Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/572

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

��and volunteer labor, a comfortable schoolhouse, 22x30 feet square, which was used for a school during week dajs and a church on Sunda}-, in which religious people of all denominations gathered for worship. As the Methodists were the most numerous, it was agi'eed that they should control and take care of the building, but should give wa}' to a reasonable extent to people of other denominations by having two weeks' notice of the wish on the part of others to use it. This singular arrangement was har- moniously and pleasantly carried out, as long as the building lasted, or was needed for that purpose. The Methodists worshiped in this house Ave or six years, when the}' erected a frame church on Light street, and, about 1835, they made an addition to this building of twenty feet, and added a Ijelfry, in which was hung the first church bell in this part of the country. In later years, they erected the fine brick building now occupied by them on Sandusky street.

When the town was laid out, the Presbyteri- ans had a large log church (before mentioned), about one and a half miles from town, which they occupied during the summer months, and in the winter shared, with other denominations, the schoolhouse in town, until the Methodist erected their church, when they occasionally used the ^lethodist Church, until they grew strong enough to build one of their own, which was about the ^-ear 1838. They erected a good substantial frame, with stone basement, in a beautiful and commanding spot on Bucyrus street, which, with some alterations and im- provements, they still occupy. This church is strong and well sustained, and for many years has had a large and active Sunday school con- nected with it. Rev. Mr. Barnes has charge at present. The Methodists are, however, the most numerous religious body in this vicinit}-. Their organization is large and active, and their Sun- day school large and well sustained. Rev. Mr. Ball is the present minister.

��About the yeav 1838 or 1839, the Lutherans erected a substantial church, on Lots 22 and 23, to which some additions have since been made. This church is also active and well sustained. Rev. Miller being Pastor. A large Sunday' school is connected with it.

A Congregational church was erected many 3'ears ago, on Lots 12 and 13. The societ}', however, is not numerous, and no services are held in the church at present, neither is there an}' Sunday school connected with it.

A Catholic society was organized and church erected, in 1873, on Lot 3, in Deringer's Addi- tion. The society is not strong.

The name of the village being Paris, and the name of the post office Pl^-mouth, man}' mis- takes were made in the mail and freight busi- ness, and to avoid trouble of this kind, a char- ter was procured for the town, with the name of Plymouth, in 1838, and the town has been governed by officers elected under that charter to the present time. The first JNIayor was Dan- iel Colckglazer ; the second, Ensign Benscho- ter, and the third, Robert "Wilson.

The subject of education has received atten- tion, since the settlement began, and alwa}'s just and energetic treatment.

The first schoolhouse has been referred to, and was called the " Old Red," the first teacher being Mr. Howe, a gentleman of the " old school," who understood and instructed his pu- pils in that old-fashioned branch of education (now, perhaps unfortunately, gone out of use), called " manners." The second teacher here was Elisha Brown. About the year 1831, Mr. McKelvey, a prosperous merchant, who had a large family of daughters, erected a frame house with two rooms, which he called a female seminary. The school was taught by a lady of good education, and was well patronized.

In 1834, the town was divided into two dis- tricts, and a brick house erected, which, with the old red, served until 1849, when the two districts were re-united and organized under

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