Sheldon Town

Sheldon Town

The first reeorcls oi' an election in this town was that of the second day of November, 1858. It was held at the mill of Millen Graham in the present village of Oil City. There appears to have been held, iiowever, a town meeting on the fifth day of July, 1848, at which a temporary organization was effected and Millen Graham elected chairman; AYilliam Hubbard and ]\Iiner Moore, supervisors; AV. J. Heath, clerk and assessor; William Abbott, treasurer, and Henry Eseh, assistant assessor. Esau Johnson was the first settler in this town, having come in the year 1846, and was also the first man to settle in the county of Monroe. Soon after that others began to drift in and to work for him in the lumber business, and in the year 1856 quite a number had settled in this vicinity, among whom were Jacob INIenn, Jacob Farmer, Henry Eseh, Edward Warren, AVilliam A. Hubbard, George Daughtery^ H. J. Smith, W. J. Heath, Elison jMcGee, Thomas Day, Tom Lewis, Patrick DeVany, Bernard Ilamatty, George Shippe, Thomas Wilkins, Andres Molley, Ezra Cook, Fern Rawson, William Crichett, Joseph Tritett and M. M. Curpy.

The first building erected was a lumber shanty, built by Esau Johnson, on section twenty-four, in 1846, and it probably was the first structure of any kind erected in the county of Monroe ; a church was l)uilt in 1860 ])y J. J. Menu, constructed of logs, and was a small building. Before that time services had been held in dwelling houses and school houses and the first sermon that was preached was by a man named John Hamilon, and not long after that services were conducted by Henry p]seh and by Galusia and J. Brown.

The first school house was erected in 1856 and was taught by one Andrew Faust. It was located near the present village of Oil City. During the ( ivil AVar this town furnished more than its share of soldiers, some of whom were Millen Graham, John Switzler, George Lewis, AY. P. Abbott, Andrew AYruck, Fredrick Talkey, Hod Lamg, George Daughtery, James Moomy, Edward J. Harris, David Eviur, Peter Singer, John Singer, AVilliam Schmitz, Christ AYruck, George AYilson, Martin Moore, L. C. Johnson AY. J. Heath, Sam AVilkinson, E. B. Smith, Henry Johnson, Thomas and Eugene Sullivan, E. Tuttle, Louis Walker, Hen Iloldcomb, Louis Everts, Andrew Alolley, C. B. Stoddard, James Finnel, Edward and Henry Critchett, Elusion Rawson, Leonard Hutchins, Gilbert and Daniel Hutchins, Eles Prichard, John Granzo, L. Savier and Daniel Moore.

111 comnutii with other towns of the county, the IuihIkt business commenced quite early, and the first saw mill was l)uilt by AV. J. Heath in 1856 and was in existence quite a number of years. The first grist mill was erected by ^Millcn Graham in the early 60's and the first store was conducted by Willifim Ohatnuiii. beginning: in 1868.

There are two ehurehes in the town, one in the village of Ontario, and one about two miles south of Xorwalk, which is a German Evangelical ; tiie one situated in Ontario is conducted by the United Brethren and services are conducted in l)oth at the present time by the same pastor, the R'-v. Mave. There is considerable dairying among the farmers in tliis town and a creamery is located in Ontario, one, which at the present time does a large amount of business and a great deal of good to the surrounding farmers who have access to it.

Its present officers are Ben Drawver. chairman; R. Ilaldeman and John Barry, supervisors; Eld. Abbott, clerk; Sam AVruck, treasurer; Fred Schumacher, assessor; P. H. Marburger, justice. Population, 771.