Pleasant Township

Pleasant Township

March 9, 1825, this township was created, and named on account of its delightful views. Its settlement was much retarded by large landholders. In 1830, it had 918 inhabitants ; in 1810, 1,888 ; in 1850, 909 ; and in 1860, 828. Among its earliest and best settlers were the Melkers, Grahams, Yeatches, Laymans, Herrods, Hunts, Patricks, Bechtels, Buckinghams, Walkers, Stinemetses,, Schnobleys, Boatys, Lettses, Crawfords, Grouses,. Golvilles, Morrisons, Swans, Rohrers, Dunns, and their connections. The settlers have been principally from Western Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Maryland. Several good mill seats within this township have been improved and occupied by John Kerr, Elisha Gibbs, the Morrisons, N^oitons, Hadley and Miller ; and several distilleries have in the past been propelled successfully. The principal business has been farming and stock raising, at which many have grown rich.

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; 3,018 words in this source stream.

Pleasant Township

PLEASANT township is situated directly southeast of Mt. Vernon, and its original bonndaries are set forth in the follovv^ing order of the county commissioners, bearing date March 9, 1825.

The name Pleasant was given to the new township by John Kerr, a prominent citizen of the same, on account of its pleasant scenery. December 7, 1838, the county commissioners ordered that "the first quarter of Pleasant township be struck off into a separate township." That was accordingly done, and the new township named College - in honor of Kenyon college. Pleasant township was thus reduced to its present size. The northern portion of the township is traversed by Vernon, or Kokosing river, consequently is somewhat bluffy and rough, but the southern portion, drained by Big run, is comparatively smooth and presents excellent facilities for farming operations, the average crop of wheat being twenty bushels to the acre.

The general surface of Pleasant is somewhat higher than the surrounding townships, consequently the deposit of glacial drift is not so deep, and in many places is entirely wanting. White oak, ash, maple, white and black walnut, hickory, elm and beech, are the varieties of timber that formerly covered the soil. No mounds are found in this township.

At this date it cannot be determined who the first inhabitant of Pleasant township was. Amongst the earliest settlers was James Colville. He came from Washington county, Pennsylvania to Knox county about 1803-4. In 1804 he purchased one hundred acres of land, east of Mt. Vernon, in Pleasant township, cleared some land, planted an orchard, and raised a crop in 1805. The same year he built a small log house, and in 1806 he got married and moved into it. This was setting an example worthy of imitation, which others were not slow to follow.

Jonathan Hunt, born in Somerset county. New Jersey, October 23, 1780, married Honor Wells, of West Virginia, and moved to Knox county, Ohio, in 1806. In company with his father, Jonathan Hunt, sr., he located in what is now the southwest corner of Pleasant township. Being a gunsmith he was often employed to repair guns for the Indians, previous to the War of 1812. Mr. Hunt was present at Mt. Vernon on the twenty-eighth of March, 1808, when the commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice for Knox county arrived, and volunteered to work on that memorable occasion. His name appears on the panel of the first grand jury for Knox county, May 2, 1808, and at an election held in Sychamore township, September 13, 18 15, he was elected trustee. During the War of 18 12 he served under Major Kratzer, and was a part of the time employed in repairing guns, for which he received one dollar per day extra pay. License was granted to him to keep tavern in 181 5. Hunt's Station perpetuates his memory.

Silas Brown came about 1806, and located near the line between Pleasant and Chnton townships, north of Hunt's Station, on land now owned by the Schnebley family. At the first election held in Knox county, April 4, 1808, Mr. Brown was elected sheriff, commissioned by Acting Governor Thomas Kirker June 6th, and reelected October 11, 1808. During his first term of office William Hedrick was sentenced to be publicly whipped - an account of which will be found elsewhere - and Sheriff Brown performed his duty by executing the sentence. Mr. Brown was also justice of the peace for Pleasant township in 1832, and was re-elected in 1835.

James Parks and William Patrick were early settlers, who located near James Colville, and probably came at the same time. Mr. Parks was justice of the peace in 1832. His son, Joseph V. Parks, was elected justice in 1857, and held the office till 1875.

William Buckingham lived on the Martinsburgh road, near where George Hughes now lives, and John Steinmetz on the same road, near the place now occupied by William Hyatt.

PhiUp Smith lived on Big run, in the southeast part of the township, and George Grouse resided further down the run, north of the present Hopewell Methodist church.

The Grahams, Veatches, Beatys, Crawfords, and Rohrers, were reckoned amongst the pioneers of Pleasant township, but time has almost obliterated their history. The most of them were located along the Mt. Vernon & Martinsburgh road. Frederick Rohrer was justice of the peace in 1825, and Robert Graham in 1835.

In 1815 John Kerr resided at Nashport, in Muskingum county, but having Hved in Knox county, he determined to return to the vicinity of Mt. Vernon, and purchasing a tract of land on the Kokosing river, two miles below the town, he employed Solomon Geller to build a dam and erect a saw-mill, for which he paid him one thousand dollars. Early in 1817 Mr. Kerr moved to his new purchase and erected a grist-mill, fulling-mill and carding machine. In 1819 he erected the first brick house in Pleasant township, and in 1825 he built a distillery. This last building was of stone, thirty feet square, and for a while did a flourishing business, but and this one soon joined the long procession of distilleries gone before to the limbo of the past. Mr. Kerr removed to Missouri in 1837, and the property came into the hands of his son Benjamin, who sold out to John and James Morrison, from England. In the course of a few years the property came into the possession of Robert Miller, who added a new saw-mill and greatly improved the grist-mill. This mill, together with a large amount of grain stored in it, was totally destroyed by fire on the night of August 11, 1880.

A brewery was erected on the Gambler road in 1835, by Jacob Kurtz, and by him sold to George Pfeifer. About 1850 it came into the possession of John Bechtel, who operated it till the "Crusaders" depreciated his business and the brewery was abandoned. Frederick Rohrer, who lived on the Martinsburgh road in 1825, kept a tavern and conducted a brewery at the same time.

Hurford's steam grist-mill is situated on Big run, in the northeast corner of the township. This was originally a small water-mill, built by a man named Hurford, afterwards owned by a Mr. Wyant. It then became the property of Mr. Simon Dudgeon, who added steam to the motive power, put in an extra pair of buhrs, and still operates it.

Warmon's steam grist- and saw-mills are located near the Martinsburgh road, on the old Graham farm, five miles southeast of Mt. Vernon. The original structure was a Mulay saw-mill, built by the Bell Brothers, in 1850, and operated by them a few years. The Bells sold the mill to Mr. Graham, who sold it to John Warman, sr., in i860. Mr. Warman operated it until 1865, when the present proprietor, John Warman, jr., purchased it from his father. The original mill was burnt down in 1866. After the erection of the new mill Mr. Warman put in a circular saw, which he operated a few years, and then put in a feed chopper. In 1876 he added a pair of wheat buhrs.

One of the first, if not the first, public road surveyed through Pleasant township, was the Mt. Vernon and Newark road. A petition was presented to the county commissioners August 5, 1808, by John Dunlap, Samuel Dunlap, sr., Abraham Sperry, John Nash, Joseph Conrad, Joseph Harris, Alexander Walker, William Brown, Gilman Bryant, James Walker, Andrew Craig, Thomas Brown, James Craig, Jesse Severe, William Douglass, Jabez Beers, Calvin Shepherd, Samuel Kratzer, William Critchfield, John Lewis, Nathaniel Critchfield, and Samuel Baxter, praying for the establishment of the road. William Gass, Henry Haines, and James Colville were appointed viewers, and John Dunlap, surveyor. The road was accordingly viewed, and the return made to the county commissioners on the twenty-second of September, 1808.

On petition of John Kerr and others, James Mc- Gibney, John Hawn, jr., and John Mefford were appointed, June i, 1818, viewers, and William Y. Farquhar, surveyor, to lay out a county road from Mt. Vernon to John Kerr's mill, in Pleasant township. The road was confirmed July 16, 1818.

The Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road was also laid out in an early day, but it was not until the winter of 1823-4 that the legislature appointed commissioners to survey the present State road. A copy of their survey was filed in the office of the commissioners of Knox county, November 25, 1824. The Gambier road was also made a State road at the same time.

Pleasant Hill Christian church vvas organized at Pleasant grove on the Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road, by Rev. Isaac N. Walter, September 24, 1832. The original members were: William Buckingham, James K. Litzenberg, Jane Litzenberg, Mary Staggers, Margaret Price, Dorcas Carey, Elizabeth Smith, Rhoda Harrod, Sarah Seaborn,

Sarah Price, Elizabeth Harrod, Nancy Buckingham, John Mahanna, John Graham, Mercy Graham, Elizabeth Kisor, Morgan Litzenberg, Mary Wise, Christina Kisor, and James Hartsock. January 21, 1835, Samuel Price, Abraham Wise, and James R. Litzenberg were elected trustees. The same year William Buckingham donated three-fourths of an acre of ground near the junction of the Gambier road with the Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road, for church purposes, and a frame building thirty by forty-five feet was erected thereon. February 8, 1845, Levi Harrod and D. M. Carey were elected trustees. August 10, 1845, Elder James Hose was employed as pastor for one year. A Sundayschool was organized May 9, 1846, with W. H. Stevens and D. M. Carey as superintendents. August 20, 1846, Elder James W. Maroni becam.e pastor. March 9, 1853, Isaac Lefever was elected trustee, and Mills Harrod clerk. June 24, 1854, Isaac Lefever, sr., Levi Harrod, and Thomas Boyle were elected trustees, and Mills Harrod and Levi Harrod deacons. August i, 1862, Elder Mills Harrod was employed as pastor for one year.

In 1854 a new frame church was built near W. T. Hyatt's, and the name changed from Pleasant grove to Pleasant hill. April 22, 1876, James Bell, J. W. Marvin, and W. T. Hyatt were elected trustees, and May 27th Elder J. W. Wright, F. S. Ulery, and James Bell were elected deacons, and W. T. Hyatt clerk. No regular services are held at this time.

Baughey, but no church was organized until June 4, 1853, when Rev. William M. Gilbreath preached at Crawford's school-house on the Martinsburgh road. The following persons were members of the first class: George Beckley, Nancy Beckley, William Morgan, Maria Morgan, Martm Bechtel, Sophia Bechtel, John Sensal, Catharine Sensal, David Dean and his daughter, Laurensa, David Stecher, Anna M. Stecher, Henry Smith, Catharine Smith, and George Koutz.

In 1854 a subscription was taken up to build a church, and Benjamin Kerr appointed treasurer. A frame church thirty-six by forty feet was erected one-half mile south of Kerr's mill, on the Martins-

August 23, 1857, Rev. J. L. Gilbreath, who had labored jointly with Rev. W. M. Gilbreath from September, 1854, was elected and installed pastor. He continued his ministrations until 1875, when his connection with the church ceased. The con- .gregation was without a regular pastor until January 12, 1879, when Rev. J. K. Booher, the present incumbent, took charge.

The following is a list of elders : George Beckley and David Dean, 1853 ; George Beckley and Martin Bechtel, 1855; Martin Bechtel and Henry Heefer, 1857 to 1861 ; Henry Heefer and George Stinnet, 1863; John Senzal and John Hammond, 1865; Jonathan Wenthng, 1868; Martin Bechtel and John Wentling, 1875; David Stecher and Henry Mills, 1870; George Bechtel, 1880. Deacons: David Stecher arid William Morgan, 1853; David Stecher and Lemuel Beckley, 1855; David Stecher and Henry Mills, 1857 to 1861; Martin Bechtel and David Stecher, 1863 ; Henry Mills and Martin Bechtel, 1865 to 1875; Henry Mills and Burr Shaffer, 1875; ]o\\n Taylor and John Sensal, 1879. Trustees: George Beckley, Henry Mills, and Burr Shaffer. The present number of members is fifty-six. A small Sunday-school is connected with the church, of which Daniel Steam is superintendent.

Pleasant Hill Presbyterian church was the result of the labors of Rev. Henry Hervey, who preached a number of years in the southern portion of Pleasant township. The date of the first organization is not positively known, but may be set down as about 1845. The original members, as near as can be ascertained, were Robert Graham, Martha Graham, Matthew McKibben, Jane McKibben, Enoch Bebout, Eliza Bebout, John Allen, Martha Allen, Charles McLain, Ruth McLain, James Marquis, Nancy Marquis, Charles Swaney, Ann Swaney, Henry Barnes, Gracie Ann Barnes, Henry Graham, Martha Graham, and Mrs. John McLain. In 1850 a neat frame church thirty-five by forty feet was built on the Martinsburgh road, about one mile from the south line of the township, which is still used by the congregation as a house of worship. The following pastors have had charge of the congregation: Rev. James Anderson, Henry Hervey,

James Read, Rev. Helfride, Rev. Walkinshaw, Dwight Hervey, O. H. Newton, and John Watt, the present incumbent. The elders are John Warman, Charles McLain, jr., and Ebenezer Bebout, and the clerk is Charles McLain, sr. The present number of members is forty.

Hopewell Methodist Episcopal church is situated on the East Union road, one mile west of the east line of the township. Its history cannot be obtained. The following facts are all that can be ascertained in reference to it. The present structure - a frame thirty-six by forty feet - was built under the auspices of Rev. Allen Moffat, in 1855. The present number of members is forty-three. The class-leaders are William Smith and David B. Kerr. A Sunday-school of thirty-five scholars is attached to this church. Michael Noon is superintendent.

To each of the above churches a cemetery is attached, the date of the establishment of which is coeval with the building of the churches. Besides these, there are a few burying-grounds separate from any church building - the oldest of which is that situated about a mile and a half east of Hunt's Station.

WilUam Marquis was the pioneer pedagogue. He taught the first school in this section, in a log cabin on the property of James Colville, about the year 1825. This school was not different in its character from others of the period, and needs no special mention. Pleasant township has at the present time six fine brick school-houses. Good teachers are employed and a high standard of quahfication maintained.

There are no villages in the township, and but one railroad station - Hunt's. A store was opened and a post office established at this point soon after the opening of the Newark & Sandusky railroad, in 185 1. William Beech was the first proprietor; then came John Graham, Homer Stoughton, Hiram Coleman, William Piatt, and W. H. Tucker, the present postmaster and ticket agent.

About 1870 A. W. Mavis opened a small store at Hurford's mill, in the northeast corner of the township, and is still engaged in merchandising at that point. Martha Colville was born August 25, 1807, and is believed to be the first white child born within the present bounds of Pleasant town- ship. The first blacksmith was Jonathan Hunt. His shop was on the Newark road, just east of the present railroad station. Dr. Eggleston, who practiced medicine between i860 and 1870, was the only resident physician. Dr. Augustus Marvine commenced the practice of dentistry in i860, and still pursues that calling. James Morrison was the first to import thoroughbred short-horn Durham cattle into the township; he having in 1838 brought thirteen head from England. The first thresher and separater was introduced from Pennsylvania by Thomas Anderson. The first election for township officers was held at Frederick Rohrer's tavern, on the Martinsburgh road, in 1825. No records of the proceedings have been preserved, consequently the original board of officers cannot be given.

The following is a list of tjie justices of the peace: David Ash and Frederick Rohrer, 1825; Harvey Brown, 1827; Frederick Rohrer, 1828; James Parks and Silas Brown, 1832; Robert Graham and Silas Brown, 1835; Alvin Foote, 1837; Robert Graham and James D. Porter, 1839 to 1845 ; Robert Graham and Richard Hunt, 1845 to 1854; Robert Graham and John Colville, 1854; Joseph V. Parks and Henry McLain, 1857 to 1867; Joseph V. Parks and W. H. McLain, 1869 to 1873; Thomas Colville, ^875; A. W. Mavis, 1877; Thomas Colville, 1878; Francis M. Lhaman, 1880. The other township officers areas follows: Josiah Hutchinson and Samuel Beeman, constables; G. W. Glenn, assessor; Abraham Barber, treasurer; Joseph Ulery, A. F. Hilliar, and T. B. (jorsuch, trustees; Alexander Debolt, clerk; J. W. Forry, William Morgan, J. V. Parks, William Smith, Abraham Barber, and William Houck, board of education; J. K. Schnebley, land appraiser.

Mt. Vernon nursery is located in the northern part of Pleasant township, on the Gambier road. It was established in 1848, by Barton Starr. The nursery contains all kinds of fruit trees, such as apples, peaches, pears and plums; also grapes and a variety of small fruits. About five or six years after its establishment Mr. Starr added to his stock all kinds of ornamental trees and shrubbery. The business was successfully conducted by Mr. Starr until his death in 1874, when his son, Newton P. Starr, took charge of the establishment, and has

The Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus railroad traverses the valley of the Vernon river for some distance below the city, and passes through the northern portion of Pleasant township, but has no depot within its bounds. The Lake Erie division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad passes through the southwest corner of the township, and by the location of Hunt's station furnishes the citizens of that vicinity with railroad facilities.

The reason of the sudden increase, as shown by the census of 1840, was the laying out and growth of Gambier, the site of Kenyon college, and the cause of the decrease, as shown by the census of 1850, was the setting off of Gambier into the new township of College.

Source changes here: from History Knox County, Ohio, by N. N. Hill., Jr, published 1881; 2,998 words in this source stream.

Pleasant Township

LEASANT township is situated directly southeast of Mt. Vernon, and its original bonndaries are set forth in the following order of the county

The name Pleasant was given to the new township by John Kerr, a prominent citizen of the same, on account of its pleasant scenery. December 7, 1838, the county commissioners ordered that 'the first quarter of Pleasant township be struck off into a separate township." That was accordingly done, and the new township named College - in honor of Kenyon college. Pleasant township was thus reduced to its present size. The northern portion of the township is traversed by Vernon, or Kokosing river, consequently is somewhat bluffy and rough, but the southern portion, drained by Big run, is comparatively smooth and presents excellent facilities for farming operations, the average crop of wheat being twenty bushels to the acre.

The general surface of Pleasant is somewhat higher than the surrounding townships, consequently the deposit of glacial drift is not so deep, and in many places is entirely wanting. White oak, ash, maple, white and black walnut, hickory, elm and beech, are the varieties of timber that formerly covered the soil. No mounds are found in this township.

At this date it cannot be determined who the first inhabitant of Pleasant township was. Amongst the earliest settlers was James Colville. He came from Washington county, Pennsylvania to Knox county about 1803-4. In 1804 he purchased one hundred acres of land, east of Mt. Vernon, in Pleasant township, cleared some land, planted an orchard, and raised a crop in 1805. The same year he built a small log house, and in 1806 he got married and moved into it. This was setting an example worthy of imitation, which others were not slow to follow.

Jonathan Hunt, born in Somerset county, New Jersey, October 23, 1780, married Honor Wells, of West Virginia, and moved to Knox county, Ohio, in 1806. In company with his father, Jonathan Hunt, sr., he located in what is now the southwest corner of Pleasant township. Being a gunsmith he was often employed to repair guns for the Indians, previous to the War of 1812. Mr. Hunt was present at Mt. Vernon on the twenty-eighth of March, 1808, when the commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice for Knox county arrived, and volunteered to work on that memorable occasion. His name appears on the panel of the first grand jury for Knox county, May 2, 1808, and at an election held in Sychamore township, September 13, 1815, he was elected trustee. During the War of 1812 he served under Major Kratzer, and was a part of the time employed in repairing guns, for which he received one dollar per day extra pay. License was granted to him to keep tavern in 1815. Hunt's Station perpetuates his memory.

Silas Brown came about 1806, and located near the line between Pleasant and Clinton townships, north of Hunt's Station, on land now owned by the Schnebley family. At the first election held in Knox county, April 4, 1808, Mr. Brown was elected sheriff, commissioned by Acting Governor Thomas Kirker June 6th, and reelected October 11, 1808. During his first term of office William Hedrick was sentenced to be publicly whipped - an account of which will be found elsewhere - and Sheriff Brown performed his duty by executing the sentence. Mr. Brown was also justice of the peace for Pleasant township in 1832, and was re-elected in 1835.

James Parks and William Patrick were early settlers, who located near James Colville, and probably came at the same time. Mr. Parks was justice of the peace in 1832. His son, Joseph V. Parks, was elected justice in 1857, and held the office till 1875.

William Buckingham lived on the Martinsburgh road, near where George Hughes now lives, and John Steinmetz on the same road, near the place now occupied by William Hyatt.

Philip Smith lived on Big run, in the southeast part of the township, and George Crouse resided further down the run, north of the present Hopewell Methodist church.

The Grahams, Veatches, Beatys, Crawfords, and Rohrers, were reckoned amongst the pioneers of Pleasant township, but time has almost obliterated their history. The most of them were located along the Mt. Vernon & Martinsburgh road. Frederick Rohrer was justice of the peace in 1825, and Robert Graham in 1835.

In 1815 John Kerr resided at Nashport, in Muskingum county, but having lived in Knox county, he determined to return to the vicinity of Mt. Vernon, and purchasing a tract of land on the Kokosing river, two miles below the town, he employed Solomon Geller to build a dam and erect a saw-mill, for which he paid him one thousand dollars. Early in 1817 Mr. Kerr moved to his new purchase and erected a grist-mill, fulling-mill and carding machine. In 1819 he erected the first brick house in Pleasant township, and in 1825 he built a distillery. This last building was of stone, thirty feet square, and for a while did a flourishing business, but and this one soon joined the long procession of distilleries gone before to the limbo of the past. Mr. Kerr removed to Missouri in 1837, and the property came into the hands of his son Benjamin, who sold out to John and James Morrison, from England. In the course of a few years the property came into the possession of Robert Miller, who added a new saw-mill and greatly improved the grist-mill. This mill, together with a large amount of grain stored in it, was totally destroyed by fire on the night of August 11, 1880.

A brewery was erected on the Gambier road in 1835, by Jacob Kurtz, and by him sold to George Pfeifer. About 1850 it came into the possession of John Bechtel, who operated it till the "Crusaders" depreciated his business and the brewery was abandoned. Frederick Rohrer, who lived on the Martinsburgh road in 1825, kept a tavern and conducted a brewery at the same time.

Hurford's steam grist-mill is situated on Big run, in the northeast corner of the township. This was originally a small water-mill, built by a man named Hurford, afterwards owned by a Mr. Wyant. It then became the property of Mr. Simon Dudgeon, who added steam to the motive power, put in an extra pair of buhrs, and still operates it.

Warmon's steam grist- and saw-mills are located near the Martinsburgh road, on the old Graham farm, five miles southeast of Mt. Vernon. The original structure was a Mulay saw-mill, built by the Bell Brothers, in 1850, and operated by them a few years. The Bells' sold the mill to Mr. Graham, who sold it to John Warman, sr., in 1860. Mr. Warman operated it until 1865, when the present proprietor, John Warman, jr., purchased it from his father. The original mill was burnt down in 1866. After the erection of the new mill Mr. Warman put in a circular saw, which he operated a few years, and then put in a feed chopper. In 1876 he added a pair of wheat buhrs.

One of the first, if not the first, public road surveyed through Pleasant township, was the Mt. Vernon and Newark road. A petition was presented to the county commissioners August 5, 1808, by John Dunlap, Samuel Dunlap, sr., Abraham Sperry, John Nash, Joseph Conrad, Joseph Harris, Alexander Walker, William Brown, Gilman Bryant, James Walker, Andrew Craig, Thomas Brown, James Craig, Jesse Severe, William Douglass, Jabez Beers, Calvin Shepherd, Samuel Kratzer, William Critchfield, John Lewis, Nathaniel Critchfield, and Samuel Baxter, praying for the establishment of the road. William Gass, Henry Haines, and James Colville were appointed viewers, and John Dunlap, surveyor. The road was accordingly viewed, and the return made to the county commissioners on the twenty-second of September, 1808.

On petition of John Kerr and others, James Mc- Gibney, John Hawn, jr., and John Mefford were appointed, June 1, 1818, viewers, and William Y. Farquhar, surveyor, to lay out a county road from Mt. Vernon to John Kerr's mill, in Pleasant township. The road was confirmed July 16, 1818.

The Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road was also laid out in an early day, but it was not until the winter of 1823-4 that the legislature appointed commissioners to survey the: present State road. A copy of their survey was filed in the office of the commissioners of Knox county, November 25, 1824. The Gambier road was also made a State road at the same time.

Pleasant Hill 'Christian church was organized at Pleasant grove on the Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road, by Rev. Isaac N. Walter, September 24, 1832. The original'members were: William Buckingham, James K. Litzenberg, Jane Litzenberg, Mary Staggers, Margaret Price, Dorcas Carey, Elizabeth Smith, Rhoda Harrod, Sarah Seaborn,

Sarah Price, Elizabeth Harrod, Nancy Buckingham, John Mahanna, John Graham, Mercy Graham, Elizabeth Kisor, Morgan Litzenberg, Mary Wise, Christina Kisor, and James Hartsock. January 21, 1835, Samuel Price, Abraham Wise, and James R. Litzenberg were elected trustees. The same year William Buckingham donated three-fourths of an acre of ground near the junction of the Gambier road with the Mt. Vernon and Martinsburgh road, for church purposes, and a frame building thirty by. forty-five feet was erected thereon. February 8, 1845, Levi Harrod and D. M. Carey were elected trustees. August 10, 1845, Elder James Hose was employed as pastor for one year. A Sundayschool was organized May 9, 1846, with W. H. Stevens and D. M. Carey as superintendents. August 20, 1846, Elder James W. Maroni became pastor. March 9, 1853, Isaac Lefever was elected trustee, and Mills Harrod clerk. June 24, 1854, Isaac Lefever, sr., Levi Harrod, and Thomas Boyle were elected trustees, and Mills Harrod and Levi Harrod deacons. August 1, 1862, Elder Mills Harrod was employed as pastor for one year.

In 1854 a new frame church was built near W. T. Hyatt's, and the name changed from Pleasant grove to Pleasant hill. April 22, 1876, James Bell, J. W. Marvin, and W. T. Hyatt were elected trustees, and May 27th Elder J. W. Wright, F. S. Ulery, and James Bell were elected deacons, and W. T. Hyatt clerk. No regular services are held at this time.

St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church. - As early as 1820 Rev. Jacob Bovee preached in the neighborhood. He was succeeded by Rev. Baughey, but no church was organized until June 4, 1853, when Rev. William M. Gilbreath preached at Crawford's school-house on the Martinsburgh road. The following persons were members of the first class:. George Beckley, Nancy Beckley, William Morgan, Maria Morgan, Martin Bechtel, Sophia Bechtel, John Sensal, Catharine Sensal, David Dean and his daughter, Laurensa, David Stecher, Anna M. Stecher, Henry Smith, Catharine Smith, and George Koutz.

In 1854 a subscription was taken up to build a church, and Benjamin Kerr appointed treasurer. A frame church thirty-six by forty feet was erected one-half mile south of Kerr's mill, on the Martins-

August 23, 1857, Rev. J. L. Gilbreath, who had labored jointly with Rey. W. M. Gilbreath from September, 1854, was elected and installed pastor. He continued his ministrations until 1875, when his connection with the church ceased. The congregation was without a regular pastor until January 12, 1879, when Rev. J. K. Booher, the present incumbent, took charge.

The following is a list of elders: George Beckley and David Dean, 1853; George Beckley and Martin Bechtel, 1855; Martin Bechtel and Henry Heefer, 1857 to 1861 ; Henry Heefer and George Stinnet, 1863; John Senzal and John Hammond, 1865; Jonathan Wentling, 1868; Martin Bechtel and John Wentling, 1875; David Stecher and Henry Mills, 1870; George Bechtel, 1880. Deacons: David Stecher and William Morgan, 1853; David Stecher and Lemuel Beckley, 1855; David Stecher and Henry Mills, 1857 to 1861; Martin Bechtel and David Stecher, 1863 ; Henry Mills and Martin Bechtel, 1865 to 1875; Henry Mills and Burr Shaffer, 1875; John Taylor and John Sensal, 1879. Trustees: George Beckley, Henry Mills, and Burr Shaffer. The present number of members is fifty-six. A small Sunday-school is connected with the church, of which Daniel Steam is superintendent.

Pleasant Hill Presbyterian church was the result of the labors of Rev. Henry Hervey, who preached a number of years in the southern portion of Pleasant township. The date of the first organization is not positively known, but may be set down as about 1845. The original members, as near as can be ascertained, were Robert Graham, Martha Graham, Matthew McKibben, Jane McKibben, Enoch Bebout, Eliza Bebout, John Allen, Martha Allen, Charles McLain, Ruth McLain, James Marquis, Nancy Marquis, Charles Swaney, Ann Swaney, Henry Barnes, Gracie Ann Barnes, Henry Graham, Martha Graham, and Mrs. John McLain. In 1850 a neat frame church thirty-five by forty feet was built on the Martinsburgh road, about one mile from the south line of the township, which is still used by the congregation as a house of worship. The following pastors have had charge of the congregation: Rev. James Anderson, Henry Hervey,

Dwight Hervey, O. H. Newton, and John Watt, the present incumbent. The elders are John Warman, Charles McLain, jr., and Ebenezer Bebout, and the clerk is Charles McLain, sr. The present number of members is forty.

Hopewell Methodist Episcopal church is situated on the East Union road, one mile west of the east line of the township. Its history cannot be obtained. The following facts are all that can be ascertained in reference to it. The present structure - a frame thirty-six by forty feet - was built under the auspices of Rev. Allen Moffat, in 1855. The present number of members is forty-three. The class-leaders are William Smith and David B. Kerr. A Sunday-school of thirty-five scholars is attached to this church. Michael Noon is superintendent.

To each of the above churches a cemetery is attached, the date of the establishment of which is coeval with the building of the churches. Besides these, there are a few burying-grounds separate from any church building - the oldest of which is that situated about a mile anda half east of Hunt's Station.

William Marquis was the pioneer pedagogue. He taught the first school in this section, in a log cabin on the property of James Colville, about the year 1825. This school was not different in its character from others of the period, and needs no special mention. Pleasant township has at the present time six fine brick school-houses. Good teachers are employed and a high standard of qualification maintained.

There are no villages in the township, and but one railroad station - Hunt's. A_ store was opened and a post office established at this point soon after the opening of the Newark & Sandusky railroad, in 1851. William Beech was the first proprietor; then came John Graham, Homer Stoughton, Hiram Coleman, William Platt, and W. H. Tucker, the present postmaster and ticket agent.

About 1870 A. W. Mavis opened a small store at Hurford's mill, in the northeast corner of the township, and is still engaged in merchandising at that point. Martha Colville was born August 2s, 1807, and is believed to be the first white child born within the present bounds of Pleasant town- ship. 'he first blacksmith was Jonathan Hunt. His shop was on the Newark road, just east of the present railroad station. Dr. Eggleston, who practiced medicine between 1860 and 1870, was the only resident physician. Dr. Augustus Marvine commenced the practice of dentistry in 1860, and still pursues that calling. James Morrison was the first to import thoroughbred short-horn Durham cattle into the township; he having in 1838 brought thirteen head from England. 'The first thresher and separater was introduced from Pennsylvania by Thomas Anderson. The first election for township officers was held at Frederick Rohrer's tavern, on the Martinsburgh road, in 1825. No records of the proceedings have been preserved, consequently the original board of officers cannot be given.

The following is a list of the justices of the peace: David Ash and Frederick Rohrer, 1825; Harvey Brown, 1827; Frederick Rohrer, 1828; James Parks and Silas Brown, 1832; Robert Graham and Silas Brown, 1835; Alvin Foote, 1837; Robert Graham and James D. Porter, 1839 to 1845 ; Robert Graham and Richard Hunt, 1845 to 1854; Robert Graham and John Colville, 1854; Joseph V. Parks and Henry McLain, 1857 to 1867; Joseph V. Parks and W. H. McLain, 1869 to 1873; Thomas Colville, 1875; A. W. Mavis, 1877; Thomas Colville, 1878; Francis M. Lhaman, 1880. The other township officers are as follows: Josiah Hutchinson and Samuel Beeman, constables; G. W. Glenn, assessor; Abraham Barber, treasurer; Joseph Ulery, A. F. Hilliar, and T. B. Gorsuch, trustees; Alexander Debolt, clerk; J. W. Forry, William Morgan, J. V. Parks, William Smith, Abraham Barber, and William Houck, board of education; J. K. Schnebley, land appraiser.

Mt. Vernon nursery is located in the northern part of Pleasant township, on the Gambier road. It was established in 1848, by Barton Starr. The nursery contains all kinds of fruit trees, such as apples, peaches, pears and plums; also grapes and a variety of small fruits. About five or six years after its establishment Mr. Starr added to his stock all kinds of ornamental trees and shrubbery. The business was successfully conducted by Mr. Starr until his death in 1874, when his son, Newton P.

The Cleveland, Mt. Vernon & Columbus railroad traverses the valley of the Vernon river for some distance below the city, and passes through the northern portion of Pleasant township, but has no depot within its bounds. The Lake Erie division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad passes through the southwest corner of the township, and by the location of Hunt's station furnishes the citizens of that vicinity with railroad facilities.

The reason of the sudden increase, as shown by the census of 1840, was the laying out and growth of Gambier, the site of Kenyon college, and the cause of the decrease, as shown by the census of 1850, was the setting off of Gambier into the new township of College.