Neptune, Ohio

The seat of the township, has a history extending over nearly 70 years. Its founder, William Bonafield, was one of the pioneers of Mercer County, coming into the county as early as 1823 or 1824, and settling first in Dublin township, near the village of Mercer. About 1827 or 1828 he entered land in Center township where Neptune is now located and moved there with his family. He was the first settler within three miles of the site of the present town except a man by the name of Crawford, who lived half a mile east of Mr. Bonafield. On December 2, 1837, he laid out a town, which he called Neptune. Shortly after he settled here, he engaged in the hotel business, keeping what was called a travelers' home for the accommodation of the extensive travel on the old Fort Wayne road. He was a carpenter by trade and followed this in connection with farming and hotel-keeping throughout life. He died January 1, 1841. About 1838 Benjamin Nichols came to Center township from Pennsylvania and stopped with Mr. Bonafield at Neptune for several years and after the death of Mr. Bonafield took charge of the hotel and store and conducted the business for many years. Jason and Atwater Hall and their families settled in Neptune in 1839. Soon after came "Doc." Keyser, who spent a long life in the town. Henry Lakamp moved to the town in 1865 and opened up a large country store, which he conducted for many years. The fact that the old plank road from St. Marys to Fort Wayne, Indiana, ran through the town made Neptune quite a good trading point in its early history, but this has all passed away and we find the old town to-day with not as much business as it had many years ago. Owing to its favorable location in the township, it formerly had a postoffice but now it has none; Uncle Sam through his rural mail carriers makes Celina the distributing point for Neptune and the people have their daily mail delivered at their doors - no more hack or horseback mail for Neptune. The Center township High School is located at Neptune and is considered one of the best in the county. The town also has a number of churches. The present population is about 150.

Passage source: History of Mercer County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, published 1907.

Michael Harner was one of the earliest pioneers of the county; he was born in Maryland, January 18, 1794, fought in the War of 1812 and came to Mercer County in 1819, locating in Dublin township, half a mile south of where the village of Mercer now stands. In 1820 he moved into Center township and settled on 160 acres of land, where he passed the remainder of his days. William Bonafield was also one of the earliest settlers of Center township, as were other early residents of Neptune mentioned previously. Wesley Copeland located here as early as 1834. In 1835 the Spicer family moved to Center township, Mercer County, from Miami County, Ohio, being among the first settlers in the township. Samuel Davis came to Mercer County in 1834 and at first located in Union township, afterwards moving into Center, where he passed the remainder of his days. William Cain and C. L. S. Shanklin, natives of Virginia, also came to this township in 1837. Stephen Howick, who came from England to America in 1831 and landed at Quebec, proceeded thence to Buffalo and thence to Lancaster, Ohio, where he was engaged in brick-making until 1835; in that year he removed to St. Marys, where he remained until 1837, when he moved upon an 80-acre tract of land in Center township, where he made his home until within a few years of his death, which occurred at the home of his son David in Celina. Mr. Howick lived to see the forest cleared away and beautiful farms with elegant homes surround him where once was the habitation of the wolf, wild deer and turkey, which "Uncle" Stephen delighted to hunt when he first came to the county.

Passage source: History of Mercer County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, published 1907.

Center township has three societies of the Church of God, viz. : Beery Bethel, Fairview and Neptune, all of which are served by Rev. H. B. Croft. The Church of God at Beery Bethel was organized by Elder Cump in 1853, with 10 members, namely: Christian Beery and wife, Benjamin Beery and wife, Daniel Beougher and wife, Jesse Gile and wife and Joseph Good and wife. Jesse Gile was the first elder and Benjamin Beery, the first deacon. A frame church building was erected in i860 at a cost of about $600. - The Church of God at Fairview was organized at the home of Jesse Keyser in 18 66 by Elder Small with some 12 or 15 members. A frame church building was erected in 1867 at a cost of about $800. - The Church of God at Neptune was organized in 1869 by Elder Warner with 43 members. They built a frame church in 1878 at a cost of about $1,000. When the society was organized, A. J. Fast was elected elder and Edward Kelly, deacon.

Passage source: History of Mercer County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens, published 1907.

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 Center Township - it names this place 1 more 1 time.