Monroe County

EARLY SETTLERS – by Township

Townships arranged by date of entry into Monroe County

The following is a list of the early settlers in Monroe County as reproduced from a book titled, the "Combined History and Atlas of Monroe County, Ohio." The material for this book was taken from two nineteenth century books: (1) 'History of Monroe County Ohio,' a product of the H.H. Hardesty & Co., publishers, Chicago and Toledo, 1882 and (2) 'Caldwell's Atlas of Monroe County, Ohio,' a product of Atlas Publishing Company, Mount Vernon, Ohio, 1898. The "Combined History and Atlas of Monroe County, Ohio" was reprinted and is available from the Monroe County Historical Society.

For the convenience of the reader, the information on Early Settlers in Monroe County, Ohio is presented three ways. Below the information is presented as a listing of Early Settlers by Township arranged by the year of entry of the Township into the County. If you need the information presented by Township in which townships are arranged alphabetically, click here. For a summary table of Early Settlers by Township and the year of entry into the County, click Summary. This is all the same data and information – just different ways of presenting it.

Salem Township – Larger and more numerous settlements were made in Salem Township because Sunfish Creek empties into the Ohio River in this township. About 1798/9, James Henthorn settled at the mouth of Sunfish Creek where Clarington now stands. His children were James, John, Henry, William, Adam, Ann and Mary. Other early settlers were Charles Atkinson, Alexander Newlin, Mr. Gordon, Cornelius and John Vandevanter, Thomas Howell, Francis Martin, William McLain, Aaron Howell and Martin Boughner. Many other families settled here early, and these settlements furnished settlers for many other parts of the county.

Seneca Township – The first settlements in this township were in Calais and the area around this village. Andrew Dilley built the first cabin in what would become Calais in 1798 but he returned to Belmont Co. John Dailey moved into Dilley’s cabin in 1802, and he was followed by his father, James Dailey, and by Robert Carpenter. Other early settlers were Mitchell & Isaac Atkinson, Wm. Dement, Christopher Haines, Barnabus Crosbay, Samuel Danford, the Ruckers, Bristers, Rufus Hall, Vincent Dailey, Joseph Baker, Samuel Pryor, Elijah & Samuel Stephen, David Watson, George Miller, Daniel & Jesse Bean, Wm. Kent and William Cousins.

Jackson Township -- The first settlements in Monroe County were made in what is now Jackson Township. Philip Witten settled in 1791 opposite Williamson's Island. His children were Thomas, Joseph, John, Peter, James and Rachel. Daniel Main settled opposite Sistersville, WV several years prior to 1800. Mr. Ramsey settled in 1801 on an improvement at the mouth of James Run. Other early Jackson Township settlers, most of whom were resident prior to 1820, included: Henry Dickinson, Mr. Abbott, Mr. Stanley, Mr. Kimple, Azariah Hoskinson, Arthur Scott, Baziel Barnett, John Bridgman, John H. Bridgman (son of the previous John Bridgman), David and James Harrison, Thomas and David Evans, John Knight, Felix Sigler, the Applegates and Vargesons, Mr. Barnes James Hissom.

Center Township -- The area that later became known as Center Township was almost certainly accessed by settlers following the natural route established by Sunfish Creek. The first settlement is believed to have been made by John Baker, on Sunfish Creek. Several improvements were made between 1805 and 1812 -- perhaps none before 1805. Between those years John Baker; John Winland; Peter Palmer; Levin Okey and his sons Cornelius, Arthur, Woodman, James and Henry Okey. Other early settlers in Center Township included Elias and Joseph Jeffries, Jessie and Abraham Jackson, William Griffith, and Martin Baker.

Ohio Township – Robert McEldowney settled in Buckhill Bottom about 1794, and areas around Baresville (Hannibal) were settled shortly after this date. Abner Martin moved into a log cabin on the settlement known as the Frail farm. Jacob Ollom was probably the next settler, followed soon after by Bailey, Scott, Starritt, Smith, Knight, Bare, Nicholson, Hicks and others. Samuel McBride settled on the Baresville/Hannibal bottom in 1802; Jacob Bare, Henry Harter & James Starritt, from 1806 to 1808. Shortly after the following persons settled: James Johnston, Earl Sprot, Christian Staley, Humphrey Finch, James Hepburn, Jere. Wilson, and Jacob & Abram Fisher.

Sunsbury Township – The first settlers in this township were Abner Barrett, John Linn, Citizen Beall, George Stewart, Robert Wilson, John Nelson, George Decker, John Palmer, Elias Pitman, Samuel Melott, Henry Smith, Samuel Starr, Noah Stewart, Jesse Morris and the Tremblys. The first settlement was made about ¾ mile south of Beallsville about 1810-1812.

Malaga Township – About the year of 1815, possibly sooner, the first settlements began to be made by John Hendershot, Stillwell Truex, Matthew Rogers, Martin Fogle, Frederick Hays, Wm. Kennard, Peter Mann, David Lupton, David Mann and James Graham. The village of Malaga was laid out in 1818 by John Hendershot. There is a large German settlement in this township, especially in and around the town of Miltonsburg. Laurenz Schaub and John J. Dorr were among the first German settlers.

Franklin Township – The first settlements were made on the Clear fork by Martin & Frederick Crow, as early as 1805 or 1806. David Sutherland was an early settler, as were the Forsheys, Carmichaels, Hines, McVays, Holdens, Hales, Dearths, Wilson, Wells, and others. The town of Stafford was laid out by John Jones about 1834 or 1835.

Perry Township – The first cabin is said to have been build in 1800 by Jesse Fleming, but permanent settlements were not made until about 1812. In that year, Daniel Dye Sr., with his sons, Daniel, Vincent, David, Reuben, Enoch & John R., settled about 1 ½ southeast of where the village of Antioch now stands. Among other early settlers were Jesse Brown, Thomas Mitchell Sr., and his son, Thomas, a Mr. Vandevanter, Jacob & Abraham Huffman, Michael Stine, Samuel Bottenfield, Darlan Long, and his sons, John & Levi, Patrick Hamilton, Evander Burch, Richard Conner, Robert Miller, Ephraim Headlee, Thomas Rhinehart, Samuel Swartwood and Jacob Drum Sr.

Wayne Township – The early settlements in this township were not made much before the year of 1815, and they were made, as in other parts of the county, along the streams. Among the first settlers was Henry Kirkbride who was married to Catherine Williams in Belmont County in 1805 by James Starr. Jeremiah Willison who married a sister of Henry & David Kirkbride, was also an early settler. John Gray and his wife, Hannah Okey, were married in Belmont County in 1805 and became early settlers. Other early settlers were the Cronins, Martins, Bakers, Noffsingers, Daughertys, Farnsworths, Howells, Congers and Dearths.

Greene Township – Among the earliest settlers may be named Ephraim, Samuel & Abraham Jones, John Knight, and his sons, William & Stephen, Andres Sprowls, Isaac Mitchell, Baldwin Cox, John Dunn, Zadock West, Barnet Adamson, John Bowie, Wm. Hurd, John & Edward Reed, Isaac Cowley, William Hickman, James Seals, Conrad Duval, William Bailey, Jacob & Henry Dennis, Bennett Coen, Frederick & Adam Myers, and David Honnell. It is claimed that Ephraim Jones built the first log cabin about 1815 about 1 mile northeast of where the town of Newcastle (Laings) stands.

Adams Township – The five Atkinson brothers, Charles, James, Mitchell, William & Isaac, were among the early settlers of this township. They settled at the mouth of Sunfish about the beginning of the century. Charles & James removed farther up the creek. Mitchell & Isaac removed to Seneca township. William removed to Green township. Other early settlers were Gilbert & Mitchell McCoy, Elias Conger, Christian Hartloine, Philip Noland, Robert Norris, Samuel Bracy, the Melotts, Powells, and others. The town of Cameron was laid out in 1837 by James Atkinson and called Jamestown. The post office established here by called Rocky Narrows; the names of the town and post office were subsequently changed to Cameron.

Switzerland Township – The early settlements in this township were made along the Ohio River and in the valley of Big Run. In this township and in Ohio township, there was a large settlement of people of German and Swiss extraction. About 1820, Jacob Tschappat moved into a cabin built by Daniel Mallett. On Big Run, the Blares (Blair), Hendershots, Lemleys and Smiths settled. John Keller made improvements on the head waters of Big Run.

Bethel Township – Among the first settlers in this township were Frederick Crow, Michael Crow, Martin Crow, Jacob Miller, Robert Martin, Adam Davis, Jacob Lindemood, Thomas Masters, Jonathan Conner (Couner), Stephen Conner, Seth Adams, Henry Hall, Thomas Hall, and Thomas Martin Jr. Jacob Miller probably built the first cabin in the township about 1817. Other families that settled in this township were the Dearths, McVays, Hupps, and Davises.

Washington Township – Among the first settlers of the township were Joseph Cline (and other Cline families), Philip, David & Joseph Allen, James Scott, Abner Powell, Ezekiel Blair, James & Isaac Rinard, Jacob Flint, the Knowltons, Daughertys, and Bevers. Joseph Cline built the first cabin in the valley of Clear Fork in 1816. James Scott was a school teacher in a school said to be built about 1820 and located on Clear Fork. Graysville was laid out by Daniel Gray in 1835.

Summit Township – The first settlers in the township were Ephraim Rucker and Mollie McGuire. The McGuire settlement was made just north of the present village of Lewisville and was known as Mollie’s Garden. Cabins built by these 2 families were built about 1814. Other early settlers were Ephraim Bucker, James Benson, Michael Crow, William Craig, Philip Cline, and Edward Coulter – from Virginia; John Hamilton, Jacob Wise, David Ayres, Ephraim Dearth, Thomas Scott, James Allen, Robert Smith and Thomas Allen – from Pennsylvania; Henry Benson, Barak Fisher and Alexander Ferrel – from Maryland; Robert Stewart, John McBride, Robert Hannahs and Hugh Henderson.

Benton Township – this township was organized after the formation of Noble County in 1851. In this township some of the earliest settlements in the county were made. Isaac Brown, Joseph Cline and William Cline settled in 1804 and John Cline in 1805. George Cline, the father of these Clines, was a veteran of the Revolutionary War, and he settled in Washington County. The first school was taught by Henry Bower in 1813 in a small log cabin.

Lee Township – this township was organized in 1869 by an act of the General Assembly. The settlements made in what is now known as the Sardis bottom were among the very earliest in the county. Mr. McBride cleared about 40 acres and had a large improvement by 1802. Mr. Johnston and Stephen Scott lived here in very early days, probably as early as 1801. They opened a store on this bottom about 1808. Other early settlers were Charles Wells, the descendants of Azariah Hoskinson, James Patton and his sons, John & David Patton, and the Nesbitts. The town of Sardis was laid out by James Patton in 1843.

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