Preble County Ohio Genealogy Trails Monroe Township

Excerpts Transcribed from: Preble County, Ohio

MONROE TOWNSHIP EARLY SETTLEMENT.

Charles Armantrout, near Hamburg; William Brown, in section 29; John Jellison, in section 23 ; Isaiah Adams, near Hamburg; Jacob Baker, in section 16; Aaron Crisler, in section 26, and the Murdocks, west of Eldorado, probably were the first settlers arriving in the township, the date of their arrival being from two to four years before the War of 1812. Josiah Davisson, who settled in section 14 in 1816, is said to have found quite a number of neighbors scattered about the township. Elias Bunger arrived about 1817- Jonathan Shurley settled in section 16, in 1815, and lived there until his death in 1879. He had eleven children in his family and many of his descendants yet reside in the township. About the same time came David Fudge, Moses Ireland, Peter Swerer and Moses Thompson. William Pence, who settled in section 31, in 1825, had been a captain in the War of 1812, and came from Virginia.

ELDORADO.

The first house erected in Eldorado, one mile south of the north county line, was built by Leroy R. McWhinney in 1852. McWhinney also started a store and mill, depot and grain house, near the track of the Dayton & Western railroad, which then had just been completed; then laid out the town on his own land and continued business for a number of years.

The village was incorporated in 1875, Matthew T. McWhinney being elected as the first mayor, he having purchased the business formerly owned by Leroy R. McWhinney.

Hamburg, about a mile south of Eldorado, was settled first, Samuel Adams having started a store there at an early day.

The school building in Eldorado is a fine brick building of four rooms, erected about the year 1882. Four teachers are employed and John Schlotterbeck is the superintendent. In 1908 the building was remodeled at a cost of over three thousand dollars. Until about the beginning of the Civil War the school house was outside of the village, in the township, but about that time the school house was erected in the village. The school now enrolls about one hundred pupils.

The Knights of Pythias lodge at Eldorado was formed in 1888, with J. D. Gartrell, chancellor commander and charter members, Isaac Miller, J. H. Mills, J. A. McCabe, J. A. Davisson, F. P. Campbell, William S. Campbell, W. H. Beard, M. T. McWhinney, W. E. Judy, C. H. Staton, John Eddins, D. Lockwood and Harvey Disher.

George McCoy is the present mayor.

WEST MANCHESTER.

Like Eldorado, West Manchester just grew up as a collection of residences around the station of the Dayton & Western railroad. Under the laws of Ohio it was called a hamlet and governed by three trustees, except that the schools were under the control of the township board of education (the town never having been incorporated), and it so continued until March, 1900, at which time the trustees, on petition, ordered an election to advance the hamlet to a village. This election was held on April 2, 1900, and the progressive proposition was carried by a vote of two to one. A census showed a population of three hundred and seventy, and on October 1, 1900, the final resolution was passed making West Manchester a village. John W. Hoffman was elected the first mayor and R. H. Siler the first clerk.

Hagerstown, about a mile northeast of West Manchester, was laid out in an early day, and the first post office in the township was established there in 1832. A store was opened and the place did quite a little business, but the railroad came, the station was located, and in 1855 the post office was moved to West Manchester. Business also moved to the latter point; the people either followed or sought other locations, and Hagerstown, as a town, has become only a memory.


				Preble County, Ohio Genealogy Trails Monroe Township

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		Excerpts Transcribed from: Preble County, Ohio MONROE TOWNSHIP EARLY SETTLEMENT. Charles Armantrout, near Hamburg; William Brown, in section 29; John Jellison, in section 23 ; Isaiah Adams, near Hamburg; Jacob Baker, in section 16; Aaron Crisler, in section 26, and the Murdocks, west of Eldorado, probably were the first settlers arriving in the township, the date of their arrival being from two to four years before the War of 1812. Josiah Davisson, who settled in section 14 in 1816, is said to have found quite a number of neighbors scattered about the township. Elias Bunger arrived about 1817- Jonathan Shurley settled in section 16, in 1815, and lived there until his death in 1879. He had eleven children in his family and many of his descendants yet reside in the township. About the same time came David Fudge, Moses Ireland, Peter Swerer and Moses Thompson. William Pence, who settled in section 31, in 1825, had been a captain in the War of 1812, and came from Virginia. ELDORADO. The first house erected in Eldorado, one mile south of the north county line, was built by Leroy R. McWhinney in 1852. McWhinney also started a store and mill, depot and grain house, near the track of the Dayton & Western railroad, which then had just been completed; then laid out the town on his own land and continued business for a number of years. The village was incorporated in 1875, Matthew T. McWhinney being elected as the first mayor, he having purchased the business formerly owned by Leroy R. McWhinney. Hamburg, about a mile south of Eldorado, was settled first, Samuel Adams having started a store there at an early day. The school building in Eldorado is a fine brick building of four rooms, erected about the year 1882. Four teachers are employed and John Schlotterbeck is the superintendent. In 1908 the building was remodeled at a cost of over three thousand dollars. Until about the beginning of the Civil War the school house was outside of the village, in the township, but about that time the school house was erected in the village. The school now enrolls about one hundred pupils. The Knights of Pythias lodge at Eldorado was formed in 1888, with J. D. Gartrell, chancellor commander and charter members, Isaac Miller, J. H. Mills, J. A. McCabe, J. A. Davisson, F. P. Campbell, William S. Campbell, W. H. Beard, M. T. McWhinney, W. E. Judy, C. H. Staton, John Eddins, D. Lockwood and Harvey Disher. George McCoy is the present mayor. WEST MANCHESTER. Like Eldorado, West Manchester just grew up as a collection of residences around the station of the Dayton & Western railroad. Under the laws of Ohio it was called a hamlet and governed by three trustees, except that the schools were under the control of the township board of education (the town never having been incorporated), and it so continued until March, 1900, at which time the trustees, on petition, ordered an election to advance the hamlet to a village. This election was held on April 2, 1900, and the progressive proposition was carried by a vote of two to one. A census showed a population of three hundred and seventy, and on October 1, 1900, the final resolution was passed making West Manchester a village. John W. Hoffman was elected the first mayor and R. H. Siler the first clerk. Hagerstown, about a mile northeast of West Manchester, was laid out in an early day, and the first post office in the township was established there in 1832. A store was opened and the place did quite a little business, but the railroad came, the station was located, and in 1855 the post office was moved to West Manchester. Business also moved to the latter point; the people either followed or sought other locations, and Hagerstown, as a town, has become only a memory.



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