Lanier Township

Mc Sherry

MC QUISTON continued William P., 224 MC SHANE and Brown, 311 J. A., 314 MC SHERRY Washington, 50 MC VEY James, 268, 269 MC WHINEY Wesley, 42 MC WHINNEY

Source changes here: from History of Preble County Ohio: Her People, Industries and Institutions, by R. E. Lowry, published 1915; 2,938 words in this source stream.

Lanier Township

The history of the organization of Lanier township is fully given in the chapter on Organization of the County. Twin creek, with its source in Darke bounty, enters the township near the east line of section 3, and, flowing nearly a general south course, passes out of the township near the western line of section 35, then bends east across sections 2 and 3, into Montgomery county, finally finding its outlet in the Miami river south of Carlisle Station.

The main tributaries of Twin creek are Aukerman creek, from the west, which unites with the main stream in section 35, and Banta creek, which has its source in section 13, Jefferson township, flows across Monroe, Washington and Twin townships, enters Lanier township in section 5 and flows southeast into Twin creek near the south line of section 10. Haldermans branch, from the west, and Leslie's run, from the east, are smaller streams in the drainage area. It will be noticed that Twin creek follows the rule of the county; that the western drainage slope is much greater than the eastern drainage slope.

Along the main streams are wide stretches of bottom land of unexcelled fertility, which once were more productive than now, because the owners many times have abused them. One field pointed out to the writer some years ago had been put in corn for over thirty successive years. The farmers are doing better now. Along the three main streams the land is somewhat broken, but not for any considerable distance from the streams, for shortly after the slopes are climbed the land becomes level, or gently rolling land, of clay soil, underlaid with limestone subsoil and very fertile.

Extending nearly east and west across the township near the center is a comparatively high ridge, passing about one-half mile south of Ingomar, and thence into Montgomery county. From this ridge the waters flow northerly or southerly down its slopes to their outlets finally into Twin creek. The ridge seems to have been highest just west of where Twin creek, when formed, cut the ridge in two, to form its channel, and this ridge, or hilltop, at that place is named after an early settler as the Morningstar hill, or Rattlesnake hill, from the old cave. This hill is some seventy-five or eighty feet higher than West Alexandria and is capped with a layer of Clinton limestone, some fifteen feet thick, which in many places crops out. Along the lower slopes of the ridge there are many fine springs of water, two or three flowing several thousand gallons daily.

Early Settlement

There is but little doubt that Jacob Parker was the first settler in the township, and probably the first white man to build a cabin in the county, for family tradition has it that as early as the year 1798, before the United States surveyor laid off the sections, he came back to the Twin creek bottoms, southeast of West Alexandria, and built his cabin near the old camp of Wayne's soldiers, as related elsewhere. He found this a lonesome job, and also apparently realized that "it was not good for man to be alone," for he returned to near Middletown. In 1803, however, he returned and resided during the remainder of his life on the northeast quarter of section 3, dying in 1848. His son, Peter Parker, always claimed to be the first white boy born in the county, and that he was born five or six months before George D. Hendrix. Martin Ruple came to the township with Jacob Parker in 1803 and settled on the southeast quarter of section 3.

In 1804 John Aukerman settled on Aukerman creek, and later moved to a point just east of Eaton. In the same year Jacob Loy, from Maryland, settled in section 2. He was related by marriage to Parker, who married Mary Loy.

In 1805 Peter Vanausdal, from Virginia, settled on section 10. About 1806, John Vanausdal, the father of Peter and Cornelius, came and settled in section 10, and with John came his son-in-law, Christian Van Doren, who settled near him. About the year 1805 Jacob Fudge, from Virginia, with his brother David, settled in section 34. In 1808 he was elected the first sheriff of the county and served two terms. It seems, however, that he had small liking for public office, for some four or five years after his term expired one of his friends wished to nominate him in convention for another office, because Fudge's popularity would strengthen the ticket, but Jacob argued with his friend against it, finally agreeing that if the friend would keep still he would give him three quarts of good whisky. Jacob bought the whisky.

Benedict Stoner, from Maryland, settled on Twin creek, east of West Alexandria, in 1805, and in the same year Christian Halderman, John Halderman, Jacob Shewnian and John Kaylor, from Virginia, settled in section 32. In the same year Henry and Peter Eikenberry settled near Wheatville.

In 1806 Samuel Teal, from Maryland, settled near the mouth of Aukerman creek, and is said to have been one of the first Dunkards in the county. In the same year came John Price, who settled just west of West Alexandria ; David Louts, on Banta fork; Michael Wolf, on Banta fork, and Abraham and Albert Banta, on the stream that since has borne the name, and a little later Peter Banta joined them. In this same year Jacob Neff came from Virginia.

About 1807 James Dennison came and settled on Twin creek. Some twenty years later his son James erected the mill known as Dennison's mill, later known as Gregg's mill, which is now gone.

About 1808 William Campbell came from Kentucky and settled south of West Alexandria, where he started a tannery, which he operated for a number of years. He was the father of John V. Campbell, first probate judge of the county. In the same year Jacob Lesh settled in section 18 and Samuel Mitchell settled in section 29. Henry Young settled on Aukerman creek, northwest of Gratis, in 1809.

In 1811 James Cloyd, who came from Virginia, settled in section 26, and in the same year Jacob Deardorff settled in section 8 and Jacob Heckman settled near Wheatville.

John Black came in 1813 and purchased land in sections 3 and 4. Some of this land is yet owned by his grandson, S. S. Black, just south of West Alexandria. Later came many others whose names are yet common in the township. It is not intended that the above shall be accepted as a complete list of all the early settlers, but only of those most easily traced, including a large number of the names common now; for those early settlers left no trace of race suicide.

Schools And Churches

The first school house was built in 1809, in section 29 - a cabin of course - and built like the pioneer school house described elsewhere in these pages. Abraham Halderman was one of the pupils who received schooling in this house. A year or so later a school was started in a cabin on Jacob Parker's farm.

The township now has nine school houses, but on March 20, 1914, a vote was taken on the questions of centralization of the schools and the issuing of bonds therefor to the amount of fifty-eight thousand dollars. Both questions

The first church in the township was organized by the Dunkards, pr German Baptists, now called the Church of the Brethren. This church started about the year 1806, at the home of Samuel Teal, the Aukermans.and Haldermans also being present, and for several years services were held at the diffeemt homes thereabout. Later the Dunkards built a church known as the Brower church, some distance south of West Alexandria. About 1858 they built a church in the northwest quarter of section 2, called Sugar Hill church, and there laid out a cemetery. About the year 1861 they built a church in the southeast quarter of section 19, called Wheatville church. The Brower church has long since gone, and only old men can speak of its exact location. The Sugar Hill church numbers about one hundred members, with a Sunday school enrollment of about seventy-five. The Wheatville church has a membership of about one hundred and a Sunday school enrollment of about the same number. Aaron Brubaker is the pastor.

About 1882 or 1883, a number of the brethren drew off and erected a church about one-half mile east of Daddsville, for the "Old Order" Brethren, which locally was known as the Cloyd meeting house. About the year 1911 the location of this church along, and so near, the traction line proving unsatisfactory', the congregation moved and rebuilt it, about a quarter of a mile south of Daddsville. They have a membership of some sixty or seventy.

In 1882 or 1883, after several years of discussion and quiet dissension, there occurred what may be termed a friendly secession, although at that time there was some bitterness, among the German Baptists at Wheatville and neighborhood, and a part called the "Old Order" Brethren, drew off and erected a frame church near the center of section 17, on the farm of Joseph Flora, hence locally called the Flora church, which now numbers about one hundred members, with S. Leedy and J. C. Brubaker as elders.

The Methodists, about 1835, organized a class at Enterprise, at the house of Henry Eidson, and this class grew until, three or four years later, a log church was built, which in 1858 gave way to a brick church on the hilltop north of Enterprise. The church dwindled away until there were fewer than a dozen members. It seemed then to revive, but not for long, and about 1891 the church was rented to the Evangelical Lutheran congregation and finally sold to the latter. Later that congregation changed its place of worship to Ingomar, and, about 1906, the building was sold and demolished.

Shortly after the close of the Civil War a class of the Evangelical Lutheran church was formed in and about Enterprise, the members going to church at Farmersville and West Alexandria. In 1872 this class was organized into a society by Rev. Amos Poorman, who soon after was followed by Rev. George W. Busby. The society grew, and in 1878 erected a church in Enterprise, called St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, the congregation of which now numbers about eighty members, with a Sunday school enrollment of about one hundred.

About 1891, after simmering for some time, a split occurred in the German Lutheran church at Enterprise, principally over the question of secret societies, and a part drew off and rented the old Methodist church. In 1905 they purchased land at Ingomar and built a fine cement-block church, which they also named the St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church, and which numbers about seventy-five members, with a Sunday school enrollment of one hundred. L. P. Pence is the pastor. The differences between the various branches of the German Lutheran church they designate by saying that one belongs to the general synod and the other to the council; which, of course, relates only to the government of the church. All are Christians, and that one fact is enough to satisfy all reasonable men.

The Christian church in an early day organized a society, chiefly from among the settlers along the lands of Banta fork, and for some years held services at a little frame church on the Lexington road near Banta creek, in Twin township, but the congregation dwindled and, about 1840, they moved to a school house in Lanier township, near the home of the Bantas, who were members, and, gathering numbers and courage, in 1850 they erected Bethlehem chapel, on the Dayton pike, about thirty rods west of Banta fork. This chapel prospered until a few years ago, but now most of the members have changed to a village church, and I am informed that services have been discontinued.

Mills And Milling

The first flour-mill in the township was built in 1812 by a New Englander, named John Egbert, on Twin creek, in section 15, later locally and widely known as the Halderman mill. In 1846 this mill was destroyed by fire, but was rebuilt, and finally passed into the hands of Abraham Halderman, who owned it for half a century. This mill long since has gone to decay. The March flood of 1913 washed away the greater part of the old timbers and its location will soon be only a memory.

James Dennison, in 1818, built a mill on Twin creek, a couple of miles lower down, later known as the Gregg mill, but it has long since been silent.

andria, which later became, and still is, known as the Brower mill, which continued to grind until the last few years, doing most excellent work. It is now still, however, and I fear will also soon be dismantled.

There have in the past been a number of saw-mills in the township, but only two remain, one at Enterprise and one east of West Alexandria, because the timber to feed them is getting scarcer as the years go by.

The first public cemetery laid out was the half acre of the old cemetery in West Alexandria, now no longer used, a portion of the one and one-half acres deeded by Jacob Parker and Jacob Hell, to the Reformed and Lutheran churches. Jacob Hell, named, is the ancestor of the Clears in Eaton, who later had the German name, Hell, changed by act of the Legislature to its English equivalent, Clear. About 1895 a new and large cemetery was laid out about one-half mile south of West Alexandria.

About 1840 a cemetery was laid out just south of Wheatville church, in the northwest comer of section 29, and in it Luke Vorhis, one of the soldiers in the battle with the Indians at Fort St. Clair, is said to be buried.

About 1870 a cemetery was laid out on west line of section 36, locally known as the Twin Valley cemetery. In an early day the Dunkards had a church and cemetery at the crossroads between sections 25 and 26, but long since the church has gone to decay, only the cemetery remaining.

Scattered through the township were a number of family burying grounds of the early settlers, some of which are still marked, but none of which are now used.

Towns And Villages

West Alexandria has its south half within Lanier township, and is the only incorporated village in the township. Its history will follow that of Twin township.

There are three clusters of houses in the township that form little hamlets, adding much to the business, community and social life of their respective parts of the township. Enterprise is situated in sections 23 and 24, the houses being built on each side of the road. Concerning the first settlers, no one seems able to speak positively. It seems that many years ago some enterprising fellows thought the community was so far away from towns that some business could be done, so a blacksmith shop, a grocery, and, later, a saw-mill were started. The place, being near a school house, people bought little plots of ground and built thereon, making there their homes, until there are today seventy-five or eighty people living in the hamlet. This hamlet formerly had a postoffice, the postoffice name being Lanier, but rural mail delivery does the business now, and even the grocery is gone.

In the fall of 1886, the Cincinnati, Jackson & Mackinaw railroad was completed across the township and passed about a mile north of Enterprise. At the crossing of the road it made a stop or station for the accommodation of the people, calling it Lanier Station. A grocery was started; people began to ship from and to that place; the Wachtel Brothers started a little lumber yard and warehouse. W. W. Crouse conceived the idea that the place ought to have a name of its own, and a petition was filed with the railroad company asking that the station be named Ingomar. In a short time the railroad company put up a large sign bearing that name and Ingomar was on the map. Then, in 1888, the government was petitioned in the same fashion, through Congressman Williams, and the postoffice of Ingomar was established. The town now has about eighty or ninety population, a church, grain elevator, lumber yard, coal yard, a good grocery store and four tobacco warehouses. Considerable business is done there, and there are many promises of commercial growth. This may sound like a description of the start of a Western town, but the "boom" occurred in staid old Preble county. The buildings are good, the homes pleasant and everything presents a neat and homelike appearance. A picture presented in these pages shows the center of the newest town of the county.

Years ago John Baker settled in the northwest part of section 1, and he was nicknamed "Daddy" Baker. In 1898 the Dayton & Western electric line was built along the pike, and there being both a road from the south and one from the north, a stop was made there, a grocery was started, and people bought plots of ground, sometimes an acre or so, and built homes, attracted by the presence of the traction line, until today there is a cluster of fourteen houses, and some sixty people or more. The hamlets original nickname stuck, for the place still is known and called by everybody, "Daddsville." The houses are neat and well painted and the surroundings attractive.