Our Journey from 1817 to Present Day
OHIO
From the Butler County Cyclopedia - 1882
"A History and Biographical Cyclopedia of Butler County, Ohio"; MONROE
(Lemon Township pages 637-641)
(Lemon Township pages 637-641)
The town of Monroe was laid out by John H. Piatt and Nathaniel SACKETT in 1817. The house now owned by Dr. E. Kimball stands on the original ground upon which John Baker, the pioneer adventurer, built his log-cabin prior to 1800. It was a double log-house, with an old fashioned porch between. Baker kept the farm some years and then sold to Nathaniel SACKETT, a local preacher of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and this house often became the place of worship previous to the erection of their church building. Mr. SACKETT planted an orchard, and a pear tree is still standing in the yard that bears very nice, large Bartlett pears yet each year. Dr. Kimball built the new brick that stands on these grounds in 1860. The old log-house had gone to ruin, and the whole ground was thrown into cultivation years previous to the erection of his residence. John Baker died January 4, 1852, seventy-seven years old, and was buried in the old United Presbyterian Church grave-yard, just north of town. The plan of the town is shown by the following: The main road running through the town from Cincinnati to Dayton, called Main Street, was laid off four poles wide. The cross streets were three poles wide, and were called Elm, Church, and Lebanon. The three alleys running east and west were one pole wide each. An addition was laid off in January, 1819. The town of Monroe is two hundred feet above the valley, and consequently towers above the malarial portions of the country. It had a gradual growth and a good country surrounding to support it, and naturally became a center of trade for a few miles around. The earliest settlers, John P. Williamson, Nathan SACKETT, and Mr. Conover soon opened up stores to supply the trade. SACKETT and Williamson probably began the first. They kept together on the corner of Leabanon and Main Streets, and subsequently Williamson kept on Main Street, south of Conover's. SACKETT quit the business in 1840. Caldwell now keeps the drug-store and post-office. Monroe is on the old Dayton and Cincinnati turnpike road, and just half way. The travel between these points at an early day was considerable, and to accommodate the traveling public, Mr. McClure opened up a hotel on Main Street, on property now owned by Michael Scheik. He established his business as early as the year 1825, and kept tavern until he died, when Colonel Clarkson opened a hotel on Main Street, just in front of where John P. Carson now owns. He kept a number of years after McClure, and after he died John Clark was in the same business. Elias came between the years 1830 and 1840, and erected a large house on Pike Street, called the Half-way House. It was two-story frame, in which he entertained travelers twelve or fifteen years. The present brick hotel was built by Daniel Boggs in 1850. It was carried on a few years by him, and then rented to Joseph Boggs, who ran it a while, and since that time has run through a great many hands. Mr. Simpson built just on the opposite corner in 1845, and carried it on until 1855.
During the early period, and after the pike was built, Monroe had the most travel. Then the mail coaches ran between the two cities, while hotels and places of entertainment were scattered all along the road. This town was one of the principal stopping points. The travel was so great competition soon sprang up, and there were three and four lines of coaches running, all at the same time. Peter and John Voorhes owned the mail-coach line, and Mr. Rucker the stage line. The usual fare from Dayton to Cincinnati was two dollars and a half, but Voorhes put on opposition coaches to the opposition rates offered by others, and the through fare at one time became reduced to fifty cents, and it was rumored that for a while a good dinner was given besides. The mail and stage coaches had usually four horses, sometimes six, and left Dayton at half-past two o'clock in the afternoon, reaching Monroe for early supper, and from there run to Cincinnati by nine o'clock that night. At one time Messrs. Voorhes, Rucker, and Stevenson had five lines, all at one time. They then had mail twice a week, but now since the railroad has come into operation Monroe receives hers once each day. Among the manufacturers of Monroe was Peter Jotter, who was here as early as 1840, and made wagons. This business was carried on by him for many years, and subsequently by William Jotter, his son, now the oldest citizen in Monroe, who took his place about 1872. He employs from three to five hands, and manufactures the Edgar patent gate, and also a furrowing sled or corn-marker. The Paragon Double Plow Works, owned by Charles Warner, have been in operation six years. The blacksmith's shop was sold as early as 1859 by Peter Jotter, who built it, and it was afterwards rented and then bought by Warner, who uses it in connection with his wood-shop in the manufacture of his plows. He manufactures the one-horse and the double-horse corn plow, a patent of his own, which he is selling in quantities, doing a business of over four thousand dollars yearly, working seven hands about four months each year. He does general custom work also. The buggy factory of C. M. Hiteshue was started by him in 1875, and was bought of Frank Wilson, who built the shops about 1870. He has a paint-shop, wood-working shop, and also a blacksmith's shop, which is carried on the year round, giving employment to about five men and doing a business of five thousand dollars a year. He also does custom work. The oldest cemetery in Monroe is just north of town, and is called the Monroe Cemetery, and was organized into an association in 1860. Its first officers were Colonel Irwin, Thomas Matson, Mr. Kyle, and Mr. Robinson. It consists of seven acres of ground, and its present officers are William Vanskike, president, and Dr. Kimball, secretary. In this yard were buried some of the earliest settlers.
John Morrow, brother of Governor Morrow, died November 26, 1846; 71 years old. John Baker, January 4, 1852; aged 77. John Lowery, October 20, 1838; 59 years old. John Robinson, November 28, 1841; aged 62. Peter Williamson, April 7, 1832; 65 years old. David Williamson, April 10, 1845; aged 78. David Reed, March 18, 1812; 46 years of age. Colonel James Clark, August 15, 1853; 80 years of age.
James Steward, who was killed by a tree falling upon him, his wife, and another lady, while on their way in a two-horse wagon to Cincinnati for carpets and other furniture for their new church, was buried here. He was killed May 4, 1835, and at that time was sixty-one years of age. He was a ruling elder of the United Presbyterian Church, of which he had been an active member many years.
The Mound Cemetery, just south of Monroe, but bordering on the town, is a beautiful, well laid out yard, consisting of ten acres of ground, incorporated into an association in 1859. They have, as yet, no vault, but contemplate putting in one this year. The executive officers of this association are Ayers McCreary, president; William Linn, vice-president; Charles Warner, treasurer and secretary.
Methodist preaching was had in Monroe as early as 1823. There was at that time no organized society, but a few of the early members petitioned to have appointments. It was then in Miami Circuit, and preaching was had on nights once every two weeks. Father SACKETT's house was then the preacher's home, and during the first year a Church was organized. Among the early members of the Methodist Episcopal Church may be mentioned Isaac Conover and wife, now Mrs. Kyle, John Younk and wife, Mrs. Ulm, Mrs. Floyd, Joseph Alexander, and G. P.Williamson. At first they worshiped and had class-meetings wherever they could find a place to meet..