Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/281

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COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES

F o r a time it w as discontinued, and then re­ established at the village, which had changed in name from Polkville to W aller, as it is still known, although the post office is lost to it, being supplanted by rural delivery from Ben­ ton. W aller once consisted o f a church, used by various denominations, a schoolhouse, a store and a few cottages. T his condition re­ mains. with perhaps the exception o f a slight reduction in the number o f inhabitants. A l­ fred J. H ess is the storekeeper here. D errs is slightly smaller, and has a Baptist church and a school. A general store kept by Charles Robbins, and a chop mil] o p e ra t^ by A rthu r Cole,* are ju st south of the Jackson township line, in Grecnw'ood township.

A. Rutan, Edw ard E. O rvis, Charles S. Long, C. W. Cooper, D. M. K in ier. T h is congrega­ tion b now included in the circuit that covers Benton, Stillw ater, D errs and Cambra. The church w as built in 1879 near D errs, at a cost o f $2,500. The Evangelical denomination had two con­ gregations in this township. T h e oldest was formed at W aller in 1846 by Revs. Jam es Dun­ lap and Jerem iah Young. T he first class had b<»n formed earlier by R ev. Jam es Seybert and consisted o f George Hirlem an, H enry W agner, Michael Remley, David Rem ley and Frederick W ile. T h e union church at W aller w as built in 1854. T he class in the southern part was formed in 1876 with nineteen members. Revs. Jam es T. Shultz and C. D. Moore served the ■ RRJ.ICI0US small congregation for a time. Both of these congregations arc now under the charge o f T he Baptists were the first to visit this town­ the pastor at Benton. ship, in 18 19. Revs. Jo e l Rodgers, E lias Dod­ son, Samuel Chapin, Brookins Potter and MerSCHOOLS rit H arrison held monthly services on their tours through this wild region in the years T he schools o f this township were few at afterw ard until 1845. John Christian w as an first. John Denmark opened a school in a log early promoter of the cause and attempted to dwelling near the union church at W aller in have a church built, but died before he could the winter o f 18 2 1-2 2. T he next year a build­ succeed. In 1853 Revs. A. B. Runyon and F. ing w as erected here fo r school purposes. His Langdon held revivals here and their efforts successors were John K eeler and William resulted in the erection o f a church in 18 53 at Yocum. T he first school in the southern part D errs. In 1859 the Benton Baptist Church was of the township w as built in 1825 at Derrs. organized with nineteen members. In 1859 it T he different teachers here were Cornelius w as disbanded, and in 1869 reorganized, with M cEw en, Helen Calvin, Joseph O rw ig and John R. D avis and Theodore Smitii as deacons, Peter Girton. There arc now eight schools in and John F. D err, clerk. Pastors o f this the township, taught by the same number o f church have been: R evs. E. M. Alden, J. instructors, and attended by 1 1 3 scholars. Shanafelts, Furm an, Zeigler, Stevens, Tustin, The schtwl directors o f Jackson township Benjamin Shearer, Joseph W. Craw ford. a r e : Jacob Soncs, W arren Kline, C. O. H art­ M r. C raw ford continued as pastor from l88$ man, S. L. Knouse, J. N. Fritz. until o f late, when regular services ceased. He occasionally serves the pulpit when requestedPOPULATION T h e Christian Church o f this township w as organized in 1858 with eleven members, among The population o f Jackson township in them being Luther German. Iram Derr, 1840 w as 2 6 5; in 1850, 3 7 4; in i860. 5 3 9 : in Thom as W. Young, Absalom Henry. Pastors 1870. 5 6 5; in 1880. 6 7 5 : in 1890. 7 3 8; in 1900. have been: Revs. John Sutton, J. J. H arvey, 700: tn 19 10. 552.

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