1883 History of Fairfield and Perry Counties, Ohio, Part 4, Richland Twp.

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.

Richland township was so named because of the fertility of its land. In 1817 two sections were detached from the eastern part of this town- ship and annexed to Perry county. As now constituted it has an area of six miles in length and four miles in width. The surface of the country is broken and hilly in the eastern, and level in the western portions of the township. The land is about all tillable and very productive, yielding large crops of wheat, corn, and other cereals. Rush Creek is the principal stream, and crosses the eastern part from north to south, emptying into Big Rush Creek near the village of Bremen. There are many fine springs, which afford abundant water for all necessary uses. Richland township, when first settled, was heavily timbered with beech, sugar, hickory, oak, and elm, and although much of this timber has been consumed in the clearing of the land for fuel and building purposes, considerable forests of beech, sugar, and oak remain, more especially in the eastern part of the township. At its first settlement, and for many years afterwards, deer, wild turkeys, and other wild game, were very numerous, but at this time but little wild game of any kind remains. For several years after the first settlement of Richland there was an Indian encampment near the present village of West Rushville. They had constructed at this place a rude log fort, around which they built their habitations. They were of a peaceable and friendly disposition, and rarely, ever molested the early settlers. They would frequently visit the homes of the pioneers, bringing venison and bear meat, which they exchanged for corn-meal and hominy. The first settlers of Richland township were Virginians, Marylanders, and Pennsylvanians, the Marylanders predominating. Edward Murphy was probably the first settler. He came from Maryland to this township in 1798, spending the winter of 1798-9 here. He returned to Maryland in the spring of 1799, and permanently removed to Richland in 1800, locating land on section seventeen. He raised a family of two sons and three daughters, only one now living, Theodore, who was born in this township in 1811, and who still resides on the farm where he was born. Mr. Murphy has never been out of the State nor enjoyed a ride in the cars. Judge William McClung was another of the first settlers, and a prominent citizen of this township. He came to Richland in 1803. He was of unblemished reputation. He was a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Legislature, serving two terms, and an Associate Judge under the old Constitution. During the War of 1812 he served as a soldier, being a member of General Sanderson's regiment, and was included in Hull's surrender at Detroit. He was many years an active and beloved member of the Presbyterian Church

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of West Rushville. He died September 8, 1876, in his eighty-fourth year. His widow, Mrs. Jane McClung, died at West Rushville in December, 1811. The Ruffners were early settlers. Emanuel Ruffner emigrated from Virginia in 1805, settling in the western part of this township. He was a Revolutionary soldier. His son-in-law, a Mr. Friend, residing in Richland, has in his possession a continental bank-note, calling for two hundred and fifty dollars, redeemable at the Virginia treasury, on or before December 30, 1792. This note, it is said, was a portion of the money he received for his military services. He died in 1848, aged ninety-one years. The Winegardners have long been resident here. Herbert Wine- Gardner came from Shenandoah county, Virginia, in 1806. He purchased land near the village of Rushville. But one of the family, a son of Herbert, lives in the township. He is the largest landholder in the county. In connection with Mr. Winegardner's history it would be proper to mention a noted robbery, which occurred some years since. Wine- gardner had a large sum of money secreted in his residence. This was known to a step-son of his, not residing in the neighborhood. The young man, in company with two other persons, gained access to the house, one night, and robbed Winegardner of some twenty thousand dollars. The step-son was arrested, tried, and convicted of the robbery, and is now serving his term in the Penitentiary. The other two robbers escaped. A portion of the money was recovered. Phillip Sain, in company with several families of the Turners, Plummers, Ijams, and Koutz's, came from Maryland about 1802. They located Government lands in the eastern part of the township. A portion of the colony settled in Perry and Muskingum counties. Among other early settlers who came into Richland township prior to 1806 were George Miller, Joseph Custard, Samuel Carpenter, Frederick Bashore, Ephraim Anderson, Peter Black, John Bond, Samuel Ray, John and Peter Drum, Charles McClung, Edward Young, Robert, Isaac and Ebenezer Laremore, David Hardy, Adam Householder, Richard and Martin Polen, Thomas, John, James and William McCormick, William Holt, Christian King, Henry Beery, William McGinness, David Neeley, John Head, John Kerr, Daniel and Isaac Kemper, James Rowland, Thomas Davis, John Cook, William Wiseman, Jeremiah Conway, John Godfrey, and John Kiger. The culture of tobacco was the principal occupation of the first settlers of Richland township, Joseph Ijams, of West Rushville, and William Coulson, of East Rushville, being the principal dealers and purchasers of tobacco at that time. The first road opened in the township was the one known as Zane's Trace, leading from Wheeling to Limestone, now Maysville, Kentucky. This was the first public highway opened in Ohio, and was completed in 1797. It passed through the present villages of East and West Rushville. About 1840 this road was made a turnpike, and is now known as the Zanesville and Maysville turnpike. There was an immense travel along this road for many years after its completion, Edward

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Murphy kept a hotel near this road, a short distance from West Rushville. Among the many distinguished guests, who partook of the bounties of this hotel at various times, were General Andrew Jackson and Hon. Henry Clay, who stopped at his hotel while en route to Washington City. The old hotel, now a rather dilapidated structure, is still standing, and is occupied by a grandson of the original proprietor. The Ohio Central Railroad, the only one passing through the town- ship, was completed in 1880. It runs across the township from north to south, passing midway between the two villages of East and West Rushville. The first grist-mill in this township was built about 1808 by Moses Plummer. It was constructed of unhewed logs, and stood near the bridge across Rush Creek, between the two Rushvilles. There was a saw-mill in connection with the grist-mill, erected a few years after the building of this mill, by Wilson and Hamill, which was the first sawmill in Richland. All traces of these two mills have long since disappeared. The first marriage in the township was that of Edward Murphy to his cousin, Sarah Murphy, in 1802. The first child born in Richland was Mary Turner. The educational interests of Richland's youth early occupied the attention of the settlers. At first the schools were held in the log cabins of the pioneers. In a few years rude log school-houses were erected, which, in turn, were replaced by the more substantial frame and brick structures of the present time. Among the early school-teachers were John C. Whitridge, who taught school in a log building on section 28. The religious sentiments of the people were early developed. The Methodists were early in the field. There was a Methodist camp meeting established in the Stevenson settlement as early as 1806 or '7, and is claimed to be the first camp meeting in Ohio. It was continued annually for several years. Revs. James B. Finley, Charles Waddle, James Quinn, Jacob Young and Asa Shinn, were attendants and participants in these meetings. The first church erected in this township was about 1810, by the Methodists. It was located on section 28, and was a small log building. Among the early members of this church were, Philip and Barbara Sain, William Harper and wife, William Johnson, John Sunderland and wife and Isaac Ijams. Revs. Charles Waddle, James A. Shinn and James B. Finley, were of the early ministers. The organization was merged into the East Rushville Methodist Episcopal church about 1830. The Pleasant Hill Methodist Protestant Church was organized about 1831, by Rev. William B. Evans. The meetings were first held in the Baker school house, about the year 1842, when the present frame edifice was erected. Henry Eyeman, Jesse Stevenson, Mathias Himes, James Miller, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Sands and Rebecca Miller, were of the first principal members. The following have been the ministers having charge as pastors of this organization; William B. Evans, George Evans, John Clark, F. L. Flowers, Joel Dalby, D. Y. Osterman, J. Wilson, William Reeves, T. Fairchild, William Munhall, D.

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Kinney, Thomas Potter, Israel Thrap, Samuel Catlin, William Marshall, William Avey, J. H. Hamilton, T. Arnold, A. Brown, Ezekiel Hoagland, Jeremiad Biddeson, A. Biddeson, William Tipton, William Baldwin, Samuel Cory, J. Case, William Hastings, J. M. Woodward, C. J. Sears, N. T. Brown, J. H. Freece, J. W. Southard, J. W. Thompson, D. G. Shires and T. H. Scott, the present incumbent. The present membership is about sixty. A Sunday school was organized about 1844, which has about forty scholars. Lewis Eyeman is superintendent. The Christian Union Church was organized by Rev. A. S. Biddeson, September 15, 1867, with a membership of eighteen persons, as follows: John Cloud, W. J. Dick, N. Grubb, Nelson Cloud, John F. Berry, A. M. Van Tassell, M. E. Dick, Ellen Van Tassell, Mary Baker, Mary Van Tassell, Diana Cloud, Susan Hanson, Nancy Cloud, Ellen Hockingberry, Jane Grubb, Henry Woollard, Sr., Samuel and Sarah E. Berry. The first officers were: chief elder, A. M. Van Tassell; financial elder, John Cloud: recording elder, W. J. Dick. The church was erected in 1868, at a cost of about seventeen hundred dollars. The pastors of this church have been Rev. Philip G. Underwood, assisted by Rev. R. W. Graham; Joshua B. Clover, and Henry G. Duckworth. There are about one hundred and fifty members belonging to the organization at this time. There is a flourishing Sunday- school in connection with the church, organized about 1868. There are two villages in Richland township---East Rushville and West Rushville. They are one mile apart, and on opposite sides of Rush Creek, the stream being midway between the towns. East Rushville was laid out by Joseph Turner, about 1808. It was first called Clinton, but was subsequently changed to East Rushville. It was on the line of Zane's Trace, and in early times the village enjoyed a large degree of prosperity, owing to the large numbers of travelers and emigrants passing along this route. The first store was kept by Patrick Owens. McLaughlin was another of the early merchants. Mrs. Mary Bopses kept the first hotel and John Markwuth the second one. At an early date there were four hotels in the village, all receiving a good patronage. Drs. Nathaniel Waite and Ide were of the first physicians. Caleb Copeland was the first blacksmith. Large quantities of tobacco were purchased by the early merchants and shipped to Eastern markets. East Rushville has at this time a population of about two hundred. The village contains two dry goods stores, one drug store, three groceries, one hotel, one harness shop, two blacksmith shops, one undertaking establishment, two physicians, etc. Rushville Lodge, No. 211, of Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted at East Rushville, in October, 1852. The charter members were William Coulson, Daniel Baker, David Wilson, John P. Hodge, N. P. Teele, Nathaniel B. Coulson, William Van Sant, James Cutshall. The present membership is forty-seven. There is but one church organization and edifice in East Rushville, the Methodist Episcopal. It is a continuation of the first church organized by the Methodists in Richland township, about 1811, hereto- fore stated, and which was transferred to East Rushville about 1831.

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A short time after the transfer a substantial frame church building was erected. The following persons have had ministerial charge of this church since its transfer: 1831, Samuel Hamilton, J. Hooper; 1832, J. Carper, J. Young; 1833, J. Carper, J. Armstrong and S. H. Holland; 1834, J. Armstrong; 1835, James T. Donahoe, E. D. Roe; 1836, James T. Donahoe, M. A. Milligan; 1837, C. W. Swain, W. T. Hand; 1838, James B. Gurley, F. H. Jennings; 1839, M. P. Kellogg, W. M. D. Ryan; 1840, M. P. Kellogg, A. S. Murphy; 1841, Jacob Young, B. A. Cassott; 1843, John Fitch; 1844-5, W. R. Davis; 1846-7, J. W. Stone; 1848, John Fitch; 1849, W. Webster, John Fitch; 1850, Levi Cunningham, G. G. West; 1851, Levi Cunningham, J. T. Langman; 1852, Levi Cunningham, W. S. Benner; 1853, Samuel Harvey, Samuel Tippett; 1854, Samuel Harvey, R. Doughty; 1855, R. Doughty, R.Pitzer; 1856-7, S. C. Ricker, T. G. Ross; 1858-9, A. Fleming, N. Speck; 1860-1, D. Mann, J. C. Gregg; 1862-3, W. C. Holida, H. Gortner; 1864-5, U. L. Jones, B. Ellis; 1866-7, R. B. Bennett, J. Y. Rusk; 1868. J. Barringer, R. B. Bennett; 1869, J. Barringer, G. L. Seits; 1870, G. L. Seits, J. T. Finch; 1871, J. H. Baker, J. H. Beery; 1872, F. F. Lewis, J. H. Beery; 1873, F. F. Lewis, R. H. Griffith; 1874, F. F. Lewis; 1865-7, F. S. Thurston; 1878-9, Samuel Rankins; 1880, W. H. Sayre; 1881, J. M. Adams. The ministers having pastoral charge of the East Rushville Church, also preached to all the congregations embraced in the Rushville circuit. West Rushville was laid out by John Gams about 1815, and is a pleasant and ordinary village of about one hundred and seventy-five inhabitants. At an early period of its history, the town enjoyed a large measure of prosperity on account of the tobacco trade, and the travel, but of late years, a comparatively small amount of business has been transacted here, as compared with early times. William Kilgore was the first merchant in the town. Dr. Nathaniel Wait was the first physician. A postoffice was established about 1840, George Young being the first postmaster. The village at this date, 1881, has two dry goods stores, one hotel, one school house, and two churches, Presbyterian and Methodist. Philo Lodge. No. 392, I. 0. 0. F., was organized, July 12, 1867. W. B. Strickly, Joseph McFee, H. L. Whitehead, J. M. Strickler, Charles McClung, James Henderson, Michael Keelm, C. C. B. Duncan, and Jacob Lamb were the charter members. The membership in 1881 was about sixty. The Rush Creek Presbyterian Church of West Rushville was organized by Rev. John Wright, of Lancaster, in 1806. The first church was a log building situated about two and one half miles south of town, on the Thompson farm. A brick church was erected in West Rushville, and the society removed to that place in 1830. Among the early members were William Trimble, Judge William McClung and William Larimore. About 1852 the church was struck by lightning and destroyed. The present frame edifice was built about 1854. Rev. John Wright was the first pastor, and continued in that relation until 1832, when he was succeeded by Rev. James Anderson, who remained

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pastor until 1853. The pastors since 1853 have been, 1854-7, Rev. J. Milligan; 1858-61, Rev. J. M. Drake; 1861-3, vacant; 1863-5, Rev. H. R. Pierce; 1866-70, Rev. C.C. B. Duncan; 1871-3. Rev. John L. Gourley; 1874-7. Rev. S. D. Smith; 1878-81, Rev. R. A. Watson, who is the present incumbent. There is at this date, December, 1881, one hundred and forty-one members in full connection with the church. A flourishing Sunday school has been sustained for many years. John Kennedy is the present superintendent. The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Rushville, is an outgrowth of the camp-rneetings held in the Stevenson settlement, and was organized about 1832. The ministers since and including 1854 have been, 1854, C. C. Lybrand, H. Gortner; 1855, C. C. Lybrand; 1856-7, W. C. Filler; 1858-9, R. Pitzer; 1860-1, T. H. Hall; 1862. W. Z. Ross; 1863, W. M. Mullenix; 1864, J. Stewart; 1865, T. R. Taylor; 1866-7, H. L. Whitehead; 1868-9, J. H. Acton; 1870, H. H. Ferris; 1871-3. T.H. Brodrick; 1874-6, W. T. Jones; 1877-8, Samuel Rankins; 1879-80, W. H. Sayre; 1881,. J. M. Adams. A commodious frame church was erected about 1855, in which the society hold its meetings. There is a good Sabbath school connected with the church.

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Next Chapter

HISTORY OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
RICHLAND TOWNSHIP.
Richland township was so named because of the fertility of its land. In 1817 two sections were detached from the eastern part of this town- ship and annexed to Perry county. As now constituted it has an area of six miles in length and four miles in width. The surface of the country is broken and hilly in the eastern, and level in the western portions of the township. The land is about all tillable and very productive, yielding large crops of wheat, corn, and other cereals. Rush Creek is the principal stream, and crosses the eastern part from north to south, emptying into Big Rush Creek near the village of Bremen. There are many fine springs, which afford abundant water for all necessary uses. Richland township, when first settled, was heavily timbered with beech, sugar, hickory, oak, and elm, and although much of this timber has been consumed in the clearing of the land for fuel and building purposes, considerable forests of beech, sugar, and oak remain, more especially in the eastern part of the township. At its first settlement, and for many years afterwards, deer, wild turkeys, and other wild game, were very numerous, but at this time but little wild game of any kind remains. For several years after the first settlement of Richland there was an Indian encampment near the present village of West Rushville. They had constructed at this place a rude log fort, around which they built their habitations. They were of a peaceable and friendly disposition, and rarely, ever molested the early settlers. They would frequently visit the homes of the pioneers, bringing venison and bear meat, which they exchanged for corn-meal and hominy. The first settlers of Richland township were Virginians, Marylanders, and Pennsylvanians, the Marylanders predominating. Edward Murphy was probably the first settler. He came from Maryland to this township in 1798, spending the winter of 1798-9 here. He returned to Maryland in the spring of 1799, and permanently removed to Richland in 1800, locating land on section seventeen. He raised a family of two sons and three daughters, only one now living, Theodore, who was born in this township in 1811, and who still resides on the farm where he was born. Mr. Murphy has never been out of the State nor enjoyed a ride in the cars. Judge William McClung was another of the first settlers, and a prominent citizen of this township. He came to Richland in 1803. He was of unblemished reputation. He was a Justice of the Peace, a member of the Legislature, serving two terms, and an Associate Judge under the old Constitution. During the War of 1812 he served as a soldier, being a member of General Sanderson's regiment, and was included in Hull's surrender at Detroit. He was many years an active and beloved member of the Presbyterian Church 243
of West Rushville. He died September 8, 1876, in his eighty-fourth year. His widow, Mrs. Jane McClung, died at West Rushville in December, 1811. The Ruffners were early settlers. Emanuel Ruffner emigrated from Virginia in 1805, settling in the western part of this township. He was a Revolutionary soldier. His son-in-law, a Mr. Friend, residing in Richland, has in his possession a continental bank-note, calling for two hundred and fifty dollars, redeemable at the Virginia treasury, on or before December 30, 1792. This note, it is said, was a portion of the money he received for his military services. He died in 1848, aged ninety-one years. The Winegardners have long been resident here. Herbert Wine- Gardner came from Shenandoah county, Virginia, in 1806. He purchased land near the village of Rushville. But one of the family, a son of Herbert, lives in the township. He is the largest landholder in the county. In connection with Mr. Winegardner's history it would be proper to mention a noted robbery, which occurred some years since. Wine- gardner had a large sum of money secreted in his residence. This was known to a step-son of his, not residing in the neighborhood. The young man, in company with two other persons, gained access to the house, one night, and robbed Winegardner of some twenty thousand dollars. The step-son was arrested, tried, and convicted of the robbery, and is now serving his term in the Penitentiary. The other two robbers escaped. A portion of the money was recovered. Phillip Sain, in company with several families of the Turners, Plummers, Ijams, and Koutz's, came from Maryland about 1802. They located Government lands in the eastern part of the township. A portion of the colony settled in Perry and Muskingum counties. Among other early settlers who came into Richland township prior to 1806 were George Miller, Joseph Custard, Samuel Carpenter, Frederick Bashore, Ephraim Anderson, Peter Black, John Bond, Samuel Ray, John and Peter Drum, Charles McClung, Edward Young, Robert, Isaac and Ebenezer Laremore, David Hardy, Adam Householder, Richard and Martin Polen, Thomas, John, James and William McCormick, William Holt, Christian King, Henry Beery, William McGinness, David Neeley, John Head, John Kerr, Daniel and Isaac Kemper, James Rowland, Thomas Davis, John Cook, William Wiseman, Jeremiah Conway, John Godfrey, and John Kiger. The culture of tobacco was the principal occupation of the first settlers of Richland township, Joseph Ijams, of West Rushville, and William Coulson, of East Rushville, being the principal dealers and purchasers of tobacco at that time. The first road opened in the township was the one known as Zane's Trace, leading from Wheeling to Limestone, now Maysville, Kentucky. This was the first public highway opened in Ohio, and was completed in 1797. It passed through the present villages of East and West Rushville. About 1840 this road was made a turnpike, and is now known as the Zanesville and Maysville turnpike. There was an immense travel along this road for many years after its completion, Edward 244
Murphy kept a hotel near this road, a short distance from West Rushville. Among the many distinguished guests, who partook of the bounties of this hotel at various times, were General Andrew Jackson and Hon. Henry Clay, who stopped at his hotel while en route to Washington City. The old hotel, now a rather dilapidated structure, is still standing, and is occupied by a grandson of the original proprietor. The Ohio Central Railroad, the only one passing through the town- ship, was completed in 1880. It runs across the township from north to south, passing midway between the two villages of East and West Rushville. The first grist-mill in this township was built about 1808 by Moses Plummer. It was constructed of unhewed logs, and stood near the bridge across Rush Creek, between the two Rushvilles. There was a saw-mill in connection with the grist-mill, erected a few years after the building of this mill, by Wilson and Hamill, which was the first sawmill in Richland. All traces of these two mills have long since disappeared. The first marriage in the township was that of Edward Murphy to his cousin, Sarah Murphy, in 1802. The first child born in Richland was Mary Turner. The educational interests of Richland's youth early occupied the attention of the settlers. At first the schools were held in the log cabins of the pioneers. In a few years rude log school-houses were erected, which, in turn, were replaced by the more substantial frame and brick structures of the present time. Among the early school-teachers were John C. Whitridge, who taught school in a log building on section 28. The religious sentiments of the people were early developed. The Methodists were early in the field. There was a Methodist camp meeting established in the Stevenson settlement as early as 1806 or '7, and is claimed to be the first camp meeting in Ohio. It was continued annually for several years. Revs. James B. Finley, Charles Waddle, James Quinn, Jacob Young and Asa Shinn, were attendants and participants in these meetings. The first church erected in this township was about 1810, by the Methodists. It was located on section 28, and was a small log building. Among the early members of this church were, Philip and Barbara Sain, William Harper and wife, William Johnson, John Sunderland and wife and Isaac Ijams. Revs. Charles Waddle, James A. Shinn and James B. Finley, were of the early ministers. The organization was merged into the East Rushville Methodist Episcopal church about 1830. The Pleasant Hill Methodist Protestant Church was organized about 1831, by Rev. William B. Evans. The meetings were first held in the Baker school house, about the year 1842, when the present frame edifice was erected. Henry Eyeman, Jesse Stevenson, Mathias Himes, James Miller, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Sands and Rebecca Miller, were of the first principal members. The following have been the ministers having charge as pastors of this organization; William B. Evans, George Evans, John Clark, F. L. Flowers, Joel Dalby, D. Y. Osterman, J. Wilson, William Reeves, T. Fairchild, William Munhall, D. 245
Kinney, Thomas Potter, Israel Thrap, Samuel Catlin, William Marshall, William Avey, J. H. Hamilton, T. Arnold, A. Brown, Ezekiel Hoagland, Jeremiad Biddeson, A. Biddeson, William Tipton, William Baldwin, Samuel Cory, J. Case, William Hastings, J. M. Woodward, C. J. Sears, N. T. Brown, J. H. Freece, J. W. Southard, J. W. Thompson, D. G. Shires and T. H. Scott, the present incumbent. The present membership is about sixty. A Sunday school was organized about 1844, which has about forty scholars. Lewis Eyeman is superintendent. The Christian Union Church was organized by Rev. A. S. Biddeson, September 15, 1867, with a membership of eighteen persons, as follows: John Cloud, W. J. Dick, N. Grubb, Nelson Cloud, John F. Berry, A. M. Van Tassell, M. E. Dick, Ellen Van Tassell, Mary Baker, Mary Van Tassell, Diana Cloud, Susan Hanson, Nancy Cloud, Ellen Hockingberry, Jane Grubb, Henry Woollard, Sr., Samuel and Sarah E. Berry. The first officers were: chief elder, A. M. Van Tassell; financial elder, John Cloud: recording elder, W. J. Dick. The church was erected in 1868, at a cost of about seventeen hundred dollars. The pastors of this church have been Rev. Philip G. Underwood, assisted by Rev. R. W. Graham; Joshua B. Clover, and Henry G. Duckworth. There are about one hundred and fifty members belonging to the organization at this time. There is a flourishing Sunday- school in connection with the church, organized about 1868. There are two villages in Richland township---East Rushville and West Rushville. They are one mile apart, and on opposite sides of Rush Creek, the stream being midway between the towns. East Rushville was laid out by Joseph Turner, about 1808. It was first called Clinton, but was subsequently changed to East Rushville. It was on the line of Zane's Trace, and in early times the village enjoyed a large degree of prosperity, owing to the large numbers of travelers and emigrants passing along this route. The first store was kept by Patrick Owens. McLaughlin was another of the early merchants. Mrs. Mary Bopses kept the first hotel and John Markwuth the second one. At an early date there were four hotels in the village, all receiving a good patronage. Drs. Nathaniel Waite and Ide were of the first physicians. Caleb Copeland was the first blacksmith. Large quantities of tobacco were purchased by the early merchants and shipped to Eastern markets. East Rushville has at this time a population of about two hundred. The village contains two dry goods stores, one drug store, three groceries, one hotel, one harness shop, two blacksmith shops, one undertaking establishment, two physicians, etc. Rushville Lodge, No. 211, of Free and Accepted Masons, was instituted at East Rushville, in October, 1852. The charter members were William Coulson, Daniel Baker, David Wilson, John P. Hodge, N. P. Teele, Nathaniel B. Coulson, William Van Sant, James Cutshall. The present membership is forty-seven. There is but one church organization and edifice in East Rushville, the Methodist Episcopal. It is a continuation of the first church organized by the Methodists in Richland township, about 1811, hereto- fore stated, and which was transferred to East Rushville about 1831. 246
A short time after the transfer a substantial frame church building was erected. The following persons have had ministerial charge of this church since its transfer: 1831, Samuel Hamilton, J. Hooper; 1832, J. Carper, J. Young; 1833, J. Carper, J. Armstrong and S. H. Holland; 1834, J. Armstrong; 1835, James T. Donahoe, E. D. Roe; 1836, James T. Donahoe, M. A. Milligan; 1837, C. W. Swain, W. T. Hand; 1838, James B. Gurley, F. H. Jennings; 1839, M. P. Kellogg, W. M. D. Ryan; 1840, M. P. Kellogg, A. S. Murphy; 1841, Jacob Young, B. A. Cassott; 1843, John Fitch; 1844-5, W. R. Davis; 1846-7, J. W. Stone; 1848, John Fitch; 1849, W. Webster, John Fitch; 1850, Levi Cunningham, G. G. West; 1851, Levi Cunningham, J. T. Langman; 1852, Levi Cunningham, W. S. Benner; 1853, Samuel Harvey, Samuel Tippett; 1854, Samuel Harvey, R. Doughty; 1855, R. Doughty, R.Pitzer; 1856-7, S. C. Ricker, T. G. Ross; 1858-9, A. Fleming, N. Speck; 1860-1, D. Mann, J. C. Gregg; 1862-3, W. C. Holida, H. Gortner; 1864-5, U. L. Jones, B. Ellis; 1866-7, R. B. Bennett, J. Y. Rusk; 1868. J. Barringer, R. B. Bennett; 1869, J. Barringer, G. L. Seits; 1870, G. L. Seits, J. T. Finch; 1871, J. H. Baker, J. H. Beery; 1872, F. F. Lewis, J. H. Beery; 1873, F. F. Lewis, R. H. Griffith; 1874, F. F. Lewis; 1865-7, F. S. Thurston; 1878-9, Samuel Rankins; 1880, W. H. Sayre; 1881, J. M. Adams. The ministers having pastoral charge of the East Rushville Church, also preached to all the congregations embraced in the Rushville circuit. West Rushville was laid out by John Gams about 1815, and is a pleasant and ordinary village of about one hundred and seventy-five inhabitants. At an early period of its history, the town enjoyed a large measure of prosperity on account of the tobacco trade, and the travel, but of late years, a comparatively small amount of business has been transacted here, as compared with early times. William Kilgore was the first merchant in the town. Dr. Nathaniel Wait was the first physician. A postoffice was established about 1840, George Young being the first postmaster. The village at this date, 1881, has two dry goods stores, one hotel, one school house, and two churches, Presbyterian and Methodist. Philo Lodge. No. 392, I. 0. 0. F., was organized, July 12, 1867. W. B. Strickly, Joseph McFee, H. L. Whitehead, J. M. Strickler, Charles McClung, James Henderson, Michael Keelm, C. C. B. Duncan, and Jacob Lamb were the charter members. The membership in 1881 was about sixty. The Rush Creek Presbyterian Church of West Rushville was organized by Rev. John Wright, of Lancaster, in 1806. The first church was a log building situated about two and one half miles south of town, on the Thompson farm. A brick church was erected in West Rushville, and the society removed to that place in 1830. Among the early members were William Trimble, Judge William McClung and William Larimore. About 1852 the church was struck by lightning and destroyed. The present frame edifice was built about 1854. Rev. John Wright was the first pastor, and continued in that relation until 1832, when he was succeeded by Rev. James Anderson, who remained 247
pastor until 1853. The pastors since 1853 have been, 1854-7, Rev. J. Milligan; 1858-61, Rev. J. M. Drake; 1861-3, vacant; 1863-5, Rev. H. R. Pierce; 1866-70, Rev. C.C. B. Duncan; 1871-3. Rev. John L. Gourley; 1874-7. Rev. S. D. Smith; 1878-81, Rev. R. A. Watson, who is the present incumbent. There is at this date, December, 1881, one hundred and forty-one members in full connection with the church. A flourishing Sunday school has been sustained for many years. John Kennedy is the present superintendent. The Methodist Episcopal Church of West Rushville, is an outgrowth of the camp-rneetings held in the Stevenson settlement, and was organized about 1832. The ministers since and including 1854 have been, 1854, C. C. Lybrand, H. Gortner; 1855, C. C. Lybrand; 1856-7, W. C. Filler; 1858-9, R. Pitzer; 1860-1, T. H. Hall; 1862. W. Z. Ross; 1863, W. M. Mullenix; 1864, J. Stewart; 1865, T. R. Taylor; 1866-7, H. L. Whitehead; 1868-9, J. H. Acton; 1870, H. H. Ferris; 1871-3. T.H. Brodrick; 1874-6, W. T. Jones; 1877-8, Samuel Rankins; 1879-80, W. H. Sayre; 1881,. J. M. Adams. A commodious frame church was erected about 1855, in which the society hold its meetings. There is a good Sabbath school connected with the church. 248
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