodge has a present membership of sixty-three, and is in a flourishing condition. They have a large threestory building, whose uppermost room is large, spacious, well furnished and in use as a lodge-room.

The next place laid out was Arcanum, in 1849, by Gunder. As growth continued, additions were successively made by land-owners, on all sides. Of these were additions to the north and west by Ivester; Allread & Houck, on the south, and by Falkner, on the northeast. On June 20, 1851, the first store in the place was begun, by Messrs. Samuel and John Smith, and in the year following, the railroad came through from Dayton. The building of this road, which extended diagonally across the township, from north to south, marked an epoch in the history of township and village. It put an end to the necessity of the previous long, tedious and expensive journey, through swamps and over corduroy roads, to Dayton, with produce. It brought a good market to the township, and, to the extreme surprise of many, " increased the price of horses." The M. E. Church was built in 1856, and the people came here instead of to the old log church on Painter's Creek. The United Brethren was put up in 1872 or 1873, and they were no longer dependent upon the old schoolhouse, and the Reformed Church perfected an organization in 1879.

On June 20, 1851, the Messrs. Smith, as stated, engaged here in merchandise and trade, and to their energy Arcanum, now a village of 1 ,000 people, largely owes its present prosperity. It contains four dry-goods houses, seven groceries, two drugstores, two hardware, four harness, three carriage, four blacksmiths, three meat, three shoe, two milliner, three dress making and two barber shops. There are two livery stables, a hotel, a printing office, two bakerys, four grain warehouses, one lumber yard, two flouring-mills, a saw-mill, a planing-mill and a sash and door factory. A synopsis this of the interests of a live, thriving place. Among professional men, there are four physicians and one dentist. A schoolhouse has eight rooms and four teachers employed therein. Taken in business, religious, educational or other views of the village, it is seen to be aspiring and enterprising, manifesting a spirit valuable to the community and securing prosperity to themselves.

The presence of such places in a township serve as a stimulus to trade and agriculture, enhancing real estate values and inciting to cultivation.

The most current statement with regard to the name chosen for this township is that it was in honor of Maj. Butler, who fell in the battle known to history as St. (Mail's defeat; but this is probably true in an indirect way only. The township was principally settled, to begin with, by pioneers from the neighboring county -Butler - and direct reference was had to the old home county rather than to the hero, in the choice of the name which the new township should bear. Butler County j however, was named undoubtedly in honor of the hero above mentioned.

The history of Butler Township will be somewhat meager, owing to the unusual difficulty of collecting data concerning it; but enough has been gleaned from various authentic sources to form an interesting and instructive sketch.

It is somewhat remarkable that the most diligent search of the records in the county offices gives no information concerning the date, etc, of the organization of this township, and conversations with the oldest residents now living afford no definite clew to the myster}'. The general impression among those who are now most likely to have opinions on the subject that approximate accuracy is that it took place in 1819-20. Dr. J. P. Love, now in his seventy-fifth year, and a resident at New Castine since 1833, says that about twenty years after the first settlement of what became Butler Township, the anomaly existed of four school districts that had never been legally or formally constituted, and of several road districts that had not been authoritatively defined ! In 1834, for the first time, these districts were legally bounded and laid out.

Butler Township is situated in the southwestern part of the county, being in the southern tier, and the second from the Indiana line. Harrison intervening. It is six miles square. The general surface is level, but is somewhat broken in the northwestern portion and in the vicinity of New Madison. There wTas a smali tract in the central part, known as Maple swamp, the value of which was depreciated on account of being subject to frequent inundations, but a drain was put through it by order of the County Commissioners, thereby draining this locality and rendering the " swamp " the richest and best of farming land, from the deep alluvium of the surface soil. Originally, the township was heavily timbered with such woods as no weak land can produce, and the fair proportion of timber that is still left standing is stalwart and symmetrical. It has been claimed that since the reclamation of Maple swamp there is less untillable soil in Butler than in any other township of Darke County. This is saying much, probably too much, but the fact remains that its fertility attracted within its limits at an early day men of ability and energy, who have brought it to a high state of cultivation and of public and private improvement. Eleven years ago, it had thirty miles of turnpike (or almost a mile to even* square mile of its area) under contract, at a cost of $60,000 - ample evidence of the truth of the above statement. The land was originally entered in eighty and one hundred and sixt}' acre parcels, principally, but more of the latter than of the former. In some instances, quarter sections have been divided, but in more cases two eighties have been thrown together. Among the large farms of to-day are Joshua Fowble's, 250 acres and upward, one and a half miles northeast of New Castine ; Jacob Wolverton's, about 175 acres, just north of Castine, and Esquire Voris', just south.

The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway runs through the northwestern corner of the township. Twin Creek rises near the northern boundary of Butler, runs almost south into Section 22, thence southeasterly to New Castine, and by a circuitous but still southeasterly course leaves the township a short distance west of the center of Section 36. Between Section 22 and the south line of Butler, it sends off several branches to the right and left, at an average distance of threefonrths of a mile apart. Mud Creek also enters near the center of the township line and extends southeast into Section 8. The Middle Branch of Mud Creek enters the township one-fourth of a mile east of the railroad, in the eastern part of Section 5, near the center of which it crosses the railroad and then runs nearly parallel therewith until it leaves the township, at the northwestern corner of Section 18. The first turnpike was built in 1869, a north and south road, running from Greenville to Eaton, through New Castine, called the Greenville & Eaton Pike. The east and west road, crossing the other at right angles at Castine, is popularly known as the « New Garden Road." The name arose from the circumstance of semi-annual meetings held by the Quakers of New Garden, Ind., and the regular pilgrimage thereto of large numbers of Quakers from Union Township, Miami County, this State, over this road.

Job Camp, who came in 1814, is reputed to be the earliest settler in Butler. Francis Harter and his sons, also James Mills, came in 1817 or 1818; Jacob Weingardner in 1819. Abram P. Freeman came only a little later. Charles Harriman came to Butler in 1821 and settled where New Castine now stands. Jonathan Pitman, Joseph Danner and John Ellis also came at a very early date. Ellis was from Kentucky. Job Camp was from Hamilton County, but was raised in New Jersey. Jacob F. Miller was Justice of the Peace as early as 1816. Mark Mills represented the county in 1832 or 1833, and was probably also a Justice of the Peace.

David Harter, one of the oldest settlers, lived in the northwestern part of the township. Esquire Peter Fleck, for a long time a Trustee, lived close to the north line, toward the east. Esquire Baker, somewhat noted as a Democratic politician, lived east of Castine. He was elected to the State Legislature and settled in Greenville in the practice of the law. Politically, Butler Township is largely Democratic - so much so as to have been termed the "South Carolina of Darke County." Religiously, most of the people are either church members or in sympathy with the church. There are five church structures in the township, at which services are held at stated times, and six resident local preachers - men capable and earnest in their calling.

The first schoolhouse was built in 1824, on Section 35, near the present site of New Castine. A second schoolhouse, a log cabin, was located up the road toward the creek. A man by the name of -Bentley now lives on the ground occupied by the old schoolhouse, in the southeast corner of the town° The third schoolhouse in this neighborhood was a frame building, located about half a mile east of Castine. The fourth was a brick structure, put up on the same ground. The last and present schoolhouse is a frame, two stories, also on the same ground. One teacher is employed in the summer and two in the winter. There are nine school districts in Butler Township ; the houses are mostly of wood. Samuel Satterley was the first teacher in Butler. James L. Hunt and P. V. Banta (the latter now of Greenville) were teachers about 1833. The first meetings were held in private houses, and afterward in schoolhouses. The first church was built at New Castine in 1849, by the United Brethren ; Otterbein Chapel, located in the northwestern part of the township, was built about the same time. In 1830, a blacksmith-shop was built by Joseph Danner, on the west side of the southeast quarter of Section 26 ; his land patent, for eighty acres, bears date the same year. In 1833, Dr. J. P. Love bought him out. From 1833 to 1837, coopering was' the most conspicuous mechanical business in the township, but there were also blacksmithshops, while shoemaking had begun to be quite a business outside of household manufacture ; pottery was carried on at Castine and elsewhere, and there was also a hatter's establishment in the place. From that time until 1842, we are credibly informed by an old resident, the little village did more business than ever before or since. These and the still earlier days of which we have spoken formed the log-cabin period. The old-fashioned spinning-wheel was in every home, the flax brake on every farm, and in every third or fourth house the loom did faithful service. Candle-molds went the rounds, and woe to the unlucky borrower who caused a dent therein. Splint-bottom chairs served the twofold purpose of seats and. when turned over, of racks, for the suspension of tallow dips in the formative stage. The distinction between base-burning parlor and cooking stoves had never entered the heads of the foremost families ; indeed, the only arrangement for both heating and culinary purposes was the old-time, wide-mouthed, friendly fireplace, save and except an occasional plain box-stove, made of unadorned plates of iron - and these were scarcer in the community then than pianos are now. Even as late as 1833 the township was a wilderness. Hardships had to be overcome, of course, and difficulties surmounted, but it should not be supposed that there were no compensating advantages. The pioneers not only lived, but lived well. Game, fish, wild fruits, berries, etc., were abundant and cheap. Clothing, though not stylish, was neat and comfortable, and cost little more than the labor necessary to make it. The habits of the people were simple, and their expenses light. Per contra. nearly all modern conveniences were wanting, and modern luxuries unthought of. The usual place for milling was at Frazier's stone mill, six miles down Twin Creek, in Preble County. The market was at Dayton and Cincinnati - thirty -two and sixty-two miles distant. Now the distance is two miles to the nearest shipping point, viz., Manchester, on the Dayton & Western Railroad. In 1830, the population of the township was 512 ; in 1870, 1,524.

New Castine

This is a village of 200 inhabitants, a little over twelve miles south from Greenville and six and a half miles southeast from New Madison. It is located on Sections 35 and 26, at the center of the east and west line between them, and one and a half miles within the eastern boundary of Butler Township. New Castine was laid out in 1832, on land that belonged to John Ellis, Joseph Danner and Frederick Smith. Dr. J. P. Love, who came in 1833, bought out Danner's and part of Smith's, and a man from Pennsylvania, Samuel Brosserman, bought the rest of Smith's interest. The original proprietors had. without legal notice or due course of law, got a surveyor to lay off lots and had commenced selling the same. when Mr. Love, who was somewhat posted in legal matters, informed them that they had no right so to do, and that for every lot they had sold the}- were liable to a fine of $50. A plat was immediately made, and the necessary steps taken to prevent prosecutions. Castine was incorporated in 1842-43, but the charter was allowed to expire through default of the citizens, and the place has now no corporate existence. Dr. J. P. Love occupied the first house built in Castine - on the northeast corner of Main and Main Cross streets. At the same time, another logcabin was put up by William Boswell, but not finished until afterward. Soon after, another was erected by George Hickman. The present "Eagle Hotel " was built by John L. Robinson, located at the southwest corner of the two principal streets. Russell Evans, now deceased, ran a hotel on the east side of Main street. the third lot from the corner. He began in the hotel business in 1843. He had been keeping a " grocery " here and there in rented quarters. His hotel was burned down in the fall of 1879. "The Eagle" was the first and only hotel built as such. It has changed hands man}' times. James Hanway was for a long time a resident of New Castine, but moved to Kansas in 1857. R. M. Pomeroy, now President of the Pacific Railway, sold goods here two years from 1838 to 1840. Pomeroy kept store at New Paris, then at Castine. then at Spartansburg, Ind., then at Cincinnati, and finally went to Boston. Mass. Dr. Love sold the first goods in New Castine and continued in the trade until 1838 ; he began again in 1842 and continued until 1851 ; for six years, he dealt in pork and hauled the cured meat to Cincinnati in wagons. He has only practiced medicine at intervals and upon urgent solicitation of his patrons. The following physicians have practiced in the village and township since 1833, viz..

Drs. Birt, Cooper, David Marsh, Stevens, Palmer, John L. Matchett, T. R. Luff, Isaac Thomas, Humphre}- and Frank Matchett, the two latter being the present resident physicians.

The United Brethren Church was built in 18-49, as before stated. Among the leading promoters of the enterprise were George Byers, Samuel Coblentz and Henry Wehrly. The Dunkard Church was built about eight years ago. Wendell Minnich, a preacher of that denomination, was the first man who worked up an interest in the matter. At first, the meetings were held in a house that was built for a potter's house, located on Lot No. 12. Minnich died some twenty years ago, after which his brother-in-law, George Syler, was preacher till the new house was erected eight years since. The Dunkards bought their lot of Frederick Trump. Among the early preachers in this vicinity was a Presbyterian named Cracken. William McCale preached in George Byers' barn in 1833. The United Brethren held meetings there, and also at Samuel Coblentz. For an account of the schools, see Township History.

Harrison is one of the very best townships in the county and is peopled by able and thrifty farmers, who are purchasing many of the small lots of land heretofore occupied as farms and attaching them to their first possessions. This shows fewer farms than in 1860. In other townships there are greater portions of the land unoccupied, and as it settles, population increases.

The township was erected May, 1818, from territory taken from the west end of Twin Township, and contained all of that township west of a line commencing at the southeast corner of Section 31, Town 10 north. Range 2 east, and running thence north to the township line. It was reduced to its present size in 1820. Numerous streams have their source within its boundary, the principal of which are East Branch of Greenville Creek, branches of Mud Creek fiowing northward and eastward, and the East Fork of Whitewater, which rises in the northeastern part and flows southeasterly through its lands. The Middle Fork of Whitewater flows across the northwest corner, while many springs gushing out from the hillsides contribute their waters, which by their natural channels supply abundance of water and an excellent natural drainage. Save in the northwest, the valleys of these streams and much of their basins were swamp}- and well-nigh impassable. In some places, there were tall rank grasses and swamp weeds ; in others, timber and thickets of vinous brush - brier}' and woven as a network of nature's weaving, while on higher ground bordering these were walnut, hackberry, sugar maple and oaks : in the southeastern part, beech predominated. The native scenery presents an appearance of a western forest repelling the settler from interference with its domain. Such were the general features of this region before the pioneer had chosen his home, or any surveyor had ventured to trace the boundaries of town or range. All was wood and swamp. Nature reigned in unbroken solitude save the song of birds, the graceful flight of deer, the nightly howl of wolves and the occasional unearthly screech of the American panther. Abundance of game, the rolling lands, the springs and streams were marked by explorers.

Ishmael Bunch, one of the earliest settlers of Wayne Co.. Ind.. if o-enerallv accepted tradition maybe accepted, built a log cabin and lived some time previous to the Indian outbreak on land now included in Harrison Township, but he was rather a roaming frontiersman than a pioneer settler, and depended more upon his rifle than upon his plow for subsistence.

Before the war of 1812, the Brawleys, Purviances and McClures, had made entries in the southern part along the present beautiful East Fork Valley, but the hostile attitude of the Indians compelled them to seek more secure quarters for their families. Some went to the fort at Greenville and some to the older settlements south. Again the lands were left to solitude and the rude attempts at settlement, but served to make the wilderness more wild and strange. Soon after the treaty at Greenville, the families above mentioned returned and repaired the work begun, and entered anew upon the clearing-up of lands for future farms. They were shortly after joined by William and John Wade, who located farther north and near to Fort Black, and by Zadoc and John Smith, whose entr}- included the old fort, while James Emerson. Joseph Gist, the Tillsons and the Harlands, selected lands lying along the Middle Branch of Whitewater. The ring of the woodman's ax. and the triumphant shout of the pioneers as the last log was placed by the " corner men"' upon each new cabin, proclaimed the progress of civilization here.

So rapid was settlement that by 1817, Zadoc Smith was encouraged to attempt the speculative movement of laying out a town at Fort Black. This old fort was established during the fall of 1813 by Lieut. Black, of a company commanded by Capt. Nesbitt, who at the same time built a fort in Preble County. David Baldwin, now of Kansas, aided to build the fort, and was for some time one of its garrison. Mr. Smith platted a tract of land near the fort, which was for many years and till its incorporation called by the name of Fort Black. On Christmas Da}'. 1817, a public sale of town lots was held, but the sequel proved that he had anticipated the needs of the times. Henry Hutton and Frederick Fulke were the only purchasers who built upon lots then sold; nevertheless, there were besides the families of these two men, Dennis Hart, Judson Jaqua and the Lawrences, in the neighborhood which became known as Yankee Town ; Solomon and Jonathan Thomas, southwest of Madison; John and Aaron Kush, on Section 11 (?) and 14; Thomas Micham, on Section 16 ; John Downing, on Section 10 ; Frances Spencer, on Section 3 ; Samuel Boberts, at Fort Nesbitt, and his brother George, on Section 29, and John and Jacob Miller, Daniel Owens, David, James P. and Daniel Edwards and John Watson were in the central part and north of Fort Nesbitt. There was also John Tibbs, who gave his time to hunting, and David Gibbs and Newland, millwrights, and Bobert Campbell, in the southwest portion. The openings had grown numerous, clearings were no longer far between, and now the township was constituted and the people entered upon a government for themselves. Among additional settlers were Ernestus Putnam, Solomon Broderick, James Wooden (who were the first Justices of the Peace in the township), M. Buckingham, Nazareth Bunch, John Carrier, William Jones, Daniel Forkner, Jonathan Thomas, the Motes brothers, John Foster, E. Lovall and Thomas Gray. The lands of 1830 had all been entered, and some localities presented an appearance of a continued occupation. It must be borne in mind that these settlers came not as emigrants go to Kansas and other Western countries, upon the railroad. Neither had they cash in hand, nor an abundant outfit. The greater number were sons and daughters of the pioneer families of Kentucky, older portions of Ohio and the enterprising of Eastern and Southern States. Putnam and Foulke came from Washington, D. C. Here having married, they sought permanent homes, and being poor, their outfit was indeed meager. In some cases, a horse, a cow, a few swine, and some rude tools for felling trees and cultiva ting the ground. Those who came from Kentucky, especially, had a horse and a few cooking utensils. They journeyed, some on foot, while others more fortunate had teams. Generally two or three families came together, and had a wagon and team in common. Such was the case with McClure and his sons, the Wade brothers, the Smiths, Tillson and sons and the Harlands. In their course, they traveled over the new roads of the older settlements, as most not from the older portions of Ohio came in by way of Cincinnati, up the Miami from Dayton and the Stillwater, or up the Whitewater via llichmond to or near the present Miami Count}' line. They then struck through the woods, sometimes being compelled to cut their own wa}- until the}' reached the spot which husband or friend had previously selected. The family sometimes entered a cabin provided months before by these pioneers, while other times the immigrant sought temporary shelter in the cabin of a neighbor, while yet others made rude shelter until a cabin could be built.

It is surprising to us, and creditable to the discernment of these pioneers, that in the rough of nature they should have seen the wealth of their lands and so wisely selected them. To cut away the trees and brush, and to erect a cabin, was to these woodmen their easiest labor, as all within reasonable distance were ever ready to leave their own work to aid a neighboring old or new settler, whether friend or stranger ; but how to provide for their families until the ground could be made to yield its increase was a subject uppermost in mind, and injury by weather or animals was dreaded, for they had no money to purchase supplies if their own resources failed them. Frequently, the family was left while the father or husband went upon long and wearisome journeys to the older settlements upon the Miami or the Whitewater Valleys, and, at times, to Kentucky, where supplies could be obtained from friends or acquaintances. Unavoidable and unexpected delays in their return, which sometimes occurred, would occasion alarm, and, not infrequently, the privations of hunger were endured. Had not the first settlers possessed natural ingenuity, developed by a frontier life, their progress, situated as they were, so distant from any mercantile or manufacturing center, would have been rendered almost impossible. The " openings " with growing crops, the rattle of the bells upon the cows in the deadening or in the woods, the voices of children and the neighborly visits of settlers, presented scenes pleasant and prophetic.

When a crop had been raised, it was almost worth the meal or flour to get it ground. Daniel Riegel relates that, as late as the winter of 1842-43, he went to Covington from Butler Township with a grist, found several others ahead of him and the mill frozen up ; left his grain and returned home till the weather softened, then went back and helped to loosen the wheel, at the first revolution of which, the weight of ice that went over broke the wheel ; after which, he was compelled to take his grist to a mill on the Whitewater, below Paris, traveling, in all, going and coming, over ninety miles to get his flour. Some went down on the Whitewater, some to Stillwater, while others journeyed to Adams' mill, on Greenville Creek. These trips were prominent undertakings. They were made, mainly, on horseback, and, when the water was low, settlers traveled thirty or forty miles to mill, and some of the first settlers even went to Dayton in order to get wheat flour. A produce market was unknown ; provisions were raised and pork was fattened to eat. Clothing was not bought, but made. Ernestus Putnam, who had kept a little store at his house at Fort Black and was Supervisor, built, mainly at his own expense, a log road and bridge across the East Fork swamp. Aaron Rush was the chief contractor, and the money thus obtained probably saved his being compelled to relinquish his " claim." The Miami Canal was completed to Dayton in 1829, thus placing Darke County many miles nearer the commercial world, and causing the settlers to look forward more hopefully.

The settlers earlier named were of the better class of pioneers. Nearly every one remained upon and improved his lands. Few of them now survive. Mr. Samuel Roberts and George Roberts, who still reside where they first settled in 1817, are of the number. From Mrs. Roberts, now in her eighty-fourth year, is obtained the full, accurate statement of early settlers. Solomon Thomas and Henry Hutton [Henry Hutton died since this narrative was written - the last of April, 1880], who are now upward of ninety years of age, are residents of New Paris. There is a Mrs. Keener, residing in German Township, who was the wife of a son of Frances Harter and Solomon Harter, who was a lad when his father settled on that tier of sections which at first belonged to Harrison, and in 1820 was assigned to Butler. Such is the short roll-call of surviving pioneers.

Moral principles and intelligence have ever been known as essential factors to the stability and growth of our country, and these were characteristics of the pioneers of Harrison.

Such was John Purviance, a descendant of David Purviance, who was prominent in the organization of the first Christian Church in Kentuck}\ At his home, meetings and schools were occasionally held, as, also, at the house of Samuel

McClure, who was both preacher and teacher, conscientious and philanthropic - a ' good man. John Forster, Isaac Mains and William Polly were all early preachers of the Christian denomination. The efforts of such families as the Tillsons, Har lands and Pollys and of Solomon Broderick, produced a wholesome moral and religious sentiment in the southern and western part of the township. At Fort Black, lived Ernestus Putnam, a strict Presbyterian, and there were John Rush, John Downing, Jiidson Jaqua, Hart, and others, who were men of good character and public spirited. Jacob Miller was of marked intelligence, but his moral influence was not of the best. The first house built for public worship was a log meeting-house, near where Friendship Church now stands. There are now eight churches in the township, viz.: one Presbyterian, one Methodist and one Universalist, at New Madison ; one Christian at Hollansburg. and one each of Christian, Presbyterian, New Light and United Brethren elsewhere in the township. It was also used as a schoolhouse, wherein John Purvianee taught the first school, supported by subscription. The first schoolhouse, intended as such, was built at Yankeetown, in 1819. and Moses Woods was the first teacher there. The second was built upon Section 16, and William Hill was the first to teach in it. The township now has six district schools, besides the school at Hollandsburg, which includes two districts, and the school at Madison, of which mention is later made. A brief sketch of New Madison will be read with interest in this connection. We have referred to the Christmas auction of lots and the few sales made. It seems that the attempted sale was made an occasion of a regular pioneer jollification, but its failure was disheartening to Smith, who, in 1819, sold his entire claim to Ernestus Putnam, who had entered the quarter-section just west of Smith. The purchaser bought up all lots sold, vacated the plat, and, in 1831, surveyed New Madison by laying off seventeen lots on each side of what is now Main street, beginning with the lot where the old tannery stands and running south on the east side of the street and back on the west side. Mr. Putnam kept the first store in the place, to which he transferred his stock from Fort Black. A Mr. Hyde was the first blacksmith. At the southeast corner of the new plat, a rectangularshaped piece of land remained, upon which Putnam placed a log house and donated both lot and house to the people for school purposes. This was the first schoolhouse within the limits of the present corporation. He and John Wade also gave a piece of ground for a cemetery, provided public ground for a militia parade, and, when a church was needed, he gave the ground, and he and others built the present brick church and gave it for the use of the public, with the restriction that it should be used by orthodox denominations only. Before the church was built, Mr. Putnam, who was the prime mover in the undertaking, made several propositions toward securing co-operation. Several gave sums ranging from $50 downward. The Foulkes and Hollingsheads gave t>50 ; Mrs. Wilson (now the only survivor) gave $50 ; Mrs. Carson, $50 ; Dr. Kilpatrick, $50, and the Lawrences, the Schribers, the Rittenours, etc., varying smaller amounts. The church was erected in 1847. Mr. Putnam superintended the work ; Jason Downing was one of the brickmasons ; William Biddle did a large part of the woodwork. It was not until several years after the church was built that funds were subscribed to purchase a bell, and the bell was not put up until after the German Reformed Church had possession of the building, which occurred in the latter part of 1857. After the church wras built, there was for some time no regular preaching by Presbyterian ministers, but frequent services by preachers of that and other ortho dox denominations. Rev. Benj. 0. Springer came here about two years after the church was built, and he was succeeded by Peter Crocker, who preached frequently, but did not occupy all the time, until 1855-5<>. In 1857, Rev. Voght, of the (4ernian Reformed Church, awakened a great interest here and organized a church, af. which time Mr. Putnam joined the new organization and the Presbyterian Church was turned over to its use. he himself appointing the following Trustees, viz., Elias Barter, Robert Snodgrass and Echard Worch. Mr. Snodgrass died, and

Daniel Ream was appointed his successor. For over twenty-one years, the German Reformed Church held and occupied the property under quitclaim limitations, hut now have the ownership in fee simple. At present, there are services every two weeks by the German Reformed and United Brethren denominations, alternately. A union Sabbath school is held at 9:30 o'clock A. M. every Sunday. Average attendance, seventy-five. Among the Superintendents have been Wallace Jones, L. Adair, J. M. Adair, John 0. Harter, James Armacost, E. Lockett, H. Seig, David Wheeler, Elias Harter. D. Lott is the present Superintendent. The church and Sunday school are provided with an organ.