East Liberty, Indiana

William and James Black and Joseph Rabbit, were the first white men who entered this township with the view of making a permanent settlement within its limits. They came from Carroll County, Ohio, in the fall of 1839, and settled on Section 32. They came endowed with the courage and fortitude characteristic of our first settlers, to endure the bitter trials incident to the settle¬ ment of a new country, the absence of social privileges, remoteness from markets, and the severe physical exertions which were necessary to make their home in the wilderness habitable or productive of the means of subsistence. Their axes were the only instruments which could be effectually used, and the necessities of their loved ones added a zest to the energy with which they waged their warfare against the giants of the forests - the future to crown their labors with reward. The Messrs. Black and Mr. Rabbit succeeded in developing farms, upon which they resided for several yeais, after which they sold out and moved to Adams County, Ind.

Passage source: History of Allen County, Indiana., published 1880.

Samuel Clem came- in February, 1841, and settled on Section 28. He was an enterprising man, and, during his life, did much for the advancement of the township. John Stephenson came in the spring of 1841, and settled on Section 4, where he still resides. James Savage and Peter Barnhart settled near the present site of Monroeville, in the same year (1841). Mr. Savage subsequently removed to Fort Wayne, where he died. Mr. Barnhart died at his home in this township.

Passage source: History of Allen County, Indiana., published 1880.

The first store was kept by Martin Kemp, at East Liberty, soon after the founding of that village. He had a stock of liquors, and a- few articles of mer¬ chandise; but his store was not a profitable institution, and after a short resi¬ dence, he removed to another locality. After his removal, Judge Reynolds and James Patterson opened, at East Liberty, a stock of general merchandise, and conducted a successful business for several years. They finally sold to Peter Whipky and David Studebaker, by whom the business was conducted until the decline of the village, consequent upon the trade being diverted from this center to Monroeville.

Passage source: History of Allen County, Indiana., published 1880.

Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.

Read the whole chapter on Monroe Township - it names this place 6 more 6 times.