New Lebanon
Ohio
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New Lebanon
The first property deeds in this part of Montgomery County were dated in 1805 when settlers from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia began taking up homesteads. In 1806, Jacob Diehl patented land on the north side of the road in what was to become Perry Township. Two deeds to Diehl were signed by James Madison as President of the United States, and James Monroe, as his Secretary of State. Jacob Diehl was a farmer and a cabinet maker. With no regular undertakers around, he often made coffins which he then delivered by horseback to surrounding farms and settlements. He died in February of 1841 and is buried in a small cemetery in Perry Township.
In 1806 a primitive road was built from Dayton to Eaton along an old Indian trail. This was later replaced by the Dayton and Western Turnpike, complete in 1840. In October of 1810, Henry Miller entered government land on the south side of the road in Jackson Township, and in 1827 sold it to John Brouse, a potter who had emigrated to Ohio from Virginia.
On June 13, 1843, Jacob Grice laid off land into ten lots, and on the same day, John Brouse placed nine lots on the opposite side of the road, thus a village was formed here 154 years ago. A Post Office was established here in October 1847, with the name of this Village as Medill. In September 1847 the name of this small village was changed to New Lebanon although area residents called the village Sharpsburg. It was not until the early 1900's that residents started to call the Village by its true name.
New Lebanon incorporated in December 1878, with N.S. Price qualifying as Mayor and Abe Gauvey as Clerk-Treasurer. The first regular election was held in April 1879. Doctor Oscar F. Edwards was elected as Mayor. Edwards served as Mayor until April of 1883 being re-elected to the position by area voters.
On March 13, 1844, in an area that was called Johnsville, a Post Office was established, although the area was not platted until 1850 when John Becker laid out his land along the south side of the road in Jackson Township. This land was originally entered from the Governor by Samual Kinnamen in February 1817. The Johnsville Post Office ceased operations in August of 1906, and Johnsville ceased to exist as a separate community on October 11, 1965, when it was annexed to New Lebanon. However, the western part of New Lebanon will probably always be referred to as Johnsville.
Public buildings were once cheap, and the first publicly owned building in the Village of New Lebanon was the prison, which was erected in 1882. Village Council had no regular place to meet until 1894 when it purchased from Alvin Wilson a small 17 x 30 foot piece of ground on the southeast corner of lot number 2 along East Main Street. Council appropriated the sum of $55 from the General Fund to pay for the land. An Ordinance directed that Mayors Office and Council Chamber, together with a room "To be used for fire buckets" be erected on this land. An additional $25 was appropriated for this purpose. The Fire Buckets were left empty since this structure later burned to the ground.
In July of 1929, an Ordinance authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,000 to acquire and install fire apparatus, and $3,500 to acquire a suitable building for fire apparatus to operate. The engine house was built in September of 1929 by contractor C.M. Phillips for a total cost of $2,845. Until recently, this building was still standing as the front portion of the New Lebanon Fire Department.
In 1806 a primitive road was built from Dayton to Eaton along an old Indian trail. This was later replaced by the Dayton and Western Turnpike, complete in 1840. In October of 1810, Henry Miller entered government land on the south side of the road in Jackson Township, and in 1827 sold it to John Brouse, a potter who had emigrated to Ohio from Virginia.
On June 13, 1843, Jacob Grice laid off land into ten lots, and on the same day, John Brouse placed nine lots on the opposite side of the road, thus a village was formed here 154 years ago. A Post Office was established here in October 1847, with the name of this Village as Medill. In September 1847 the name of this small village was changed to New Lebanon although area residents called the village Sharpsburg. It was not until the early 1900's that residents started to call the Village by its true name.
New Lebanon incorporated in December 1878, with N.S. Price qualifying as Mayor and Abe Gauvey as Clerk-Treasurer. The first regular election was held in April 1879. Doctor Oscar F. Edwards was elected as Mayor. Edwards served as Mayor until April of 1883 being re-elected to the position by area voters.
On March 13, 1844, in an area that was called Johnsville, a Post Office was established, although the area was not platted until 1850 when John Becker laid out his land along the south side of the road in Jackson Township. This land was originally entered from the Governor by Samual Kinnamen in February 1817. The Johnsville Post Office ceased operations in August of 1906, and Johnsville ceased to exist as a separate community on October 11, 1965, when it was annexed to New Lebanon. However, the western part of New Lebanon will probably always be referred to as Johnsville.
Public buildings were once cheap, and the first publicly owned building in the Village of New Lebanon was the prison, which was erected in 1882. Village Council had no regular place to meet until 1894 when it purchased from Alvin Wilson a small 17 x 30 foot piece of ground on the southeast corner of lot number 2 along East Main Street. Council appropriated the sum of $55 from the General Fund to pay for the land. An Ordinance directed that Mayors Office and Council Chamber, together with a room "To be used for fire buckets" be erected on this land. An additional $25 was appropriated for this purpose. The Fire Buckets were left empty since this structure later burned to the ground.
In July of 1929, an Ordinance authorized the issuance of bonds in the amount of $3,000 to acquire and install fire apparatus, and $3,500 to acquire a suitable building for fire apparatus to operate. The engine house was built in September of 1929 by contractor C.M. Phillips for a total cost of $2,845. Until recently, this building was still standing as the front portion of the New Lebanon Fire Department.