This section is taken from the book "Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Muskingum County, Ohio" by Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1892, Columbus, Ohio. It is a wonderful source for Muskingum history and seems to be a source that Ione Bradford Supplee found much informastion in. I have found some errors and contradictions but that is to be expected especially since the author seemed to have gotten much of his information from the residents of the county as well as documented records.

    The original pioneer of this township was Charles Marquand, who settled on the land now occupied by his grandson, Charles Marquand, in the wilds of Wills creek, in 1810. He was of French descent, and spoke that language, was born on the Island of Guernsey about 1763, and married there, and here all his children were born. He flrst settled at Georgetown, D. C., where he worked at his trade of a carpenter. When he first settled on Wills creek not a stick of timber had been cut on his land, and no clearing had been made in what is now Monroe township. Charles Marquand was a man of energy and thrift, and aided by his sons, cleared up his land, and at his death owned 625 acres in this county. Possessing business ability to a marked degree, he had salt works on Wills creek at an early day, and built a gristmill, sawmill and ran a carding and fullingmill, which were the first mills in this part of the county. He also conducted a general store in 1834 for the pioneers, the first in the township, and carried on a large business. In 1836-37 he built a large two-story brick house, which at that time was the only brick house in that part of the township. Charles Marquand was one of our most enterprising and business pioneers. and was largely instrumental in settling up this part of the county. He was known far and wide, and extended aid to many of the pioneers to assist them in establishing homes. To the French settlers, especially, he never refused aid, and possessed their confidence and esteem to a great degree, His son, Peter Marquand, followed in the footsteps of his father, and was a business man of large influence. Marquand's mills were known far and wide by the old settlers, and were of great advantage to them. The property is now owned by John and Charles Marquand, grandsons of the original settler.

    James Sprague Sr. was the next pioneer of Monroe township. He settled at Otsego in 1812, and was the first settler of this place. He was one of the early pioneers of Ohio, and first settled at Marietta, and about 1800-1 settled at Wakatomaka, now Dresden, where be ran a gristmill for another party. The Indians from Otsego would come to him with small packages of corn to grind. Being a lover of hunting, he often visited Monroe township and Otsego in search of game, and was pleased with the locality. When the Indians crossed the Muskingum river at Cass'ford in 1812, on their way to the reservation, Mr. Sprague saw them cut through the ice with their tomahawks, to enable them to swim their horses through the river. He soon after moved his effects to Otsego on a sled.

    Nehemiah and Jonathan Sprague, his brothers, were famous hunters and early settlers of Marietta, and while the Indian troubles were still rife, ascended the Muskingum river in a canoe, and entering the mouth of Wills creek, continued up about five miles, and discovered a small lake which is now called James Wilson's pond. Here they carefully hid their canoes from the Indians, signs of whom were plentiful, and proceeded to hunt deer and other game. They preserved their meat by sinking it in the water until they had procured sufficient for their needs, when they returned to Marietta. It is claimed that this visit to Wills creek was made before the settlement at Zanesville or Dresden, and was probably the first visit made by white men to this vicinity. James Sprague was a great wolf hunter. It was difficult to get money for anything except wolf scalps, and thus many a wolf fell before his accurate aim. James Sprague is described as a fine example of the Ohio hunter and pioneer. He was a tall, strong, and large boned man weighing from 185 to 200 pounds. He dressed in buckskins, wearing a fringed hunting shirt and coonskin cap. He first erected a rude, log hut on the spot where Charles Walker now lives, where about three acres of land had been cleared by the Indians, This hardy old Revolutionary soldier and hunter passed his life without any severe sickness, and died in this township at the great age of nearly ninety-seven years.

    The next generation of Spragues being yet well remembered by some of our older settlers, as hunters and pioneers, it will be necessary here to give but a short account. Elijah Sprague, son of James, was born in 1801. At the age of thirteen years he shot, with his father's rifle, a panther which measured ten feet from tip to tip. His younger brother, William, was with him, and together they placed the beast on a pony's back and brought him in triumph to their father's cabin. Samuel Sprague, another son of James Sprague, the old pioneer, deserves a passing notice, as the oldest man in Monroe township at the time of his death, He was born in Bedford county, Penn., March 4, 1796, under Washington's second administration, and was brought to Ohio when a child. He died near Otsego July 4, 1890, and was ninety-four years, three months and twenty-six days old at the time of his death. His daughter, Mrs. Levenia Simmons, was the first white child born in Monroe township. She is yet living. Samuel Sprague set out the first orchard at Otsego, bringing the trees from Dresden on an ox sled.

    The Bainters werer among the very earliest settlers of Monroe township, and were great hunters and a well-known pioneer family. They all spring from Godfrey Bainter, the original pioneer, who came from Germany, bringing his wife and settling in Maryland, where twelve children were born. In 1800-1 he came to Ohio with his family and settled on wild land in Madison township, on the land now occupied by Joshua Stump, which to this day is called the old Bainter farm. He died in 1803 at the age of eighty-nine years.

    Jacob Bainter Sr., the son of Godfrey, and the father of Frederick and Jacob Bainter, now living in this township, was born in Maryland, and came with the family to Ohio. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, and married in Bedford county, Penn., where Godfrey Bainter made his home some time after leaving Maryland. He settled first on the Wakatomaka creek, and in 1812 moved with his family to Monroe township and settled on land which his son Jacob now occupies. This is the statement of the venerable Frederick Bainter, son of Jacob Bainter Sr. But Jacob Bainter Jr., is quite positive that his father settled on this land the fall of 1811, and that Charles Marquand settled before him, and that James Sprague settled at Otsego June, 1812. However, the difference is slight, and there is no positive authority as to which statement is correct. It is evident that the Spragues and Bainters made their settlement in the township at about the same time, and that Charles Marquand Sr., preceded them nearly, if not quite, two years.

    The first year the Bainters settled their food gave out, and as the wheat was just heading, they rubbed out the heads and used it with milk. They would have suffered for food had not the game been so plentiful. Jacob Bainter was a very skillful hunter, and provided an abundance of wild game for the family. He was a powerful man, of iron constitution and a substantial pioneer farmer, owning nearly 600 acres of land. He died in 1865 at the patriarchal age of nearly ninety-five years. He belonged to a long-lived family. Of the twelve children of Godfrey Bainter, all lived to be over eighty years of age.

    Frederick Bainter, his son, was born in Madison township August 15, 1804, and is among the last of the sons of the pioneers, and is now living at the advanced age of eighty-eight, a substantial farmer, and still able to work on his farm. In his prime he had the tough sinews of a backwoodsman, and could cut the trees and make 250 fence rails in one day.

    Jacob Bainter Jr., now a substantial farmer in this township, was born on the farm where he now lives, June 10, 1815, making a continuous residence on one farm of seventy-seven years. Adam Bainter, son of Godfrey Bainter, was born in Maryland, and was sixteen years of age when his father moved to Ohio. About 1816 he moved to Monroe township and settled on the farm where Andrew A. Bainter now lives. He lived to the age of eighty-two years. John Bainter, his son, was born in Cass township in 1809, March 9; inherited his farm from his father; was one of our respected citizens, and died in 1890 aged eighty-one years.

    Henry Brannon, another of the pioneers of Monroe township and the founder of an excellent family, was born in Pennsylvania and settled in this township in 1812 on the farm adjoining that now occupied by James M. Brannon, his son. In his old age he sold out and went to Henry county, Iowa, where he died at the age of seventy-eight years. He was also a mighty hunter, and one season, from the door of his log cabin, he shot seven deer that had come to feed on his turnips. This date of settlement was given on the authority of James M. Brannon, who is very positive he is correct. In l8l3 Jared Cone came from New England and settled on section 13. In 1814 Joseph Stoner came from Pennsylvania and settled on section 13. In 1812-16 David Richardson came from Connecticut. In 1812-16 John S. Abbott, father of David J. Abbott, came to the township. He had married a daughter of Capt. David Richardson, and there families came out together. The journey was made by means of ox-wagons over the Indian trail from Cambridge.

    Tunis Elson, one of the pioneers of Monroe township, was from Crawford county, near Meadville, Penn., and came to Ohio in a pirogue, or large log canoe, bringing his wife and four children, and settling in Monroe township in 1817. They made the entire journey by water, coming down the Ohio and up the Muskingum river, and then up Wills creek until they reached Marquand's mills, where they were stopped by the riffle, the dam not having then been built. Samuel Sprague moved his family through the woods on horseback and settled in a log hut with neither door nor floor, which had been built by James Sprague, and here Mr. Elson cleared up a good farm. He built the first gristmill in this vicinity, on White Eyes creek, in 1819. Henry Elson, son of Tunis, was a substantial old settler of this township. The maternal grandfather of his wife was a Mr. Kelly, who was one of the old colonial pioneers. At one time, while journeying in a boat with his wife, three children and two other men, one of whom was his brother, they met a boat containing a white man and two Indians, who appeared friendly. After some talk the Indians borrowed two of their best rifles, under the pretense of killing some deer. Mr. Kelly and his brother unsuspiciously stepped ashore to gather some pawpaws growing on the bank, when the Indians, who were on the watch for them, shot and killed them both, and they fell back into the boat dead. The remaining, man pushed the boat off and escaped to the other side with Mrs. Kelly and the children. Leaving the boat, the party began a fearful march for the settlement. During this perilous journey Mrs. Kelly and her three little children, one of whom was a babe in arms, lived on baws and other wild berries, and were nearly starved. She was bitten on the ankle by a copperhead snake, and her limb became badly swollen. Fearing they would all starve before they could reach the settlement, the man of the party set out alone for assistance, and, arriving safely, stirred up the settlers to the rescue. In the meantime Mrs. Kelly was days in the wilderness, and at one time, becoming entirely discouraged, laid her infant at the foot of a tree to die, when a boat came along and took them to a French station. Mrs. Kelly and her children were in a pitiable condition, but the kind-hearted settlers relieved all their wants and sent men to bring in the bodies of her husband and his brother. The infant who came so near perishing in the wilderness became the mother of Mrs. Henry Elson, now an aged lady residing in this township, from whose lips the writer gathered this story, which has never before been in print.

    In 1819 Caleb Buker, who was born at Gray, Me., in 1794, settled in this township. He was the son of Israel H. Baker, a Revolutionary soldier, who served under Washington and Lafayette and who was at the battles of Princeton and Trenton and with Washington at the famous crossing of the Delaware and during the bitter experiences of the winter at Valley Forge. He was one of the early school teachers of this region, and died at Otsego. His sons were famous early school teachers of this county, and were widely known. Caleb Buker became the wealthiest man of his day in Monroe township. When young he was a soldier in the War of 1812. He was also a sailor, an old-time school teacher, one of the early merchants and an extensive real-estate owner. At his death his estate was valued at $150,000. He built the first stone house in the township, in 1830. In 1819 Alpha Buker, brother of the above, settled in Monroe township. He was also one of the noted pioneer school teachers. About 1851 he settled at Otsego and bought the hotel property now owned by Thomas H. Davis, which he kept for many years. He was postmaster and fifteen years justice of the peace.

    In 1827 Robert Waters came to Monroe township when a boy of fourteen years of age, with his brother Reuben. in 1828 Mrs. Elizabeth M. McDonald, widow of Nathaniel McDonald, settled on the farm long afterward occupied by Squire John McDonald, who was a boy but fourteen years old when the settlement was made.

    In 1812 the first road was made between Symms Creek and Otsego, by James Sprague and sons. In 1815 the first road which was regularly surveyed was laid out by Charles Roberts, from James Lindley's, in Union township, to the mouth of Wills creek. The next road was from Col. John Reynold's store, on the Wheeling road, in Union township, to James Sprague's, in Monroe township by Joseph K. McCune, surveyor in 1817. The township elections were held at the house of James Sprague.

    In 1817 the first sawmill was built by Martin Richardson, on White Eyes creek. In 1819 Charles and Peter Marquand built the dam across Wills creek at the place since known as Marquaud's Mills. Here they built a sawmill in 1820. In 1829 they built a carding and gristmill. In 1839 Samuel Sprague built a sawmill. In 1826 Joseph Walker started the first tannery and remained in this business for many years, Which was afterward conducted by his son R. A. Walker. The first thoroughbred Durham cattle were introduced into the township by Decatur Buker and Barton Cone. In 1830 Dr. Cass came to Otsego, and was the first physician to reside here.

    Otsego is on the site of an old Indian town, and is a place of considerable trade. The land was originally entered by James Sprague in 1811, and in 1838 it was bought by Moses Abbott and Francis Wires, who laid out the town, assisted by James Boyle, county surveyor. The village has never been incorporated. The first hotel was kept by David Richardson, who, in 1837, built the house afterward occupied by Joseph C. Miller, and which was destroyed by fire in 1870. Alonzo and Ralph De Lamoter built and kept the first store in Otsego in 1837. The next stores were those of Thomas Wilson and Thomas McCall. The corner store house, afterward occupied by the postoffice, was built in 1849 by James Bell. Squire Marshall and afterward Caleb Buker were merchants.

    ln 1866 the village directory contained Joseph C. Simmons, botel-keeper and farmer, William Vinsel & Co., dry goods, groceries and postoffice; J. M. Lane, physician and surgeon; William Snoots, blacksmith; J. L. Wortman, boots and shoes; Kinsey Wortman, coal dealer; Elias Sprague general store; Douglass Bell, M. D.; Barton Cone, justice of the peace and farmer. Dr. Alonzo Delamater named the town after Otsego, N. Y. Originally the eastern portion of the town was owned by Moses Abbott and the western portion by Francis Wires.

    In 1880 the village contained twenty seven houses and 120 inhabitants. The two hotels were kept by Joseph C. Miller and Joseph C. Simmons. Mr. A. V. P. Hager was postmaster and also kept a general variety store. Boyce and Cowden were in the same buisness. Thomas H. Davis was proprietor of a shoe shop and grocery, E. H. Bradford was a cabinet-maker. The millinery business was represented by Catherine C. Wirtman and Phoebe Riney.

    William and Alfred Smith were in the coal business. Dr. A. L. Jackson was proprietor of a drug store, while James T. Case and Isaac McGraw were the blacksmiths of the town. John Hammond had a wagon shop, Marquis Norris was a harness-maker, and Walker & Co., were tanners.

    Otsego is surrounded by a good agricultural growing section, and contains about 150 inhabitants and is distant about eighteen miles from the county seat. It has a good public school building, two churches and a number of business houses. Barclay & Ross, general merchandise; Cowden & Boyce, general merchandise; John Hammond, wagon-maker; Hamilton & Watkins, millers; Otsego Flouring mills; J. T. Riney, contractor and undertaker; Isaac McGraw, blacksmith and old soldier; Jesse Ridgway, son of Basil Ridgway a pioneer of Adams township, is a prominent business man of Otsego, and engaged extensively in buying and selling horses.

    The Methodist Episcopal church is the first organization in Monroe township. It was founded in 1816 by William Knox and Jacob Young, who instituted the first class, consisting of the following persons: Charles Marquand; Samuel Sprague; George Bainter, his wife, Lydia, and their son, John; Miss Jack; Ashfield Watrous and his wife, Elizabeth. The first preaching was at the house of George Bainter, and Charles Marquand was the first class-leader. In 1828 this organization was absorbed by the Methodist Protestant church.

    Revs. Myers and Gibbons, in 1828, organized a class composed of the following members: Phineas Palmer, class-leader, and his wife, Margaret; David Richardson and his wife,, Mary; James Holcomb and his wife, Elects; James Sprague and his wife, Susannah; Samuel Sprague; Elijah Sprague arid his wife, Elizabeth. This is now the Pleasant Valley Methodist Episcopal church.

    Rev. J. P. Durbin, of the Zanesville circuit, formed a class as follows: William Clark, his wife, Nancy, and their family; Hugh Ballentine, his wife, Mary, and their family; Charles Wilcox, his wife, Nancy, and their family. This was in the Year 1822. Meetings were held at the house of Hugh Ballentine, where the class was originally organized, until 1848. This year a frame church was built, but was destroyed by fire in 1854 and rebuilt, the same size, in 1855. This church became the Maysville Methodist Episcopal church.

    Otsego Baptist church was organized by members of the Salem Township Baptist church, for the purpose of having religious services nearer at home, It was constituted July 20, 1844, by Elder William Sedwick, who officiated as pastor until May 10, 1849, when he resigned. The membership was as follows: C. 0. Sedwick, H. C. Sedwick, Asheba Lane, Ruth Nasb, William Emler, Mary Emler, Drticilla Richardson, Jared Cone Sr., Eliza Cone, Nelson F. Richardson, Elizabeth Emler, Sarah Bradford, Philip Darner, Rebecca Darner, Harriet E. Frazier, Maria Wortman, Ellen Trimble, Charles Foster, Margaret Foster, Elizabeth Buker, James Trimble, Mary Trimble, Robert Trimble, William Hague, Louis Lane, Gilbert Ross, Casper Bradford, Barton Cone, Charles Frazier, Rebecca Trimble, Margaret Ross, Abrabam Emler, Daniel Milton, Susan Milton, George Milton, Mary J. Milton, David McVickar, Elizabeth McVickar, Sarah Sprague, James Reed, Matilda A. Beed.

    The Otsego Presbyterian church was organized in 1848, the original founders being Rev. William Wilson and Rev. William Wallace - the first name given was Mount Pleasant Presbyterian church, which was afterward changed to Otsego Presbyterian church, the new and old divisions of the church uniting. The original members were: Arthur Hamilton and his wife Catherine, Samuel Hamilton and his wife, Malcolm McNeil and his wife Isabel, John McNeil and his wife Margery, Malcolm McNeil 2d and his wife Eliza, Mary McNeil, Margaret McNeil, James McNeil and his sisters Margaret, Sarah, Margery and Mary. In 1849 a frame church was completed, on land owned by Malcolm McNeil, and afterward donated to this church by his beirs. The, first pastor was Rev. William Wallace, who died in 1852. The first elders were Arthur Hamilton, John McNeil and Malcolm McNeil. The present deacons are Malcolm McNeil 2d, and Samuel Hamilton.

    Union Chapel Methodist Protestant church was organized in 1860, at a private house, by the Rev. H. T. Lawson; class-leader was Robert Donaldson. The following were the original members of the class: G. W. Vensel and wife Sarah Ann, Samuel Echelberry and his wife Charity, Hannah Elsen, Alice Eisen, Nancy Donaldson, Frances Holcomb, Susan Holcomb, Elijah Sprague, Elizabeth Sprague.

    The first carpenter was John Thompson. Parker Shepardson was the first blacksmith. His shop was on White Eyes creek. In 1835 Thomas McCall introduced the first threshing machine; it was a tread power. In 1835 John S. Abbott brought the first mowing machine into the township. In October, 1820, Samuel Sprague and Mary Snoat were married, and it was the first marriage in Monroe township. On July 29, 1814, Levina Sprague was born. She was the first white child born in the township, and the daughter of James and Susannah Sprague. In 1813 Martin Richardson built on section 19 the first frame house. In 1812 the first wagon was brought into the township. In 1819 David Richardson built the first brick house in the township. In 1814 Mary Stoner, who came from Pennsylvania with her husband, taught the first school in the township in her own house, which was on section 13. In 1816 Mary Richardson, wife of David Richardson, taught the second school in the township at her residence one-half mile soutb of Otsego.

    Barton Cone (deceased) was born in Monroe township, son of Jared Cone, the pioneer, was a substantial farmer of Monroe township, and a soldier in the 100 days' service. He was deacon of the Baptist church many years, and justice of the peace, and was familiarly known as Squire Cone. He accumulated a handsome property, and was a man of untarnished integrity. Col. Joseph Walker (deceased) was a commissioned officer in the old militia. On August 12, 1825, be settled in Monroe township from Pennsylvania. He was many years engaged in the tanning business at Otsego. Col. Walker was commissioned by Gov. Joseph Vance, as adjutant of the Fifth regiment, Second brigade, Fifteenth division of the militia of Ohio. His sword and commission have both been preserved. He took a great pride in the respectable and intelligent body of descendants who claimed him as their ancestor. Robert Boyce, (deceased), for years a prosperous merchant of Adamsville, died in Otsego in 1881. He was a native of Ireland, and came to America in 1828, and in l836 settled in Madison township. He was the father of Richard Boyce, a prominent business man of Otsego.