Salem Township

In the original five townships Salem was part of Steubenville, but on Friday, June 12, 1807, the county commissioners, "on application set off and incorporated the Tenth Township of the Third Range into a separate township and election district, to be distinguished and known by the name of Salem Township, and the first election to be held at the house of David Coe." As this description indicates, this civil township corresponds to the government surveys, having thirty-six sections, with Ross Township on the north, Island Creek on the east, Wayne of the south and Springfield and Harrison County on the west. It is rugged, being drained on the north by the Town Fork of Yellow Creek, and on the south by Cedar and Clay Lick, Burke's and Lease's Runs, tributary to Cross Creek. It is a good farming section, and has coal and oil, although the development of these minerals has not been so extensive as in the adjoining townships. It is scarcely necessary to say that settlers were here long before the organization of the township. They began coming in 1798-99, and when the above order was made among those already on the ground were Jacob Coe, James Moores, Henry Miser, Edward Devine, Joseph Talbott, Rev. Joseph Hall (one of the pioneer Methodist Episcopal ministers), Henry Hammond (brother of Charles Hammond, the able lawyer and most noted of the early Ohio editors, whose work received Jefferson's praise), Joseph Hobson, Stephen Ford, Baltzer Culp, William Farquhar, John Collins, Ezekiel Cole, John Walker, John Johnson, William Bailey, James Bailey, James McLain, Adam Miser, William Smith, John Andrew (a soldier of the Revolutionary War and a colonel in the War of 1812; his remains are buried in the graveyard on the hill at Salem Village); John Gillis, Sr., Francis Douglas, William Leslie, David Lyons, John Hogue, John McComb, Thomas and Patrick Hardenmadder, Daniel Markham, Benjamin Hartman, Isaac Helmick, John Sunderland, John Wilson, William Mugg, William Vantz, Henry Jackman, Jacob Vantz, Andrew Strayer, Benjamin Talbott, Jacob Ong, John Watson, Joseph Flenniken, Adley Calhoun, Jacob Leas, Christian Albaugh, James Rutledge (from Pennsylvania, and of the same family as the signer of the Declaration of Independence, the latter's people moving to South Carolina, and his remains lie at Charleston), Isaac Shane, Aaron Allen, Robert Douglas (potter), Thompson Douglas (gunsmith), Thomas Calhoun, John McCullough, David Watt, David Rogers, George Hout, Henry Morrison (first settler on Mingo Bottom in 1793, and was in the War of 1812 with colonel Duvall), William McCarel, Dr. Anderson Judkins, Willia, Bahan, Charles Leslie, Thomas George, Thomas Orr, William Blackiston, Samuel Bell, David Sloane, Richard Jackson (the grandfather of Baron R. Mason Jackson), Levi Miller, Stewart McClave, Richard McCullough, John Collins, John Stutz John Wolf, William Dunlap, William Davidson, William Alexander, John Markle (an early school teacher), Adam Winklesplech, -------Stout (storekeeper), William Leas. Henry Hammond settled near East Springfield before 1804 and caught a land turtle and cut his initials on it shell; in 1850 he found the same turtle with 1804 and the initials distinctly visible.

Richmond Village

Joseph Talbott in the year 1799 bought of Bezaleel Wells the northeast quarter of Section 10, for which he paid $2.50 an acre, on $400 for the tract. He settled there the next year, and in 1815 employed Isaac Jenkenson to lay out a town, with streets sixty feed wide and lots 60x106 feet. The work was completed on September 20 and the new town named Richmond. B. Hartman built the first dwelling, a log house 18x28 feet, who also kept a hotel and followed blacksmithing. His house was located on the corner of Sugar and Main Streets, diagonally opposite the old Freeman Torrance place. Allen Farquhar was the first storekeeper, and by 1817 there were five families in the town, those of William Talbot, Benjamin Hartman, William McCarrell, William Bahan and Anderson Judkins, the latter being the first physician. Richmond was incorporated January 27, 1835, and the first election held on April 25. The judges were John C. Tidball and Samuel Hanson; James W. Ball, clerk. At this time there were forty-seven voters in the place, indicating a population of about 200. The officers elected were: Mayor, Adam Stewart; recorder, James Riley; trustees, William Farmer, Thomas Burns, Henry Crew, John McGregor, E. M. Pyle. On May 23 an election was held, at which Samuel Hanson was chosen marshal, William Frazier treasurer, Robert Gray and Joseph McCarel, street commissioners. Local industries were lively towards the middle of the century, plain pottery, milling, pork packing and wool dealing, with an established college, together with its location on the state road from Steubenville westward, made Richmond a local center which contrasted decidedly with the quiet of later days. It had another little spurt when the construction of a railroad down Island Creek was begun, and later, when there was a mild oil excitement, but both died out without any marked results. The census of 1850 showed a population of 514; that of 1860 gave 692, which in 1870 had dropped to 405, in 1880 increased to 491, in 1890 dropped to 444, and in 1900 to 393, the present population being about 400. The town has a commodious hall, suitable for public gatherings, and Harry Hale Post, No. 447, G. A. R., was organized a few years ago.

New Salem or Annapolis

The second village to be settled in the township, in fact, the first to be laid out, was New Salem, platted by Isaac Helmick on November 9, 1802. It is directly on the Harrison County line, about one-fourth of the inhabitants living in that county. There were seventy-four inlots 60x132, and seventeen outlots. John Sunderland built the first house and John Wilson kept the first store. The first regular hotel was kept by William Mugg, and the first sermon in the village was preached by Rev. John Rhinehart, a Lutheran. Jacob Vantz and William Smith, who came from Maryland, were the first hatters. William McGowan and son David, the latter afterwards establishing a grocery in Steubenville, located here in 1820, and manufactured woolen goods. Adam Winklesplech, grandfather of the late D. W. Matlack, of Steubenville, was an early merchant, coming here in Indian times. The land on which the village stands had been entered by Henry and Adam Miser, whose descendants still live in the neighborhood. Mr. Harrison was a pioneer storekeeper, also a Mr. Hutchinson, and Mr. Simmons a tavern keeper. There was quite a settlement of Germans here, and the town flourished so that there was an effort to locate the county seat here. It must be remembered that parts of Columbiana and Tuscarawas and all of Harrison and Carroll Counties were still a part of Jefferson. Steubenville was an insignificant village, with a sparse population in the river and central townships, while west was a fine rolling country, suited to a large farm population, and New Salem being near the geographical center, the claim probably did not seem so preposterous as it would now appear. When the building of a new courthouse was projected in 1869, Richmond put in a similar claim, with far less foundation. Shortly after the town was laid out James Kelly built a large flour mill and laid out a new addition; and during the financial craze between 1815 and 1819 two banks were organized in what was now called Salem, the title "New" being dropped. Of one we have no record, and the other ended in tragedy. Dr. G. W. Duffield was president of the Salem bank, and when it went down in 1818 suits were brought against him to recover on the circulating notes, which every bank issued in those days at its own sweet will, without government supervision or guaranty, a period which some agitators seem anxious to restore. During the hearing before Jacob Vantz, justice of the peace, on July 9, 1818, hot words passed between Duffield and David Redick, the attorney for the prosecution. The trial adjourned and Redick followed Duffield to the street, and throwing his weight upon him, bore Duffield to the ground. Duffield, feeling his life in danger, stabbed his antagonist in the neck with a doctor's lance. Redick died as the result of the wound while being conveyed to Steubenville in a wagon. Duffield was indicted and tried during the August term and was acquitted. The form of indictment in 1818 was the same as that used in the territory in 1798, and related that the accused, "not having the fear of God before his eyes, but being moved and seduced by instigation of the devil," committed the crime. Like in most cases of the suspended "wild cat" banks the only asset remaining of the Salem bank was a table which afterward became the property of John M. Goodenow. The only asset of one of the banks in the county was a keg filled with nails, having a mere covering of gold and silver coins!

John Andrew, whose grave in the Salem Cemetery is marked by a small sandstone, with the inscription, "John Andrew, a native of Marseilles, in the south of France; a soldier of the revolutionary War and of the War of 1812," came to America with Lafayette, and was with Wayne in storming Stony Point, on the night of July 16, 1779, and was one of the eighty-three patriots wounded in the bold attack on the British stronghold, he receiving a bayonet thrust entirely through his abdomen, and strange as it may seem, he lived, none of the intestines being seriously injured. In the same battle he received a sabre stroke across the temple and cheek, leaving a scar which he carried to his grave. He came here about the beginning of the Nineteenth century and when the Jefferson County troops were called out to fight the British in the War of 1812 John Andrew was made first lieutenant (colonel) of the regiment, and he served with honor and distinction until peace was declared. The date of his death is supposed to be 1835. Gen. George A. Custer, who was killed with his entire command of 277 cavalrymen at Little Horn River, Montana, June 25, 1876, was born near New Salem and within the bounds of the original township, out of which Salem was constructed on December 5, 1839. His brothers, Thomas and Boston, and a brother-in-law met the same fate.

Salem was made a postoffice in 1815 under the name of Annapolis, with Robert Baird postmaster. He probably served until 1823, when President Monroe appointed William Vantz, then twenty-one years of age, who had emigrated with his father ten years before, to be postmaster. Being a bachelor, he located himself and his office at the east end of the village, where for some fifty-six years or more he handed out the mail. Fifteen administrations came and went, the country passed through two wars, children grew to youth and middle age, the young men of his time became parents and grandparents, and most of them passed to the great beyond, but he continued at his post away from the madding crowd and unaffected by steamboats, railroads or telegraphs for none reached the little town. He was a Democrat in politics and a Lutheran in religion, but not obtruding his views on those differing from him. He was elected justice of the peace in 1836, and served twenty-four years, and although left handed kept books that were models of neatness. Finally, in 1880, on account of the increasing infirmities of age he laid down the cares of office, and before his death that same year he received from the Postoffice Department a commendatory letter in recognition of his long and faithful service. He was spoken of as the oldest toastmaster in the United States, and so he was at the time of his death, and the honor can still be awarded to him if we have regard only to the fact that his term was consecutive without interruption in a single office. W. H. Wallace, who died at Hammondsville in 1897, could claim more years of service, but they were given at three different places, with intervals of time between. However, we regard it, Jefferson County is entitled to the honor of having the oldest postmaster in the United States; in fact, two of them. Robert Baird, Flora Grimes, Ada Swan and Amos L. Myers were his successors. Salem's location off the main thoroughfares of travel prevented a realization of early hopes. The population was 158 in 1850, dropping to 155 in 1860, to 139 in 1870, after which it disappears from the census, but the quiet little town is still there.

East Springfield.

East Springfield, in the northeast quarter of Section 35, about five miles west of Richmond, was laid out by John Gillis, Jr., in February, 1803. The lots were 60x132 feet and streets fifty-five feet wide. It is directly on the edge of the township, the Springfield Township line being at the west end of the village. It grew slowly, and in 1809 had but three houses. Among the first residents were Francis Douglas (sheriff from 1797 to 1804), William Leslie, David Lyons, John McComb, Thomas and Patrick Hardenmadder (the two latter in the War of 1812), Richard Jackson (clock and silversmith). The first tavern was kept by John Hogue; Charles Leslie kept the first store in 1813, opposite Shane's Hotel. William Dunlap, for many years a merchant of Steubenvile, was also an early merchant of East Springfield. Rev. Dr. William Davidson's father was an early resident. David Lyons and Daniel Markham were the blacksmiths who manufactured all the axes, chains and nails needed in the neighborhood, the former making nails and the latter saddle tacks. John Wolf was one of the first justices. John Hague kept the first hotel, near where the Porter residence afterwards stood, and afterwards built, in 1810, the brick structure long known as the Edgington-McCullough House and subsequently kept by A. Calhoun, Isaac Shane and his widow. The town being on the mail route between Steubenville and Canton, after roads were opened it became of considerable importance and much business was transacted. Here the stage horses were changed and hotels flourished, and these were prosperous days for the village. General musters of the militia of all this region under command of Gen. Samuel Stokely, were held here with all the pomp and circumstance, excitement and turmoil usually attendant on such occasions, and attracted crowds from miles around. Isaac Shane writing of these occasions, says: "We boys had fine times during the general musters. Here alone we got gingerbread, which, to our taste, was next to ambrosia, the food of gods. Whisky, too, was plentiful--a good kind, that Tom Corwin called the great leveler of modern society, not that indescribably compound of our times, that violates law and fills jails." Are we much happier than our forefathers with all our modern improvements, which, whatever else they have done, have intensified the struggle for existence? The question is at least an open one. The town had 216 inhabitants in 1850, and 170 in 1870. Neighboring developments have since caused a considerable increase.

The geographical center of the township is about a mile south of the little hamlet of Fairfield, which is also about equidistant from Richmond, Salem and East Springfield. Consequently, for many years, it was the voting place for the entire township; and in February, 1816, Thomas Potts concluded it would be a good place to lay out a town, which was done, the plat containing seventy-six lots. A postoffice was afterwards established under the name of Roberts, there being another Fairfield in the state. There was the usual store, blacksmith shop, etc., and on election day there was some activity. But there was no expansion. On September 5, 1873, the township was divided into two precincts, the eastern one at Richmond, and subsequently Annapolis, East Springfield and Shelley precincts were set off, leaving only about sixty voters in Salem precinct proper, and the establishment of rural free delivery took all the business away from the postoffice and it was discontinued. Barely half a dozen houses now mark the site of the little town, which has reverted to a strictly rural community.

John Hammond, on November 29, 1815, laid out a suburb about a mile west of Richmond, under the title of Ausburn, but it seems to have gotten no farther than the plat, and the lots were soon after vacated.

Schools and Churches.

Probably the first school in the township was at New Salem, Nicholas Wheeler and Mrs. Leslie being the first teachers. East Springfield built a schoolhouse soon after the village was laid out, and the teachers were supported by subscription. The names of the teachers are lost, but John Fillis taught there at least as early as 1814, followed by Dr. Markle, Mr. Byers from New England, Isaac N. Shane, Charles McGonnigal, Benjamin F. Gass, Daniel Langton (storekeeper), John Bell and James Foster. The last named wore an old red cap, something like a Turkish fez, and when a pupil was recalcitrant he was compelled to don this head covering, a punishment which caused disgust to the offender and amusement to his associates in the school.

The township, however, was destined soon to have a higher institution of learning. About the year 1830 Rev. John C. Tidball had a small academy on the Steubenville and Knoxville road, about three miles from the latter place. Deeming Richmond a more available location, he decided to remove there. It is stated that he also had a select school in richmond as early as 1832-33, but if so, it was operated in connection with this academy, which appears to have been removed to richmond about 1835, just when the founding of a larger institution was agitated. On Janury 22 of that year an act was passed by the legislature by which Thomas George, Isaac Shane, William Blackiston, Henry Crew, Stephen Ford, Thomas Orr, David Sloane, Nathaniel Myers, John Cook, William Farmer, Samuel Bell, A. T. Markle and James H. Moore were created a body corporate styled the "board of Directors of the Richmond Classical Institute," the object being to "afford instruction in the liberal arts and sciences." Nothing very definite was done until July 31, 1843, when a committee was appointed to secure quarters and a competent teacher. The basement of the old M. E. Church was leased for two years, and on October 1, Rev. John Dundass was chosen president of the institution and D. D. McBryer professor of languages and natural science, who began their duties and first Monday of November following, and remained until June, `1845, when Mr. McBryer resigned. At a board meeting on January 6, of that year, committees were appointed to collect subscriptions and procure a building site. Two lots were purchased from Joseph Talbott and a half acre adjoining was given by Thomas Hammond. They were numbered 91 and 92 on the east side of Sugar Street, and cost $60. The building committee, consisting of Thomas Burns, E. M. Pyle and Henry Crew, erected a brick structure 32x45 feet, two stories high. It was completed that year and in June, 1845, John Comin was elected professor of languages and moral science, and William Sarver was chosen professor of mathematics and natural science. In March, 1846, D. D. McBryer was chosen president and on January 15, 1847, several chairs were added and filled, as follows: Hebrew and evidences of Christianity, Rev. William Lorimer; ancient and Modern history, Rev. B. F. Sawhill; chemistry, geology and belle lettres, Dr. John Cook.

On November 15, 1847, the board requested the legislature to change the name of the institution to richmond College, which was done the next year. In September, 1848, J. R. W. Sloane, father of Prof. Sloane, of Columbia College, whose "Napoleon" and other works have made famous as a historian, was elected president. In March, 1849, Prof. Sarver resigned the chair of mathematics and natural science and Alexander G. Farquhar was chosen to succeed him. In July, 1849, Rev. John C. Spencer superseded Rev. Prof. Sawhill, and in August, Prof. Farquhar was succeeded by James Orr. In 1850 the Stuebenville Presbytery, desirous of having an academy, took the college under its control, and Rev. Cyrus C. Riggs was appointed president, with Rev. William Eaton and Prof. Sloane in the faculty. The graduating class that year was composed of William H. Pyle, A. F. Torrance, Lewis Weaver, Thomas McFarran and Josiah Wagner. Profs. Sloane and Eaton resigned in February, 1851 and Rev. Joseph White was appointed on the faculty. The Presbytery gave up the college the latter part of 1851, and the old board again took charge. Rev. Riggs resigned and S. L. Coulter was elected his successor, and he in turn was succeeded in January, 1853, by Joseph Lindley. Rev. Archbald was chosen professor of languages, and J. W. Lindley mathematics and natural science. In 1854 the Pittsburgh M. E. Conference assumed control, with M. S. Bonnafield and C. R. Slutz the faculty, who began their work November 5, 1855, and resigned in June, 1856, when Rev. S. B. Nesbit was chosen president and Rev. S. M. Hickman professor of languages. The latter was succeeded in May, 1857, by John Z. Moore. A movement was then started to endow the institution, but failed. J. T. Holmes was elected president in the beginning, remaining until the spring of 1862, when he raised a company of volunteers and entered the Union army. Later in the year Revs. Peacock and Marquis took charge, but were succeeded by Lewis Rabe in the latter part of 1863. Rev. G. W. Baker became president in the spring of 1864, but was shortly succeeded by Mr. Peacock, who, in turn, was succeeded by L. W. Ong in the latter part of 1866, with M. B. Riley, assistant. Mr. Riley resigned in 1869, and in 1871 A. R. Ong and S. S. Simpson were placed on the faculty.

In 1872 the property was conveyed to L. W. Ong, with the proviso that it should be used for educational purposes only. A new departure was made at this time in the way of securing new buildings and a new site. Subscriptions were secured and a site was secured a short distance east of the village by the donation of one acre from Lewis Ong and the purchase of eleven acres adjoining. Here, on a beautiful knoll, which makes the institution a conspicuous object in approaching Richmond from the east, were erected a two-story brick college building and three-story frame boarding hall, capable of accommodating fifty students. The cornerstone of the new college building was laid on August 8, 1872, with addresses by J. R. W. Sloane, J. B. Dickey, James Marvin and W. B. Watkins. On August 28 next year the building was dedicated and occupied. Prof. Ong remained president until his death on June 5, 1877. A monument has since been erected to his memory near the college by alumni of the institution. Rev. W. J. Brugh was the next president, who resigned in 1878 and was succeeded by S. S. Simpson and A. C. Ong. On September 6 the property was purchased by a number of individuals, including B. L. Crew, Rev. I. Price, Thompson Douglass, S. H. Ford, Joshua Moores, Benjamin Shelly, William Waggoner, F. J. Frederick, Rev. J. B. Borland, Robert Martin, George McCausland, A. J. Crawford and William Ford. Mr. Simpson gave up the college about 1880, and the buildings were closed until August 23, 1886, when Rev. S. C. Faris, having become pastor of the Presbyterian Church, was chosen president and reopened the school. He retained it for two years, when Rev. George W. MacMillan came from the East and took charge on July 1, 1888. He purchased the property and infused new life into the institution, the attendance reaching over 100. He still has charge, although the attendance has been small of late years, and gives thorough instruction in the different branches. The old college property on Sugar Street was sold to the district for public school purposes and was occupied for about ten years, when it was torn down to make room for a substantial two-room building, which is still in use.

There are also good school buildings in Salem and East Springfield. The country schoolhouses are located in Sections 7, Ford farm; 16, Union; 18, Frazier; 20 Kirkpatrick; 28, Copeland; 30, Johnston; 35, Ellis.

Rev. Joseph Hall, a young Methodist Episcopal preacher, came to Ohio in 1800, and married Miss Delila, daughter of James Moores, of Salem Township, and settled on the northwest quarter of Section 2, on what was afterwards the Burchfield property, about a mile and a half south of the site of Richmond. He preached sometimes at the house of Mr. Moores and later at Stephen Ford's and Henry Jackman's, until a small log church was built on the land of the latter. A class was formed about 1808, which included James Moores, leader, and wife Elizabeth, Jackman and wife, Christina, Hall and wife Delilah, Ford and wife Ruth, George Hout and wife Christina. A brick church 40x44 was built at Richmond in 1832, which stood with some alterations until 1861, when it was replaced by a new brick structure 45x66, costing $5,000. It is on the east side of South Sugar Street. The charge was formerly a part of Cross Creek circuit, but it is now Richmond circuit, including Mt. Hope, Mt. Tabor and Mt. Zion. The pastors have included John Graham, 1828; Edward Taylor, 1828-30; William Knox, 1830-31; David Merriman, 1831-32; S. R. Brockunier, 1832; Walter Athey, 1833; Simon Lank, 1833-34; Athey and Taylor, 1835; John P. Kent, Henry Wharton, 1836; Thomas Thompson, 1837; John W. Miner, 1837-38; P. K. McCue, 1838; J. M. Bray, Harvey Bradshaw, 1839-40; J. M. Bray, 1840; George McCaskey, John Murray, 1841-42; John Moffit, Isaac McClaskey, 1843; J. C. Taylor, C. E. Weirich, 1845; W. C. Henderson, B. F. Sawhill, 1847; J. L.Williams, John Hare, A. J. Blake, 1849; J. Spencer, George Crook, 1850; Thomas Winstanley, 1850-51; S. F. Miner, 1851; M. W. Dallas, 1852; J. H. White, 1852-53; S. F. Miner, 1853; T. C. McClure, 1854; Alexander Scott, 1854-55 until June 14, 1887. J. M. Dinsmore served from 1889 to 1893, W. T. Brownlee from 1898 to 1902, and W. R. Lawrence from 1903 to 1905. The charge is now vacant.

It is not certain that Rev. Dr. Doddridge held services according to the Book of Common Prayer in Salem Township, as in his notes as published he was singularly reticent concerning his own work. Isaac Shane writes that what was known as the Protestant Episcopal Communion, under charge of Rev. Intrepid Morse, was the first service of that form to be held in East Springfiled. But Dr. Morse did not come to this section until 1819, so if "Episcopal" services were held there previous to that date it was by some minister, who could have been none other than Dr. Doddridge, or Mr. Seaton. This is not improbable, as the majority of the inhabitants of that community were of this faith. Nevertheless it is clear that under Dr. Morse regular services were instituted, and steps were taken soon thereafter for the erection of a church building, a substantial brick structure, seating 200 people, the first house of worship in the village. About this time the organization was incorporated under the title of St. John's Church as follows:

"To the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas, in the County of Jefferson, State of Ohio: this certifies that at a meeting held this day in the town of Springfield, Jefferson County, in pursuance of public notice duly given according to the act in that case made and provided by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, upward of twenty persons formed and organized themselves in a religious society under the name and style of 'St. John's Church, Springfield,' and the following persons were then and there elected officers of the same for the ensuing year, viz: John McCullough, John Scott, wardens; Jacob Stoll, William W. Kinley, Charles Hunter, vestryman. Springfield, April 5, 1826. Attested: William W. Kinley, Clerk, Int. Morse, Prest., Minister of St. Paul's Church, Steubenville, and St. James, Cross Creek."

After Mr. Morse gave up his outside charges and confined himself to Steubenville the parish had the same ministers as St. James', Cross Creek, by whom services were maintained until about the close of the Civil War. By that time deaths and removals had reduced the congregation to such a small fraction of its former size that services were discontinued.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church of Salem was organized by Rev. John Rinehart in 1814, with Jacob Vance and Andrew Strayer, elders. Among the pastors have been Rev. James Manning, from 1825 to 1839; Benjamin Pope, 1839-43; Amos Bartholomew, 1843-8; George Baughman, 1849-50; Dennis Sweeney, 1850-3; David Sparks, 1853-9; James Manning, 1859-64; Jacob Singer, 1864-9; Joseph A. Roof, 1870-77; D. M. Kemerrer, 1877 and afterwards Rev. John Cook. The original place of worship was about a mile east of the village, but in 1870 a frame church 22x46 was built in the town.

On March 27, 1847, a number of Presbyterian residents of East Springfield held a meeting and appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions to build a place of worship. On May 21 the committee reported $825 subscribed and Stewart McClave, William Palmer, George Hammond, John Calhoun, Joseph Clemmons and Caleb Waggoner were appointed trustees and directed to proceed to the erection of a building, which was dedicated on August 25, 1848, Rev. C. C. Beatty preaching the sermon from the 93d Psalm. The church is the largest in the village, and stands at the east end of town. On June 1, 1850, the church was formally organized by Rev. C. C. Riggs and John Knox with the following members: Henry Pittenger, Joseph Clemens and Alexander Porter, ruling elders; Mrs. and Mary Ann Pittenger, Benjamin, Elizabeth, Agnes A. and Mary E. Mickey, Henry Hammond, Stewart McClave, John and Margaret Culp, Jacob and Violet Allensworth, Mary C. Rigs, Alex and Chaterine Morrison, Rebecca Clemens, Rebecca Freeborn, Joseph Huston, Amelia Porter, Pamelia Palmer, James and Lucinda Beatty, Martha J. Lindsay, Elizabeth McCullough, Jane Reynolds, George and Hermit Berresford, Elizabeth Scott, Mrs. Murray, Sarah J. and Elizabeth Mylor, Lucinda Scott. Rev. C. C. Riggs continued the first pastor until 1852 when Rev. John Watson served as a supply for six months. Then came Rev. L. Grier from January 1, 1853, to December, 1860; J. S. McGuire, from 1862 to 1864; Rev. C. W. Wycoff, from April, 1866, to April, 1873; W. M. Eaton, 1874 to August 27, 1873, afterwards Joseph Patterson, and at present Rev. Mr. Fowler.

The Richmond Presbyterian Church was organized by Rev. Cyrus Riggs on September 3, 1852, with the following members: John McGregor, Benjamin S. Bailey and William Patterson, elders; Mary McGregor, Mary J. Chaplain, Hannah Percival, Martha Duncan, Samuel Beebont, Mary A. and Phoebe Beebont, Michael, Catherine and Jane Vangilder, William and Mary Waggoner, Elizabeth Rabe, Jane Cunningham, Mary, Ebenezer and Polly McGowen, Dorothy, Matilda and Rebecca Bailey, Joseph Gilkinson. Prof. Riggs served two years and Lafferty Grier one-third of his time for six years; Rev. Marquis from 1860 to 1865; Revs. Messes, Wykoff and J. B. Dickey for two years; Rev. Israel Price from 1869 until about 1880, who after an interval was succeeded by S. C. Faris, and he in turn by Rev. Geo. W. McMillan, who recently gave up the charge. Soon after its organization the congregation erected a substantial brick building at the end of Sugar Street, which is still in use. Rev. Charles Holliwell is the present pastor.

A Presbyterian congregation was organized at Salem about seventy-five years ago, and at present occupies its second building, erected about thirty-five years since.

During the political campaign of 1880 a preacher in the M. E. Church at East Springfield, in discussing certain phases of that campaign, took occasion to animadvert on the Morey letter forgery. Some of the members took offense at this as savoring too strongly of partisan politics, and withdrew from the church. They formed a new organization, under the name of United Brethren, and procuring the old St. John's Church property, rebuilt it, where services have since been conducted. (pages 516-527)