Monroe Township

Monroe Township

This township was created Marcli Otli, 1S25, and favored with the name of President Monroe. The surface of the country is broken ; it is Avell watered and thickly timbered ; and its citizens liave generally been noted for their unflinching democracy and their strict attention to home aiiairs. The population in 1830 was 137, and the acres listed for taxation 13,155. In 1810, it contained 1,258 inhabitants ; in 1850, 1,321 ; and in 1860, 1,081.

The principal place of business is JVIonroe Mills, where Davis and the Boyntons for many years sold goods, bought produce, and had a post-office established in 1819. Schenck's Creek, passing through the east part, has on it seyeral saw and grist mills. At a very early period James Smith ran a mill upon it; and Jacob Davis, another very useful citizen, erected and operated until his death a good mill, which is yet carried on. Tbis stream took its name from Gen. W. C. Schenck, who owned the lands subsequently improved by Captain Coleman, David Johnson, the Irelands, and otiiers. In 1817, he sold a large part of his tract to various settlers, who made substantial improvements.

and lived that year south of Mount Yernon, across the creek, and the next year moved to the place where he died, in 1830, aged 56. Of his children, Ichabod is the only one now in this county ; Joe is living in Nebraska, William in Indiana, and Jess, is dead.

Charles Laudcrbaugh, of Pennsylvania, in 1828, emigrated to this township, and resided there until his deatli, in 1854. He had 12 children ; now living, John, Henry, Andy and Jesse, Kelly, Mrs. J. Myers, Louisa, Mrs. 0. Wolverton, Eachcl, Mrs. Wm. Kini*:, and Rebecca.

In the list of justices, will be found the names of otlier respected families; the Dixons, Scotts, Clementses, Becks, Adamses, Irvines, Boyntons, Hutcliisons, and Craigs will long be held in remembrance, if not j)erpetuated by resident descendants in future years. And the calculation would not be complete without enumerating the family of our old friend Bill Dowds, whose standing salutation is, "What's the calculation "? " There were also Sam. and Elijah, and their families ; the Marshalls and Gilcrests.

The Youngs were among the early settlers of this township. Isaac Young was born in Fairfield county, Connecticut, in 1760, and served in the Revolutionary war ; in 1790 moved to Uniontown, Pa., w here he lived for many years, and from thence

Ool. H. H. Young, of Eayette county. Pa., was born in 1791 ; married Eachel Shipley, and moved to Washington county. Pa., and from thence, in 1835, to where he now resides. He is the father of five boys and five girls. Colonel Young, for his ardor in Democracy and Methodism, his hickory pole raisings and marshalship of Democratic processions, will never be forgotten by those who witnessed his zeal in the campaigns of 1836, '10, '44.

Col. John Armstrong, a very estimable gentleman from Jamaica, who died in 1855 ; Lemuel Holmes, another good man, now living in Iowa ; David Hunt, the Berrys, the Barkers and the Millers, for many years resided in this township. The name of Hull is also of long standing.

Source changes here: from History of Knox County, Ohio, Its Past and Present, Containing a Condensed, Comprehensive History of Ohio, Including an Outline History of the Northwest; a Complete History of Knox County ... a Record of Its Soldiers in the Late War; Portraits of Its Early Settlers and Prominent Men ... Biographies and Histories of Pioneer Families, Etc, by Hill, N. N. (Norman Newell), Comp, published 1881; 2,293 words in this source stream.

Monroe Township

MONROE township shall be composed of the seventh township in the twelfth range - thus reads the brief entry made in the journal of the county commissioners, March 9, 1825. The new township was named in honor of President Monroe. This part of the county consisting of a high undulating table land was originally covered with glacial drift. Erosion has intersected this township with narrow ravines, and filled it with small streams, leaving a succession of well rounded hills of very graceful outline, characteristic of the Waverly group. This peculiarity is only modified by outcrops of the Waverly conglomerate. The soil is mainly composed of the debris of the olive shales, and moderately productive. The township is well watered, and a considerable portion of it is still covered with the original forest.

The principal stream in the township is Schenck's creek, which traverses it from northwest to southeast, and is fed by numerous springs. This stream took its name from General W. C. Schenck, who at one time owned a large tract of land in the township. The southwestern portion of the township is drained by Centre run, which empties into Owl creek just below Mt. Vernon. The timber found in Monroe is mainly white and red oak, sugar and soft maple, hickory, white and black walnut, gum beech, white and black ash, elm, sycamore, cherry and linn.

Joseph Coleman was one of the earliest settlers of Monroe township. He emigrated from Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1806, and lived that year in the Haines' settlement, south of Mt. Vernon, and the next year moved to the Daymude place, on Schenck's creek. At the first election ever held in the county, at Mt. Vernon, April 4, 1808, Mr. Coleman was elected trustee for the county, as division into townships had not yet taken place. He also served as justice of the peace from 1841 till 1853. He died in 1830, aged fifty six. None of his children now reside in the county.

Seely Simpkins was born in New Jersey in 1791, and came with his father to Knox county in 1804. They first located on Owl creek above Mt. Vernon, but in 1807 moved to Monroe township, and located on the Wesley Clements' property on Schenck's creek. Here John Simpkins, Seely's father, died and was buried in 1809. Mr. Simpkins is the eldest of twelve children, and is himself the father of twelve children, having married Christina Dial, September 2, 1813. His wife having died he married Levina Durham, September 14, 1846, and is now in the ninetieth year of his age, living in the northern part of the township.

David Johnson was also an early settler. He located on Schenck's creek, where Henry Barker now lives, and erected a block-house as a protection against the Indians. To him belongs the credit of planting the first orchard in Monroe township. In 1820 he erected a saw-mill on his property, it being the first of the kind in the township. Mr. Johnson came to Knox county from

Washington county, Pennsylvania, but the exact date of his settlement in Monroe township is not known. His name is found on the records of Knox county as grand juryman in 1809.

Mr. Johnson failed in business about 1829, and his property was purchased by James Smith, esq., of Mt. Vernon, who occupied the same until 1837, when he sold to Mr. Barker, and moved to Lancaster.

Another early settler of some notoriety was an eccentric character named James Smith, who was the first to locate at Monroe Mills. His cabin stood on the west bank of the creek, not far from the site at present occupied by Ranna's store. His name is to be found on the first jury empanelled in this county.

John Adams came from Frederick county, Virginia, and located in the extreme southwest corner of Monroe township in 181 1. He was a quiet and industrious citizen, and continued to reside at the same place until his death, which occurred August 20, 1829.

Rev. William Thrift moved from Morris township to Monroe at the close of the War of 181 2, and located near where Commissioner Stephen Craig now resides. Mr. Thrift was a Baptist minister, and as such was authorized to solemnize marriages by the first court of Knox county, held at Mt. Vernon, May 2, 1808.

William Ireland was also an early settler. He located on Schenck's creek, one-half mile above Gilcrest's m.ill, where he resided until the present year, when he moved to Morrow county, Ohio.

Later residents of prominence were the Dowds, Craigs, Lauderbaughs, Dixons, Clementses, Becks, Irvines, Skeens, Youngs, Hunts, Hulls, Berrys, Barkers, and Millers.

The history of the early roads laid out by the county in Monroe township is very similar to that of other townships, and does not require special mention. The State road to Wooster was laid out by Benjamin Martin, Joseph Eichar, and James Carpenter, commissioners appointed by the legislature of Ohio, and a copy of the survey filed in the office of the commissioners of Knox county, September i, 1818.

The Coshocton State road was surveyed by John Stewart, and returned to the county commissioners by Thomas Watt and John Hawn, jr., April 12, 1822.

Schenck's creek in its passage through Monroe township has considerable fall, consequently, affords good facilities for milling, and this circumstance was early taken advantage of by the settlers in the erection of both saw- and grist-mills on its banks. In 1825 Robert Gilcrest built a saw-mill on the property now owned by Allison Adams, and in 1833 he erected a grist-mill with three run of burhs and all the machinery to constitute a first class mill for that day. In 1837 this mill ground forty thousand bushels of wheat, the flour from which found a market in Zanesville. Mr. Gilcrest operated the mill till 1845 when he sold out to Peter Skeen, who operated it about three years. A carding machine and fulhng-mill were attarhed to this mill in 1837 and successfully operated *ill 1847, when Mr. Paige, the operator, built a fulling-mill of his own farther up the creek. The flouring-mill was owned and operated by different persons until 1876 when it became the property of Willvim Vian, a'nd on the night of April 13, 1876, it was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.

Mr. Davis erected a saw-mill on Schenck's creek one half mile below Gilcrest's mill in 1828, and a short time thereafter erected a grist-mill and added a fulling-mill and carding machine. This mill was operated successfully for several years after Mr. Davis' death which occurred in 1857.

The next mill built on Schenck's creek was near the western line of the township by Scott Gilcrest and Truman Purdy in 1835, ^'^d in 1844 Henry Boynton and Jacob Davis erected a grist-mill near the same place, now known as the Monroe Mills. The mills did a good business and the proprietors branched out into various enterprises. They established a store and post-office in 1846, farmed, and dealt in stock. In i860 Mr. Boynton failed and made an assignment of his property to Jacob Davis, James Graham, and James E. Woodbridge. They operated the mills a few years and then turned the property over to the Knox County bank. Nelson and George Critchfield purchased the mills of the bank for four thousand dollars and operated them for seven or eight years. Jacob Horn, Hiram Magers, Jacob Lybarger and James Mc- Elroy at various times held an interest in the prop-

The Lhamon mills are located on the Wooster road near the north line of Monroe township. The original mill was a saw-mill erected by Jacob Lutz in 1840. Mr. Lutz owned the mill but a short time when it came into the possession of Jacob Davis, who erected a grist-mill adjoining the same containing one pair of flouring buhrs and one set of choppers, both of which are still in use. In 1868 he old saw-mill was torn away and the present one erected by Abner Lhamon. The mills are now owned and operated by William Lhamon.

A tannery was built about the year 1815, on the H. H. Young plan, by Joseph Rogers, who sold it to Joseph Robinson in 182 1. Mr. Robinson operated it for four or five years, when it was abandoned.

Gilbert & Spindler's carriage, wagon and blacksmith shops are located at Monroe mills. The blacksmith shop has been in operation about forty vears. The carriage and wagon shop was erected in 1 86 1, by Harmon Lybarger, who operated it till the spring of 1864, when he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-second regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and died at Portsmouth, Virginia. The shop was sold by his administrator to Silas A. Spindler, who still operates it, manufacturing wagons and buggies of all kinds, which are ironed by John C. Gilbert.

In 1846 the first store was opened at Monroe mills, by Boynton & Davis, since which time the following persons have engaged in merchandizing at that place : William Shrimplin, Lewis Ralston, John McFarland, James Bebout and M. J. Ranna. The first school-house in the township was built on the C. A. Young property in 1814, and the pioneer teacher was William Marquis. The hewed log house was erected by John Adams in the southwest corner of the township in 1818, and the first brick house was built by James Adams on the Hunt property about the year 1825. Later, brick houses were built by William Marquis and Allen Scott.

In 1830 Andrew Miller kept tavern where the Coshocton road crossed Schneck's creek, since known as Monroe mills, and about the same time a hotel was opened on the Wooster road, known as the "Four Mile House." It was kept at varions times by Clementine Wolverton, R. S. Clements, Charles Bird, William Harold and others. It is no longer used as a public house,

James Martin was the first to introduce fine cattle into the township. In i860 he brought some fine short-horn Durhams from Kentucky, and has been very successful in their propagation.

Pleasant Valley Methodist Episcopal church was originally organized at Brown's meeting-house Howard township. Some of the original members were Joseph Brown, Anna Brown, Philip Brown, Mary A. Brown, John Smith, Margaret Miller, Thomas McMann and wife, John Tym and his -wife, Elizabeth, John Hunter and wife, Isaac Critchfield and his wife, Sarah, Joel Bartlett and wife, Buckley Willis and his wife, Susan, Richard Lybarger and his wife, Rebecca, Walter King and his wife, Sarah, Alexander Lybarger and his wife, Margaret, George Lybarger, and his wife, Sarah, William King and his wife Mary Ann, John Hardin and his wife, Sophia, A. K. Fobes and wife, Daniel L. Fobes and wife. Joseph Brown was the first classleader, about 1830.

In 1857 it was determined to move the church to Morgan township. Accordingly Joseph Hill donated one half acre of ground situated one-half mile south of Monroe Mills, as a building site for a new church. A building committee consisting of Joseph Hill, Nelson Critchfield and Thomas Caldwell was appointed, and a frame building thirty by thirty-five feet was erected in October of the same year. The new church was completed and the first sermon preached in it by Rev. Wolfe June 12, 1858 The dedication sermon was preached by Rev Daniel Lambert. Subsequently one-half acre adjoining was purchased for a burial ground and the first persons interred therein were Mary, wife, and Adelaide, daughter of Basil L. Critchfield. This church attained its maximum strength in 1864. The membership was then about sixty. Various causes have tended to weaken it till at the present time the entire membership is but nineteen. J. C. Gilbert is classleader, and John Bennett and J.

Stough, stewards. Rev. Lorenzo B. Shaw is the present pastor. A Sunday-school of about forty members is attached, and George Bennett is superintendent.

Ebenezer Methodist Protestant church was organized in August, 1842, by Rev. John Lamb, at the school-house on the Wooster road, near the hotel known as the Four Mile house. The early meetings were held in the above named school, house about two years. The original members were Robert Thompson and wife, Jacob Bricker and wife, Joseph Goodale and wife, George Benson and wife, Jeremiah Belt and wife; James Kennedy and Lyman Benson. The first house of worship was erected by this congregation in 1844, and the second in 1872. The latter is a neat frame thirty-two by forty feet and is located on the Wooster road one-half mile northeast of the Four Mile house. The successive pastors of this church are as follows: John Lamb, John Dorcas, Moses Scott, A. S. Robinson, J. M. Winn, Thomas Potter Samuel Catlin, John Lamb, N. S. Brown, W. H Marshall, D. B. Dorsey, E. S. Hoagland, J. Fister John McFarland, C. C. Ball, J. H. Hamilton, W. A, Sampson, E. W. Grimes, J. M. Woodward, L. Bowman, G. W. Hissey and J. H. Hamilton. A Sunday-school is connected with this church, the date of the organization of which is not now known. The present superintendent is David Adams.

From 1855 to 1867 the elections were held in White Hall school-house number five. In the latter year a town house was built in the centre of the township where the elections have ever since been held.

The present board of township officers is constituted as follows: Allison Adams and George W. Clements, justices; J. W. Clements and Adam McGough, constables; James W. Davis, clerk; Solomon Doup, James Paige, and LeGrand Marshall, trustees; William Grubb, treasurer; JohnW. Perkins, assessor; Allison Adams, land appraiser; Solomon Doup, E. S. Graham, Henry Patterson, Rush Stough, and W. B. Dowd^ board of education.

Source changes here: from History Knox County, Ohio, by N. N. Hill., Jr, published 1881; 2,223 words in this source stream.

Monroe Township

reads the brief entry made in the journal of the county commissioners, March 9, 1825. 'The new township was named in honor of President Monroe. This part of the county consisting of a high undulating table land was originally covered with glacial drift. Erosion has intersected this township with narrow ravines, and filled it with small streams, leaving a succession of well rounded hills of very graceful outline, characteristic of the shales, and moderately productive. The township is well watered, and a considerable portion of it is still covered with the original forest.

The principal stream in the township is Schenck's creek, which traverses it from northwest to southeast, and is fed by numerous springs. This stream took its name from General W. C. Schenck, who at one time owned a large tract of land in the township. The southwestern portion of the township is drained by Centre run, which empties into Owl creek just below Mt. Vernon. The timber found in Monroe is mainly white and red oak, sugar and soft maple, hickory, white and black walnut, gum beech, white and black ash, elm, sycamore, cherry and linn.

Joseph Coleman was one of the earliest settlers of Monroe township. He emigrated from Fayette county, Pennsylvania, in 1806, and lived that year in the Haines' settlement, south of Mt. Vernon, and the next year moved to the Daymude place, ° on Schenck's creek. At the first election ever held in the county, at Mt. Vernon, April 4, 1808, Mr. Coleman was elected trustee for the county, as division into townships had not yet taken place. He also served as justice of the peace from 1841 till 1853. He died in 1830, aged fifty-six. None of his children now reside in the county.

Seely Simpkins was born in New Jersey in 1791, and came with his father to Knox county in 1804. They first located on Owl creek above Mt. Vernon, but in 1807 moved to Monroe township, and located on the Wesley Clements' property on Schenck's creek. Here John Simpkins, Seely's father, died and was buried in 1809. Mr. Simpkins is the eldest of twelve children, and is himself the father of twelve children, having married Christina Dial, - September 2, 1813. His wife having died he married Levina Durham, September 14, 1846, and is now in the ninetieth year of his age, living in the. northern part of the township.

David Johnson was also an early settler. He located on Schenck's creek, where Henry Barker now lives, and erected a block-house as a protection against the Indians. To him belongs the credit of planting the first orchard in Monroe township. In 1820 he erected a saw-mill on his property, it being the first of the kind in the township. Mr. Johnson came to Knox county from

Washington county, Pennsylvania, but the exact date of his settlement in Monroe township is not known. His name is found on the records of Knox county as grand juryman in 1809.

Mr. Johnson failed in business about 1829, and his property was purchased by James Smith, esq., of Mt. Vernon, who occupied the same until 1837, when he sold to Mr. Barker, and moved to Lancaster.

Another early settler of some notoriety was an eccentric character named James Smith, who was the first to locate at Monroe Mills. His cabin stood on the west bank of the creek, not far from the site at present occupied by Ranna's store. His name is to be found on the first jury empanelled in this county.

John Adams came from Frederick county, Virginia, and located in the extreme southwest corner of Monroe township in 1811. He was a quiet and industrious citizen, and continued to reside at the same place until his death, which occurred August 20, 1829.

Rey. William Thrift moved from Morris township to Monroe at the close of the War of 1812, and located near where Commissioner Stephen Craig now resides. Mr. Thrift was a Baptist minister, and as such was authorized to solemnize marriages by the first court of Knox county, held at Mt. Vernon, May 2, 1808.

William Ireland was also an early settler. He located on Schenck's creek, one-half mile above Gilcrest's mill, where he resided until the present year, when he moved to Morrow county, Ohio.

Later residents of prominence were the Dowds, Craigs, Lauderbaughs, Dixons, Clementses, Becks, Irvines, Skeens, Youngs, Hunts, Hulls, Berrys, Barkers, and Millers.

The history of the early roads laid out by the county in Monroe township is very similar to that of other townships, and does not require special mention. The State road to Wooster was laid out by Benjamin Martin, Joseph Eichar, and James Carpenter, commissioners appointed by the legislature of Ohio, and a copy of the survey filed in the office of the commissioners of Knox county, September 1, 1818.

Schenck's creek in its passage through Monroe township has considerable fall, consequently, affords good facilities for milling, and this circumstance was early taken advantage of by the settlers in the erection of both saw- and grist-mills on its banks. In 1825 Robert Gilcrest built a saw-mill on the property now owned by Allison Adams, and in 1833 he erected a grist-mill with three run of burhs and all the machinery to constitute a first class mill for that day. In 1837 this mill ground forty thousand bushels of wheat, the flour from which found a market in Zanesville. Mr. Gilcrest operated the mill till 1845 when he sold out to Peter Skeen, who operated it about three years. A carding machine and fulling-mill were attached to this mill in 1837 and successfully operated till 1847, when Mr. Paige, the operator, built a fulling-mill of his own farther up the creek. The flouring-mill was owned and operated by different persons until 1876 when it became the property of William Vian, and on the night of April 13, 1876, it was destroyed by fire and never rebuilt.

Mr. Davis erected a saw-mill on Schenck's creek one half mile below Gilcrest's mill in 1828, and a short time thereafter erected a grist-mill and added a fulling-mill and carding machine. This mill was operated successfully for several years after Mr. Davis' death which occurred in 1857.

The next mill built on Schenck's creek was near the western line of the township by Scott Gilcrest and Truman Purdy in 1835, and in 1844 Henry Boynton and Jacob Davis erected a grist-mill near the same place, now known as the Monroe Mills. The mills did a good business and the proprietors branched out into various enterprises. They established a store and post-office in 1846, farmed, and dealt in stock. In 1860 Mr. Boynton failed and made an assignment of his property to Jacob Davis, Janes Graham, and James E. Woodbridge. They operated the mills a few years and then turned the property over to the Knox County bank. Nelson and George Critchfield purchased the mills of the bank for four thousand dollars and operated them for seven or eight years. Jacob Horn, Hiram Magers, Jacob Lybarger and James Mc- Elroy at various times held an interest in the prop-

The Lhamon mills are located on the Wooster road near the north line of Monroe township. The original mill was a saw-mill erected by Jacob Lutz in 1840. Mr. Lutz owned the mill but a short time when it came into the possession of Jacob Davis, who erected a grist-mill adjoining the same containing one pair of flouring buhrs and one set of choppers, both of which are still in use. In 1868 he old saw-mill was torn away and the present one erected by Abner Lhamon. The mills are now owned and operated by William Lhamon.

A tannery was built about the year 1815, on the H. H. Young plan, by Joseph Rogers, who sold it to Joseph Robinson in 1821. Mr. Robinson operated it for four or five years, when it was abandoned.

Gilbert & Spindler's carriage, wagon and blacksmith shops are located at Monroe mills. The blacksmith shop has been in operation about forty years. The carriage and wagon shop was erected in 1861, by Harmon Lybarger, who operated it till the spring of 1864, when he enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-second regiment Ohio volunteer infantry, and died at Portsmouth, Virginia. The shop was sold by his administrator to Silas A. Spindler, who still operates it, manufacturing wagons and buggies of all kinds, which are ironed by John C. Gilbert. .

In 1846 the first store was opened at Monroe mills, by Boynton & Davis, since which time the following persons have engaged in merchandizing at that place: William Shrimplin, Lewis Ralston, John McFarland, James Bebout and M. J. Ranna. The first school-house in the township was built on the C. A. Young property in 1814, and the pioneer teacher was William Marquis. The hewed log house was erected by John Adams in the southwest corner of the township in 1818, and the first brick house was built by James Adams on the Hunt property about the year 1825. Later, brick houses were built by William Marquis and Allen Scott. ;

In 1830 Andrew Miller kept tavern where the Coshocton road crossed Schneck's creek, since known as Monroe mills,.and about the same time a hotel was opened on the Wooster road, known as the "Four Mile House." It was kept at varions times by Clementine Wolverton, R. S. Clements, Charles Bird, William Harold and others. It is no longer used as a public house.

James Martin was the first to introduce fine cattle into the township. In 1860 he brought some fine short-horn Durhams from Kentucky, and has been very successful in their propagation.

Pleasant Valley Methodist Episcopal church was originally organized at Brown's meeting-house Howard township. Some of the original members were Joseph Brown, Anna Brown, Philip Brown, Mary A. Brown, John Smith, Margaret Miller, Thomas McMann and wife, John Tym and his wife, Elizabeth, John Hunter and wife, Isaac Critchfield and his wife, Sarah, Joel Bartlett and wife, Buckley Willis and his wife, Susan, Richard Lybarger and his wife, Rebecca, Walter King and his wife, Sarah, Alexander Lybarger and his wife, Margaret, George Lybarger, and his wife, Sarah, William King and his wife Mary Ann, John Hardin and his wife, Sophia, A. K. Fobes and wife, Daniel L. Fobes and wife. Joseph Brown was the first classleader, about 1830.

In 1857 it was determined to move the church to Morgan township. Accordingly Joseph Hill donated one half acre of ground situated one-half mile south of Monroe Mills, as a building site for anew church. A building committee consisting of Joseph Hill, Nelson Critchfield and Thomas Caldwell was appointed, and a frame building thirty by thirty-five feet was erected in October of the same year. The new church was completed and the first sermon preached in it by Rev, Wolfe June 12, 1858 The dedication sermon was preached by Rey. Daniel Lambert. Subsequently one-half acre adjoining was purchased for a buria! ground and the first persons interred therein were Mary, wife, and Adelaide, daughter of Basil L. Critchfield. This church attained its maximum strength in 1864. The membership was then about sixty. Various causes have tended to weaken it till at the present time the entire membership is but nineteen. J. C. Gilbert is classleader, and John Bennett and J.

Stough, stewards. Rev. Lorenzo B. Shaw is the present pastor. A Sunday-school of about forty members is attached, and George Bennett is superintendent.

Ebenezer Methodist Protestant church was organized in August, 1842, by Rev. John Lamb; at the school-house on the. Wooster road, near the hotel known as the Four Mile house. The early meetings were held in the above named school. house about two years. The original members were Robert Thompson and wife, Jacob Bricker and wife, Joseph Goodale and wife, George Benson and wife, Jeremiah Belt and wife; James Kennedy and Lyman Benson. The first house of worship was erected by this congregation in 1844, and the second in 1872. The latter is a neat frame thirty-two by forty feet and is located on the Wooster road one-half mile northeast of the Four Mile house. The successive pastors of this church are as follows: John Lamb, John Dorcas, Moses Scott, A. S. Robinson, J. M. Winn, Thomas Potter, Samuel Catlin, John Lamb, N.-S. Brown, W. H, Marshall, D. B. Dorsey, E. S. Hoagland, J. Fister, John McFarland, C. C. Ball, J. H. Hamilton, W. A. Sampson, E. W. Grimes, J. M. Woodward, L. Bowman, G. W. Hissey and J. H. Hamilton. Sunday-school is connected with this church, the date of the organization of which is not now known. The present superintendent is David Adams.

From 1855 to 1867 the elections were held in White Hall school-house number five. In the latter year a town house was built in the centre of the township where the elections have ever since been held.

The present board of township officers is constituted as follows: Allison Adams and George W. Clements, justices; J. W. Clements and Adam McGough, constables; James W. Davis, clerk; Solomon Doup, James Paige, and LeGrand Marshall, trustees ; William Grubb, treasurer; John W. Perkins, assessor; Allison Adams, land appraiser; Solomon Doup, E.*S. Graham, Henry Patterson, Rush Stough, and W. B. Dowdz, board of education.