Wayne Township (part 2 of 2)

At this time the church had no meeting house, but held their meetings a part of the time in a cooper shop, and at private houses, or wherever a convenient place could be found, but God was with them, and added to their number, from time to time, many precious souls. In the year 1841, the church resolved to make an effort to build a meeting house on the north side of the river, in the then opening village of Duncan's Falls, on a lot afterwards donated by Alvah Buckingham and lady.

The church met in their new meeting house for worship the first time, on the gth day of March, 1844. Abel Johnson was the first pastor ; under his labors the church was gathered. The following ministers served the church at different times :

The Duncan's Falls Church has struggled manfully ; many times cast down and discouraged, but never in despair, they persevered. The Holy Spirit visited them at different times, with precious revivals of religion, in which many were added to their number. Some noble men have been connected with this church; men whose piety, liberality and consecrated lives in the cause of Christ endeared them to the church, while living, and now that they are gone to their reward, their memory is embalmed and cherished in the hearts of those who survive them. Among the names of those, were Crane, Gander, Male, Comstock, and many whose names are doubtless in the Book of Life, but of whom no earthly record declares their deeds.

At the church meeting, held April 12th, 1845, the congregation agreed to organize a Sunday School. This was the first Sunday School in Duncan's Falls. The names of the Superintendent, officers, and teachers, do not appear, however.

The Presbyterian Church was erected in the town of Duncan's Falls in 1855. The Sunday School attached to this church has an attendance of thirty-five. Plummer Pierce is the Superintendent.

Masonic

Anchor Lodge, F. and A. M., No. 283, was constituted April 24th, 1856, at Duncan's Falls, Ohio. The charter members were James D. Sturges, J. J. Cassell, Marquis Williamson, R. I. Peach, Fred. Young, Thomas McLees, Joseph Starrett, and P. Doenik.

Among the zealous members of the Order - not excelled in any part of the country for their fidelity to the principles of our beloved Order - it is proper to mention James D. Sturges, the first Master, to whose zeal and contributions, of time and money, the Lodge is indebted, in a great measure, for its existence. After getting the Lodge in good working order, Brother Sturges resigned the place he had filled so acceptably, and was succeeded by Brother John C. Wilhelm. To these two zealous brothers, Masonry owes much of its strength in this ré- gion. No labor was too arduous or too trivial to be performed by either of them. [We tender thanks to J. C. Wilhelm and J. D. Mercer, for the foregoing data. ]

Methodist Church

This church was built at the Falls in the summer of 1862. The Sabbath School connected therewith, at this place, numbers thirty-five. Samuel Rutledge is the present Superintendent.

Union Sunday Schools

Some time in 1844, a Union Sabbath School was organized in the Parkinson school house, District number one, with about sixty scholars in average attendance. The present average attendance is about the same, and the Superintendent is James McBride.

September ist, 1878, a Union Sabbath School was organized in the Story school house, District number three, with sixty-five scholars. I. T. Vest was the first Superintendent. The average attendance now is seventy-five scholars, and R. H. Galligher is Superintendent.

Literary

A literary society was organized at the Story school house, District number three, in 1878, at which time G. W. Lawhead was elected President, J. T, Story was chosen Secretary, and R. H. Galligher, Treasurer.

The society had a membership of about thirty. They continue in the cause, and hold meetings every week. They vary the exercises between discussions and readings, and the result of their efforts has been very salutary.

Military

One Cursen was an officer in the navy; Mathias Spangler, Jr., Henry Spangler, Jacob Downerd, Jacob Spangler, William Lewis, John Kearns, and George Mercer, were soldiers. Jacob Spangler was a musician, and first a substitute, then a volunteer. J. S. Parkinson was pressed into the service, with his team, and taken to Northwestern Ohio, for service in the army under General Harrison. William Joseph was drafted, and procured a substitute in the person of James Williams.

A light infantry company was formed in this township, im 1840, and R. I. Peach was elected Captain, and Isaac Little, First Lieutenant. Their company musters were generally held in Taylorsville. Then, regimental muster was held

In The War Of The Rebellion

J. T. Story was the first citizen of this township to enlist in the War of the Rebellion. This was immediately after he heard of the firing on Sumter. He joined Captain J. C. Hazlett's (Company H) three months' men, and, in October, 1861, he enlisted in Company F, Seventy-eighth O. V.1., and was commissioned Second Lieutenant, and, in December, following, was promoted to the Captaincy.

Charles H. Fox enlisted as a private, in the Third O. V. I. - three months' service - and was appointed Orderly Sergeant of the company ; and was elected Captain of Company E, of the One Hundred and Fifty-ninth O. V. I., May oth, 1864 - one hundred days' service. Thomas ox enlisted in the First O. V. I., three months' service; re-enlisted, in Company D, Seventyeighth O. V. I., in November, 1861, and re-enlisted as a veteran, in the same regiment, in January, 1864.

Joseph Atchison was a private in Company H, First O. V. I., three months' service. Henry Smith and W. E. Atwell were in the same company, at the same time; David Mercer, also, was the first 'volunteer, from this township, killed. This occurred at the battle of Vienna, Virginia, June 21, 1861.

'Joshua Downer (a substitute), of Company E, Seventy-eighth Regiment O, V. I., was elected First-Lieutenant, and had charge of Company C., and then as Captain of Fifth Heavy Artillery for a year.

George Roll, Second Corporal, One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment O. V. I., wounded; Frank Swope, Sixth Corporal, wounded ; William Miller, Seventh Corporal, wounded, and Elisha Peairs, Eighth Corporal, wounded.

Of the members of the One Hundred and Twenty-second Regiment O. V. I., the privates were: John S. Brenholts, Newton Cochrel, John Donahue (wounded), John Gibbons, Henry Hartman, Harrison Kent, Richard I. Peach (wounded), John Smith, Lycurgus Sites, Peter Trost, Joseph Williamson, Geo. W. Maxler, Charles F. Willey (wounded).

The Roll Of Honor Known To Belong To Geological

In section g, in this township, the blossom of the Alexander coal was- seen on the road to. Chandlersville, with the usual limestone below it. This limestone contains a few fossils. No. good openings were found at this point for the measurement of coal. In section 10, the coal shows a tine development. $3

The section taken about a mile and a half southeast of Zanesville, in what is called Salt Gum Hollow, is omitted as unimportant. - {Geological Report, 1873, volume 1, pp. fate