USA > Ohio > Lucas County > Toledo > History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio > Part 179
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Indians were numerons here when the first settlers came, and when it was decided that they should be removed to the West, the rem- pant of them came and made night hideous with a farewell dance around the graves of their kindred.
The first white child born in the Township was Libbie Bancroft, in 1834. She was married with J. Wing Allen, and is now a widow, resi- ding in Kausas,
The first School house was built by General White at his own expense. It was a frame building, about 18x24 feet in size, and stood on land owned by J. H. Parker, in the rear of the present High School building. It was used also as a Meeting-House ; but when the Rail- road was built in 1836, the running of cars on Sunday, in close proximity, so annoyed General
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HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.
White, that he had the building removed to the opposite side of the Town, where it served as Church and School-house for several years.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
The first Town meeting of which we find record, was held April 2, 1838, when the follow- ing otlicers were elected :
Trustees-Pliny Lathrop, Andrew Printup, Eli- jalı Rice.
Supervisors of Highways -- District 1, Samuel D. Wiggins; 2. William M. Nelson; 3. William M. Leonardson; 4. John Harroun; 5. Benjamin Joy ; 7. George Gaby ; S. David Hendrickson; 9. Mareus Bennett.
Clerk-William M. White.
Treasurer -- Daniel L. Westcott.
Overseers of Poor-David White, Joel Green.
Fence Viewers-John Harroun, Benjamin Joy, Elkanah Briggs.
Constables-Porter Kelsey, Adolphus Majors, Oli- ver Root.
At this election 91 votes were cast.
At a Town meeting for the election of Jus- tices of the Peace for the Township of Sylvania, held May 5, 1838, the following named persons were elected : Pliny Lathrop, John U. Pease. The Judges of election-Andrew Printup, Pliny Lathrop, Wm. M. White, " certify that the minber of electors at this election amounts to thirty-four."
TOWNSHIP OFFICERS.
We give below a list of Justices of the Peace, Clerks and Treasurers elected for the Township since 1838, with dates of service :
1838, Pliny Lathrop, John U. Pease. 1839, An- drew Printup, Pliny Lathrop, Wm. M. White. 1840, James White, John Harroun. 1841, John U. Pease. 1846, James White, Russell C. Thompson. 1849, .John B. Corey. 1850, David Harroun, Samuel Gordinier. 1851, Stephen Porter. 1853, Andrew Printup, Peleg T. Clark. 1857. Daniel Brown. 1858, Moses King, Anthony Bordeaux. 1868, Wm. Bryan. 1869, Reuben Sawyer. 1871, R. C. Thompson. 1873, O. Holloway. 1874, R. C. Thompson, Peleg T. Clark. 1875, 0. Stickney. 1878, Peleg T. Clark. 18SI, Theo- dore P. Hoadley. 1883, Miles Lathrop. 1884, Aaron B. West. 1885, George Vetter. 1887, Aaron B. West.
CLERKS .-- William M. White, 1838-42; John B. Corey, 1842-45; William F. Dewey, 1845; Clark D. Warren, 1846 ; Washington 11. Huling, 1847-49 ; Hor- ace Green, 1849-51; Joel Green, Jr., 1851; Peleg T. Clark, 1852-58; John U. Pease, 1858; Don A. Pease, 1859; W. II. Huling, 1860; W. F. Dewey, 1861-65; Francis II. Brown, 1865; Isaac Thorp, 1866 ; William Bryan, 1867; Charles H. Green, 1868-70; William Bryan, 1870-81; Calvin H. Haggaman, 1882; Aaron B. West. 1883-87 ; Lester B. Decker, 1887.
TREASURERS .- The following served Township Treasurers for the years named :
D. L. Westcott served as Treasurer till 1841, when Dr. Horace Green was chosen to fill the office. Haskell D. Warren was elected in the place of Dr. Green April 5, 1847, and served till 1852, when Foster R. Warren was elected Treasurer and served till 1857, when Fitch Dewey was elected, who filled the office two years. Foster R. Warren was again elected in
1859, and held till 1861, when W. D. Moore was elected. He served till 1868, when W. H. Huling was elected. Mr. Iluling served in the office till 1872. W. D. Moore then took his place and was Treasurer till 1880, when Foster R. Warren was elected and held till 1884. Washington Il. Huling was then elected and served one year. A. W. Bellows, 1885-7.
This Township has been well represented in the offices of Lucas County, having had three County Treasurers-John U. Pease. Benjamin Joy, and Foster R. Warren. Peleg T. Clark was Clerk of the Courts six years, and William F. Dewey served as County Auditor.
PIONEER MEETING.
February 22, 1859, pioneers of the Township of Sylvania and Richfield, Lucas County ; of Amboy and Royalton, Fulton County ; and of Whiteford, Michigan, met at the house of Ellis Parker, in Sylvania, the same being " married persons, who had emigrated there prior to 1836." There were present 60 persons, pio- neers. After a dinner, the meeting was ad- dressed by different members. A historical account of the settlement of that region was read by Wm. M. White, when the time was oceupied by others in brief statements of their several experiences and hardships.
The first settlement of any of the Townships named, was made by Gen. David White and Judge Wm. Wilson, in the Spring and Summer of 1832. They made their location at the month of the three forks of the Ottawa River, now Sylvania, then entering the lands on which that Town stands. During that time 10 or 15 families came into the Township of Whiteford, then under the jurisdiction of Michigan-in- cluding what are now Sylvania, Richfield, part of Springfield to the Fulton County line, and Whiteford. They laid out Sylvania and White- ford Villages. In 1833-34 considerable additions were made to the settlement, the increase con- tinuing for 20 years.
"The Toledo War" came on soon after the settlement of that section had fairly begun, in which conflict most of the settlers were " good and loyal subjects of the Sovereign Territory of Michigan ;" and they have been of Ohio, since by law they were set off to that jurisdiction.
It was resolved by the meeting to hold such a meeting annually, and to include Washington Township, Encas County, within their circle. For this purpose John U. Pease, Wm. F. Dewey and Wm. W. White were appointed a committee of arrangements. No record is found of such subsequent meeting.
TRANSFERS OF LAND IN SYLVANIA.
Adam Gordinier to Jacob Gordinier, 1831. Ezra Brailey to Benjamin Tubles, 1834. Chas, McCormick to Benjamin Joy, 1835.
Rebecca Bell to Win. Bancroft, Amos Miner and Delavan Dewey, July, 1836.
Augustus Prentice to Cornelius Mercereau, 1831. Eli Hubbard to Orlando Rathwell, 1831.
Eli Doty to James Ready, October, 1×35. Benj. Thorp to D. M. Severance, April, 1835. Horace Thacher to Abram Hitchings, August, 1835.
SYLVANIA TOWNSHIP.
David White to David Harroun, October, 1835. Stephen Watkins to David Harroun, October, 1836. Peter Lewis to Heury Phillips, April, 1836. John A. Gardner to fl. D. Mason, March, 1836. Cyrus Holloway to Luke Draper, November, 1835. Wm. Wilson to Wm. F. Dewey, May, 1836. Same to Wm. Bancroft, May, 1836.
Same to Beebe Comstock, February, 18,5. Estate of Wm. Wilson to W. W. Wilson, March, 1811.
Same to Elijah Rice, March, 1843.
Same to Amos Miner, March, 1811.
Same to Joel and Timothy Green, July, 1840
February 19, 1819. H. D. Warren leased to Sylvania Lodge, ludependent Order of Odd Fellows, a room in the second story of the building on lot No. 3. Sylvanin Village, for In years. Darius Mills to Orin D. Hill. December, 1835. Elijah live to Sylvester Bennett, February, 1837.
Squire B. Johnson and George Hale to Sylvester Bennett, April. 1837. David White to Wm. F Dewey, February, 1837. Thos. Corlett to Isane Street, January, 1837.
Benj. Roop to W. D. and Win. Wilson, January, 1837. W. MeMillan to Peter Smith, February, 1836 Elkanah Briggs to Win. Y. Smith, July, 1836.
An addition to the Town plat of Sylvania was filed March 24, 1837, by Delavan D. Hawes, Coleman 1. Keeler, and Davis. It contained 31 lots.
Cyrus Ilolloway to Win. Bancroft, October, 1837. Hezekiah Culver to Timothy E. Green, December, 1837. Elijah Rice to Elisha K. Brown, February, 1837. Same to Bennett Wightman, February, 1837. James A. Crafts to Warren Burnham. December, 1837, Wm. F. Dewey to Asa Minor, May, 1836.
Samnel Alcott, John Van Blarcum and Ira Smith to George II. Rich, August, 1836.
W'm. F Dewey to Waters Shepley, Angust, 1837. Harvey Herman to D. L Westcott, October, 1838. Jedediah Tuttle to Daniel Tuttle, January, 1836. Wm. F, Dewey to Wentworth West. September, 1837. Luke Draper to Israel L. Converse, December, 1838. James Wilkison to Lyman G. Iloxie, February, 1839. Hezekiah Culver to Heman H. Smith. April, 1839. David White to Aaron Cadwell. February, 1839. Elijah Rice to Elkanah Briggs, April, 1839. John U, Pease to James Dean, Andrew Printup, Isaac Lewis and Townsend Ellis, Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Church of Sylvania, lot 63, Whiteford : price $50; April, 1837. David White to Ambrose Beach, June, 1839. Isaac Washburn to Thos. P. Child, July, 1839, Wm. Knox to Thos. J. Cromwell, September, 1839. United States to Irvine Green, October, 1835.
John A. Gordinier to John A. and Garrett Vrooman, No- vember, 1839. Herman IT. White to Thomas Van Fossen, June, 1839. Levi W. Bradley to Andrew Printup, March, 1842.
Coleman I. Keeler to James and Barthena White, Executors of the estate of David White, August, 1831. Delavan D. ITawes to Susan Phillips, October, 1841. Treasurer Monroe County, Michigan, to Carlos Colton, 40 acres, for $1.13 delinquent taxes, 1838. .Joseph Roop to George Parker, Angust, 1811.
Daniel Tuttle to Geo. and Geo. W. Clark, March, 1812.
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David W. Hawley to Marion Wilson and Lavoney Wilson, October, 1540. Isadore Burdo to John Burdo, May, 1836.
S. W. Allen to Thomas C. Allen, January, 1842.
Levi W. Bradley to Hiram Parker, March, 1843. David White to Cyrus Holloway and John Harrouu, April,'34. Cyrus Holloway to Oristen Holloway, September, 1841.
Emily Decker to Martha Huling, October, 1843. H. D. Warren to Ethan Streeter, January, 1843.
Hiramı A. Newcomb to George Redding, Oliver Custer, Ira S. Clark and James White to Sarah Newcombe, June. 1831. United States to Sheldon Lum, March. 1844. Inlia Wilson to Horace Green, April, 1843. Estate of Elkanah Briggs to Samuel L. Briggs, September,'43. Adam Clum to John L. Pease, January, 1841.
Conaty Auditor to Adam Ilaas, March, 1844. Daniel B. Curtis to John U. Pease, April, 1844. Horace Green to Wm. Cory, May, 1844. Ambrose Salsbury to John B. C'ory, June, 184-1. Johu B. Cory to Robert Talbert, July, 1841.
Horace Ilollister to James Hollister, Oristen Holloway and Horace Hollister, Directors of School District No. 6. Sylvania Township, a donation of 9 square roils of land in Section 13 ; October, 1841.
Blandina Dudley and Sylvanns P. Jermain to Frederick Bissell, December, 1843.
John U. Pease to Andrew Printup, Eli Hubbard Thos. S. Cosgrove, S. W. Allen and Gardner Cooper, Trustees of the Methodist Episcopal Parsonage, in' the Sylvania Cireuit, for $140, lot 54 in the Village of Whiteford, on which Rev. Mr. Yourtee then resided : June, 1844.
Estate of David White to Win. Andrew, September, 1845. Erastus Morse to A. W. Newcombe, May, 1844 Elliott Acres to Nathaniel ( 'rockett, July, 1>45, Alfred Ilopkins to Abda Dolph, October, 1845.
Horace Green, for $35, to Sylvania High School Company, (H. D. Warren, David Harroun, Benj. Joy, Win. M. White and Horace (ireen, one-half acre of land on Ohio Avenue, Village of Sylvania, September, 1845.
Abram Jessup to Lyman B. Stone, February, 1840.
John A. Vrooman to Rhial B. Vrooman, September, 1841. Horace Green to Erastus Pitcher, June, 1816.
Peter Bertholf to Isane Bertholf, March, 1846.
Horace Green to Charles Anderson, February, 1816.
Milton P. Pomeroy to Daniel Christy, June, 1817.
Phobe Hopkins to Milton P. Pomeroy. Jannary, 1845. Adam A. Gordinler to Edmund Gordinier, December, 1811, Estate of Lyman B. Stone to Ephraim R. Thorutan, Jan., 45. Walter Crafts to Phebe Hopkins, April. 1841. Matilda Miller to Giles W. White, October, 1817. Erastus Pitcher to Washington H. Huling, December, 1816. Itorace Green to Charles Amlerson, February, 1816. Elijah Rice to Samuel Pershall, October, 181 ;.
Robert D'Isay to School District No. 7, Sylvania Township (Daniel Brown Hud Wi. Watson, Directors), a lot i rods square, in Section 25, Sylvania, donated for School purposes, May, 1848. Nathaniel Crockett to Almon V. Ellis, September, 1817. Ilorace Green to Infus Squires, June, 1818. Ezra B. Brailey to Isaac Denman. April, 1847.
1. D. Warren to Smith G. Warren, December, 1×17. James White to Mary Clark, October, 1846.
J. U. Pease to Elijah A. Warren, September, 1818. Almon D. Ellis to Andrew G. Lathrop, November, 1847. Dorus Dessenbury to Socrates Howard, November, 1818. Jednthan E. Scott to Wm, Ripley, February, 1849, Joel Green to Win. H. Cooper, September, ISIS. Mary Bywater to Elisha Benton, March, 1×19. Cyrus Holloway to John Harrouo, April, 1835. Geo. B. Miner to Ellis Parker, July, 1849.
TAX-PAYERS IN 1838.
Following is a list of residents of Sylvania Township, who were taxed on personal property in the Spring of 1838 :
ON HORSES AND CATTLE,
All, Jolın. Leonardson, Wm.
Allen, Shadrack W.
Leonardson, Frederick.
Bartholf, l'eter.
Lewis, Isaac.
Briggs, Elkanah.
Langenderfer, Catherine.
Bird, Thomas and Charles. Lathrop, Lucian B.
Bennett, Marcus.
Lathrop, Pliny.
Comstock, Beebe.
Lathrop, Emma.
Cooper, Gardiner.
Cooper. Remington.
Clark, Joseplı.
Manly, Elias.
Cadwell, Aaron.
Printup, Andrew.
Coe, Enoch.
Parker, Hiram.
Cosgrove, H. T.
Parker, Simeon.
Cole, Aaron H.
Percival, James.
Carson, Charles.
Root, Oliver.
Dewey, Wm. F.
Roop, Joseph.
Ellis, Townsend.
Fairchild, Benjamin.
Fairchild, Leonard.
Fuller, Willard J.
Farley, James.
Gardner. Adam.
Green, Joel.
Green, Horace Dr.
Harwood. Henry.
Higgins, Samuel B.
Harroun, David, Jr.
Harroun, John.
Hawes, Delavan D.
Horton, Caleb.
Westcott, Daniel L.
Hinman, Ilarvey.
Hubbard, Eli.
Hawley, David W.
Holloway, Cyrus.
Hollister, James.
Hendrickson, J.
Hendrickson, David.
Wolfinger, Jacob.
Jesup, Jedidalı.
Kelsey, Porter.
MERCHANT'S CAPITAL AND MONEY.
Bancroft, Wm., $50.
Dewey, & Green, $300. Lee, William, $500.
Paige, James S., $200,
Rice, Elijab, $500. Warren & Westcott, $1,000.
·le
F
3
Wilson, William.
Wadsworth, W. W.
Yates, Abram R.
Warren, 11. D.
West, Wentworth.
White, David.
Wbite, William M.
White. James,
Titsworth, Joseph.
Tuwilson, William.
Taylor, William.
Van Alstine, Abram.
Worden, Zeralı.
Durfey, Daniel.
Sperling, Charles S.
South, Benjamin.
Stow, Dwight F.
Smith, Hiram.
Saxon, Henry.
Cory, J. B.
Melona, William.
Minor, Amos.
Munson, Eli.
Pease, John U.
Snyder, David S.
Wilson, Julia.
1.
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HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.
PHYSICIANS.
Green, Horace. Minor, Amos. Smith, Hiram.
MILITIA ROLL, 1844.
List of persons liable to military duty in the Township of Sylvania in 1844 :
John Bellman. Isaac Lewis.
George Rogers.
Abraham Ware.
Levi W. Bradley.
Jedediah Jessup.
Ira E. Lee.
J. L. Hendrickson.
( lark 1). Warren.
William Lee.
Isaac Bartholf.
Bebee Comstock.
Ira C. Smith.
Alexander Fox.
William Cooper.
Almond Ellis.
Zurial Cook Jr.
Stephen Porter.
Henry Fisher.
John Showler.
Horace Hollister.
William Seely.
Sherwood Snyder.
William Comstock.
E. R. Thornton. Charles Straight.
Elisha I'leastead.
Warren Parker.
William Melony, Jr.
Horace Green.
Stephen Ripley.
Wm. P. Hopkins.
Joseph Kemble.
James Van Horn.
Hiram Parker.
John Van Horn.
Hiram A. W. Newcomb.
Alonzo Parker. Adolphus J. Majors.
Ellis Parker.
John I. Gordinier.
Timothy E. Miner.
Erastus Williams.
Fred Leonardson.
Erastus Morse.
Wm. M. Leonardson.
Harris Huling.
John S. Leonardson.
William Wiggins.
William Gordinier.
Daniel B. Curtis.
Benjamin Joy.
Elijah Durfee.
Richardson Lester.
Cornelins Mersereau.
John Call.
Foster Warren.
Rhial B. Vrooman.
Charles Anderson.
Elisha Kimble.
TOWN PLATS.
The original plat of Whiteford was laid out by General David White, and recorded by him July 11, 1835. It lay on the East side of what is now Division Street, Sylvania, that being the dividing line between the lands of General White and William Wilson, on the West. The plat of Whiteford contained nine Streets- South, Main and Erie, running East and West ; and Saline, Clinton, Church, Eagle, Summit and Division, running North and South. The Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad (now the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern) passed through Main Street, which was made to conform to the tract of that Road. There were 138 lots in the plat.
The original plat of Sylvania, made by Wm. Wilson, L. W. Allen, William F. Dewey and D. D. Harris, was acknowledged before C. D. Wing, Justice of the Peace, June 13, 1836. The plat bears the signature of Samuel Divine, County Surveyor. It has five Streets running North and South-Ohio Avenue, Railroad Street, Michigan, Elm and Poplar; and eight running East and West-North, Indiana and Mill Streets, North of the River; and High, Spring, Market and South Streets, South of the River. The lots, mainly, are 4x10 rods.
An addition to the Town plat of Sylvania
was made by Delavan D. Hawes, Coleman I. Keeler and others, March 24, 1837.
The business part of the Town has been chiefly built on the Wilson plat. Both of the original Towns, with large additional area, are included in the present incorporated Village of Sylvania.
VILLAGE OF SYLVANIA.
The Village of Sylvania was incorporated in April, 1867, the first charter election being held on April 17th, at which the following officers were chosen : James W. Clark, Mayor; Wm. Bryan, Clerk ; George M. Crandall, Jason Mc- Glenn, Foster R. Warren and J. J. Ritchie, Councilmen. The Council was duly organized April 20, 1867. The following named persons have served as officers of the Village :
Mayors-James W. Clark, 1867 ; (. Holloway, 1868; Wm. Bryan, 1869; R. Sawyer, 1870-71 ; Smith G. Warren, 1872-73; O. Holloway, 1873-76; Miles La- throp, 1877-80; Stephen G. Bennett, 1881-82; Miles Lathrop, 1883-84; F. O. Peak, 1885-87.
Clerks-Win. Bryan, 1867; O. Holloway, 1868; G. HI. Green, 1868-70; Win. Bryan, 1870; C. H. Haga- man, 1871-76; Wm. Bryan, 1876-82; C. H. Hagaman, 1882-84; J. M. Hopkins, 1884; L. B. Decker, 1885-87.
Officers for 1887 : Treasurer, A. W. Bellows; Coun- eilmen, R. Blanchard, T. Cosgrove, E. Harroun, T. B. Hank, E. M. Hogan, A. Reger; Marshal, Albert Carls; Street Commissioner, Patrick Ilogan.
SCHOOLS.
The first School in the Township wastaught in a frame house built at Whiteford by General David White, in 1834. Few Districts were laid out until after the passage of the School law of 1837. We find in the Township records the following certificate under date June 28, 1838 :
I have appointed Lucian B Lathrop, Pliny San- derson and Oliver Root, to act as School Directors in Distriet No. 5, in the Township of Sylvania, till the annual election in September next, according to the provisions of the new School law for organizing new School Districts.
WM. M. WHITE, Township Clerk.
Eli Munson and Benjamin Fairchild received a like appointment for School District No. 8, January 4, 1839.
The number of Districts in the Township in 1888, is six. The average number of persons of School age in the Township for the decade ending with 1886, was 300 (12 being colored) ; showing an average of 50 for each District.
HIGH SCHOOL.
In 1844 John U. Pease, Haskell D. Warren, William Bancroft and Horace Green, associated themselves for educational purposes, and pro- cured a charter from the State Legislature, under the name and style of "The Sylvania High School Company." The object of the association was declared to be "the establish- ment of a High School in the Town of Sylvania, and to promote and afford therein instruction
SOB
SYLVANIA TOWNSHIP.
in the usual branches of a sound, practical and liberal education, and in the languages, arts and sciences."
In accordance with the provisions of such act, the incorporators met at the office of John U. Pease, in Sylvania, on the first Monday in May, 1844, and completed their organization. We find the following names attached to the Constitution in the Company's records :
Amos Miner.
Isaac Lewis. C. Anderson.
John B. Cory.
A. J. Majors.
William Corey.
James White.
W. F. Dewey.
John U. Pease.
Horace Green.
Elijah Rice.
Wm. M. White.
Stephen Porter.
Paul Hawes.
John Leonardson, .Fr.
C. D. Warren.
Daniel B. Curtiss.
W. H. Huling.
David Harronn, Jr.
Frederick Leonardson.
H. A. W. Newcomb.
Erastus Morse.
H. D. Warren.
Rhial V. Vrooman.
John A. Vrooman. William Wilson.
William Lee. T. E. Miner. Je 'ediah Jessup.
B. W. Bradley.
Daniel Durfee,
John Emery.
Benjamin Joy.
.f. W. Pomeroy.
Daniel Delvin.
Peleg T. Clark.
Zuriah Cook, Jr.
Isaac Tremaine.
Beebe Comstock. James Dein.
The following officers were elected by ballot:
Amos Miner, President ; John B. Corey, Vice President ; William F. Dewey, Secretary; James White, Treasurer; Benjamin Joy, Horace Green, Eli Hubbard, John U. Pease and David Harroun, Trustees.
District No. 2 of the Town of Sylvania hav- ing taken steps towards the erection of a School building, it was proposed by the High School Company to co-operate with the Directors of the District in making the house suitable for the purposes both of the District and the Com- pany. Accordingly, such arrangement was made. The building was located centrally, on the West side of Division Street, occupying the same site as the present School building. It was about 40x60 feet in dimensions, two stories bigh, and surmounted by a tower or belfry. It was opened in the Fall of 1844, the High School department occupying the upper story. Among the Principals who taught there while it was under the Company's management, were Professors Gifford, Daniel L. Westcott, and Rev. J. B. Taylor. The School numbered among its pupils more than the average Village student -- such as the following : Ira E. Lee, of Toledo, E. R. Wilson, of Bluffton, Indiana ; Almeda Doty, of Topeka, Kansas; Chester H. Harroun, of Toledo ; Don A. Pease and Foster R. Warren; James W. Clark, son of Peleg T. Clark, who died in Toledo. The School con- tinued to be managed by the Company until about 1850, when settlement was made with the stockholders and a dividend declared. The stock was finally disposed of to the Township Board of Education and the School passed wholly under the management of the Town
Board. It has been a free graded School since 1872, with the departments of High, Interme- diate and Primary. The roll in May, 1887, showed an attendance in all grades of 102 pu- pils. J. C. Jones was their Principal and Su- perintendent ; Miss J. M. Collinson, Interme- diate Teacher ; and Miss Lillie Young, Primary Teacher. The Board of Education, at that time, were : Daniel Donovan, President; Thomas Cosgrove, M. D., Foster R. Warren, Francis Elliott, Alonzo Bellows and Cornelius Griest ; .T. C. Jones, Clerk.
Aaron B. West taught the School for 13 years. He has been prominently identified with educational affairs since he came to the Town in 1866, from Toledo, where he had been Teacher in the Public Schools.
The present School building is a fine brick structure. It was erected in 1869, at a cost of $15,000.
CHURCHES.
CONGREGATIONAL,-This Church was origin- ally organized as " The First Presbyterian Church of the Town of Whiteford," at a meet- ing held for that purpose in the School-house, November 8, 1834. Following is a record of the original members, and of what Churches they had been members in the East : Joel Green and wife, Philonielia ; Simeon Green and wife, Sibyl ; Elijah Rice and wife-all from the Congregational Church in Marion, New York. Robert Smith and Nancy, his wife, of the Presbyterian Church of Ovid, New York. Nathan G. Watkins and wife Amy, of the Presbyterian Church of Naples, New York ; and Mrs. Sally Hollister, of the Presbyterian Church of Rome, New York. Others not hay- ing then received their letters, joined soon after, among whom were David White and his wife Bertha, and daughter Clarissa ; William M. White, Jane A. White, Eliza Hallet. George Peck, Alta Plumb and others. Wm. M. White and Nathan G. Watkins were chosen Elders, and William M. White, Clerk. The first com- munion in this Church was administered on Sunday following the organization.
The Church increased rapidly in members and influence. But owing to certain unsatis- factory rules prescribed by Monroe Presbytery, with which it was connected, the Church in 1844 adopted the Congregational form of gov- ernment, and has since been known as " First Congregational Church of Sylvania." Under the new organization, Jedediah Jessup and Elijah Rice were chosen Deacons, and William Lee, Joel Green and William M. White Stand- ing Committee ; and William M. White, Clerk.
Gen. David White was influential in found- ing this Church, and was an active and promi- nent member of it during his life. In the orig. inal plat of the Town of Whiteford, which he laid out, is the following reservation : " Lot No. 17, 3 chains wide and 5 chains and 20
894
HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.
links long, is set apart as a meeting-house and parsonage lot, forever."
David White came from Palmyra, New York, in 1-31, and brought his family in 1832. Ile was the founder of the Town and the active promoter ol is welfare while he lived. He built the first mills in the settlement upon the Ottawa River, near his residence, and in busi- ness and educational matters was one of the foremost men of the Town. Among his many interests none lay so near his heart as the Church ot his choice. in which total abstinence from all intoxicating liquors was made a con- dition of membership. This is quite remark- able considering that liquor was so freely used by Church people and even Ministers in those days. But the Church adopted the abstinence pledge " by a unanimous vote."
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