Francis Monfort
One of the earliest preachers of the Gospel in this neighborhood was Francis Monfort, who, for a long time, was pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Hamilton. He was a descendant of the Huguenots. The founder of the American family fled from France, after seeing the oppressions he would be subject to if he remained a Protestant in that country, first going to Holland, and then coming to the American colonies. The father of Francis Monfort was Lawrence Monfort, and his mother was Elizabeth Cassat, and he was born seven miles north-east of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, in what was then York County, but is now Adams, on the 15th of December, 1782. Mr. Monfort moved to the West with his family, in 1799, and arrived in Cincinnati, May 28th. He soon removed to Warren County, remaining for the Summer on a place three-quarters of a mile south of Lebanon, and in November taking a place eight miles west of that town, on the way to Hamilton, Francis Monfort assisted his father on the farm until he was of age. In 1800 he experienced a religious change, and he united with the Presbyterian Church of Turtle Creek, which was the nearest to his house, and which was then under the pastoral charge of Rev. Richard McNemar. As he grew older he determined to enter the ministry, and began his studies under the supervision of his pastor, occupying more than two years. There was then no theological seminary in Ohio, and it was the common plan for those who could not go East and complete their studies to take them up with some approved clergyman in their neighborhood. The then best known here-abouts was the Rev. John Thompson, of the place now called Springdale. He taught many, and continued in the labor year after year. Previously to going with Mr. Thompson, Mr. Monfort studied for a time with Mr. Malcolm Worley. After being instructed by Mr. Thompson for a year, he passed eight months with the Rev. Barton W. Stone, at Cane Ridge, Bourbon County, Kentucky, and he was six months with the Rev. Robert Marshall, in Fayette County, of the same State. He then considered himself qualified to preach, and on the 31st of July, 1807, he was licensed to preach the Gospel, delivering his first discourse at New Castle, Kentucky. Through the south of Kentucky he soon after went on a preaching tour, extending it into Tennessee, in the neighborhood of Nashville. Then he came over into Ohio, in the Mad River country, and afterwards preached in Kentucky. He did not at this time belong to the Presbyterians, but from the time he began his studies was a "New Light." His church, with many others, had seceded from its previous denominational relationship and joined the new body, which was then thought to be more thoroughly moved by the grace of God. On the 6th of June, 1809, he was married, in Scott County, Kentucky, to Sophia Glass, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Glass, formerly of Frederick County, Virginia, and sister of Mrs. Marshall, the wife of the Rev. Robert Marshall. After being married he came back to Ohio, being first on Clear Creek and then on Dick's Creek, and preached till October, 1811, when he joined the Presbyterian Church, returning at the same time as the Rev. John Thompson. He was placed on probation for sixteen months, at the same time pursuing additional studies under the direction of the Rev. Joshua L. Wilson, D. D. No stop, however, was put to his conducting religious meetings, and he continued them until licensed by the presbytery at Dayton, Ohio, in March, 1813.
Not far from the bounds of Butler County, but located in Warren, was at about that time begun a new congregation, known as the New Jersey congregation, from the fact of most of their members having come from that State. There he was asked to preach, and afterwards was settled as pastor of the Church on the 14th of June, 1814. The flock increased and multiplied, and he remained with it until April, 1821, when he began to preach in Hamilton and Seven Mile, places left vacant by the removal of the Rev. Matthew G. Wallace. He removed to this place in the following October. Here he stayed for sixteen years, during ten years of which he preached half his time at Seven Mile.
In 1830 a petition was sent to the presbytery by four of the elders, four trustees, and fifty members asking for a dissolution of the relations existing between them. This was resisted by Mr. Monfort, who appealed to the synod, and received a decision in his favor. The dissatisfied members would not take this answer as conclusive, and organized another Presbyterian Church in Rossville, both of the Churches flourishing. They were finally united in 1842, under the Rev. Thomas E. Thomas. Mr. Monfort resigned his charge in 1837, and removed to Mt. Carmel, Indiana, where he officiated as pastor for nine years. He then preached at St. Omer and Concord, in the Whitewater Presbytery, remaining with them for five years.
His bodily health, however, had grown weak, and he then ceased regularly to preach or take charge of a Church. For four years, however, he preached occasionally, and at two different times, for three months each, he occupied the pulpit of the Church at Greensburg, Indiana. He never was more useful than at these times. Mr. Monfort was a strong and fervent preacher, and to him many have owed their spiritual birth. He was for forty-eight years in the ministry, and he lost no opportunity of doing good. His piety was constant; no one could be in his society, for a few minutes even, without knowing that he was a religious man. He did not grow lax and idle as he grew old, but was willing to undertake new tasks. He began the study of the Hebrew language when sixty one years of age, and kept it up until his death. He died June 18, 1855, aged seventy-two years. He had one daughter and four sons, all of the sons being ministers of the Presbyterian Church.
From A History and Biographical Cyclopædia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers, Western Biographical Publishing Company, Cincinnati Ohio, 1882.