(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE) 150 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY Fleet, J. W.; Joshua Palmer, treasurer; C. E. Alexander, secretary pro tem; H. C. McGavren, S. D.; and Henry Clay, J. D. The present officers are: J. E. Alspaw, W. M.; W. J. Mygrantz, S. W.; Cale Frisinger, J. W.; James Lloyd. treasurer; and E. E. Jackson, secretary. The lodge has a present membership of 34.—Chapter No. 152, O. E. S., at Rockford was instituted in 1901. A charter was granted this chapter by the Grand Chapter of Ohio at its 13th session, held at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, Cincinnati, in October, 1902. The following were the charter members, 21 in number: J. E. Alspaw, Mrs. Flora C. Alspaw, J. L. Borchers, Mrs. Florence N. Borchers, Mrs. Nettie Fishbaugh, G. W. Dysert, Mrs. Celia Dysert, Mrs. Carrie V. Kirby, Miss Ella F. Smith, Mrs. Elizabeth Miller, Mrs. Martha Borchers, Mrs. Viola Pixler, Mrs. Hattie Beauchamp, E. E. Jackson, Mrs. Minnie A. Jackson, Mrs. Amanda Dellinger, Mrs. Harriet Wisterman, Mrs. Eliza A. Ward, Mrs. Flora Downing, Fred Voltz and Mrs. Clara Voltz. Mrs. Florence N. Borchers was the first worthy matron; J. E. Alspaw, the first worthy patron; and Mrs. Hattie Beauchamp, the first secretary. The membership in 1905 was 25.--Rockford Lodge, No. 79o, I. O. O. F., was instituted October 22, 189o, by J. L. McKinney, special deputy grand master, a charter having been granted May 23. 1890, to the following charter members: G. R. Hagerman, Thomas McLaughlin, J. E. Courtright, W. W. Baugher, J. F. Smith, J. H. Fahnestock, A. M. Truby, J. E. Charles, L. G. McDonald, Charles Vance, W. M. H. Hosley, W. M. N. Young, A. F. Shore, John Latimer and C. B. Thompson. At the present time, Charles E. Young is noble grand and W. M. High, vice grand. The lodge has 78 members.—The charter for a Rebekah lodge was granted May 21, 1896, to the following: E. H. Harris, J. E. Gilliland, J. W. Davidson, H. Klein, T. N. Hunt, C. C. Slouffer, U. Grant Coats, G. H. Dysert, W. M. H. Hosley, Sherman Yoeman, A. M. Truby, J. P. Dysert, W. W. Beauchamp, M. E. Gilliland, Josie Davidson, Maggie Hunt, Ellie Dysert, Mollie Beinz, Hattie Beauchamp, Lou Dysert, Cora Yoeman and Mary Truby. The lodge was instituted August 17, 1896, by Grand Master John C. Whitaker. The lodge has a present membership of 25.— Shane Lodge, No. 297, K. of P., was organized May 8, 1898. The first officers were : J. J. McLaughlin, C. C.; W. F. Penn, V. C.; and Leroy Pence, K. of R. & S.—Home No. 31, H. G. of A., was instituted February 2, 1900, with the following charter members : J. F. Smith, Lauren Lora, E. P. Revington, J. S. Shock, S. F. Pifer, C. H. Ling, Mrs. C. H. Ling, Mrs. Fannie Chivington; Hattie Clay, Mrs. Clarissa A. Tennery, R. D. Stover, T. C. Morrow, F. E. DeLong, H. J. Cordier, Mrs. C. C. Weist, George Pond, T. R Chivington, John McKaig, Herman Shinaberry and S. A. Clay. The first officers were the following: J. F. Smith, counselor; C. H. Ling, vice-counselor; Herman Shinaberry, past counselor; Mrs. Clarissa A. Tennery, secre-   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 151   tary: H. J. Cordier, treasurer ; Mrs. C. H. Ling, chaplain; R. D. Stover, guide; T. C. Morrow, conductor; S. F. Pifer, 1st shield; Mrs. Fannie Chivington, 2nd shield. The officers for 1906 were as follows : D. E. Robinson, counselor; William Bartling, vice-counselor; Walter Longsworth, past counselor; and Mrs. William Bartling, chaplain. The home has a membership of 120.—Dolph Graves Post, No. 429, G. A. R., was organized in 1895. The charter members of this post, who were largely members of the 71st Regiment, Ohio Vol. Inf., were as follows: J. W. Smith, L. L. Dysert, Joel Whitley, Lewis Funalman, D. H. 'Robinson and W. W. Shaffer. The post has a present membership of 25.—A tent of the Improved Order of Red Men was organized at Rockford in 1899 or 1900 with 22 charter members. The present officers are as follows : J. E. Gilliland, prophet; Charles Knight, sachem; Lewis Cook, senior sagamore; Lauren Loro, junior sagamore; Frank Robinson, chief of records; Willis Tester, collector of wampum; and Clarence Shaffer, keeper of wampum.   MERCER   Is located in the southeastern part of Dublin township on a branch of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway. It was laid out for Bernard Brewster. August 3o, 1833, and contained 3o lots. It has never been incorporated. It is surrounded by a good farming community and is one of the oldest towns in the northern part of the county. J. W. Shively and Mrs. Alice Daugherty are proprietors of general stores and Shell. Harden conducts a blacksmith shop. J. F. Disher conducts a grain elevator and Roetger & Fast operate a sawmill and tile-mill. Will Thompson is postmaster. The only physician is Dr. William Nuding. Mercer has two churches—the Methodist Episcopal, built of brick, and the Baptist, a frame structure; and a frame public school building of three rooms.   BLACK CREEK TOWNSHIP   This township, which is the northwestern township of the county, was organized April 12, 1834, and the first election was held on April 28th at the house of Chauncey Knowlton. It is six miles square and is divided into sections of one mile square, except in the northeastern corner of the township where there are two small reservations, known as the Charlie and Labadie reservations. It is bounded on the north by Van Wert County, on the east by Dublin township, on the south by Liberty township and on the west by Adams County, Indiana. It is quite level except in the extreme northern part, where it is slightly undulating, but as a whole it is sufficiently rolling for ample drainage. In the western part is a small flat called Duck Creek   152 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   Prairie, which is quite low and level and has a rich alluvial soil. The township is crossed by two small streams—Big Black Creek and Little Black Creek—which flow northward and empty into the St. Mary's River at Will-shire. Van Wert County. The soil varies but is principally a clay loam and above the average in productiveness. Black Creek township has long since been looked upon as one of the richest in Mercer County, the land bringing the highest price of any in the county. Crops of all kinds are grown in abundance and good markets at no great distance, at. Willshire, Van Wert County, and Rockford, Mercer County, are reached over well-improved roads. The township, is well provided with good schoolhouses and well-built and well-kept churches. No villages are found within its borders.   The present officials of Black Creek township are the following: Trustees—O. 0. Stover, W. Kuhn and A. .J. Bargahiser; clerk, John Andress, treasurer, D. T. Ruffner; justices of the peace—J. E. Piper and A. J. Deellinger. The population of the township in 188 was 1,441; in 1890, 1,557; and in 1900, 1,438.   PIONEERS   The township was not settled as early as was Dublin township, the heavy forest growth and wet condition of the land retarding its settlement Land was first taken up along the Fort Wayne road. It is thought that William Harris and a man by the name of Shaw were the first, as they where prior to 183o. The following list comprises such settlers as established themselves here prior to 1836: William Harris, Thomas Harris, _____ Shaw, John Street, Charles Henderson, Jacob Harper, Joseph Harper, Jacob Stetler, Ebenezer Goddard, James Heath, Henry Hoaglin, John Rutan, Benjamin Manly, Sivey, Jesse King and Silas Jordan. In the three succeeding years came Joseph Mapes, Chauncey Knowlton and the Gauzes, Downs, Sprys, Countermans and Kennedys. Other early settlers were: David Wright, J. C. Whitney, A. P. Nott, A. Guthrie, E. J. Detmer, A. Shuks, Jacob Tickle, Jacob Bollenbaugh, Martin Winkler, Daniel D. Cross, B. Hobblet, Henry Van Tilburg, Moses Stover, John Addy, John Andrew, Leistner, Levi Shock, Thomas R. Miller, Frederick Becher and the Lorees, Rutledges and Robinsons.   The first log cabin in the township was built by William Harper, while the first frame house was erected by Jesse King. The first marriage was that of Jacob Harper and Kalinda Watkins, in 1831, and the first birth was that of Alexander Harper, son of Jacob Harper, born in 1833. The first school-house was built about 1840.   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 153   CHURCHES.   Black Creek township has two Methodist Episcopal churches—Duck Creek Church and Fountain Chapel. Both churches are served by the pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Wiltshire, Van Wert County. The Duck Creek Church was the first religious society formed in the township, being organized about 1856 by Rev. Joshua Smith at the Duck Creek schoolhouse. A frame church building was erected in 1868. Among the first members were:, A. M. Counterman and wife, Alonzo, Cross and wife, George Clark and wife and William Harper and wife.   There are two classes of the United Brethren Church in the township— Pleasant Grove and Bethel. Rev. Betz is the pastor of both churches.   CHAPTER V   LIBERTY, HOPEWELL, WASHINGTON AND BUTLER. TOWNSHIPS   LIBERTY TOWNSHIP   Lies south of Black Creek township, west of Hopewell and Jefferson townships, north of Washington township and east of the Indiana State line. It is six miles square and contains 36 square miles. Big Beaver Creek enters the township in section 35, flows through section 34 and in section 33 empties into the Wabash River, which flows west through sections 32 and 31 into Indiana. The township is settled principally by German Lutherans, a majority of whom however, speak good English; the schools are all conducted in the English language. When first settled, the township was heavily wooded. In course of time, when the land was cleared and put under cultivation, Liberty became one of the foremost townships of the county, second to none in agricultural possibilities. The soil is very productive.   The township. was organized March I, 1841, and the first election was held at the house of Philip Bolton on the first Friday in June following. The present township officers are as follows : Trustees—Jacob Gehm, William Florence and Jacob Betzer; clerk, Andrew Bauer; treasurer, John J. Bollenbacher ; justice of the peace, George Felver. The population of the township in 1900 was 1,733. In 1880, it was 1,196 and in 1890, 1,652.   PIONEERS.   Daniel Freeman, John and Philip Bolton, Timothy Hankins and Isaac Trace were probably the first settlers in the township. When Jacob Deitsch and daughter, Philip Deitsch and family and Adam Bollenbacher, wife and son, came to the township in 184o, they found four cabins here, which had been occupied by the pioneers named above. Among the early settlers of the township were the Bollenbachers, Deitsches, Frederick Becher, Henry Kuhn,   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 155   Henry and John Leininger, Frederick and Ferdinand Kable, Dr. S. R. Wilson, Samuel M. Loree, Christian Kessler, Granville Freeman and others. Quite a few of these pioneers are still living; some reside in the township and others live in neighboring towns, having left their farms to the care of their children.   * * *   This township has furnished its quota of county officials. Dr. S. R. Wilson served four years as county coroner in the 70's. Samuel M. Loree, once treasurer of the county, was elected from Black Creek township, but was originally from Liberty. Frank P. Hinton recently retired from the Board of Infirmary Directors, after serving two terms. Charles Bollenbacher served as commissioner for two terms of three years each. The township is now represented on the Board of County Commissioners in the person of Peter Linn, who is now serving his second term of three years.   CHURCHES.   There are four Evangelical Lutheran churches in the township, two of which are regular—St. Paul's and Zion's congregations. St. Paul's congregation was organized in 1841 by. Rev. Frederick Knabe, who conducted services here once every two months during a period of nearly four years. During the pastorate of his successor, Rev. Burger, the congregation split, many of the old members joining the Albright faction. Another split also occurred under Rev. Burger's successor, Rev. J. G. Strickfus. Rev. J. I. Muller, the next pastor, was followed in June, 185o, by Rev. J. D. Gackenheimer, during whose pastorate of 11 years a church building was erected, being dedicated November 3o, 1851. Another split took place when Zion's congregation was organized. A frame church building was erected about 1866. Mr. Gackenheimer was followed by Revs. George Heintz, Philip Schmidt and Hugo Willert in the order named. Rev". A. F. Gilman is the present pastor. The congregation has a membership of 120 and an average Sunday-school attendance of 40. The church building cost $6,000 and the parsonage, $800. Zion's congregation at Chattanooga, an offshoot of St. Paul's congregation, was organized in 1860, in which year a church building was erected. The congregation at the present time, own the following property: Church building, valued at $3,000; parsonage, valued at $1,500; and a parochial school building, valued at $1,500. There are 200 members of the congregation and 125 Sunday-school scholars. The following pastors have served the congregation : Revs. George Heintz, Philip Schmidt, Hugo Willert, F. Besel, C. Adam, C. Reinhardt, J. Soller, J. Vollmar, A. Affeld, P. Schmidt, P. Brockhaus and George Haas, the present pastor.—Rev. Samuel Egger is pastor of St. Paul's German Evangelical Church in this township.   156 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   The Friends' Church in Liberty township was built recently at a cost of $1,200. About 50 members constitute the meeting. Local preachers fill the pulpit, there being no regular pastor.   Mount Carmel Church of God is the only society of this denomination in Liberty township. Rev. J. W. Johnson, who is also in charge of the Tabor and Pleasant View churches in Hopewell township, is pastor.   SCHOOLS.   The township has io school buildings, two of which are brick and eight frame. Nearly all of them are comparatively new structures. Each of the m teachers employed receives $420 for nine months' teaching.   CHATTANOOGA   Is an unincorporated town of something over i00 inhabitants, situated on the north line of the township near the northwest, corner. It has a hotel, a church, a school, general stores, blacksmith shop and barber shop. It also has a resident physician, Dr. Price T. Waters.   HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP   Is six miles in length from east to west and five miles wide from north to south. It has an area of 3o square miles. It is bounded on the north by Dublin township, on the east by Center township, on the south by Jefferson township, and on the west by Liberty township. The township is level throughout and the soil is exceedingly fertile. There are no streams of importance within its borders. It has three country stores at different places in the township. At Stedcke, John W. Shively has a general store; at Tamah, a station on the Cincinnati Northern Railroad, there is a store and grocery and also a grain elevator; and at Oregon, a station on the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway, there is a store. The Home Telephone Company, of which the secretary, I. N. Kraner, is a resident of Hopewell township, has lines all over the township.   The township was organized December 6, 1842. The present township officials are as follows : Trustees—William Hair, G. F. Sielschott and B. F Smith; clerk, Ed. Hellwarth ; treasurer, John Now; justices of the peace James L. Morrow and John L. Hansel. The population in 1880 was 1,185 in 1890, 1,414; and in 1900, 1,313.   PIONEERS.   The western part of the township was largely settled by people of Ger man descent. The northern and eastern portions were settled by English   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 157   speaking people from the older counties of Ohio. The early families of German people were those of Wilhelm Fetter, Michael Hellwarth, John Miller, John Frahm, Frederick Sielschott, Henry Beathler, John Now and the Siebert family—John H. and Adam Siebert still live here. Jacob Eichar, one of the pioneers of this township, came from Stark County, Ohio, September It), 1837. His family live here at present. Joshua Roberts was an early settler of the county. He first came to Center and afterwards moved into Hopewell township, in 1879. William Morrow came to this township when it was a wilderness and has lived to see it cleared and improved with good homes and beautiful farms, surrounded by all the comforts and conveniences. William Buck, Peter W. Shimp, Edward Willcutt, W. L. Groves, John Lehman, Lewis Smith and Henry Crogman all came to this township 50 or more years ago. J. C. Brookhart settled in the township in 1851; Samuel Brookhart settled in the county in 1852. Amos Chapman is an old settler of the township. Pierstorf family came from Germany prior to the Civil War and settled in the township. William Y. Wallace was a pioneer, who settled here in 1837. Moses McCristy was a native-born citizen of Mercer County, born March 7, 1832. The Fast family came about 50 years ago. John E. Smith settled in Mercer County in 1847, coming from Germany. William Regedanz came from Germany and settled here in 1852. Tobias Eichenauer was born in Germany and settled in Mercer County in 1867. There are others who came at a later date and have been instrumental in developing and Improving the township. Frederick Stedcke, who settled here. at a very early date, has been a worker in church and educational matters in the county.   CHURCHES.   Hopewell township is well supplied with schools and churches, having six religious organizations..   German Evangelical Lutheran, St. John's congregation, was incorporated May 21, 1866, its trustees at this time being William Grube, Sr., Charles Weis and J. Frahm. It was served in connection with other churches of the denomination until 1883, when Rev. W. Luedemann became pastor, in which capacity he served until 1891. The congregation was without a pastor, in 8(32. From 1893 to 1906, inclusive, the following were in charge of St. .1,111's congregation : Revs. John Toutaman, William Grabeman, John Fritz ad H. J. Melcher. Rev. J. E. Harman,- pastor of St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church at Celina, is now filling the pulpit. The congregation numbers 150 members and the Sunday-school has an average attendance of 50. I he large brick church is valued at $4,000, and the parsonage, at $500.   Hope Church, of the Evangelical Association of North America, dates   158 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   from June 26, 1868 , when the Hoffming class of this denomination met in the church of Mount Hope, in Hopewell township, and elected the following trustees : John E. Smith, Andrew Stedcke, Frederick Smith, Conrad Smith and John Hellwarth. The present church, located in the westernpart of the township, was built in 1894, under the direction of the pastor, Rev. George Readerer, at a cost of $1,300. The parsonage was erected at a cost of $800. The church has a membership of 170, and the Sunday-school, an average attendance of about 100: Herewith are given the names of the pastors of the church since 1881, with their respective terms of service: Revs. William Konig (three years), Henry Arlen (three years), Shuh (two years), Albert Fisher (three years), George Readerer (three years), William Ackerman (two years), J. F. Bockman (one year), John Schnitz (one-year), H. H. Schlicker (two years), L. J. Ehrhart (two years) and L. J. Buyer, who will have served four years, in April, 1907.   There are two societies of the Church of God—Tabor in the eastern part of the township and Pleasant View, in the western—both of which, with Mount Carmel Church of God in Liberty township, are served by Rev. J. W. Johnson. The Tabor class was organized in the Mercer Methodist Episcopal Church where services were held for a number of years. In 1883 Tabor Church, a frame structure, was built at a cost of. $1,500. The members of the class at this time were: William Hensel, Jacob Fast, A. G. Fast and Anderson Chapman and their families. William Hensel, Jacob Fast and A. G. Fast were the trustees.' The church was dedicated in September, 1883, by Rev. Koogle, who was then pastor. He was followed by the following, in order as named : Revs. Poland, Cassel, McNutt, Hoover, Munyon, Poland, Rockwell, Richey, Miller and Johnson, who is the present pastor. The class has a present membership of 4o. The Sunday-school has an average attendance of 35.   Union United Brethren Church was organized many years ago; the first members of the church were Andrew Sherrick and wife, William Morrow and wife, Enoch Johnson and wife, John Tester, William Hamline and wife, Daniel Weaver and wife and John Cook and wife. The present church building, located near the center of the township, was erected in 1892 at a cost of $1,500. The church has a present membership of 7o and an average attendance at Sunday-school of 5o. The church belongs to the branch called "Radical" and has been served by the following pastors: Revs. Michael Johnson (two years), William Kiracoffe (two years), William Kindel (two years), Thomas Coats (two years), Thomas Beber (two years), Jacob Kiracoffe (two years), Thomas Weyn (two years), C. S. Johnson (two years) Thomas Harvey (three years), A. J. Steman (two years), James Sherer (two   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 161   years), and J. L. Culbertson, who is serving his second year. Union Church and Otterbein Church in Dublin township are served by the same pastor.   The Friends' Church in Hopewell township was organized some 20 or more years ago, John H. Dysert being the leader at that time. The church is located in the northwest corner of the township and cost $1,500. The society has a membership of 4o. Rev. Isaiah Jay is the pastor.   WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP   This township is bounded on the north by Liberty township, on the east by Jefferson and Butler townships,, on the south by Recovery township and on the west by the State of Indiana. It is regular in form and contains 36 square miles. It is crossed from south to north by the Wabash River, while Beaver Creek flows across its northeast corner. TheSe form sufficient courses of natural drainage and the township has rapidly improved in all its agricultural features. The population is largely German in character and is enterprising and industrious.   Washington township was organized March 5; 1838, and the first election was held at the house of George Arbaugh, on April 2, 1838, when the following officers were elected : Trustees—James Schoonover, David Trexler and James 0. Grimes; clerk, William Nichols; constable, Peter Stevens; overseers of the poor—John Dixon and George Armstead; fence viewers—Edward Dixon and Samuel Freeman, Jr.; supervisor, Justin Stevens; and treasurer, George Arbaugh. On the 26th of. May following, William Nichols was unanimously elected justice of the peace. The present township officers are as follows: Trustees—Daniel Fennig, Orville S. Ashcraft and Joseph Born; clerk, George L. Schroyer; treasurer, John McQueen; justices of the peace—Perry C. Knox and James Jeffries.   In 1886 the township contained 8,933 acres of arable land, 2,577 acres of meadow land and 11,347 acres of woodland—a total of 22,857 acres, valued, with the buildings, at $362,345. In 1906 the assessor made the following returns: Acres of cultivated land, 10,364; acres of pasture land, 6.592: acres of woodland, 2,793; acres of waste land, 405. The population of the township in 1880 was 1,384; in 1890, 1,617; and in 1900, 1,487.   SPECULATORS' LAND.   The lands in this township were nearly all entered between the years 1836 and 184o and the larger tracts were entered by parties who never lived in the county and were called speculators' land. In section 1 David Cathcart entered 641 acres in 1839. He never lived on the land. Jefferson Walters, who lived at Dayton, Ohio. entered 320 acres in 1837. He never lived in   162 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   the county but kept his land until in the '80's. It was unfortunate for the township that so much land was held by non-residents who did nothing to clear and improve their lands, but this land is now owned by resident landowners who have cleared and improved it.   PIONEERS.   Most of the early settlers entered land in 40, 80 and 160-acre tracts. Among the first settlers in the township were John Boley, John Betz, Samuel Arbaugh, David Harrod, E. A. Hillary, William Spriggs, W. Fishpaw, Peter McMillen, Joseph Loughridge, David Houston, William- B. Wilson, Daniel Freeman, John Dixon, William Loughridge, Amos Dixon, H. Davidson, William Davidson, Joseph Davidson, George' L. Adair, Henry Fortman, William C. Armstead, Samuel McDowell, Richard Scott, Thomas Clinton and Adam Miller.   CHURCHES.   Washington township has two Christian or New Light churches—Bethel and Wabash. Bethel Church was organized by Elder O. S. Green, June 17, 1871, with 31 communicants, with the Bible. as their only rule of faith and practice, and Christian character as the only test of Christian fellowship. Elder Green was chosen pastor and filled the position many years. By 1880 the church had grown to a membership of between 80 and 90.—Wabash Church was organized at the town of Wabash, March 28, 1880, by Elder O. S. Green, with II communicants, with the same tenets as Bethel Church. The first officers of the church were the following: Deacons—Joseph Doner and William McCane; clerk, Allen Wishon.   St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized about February, 1861. The present church edifice was built in 1886. The church property is valued at $1,000, and the parsonage at $800. The church has 13o members and the Sunday-school, 45 scholars. The following pastors have served the congregation-: Revs. Seitz, Heintz, Phil. Schmidt, H. Willert, W. Schmidt, A. J. Feeger, W. G. Nicol, C. E. Herbst, A. F. Klopfer and H. N. Probst, the present pastor.   There are two Methodist Episcopal churches in Washington township, namely: Erastus and Washington Chapel. Both churches are served by the pastor of the Fort Recovery Methodist Episcopal Church, Rev. J. H. Butler; both have flourishing Sunday-schools. The list of pastors and other information relating to the churches will be found in the sketch of the Fort Recovery Methodist Episcopal Church.   St. Anthony's Catholic Church at Padua -is the only church of this de-   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 163   nomination in the township. A history of this church will be found in the chapter devoted to Roman Catholic churches and institutions.   SCHOOLS.   The whole township constituted one school district .until March 2, 1842, when it was divided into three districts, each six miles long and two miles wide. The records show that a Miss Montgomery was probably the first school teacher; in December, 1838, she was paid $6 for teaching. In February, 1839, Lewis J. Hunt was paid $30 for teaching. There are now II schoolhouses in the township—three brick and eight frame. There are II teachers employed at $50 per month. for the eight months, of school each year.   MACEDON, ERASTUS, PADUA AND WABASH.   This township contains no very large towns but there are four trading places. Macedon is a very old town. It was laid out by William Nichols and George Arbaugh on September 28, 1838, in 60 lots. It had at one time a hotel, two stores; grocery and blacksmith and wagon shop, but at present it has only a few residents and no business is carried on.   Erastus is a small place with only a few people and.. no business.   Padua is a town of few inhabitants. The church and school is about all it can boast of.   Wabash is the best and largest town in the township. It has a store and blacksmith shop, a church and a school.   BUTLER TOWNSHIP   Is one of the leading townships of the county. Its land is in a high state of cultivation, the farms are well kept and the buildings are modern and up-to-date. A great many of the farmhouses are of and one seldom sees other than large capacious barns and granaries. A's. in the case of the other townships, corn, wheat and oats are the main crops raised. The soil is well adapted to these crops as well as to timothy and clover, which are raised in plentiful crops. The township is traversed by two railroads—the Cincinnati orthern, running north and south and the Lake Erie & Western, which runs m northeast to southwest. Both pass through Coldwater, the principal own, thus affording a good market for the people of the township.   The township was organized June 4, 1838, 25 residents petitioning the Buy Commissioners for such action, and the first election was held at the e of David Gray on Saturday, July 9, 1838. The township is bounded north by Jefferson township, on the east by Jefferson township, the   164 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   Grand Reservoir and Franklin township, c# the south by Granville township, and on the west by Recovery and Washington townships. For the greater part it is six miles from east to west and five and a half miles from north to south, and has an area of about 32 square miles. The township had a population of 1,595 in 1880; 1,930 in 1890; and 1,995 in 1900. The present township officials are as follows: Trustees--Henry. Stukenborg, Henry G. Uppenkamp and John L. Bucanon; clerk, D. W. Frick; treasurer, Jacob Wilhoff ; justice of the peace—D. W. Frick.   PIONEERS.   One of the first settlers of the township was J. C. Gray, who came here in 1835. Peter Stevens came here from Licking County, Ohio, in 1837. Philip Baker moved to Mercer County in 1836; his son Jacob settled in section 21, Butler township, in 1840; some of the family still live in the township. The Snider and Frank families were among, the earliest settlers of Butler township. Samuel Snider was the first settler on land in section 34. George Frank built the first blacksmith shop. The first store-house was built by David Buzzard and the first dwelling house in Coldwater was built by Samuel Snider. John F. Hickman was born in Mercer County in 1836 and lived here all his life. Jeremiah Plummer moved to Mercer County in 1836 and became a resident of Butler township; Isaac Kester, in 1839; and John Buehler and W. B. Wigner, in 1840. Jacob Hyman settled near Coldwater in 1844. John F. Albers, a native of Germany, settled in Butler township in 1846; his family were the first settlers on land in section 4.. At this time Mercer County was one vast woods. James Grunden was another pioneer of Butler township, settling here in 1846. Joseph H. Smith entered land in 1832 and settled on it in 1852. He was the first settler on land in section 32. President Martin Van Buren signed his government deed. The Indians were his nearest neighbors on the west. He assisted in building the first schoolhouse in the district. When the family moved on the land they had a big oak tree for their shelter until they raised a cabin in which to live. Wild animals of all kinds abounded. Henry Lennartz settled here with his parents in 1848, when 12 years old. John J. Spoltman came in 1849; John W. Bennett and Herman Nieberding, in 1855; Joseph Birkmeyer, in 1857; and Henry Roetker, in 1858. Butler township is at present settled with a German population, who are an industrious and frugal people.   CHURCHES.   Butler township has two large and flourishing Roman Catholic churches: Holy Trinity at Coldwater and St. Mary's at Philothea. The history of these churches is given in another chapter of this work.   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZEN - 165   The Coldwater Methodist Episcopal Church was organized at an early date. It has a present membership of 45, and an average Sunday-school attendance of 55. The frame church building has an estimated value of $1,200. This church belongs to the Celina circuit and is served by Rev. C. M. Baker, who resides in Celina, and has charge also of Center and Copps' chapels in Center township and the Montezuma Methodist Episcopal Church in Franklin township. The names of the pastors who have served these, appointments in recent years will be found in the sketch of the last mentioned church.   There are two United Brethren churches in Butler township, Spring Valley and Burnt Wood, both located in the eastern part of the township. Both churches are served by Rev.- William Miller. Spring Valley Church belongs to the branch of the denomination known as "Radical," and has only a few members. Burnt Wood Church, which has 10 or 12 members, belongs to the branch known as "Liberal."   Ash Grove Church of the German Baptist Brethren, in the Southern District of Ohio, is located in section 15, Butler township, three miles north of Coldwater. The church was erected in 1893 at a cost of about $1,200. The main part of the church is 34 by 48 feet in dimensions, with an ell 12 by 3o feet. Benjamin Coate and J. C. Shively were the trustees at the time the church was built. The church has a membership of 28 and during the last quarter there was an average Sunday-school attendance of 41. The church is served by local ministers, Revs. F. P. Cordier and A. D. Coate. The original church of the German Baptist Brethren was organized ,in Germany in 1708, Alexander Mack being one of the organizers. Members of this denomination came to America in the early history of the Colonies and founded the church here.   SCHOOLS.   Butler township is well supplied with excellent district schools. The schoolhouses compare favorably with those in other sections of the county. The Coldwater Village School District has a modern, two-story, brick schoolhouse, one of the finest in the county, erected recently at a cost of: $10,000, which is a credit to the village. John Omlor is superintendent of the schools, having recently succeeded J. H. Tener in this position. The village Board of Education is constituted as follows : William Wendel, F. A. Franks, Anthony Mesher, J. M. Wilhoff and Charles Stukenborg. The High School department of the village schools has 17 pupils and ranks as third-grade.   COLDWATER.   This village, located in the center of Butler township, on the Cincinnati Northern and Lake Erie & Western railroads, is one of the most active busi-   166 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   ness towns in the county. It was laid out by William A. 0. Munsell, the plat being recorded on August 18, 1859. It is a growing town and has a bank and a newspaper, and all the stores and industries necessary to the welfare and the convenience of the people. It is also well supplied with churches. Holy Trinity Catholic Church, one of the largest structures in the county; and the Coldwater Methodist Episcopal Church. During the last 25 or 30 years the town has had a steady growth. The population was 237 in 1880; 490 in 1890; and 627 in 1900. Coldwater was incorporated as a village in 1883. The present village officers are : Mayor,, F. A. Franks; clerk, Edw. W. Hess; treasurer, J. B. Haslinger ; and marshal, William Mackey. The village has a Town Hall.   The People's Bank of Coldwater is an incorporated institution under the supervision of the State banking department. The bank, which has been running a number of years, moved into its new bank building in December, 1906. The following are the directors of this institution : John Birkmeyer, F. B. Birkmeyer, Ben Baker, C. C. Borman, A. D. Coate, H. C. Fox, H. B. Hoffman, Charles Hess, Fred. Hehmeyer, Henry Hageman, Phil. Kirsch, Anthony Rathweg, J. H. Saalman, John. M. Wilhoff, Martin Wilhoff, John Wilhoff and John Wannamacher. H. B. Hoffman is cashier.   The Coldwater Chronicle, which was established a few years ago, is conducted by E. B. Lewis as editor and publisher.   Quite a little manufacturing is done at Coldwater for a town of its size. Andrew X. Walter conducts a large brickyrd; Anthony Rathweg, a broom factory; Joseph Weamer, a butter tub factory ; Henry H. Lampe, an excelsior factory; and Henry Fuerst and J. F. Schults, cigar factories. Fox & Hess operate a grist-mill and deal in grain, also having a branch at St. Henry; H. B. Hoffman also operates a grain elevator at Coldwater. There are three general stores, conducted by Henry C. Fax, William Haslinger & Son, and C. F. Morvilius; three grocery stores, conducted by Joseph Franks, John Sutherland and Mrs. Catherine Desch; three meat markets, run by Becker & Konrath, M. G. Martin and James Schuckman; two millinery establishments, conducted by N. M. Gast and Mrs. D. H. Miller ; one tailor shop, owned by F. A. Franks; one clothing store,_ conducted by Samuel Cahn; one notion store, of which the proprietor is Mrs. Anna Heman; one drug store, conducted by C. E. Schindler; one jewelry- store, of which the proprietor is Phil C. Stachler ; one confectionery store, conducted by P. E. Arbaugh; two hardware stores, run by Jacob Wilhoff and Kleinhenz & Garner; and three blacksmith shops run by Bernard Brothers, John Martz and Henry Stuve. Other business houses of the town are the following: George Heiser, dealer in vehicles, harness, etc.; Henry Landwehr, harness ; Rathweg & Hoyng, implements; Robert Hixon Lumber Company (the Coldwater branch of a Toledo,   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 167   Ohio, establishment), lumber; Wapelhorst & Mackey, coal; J. F. Hoyng and -Henry Wapelhorst, who conduct tinshops and deal in stoves; J. C. Miller, who conducts a repair shop and deals in bicycles; a branch produce store of J. A. Long, of Portland, Indiana; D. H. Miller, hotel; J. B. Birkmeyer, livery stable; J. J. Birkmeyer, barber; J. B. Desch, undertaker, also dealer .in furniture; and Desch & Hummer, monuments. Coldwater has three physicians —Drs. Charles W. Mackenbach, C. F. Bolman and Weamer; and one dentist, Dr. H. G. Glew.   PHILOTHEA   Is a small settlement with a population of about 20, situated in the southwest part of the township. St. Mary's Catholic Church is located here. J. H. Bruns & Company have a grocery store here; H. T. Noble, a tailor shop; and Ben. Spoltman, a blacksmith shop.   CHAPTER VI   RECOVERY AND GIBSON TOWNSHIPS   RECOVERY TOWNSHIP   Was organized May 5, 1831. It is bounded on the north by Washington township, on the east by Granville and Butler townships, on the south by Gibson township and on the west by the State of Indiana. It is six miles from east to west and has an average width from north to south of about four miles. The south line is irregular, being the Greenville treaty line, separating Recovery from Gibson township. Gibson township was organized as a part of Mercer County at a later date, and lies between Recovery township and the Darke County line. The Wabash River flows across the township and is the only stream of any size in the township; at one time it afforded power for a number of mills that were built upon its banks. The surface of the township is inclined to be rolling. The soil is very fertile. The population of the township was 1,272 in 188o; 1,487 in 189o; and 1,396 in 19o0. The present township officials are as follows : Trustees—Valentine Heiby, J. W. Buscher and Charles Stein; clerk, Otto Summers ; treasurer, Ber. Grieshop; justices of the peace—J. S. Clum and Michael Schock.   PIONEERS.   We find that entries of land in this township were made as early as 1831, possibly at an earlier date, but the fact of entry does not make those who entered the land settlers. A great many acres were entered by parties who never lived on the land. The McDowell family were early settlers. John Adney, David Beardslee and Obed Beardslee moved to the township in an early day. Alexander Grant was a pioneer. William Downs, the Andersons, Nicker-sons and Scotts, Nehemiah Grover and Isaac DeHays were among the pioneers, and their names are familiar ones in the township to-day. John Grant,   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 169   Jacob and John Runckle, William Money, Alexander. Scott, John Doll, John Wise, H. Davidson, John Miller, Wendel Doll, Anthony Dull, Samuel Phipps, A. Tucker, William McDowell, John S. McDowell, Anthony Bloom, Morand Buschor, George Troutman, James Houser, Daniel Roesner, .Daniel Jones, Peter Schwartz, Philo Willischeck, Martin Burris, James Stowe, Ignatius Tollard, Isiah Totten, Joseph Weis, Daniel Van Trees and many more helped to clear up and develop the township. David Anderson built the first mill on the Wabash River in the county in 1832. P. D. Moss built and operated an ox-mill, which may also be classed as one of the first mills in the county.   In the pioneer days there were few roads, and those hardly passable the greater part of the year. Schools and churches were scarce, And railroads, telephone and telegraph were things unknown. Steam mills were not found in every town in the county as they are at present. Recovery had a steam mill prior to the Civil War, built by John Oswald, which was one of the first, if not the first, in the county. But the history of the township to-day is full of interest. The roads of the township are well improved ; pikes, which cost vast sums of money, are found all over the township; railroads and telegraph and telephone lines are in use all over the county; free rural delivery of mail has been successfully established; and splendid churches and good schoolhouses, well furnished for the education of the children and the accommodation of the church-going people, have been built. Farming is the principal occupation of the people of Recovery township, and the staple agricultural products are corn, wheat and oats, although all kinds of grain and vegetables can be raised. Hay and pasture land is good in this township. The farmers are ambitious to have the best stock. Farmers' Institutes are held at Fort Recovery and are well attended by the farming community. The township to-day is in all respects up-to-date and its people are industrious and progressive.   MONTEREY, ST. JOSEPH AND FERNER.   Recovery township has within its borders a number of small hamlets that usually have a store or grocery, and, before the free delivery of mail went into effect, a postoffice.   The old town of Monterey, which was laid out in 1849 by Isaac Raus, had at one time a general store owned and operated by Henry Wurdeman and at a later date conducted by Mother Goerke; now it is only a place of a few residences, without any business.   St. Joseph, a small town not far from Fort Recovery, was laid out in 1861 by Archbishop John B. Purcell, who owned the land. This town at one time supported a small store and grocery. Its. main feature at the present time   170 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   is St. Joseph's Catholic Church. The church is one of the oldest in the southern part of the county and until the Catholic Church at Fort Recovery was built nearly all the Catholic residents of the latter place 'Worshiped at St. Joseph's.   When the Lake Erie & Western Railroad was extended on west from Celina to Fort Recovery, a station was established in the northeastern part of the township called Ferner, which was at one time a postoffice.   GIBSON TOWNSHIP   Which is located in the southwest corner of this county, was originally in Darke County, Ohio, and became a part of Mercer County in 1849. It is bounded on the north by Recovery township, on the east by Granville township, on the south by Darke County and on the west by the Indiana State line. It is six miles long from east to west and has an average width from north to south of three and a half miles, the only variation being on the northern line, which corresponds to that of the old Greenville treaty line, which bears northwest until it strikes the Wabash River at Fort Recovery, where it diverges to the southwest, continuing in this direction until it reaches the State line. The township has no streams of any considerable size. The Wabash River has its source in Hog Prairie, four miles south of Fort Recovery and perhaps half a mile east. From there, only a small ditch in size, it runs south and east for quite a distance and winds around to the north and west ,until it arrives at Fort Recovery, within four miles of its source, having traversed a space of 66 miles in its meanderings. The land is for the most part rolling, although some portions are a little hilly. There are good gravel banks in the section of the township that is near the town of Fort Recovery. Farming and stock-raising are the principal pursuits of the citizens of the township. The farming lands are nearly all cleared and dense woods are a thing of the past. Groves that are left for shade and wooded pastures are all that are left to remind one of days that are gone. A thorough system. of ditching and tile drainage has reclaimed all the swales and low swamp lands and converted them into fine fertile farms, and water is no longer found in pools along the roads for the greater part of the year, as was formerly the case. The mud roads of by-gone days have been macadamized. Large frame barns and granaries are now found on farms that not many years ago had old log barns and other pioneer buildings. The churches are for the most part modern structures, principally constructed of brick, and the same can also be said of the schoolhouses. There is a large German Catholic population in-the eastern part of the township, while in the western part are English-speaking people, the Germans in this section being Protestants.   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 173   Gibson township has 4,309 acres of cultivated land; 4,494 acres of pa' sture land; 2,371 acres of woodland; and 515 acres of waste land, as reported to the county auditor by the assessor in 1906. The population of the township was 1,462 in 1880; 1,658 in 1890; and 1,568 in 1900. The township officials at the present time are the following: Trustees—R. E. McClung, James Z. Mott and John Hildbold; clerk, A. A. Kolp; treasurer, John Isenhart: justices of the peace—William Reichard and James Sanford Watkins.   PIONEERS.   The southern and western part of Gibson township was largely settled by people from Southern Ohio and Pennsylvania, who originally Came from Virginia and North and South Carolina, although a few came from Delaware. Among the early settlers in this section were the families of James Cummins, Henry Denney, Benjamin Clark and William F. Denney, who came from Gallia County, Ohio; the Clarks, who came from England; Wateman Hastings and Solomon Collins, who came from the State of Delaware; and Robert Hunter, James Alexander and David Hays who came from Fairfield County, Ohio—all of these settled in Gibson township about the same time. Nathan S. Scranton settled on a farm in Gibson township in 1849; the Scranton family, who were originally from the State of Connecticut, came to Mercer County from Medina County, Ohio. Near the town of Fort Recovery and north of the first neighborhood, Robert Travis, Edward Jones, Sylvester Schutt, Jacob Schaffer, Jacob Stuber and Joseph Clark and their families settled. In the eastern part of the township, around Sharpsburg, Aaron Rood and wife and his sons, L. B. Rood. and Alpha Rood, who were Yankees in every sense of the word; the Jones and Hall families and the families of Thomas Rockwell, Jacob and George Meyers and William Snyder—all of whom came from Butler County, Ohio—settled at an early date. In the same section of the township also settled John L. Fox, David Johnson, John Hedrick and Abraham Mott, Sr.—Abraham and James Z. Mott, sons of the last named pioneer, still live in the township. The Lowry' family came in at a later date and its representatives are still living in the township. Samuel Briner, Samuel Keller, David F. Blake (who went to Missouri in 1857), George Sigler, M. W. Diggs and George Painter were early settlers in the southern part of the township. Other early settlers were James Watkins, Daniel Brock and John McDaniel.   SCHOOLS.   It seems to be a settled fact that the older the country, the fewer the country schools. This is true in Gibson township to-day : The schools out-   174 -HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   side of the town of Fort Recovery are not as large as they were 35 years ago, when the writer had a very personal knowledge of them: Then there were six (district schools, maintained on an average of eight o1 nine months in the year, and each one of these schools had an average attendance of not less than 50 pupils, and at least three had from 75 to 100 pupils each. At the present time it takes three of these same school districts combined to maintain one school, and this one with only about 30 pupils in attendance. The Board of Education think it both cheaper and better to hire a man to haul the pupils back and forth from their own district to a school in some other district than to hire teachers for each school district. Special school districts have been created that take the place of sub-districts.   SHARPSBURG   Is a small place in the southeast part of Gibson township, which for many years has had a general merchandise store, formerly owned and operated by George Zenz, but now conducted by his son John. Thee was a postoffice here, known as Violet, until it was displaced by the introduction of the rural free delivery of mail. St. Paul's Catholic Church is located here.   CHURCHES OF RECOVERY AND GIBSON TOWNSHIPS   With the exception of St. Joseph's Catholic Church at St. Joseph in Recovery township, St. Peter's Catholic Church at St. Teter in Recovery township, St. Paul's Catholic Church at Sharpsburg and Bethel Church of the Evangelical Church in the western part of Gibson township, all the churches in the two townships are located at Fort Recovery.   Pisgah Congregational Church at Fort Recovery .was organized as a Presbyterian Church in 1851 by I. N. Taylor (founder of Liber College) and his father, Judge Taylor, of Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was reorganized in 1854 as Pisgah Congregational Church, which name it, has since retained. The original society consisted of eight members, viz. : David Hays, Catherine Hays, Nancy Collins, Wateman Hastings, Eleanor Hastings, Samuel Briner, Elizabeth Grissom and Betsey Guy. The church has a present membership of 118 and an average Sunday-school attendance of 6o. The church building was erected in 1883 at a cost of $4,000. The following pastors have served since the reorganization of the church in 1854: Rev. John Brice, from 1854 to 1856; Rev. M. W. Diggs, from 1857 to 1892; Rev. E. L. Brooks, from 1892 to 1899; Rev. John Howell, from 1899 to 1901 ; Rev. Charles A. Mohr, from 1901 to 1903 ; Rev. S. E. Snepp, from 1903 to 1905 ; and Rev. Vernon Emery, the present pastor, who has served since 1905.   Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Congregation at Fort Recovery was or-   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 173   ganized August 8, 1869, by 14 voting members, only one of whom, Philip Augenstein, of Fort Recovery, is still among the living. The first church structure, 3o by 40 feet in dimensions, erected in 1870, finally becoming too small for the growing congregation, the present brick church was erected in 1903 at a cost of $12,000. The parsonage, also a brick building, cost $4,000. Up to about 1895 the services were conducted exclusively in German but now English is used every other Sunday. The congregation at the present time has 68 voting members, 18o communicants and about 275 souls. The Sunday-school, which is conducted in English, has 120 scholars. The following pastors have served Trinity congregation : Revs. H. Kreuter, 1869-71; Carl Benzin, 1871-78; F. W. Franke, 1878-81; A. J. Feeger, 1881-86; George Wolf, 1887-90; A. A. Dapper, 1890-1900; W. F. Benzin, 1900-04; and William Emch, who has served since 1904.   The Fort Recovery Methodist Episcopal Church was established many years ago. The present church building, located on the north side of East Broadway, on a lot that was presented to the trustees of the church by Thomas Roop, was commenced in 1874 and finished in 1875. The church is a brick structure, 36 by 54 feet in dimensions. The building committee was com- posed of D. J. Roop, Eli Winter, Abraham Rantz, George R. McDaniel, J. H. Johnson, D. H. Richardson and J. S. Hoyt. The Methodist Episcopal Church at Erastus and Washington Chapel, both in Washington township, are served by the same pastor as the Fort Recovery church. The following are the names of the pastors from 1879 to the present time: Revs. W. S. Philpot, 1879; D. Carter, 1880; W. A. Robinson, 1881; L. H. Linsey, 1882; J. W. H. Morrison, 1883; Orlando Murlin, 1884; Lemuel Herbert, 1885-86; G. M. Hemphill, 1887-88; E. T. Dailey, 1889-90; Edwin D. ,Cook, 1891; R. B. Olive, 1892; B. W. Day, 1893-94; J. S. Snodgrass, 1895-96; J. A. Spyker, 1897-98; H. J. Jewett, I899-1901; M. C. Wisely, 1902-03;. J. V. Robinson, 1904; J. H. Smith, 1905; and J. H. Butler, the present pastor, who was appointed in 1906. The present membership of the three churches as reported is 194. The estimated value of the church property at- the three places is $4,500, while the parsonage at Fort Recovery is valued at $1,000. There are Sunday-schools connected with each church, in which schools there are 35 officers and teachers and 245 scholars of all grades, with an average attendance of 137.   For the past five or six years there have been at Fort Recovery two societies of the Church of Christ, commonly called the Disciples' Church. A division in church matters in the original society resulted in the formation of a second society and at the present time there are two church buildings used by members of this denomination. The church building of the original society was erected and dedicated in 18$9. It is a frame structure, 40 by   176 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   60 feet in dimensions, and cost $2,800. The first members of the church were: Washington Snyder, Lucretia Snyder, Sanford Warnock, John Eckenrode, Emma Eckenrode, J. C. 1. McDaniel, Fannie McDaniel, Elizabeth Hedrick, Ida M. Hedrick, Sarah Hedrick, John Bennett, Martha Bennett, Wila Clark, Emma Clark, Elizabeth Cummins, Manda Hoke, Hattie Abraham and Mr. and Mrs. John Thompson. The church has 43 members at the present time. The Sunday-school has an attendance averaging from 40 to 75. The present pastor is Rev. J. A. Persinger. He was preceded by Rev. I. N. Sutton and he by Rev. A. J. Beard. Among the other pastors of this church have been the following: Revs. Joseph Harter, Samuel Armstrong, H. H. Hill, W. W. Harsass, D. W. Campbell, J. M. Smith, J. A. Randall and D. C. Call.   Bethel Church of the Evangelical Association is located in the western part of Gibson township. This class was organized in 1858, when. it was known as the Stuber class, the members at that time being the following: George Stuber and family, Leonard Holstein and wife, John Orth and family, Philip Shaffer and family, Jacob Shaffer and family, Christian May and wife, Ludwig Heis and wife and William Christopher and wife. For many years these Christians held their religious services at private homes and later on in the schoolhouse. The present church edifice, which was also the first one, is a frame structure, erected in the year 1872 at a cost of about $1,200, including the ground. At this time the church was given the name of Bethel Church. Frederick Heis is the only member of the class now living that was a member when the church was built. The preaching at the present time is wholly in English and has been for a great many years. When the class was first organized, the services were all in German. The church has a present membership of 65 and an average Sunday-school attendance of 4o. Delphos Mott is superintendent of the Sunday-school. The first minister of the church was Rev. George Glouse, who remained two years. His successors and the period of their services were as follows: Revs. Philip Swartz, two years; Edward Evans, two years; C. Uphouse, two years; Charles Shuh, two years; Enos Troyer, two years; Carl Schamo, one year ; John Schomber, under whose supervision the church was built, two years; Charles Heim, two years; Frank Dill, one year; L. S. Fisher, three years; Henry Meyers, one year; Samuel Hoffenbert, two years; Elias Hostetter, two years; C. Rainy, two years; S. Rihneol, three years; J. M. Smith, two years; F. L. Snyder, three years; Charles Spangler, one year; P. L. Browns, two years ; and John Rees, who is the present pastor.   The Catholic churches of the two townships; whose history will be given in another chapter, are as follows: Church of Mary, Help of Christians, at Fort Recovery; St. Joseph's Church,. at St. Joseph, Recovery township; St.   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS   Peter's Church, at St. Peter, Recovery township; and St. Paul's Church, at Sharpsburg, Gibson township.   FORT RECOVERY   Lies in both Recovery and Gibson townships, the dividing line. being the Greenville treaty line, which marked the southern boundary of Mercer. County, and the northern boundary of Darke County until 1849.   The village derives its name from the fort established here, on the site of St. Clair's defeat, by Gen. Anthony. Wayne, in December, 1793. "It is historic ground, and the village stands at once a monument to the defeat of St. Clair and the victory of Wayne. Small though it is, it occupies a prominent place in American history, for with its name is associated the memory of that terrible, crushing defeat, which endangered the whole frontier, but rendered sacred the ground baptized in patriotic blood. It marks also the site of Fort Recovery, built by the army of General Wayne as a waymark along that trail, which led to crowning victory."   After Harmar's disastrous expedition into the Indian country, Congress conceived the idea of establishing a chain of posts in the Indian country between Fort Wayne and Fort Washington (Cincinnati), so as to awe and curb the Indians, as the only preventative of future hostilities. The command of the expedition was giveh to Gen. Arthur St. Clair, under whom was Maj. Gen. Richard Butler. The army left Fort Washington in September; 1791, and proceeded to Ludlow's Station, six miles distant, where it remained until the 17th, when, being 2,300 strong, exclusive of militia, it moved northward and built Fort Hamilton on the Great Miami. The march was then continued to a point about 65 miles from Fort Washington, where Fort Jefferson was erected. On the 24th of October Fort Jefferson was left behind and the toilsome march through the wilderness begun. The succeeding events of this ill-starred expedition we will quote in the words of Judge Burnet, of Cincinnati :   "During this time a body of the militia, amounting to 300, deserted and returned to their homes. The supplies for the army being still in the rear, and the General entertaining fears that the deserters might meet and seize them for their own use, determined, very reluctantly, to send back the First Regiment for the double purpose of bringing up the provisions and, if possible of overtaking the arresting some of the deserters.   "Having made that arrangement, the army resumed its march, and, on the 3rd of November, arrived at a creek running to the southwest, which was supposed to be the St. Mary's, one of the principal branches of the Maumee, but was afterwards ascertained to be a branch of the Wabash.. It being then late in the afternoon, and the army much fatigued by a laborious march,   178 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   they were encamped on a commanding piece of ground, having the creek in front.   "It was the intention of the General to occupy that position till the First Regiment, with the provisions, should come up. He proposed .on the next day to commence a work of defence, agreeably to a plan concerted between himself and Major Ferguson, but he was not permitted to do either; for, on the next morning, November 4th, half an hour before sunrise, the men having been just dismissed from parade, an attack was made on the militia posted in front, who gave way and rushed back into camp, throwing the army into a state of disorder, from which it could not be recovered, as the Indians followed close at their heels. They were, however, checked a short time by the fire of the first line, but immediately a very heavy fire was commenced on that line, and in a few minutes it was extended to the second.   "In each case the great weight of the fire was directed to the center, where the artillery was placed, from which the men were frequently driven with great slaughter. In that emergency resort was had to the bayonet. Colonel Darke was ordered to make the charge with a part of the second line, which order was executed with spirit. The Indians instanty gave way, and were driven back several hundred yards, but for want of a sufficient number of riflemen to preserve the advantage gained, the enemy soon renewed their attack, and the American troops in turn were forced to give way.   "At that instant the Indians entered the American camp on the left, having forced back the troops stationed at that point. Another charge was then ordered and made by the battalions of Majors Butler and Clark with great success. Several other charges were afterwards made, and always with equal effect. These attacks, however, were attended with a heavy loss of men, and particularly of officers. In the charge made by the Second Regiment Major Butler was dangerously wounded, and every officer of that regiment fell, except three, one of whom was shot through the body. The artillery being silenced, and all the officers belonging to it killed, but Captain Ford, who was dangerously wounded, and half the army having fallen, it became necessary to gain the road, if possible, and make a retreat.   "For that purpose a successful charge was made on the enemy, as if to turn their right flank, but in reality to gain the road, which was effected. The militia then commenced to retreat, followed by the United States troops, Major Clark with his battalion covering the rear. The retreat, as might be expected, soon became a flight. The camp was abandoned, and so was the artillery, for the want of horses to remove it. The men threw away their arms and accoutrements, even after the pursuit had ceased, which was not continued for more than four miles. The road was almost covered with these articles for a great distance.   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 179   "All the horses of the General were killed and he was mounted on a broken-down pack-horse that could scarcely be forced out of a walk. It was, therefore, impossible for him to get forward in person, to command a halt, till regularity could be restored, and the orders which he dispatched by others for that purpose were wholly unattended to. The rout continued to Fort Jefferson, where they arrived about dark, 27 miles from the battle-ground. The retreat began at half-past 9 in the morning, and as the battle commenced half an hour before sunrise, it must have lasted three hours, during which time, with only one exception, the troops behaved with great bravery. This fact accounts for the immense slaughter which took place.   "Among the killed were Major-General Butler, Colonel Oldham, Major Ferguson, Major Hart and Major Clark. Among the wounded were Colonel Sargeant, the adjutant-general, Colonel Darke, Colonel Gibson; Major Butler and Viscount Malartie, who served in the character of an aid. In addition to these, the list of officers killed contained the names of Captains Bradford, Phelan, Kirkwood, Price, Van Swearingen, Tipton, Purdy, Smith, Piatt, Gaither, Crebbs and Newman; Lieutenants Spear, Warren, Boyd, McMath, Burgess, Kelso, Read, Little, Hopper and Lickins ; also, Ensigns Cobb, Balch, Chase, Turner, Wilson, Brooks, Beatty and Purdy; also, Quartermasters Reynolds and Ward, Adjt. Anderson and Doc. Grasson. And in addition to the wounded officers whose names are mentioned above the official list contains the names of Captains Doyle, Truman, Ford, Buchanan, Darke and Hough; also of Lieutenants Greaton, Davidson, DeButts, Price, Morgan, McCrea, Lysle and Thompson; also Adjutants Whistler and Crawford, and Ensign Bines.   "The melancholy result of that disastrous day was felt and lamented by all who had sympathy for private distress or public misfortune.   "The only charge alleged by the General against his army was want of discipline, which they could not have acquired during the short time they had been in the service. That defect rendered it impossible, when they were thrown into confusion to restore them again to order, and is the chief reason why the loss fell so heavily on the officers. They were compelled to expose themselves in an unusual degree in their efforts to rally the men and remedy the want of discipline. In that duty the General set the example, though worn down by sickness and suffering under a painful disease. It was alleged by the officers that the Indians far outnumbered the American troops. That conclusion was drawn, in part, from the fact that they outflanked and attacked the American lines with great force, at the same time, on every side..   "When the fugitives arrived at Fort Jefferson, they found the First Regiment, which was just returning from the service on which it had been sent, without either overtaking the deserters or meeting the convoy of pro-   180 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   visions. The absence of that regiment at the time of battle was believed by some to be the cause of defeat. They supposed that had it been present the Indians would have been defeated, or would not have ventured an attack at the time they made it; but General St. Clair expressed great doubt on that subject. He seemed to think it uncertain, judging from the superior number of the enemy, whether he ought to consider the absence of that corps from the field of action as fortunate or otherwise. On the whole, he seemed to think it fortunate, as he very much doubted whether, if it had been in the action, the fortune of the day would have been changed; and if it had not, the triumph of the enemy would have been left destitute of the means of defence."   Another account of the battle, more graphic than the foregoing, is the one written by Major Denny, an officer of St. Clair's army, in his journal, which is as follows:   "The troops paraded this morning at the usual time, and had been dismissed from the lines but a few minutes, the sun not yet up, when the woods in front rung with the yells and fire of the savages. The poor militia, who were but 300 yards in front, had hardly time to return a shot—they fled into our camp. The troops were under arms in an instant, and a smart fire from the front line met the enemy. It was but a few minutes, however, until the men were engaged in every quarter. The enemy from the front filed off to the right and left, and completely surrounded the camp, killed and cut off nearly all the guards, and approached close to the lines. They advanced from one tree, log or stump, to another, under cover of the smoke of our fire. The artillery and musketry made a tremendous noise, but did little execution. The Indians seemed to brave everything, and when fairly fixed around us, they made no noise other than their fire, which they kept up very constant and which seldom failed to tell, although scarcely heard. Our left flank, probably from the nature of the ground, gave way first; the enemy got possession of that part of the encampment, but it being pretty clear ground, they were too much exposed and were soon repulsed. Was at this time with the General engaged toward the right; he was on foot and led the party himself that drove the enemy and regained our ground on the left. The battalions in the rear charged several times and forced the savages from their shelter, but they always turned with the battalions and fired upon them back; indeed they seemed not to fear anything we could do. They could skip out of reach of the bayonet and return, as they pleased; They were visible only when raised by a charge. The ground was literally covered with the dead. The wounded were taken to the center, where it was thought most safe, and where a great many, who had quit their posts unhurt, had crowded together. The General, With other officers, endeavored to rally these men, and twice they were taken out to the lines.- It appeared as if the officers had been singled out, a very   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 181   great proportion fell, or were wounded and obliged to retire from the lines early in the action. General Butler was among the latter, as well as several others of the most experienced officers. The men, being thus left with few officers, became fearful, despaired of success, gave up the fight, and, to save themselves for the moment, abandoned entirely their duty and ground, and crowded in toward the center of the field, and no exertions could put them in any order even for defense; perfectly ungovernable. The enemy at length got possession of the artillery, though not until the officers were all killed but one, and he badly wounded, and the men almost all cut off, and not until the pieces were spiked. As our lines were deserted, the Indians contracted theirs until their shot centered from all points, and now meeting with little opposition, took more deliberate aim and did great execution. Exposed to a cross Ere, men and officers were seen falling in every direction; the distress t00 of the wounded made the scene such as can scarcely be conceived; a few minutes longer, and a retreat would have been impracticable. The only hope left was, that perhaps the savages would be so taken up with the camp as not to follow. Delay was death; no preparation could be made; numbers of brave men must be left at a sacrifice; there was no alternative. It was past 9 o'clock when repeated orders were given to charge toward the road. The action had continued between two and three hours. Both officers and men seemed confounded, incapable of doing anything; they could not move until it was told that a retreat was intended. A few officers put themselves in front, the men followed, the enemy gave way, and perhaps not being aware of the design, we were for a few minutes left undisturbed. The stoutest and most active now took the lead, and those who were foremost in breaking the enemy's line were soon left behind. At the moment of the retreat, one of the few horses saved had been procured for the General; he was on foot until then; I kept by him, and he delayed to see the rear. The enemy soon discovered the movement and pursued, though not for more than four or five miles, and but few so far; they turned to share the spoil. Soon after the firing ceased, I was directed to endeavor to gain the front, and, if possible, to cause a short halt, that the rear might get up. I had been on horseback from the first alarm, and well mounted; pushed forward, but met with so many difficulties and interruptions from the people, that I was two hours at least laboring to reach the front. \Vith the assistance of two or three officers I caused a short halt, but the men grew impatient and would move on. I got Lieutenants Sedam and Morgan, with half a dozen stout men, to fill up the road and move slowly, I halted myself until the General came up. By this time the remains of the army had got somewhat compact, but in the most miserable and defenseless state. The wounded who came off left their arms in the field, and one-half the others threw theirs (away on the retreat. The road for miles was covered   182 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   with fire-locks, cartridge boxes and regimentals. How fortunate that the pursuit was discontinued; a single Indian might have followed with safety upon either flank. Such a panic had seized the men, that I believe it would not have been possible to have brought any of them to engage again. In the afternoon Lieutenant Kearsey, with a detachment of the First Regiment, met us. This regiment, the only complete and best disciplined portion of the army, had been ordered back upon the road on the 31st of October. They were 3o miles from the battle-ground when they heard distinctly the firing of the cannon, were hastening forward and marched about nine miles, when met by some of the militia, who informed Major Hamtramck, the commanding officer, that the army was totally destroyed. The Major judged it best to send a subaltern to obtain some knowledge of things, and to return himself with the regiment to Fort Jefferson, eight miles back, and to secure at all events that post. He had made some arrangements, and as we arrived in the evening found him preparing again to meet us. Stragglers continued to come in for hours after we reached the fort."   Denny states that the whole loss was 37 officers and 593 privates killed and missing; 3 officers and 252 privates wounded.   From Fort Jefferson the retreat was continued to Fort Washington, as it was not considered possible to accommodate the army at the former place. The defeat of St. Clair drew upon his head "one loud and merciless outcry of abuse and even detestation" from all parts of the country.   * * *   In January, 1792, an expedition was sent from Fort Washington under General Wilkinson to bury the dead on the battle-ground and to bring off the valuable public property, which was reported to be still on the spot. Captain Buntin, a member of this party, afterwards addressed a letter to St. Clair, of which the following is an extract : "In my opinion those unfortunate men who fell into the enemy's hands with life were used with the greatest torture, having their limbs torn off; and the women have been treated with the most indecent cruelty, having stakes as thick as a person's arm driven through their bodies. The first I observed when burying the dead; and the latter was discovered by Colonel Sargeant and Dr. Brown. We found three whole car- riages; the other five were so much damaged that they were rendered useless. By the General's orders pits were dug in different places, and all the dead bodies that were exposed to view or could be conveniently found (the snow being very deep) were buried."   * * *   St. Clair's battle-field was next visited in December, 1793, when Gen. Anthony Wayne, who had been appointed to the command of the American troops, to retrieve the disaster of November 4, 1791, and break the power of   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 183   the Indians, sent forward a detachment of troops to the battle-field from Fort Greenville, where he had arrived. The troops arrived on Christmas Day and pitched their tents on the battle-field. When the men went to lie down in their tents at night, they had to scrape the bones together and carry them out before they could make their beds. The next day holes were dug and the bones remaining above ground were buried; it is said that as many as 600 skulls were found among them. After this melancholy duty was performed, a fortification was built and named Fort Recovery. On its completion a company of artillery and one of riflemen were left as a garrison.   * * *   On the last (lay of June, 1794, a severe and bloody battle was fought under the walls of Fort Recovery between a detachment of American troops, consisting of 90 riflemen and 50 dragoons, under the command of Major McMahon, and a very numerous body of Indians and British, who at the same instant rushed on the detachment and assailed the fort on every side with great fury. They were repulsed with a heavy loss, but again rallied and renewed the attack, keeping up a heavy and constant fire during .the whole day, which was returned with spirit and effect by the garrison. The next morning, McMahon's detachment having entered the fort after sustaining a severe loss, the enemy renewed the attack and continued it with great desperation during the day, but were ultimately compelled to retreat from the field. In this engagement, 22 officers• and non-commissioned officers of the American forces were killed, while 30 were wounded. The losses of the Indians, of whom there were present from 1,500 to 2,000, were very heavy. Captain Gibson, who commanded the fort, and after whom the township of Gibson took its name, behaved with great gallantry. It was supposed that the British engaged in the attack expected to find the artillery that was lost on the fatal 4th of November, which had been hid in the ground and covered with logs by the Indians in the vicinity of the battle-field. Fortunately, most of it had been previously found by its legitimate owners, and was then employed in the defense of the fort.   * * *   All of St. Clair's cannon were subsequently recovered by Wayne but one, which was found, some 4o years after the battle, buried in the mud near the mouth of the creek. This piece, a 6-pounder, was sold to a volunteer artillery company at Cincinnati for $60.   The remains of Major McMahon and his companions, who fell at the time of the attack on the fort, were buried within its walls. In 1838, soon after the town of Fort Recovery was laid out, Robert G. Blake discovered their remains. The bones were disinterred and reburied in the village ceme-   184 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   tery. In this work Mr. Blake was assisted by Dr. J. S. Fair, D. Freeman, David Beardslee, Henry Lipps and others.   The fort stood in the northwest part of the town. All that remains of it to perpetuate its memory is a portion of the flag-staff, which was exhumed about 1880 and some years later sent to Columbus, where it now reposes in the relic room of the Capitol Building.   * * *   On July 7, 1851, John S. Rhodes and David J. Roop, while searching for bullets on the site of the old battle-field, discovered a human skull, partly covered, in one of the streets of the town, adjacent to the ground upon which the fort stood. Recent, heavy rains had washed off the earth. The discovery induced a search, which resulted in the skeletons of some 6o persons being exhumed in a good state of preservation. The citizens of Fort Recovery held a meeting the next day, and resolved to reinter the bones, a committee being appointed to make suitable arrangements for the occasion.   This committee, consisting of William McDowell, Henry Lipps, Benjamin Cummins, Thomas Roop and David Beardslee selected Wednesday, September 10, 1851, as a suitable time and public notice of this action was duly given.   On Saturday, August 30, 1851, a mass meeting of the citizens of Mercer and adjoining counties, who felt disposed to participate in the solemnities of the reinterment of the remains of those who fell on the battle-ground of Fort Recovery, was held at the Court House in Celina, to make suitable arrangements to join their fellow-citizens of Fort Recovery on that occasion. The meeting organized by appointing Benjamin Linzee, chairman, and A. P. J. Snyder, secretary. Upon the object of the meeting being' stated, F. C. Le Blond, William L. Blocher and John S. Brown were appointed a committee to draft resolutions, which in due time were reported by them and were as follows :   That the recent discovery of the remains of those brave worthies who fell in defense of their country at Fort Recovery, on the 4th of November, 1791, call loudly for some act of gratitude on the part of American citizens that will perpetuate their memory in the hearts of the present and future generations ; therefore   Resolved, That we highly approve the course pursued by our fellow-citizens of. Fort Recovery in the prompt arrangements they .have commenced to reinter those remains.   Resolved, That all of us who can possibly go will attend and participate in the ceremonies of that occasion.   Resolved, That, in the opinion of this meeting, it would not only be an act of justice to the departed, but an act of duty on the part of the American Congress, to appropriate a sum of money sufficient to erect a suitable monument, in honor of the heroes of that memorable battle.   Resolved, That, for the purpose of carrying out the above' resolutions, we hereby earnestly request our Senators and Members of Congress from' this State to use their best exertions in procuring such an appropriation.   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 185   A committee of 11 was appointed to make suitable arrangements for the conveyance of those who wished to participate in the ceremonies at Fort Recovery.   The morning of the l0th of September, 1851, was clear, bright and warm and as the sun rose and cast his beams over the plain, made. sacred by the blood of that brave band, every avenue leading to the village was so crowded that by to o'clock the concourse of citizens from Mercer, Darke, Preble and other counties in Ohio, and Jay, Adams, Wells, Randolph, and other counties in Indiana, assembled on the battle-ground was not less than 5,000.   The forepart of the day was occupied in placing the bones in 13 large, black walnut coffins, provided by the committee, which had been made by Robert G. Blake and John S. Rhodes; a large box containing 10 bushels was also filled. The number of coffins was set at 13, because there were 13 States in the Union at the time the battle was fought, and in all human probability every State was represented in that battle. While the coffins were being filled, the people were permitted to examine the bones, many of which bore marks of the bullet and tomahawk.   Officers of the day having been appointed by. the committee on arrangements, a procession was formed at 10 o'clock under the direction of the marshal, James Watson Riley, and his aids, as follows :   I. Martial music. II. Soldiers of the Revolutionary and subsequent wars. III. One hundred and four pall-bearers, in charge of the 13 coffins containing the bones of the deceased of St. Clair's Army. IV. The ladies. V. The orator of the day. VI. The officers of the day—president, vice-presidents and secretaries. VII. Citizens and visitors who were willing to join the procession;   The procession thus formed, constituting a column a mile long, passed through the streets of the village to a grove southeast of the battle-ground, where an oration was pronounced by Hon. Bellamy Storer, Of Cincinnati, who had been invited for the occasion. At the conclusion of the address, Hiram Bell, of Darke County, president of the day, spoke, being followed by Abner Haines, of Preble County, of the committee on resolutions, who reported a series of resolutions, urging Congress to appropriate money to erect a monument at Fort Recovery and one at Fort Greenville. The report was received and unanimously adopted. Committees composed of .citizens of the different counties represented were appointed to solicit subscriptions for the furtherance of that object. Benjamin Linzee, James Watson' Riley, H. F. Juneman and two others were appointed on the part of Mercer, County.   The procession was then reformed in the order that it came to the stand,   186 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   and moved to the burying-ground on the south side of the village, where the remains were returned to the earth with proper ceremonies, the coffins being deposited in one grave. The last act being performed, the people left the graveyard, each satisfied that he had done nothing more than his duty, willing to do more if possible. It is true they could not benefit those dry bones, but their history is the foundation of our history; their destruction kindled afresh the patriotic fire that burned in the bosoms of our fathers, and incited a Wayne to deeds of noble daring in the Northwest.   Gen. Lewis Cass, General Butler and George E. Pugh, Esq., had also been invited to speak on the occasion, but none of them was able to be present.   * * *   In 1891 a centennial celebration was held at .Fort Recovery in commemoration of the battle. of November 4, 1791. The following was invited to be ,present to address the people but not all were present : Hon. John. Sherman, Hon. Calvin S. Brice, Hon. F. S. Sessions, Hon. J. E. Campbell, Hon. William McKinley, Hon. John Brown (Governor of Kentucky), Hon. C. M. Anderson, Hon. D. J. Ryan, Hon. M. D. Shaw, Hon. M. K. Gantz, Hon. Samuel F. Hunt and Gens. William Gibson, E. B. Findlay and J. P. S. Shank. Of those present, Hon. James E. Campbell, Governor of Ohio, Hon. Samuel F. Hunt, of Cincinnati and Gen. E. B. Findlay, of Bucyrus, Ohio, addressed the gathering, as well as some others. At this centennial celebration the remains of the soldiers, which had been buried in the old cemetery in the southwest part of town in 1851, were taken up and removed to a plat of ground that was purchased for the purpose 'of erecting a monument thereon, should Congress ever make an appropriation for such purpose. Here the bones were reinterred and a temporary wooden monument erected thereon, which stood for a number of years and was then torn down and destroyed.   * * *   The part of the town of Fort Recovery lying north of the Greenville treaty line was laid out by David Beardslee in 1836, the. plat being recorded on July 36th. At a later date Larkin & McDaniel laid out .the part of the town south of the treaty line. The town was incorporated June 15, 1858, under the name of Recovery, 5o citizens signing the petition for incorporation. It is the oldest village corporation in the county The Wabash River flows through the northern part of the village, from east to west. The town has one railroad—the Lake Erie & Western.   Among the earliest residents of Fort Recovery were John Simison and family, who in the spring of 1817 came here and moved into the trading house, which had been built by David Conner. Mr. Simison farmed the ground upon which the town is built, while his sons provided meat by hunt-   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 187   ing. His daughter Mary married Peter Studabaker, on February 15, 1821, at Fort Recovery. Mr. Studabaker farmed here about 12 years and then removed to Adams County, Ohio.   David and Obed Beardsley were pioneers at Fort Recovery; the former laid out the town north of the treaty line. Henry Lipps, who came to the county in 1830 and helped lay out the town, was the first hotelkeeper here and a leading light of the town; he was a member of the Ohio Legislature in 1849. John Lipps came to the county in 1832 and associated himself with the growth of the village. William McDaniel came here at an early date and with Mr. Larkin laid out that part of the town south of the treaty line. His son, George R. McDaniel, is still a resident of the town, where he has lived all his life and for many years has been engaged in the banking business. Thomas Roop took up his residence at Fort Recovery at a very early date. John Blake and family were pioneers, here. The family consisted of Robert G., John G., David F., Perry W., Samuel, Rebecca, Mary Jane and Margaret Ann. Perry W. Blake, who resides in Paulding County, Ohio, is the only one of the boys now living. Margaret Ann resides at present at Celina. The Blakes were prominent in all that pertained to the early history of the town. Dr. J. S. Fair, who came here in pioneer _days, was the first physician ever in practice at Fort Recovery. Dr. John Conant Richardson, one of the town's first doctors, settled here in 1843. The entire period of the practice of his profession was spent at Fort Recovery." Dr: D. Milligan came to Fort Recovery at an early day when a young man in years; he was considered one of the best physicians the town ever had; he also became interested in banking. Capt. John Stafford Rhodes came to Fort Recovery April 12, 1844, and is still a resident, being now in his first year. Jacob Morningstar was the town's first blacksmith; he settled here in 1848. Anthony Sonderman, the pioneer wagon-maker of the village, located here with his family about 185o; the Sondermans have ever since been identified with the town's business affairs. A tannery was established here in 1864 by William Koch, now president of the Fort Recovery Stirrup Company. John, Lewis and George Oswald were all merchants of the town in early times.   The first gas-well at Fort Recovery was struck on March 28, 1887, and was appropriately named "Mad Anthony." The bore was 510 feet deep,, when the flow commenced.   The present village officials of Fort Recovery are as follows : Mayor, John A. Hunter ; clerk, B. B. Wilson; treasurer, Adam Beach; marshal, Joseph Sutherland; council—Edward Koch, George H. Lord, Edward Hoke, O. E. Denny, Charles Schneider and James Hedrick ; Board of Public Affairs —M. W. Birkheimer (president), William J. Reichard and Nicholas Money —James Ross, clerk. I. N. Medford is postmaster. John Clark, John Isen-   188 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   hart and E. T. Hastings are the trustees of Green Mound and Spring Hill cemeteries, the last named being secretary. The Town Hall, a two-story, brick building, erected in 1879, stands near where the old fort was located. The village has a public park, set aside for this purpose some years ago. Three large cannons and a number of shells, presented to the village shortly after the late war with Spain, have been placed here. The village had a population of 802 in 1880; 1,186 in 1890; and 1,097 in 1900.   The churches of Fort Recovery have been noticed earlier in this chapter. In 1854 Robert G. Blake built the first schoolhouse.; an addition to this, 25 feet square, was built in 1859. On May 28, 1868, the citizens voted an appropriation of $5,000 for building a new schoolhouse. The structure was located at Broadway and Elm streets, and cost when completed $8,000. The present public school building was erected in 1888-89 at a cost of $25,000. It is a two-story, eight-room brick structure. Eight teachers are employed. James Ross has been superintendent of the village schools since 1898. Mrs. J. A. Hunter is principal of the High School, which has an enrollment of 57 pupils, and ranks as first grade. Fort Recovery also has an excellent Catholic parochial school.   Fort Recovery ranks as one of the most progressive towns in the county and its business interests are worthy of mention. The 'leading manufacturing establishment is the factory of the Fort Recovery Stirrup Company, the largest exclusive manufacturers of wood stirrups in the world. The company was organized in 1899; William Koch is president and Edward Koch, secretary and manager. Other wood-working establishments are the Rimel spoke works, the planing-mill of William E. Wilson (dealer in lumber, building materials and coal), the band sawmill of George A. Reuter and the excelsior factory of Noah. P. Huntwork. The town has two gristmills—the St. Clair mill and the mill conducted by John Remanklus; the Jay grain elevator; and the flour exchange of William Heiby. Will Hull operates a brickyard. John Schindler has a large blacksmithing business and also builds wagons and carriages. The town has two livery barns, run by John Isenhart and William Lowry. Charles Schneider is proprietor of the Wayne Hotel. A. A. Kolp is publisher and editor of the Fort Recovery Journal, a weekly, independent newspaper, which was established in 1890. The private banking business conducted for many years by George P. McDaniel was incorporated January 1, 1907, as the Fort Recovery. Banking Company. ,The Fort Recovery Building and Loan Association is a prosperous concern; George A. Reuter is secretary. The Fort Recovery Telephone Company is owned and controlled by Fort Recovery business men. The leading mercantile establishments are those of Russell M. Morvelius and Krenning & Son, dry goods; Frank J. Sonderman & Company, dry goods and clothing;   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 191   August Stelzer, dry goods 'and groceries; George Gagle (successor to W. F. Pausch), John Fisher, Roesner & Lenhart and Jacob Anthony, groceries; Joseph A. Meinerding, hardware and farming implements; Michael Velten, hardware and harness; Adam Beach, boots and shoes; Edward Hoke, jewelry; John Adams, drugs; and E. T. Adams, who conducts a variety Istore. W. H. Lowry is an extensive buyer and shipper of live-stock, and is also engaged in road contracting. Fort Recovery has one attorney, J. A. Hunter, who is serving his second term as mayor; five physicians--Drs. J. V. Richardson, W. C. Robeson, William R. Taylor, Martyn Taylor and J. M. Buchannan; one dentist, Dr. C. A. Brown; and one veterinary surgeon, Frederick Miller.   Fort Recovery has two Masonic bodies, two Odd Fellow bodies and a G. A. R. post. Fort Recovery Lodge, No. 539, Free and Accepted Masons, was granted a charter at a session of the Grand Lodge held at Cincinnati, October 21, 1885. The charter members of the lodge were 19 in number, as follows : John S. Rhodes, J. S. Clum, Jacob Dumbauld, James Thompson, Charles L. Townsend, Samuel A. Nickerson, Joshua Armstrong, Charles Armstrong, Isaac N. Hanna, James H. Johnson, W. K. Kember, J. E. Gooding., William B. Doner, J. A. Doner, W. J. Reichard, T. J. Godfrey, D. S. Skinner, 'William F. McDaniel and A. G. Clark. The officers named, at the time of the granting of the charter were: T. J. Godfrey, W. M.; John S. Rhodes, S. W.; and James H. Johnson, J. W. The first elected officers, for the year 1886, were John S. Rhodes, W. M.; James H. Johnson, S. W.; and Isaac N. Hanna, J. W. Isaac N. Hanna was worshipful master in 1887 and 1891; J. S. Clum, in 1888, 1889, 1890 and 1892; W. P. McDaniel, 1893; George A. Reuter, from 1894 to 1905, inclusive; and William E. Wilson, in 1906. The present officers are as follows : B. B. Wilson, W. M.; I. N. Medford, S. W.; James Ross, J. W.; Joshua Armstrong, treasurer; and C. A. Brown, secretary. The lodge has a membership of 68.—Wayne Chapter No. 111 Order of the Eastern Star, was instituted November 7, 1899, with the following charter members :E. L. McDanieL Minnie McDaniel; O. E. Denny, Tillie Denny, Jennie Denny, Nora Fox; John S. Rhodes; Jennie Rhodes, Kate Lowry, Fannie Whitesell, Elizabeth Heap, 011ie Clark, William E. Wilson, Ella Wilson, Nora Taylor, Sallie Louden, Stella Wallingsford, S. E. Sauntman, Lillie Dumbauld, Jennie Rantz and Lizzie Boesche. The following were the first officers : Tillie Denny, worthy matron; E. L. McDaniel, worthy patron; Nora Fox, associate matron; Jennie Rhodes, secratary; Kate Lowry, treasurer; Minnie McDaniel, conductress,; Fannie Whitesell, associate conductress; Elizabeth Heap, chaplain; Ollie Clark and O. E. Denny, marshals; Ella Wilson, Ada; Jennie Denny, Ruth; Nora Taylor, Esther; Sallie Louden, Martha; Stella Wallingsford, Electa; S. E. Saunt-   192 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   man, warden; and William E. Wilson, sentinel. The chapter has a present membership of 55. The officers for the year 1907 are as follows: Jennie Denny, worthy matron; B. B. Wilson, worthy patron; Nora Taylor, associate matron; Verna McDaniel, secretary; Lillie Dumbatild, treasurer; Annie Medford, conductress; Winnie Ross, associate conductress; Tillie Denny, chaplain; Carrie Young, marshal; Zura Roop, Ada; Ella Wilson, Ruth; Jennie Rhodes, Esther; Ida Denny, Martha Lizzie Boesche, Electa; Ollie Clark, warden; and W. E. Wilson, sentinel.   Fort Recovery Lodge, No. 458, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, was established in the '70's. The first officers were Joseph Smith, N. G.; J. S. Glum, V. G.; J. W. Blizzard, secretary; and William Snyder, treasurer. The lodge has a present membership of 93. The officers for 1907 are as follows : Clarence Whitesell, N. G.; Harvey Engle, V. G.; A. E. Gilbert, treasurer; Harley Brumm, recording secretary; and Wesley Schemenaur, financial secretary.—Mystic Union Rebekah Lodge, No. 218, was organized in 1887 with the following charter members : Russell M. Morvelius, Minnie Morvelius, L. H. Boesche, Lizzie Boesche, James Thompson, Susie Thompson, John Hedrick, Elizabeth Hedrick, Mary Hedrick, J. P. Dearworth, Abbie Dearworth, Zora Hanna, R. H. Campbell, Lydia Campbell, Sarah J. Rhodes, W. H. Robins, Emily Robins, Sam. W. Buck, Emma Buck, Charles H. Lord, Emma Lord, Alonzo Ford, Sol. McGriff and William L. Lundy. The lodge has 58 members at the present time. ‘The following are the officers for 1907 : Ida Howard, N. G.; Pearl Stoner,- V. G.; Elma Rapp, secretary; and Ada Reef, treasurer.   Harrod-McDaniel Post, No. 181, Grand Army, of the Republic, was organized December 26, 1881, with the following members : _Isaac N. Hanna, John S. Rhodes, George Hedrick, George R. McDaniel, John Jones, Theodore Scheid, James H. Johnson, Samuel A. Nickerson, J. C. Clum, John Slife, George Lipps, Eli Frazee, John McFarland, H. H. .Harrison, J. E. McDaniel, J. H. Adams, Sam. W. Buck, James Jenkins, William Denny, W. F. McDaniel, I. W. Isenhart, W. W. Collins, W. I. Latimer, C. P. Dearworth and I. N. O'Neal. The first commander Of the post was Capt. John S. Rhodes. The officers at the present time are: I. N. Medford, commander; Fred Holl, senior vice-commander; Theodore Scheid, junior vice-commander; Eli T. Hastings, adjutant; Daniel Kessler,, quartermaster ; 0. S. Greene, chaplain ; Frank Bushard, officer of the day; and Fred Heiss, officer of the guard. The post has 24 members.   * * *   The worst disaster that ever befell a community in Mercer County occurred at Fort Recovery at 11 o'clock A. M., on Wednesday, October 17, 1906, when a terrific explosion in the rear of Joseph A. Meinerding's hard-   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 193   ware store caused the death of five persons, brought injuries to scores of others and inflicted a property loss of approximately $50,000. Just after the parade of the annual horse show, then being held here, took place, the whole town was shaken by a deafening explosion, which entirely wrecked the two-story building occupied by Joseph A. Meinerding as a hardware store, the Journal printing office, the Roop blacksmith shop and a dwelling in the rear of the Opera House. The wreckage soon caught fire and for a time it looked as though the entire business section would be destroyed. Only by the hardest work and with the assistance furnished from Portland, Indiana, and Coldwater were the flames subdued. The fire damaged the Schneider and Setter buildings, the Lowry livery stable, the bank building, the B. W. Roop dwelling and other surrounding property. All the glass in the business blocks, as well as in nearby dwellings, was smashed, and not a single window in the Catholic Church, two blocks away, remained unbroken. Five victims of the explosion were killed outright or died before evening, namely: Miss Cleo Weis, Henry Lammers, Joseph Rosener, Charles Wagner and John McMillan; the first four were employed in the hardware store and the last named, a farmer, of Monterey, was in the store with his wife, making purchases; Mrs. McMillan miraculously escaped very serious injury. A dozen or 15 received serious injuries, and many more were slightly injured or had narrow escapes. While a quantity of explosives, including Is to 20 p0unds of dynamite, was stored in the rear room of the store, it is not thought that the dynamite caused 'the explosion, as its force was upward instead of down-wart It may have resulted from the formation of gas somewhere about the rear of the store. The funerals of the victims were held on Friday, October 19th, when all places of business were closed, the day being given over to mourning. Four views of the disaster are shown in this book.   CHAPTER VII   GRANVILLE, MARION AND FRANKLIN TOWNSHIPS   GRANVILLE TOWNSHIP   Was organized June 5, 1837, at which time it comprised only that part of the present township lying north of the Greenville treaty line, which was originally a part of Recovery township. The portion south of the treaty line, constituting about two-fifths of the township, did not become a part of Granville township until 1849. The first election was held on June 26, 1837, at the house of John Wright. The first township officers are said to have been James Grant, justice of the peace; William Franklin, constable; and John Wright, clerk. The present township officers are as follows : Trustees —Henry Uhlenhake, Joseph Osterfeld and William Evers; clerk, H. A. Beckman ; treasurer, Henry Gottemoller; justice of the peace, Joseph J. Schlosser.   The township is bounded on the north by Butler township, on the east by Marion township, on the south by Darke County and on the west by Gibson and Recovery townships. It is practically six miles square; the southern and western lines are slightly irregular. The surface of the township is generally low and level, with an extended basin in ,the central eastern portion, known as Cranberry Prairie. This prairie was originally something of a marsh but in the years since the settlement of the. township it has undergone a wonderful change. The dredging of the Wabash River, which cost many thousands of dollars, has reclaimed all this waste land, which has become the finest farming section 0f the township.' In this locality the Wabash River begins to assume an important aspect; its source is some distance west, on the line between Darke and Mercer counties in the Hog Prairie, which at the present time is all farm land. The land of Granville township is highly productive and is in an advanced state of cultivation. All kinds of grain are grown in abundance, but the soil is best suited to the rais-   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 195   ing of corn. In 1881 this township had 10,452 acres of arable land; 438 acres of meadow land; and 13,325 acres of woodland. In 1906 there were 13.179 acres of land under cultivation, 2,624 acres of pasture land, 3,891 acres of woodland and 1,829 acres of waste land. Nearly all the original woodland has been cleared and is now under cultivation. Farms of 40 and 8o acres extent predominate; some men own farms 0f 160 acres, and Judge Dwyer, of Dayton, Ohio, owns over 400 acres of the Cranberry Prairie, all in one farm, but these are exceptions to the rule. One of the first gas-wells in the county was drilled on the Cranberry Prairie, on land owned by Judge Dwyer, and a good supply of gas was found. Afterwards a large gas territory was opened up in Mercer County, which supplied Dayton; Troy, Piqua and other towns with gas for fuel and light for a number of years.   Granville township to-day can boast of being one of the best townships in the county, as well as being one of the largest and wealthiest. Few farms are encumbered by debt. The farmers in this township take pride in having the hest stock that money will buy and as a class are industrious: and economical. Well-kept and cultivated farms are seen everywhere; good farm residences and barns are found on nearly all the farms. Thrift is indicated in the neatness of the home surroundings. Good gravel roads' are on every hand. The township is crossed by the Cincinnati Northern _Railroad, with stations at St. Henry and Burkettsville, thus affording ample shipping facilities. The free rural delivery of mail has been well established in this township and communication by telephone is general throughout the community. The inhabitants as a rule have always been and are now, either German or of German descent. The German people have made this section of the county, transforming it from a wilderness to scores upon score's of productive farms, all under a high state of cultivation. They own nearly all the land. The population of Granville township was 1,616 in 1880, 2,013 in 1890 and 2,329 in 1900.   Granville township has none but Roman Catholic churches, of which there are four, namely: St. Henry's at St. Henry; St. Bernard's at Burkettsville; St. Wendelin's at Wendelin; and St. Francis's, located near the settlement of Cranberry Prairie. The history of these churches will be found in another chapter of this work. Good school buildings, both public and parochial, have been provided for the education 0f the children. The first public school in the township is said to have been taught by William Franklin.   PIONEERS.   William Simison, a child of the forest, was born in Mercer County, Ohio. May 22, 1827, being a son of John Simison, who located at Fort Recovery in 1817. William Simison was long a resident 0f Granville township and served as constable two years. His grandfather, William Price,   196 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   was with Gen. Arthur St. Clair in his defeat at Fort Recovery on November 4, 1791, and afterwards was a soldier under Gen. Anthony Wayne. Mr. Simison's youth was passed amid the exciting scenes of pioneer hardships. Be frequently sold his furs to traders in Piqua, and took his pay in hogs, some of them escaping while driving them home. The killing of deer was an ordinary sport, and it created no terror in him to hear the howling of wolves, as he wended his way through the forests a distance of 40 miles to pay a visit to his future companion for life. On one occasion he was compelled to borrow a pair of pants to go home in, his own, which had been used to fill a crack in a log cabin to keep the wolves dut, having been torn to shreds.   Among the earliest settlers of Granville township, in and around St. Henry, were the families of Henry, Bernard and James Romer, all of whom settled here when the township was an unbroken wilderness. Henry Bruns and his wife came to the county in 1827 and settled in this township; their son, Bernard Bruns, was an infant at the time; Henry Beckman was a pioneer business man of Granville township as early as 1839. The descendants of the Bruns, Beckman and Romer families are numerous throughout the township and represent the leading business interests of St. Henry and Granville township to-day. There is scarcely an industry in St. Henry that has not connected with it a member of one of the above named families. Christian Stelzer settled in the township in 1833 ; his son Casper was born here December 25, 1837. William J. Stetcher has lived here since 1859; his parents, Casper Stetcher and wife, came here in 1833. J. B. Drahman settled here in 1836. Joseph Robbins, an early pioneer of this township, was born in Alsace, France, and settled in Mercer County in 1839. John E. Uhlenhake settled here in 1844 and George A. Mueller, in 1846, while John Shaner came to this section in 1848. Sebastian Gebele settled here in 1849 and Harman Savert in 1854. The Hemmelgarn family came to the township at an early date and located near the settlement of Cranberry Prairie. Joseph Rammel was another early settler of German nativity. Of the English-speaking people who settled in Granville township, Alexander Grant, James Grant, William Franklin, Landon Bennett, John Wright, H. E. Franklin, Lot Timbrell, James Dunwoody and Nathaniel Hewitt were, among the first settlers. These and many others came to Granville township in an early day and helped to subdue the wilderness. Their descendants are now enjoying the results of their labors.   ST. HENRY.   In the northern part of Granville township is located the thriving and prosperous village of St. Henry, which was laid out by Henry Romer in 1837.   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 197   the plat being recorded on July 13th. The Romer, Beckman and Bruns families have been intimately connected with its history from the very start. Henry Bruns built the second cabin and started a blacksmithing business, which in later years grew to be an important industry of the town? Henry Beckman was also an early business man here. Joseph B. Drahman formerly conducted a harness shop and general store at this place. The town had a population of about 200 in 1880 and was credited with 682 inhabitants in 1890. It has over 1,000 at the present time. It was incorporated in Igor. The present officers of the town are : Mayor, George A. W. Schlosser; clerk, William H. Romer; treasurer, Joseph J. Romer ; marshal, John Gardner; council—J. Henry Hartings, Henry Wimmers, Sebastian Ranley, Bernard K. Kessens, Edward Bellert and Henry Tumbusch. H.. J. Anthony is superintendent of the village schools of St. Henry; the High School department ranks as second-grade and has 25 pupils. The Cincinnati Northern Railroad passes through the town and the prospects are good for an electric road passing through St. Henry in the near future. St. Henry's Catholic Church, located here, is one of the largest and finest in the county. The parochial school is also one of the best attended in this section.   St. Henry is surrounded by a fine agricultural country and is a trading place for a very considerable district. It has quite a number of flourishing industries, including among which is the South Mercer Flouring Mills, operated by steam power, which are owned by B. G. Plummer. Among other manufacturing concerns of the town we may mention the Bany Washing Machine Company, the Conover Creamery Company, St. Henry Canning Company (canners and packers of vegetables and fruits) ; Sebastian Ranley, wagon and carriage manufacturing—also dealer in coal; and Wimmers & Wuebker, manufacturers of tile, brick and cement blocks. The St. Henry Bank, which was organized January 5, 1906, on the individual responsibility plan, is an important addition to the town's business interests. It possesses assets totaling over $135,000. John Henry Romer is president; Henry Romer, vice-president and assistant, cashier ; and William, H. Romer, cashier. The mercantile interests of the place are ably represented by the following firms: B. Forsthoefel, Joseph Bruns and Joseph John Romer, general stores; Westerheide & Romer, millinery; St. Henry Hardware Company and A. Schuerman, hardware and farm implements; Beckman & Gottemoller, stoves, tinware, tin roofing, etc. ; B. J. Lammers and C. C. Siegrist, harness; Ed. J. Schmitz, patent medicines, jewelry, books; etc.; F. H. Gottemoller, furniture and undertaking; Bernard Bertke, West End Hotel; Buschore & Sunderhaus, livery barn; The P. Kuntz & Herr Lumber Company, lumber and building materials, represented by J. J. Moeller; William F. Bruns and L. Gebele, barbers; Louis Kothman, Henry Kevelder and Frank Saunderhaus,   198 - HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY   liquors; Dr. H. G. Glew, dentist; and Drs. J. A. Schirack and J. J. Mory, physicians and surgeons.   BURKETTSVILLE.   This village is located on the southern line of Granville township and is a station on the Cincinnati Northern Railroad. It was laid out in November, 1876, by Bernard Romer, Jr., Edward Frummel, William Sutherland and Jackson Gelder. It was incorporated in 1901, and at the present time has these officials : Mayor, S. S. Erhart; clerk, Elzy Branham; treasurer, J. A. Wehrling; marshal, Joseph Flayler; council—J. W. Birt, George Vandenbosch, John Dresher, Joseph Balmert, J. B. Hemmelgarn and L. B. Jones. Frank Birt is postmaster. Dr. Inman is the only physician. There are two schools. One in conducted in English, in a two-room, brick schoolhouse by two teachers. The other, a German school, is in charge of one teacher and is taught in a frame schoolhouse. St. Bernard's Catholic Church is located here, also the Novitiate of the Fathers of the Most Preci0us Blood. The leading business interests of the village are as follows: The grain elevator of S. S. Erhart, tile plant of Aaron Jones, slack barrel factory of Dunn & Company and the general st0res of J. W. Birt and Joseph Franks. J. A. Wehrling is proprietor of the village hotel, while J. H. Stimke and Nic. Cordonelia conduct blacksmith shops. The population of the village in 1900 was 230, but it is now considerably larger.   CRANBERRY PRAIRIE AND WENDELIN   Are small settlements of Granville township—the former near the eastern boundary and the latter on the western line. Each has a Catholic Church. At Cranberry Prairie, B. J. Bertke has a general store, while Joseph Doner conducts a blacksmith shop.   MARION TOWNSHIP   Was organized with the county, being one of the four original townships, but at that time it did not include the portion of the township lying south of the Greenville treaty line, which was not added until 1849. With its present boundaries, it contains about 40 square miles and is the largest township in the county, as well as one of the wealthiest and oldest. Roughly, the township is a parallelogram with the greatest length north and south, the only material divergence from a regular geometrical figure being the triangular piece that juts out from the southeast corner. With this exception, the township is six miles wide from east to west and over six and a half miles long from north to south. It is bounded on the north by Franklin township, on   AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS - 199   the east by Auglaize County, on the south by Darke County and on the west by Granville and Butler townships. In 1881 there were 13,342 acres of arable land, 291 acres of meadow land and 11,100 acres of woodland. In the total valuation of lands and buildings in the township, as returned to the county auditor by the township assessor, was $654,065, which was far below the actual value. The population in 188o was 1,933; in 1890, 2,525; and in 1900, 2,678.   The first election was held on June 25, 1833, at the house of Mathew Kearns, at which time the following officers were elected: Trustees—Samuel Gray, Charles Botkin and John Miller; clerk, John L. Simes; treasurer, John Sprague; overseers of the poor—Mathew Kearns and. Alexander Gillaspie; fence viewers—William Botkin, John Davis and Hugh. Miller. The present township officers are as follows : Trustees—Benjamin Evers, Fred. Bertke and Fred. Schroeder; clerk, John P. Hartings; treasurer, Joseph Hierholzer; justice of the peace, H. S. Shaffer. The township for school purposes is divided into 10 sub-districts; for election purposes it is divided into two voting precincts, called East and West voting precincts. In 188o the township cast 437 votes for president ; 20 years later the votes for president amounted to bo0.   The township is not cut up by any large streams of water. Chickasaw Creek, Little Beaver and Burnt Wood creeks all flow into the Great Reservoir, passing through portions of Marion and Franklin townships. This was the first township in the county to begin the building of gravel roads. It kept on with the work until the whole township is now supplied with the very best roads to be found in the county. There has been a steady improvement in all that goes to make a well-improved agricultural country. The farms have large and commodious barns and good, substantial, brick and frame houses of modern style and architecture. The township is dotted over with elegant churches and good schoolhouses. All of the churches in this township, without exception, are Roman Catholic and number six in all. The greater part of the population is now, as it always has been, composed of people of German nativity or ancestry.   PIONEERS.   As in nearly all the townships, the first settlers selected homes on and along the streams of water. On Chickasaw Creek were located the families of Samuel Gray, Charles Botkin and John Miller, who were trustees in 1833. The first road supervisors, appointed in August, 1833, were Charles Botkin, William Botkin, William Ballinger, John Ballinger, Alexander Miller, William B. Winter, James L. Simes, Abel Worthington, John M. Gogil, Samuel T. Grant, John Davis, John Sprague, John Miller, Mathew Kearns, Samuel.