It is probable that among the first white people to settle within the limits of Monroe Township were teh Bradley family from Virginia. There were Jonah, David and James Bradley, and two sisters, Susan and Nancy, of whom we give an account. They came here about 1804-5. Jonah settled on Spring Creek, where Sarah Ann Bradley now resides; he married Susan Powers, who was also a native of Virginia, by whom he had the following children: Alfred, who married Jemima Morrow, and settled in this township, she died, and he married a Miss Lee; subsequently he moved to Mercer County, where he resided several years, and where his second wife died, after which he returned to this county, where he remained a resident till his death, although his death occurred by accidental drowning while on a visit to Mercer County. He was the father of six children, four grew to maturity — David, John M., Elizabeth and Jemima; the latter is now deceased; Elizabeth resides in Union County, Ohio; David settled in Illinois, where he died; and John M., married, and is still a resident of this township. David and John (brothers of Alfred), married, settled and spent their lives till their death in this township; and Jonah was the fourth son. There were five daughters — Elizabeth, Mahala, Mary, Sarah and Susan — of whom Susan and Mahala now survive, and residents of Illinois. Mr. Bradley followed farming and milling through life. A few years after locating here, he erected a grist mill on Spring Fork, run by water-power, which was one of the first mills in this vicinity; prior to his building this mill, they went to Chillicothe to do their milling and to buy their groceries. This mill was one of the great improvements of that day, and was a great convenience to the people of this new settlement. Mr. Bradley was a carpenter by trade, and built his mill with his own hands, and to a great extent made his own wagons and implements for use on his farm, thus bringing his trade and skill into good use in that early day, when such articles were then so difficult to obtain. Mr. Bradley died in April, 1865, aged eighty years. David Bradley, brother of the above, first settled near Georgesville, in Franklin County, but soon after moved here to Monroe Township, where he remained till his death. He was the father of four sons — James L. and William, deceased, David M. resides on the home place of his father, and Shelton resides in Tazewell County, Ill.; and three daughters, Elsie and Jane, deceased, and Cassie, wife of Nemwan Mitchell, residing in Somerford Township. James Bradley, also brother to the above Jonah, settled here at same date, and remained here through life. He had at least four sons — Hiram, Washington, James and Jonas; but all moved away, and all are now believed to be deceased.
James Marks was born in Kentucky on February 14, 1782, and married Nancy Van Kirk, who was born in Virginia November 25, 1787; they were married September 3, 1809. Mr. Marks came to Monroe Township in 1807 or 1808, and purchased a tract of land on the east side of the Little Darby, upon which he settled, and commenced in a log cabin without any floor, door or chimney, and had no furniture. But they had the will, energy and strength, and went to work in earnest. Success followed their efforts, and he became owner of nearly 1,000 acres of land in Madison County; also a large amount of Western lands. On his home place he made fine improvements; had a good brick house and other good buildings, with a fine fruit orchard, and everything comfortable and convenient around them; quite in contrast to their condition when they first settled here. He served as Justice of the Peace several years. They were members of the Baptist Church. Their children were Washington (who married Hannah Hayden), he died September 19, 1868, being killed by the cars; Eliza (married John Tayolr); Elizabeth (married James L. Bradley); Jefferson (died in infancy); Sarah (married William Foos, and resides in Springfield); Lucinda (married Rev. Jesse Ferguson, is now deceased); Jackson (died in childhood); Matilda (married Gustavus Foos, is now deceased); James (died young); and Mathias (married Jennie Long, of London, is now deceased). Robert Powers, a native of Virginia settled on Spring Fork soon after or about the same time as Jonah Bradley, where he resided till his death. He was married in Virginia. Their children were as follows: John, Joseph, Abner, Edward, Senath, Dorcas and Fanny; the latter married Mr. Harmon, and resides in Iowa; Joseph and Edward reside in Union County; all the other children are deceased. Nicholas Moore, a native of Virginia, is believed to be one of the first settlers on Little Darby; he located on land which is now owned by John Weaver, Jr. About 1820, he, with his family, removed to Illinois, and thence to Iowa, where he died. He married Sarah Downing, by whom he had the following children, born while residing here: William, Catharine, Hannah and Athea. John Downing, a native of Virginia, became one of the early settlers of Jefferson Township about 1808-10, and a few years after moved into Monroe Township, and settled on land just above J. M. Bradley, now owned by Mr. Weaver. In 1822, he removed to Logan County, Ohio. He married Hannah Frakes, by whom he had the following children: John, Josiah, Robert, James, Sarah, Hannah and Mary. Robert and James reside in Logan County; Mary married John Van Devender, and resides in Kansas; all the others deceased. Henry Kampf, a native of Pennsylvania, settled on the Little Darby, near James Marks', about 1809-10, and resided here till about 1850 he removed to Illinois. He married Mary Travis, who died in this township. Their children were John, Mathias, Robert, Henry, Hannah, Sarah and Mary, all now deceased. Peter Paugh, a native of Virginia, settled where Arthur Bradley now resides, about 1804-6, and remained a resident of the county till his death. He married Mary Johnson, and by whom he had the following children: John, Abraham, Henry, Peter, Solomon, Sarah, Mary and Rebecca. Henry lives in Iowa, Peter in Illinois, and Mary (now Mrs. Dillon) resides in Indiana; all the others are deceased. Mr. Paugh was a blacksmith by trade, which occupation he followed through life.
Peter Baker, a native of Virginia, was known to be an early settler, locating on land now owned by La Fayette Wilson, probably as early as 1812, but of him or his family we get no further account. We find his deed for land recorded in January , 1817. Three brothers, Jonas, James and Joseph Heath became settlers here about 1815. Jonas settled on Spring Fork, on the London & Marysville road; James settled in the forks of Little Darby and Spring Fork; and Joseph settled just north of his brother James. Ralston Williams settled on Spring Fork where Joseph, his son, now lives, about 1825. He married a Miss Goodin; he was a good farmer, an honest and worthy citizen. Their children were Joseph, Marion, Jane, Elizabeth, Evaline, Rebecca and Eliza. The two sons served in teh war of the rebellion; Marion was killed at the battle of Chickamauga, and Joseph, who was a Lieutenant, was severly wounded at the same battle. Mr. Williams' wife died, and he married for his second wife the Widow Canada. Mr. Williams died at Irwin Station. Fletcher Pratt, was not a pioneer, but settled here about 1830, and resided here through the remainder of his life. His children were John, Sallie, Samuel, Eliza, Eli, Peter and Anna. John Aylor, a native of Virginia, settled on the Little Darby, on the Wilson land, about 1825. He erected a saw mill; subsequently he moved to Iowa. David Link, a native of Virginia, settled here same date, 1825; he erected a grist mill on the Little darby, and subsequently he removed to Somerford Township and purchased the Roberts Mill thence he moved to the West. These mills they built on the Little Darby, did quite a large business for several years, but have long since gone to decay. William Winget, a native of Pennsylvania, married Mary Tomlinson, a native of Maryland. They settled on Spring Fork on land now owned by La Fayette Wilson, about 1828. He was the father of the following children: Mahala, married R. T. Burnham, and settled in Champaign County, but subsequently moved to Iowa, where they now reside; Mary, married Joseph McCampbell, and settled in Union County, thence removed to Greene County, Ohio, where they now reside; Luther, married Mary Jane Reynolds, and resides in Union County; John, married Mary Proctor, and settled at Kenton, Ohio, he is deceased; William, deceased; Catharine, married John C. Robinson, and is now deceased; Elizabeth, married John McCloud, Esq. of London; and David C., married Mary Winget, widow of John Winget, deceased, and resides at Kenton, Ohio.
James Guy was born in Vermont, November 14, 1779, married Mary Watts, and emigrated to Ohio and settled in Union County in 1812. In 1826, removed to Monroe Township, this county, and settled on the place where his son James now resdies, and here resided till his death, September 8, 1826; his wife died September 6, 1842, aged sixty years. Their children were Harriet, who married Moses Fullington, both deceased; Jane, married Benjamin Mann, is now a widow; Sylvia, died single at seventeen years of age; William and James are both married and residents of this township. Mr. Guy, while young, learned the blacksmith trade, but after settling in Ohio gave his attention to farming, stock-raising and the dairy business. He made stock-raising a specialty. This made it necessary for him to put up a large amount of hay. As there were no mowing machines in that day, all the grass was cut with scythes. On a certain occasion, he an done Bidwell made a wager with his mowers, that they could cut eight acres of grass in one day. The wager was accepted, the ground measured, and the parties were to commence the next morning at sunrise; and before sunset the entire eight acres of grass were lying in the swath, a feat which was perhaps never before or since performed by any two men. But in addition to his great physical strength and power of endurance, he perfromed a conspicuous part of usefulness among the early settlers. He was one of the great cattle buyers of those days. There were then no means of getting cattle to market, except on foot; he purchased large droves of three and four year old cattel, annually, which were driven to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and other eastern markets, fording creeks, swimming rivers and climbing the Alleghany Mountains with his drove of bullocks. It was not unfrequently the case that they became frightened, the formost ones turning back upon the others until the whole drove was on a terrible stampede, breaking down everything before them and no human power could stop them, the drovers making their escape the best way they could to save themselves from being trampled to death. Mr. Guy was a very active, energetic and prosperous business man, a kind neighbor and a worthy citizen.
The above constitutes the most of the pioners and early settlers of Monroe Township. And now, as we turn in retrospect and view the times of those forefathers, see their habits, modes of life, houses, household goods, and the rude tools and implements for farming purposes, as compared with those of the present, we must be impressed with wonder and admiration at the change and improvement wrought by the genius and industry of man. And while we can rejoice over all this progress and advancement, we would ask, how were the social and moral conditions then, as compared with now? Alas! we fear they will not bear the same favorable results. The principal social gatherings of those days were those in which there was an interchange of work or labor; in which several persons would turn out and help their neighbor to accomplish a certain piece or job of work; and then he, in turn, would help others. This enabled those in the sparsely settled condition of the country at that time to accomplish a heavy piece of work which could not have done alone, and for which there was no means to hire it done. All were then sociable; they were not divided into classes and grades according to their wealth, or finery in dress, or manner of living. Then a man of industry and good moral habits, polished with a reasonable intelligence and education, whether rich or poor in worldly possessions, was fit for any society or social position. If a man or woman is guilty of no greater crime than that of poverty, he or she should be treated with as much Christian respect and courtesy as though they wer millionaires. If any are morally down in our midst, lift them up; if any are suffering, comfort and aid them. Let all strive to cultivate and perpetuate the good old sociable traits of the pioneers in themselves and in their children, and thus will the future generations be blessed.