Monroe Township

Monroe Township

In the month of June, 1834, Gideon Johnson and George Hubbard employed a surveyor and laid out forty-five lots on Section 12, Township 13 north. Range 1 west, and named the village thus founded Monrovia - a variation of the name of the township. The first merchants were Gideon Johnson and Ira Hadley, each of whom owned a store. If one began selling before the other, such fact is not now remembered. In 1887, Mr. Johnson sold out to Thomas Edwards & Co., for $600, Lots 1, 2, 13 and 14, Block 3, together with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging. This company was composed of Thomas Edwards, I. B. Edwards and C. G. Hussey. This company owned about $2,000 worth of a general assortment of goods. About the time this sale was effected, John Carter laid out an addition of sixteen lots to the town. Mr. Hadley still continued his business, taking in a partner in 1888. Mr. Johnson must have opened another store soon after his sale, as he took out a license in 1839 to sell merchandise. Eli Vestal was an early merchant in the village. Henry and Noah York engaged in the same pursuit early in the forties. Irvin Caveness was the first tavern keeper. Samuel Wilhite and John Valentine were probably the first blacksmiths. A man named Half hill opened a saddle and harness shop, and John Edwards began making wagons. The growth of the village, though not rapid, was steady and permanent. For several years, beginning about 1842, there was no store in town. This is said to have been due to the hard times resulting from the crash of 1837. Owen Johnson opened a store about 1845, and soon afterward Ira Hadley resumed his business, which had been temporarily abandoned. Collins, an Irishman, opened a store about 1850. Milton Lindley was engaged in the same pursuit about the same time, or possibly before. Benjamin Young came in with goods a little later, and Porter & Breedlove still later. After them came Samuel Hadley, Joseph Fulghman, M. B. Shaw, Butler & Mendenhall, Mendenhall & Thompson, W. B. Thompson, Philips & Johnson, R. P. Johnson & Co., and several others, whose names are forgotten. A steam grist mill was built in the town not far from the year 1837, and was the first of the kind in the central part of the State. But the machinery was too rude to compete yet with the numerous powerful water mills, and the mill proved a failure, and was soon abandoned, and the machinery was removed. George Hadley built a wool-carding establishment about 1840, the motor being cattle on an inclined plane. It passed to Silas Gregory, who conducted it until about 1850. No spinning or weaving was done. A man named Dunning manufactured saddles quite extensively in the forties. Halfhill followed the same occupation. Ira Fowler owned a distillery some distance south of town, where lovers of ardent spirits could secure their favorite potations. Mershon was a cabinet and coffin maker, and was probably the first undertaker in the town. Mr. Caveness kept a shoe shop in connection with his tavern. William Wisner conducted a tannery, beginning about 1836. It is said that Joseph Pray started the business, but soon sold out to Wisner. A saw mill was conducted in connection with the steam grist mill. Harris & Goddard built the present steam grist mill in 1856. A woolen mill was added to it. John McDaniel bought both mills about 1861, but soon sold out to Charles Smith, who made money during the war. Hadley & Taylor succeeded Smith. In about 1868, the two mills were separated, each being owned by different parties. John Stanton bought the woolen mill, and Hadley & Taylor owned the grist mill. Mr. Taylor is the present owner of the grist mill. The woolen mill was an important industry. Spinning and weaving was done. Flannels, jeans and other cloths were manufactured. Various other industries have flourished from time to time, but the above are the more important.

Present Business Interests

Dry goods, Samuel Philips, Pacely Thompson ; drugs, J. C. Hiatt & Co., McCracken Brothers; groceries, Hobbs & Johnson, Wilson Brothers, Fish & Son, S. H. Henley ; hardware and agricultural implements, Hobbs & Johnson ; milliners, Johnson Sisters, Alma JeflFries, Mattie Hubbard ; barber, Henry Book ; grist mill, Albert Taylor ; harness, J. H. Hunt ; livery, Daniel Brewer; photographer, Mr. Calvert; tile factory, John M. Davis ; carriages and wagons, Henry Binkley ; undertaker, Jerry Wellman.

A newspaper was started in the town about 1880, by a man named Stotzell. After a checkered career of about six months, it became de- ' funct. Late in the sixties, the village became the " incorporated town of Monrovia." Ordinances were adopted, streets were drained, sidewalks were built, etc., but after a few years the municipal government was abandoned.

It is not positively known where the first school was taught, as several years elapsed after the first settlement before an attempt was made to establish a school in the township, owing to the fact that within a mile or two- in Brown Township, good schools had been started some years before, and the older children in Monroe could attend there during the winter months, and the younger ones during the summer months, which was then regarded as sufficient schooling for large and small children for the year. It is likely that terms of school were hefd in private residences before the first established school came iato existence. The first school of which any distinct remembrance is had was taught in the West Union Church east of Monrovia during the winter of 1832-33 by Joshua Lindley. He was paid by subscription, and had a full school. David Lindley taught in the church after him. At the end of about three years, the Quakers built a schoolhouse adjoining the church, and in this building Evan Hadley was the first teacher. After that date the school was one of the best in the northern part of the county. A schoolhouse was built west of Monrovia about 1836. A school was also started up in the southeastern part and another in the northeastern part about the same time. In each of these neighborhoods, however, terms of school had been taught in private houses for several years before the public schools were firmly established. The first teacher in Monrovia was a well-educated man named Butterfield, who taught a three months' term during the winter of 1837-38, in a schoolhouse that had been erected the summer and autumn before.

Mr. Butterfield was an educator in advance of his time, and was regarded as a "crank" on the subject of his own theories of public instruction. Instead of being really " cranky," he simply earnestly favored and publicly advocated a system of education, which has since developed into the high schools of to-day. The only difference between his theory and the present system was the manner of obtaining funds for the support of the schools. It is stated that he favored public taxation for the support of the schools for the masses, but as his theory in this respect was unpopular in his day, or more specifically at Monrovia, he took the next best course he could, and urged the support of public schools by systematic rate bills and tuition. He was very energetic, and issued a printed circular, advertising his school, specifying the branches taught, the tuition required and asking for pupils who were promised unusual advantages in acquiring a higher education than could be secured at the insignificant subscription schools then starting into life throughout the township. But there were three serious obstacles in the way of the success of the enterprise of Mr. Butterfield : First - It cost considerable to attend his school. Second - There was no demand for advanced education. Third - The theories of Mr. Butterfield were regarded as unusual, suspicious, if not unjust. The result was that the school was a failure, and Mr. Butterfield left in disgust for more promising fields. Within fifteen years after he left, the very system he had advocated became the most popular and judicious plan of public education ever established up to that time. The common school system of to-day is the child of this advance. This school of Mr. Butterfield's was taught in a portion of the " Monrovia House," yet standing and in use.

The first schoolhouse in Monrovia was erected about 1858, the town children before that going east and west to the district schools. The house built was an ordinary frame structure, which was used until the two-storied brick building was erected about four years ago. The house is 28x64 feet, has four rooms in which four teachers are necessary to instruct the town youth, cost about $4,000, and is a credit to the town, which surpasses any other in the county, in proportion to population, in activity in the cause of education. The school is thoroughly graded, and competent in- structors are employed. Sooa after the last war, the citizeas of Monrovia and vicinity organized a Teachers' Institute, which is still in existence. The citizens subscribed liberally to support the institute, encouraged the valuable course of instruction and drill afforded the teachers, and those citizens who were competent lectured to the assembled teachers on questions of education and school government. In view of the diflSculty attending an organization of this character - the great expense, the smallness of the town, and the limited number of teachers likely to attend - the enterprise has been remarkably prosperous, the influence much more widely felt than was thought possible,' and the zeal of teachers and citizens in the cause of education places the little town head and shoulders above every other portion of the county. Not content with this excellent showing, the teachers and citizens, in March, 1882, organized the " Monrovia Normal and High School Association," every public-spirited citizen of the vicinity subscribing from $5 to $25 for its support. This association is yet in its infancy, yet the future will, no doubt, record its important achievements.

It is likely that the first religious class organized in Monroe Township was the one known as the West Union Meeting of Friends, which had its origin late in the twenties, from the older or parent class of Friends in Brown Township. Amonc; the members were George Rubottom, William Johnson, Aaron Lindley, Jerry Hadley, William Allen, Ashley Johnson, Philip Johnson, Eli Townsend, Jesse Baldwin, Jonathan Doan, Sr., Jonathan Doan, Charles Allen, Lot Hadley, Silas Gregory and others. Their frame church was built in 1832. This class is yet in existence.

The Methodist class at Monrovia was organized soon after 1840, by Rev. H. S. Dane, who was the pastor for a number of years. Some of the members were Edward Lindley, Walker Caveness, Isaac Johnson, William Mull, Joel 0. McOlellan, 0. Marvin, D. 0. Doan, James R. Williams, William Best, A. M. Dilley, J. K. Best, James Hudson, L. B. Lewis and others. The pastor in 1856 was Rev. J. R. Williams. Their church was built about 1850.

The Christian Church at Monrovia was established in the sixties. Among the leading members were Jeremiah Wellman, Dr. Reagan, Joseph Allison and Robert McCracken.

The Methodist Church in the southeastern part of the township was organized about 1835, some of the early members being James Demoss, Thomas Grisham, Peter Farmer, Simon Hadley, William Tansey, Able Tansey, Jesse Tansey, William Hornaday and others. Meetings were often held at the houses of Thomas Grisham and James Demoss. After a number of years, 'their church was built. The Antioch Methodist Church east of Monrovia was established at a later date. Their church is worth about $700. The township has excellent religious advantages.

The Undbrground Railroad

One of the things of which the citizens of Monroe Township boast is the position taken by the older residents on the question of slavery. The anti-slavery sentiment came to the county with that noble class of

Christian people, the Friends, and from the earliest settlement until slavery was blotted out of the nation, no opportunity was lost to strike it a blow. Anti-slavery societies were organized at an early day, and public measures were adopted to bring the enormity of the "institution" squarely before the public eye. The Friends posted themselves thoroughly on the question from a social, moral and Biblical standpoint, and managed to "worst" those of sufficient courage to meet them in public debate. The Underground Railroad was an organization to assist runaway slaves, escaping from their masters, on their way to Canada. The Friends everywhere were prominently connected with this route, or routes, rather, as hundreds of different paths extended from the Southern States to the dominion of the British Queen. The procedure was a violation of the law of the land, but the Friends and Abolitionists knew they were right morally, and deliberately disobeyed the law. The routes were called " underground " because they were usually only operated at night to avoid detection and pursuit. Slaves that were worth from $600 to $1,200 each were not permitted to leave their masters without an effort being made to capture them. Bloodhounds were used, and every other measure to secure their return. The Friends constantly thwarted the slave catchers. A slave who made up his mind to run away would ascertain about the route to be taken, and get the name of the first Friend on the route, and just where his residence could be found. Then, under the cover of night, with his little bundle of clothes on his shoulder, he would resolutely turn his face northward, and make for the first station on his way. If that point was reached about morning, the agent of the railroad would feed the tired traveler, and then secrete him in some safe place about the premises until night came, when horses would be hitched to carriages or wagons, and the runaway would be rapidly driven northward ten or fifteen miles to the next station. If considerable time yet remained before morning, the agent of the second station would hitch up as the first agent had done, and convey the slave to the third station, and the first agent would return home. In this way, after the lapse of many weeks, often through the direst dangers of pursuit, the slave would be safely landed in Canada, where pursuit would end, and where the hunted man would draw his first breath of freedom. Two or three routes extended across Morgan County, all of them passing through Monroe or Brown Township. All of the Quakers were ready to assist runaway slaves, as were many Abolitionists who were not Quakers, but only a few men in the county were really members of the organization called " Underground Railroad." The leading members in Monroe Township were Jonathan Doan and his sons and relatives. They were known to take many a runaway to some point in Marion or Hendricks County. On one occasion, they conveyed a load of five slaves northward. They no doubt helped off scores of them. Eli J. Sumner, of Mooresville, was a prominent Abolitionist, but he did not belong to the railroad, though he did not hesitate an instant if a slave called upon him for assistance. William Bowles was the agent at Morgantowu ; Mr. Kelso also. Several at Martinsville afforded assistance, though none there were members of the organization. Many now claim to have been connected with the road who at the time were either neutral or inclined to capture the runaways and return them to their masters and get the large reward.