In writing the history of Union Township one must go south to
discover its fountain head. The tide of emigration that flowed
northward from the Carolinas broke upon the shores of the
Stillwater and populated Union.  When that vast area lying west of
the Miami, and which for a time was known as Randolph Township, was
cut up into five smaller divisions, Union became one of these about
1807. It is bounded on the north by Newton Township, on the south
by Montgomery County, on the east by Concord and Monroe Townships
and on the west by Monroe Township in Darke County. It is traversed
by the Stillwater in the eastern part, while two branches of Ludlow
Creek and other streams water its large area. 

There being no finer land "out of doors" it is no wonder
that the first white men who penetrated to this region concluded to
make it their home. In the year 1801 Henry Fouts and the two
Ellers, Leonard and Adam, settled in Union Township in the very
heart of the "forest primeval." They had looked at other
land, but found the region of the Stillwater to their liking. The
next year came Caleb Mendenhall with his family of six, and he was
followed by John Mast and Frederick Yount. The last named located a
mill site and for a while supplied the settlers with flour and
ground meal. In 1804 David Mote, Sr., with five stalwart sons,
settled in Union.  They chose the western part of the township,
while east of the river received Leonard and William Fincher,
William Neal, Benjamin Pike, Jacob Byrkett and others. The Motes
led the vanguard of Quakers who settled in Union Township, a class
of people who have given to this county much of the stability and
prosperity it now enjoys. These people, quiet, unobtrusive and
strictly honest, are found all over Union Township, forming within
themselves a class noted for its integrity. The descendants of the
first Quaker residents have filled many positions of trust and are
numbered today among the foremost citizens of the county. 

The year 1805 found Samuel Jones in Union Township. He emigrated
from Georgia, as did Abiather Davis, who brought with him to the
fine lands on Stillwater four sons and three daughters. In the same
year Newberry District in South Carolina sent a little colony of
Quakers into the township, among whom were Isaac, James, George and
Nathan Hollingsworth. Elislia Jones, a chairmaker, came in 1807,
having been preceded a year previous by Joel Hollingsworth, another
Quaker. Joel was a man of both ingenuity and business, for he built
flatboats upon Stillwater and transported his own produce to New
Orleans, making quite a little sum by the operation.  It is stated
that upon one return trip Mr. Hollingsworth brought home a
telescope, a wonderful thing in those days. Neighbors came from far
and near to inspect the wonderful instrument and for months it was
the newest thing under the sun. 

One cannot help noticing the stalwartness of the first settlers of
Union Township. They were men of powerful physique and people of
more than the average culture and perseverance. For instance Isaac
Hasket rode horse back from South Carolina, accompanied by his wife
and child, and many others followed his example. He was a
blacksmith whose forge was always aglow and his hands and skill
turned out all sorts of farming impalements, including sickles in
profusion. There were no keener sickles in the Stillwater Valley
than those he fashioned and the bearded grain went down before them
in a marvelous manner. So rapid was the settlement of Union
Township that it is asserted that two large Friends or Quaker
settlements in Georgia and South Carolina were almost depopulated
to furnish inhabitants in this section. The tide of immigration
rolled resistless this way for several years or until Union
Township was almost entirely populated with Quakers. 

When the township came to organize itself into a body politic it
chose Samuel B. Edwards as clerk. He was a man not calculated to
make the best possible officer, but something had to be done and he
was selected. He served but one term and the people seemed glad to
exchange him for another elector. John Coate is said to have been
the first duly elected clerk.  Settled as it was by people of
decided worth, Union Township soon became a recognized branch of
the county's existence, a position which it holds today. It is
noted for its liberality in everything, for thrift and industry. 
Its principal town is West Milton or Milton, as it was first
called. The town was named for John Milton the English poet, and it
is said that "Paradise Lost" held such a sway over the
mind of a fair daughter of Union Township that she managed to have
its chief town named for her favorite author. 

West Milton, with a present population of over 1,000 is situated on
the west bank of the, Stillwater. The site of the town was selected
by Joseph Evans, who came from the Newberry District, South
Carolina. He was so pleased with the location that he resolved to
establish a village at this point. The first lots were sold in
1807. For years the village had a sluggish growth, and as late as
1825 but three families occupied the site, but in course of time
the village took on new life and began to assume considerable
proportions. Oliver Benton became the first postmaster of West
Milton and added the occupations of merchant and justice to his
other one. He owned the only store in the town and wagoned his
products to Cincinnati.  As the town grew, manufacture was
encouraged, a carding machine was set up, and a woolen mill
followed. Samuel Kelley was the proprietor of the mill, but in 1820
he sold out to David Thayer, who wove blankets there.  In 1824 a
scythe factory was established at West Milton and the manufacture
of linseed oil became an infant industry there in 1819. Not until
1840 did the town get an outlet by turnpike, when the one from
Dayton tapped the place. Years afterward the railway came and now,
besides this convenience, West Milton is tapped by the Dayton,
Covington and Piqua Traction Line.  About 1834 the prospering town
took out papers of incorporation and C. W. Beebe was called to fill
the first mayor's chair. Today the town of West Milton has two
prosperous banks, a number of manufactories, a fine school,
excellent and commodious churches, well paved streets and handsome
business blocks and dwellings, all of which go to make it one of
the foremost towns in the county. Its future is bright, for its
citizens take an interest in everything that goes to make it
prosperous and influential as a town. 

The present official roster of West Milton is as follows: Mayor-
W. O. Martindale; clerk- Charles E. Fox; treasurer- Philip Yount;
marshal- Cyrus Long; councilmen-David Stoltz, E. M.. Crew, Oren
Coates, A.G. Eidemiller, Smith Gassett, Cyrus Folkerth; board of
education-Gainor Jennings, John Henderson. 

The villages of New Lebanon and Laura are situated in Union
Township.  The former has a population of 250, the latter, 400. The
picturesque hamlet of Ludlow Falls, near the beautiful cascade of
the same name, is a promising place. New Lebanon, or Georgetown,
was laid out in 1840. It has a German Baptist Church, and the
post office is Potsdam. Laura, named for the daughter of its first
postmaster, was incorporated in 1892, and is a well conducted,
thriving town. It is officered at present as follows: Mayor- Robert
Wylie; clerk- Arthur Hess; treasurer- George Swisher; marshal-
Milton North; councilmen-Ellis Lowery, William Coate, Charles Hall,
Urias Netzley, Benjamin Welbaum, Hervey Cassell.