Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/546

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAXD COUNTY.

��the Lutherans organized at the same place with about twenty-five members. The Rev. A. L. Wiles, D. D., now of Wooster, was their first minister. The principal members were Henry Balliet and wife, Rachel Bell, Jacob Bru- baker and wife, and Betsy Ross. Mr. Wiles was followed by James Emerson, P. F. Dorn- blazer and A. Brown. The present minister (November, 1879), is Cyrus Ernsberger, and present membership, about seventy'.

At the time of the organization of the Luth- eran Church, their Sunday school first came into existence, and has continued in a healthy condition until the present time. J. P. Gates was the first Superintendent. S. S. Balliett is the present Superintendent. The membership is about sixty. The first teachers in the old log schoolhouse, where the church originated, were Joseph Dix, Alanson Reeves and Rebecca McDei-mott. The latter, now JNIrs. (rates, is still living in that neighborhood. She is about seventy years old, but enjo3's excellent health, and her memory is clear and strong. She says when her father, James McDermott, came to the country, he was stopped on the east side of Black Fork, with one or two others, by the swol- len condition of the stream. Two of their 3'oung men, being strong swimmers, plunged in and reached the opposite shore in safety, car- rying lines with them, by which the}^ drew axes across, and, having discovered where two large trees grew on the opposite bank, on a line drawn at right angles with the stream, they felled these trees toward each other ; a bridge was thus formed, upon which, piece by piece, all their earthly possessions were conveyed to the opposite l)ank. This was the first bridge across Black Fork. In the following year, ]Mr. McDermott built the first bridge across that stream for the general public. It was made of logs and slabs. Now that beautiful stream is spanned in many places b}' elegant iron bridges, and substantial wooden covered bridges. In early times, small flatboats were known to

��come up as far as the present site of Charles' mill in the Copus settlement.

In 1875, the Dunkards built a frame church on Section 17, on land donated by Christian Coffman, who, with Henry Hoover and son, were the principal founders. Rev. Benjamin preaches there at present. The membership is about thirt3^

In the same year, a Sunday school was or- ganized at the Lewis Schoolhouse in District No. 3. Washington McBride was the first, and is the present, Superintendent. The member- ship is about twenty-five.

MiflBin exhibited such excellent facilities for water-power, that the settlers early began the erection of mills. The first grist-mill was erected on Section 8, on a tributary of the Black Fork. It was called Flemming's mill, and was de- stroyed by a flood. In 1819, a grist-mill and a saw-mill were erected near each other on Black Fork, about one mile above Petersburg on Sec- tion 10. The grist-mill was the second built in the township, and is still in operation. Several dwelling-houses have gathered around it, and a tanyard is in operation, owned by Mr. Augus- tine, of Mansfield, but the place is yet name- less. The mill has changed hands many times. It was built by Andrew Newman, and run by him until 1825, when it was sold to Jacob Sta- man, who, in 1828, transferred it to Benjamin Hershey. This gentleman tore down the log structure, and built the mill in its present form, and afterward sold it to Jacob Staman & Bro- thers. It was at different times transferred successivel}' to Benjamin Staman, John Staman, Joseph Gougwer, and in 1871, to John Zehner, its present owner. It has long been known as the Staman Mill.

In 1831, Benjamin Staman built a saw-mill near his I'esidence, on Section 14, which is still under his supervision. A grist-mill was also built on Section 35, three miles below Peters- burg, on the Black Fork, in the Copus settle- ment.

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