HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY. - 679

CHAPTER LXXIV.

CONGRESS TOWNSHIP.*

BOUNDARIES AND PHYSICAL FEATURES-EARLY SETTLEMENTS-VILLAGE OF WILLIAMSPORT-SCHOOLHOUSES-POST OFFICE-UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH-PIONEERS-FIRES MILL-MT. TABOR CHAPEL - GERMAN REFORMED CHURCH-CHRISTIAN CHURCH-SCHOOLS, ESC.

THIS territory was formerly embraced in the limits of Perry Township. June 6, 1825, Perry was divided, setting off a tract six miles square from the west end, and was organized and named Congress. This township has maintained its original form, excepting in the southwest comer, where a few sections have been set off into Gilead Township for political purposes. Congress Township, in its general appearance and character, resembles Bloomfield, being rather level. yet gently undulating in some portions. The land is generally tillable and the soil fertile. There are several streams

* Now to Morrow County, formerly in Richland.

coursing through this region, affording stock water and drainage. The early settlements gravitated about two points, Williamsport and West Point. The village of Williamsport is located on the northeast quarter of Section 11. The town site was laid out by William Daken, September 12, 1836. It was surveyed by John Stewart. The village stands upon an elevation, and is easily accessible from either side.

The first building erected upon the town site was a small frame, about twenty feet long by eighteen feet wide, and occupied by B. P. Truax as a store. On the opposite comer, diagonally across the street, was soon erected a

680- HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

log cabin, and occupied by Enoch Hart. This lot is now occupied by the residence of Mr. McGowan. The next building 'probably was the hotel which occupies the southeast corner. This was erected by John Cook in 1848, and was used by him as a tavern for a term of years, after which it several times changed owners.

The first schoolhouse was built of logs in 1835, and was afterward succeeded by a frame. The present house is a frame, two stories high, but the school consists of only one department. The post office was first established a mile east of the village about 1847, and named Andrews in honor of the first Postmaster. It still retains the same name. John Cook was the second Postmaster, and has held the position the most of the time since. The route in those early days extended from Mansfield to Delaware, over which the stage coach ran regularly, carrying the mail and passengers.

The United Brethren Church is the only religious institution of this community. The edifice stands in the northwest extremity of the town. It is commodious, well finished and furnished, and crowned with a good bell. The society was organized about 1850, and held services for a time in the schoolhouse; they were soon driven to a private house by persecution, where they continued to assemble until the meeting-house was built. Among the ministers were Revs. Hiskey, Tabler, Slaughter and Father George. The original members were Messrs. Kleinfelter, Miller, Silver. Davis, Lane, Clymer and various others. There are at present about sixty-five members. The village affords two physicians, J. A. Thoman and J. L. Graves. Nearly all the early settlers of this region have passed from the arena of conflict to the place of rest, and their posterity remain to fill the vacant places. Among these is John Cook, who is previously mentioned as a prominent citizen. He was born in the township on his father's farm. He came to Williamsport in 1847, having married Miss Mitchell the previous year, and has been identified with the interests of the village ever since. His father, John Cook, Sr., was born in Pennsylvania in 1790, and removed to Richland County in 1811, locating on the farm three miles south of Williamsport, now known as the Cook farm. He raised a large family. Several sons still live in Congress. He died in 1844. William Andrews was one of the early pioneers. He came to Congress in 1835. He was the first Postmaster and kept store several years in the village, and finally removed to the West about 1850. Peggy Mitchell, an aged and much respected pioneer, lives near the village; she has been in the vicinity since 1830. Her husband, Dan Mitchell, who died in 1879, was a very prominent man. He held the office of Justice of the Peace for a number of years. This couple were blessed with ten children, and Mrs. Mitchell, who is now about ninety years old, retains, her vigor of body and mind in a remarkable degree. William. Lavering settled on Owl Creek in the early days. He built a horse grist-mill, which was the only thing practicable then, and the settlers for miles around brought their little grists of wheat and corn on horseback, hitched in their horse, ground their own grain, then mounted and returned home. Mr. Lavering built the first saw and grist mill in the township about 1815, on Owl Creek. Enoch Hart was among the first pioneers. He entered the piece of land embracing the town site, and afterward sold it to Mr. Daken. He died in 1877. About two and a half miles northwest is Mount Tabor chapel, the property of the Methodist Episcopal Church. An attractive edifice occupies a considerable elevation, surrounded by a beautiful cemetery. This society was organized many years ago, and for a time flourished, but suffered a serious decline so that for ten or twelve years the place was not supplied with preaching. In 1875, there was a revival which resulted in the building of

HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY. - 681

the present commodious house of worship, the original house having been demolished. There are at present about forty members. Some of the ministers were C. C. Ball, G. Walker, W. W. Smith, Seymour and E. Buxton. A few miles northeast from Mount Tabor is a German Reformed Church. Services are held in both languages, English and German. The church is attended by a number of settlers of German tongue who are from Pennsylvania and other German communities. A few miles north of the German Reformed Church, and about three miles east of West Point, is another chapel, belonging to the Christian Church. This society has been organized some thirty years. There is a membership of about eighty. The building, a nice frame, comfortably furnished, was erected about 1855. The ministers have been Rev. William Gass, Rev. Burns, Revs. Reed, McVey, Van Voorhies, William Dowling and a few others. Congress Township is well supplied with good schoolhouses, mostly built of brick. The numerous schools and churches and other civilizing influences certainly point toward true prosperity. The material resources of this township and its industrious, intelligent citizens promise a bright future.