Monroe County Article written by Thomas V. Bodine, Paris

Woodlawn township lies along the northwestern border of the county and is also an inland township, as is Clay, its neighbor on the southeast. Its early settlers were the Atterburys, Millions, Robinsons. Jennings, Stephens and ‘Woods. It has two villages, Woodlawn and Duncan’s Bridge, the latter in the western end of the township. For many years Woodlawn had the oldest Masonic lodge in the county outside of Paris and many of the names familiar to the student of local history originated there. It is a rich farming country and has as large an infusion of northern and eastern blood as Monroe, the flat lands early attracting buyers. Woodlawn’s history has been uneventful in a measure, its most potential figure in days past being Judge Woods, one of the members of the county court in the eighties and a man of fine native ability and much force of character.

Clay township, which lies just northwest of Jackson. was named for Chas. Clay and its history is closely associated with that of its neighbor. Among its early settlers were the Hangers, Stalcups, Henningers, Sidners, Sparks, Kippers, Bartons and Webbs.

Granville was at one time one of the county’s most prosperous towns and is still a good trading point. Its earliest religious body was the Christian church, organized in 1858, Rev. Alfred Wilson being its first pastor. Tirey L. Ford, ex-Attorney-General of California, hails from Clay and his family was among the pioneers who settled there. The roll-call and reunion of the Granville Christian church, an annual event, brings home-comers each year and observation leads to the conclusion that Clay township has furnished the country at large a multitude of useful and potential people, active in all the walks of modern life.