Monroe is the most southern of the middle tier of townships. It is bounded on the north by Center, east by Perry and west by Salem township, while its southern line is the north line of Henry County. In size Monroe is five bv six miles, containing thirty sections, and, in round numbers, 19,200 acres. In this, as in most of our civil townships, the congressional townships ran over the border lines, and we find all of Monroe in Range 10 east, but only four-fifths--or Sections 1 to 24, inclusive--in Township 19 north, while Sections 31 to 36 inclusive--they being the north tier--are in Township 20 north.The first entries pertain to that portion of Monroe township lying in township 20, north, being the north tier of sections and numbered 31 to 36 inclusive.
The public lands of section 31 (the northwest section of the township) were entered by Ralph Heath in 1830; Edmond Aldredge, Enoch Tomlinson and Jesse McKinney in 1831; Enoch Tomlinson in 1835 and William Hutton and Arnold, Nadine, Edward, Tatuall and Merritt Canby in 1836. This section is now owned by B. Reynolds, A. W. Ross, C. Gibson. J. A. Tomlinson, E. Miller, J. W. Driscoll's heirs and J. A. Ross. Section 31 has a public road on its south line, and the Muncie and Middletown pike angles through the section.
The public land in section 32 was all entered in the year 1836, from January 6 to October 17, by Abner McCartney, William Hutton, Arnold Nadine, Edward Tatuall and Merritt Canby, Mary St. Clair, John Rupe and Jeptha Johnson. The present land owners in section 32 are G. F. Heath, J. and J Peacock, B. Reynolds, A. W. Ross, Samuel Drumm, B. Bartling, C. Gibson and the heirs of J. W. Driscoll. Public roads are located on the north, south and east lines, also along the south half of the west line, and school No. 10 is in the northeast corner of the section.
During the year 1835 Isaac Branson, Oliver H. Smith and Patrick Carmichael entered land in section 33, on January 1, 1836, Wm. H. Bruinfield entered an 80 acre tract, and on the 27th of the month. Mary St. Clair entered a quarter section which was the last of the public land in the section. The present landlords of 33 are T. J. Fuson, L. Fuson, D. Shaw, Samuel Davis, M. Beemer, A. E. Pugh, J. N. Shaw, E. R. Clark, W. T. Clark, C. L. Pence, N. J. Ogle and N. Ogle. This section has a public road on the north, south and west line. The Cincinnati division of the L. E. & W. railroad runs across the section one quarter of a mile west of the east line.
Land was entered in section 35 ( My note: this most likely was intended to be 34 .) by Charles Mansfield, Wm. Clark, John Mansfield and Samuel Andrews in 1832, by Jacob Whitinger in 1833; by "Anda" Gibson and Amos Harrold in 1834, and by Samuel Heaton, Henry Whitinger and James Mansfield in 1836. The present owners are V. G. Carmichael, M. Carmichael, Charles Cooley, J. Stiffier, N. McKinney, O. and L. Williams, O. Williams, A. P. Reed, T. Fuson, Anda Gibson estate and M. Humbarger. The section has public roads on the north and south lines while the Muncie and New Castle pike crosses the sction on and near the center, the section is crossed near the center by Buck Creek in a west of north direction.
In 1833 James Allison, Christian Acker and John Acker purchased public land in section 35. In 1835 Garret Gibson and Samuel Heaton entered 40 acres each. In 1836 the remainder of the section was entered by William Heaton and William Abrams. These lands are now owned by William W. Ross, J. Drumm, J. W. Abrell, S. Carmichael, V. G. Carmichael, Catherine Gibson and I. Lenox. The section has two miles of public roads besides the Macedonia pike crosses the section north and south through the center. School No. 1 is in the south center, of section and a M. E. church in the northeast corner.
Lewis Rees entered two 80 acre tracts of land in section 36 in the year of 1830 and one 80 acre tract in 1831. In 1832 Thomas Hacket (a step-son of Cornelius Vanasdol, the first settler of Perry township) entered 40 acres. In 1833 Lewis Rees and Stewart Boltin each entered a 40 acre tract. In 1835 Samuel Cecil entered 40 acres. In 1835 Lewis Rees entered two 80's and a 40; leaving a 40 acre tract which was entered by Samuel Cecil June 6, 1836. Mr. Rees' entries included three-fourtes of the section or 480 acres. The section is owned at this time by W. Fullhart, W. Moore, A. Conner, J. Rees and J. Reynolds, A. G Kiger, David Rees, G. and M. Hughes, O. M. Bell and G. W. Fullhart. The section has two and a quarter miles of public road, and a half mile of free gravel pike. White river crosses the northeast corner of the section cutting off about 30 acres on the east side.
Section 1 in Monroe is the most eastern section of the most northern tier in Congressional township No. 19 North. In 1830 Bowater Gibson and Rebecca Keasling each entered an 80-acre tract of land. In 1831 Mr. Gibson entered another 80-acre tract. In 1832 Daniel Keasling entered an 80 and a 40-acre tract. In 1833 John William Rhoades entered 80 acres. In 1836 Valentine Gibson entered 80 acres and Jacob Keasling 40 which was the last of the public land in the section. The land owners in section 1 at this time are G. and L. Hughes, R. Rees, C. A. Fullhart, M. Bell, P. Walburn, E. Rees, C. Cunningham, E. Carmichael and J. W. Walburn. Section 1 has no public roads on its section lines, although one crosses the section east and west through the center, and another three-fourths of a mile, near the east line.
In section 2 Valentine Gibson was the first purchaser of the public domain. His entry was made on January 19, 1831; following his entry was that of Elisha Gibson, in 1832; William Clark, in 1833; John Gibson, David Beard, Otho Williams and Elisha Gibson, in 1836, and Boyd Linville in 1837. The present owners of these lands are W. W. Ross, P. Walburn, Catharine Gibson, G. and M. Ross, M. J. Clark, J. W. Walburn, E. Carmichael, M. E. Anderson and W. F. Anderson. This section has two miles of good roads, more than half of which are free gravel pike.
The first purchase of public land in section 3 was Oct. 25, 1831. by Isaac Branson. Then came the purchases of Abe Williams in 1832, Jacob Whitinger, Jr., in 1833, French Triplett, John Crum and Homer Brooks in 1834, Arnold, Naudine, Edward, Tatuall and Merritt Canby and Absalom Gibson in 1836, followed by the last entry in the section by Benjamin Antrim, on March 31, 1837. The title to the lands in section 3 is now held by L. Humbarger, M. J. Clark, W. E. Driscoll, M. Oard, J. A. Stewart, C. Gibson, W. B. Kline, R. J. Henley, W. F. Anderson, W. F. Watson, and William Snider. School No. 2 is located at the north center of the northwest quarter of this section. The section has one and three-fourth miles of public road, besides one mile of the Walnut street pike. The east half of the section is well drained by Buck creek crossing it from south to north.
The first public land taken up in section 4 was on November 4, 1835, this entry being made by John Rudolph Palmer, and is a 40-acre tract now owned by W. B. Kline. The balance of the public land in this section was all entered the next year (1836) by Arnold Naudine, Edward Tatuall and Merritt Canby, John Rudolph Palmer and Mary St. Clair. Section 4 is owned at this time by C. Gibson, W. B. Kline, G. Nichols, John Nichols, W. S. Finley, William Snider, M. Gibson, W. H. Peacock, R. Cheesman, and J. and M. Heaton. The section has public roads on the north, south and west, and the L. E. & W. railroad crosses north and south through the section.
In section 5 the first entry was made by William Owen on March 17, 1834, and another by George Washington Finley in the following month (April) of the same year. In 1835 Robert Heath, Jr., entered a 40-acre tract, a portion of the land now owned by R. Cheesman. Then the balance of the public land was taken up in 1836 by Mary St. Clair and Abner McCatry. Section 5 is now owned by M. D. Witt, A. McConnell, W. W. Ross, E. A. Funkhouser, R. Cheesman, William Miller, W. Cheesman, and F. and C. Clevenger. This section has a public road on each section line.
On the 25th day of July, 1831, Aaron Ross purchased the first land in section 6, Monroe township. This was the north half of the northwest quarter of the section. James McKinney entered a tract in 1832, the Canbys in 1834; Abner McCarty, the Canbys and Harvey Heath in 1836. This was the last of the public lands in section 6. The present owners of these lands are D. R. Armenta's estate, J. A. Ross, S. Acker, F. M. Mercer, J. T. Heath, E. Dewitt, Harvey Heath and W. W. Ross. The section has a public road on the north, south and east lines, a free gravel pike on the west line, with the Middletown pike crossing the northwest corner of the section.
On the 19th day of February, 1836, Harvey Heath entered the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter (40 acres) of section 7, and the following May he entered 40 acres just north of this tract in section 6 (before mentioned.) The others entering land in section 7 during this year (1836) were William Drumm, John Losh, Sr., William Tamsett, Ephraim Bundy, Richard S. Taylor and Thomas Fleming. These purchases included all the land in the section, except a 47-acre tract, which was entered on February 13, 1837, by Buford Jones. The owners of the land in section 7 now are S. Pitzer, Harvey Heath, E. T. Sharp, J. H. Heaton, D. M. Hays, W. H. Sweigart, J. H. Clevenger, and J. McLain. School No. 4 is located in the east center of this section, and public roads surround the entire section, that on the west line being a free pike.
Mary St. Clair, who entered several tracts of land in the township, purchased the first public land in section 8 on December 18, 1834. This purchase was the east half of the northeast quarter. All the remaining land in the section was entered during the next year (1836) by Mary Moore, Mary St. Clair, and John S. Resler. The land in this section is owned at this time by A. Tuttie, L. Trowbridge, G. W. Kabrick, S. Davis, N. J. Clark, J. Houck, I. Turner, U. and C. Springer, C. Goodwin, P. Oxley, and A. Acker. Public roads surround the section on each section line.
One-half of section 9 was entered in 1835 and the other half in 1836. The first entries were made by John Gibson and Enos Strawn, both on November 19, 1835, Mary St. Clair making the other entry of that year December 8. In 1836 the balance of the section was entered by John Beard, John Gibson and Thomas Strawn, Jr., and now, some sixtv-two years since these first purchases, we find none of the original names among the free-holders of the section, but in their stead we have Mrs. W. Snider. Wm. Snider, W. and E. Quick et. al., John H. Reynolds, A. Peacock, S. Drumm, J. Hill, J. A. Flemming, C. Houck, S. Houck, M. Houck, B. C. Bowman, J. Houck, U. and C. Springer and I. Turner. The section has public roads on each section line. The village of Cowan is situated in the southeast part of the sectionin which is school No. 5, and through which passes the Cincinnati division of the L. E. & W. railroad.
Section 10 can justly lay claim to the first entry of land in Monroe township, this was the entry made by Amaziah Beeson on January 15, 1827, being the east half of the northeast quarter of the section. The next entry in the section was made January 17, 1829 by Peter Simmons; in 1830 there were two entries made, one Roy John Mansfield and the other by Samuel Merrill; one in 1832 by Andrew Carmichael, four in 1836 by Miles Harrold, Samuel Underhill, John Branson and Allen Beeson. At present we have as the freeholders in section 10, M. Losh, James Watson, O. P. West, W. H. Neff, A. Quick, H. West, T. Hiatt and C. H. and C. Harris. Ten has 3¾ miles of good road and is in a high state of cultivation.
In section 11 the entries were made as follows: Garrett Gibson and John Lenox in 1831, Daniel DeWitt and John Lenox in 1834, Henry Taylor in 1835, Ezekiel T. Hickman, Otto Wilson, John Lenox, Wm. Culberson, Samuel M. West and Henry Taylor in 1836. The present owners of this section are G. and M. Ross, M. J. Simpson, T. Lenox, M. Losh, James Watson. R. and S. Gibson and M. E. Casper. Eleven has a public road crossing the southwest part of the section and the Macedonia pike on and near the east line. School No. 6 is located in the east part of the section.
Robert Gibson entered an 80 in section 12 in 1828, Wm. Gibson entered an 80 acre tract in 1829 and another 80 in 1831, after which time there were no more entries until 1835, when Alexander Cheesman took up an 80 acre tract. In 1836 entries were made by John H. Payton and Wm. Townsend, and the last entry made by Robert Maples April 11, 1837. The present land owners of section 12 are John Driscoll, M. Gibson, M. and V. Gibson, G. B. Gibson, P. Gibson, J. W. Keesling, N. Gibson, C. E. Turner, Vol. Shockley and F. Shockley. The section has two miles of public road. Flat Spring Creek drains the section passing through it fronh southeast to northwest.
On the 17th day of March, 1830, Daniel Ribble entered the first land in section 13, it being the northeast quarter of the section. On September 14 of the same year, Daniel Yandes and John Johnson jointly entered an 80-acre tract in the southwest quarter of the section, after which time entries were made by William Cheesman in 1831, by Jonathan Beeson in 1832; Joseph Cheesman in 1834, and Isiah Lee, Elisha Ogle, Alexander Cheesman and William Cheesman in 1836. In the list of land owners in section 13 we now find the names J. W. Keesling, J. and N Chalfant, Vol Shockley, M. Oldphant, P. P. Turner, J. A. Welch, R. Foster and J. W. Nelson. The section has a public road on the south line, another through the center, east and west, and the Macedonia free gravel pike on the west line.
In 1830, Jonathan Beeson and Jonathan Harrold each entered an 80-acre tract in section 14. After this came the entries of Homer Brooks, John Mansfield and Abel Williams in 1832; Henry Bower in 1834; Joseph Brown in 1835; and William Hickman and John Mansfield in 1836. The owners of these lands sixty years after the last public land in the section was entered, was U. Springer and T. Turner, W. A. Reynolds, W. Reynolds, et al., L. Benbow, T. Fierce, R. Brown, J. and H. Priddy, S. A. Hiatt, et al., and I. L. Nichols. This section has public roads on the south line and across the northeast corner, also the Macedonia pike on the east line. The section has three church buildings, two in the northeast and one in the southeast corner; also School No. 7 in the southeast part.
One of the early entries made in section 15, being the east half of the southeast quarter, on July 14, 1827, by John Crum, then Rebecca Gable in 1829, Homer Brooks and William Mansfield in 1831, Andrew Carmichael and David Williams in 1832, David Williams again 1834 secured the last of the public lands in the section. The present owners of 15 are James Watson, F. Nottingham, M. S. Ulrich, J. B. Hupp, J. E. Harrold, M. Harrold, W. B. Harbaugh and D. W. Hickman. Section I5 has a public road on the south line, also one north and south eighty rods west of the east line.
(School) Section 16 was sold as follows: On July 17, 1847 80 acres to Allen C. Perdue for $131;on same date 40 acres to Walter Gibson for $100; on same day, 40 acres to same, $71; same day, 80 acres to Joseph Clevenger, $125.50; same day, 40 acres to Enoch Nation, $71; same day, 40 acres to Walter Gibson, $99; Aug. 13, 1847, 40 acres to Isaac McLain, $71; Aug. 13, 1847, 40 acres to Isaac McLean, $61; July 17, 1847, 40 acres to Enoch Nation, $51; July 17, 1847, 46 acres to Enoch Nation, $61; July 17, 1847, 47 acres to Enoch Nation, $81; July 17, 1847, 40 acres to Wm. J. Hightower, $91; July 17, 1847, 40 acres to Enoch Nation, $61; July 17, I847, 40 acres to Enoch Nation, $112. This was sold in lots as here given from one to fourteen inclusive, to the highest bidder, and as will be seen the entire section (640 acres) brought the sum of $1,186.50 or something less than two dollars per acre. This may seem like a very low price for this valuable land, but when we calculate the cost of clearing, ditching, fencing and otherwise improving the land, and compound the interest for fifty-two years, we will perhaps conclude that it cost about as much then as now, yet this would hardly be a reasonable comparison, as the land has yielded some returns to its owners for many years past. The village of Cowan is partly in this section. The land of the section is now owned by R. and A. Marshall, J. Rinker, D. M. Tuttle, S. H. Reynolds, O. A. Shaw, A. Marshall, J. and E. Kern, J. W. Kern, R. A. Johnson, A. M. Comstock and J. J. Jefferson and E. M Crandell. Sixteen has public roads on the north and south lines, also through the center north and south. The L. E & W R. R passes through the section one-quarter of a mile west of the east line.
There was no entries of land recorded in section 17 until October 1, 1835, when Jacob Bowers entered the west half of the southwest quarter. School house No. 9 is now located on the southwest corner of this eighty acre tract. On the 17th of the same month Samuel Fessler entered the east half of the southeast quarter, now owned by J. A. Bates. In 1856 entries were made by Peter Shiveley, Samuel Fessler, Philip Shiveley, John S. Ressler and Edward Jones, then the last of section 17 was entered by William M. Clark on December 6, 1838. Sixty years later we find the land in section 16 owned by M. Himes, N. J. Ralston, R. E. Chalfant, Priddy et al, H. L. Petterson, M. J. Ball, E. Nixon and E. and R. Nixon. Seventeen has public roads on its north, south and west lines.
The southwest quarter of section 18 containing 173 and 96-100 acres, was entered by John Swope November 8, 1832. The next entry in the section was that of William Haines in 1834. The next, that of Jacob Bowers in 1835. and the remainder of the public land in the section was taken up by Henry Richman, Wm. Andes, John Turtle and Adam Banks in 1836. After sixty years we find the owners of land in section 18 to be Joseph Mann, A. Andes, J. J. Clevenger, W. J. Painter, C. Ball, M. Ball, C. Burcaw, S. R. Burcaw, A. D. Welsh, J. W. McKinney and R. M. McKinney. Eighteen has a public road on each section line, that on the west being a free gravel pike.
The first entry of land in section 19 was made by Wm. Clevenger who entered the east half of the section on November 22, 1832. Michael Thompson entered the east half of the northwest quarter in 1834, and John Fessler and Eleakin Wilson the remainder of the section in 1835. The present owners of land in section 19 are J. W. Jones, S. Davis, N. J. Fleming, N. R. Fleming, G. Fleming and R. C. Ball. Public roads, extend along the east, north and west lines of the section. Nineteen is the southwest corner of the township and consequently the west section of the south tier, and borders on Henry county.
Section 20 was all taken up of the government in 1835, '36 and '37, by James Jones, John Dusthimer, Jesse Raider, John J. Bulingall and George Hivecker in 1835, A. Rhoton in 1836 and John Howell in 1837. The list of landlords in section 20 at this time are N. and H. Swain, C. D. Hale, M and E. Drumm, J. L. Rinker, W. P. Bowers, D. H. Jones and N. R. Fleming. Twenty has public roads on the north and west lines, also through the south from east to west.
Section 21 was all taken up by four persons, each securing a quarter section as follows. David Williams the northeast quarter June 4, 1832, Abel Williams southeast quarter October 17, 1831. James Orr the northwest quarter and John Dusthimer the southwest quarter, both on October 16, 1835. The village of Oakville is in the southeast quarter of this section, being near the Henry county line. The section outside of the village is now owned by R. Hickman, C. A. Hickman, L. D. Williams, E. Peckenpaugh, Charles Hill, J. Kern, J. Metzker, T. H. Johnson, M. Veach, A. D. Ball and J. Ball. The section has three miles of public road and the Cincinnati branch of the L. E. & W. R. R. passes through it.
The first entries of land in section 22 were made in 1830 by Michael Bonner, John Howell and John Rutledge. Then in 1831, by Abel Williams in 1833, by Temple Smith, and the last in 1834 by David Williams. This section is now owned by J. B. Yost, D. L. Wright, S. Fleming, J. and W. Yost, L. J. Hickman, J. V. Koons, John Robe, John Rutledge, J. J. Rutledge, J. Metzker and T. Robe. Section 22 has about 4½ miles of public road, and School No. 11 is located in this section at the east end of the village of Oakville.
In 1828, September 11, the first entry of public land was made in section 23. This was an 80-acre tract in tile northeast corner of the section, and the entry was made by Zenas Beeson. In 1829, Lauvel Brown ( should be Samuel ), James Mansfield and John Howell entered an 80-acre tract each, after which time we find purchases made by Aaron Stout in 1831, John Mansfield and Abel Williams in 1832, James Orr in 1835, Wm. Underhill and Sarah Davis in 1836. This land is now owned by C. Benbow, A. Nelson, P. Turner, H. Howell, Walter Gibson, T. H Nelson, J. W. Kern, A. West, J. and W. Yost, D. L. Wright, John Robe and Stephen Fleming. Section 23 has roads along the north and south lines and a pike on the east. Buck Creek drains the west part, and since being dredged and ditched has proven that some very valuable land lay hidden along its banks for many years.
Section 24, the southeast section of Monroe township, was entered in small tracts, there being fourteen entries of 40 accres each and one of 80. The entries were made in the following order: David Ogle in 1832, James Ogle and Samuel Shockley in 1834, Vhlentine Gibson in 1835, David Ogle, Jonas Turner, John Brown, Jonathan Turner and Elisha Ogle in 1836, David C. Martin, William Morris, Gilbert C. Millspaugh, Robert Morris (2 entries) and Jonas Turner in 1837. And now after a lapse of some sixty years we find these lands owned and generally occupied by eight land owners, to-wit: James A. Reynolds, P. Turner, William West, H. Howell, G. L. Holbert, M. B. Preston, M. Gibson and J. Gibson. Section 24 has public roads on the north and south lines, also a free gravel pike on the west line.
(End of Monroe Township-Click NEXT for Salem Township)
