Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/448

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

��member and minister of this denomination, came from Penns^'lvauia in 1837, and settled in the neighborhood of the chureli, and he has since been one of the most faithful. The early meetings were held in his and other houses for a number of years after the first society was organized. The house was built, probably, in 1855 or 1850. The society is weak at this date (1 880), and regular services are not held.

The 3It. Carmel Evangelical Church is lo- cated on land donated for the purpose liy John F. Kanga. a part of the southwest qitarter of Section 26. The first Evangelical meetings were held in a schoolhouse. The church was erected in 1864, at a cost of $1,200, about half of which was paid by Mr. Kanga. The mem- bership is thirty-nine, and Mr. Meissee is Pas- tor. The Sabliath school was commenced in 1865, with J. F. Kanaga as Superintendent. Joseph Kanaga filled the oflflce in 1879, and the school numbered about sixt}'.

Bellville Lodge, No. 306, I. 0. 0. F., was or- ganized b}' Charles B. Stickney. The charter was gi-anted June 20, 1856. The charter mem- bers were H. Alexander, William AValker, S. W. Eels, James Oaks, 3Iiles Moore, George M. Simpson, Abraham R. Kanaga, W. P. Crain and Charles Crain. 3Iembership, January-, 1880. sevent3--two.

October 17, 1866, Thomas Sparrow, Grand Master of Masons in Ohio, issued a dispensa- tion to Joseph Hildreth, A. I. Beach, William H. Elston, Solomon Wagener, A. J. Marke}', John McCune, William Lyne, William Menzie and Andrew Gerhart, to congregate themselves into a lodge of Masons, and appointed the fol- lowing officers : Joseph Hildreth, W. Master ; William Lyne, S. Warden ; A. I. Beach, J. Warden.

On October 17, 1867, the society- was char- tered, and named Bellville Lodge, No. 376, Fi'ee and Accepted Masons.

The Jefferson Grange, No. 251, of the Patrons of Husbandry, was organized at the Honey

��Creek Schoolhouse, about one mile south of Bell- ville, December 9, 1873, and received its char- ter March 24, 1874. The charter members were Aaron A. Leedy, John Garber, Samuel Shaffer, Benton Garber, Abner Oldfield, Theodore Gar- ber, James Lee, John Garber, Amos Fry, Lewis Garber, Simon Young, Samuel K. Garber, Lewis Young, J. W. Howard, Jehu Durbin and four- teen females. Regular meetings were first held in a building rented of George Aungst. After Jefferson Hall was completed, the}' moved from the Odd Fellows' Hall, which the}' occupied some months previous, to the room in the third story of the new building, designed for the pur- pose. The society has wended its wa^- against fierce opposition, is prosperous, and numbers among its members some of the most success- ful farmers and best citizens of the township.

A. M. Collins organized the Bellville Divis- ion of the Sons of Temperance, No. 146. Its charter was issued July 22, 1874. There were twenty-four charter members. The males were J. W. Kelly, Thomas Faus, H. Faus, H. Kinton, W. C. Hamilton, W. T. Cole, W. Porter, E. 3Lar- shall, H. Howard, A. H. Potts and C. Brown. The societ}' held regular meetings in 1879.

The Patron's Mutual Relief Association may be regarded as an outgrowth of the co-opera- tive principles studied l)}- the Patrons of Hus- bandr}-. The matter of establishing a mutual insurance society was agitated in the County Council of the order. A constitution was drafted, and an election of officers held February 24,

1876, at Mansfield, resulting as follows : Aaron A. Leedy, President; Jehu Garber, Secretary-; W. H. Shoup, Treasurer, and Levi Ross, H. S. JMosier and Amos Fry, Survej'ors. In March,

1877, a bill to incorporate associations for the mutual protection of its members against loss by fire, passed the General xissembl}' of Ohio, and, June 16, 1877, the body re-organized, adopted a new constitution and was incorpo- rated. The business office was fixed at Bell- ville, and the new officers were : R. M. Coulter

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