Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/601

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��HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY

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��Mr. Roe is a farmer and stock-raiser ; has been a member of the United Presbyterian Chnrch ever since its organization in 1858, and before that was a member of the Associate Presbyterian. It will be seen from the fore- going, that he is a man of strong convictions of duty, and is presented as a type of the men who formed the substratum of the popuUition of Springfield Township.

The first Sabbath school was started in 1820, by Robert Finnev. It was held for several 3'ears in the private dwelling of John Chambers. Some of its first members were John and Susan Chambers. John and James Finney, Mathew Curran and James Larimer. Of these, John and James Finne}' and Susan Chambers are still living. They were Presbyterians and Asso- ciates. Their first meetings and public gather- ings of all kinds were held at private houses, but, in 1 822, a log church was built, one mile north of Ontario, at what is called the Five Corners, by the Presbyterians. Jesse Edger- ton was the active spirit in founding this church. He came from Harrison County, Ohio, and had five sons — John, Jessie, Levi, Thomas and Isaac. The first man who preached in this church was Rev. Mr. Lee, father of an honored citizen of Mansfield, John A. Lee. About the same time, the Methodists built a log church, three-fourths of a mile south of Millsborough, which was called Taylor's Meeting House. »

In 1837, the Bigelow Chapel was built, two and a qiuxrter miles north of Ontario, on the farm of Mr. David Jaques. This gentleman is now living, at the age of seventy-eight. He furnished the land and money for the Bigelow Chapel. It was a frame Iniilding, and was estab- lished mainly through the influence of Bigelow, who was a missionary among the W3'andot Indians. It was Methodist. Across the road from the Bigelow Chapel was built, in 1844, a Baptist church. It was established principally through the influence of John Palmer and Ely- flet Flint. These earlv churches were used for

��many years, but they have long since rotted down, or been removed, their congregations dead and scattered, and many of the members now worship at the church in Ontario. Some of the early preachers in these churches were : Revs. Ruark, John Quigley, and Adam Poe, a nephew of the famous Adam Poe of history ; not to men- tion Johnny Appleseed, who visited the township frequently, scattering his seeds and pfeculiar religious opinions at the same time. Outside of the village of Ontario, but two churches re- main, within the limits of the townsliip, having at present an organized existence. Of these, the first was organized in 1848. The church was erected the year before, on the southwest quarter of Section 1. It is used b}^ the Lu- theran and German Reformed people.

The Lutherans were first organized by Rev. J. W. Huftman, D. D.: the German Reformed by Rev. J. W. Thompson. The principal origi- nal members were John Wise, Joseph Welch, Samuel Starchman, Louis Hill and Joseph Kennel of the Lutheran ; and John Leppo and family, James Leppo and George Shafer and family, of the German Reformed. Before the erection of the church, meetings were held at the private residences of Christopher Flory and John Leppo, Sr. The cost of building the church was small, as the members furnished most of the material and did a large portion of the work. The membership is light at present, not exceeding twelve or fifteen. The Pastors who have occupied the pulpit at difter- ent times were Revs. S. Fenner. — Brown, Isaac Culler, — Sincebaugh, — Hersheiser. Francis Ruth, — Westervelt and J. H. Williard. The Sunday school is in a flourishing condition at present. It was organized when the church was erected, and called the " Spring Mills Union Sunday School." A. Barr was the first Super- intendent ; Joseph Cairns is now Superintend- ent, with a membership of sixty -five.

The second church mentioned is called the Springfield Methodist Church, erected in

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