History

Montville Township was formerly known as Township 9-North, Range 6-West. The land was first surveyed by the Connecticut Land Company in 1797. There are 15,534 acres in all of Montville. The original purchase price for all the land in Montville was $12,892.23. This purchase agreement was made on March 23, 1801.

Observers approaching Montville from a distance of ten to twelve miles and looking across the Grand River Valley to the west say the rise of the ridge is very noticeable and has the appearance of a long mountain. Thus, pioneers gave it the name Montville, mountain town. The name also derived from the town of Montville in Connecticut.

There is a ridge in Montville which crosses the township from the north to south at approximately half a mile west of the middle of the township. The peak of the ridge, known as the “Old Wintersteen place,” lies at the elevation of 1333 feet above sea level or 761 feet above Lake Erie. This is one of three points claimed to be the second highest location in Ohio. From the ridge, the land slopes westward to the Hambden line. The same holds true to the east. Streams in the southern half of the slope flow to the Cuyahoga River. The northern point flows to the Grand River in Painesville.

Agriculture was the main occupation. Wheat was grown considerably and potatoes became an important crop for a few years after 1890. Apple orchards were planted on nearly every farm. Heavy snows and cold springs with their alternate freezing and thawing are favorable to the production of maple syrup. To this day, production of maple syrup is quite prominent in this area.

Roswell Stevens, a veteran from the War of 1812, became the first permanent resident of Montville. He came from Rock Creek in Ashtabula during the summer of 1815. Until 1822, the township was set to the jurisdiction of Hambden. However, it gained separate political status as a result of a petition.

The first Monday in April was established by law for the election of township officers. It was called “Town Meeting Day” and was a custom brought from New England. In 1904, the date was changed to coincide with state and national elections.

The first road built in Montville was laid out in 1818, which is known as State Route 528. G.A.R. Highway (Route 6) and SR 86 were set up as toll houses around the time of the Civil War. The toll was lifted from the roads because they were in disrepair. They were resurfaced with slag in 1927 and 1928. Plank Road was laid with three inch white oak planks; thus, giving it its name. The first cement road in Montville was Route 6 in 1922-1923.

The first regular mail was delivered in 1823 and was carried by horseback or on foot due to the road conditions, light deliveries, and high cost of postage. It arrived two or three times a week.

Telephones first made their appearance in Montville during the 1890’s. Residents went to a central building to make phone calls; there were no private phones at that time.

Until 1910, school was in session for seven or eight months a year. Teachers were hired for only one term. The 1922-1923 school year brought about the nine-month school year. In 1933, children were sent to Thompson because enrollment was low.