USA > Pennsylvania > Susquehanna County > Centennial history of Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania > Part 70
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In the northeastern part, of the township, above "Dutch Hill," the first settlement was made in 1812 by Zephaniah Cornell. A part of his farm of two hundred acres extended into what is now Forest Lake. In 1828 he sold the lower part to Marvin Hall, and moved to what is now called " Cornell Hill," but returned to the old homestead, where he died Dceember 8, 1871, at the ripe age of uearly eighty-nine years. His son, S. D. Cornell, occupied the Forest Lake plaee until his death, in 1881, aged seventy-four years. Lower down the road, David Sherer and his son-in-law, John Robert- son, located before the close of 1815, coming from New Hampshire. Sherer bought the Henry Wallbridge farm, on which he lived until 1837, when he sold out to E. Jagger and moved to Dimock, where he died in 1846, aged eighty-seven years. He left Ireland when a lad five years of age, and coming to America, entered the Revolutionary army at the age of eighteen years. He was at the battle of Still- water, the surrender of Burgoyne and at Valley Forge. In his religious professions he was a Presbyterian, and the last fifty-five years of his life was a consistent member of that church. His son John became a Presbyterian minister. William was a physician, who died in Keu- tucky. James and Samuel became residents of Dimock. His daughter, Mary, became a Mrs. Baldwin and was a pioneer teacher. John Robertson lived first on the Steiger farm, west of his last location, the homestead of his son Willian, where he died in 1877. Of his nine children,-David became a resident of Spring- ville ; Warner moved to Bradford County ; William is on the homestead; Milton is a eitizen of Montrose and Samuel of Elmira. Hannah married Jason Arnold ; Mary, David Patterson ; Helen, Dr. P. A. Bissell, of Mahanoy, and Rhoda died a maiden.
Among other settlers along the Wyalusing, in 1813, were Buekingham Stuart and Isaac Hart, who came all the way from Vermont on foot. The former was a millwright and fol- lowed his trade a number of years, locating, in 1819, on the place on which David Doud had lived after 1801, being the first Miner improve- ment, made in 1799. The previous oceupant
1 Miss Blackman.
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
was Levi S. Agard, whose sister Stuart had married. Both have deccased, the husband having been more than ninety years old. In 1813 Nathaniel Stuart, the father of Bueking- ham, located on the Wyalusing, below Foster's. His son, Nathan, returned to Vermont and there lost his wife and four daughters, by drowning in a freshet. One of the daughters of Na- thaniel Stuart became the wife of Cyrus Whip- ple His son, Abraham, died in Auburn, and Isaac in Iowa.
Prior to 1813 John Blaisdell, from Massa- chusetts, located on Porter Ridge, where he reared sons, named John, James, William and Timothy, all of whom have deceased. James Cook located lower down the Ridge, on the Cyrus Sheets farm, and Israel Birchard was above, coming from Forest Lake, where he had settled in 1801. He died in 1818, aged fifty- three years. Of his eight sons, Horace lived in Forest Lake; Lucius lived in Montrose ; Pliny, Harry A., Jesse, Upson, Ralph and Lyman lived in Jessup many years. The descendants became very numerous.
Jonas Fuller, a millwright, came from Vermont in 1813, but did not locate his lands until the following year, when he purchased one hundred acres on the line between Jessup and Dimock. He subsequently removed to Auburn, where he became an octogenarian. One time, in passing between Elk Lake and the Wyalusing, he met a wolf and neither was aware of the other's presence until they were only a few feet apart, when Fuller raised his arms and gave a loud yell, which so frightened the wolf that it turned and ran away. At that time Champlin Harris was boarding at Fuller's, and spent much of his time hunting and trap- ping, catching at least a dozen bears and wolves. He was later a settler in Jessup, on the Samuel Warner place.
ORLANDO W. STONE .- Benajah Stone was a captain in the Revolutionary War, and lived and died in Litchfield County, Conn. One son, Benajah, died in Michigan, where he had settled ; Isaac died in Indiana ; and Lorry Stone, born on the homestead in Connecticut, settled in Jessup township on a wilderness tract of land in the year 1814, where he spent the re-
mainder of his life and died in 1871, in hiseighty- third year. His wife, Permelia Mallory, died in 1846, aged fifty-four years. Her father, Truman Mallory, of Litchfield County, was also in the Revolutionary War. Lorry Stone took up one hundred and seventy-seven acres, the present farm of his son, Orlando W. He rented the old Turrell mill on South Creek and carried on the lumbering business for several years, cutting timber from his own land and buying quantities elsewhere. He also rented Foster's mill on Wyalusing Creek, where he conducted a large lumber business for that early day. He was very industrious, paid for his farm and settled a homestead for his children. He paid little attention to politics, but held several township offices. His eldest daughter, Adaline, wife of Asbury Woolsey, died in Bradford County in 1863. Lorenzo is a resident of Silver Lake township. Orlando W. was born May 19, 1820. George L. commanded a company in the late Rebellion, was in the battle of Chancellorsville under General Hooker, and was wounded at Gettys- burg. Returning home, he was commissioned postmaster at Montrose, which office he held over four years, when he settled at New Mil- ford, where he has served as justice of the peace for several years. Caroline A. is the wife of Mervin Barber, of Chautauqua County, N. Y., who was also a soldier in the late Rebellion. Charles H. served as corporal in his brother's company, was wounded at Gettysburg and is a farmer in Nebraska. Stanley was a cavalryman under Generals Sheridan and Kilpatrick, and was in the service three years. He was also wounded during the preliminary fighting before Gettysburg ; was captured near Richmond and sent to Libby Prison, where he remained until so redneed in flesh that he was unable to stand upon his feet. He was then sent to the rebel hospital, where he remained until exchanged, just before the close of the war. He is a farmer and carpenter in Franklin township.
Orlando W. Stone in boyhood learned what he could from books at the school then located on his father's farm, and was a teacher. He married, in 1846, Lucretia H. (1824-83), daughter of Levi Wells, of Dimock. The
0 W. Stone
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JESSUP.
Wells family came from Connecticut. Levi Wells' motlier escaped with her mother and children to the Delaware at the time of the Wyoming massacre, where her father and oldest brother were killed by the Indians. The only surviving child of Orlando W. and Lucretia H. Stone is George A., born November 19, 1871. For his second wife he married, in 1884, Mrs. Hannah (Devine) Hibbard, of Rush township, who was born in 1831. Her children are Wil- liam Elbert, of Montrose ; Amelia J., Etna J. and Simon A. Hibbard. Her parents were John (1801-40) and Jemima (Shoemaker) (1799-1871) Devine, who settled in Ruslı township in 1830, on Devine Ridge. For one year after his first marriage Mr. Stone resided at Dimock, and then returned and bought the farm just south of his present homestead. After ten years he purchased the homestead farm, where he has since resided. He was assessor of the township for seven years and has held several township offices. He is one of the stockholders of the Montrose Railway, and is a thoroughly practical and successful farmer and business man. He is a liberal giver to all reli-, gious and charitable enterprises.
South of this place Nathan Eastman made some improvements, which became the property: of Truman Walker in later years. He was the father of James R. Walker, who died in the army, and of William R., now occupying the liomestead. The first settler on that road was James Young, a native of Scotland, who came in 1819, with the intention of settling in Silver Lake, having heard flattering accounts of the lands of Dr. Rose, but upon reaching the place of J. W. Robinson, in what is now Dimock, he was induced to purchase land belonging to the Wallace estate (now in Jessup), about three- fourths of a mile west of B. Mckenzie. Here his family occupied a log house, without a door, as many had done before them. Such hardships, however, seem not to have shortened the lives of the pioneers; Mr. Young lived to be seventy- three, and his wife, who died in 1862, nineteen years later, was over ninety years of age.
In this part of the township a colony of people from New Jersey settled about 1883. Among them was Benjamin Shay, of Sussex 23}
County, who bought the David Turrell farm, which was, at that time, one of the best improved in this part of the country. He died here in 1876, more than seventy-six years old. His child- ren were Dennis, living in New Milford ; John, died in Jessup ; David and A. W., living on the homestead ; George T., in Nebraska ; Betsey E., married H. C. Bertholf, of Jessup ; Han- nah E., the wife of Hiram Whitney : Sarah E., wife of J. B. McKeeby and Mary, wife of D. S. McKeeby, also from New Jersey. On "Fire Hill," in the southwestern part of the township, settlements were also made by natives of New Jersey and New York. The improvements made by the Hart brothers, in 1812, werc purchased by Samuel Bertholf, the father of H. C. Bertholf, now occupying the place, which, from its location, is not inappropriately called "Lightly Home." Southwest lived William Cronk, the father of John Cronk, residing on the Samuel Roberts place. Other sons live in Rush township. John Bedell, another native of New Jersey, settled here in 1842, remaining until his death, in 1877, at the age of seventy- seven years. Several of his sons still live in that locality.
In 1814 Benajah Chatfield came from Ver- mont and settled on the second clearing of Charles Miner, now occupied by Lyman Pickett, where he died in 1835, aged seventy-three years. His widow died in December, 1843, aged seventy- eight years. His son Abel lived on the homestead until his death, not quite forty years ago. He was married to Sophronia Tupper, and one of their daughters, Adelia C., is the wife of Charles Bolles ; Victoria married L. B. Pickett. Natlı- an Tupper lived in the upper part of the town- ship, and was killed by the falling of a limb from a tree. He had nine children besides the youngest daughter, Sophronia, who married Abel Chatfield. Among the sons were Lorain, Jehiel and Harry. On the Matthew McKeeby farm Salmon Bradshaw settled in 1814, but removed to Dryden, New York. Christopher Sherman, a Revolutionary soldier, came to the same neighborhood the same time and died here in 1835. His sons were Jonathan C., Jesse and Abel.
In the neighborhood cast, John A. Patch
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
settled in 1816 and died in the township in March, 1840. His son, Joseph H., moved to Forest Lake, and Benjamin L., the youngest, moved to Carroll County, Ill., where he was elected president judge. Farther south lived Jacob and John Bump, but they removed at an early day.
1 George Clagget made the first improvement on the corner where Dr. N. P. Cornwell has been located since 1837. It was a part of Col. Turrell's farm ; Curtis Bliss owned it in 1820. The latter and John Shelp went through West- ern New York on a tour of exploration abont this time, and, in a letter soon after published in Waldie's Messenger (at Montrose), he says,-
" As to the soil we are satisfied from what we saw, and from the information we received of the amount of crops raised where we have been, that if we and our neighbors will cultivate our soil as it ought to be cultivated, there are few places which we have seen on our route that will be able to claim a superiority over us as to quantity of produce, and certainly none as to value."
Two of his neighbors took nearly the same route, soon after, to judge for themselves of the correctness of Mr. Bliss' statements, and add,-
"Though our soil generally is not equal to some that may be found westward, yet, independent of the sickness interrupting the labors of a farmer on the flats, our crops, acre for acre, are worth much more here than there. There is one thing well known to all the settlers in our country-that the soil here is very lasting-for the oldest farms, when ploughed and properly cultivated, produce the best crops, better than new lands."
Mr. Bliss states,-
"I have been in thirteen States in the Union, and in comparison with all the parts that I have seen (taking into view the price of land and the uncommon healthiness of this county), I can truly say I think there is every reason for the inhabitants of Susque- hanna County to be satisfied with it."
On Porter Ridge and in the northwestern part of the township a new class of settlers came in after 1835, generally purchasing the improve- ments made by the first settlers. Among these were Wakeman C. Handrick and his wife, Urania Stone, who had been reared in Forest Lake. They bought the Rufus Robbins place in 1837, and still live there. They
reared the following children : George J., living in the southern part of Forest Lake; Edgar L., a physician at Friendsville ; Oscar S., of Scranton ; Elmina J., married William Clark, and lives on the homestead ; and Sophronia L., the wife of Lester Turrell, of Forest Lake.
On the farm next below, Joseph Marsh lived a long time, but moved to Bradford County, and the place passed into the hands of Frederick Dayton, who was married to So- phironia Stone, also of Forest Lake. Their sons were Watson (living south of the home- stead), Canfield and Clark. Eastward was the Henry Dewees place; and on the late Van Dyke farm was Jonathan Caswell. Farther south, on the ridge, Elder William Brand, a Baptist minister, settled in 1832, and lived there until his removal to the West. One of his daughters became the wife of the Rev. Justin A. Smith, D.D., a distinguished divine of Chicago, in which city she died, in 1871. The Elder Brand farm passed into the hands of Dr. William Bissell, and is now owned by his family. He came to the county in 1827, and studied medicine with Dr. Samuel Bissell, of Brooklyn. In November, 1831, he read with Dr. Fraser; then was in practice two years with Dr. Leet, of Friendsville. In 1834 he married Parthenia, a daughter of Adonijah Webster, of Choconut, and settled in the south- ern part of Forest Lake; but in 1838 located on Porter Ridge, where he lived until his death, September, 1863, at the age of eighty years. Three years prior to this he had re- tired from active practice. Mrs. Bissell, born in 1817, still survives, and, with her daughter Jessie, are the only members of the family liv- ing. The latter married Myron B. Helms, and lives opposite the homestead. A son, Alanson, lost his wife in the late Civil War.
Albert Leonard came to Jessup in 1808, being brought here from New York, by John Griffis, when he was but three years of age. He improved a farm in the township, but in 1874 became blind, and has so continued, liv- ing at present with his daughter, Mrs. W. V. Bedell.
The population of the township fluctuated somewhat as the land was taken up, and im-
1 Miss Blackman.
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JESSUP.
migration to the West received attention. following were the taxables in 1847 :
The
Henry Shelp.
Benj. Shay.
Christian Shelp.
Theodore Shay.
Henry C. Shelp.
Dennis Shay.
Jobn Shelp.
Lora Stone.
Thos. Shelp.
Geo. L. Stone.
John Shelp, Jr.
O. W. Stone.
Lucius Steiger.
Edward Torpin.
Granville Bailey.
Martin Granger.
Pbilander Barber.
George Henry.
Lemon Sherman.
Russell Verry.
Marvin Barber.
Wm. Holbrook.
Jonathan C. Sherman.
Albert Woodcock.
Wm. E. Burrows.
John Hancock.
Pliny Birchard.
Marvin Hall.
Harvey Sherman.
Stephen Wolsey.
Israel C. Birchard.
Daniel Hoff.
Andrew V. Stout.
Josephi B. Wolsey.
Elias L. Birchard.
Bartlett Hoff.
Jos. W. Smith.
Henry Walbridge.
Ralph S. Birchard.
John Hoff.
Jesse A. Birchard, .
Harmon Hinds.
L. W. Birchard.
Champion Harrls.
Richard D. Harris.
Harry A. Birchard. Orrin S. Beebe.
Wakeman C. Handrick.
Jos. Backus.
Austin Howell.
Jeremiah Baldwin.
John A. Howell.
Silas Baldwin.
Philemon Harsh, Jr.
Anthony Blackman. Samuel Bertholf. Elkanalı Bolles.
Benj. A. Johnson.
Luke Jagger.
Abel Bolles.
Elias Jagger.
Simon A. Bolles.
Lutber Jagger.
Nelson Bolles.
Daniel Jagger.
James S. Bolles.
Albert Kelsey.
John Blaisdell.
James Lewis.
Jas. S. Blaisdell.
Ebenezer Lathrop.
Wm. Bissell.
Nicholas Lowly.
Jeremiab Meachem.
Minor Brooks.
Jeremiah Martin.
Madison Bostwick.
Robt. Martin.
Clark Burr.
Tbos. Martin.
Geo. Bowman.
Harry Mills.
Caleb Cook.
Clark Mills.
Roswell Cook.
Joseph S. Mitchel.
John Cook. Lewis Card.
George Minkler.
Chas. Crandall.
Matthew McKeeby.
Joel Cogswell.
Matthew McKeeby (2a). Solomon McKeeby.
Abel Chatfield.
D. P. Miller.
John O. Clark.
Ezekiel Maine.
Isaac L. Camp.
B. C. Newcomb.
Samuel A. Caswell.
W. P. Newcomb.
Samnel Newconib.
Parthena C. Newcomb.
George Otis.
Wm. Covert.
Erastus Otis.
Chapman Carrier.
Benj. P. Otis.
Austen W. Carrier. Erastus Cook.
Walter Olmstead.
Richard B. Downer.
Asa Olmstead.
John Dority.
Jos. Parmeter.
Fred. Dayton. Henry Dewees. Stoddard Dewitt.
Wm. L. Post.
Henry Prime.
Levi Dewitt. Chas. Davis.
Jared Pickett.
Henry Davis.
Daniel Pickett.
Benj. Depue.
Samuel Roberts.
Geo. K. Eastman.
Nelson H. Roberts.
Nathan Eastman. Walter Foster.
John Robertson.
E. G. Fessenden.
Win. Robertson.
Thos. Fessenden.
John W. Robertson. John Reynolds. Alpha Reynolds.
H. C. Fairchild.
David Green.
Jacob Green.
Robt. Griffis.
Benj. Sayre.
BUSINESS INTERESTS .-- The oldest interests in the township, aside from the ordinary agri- cultural pursuits, are the grist and saw-mills on the Wyalusing, above Bolles' Flat. The first mill was built in 1799 by Holden Sweet, but before it was set in operation he exchanged property with Abner Griffis, who had the mill till 1804, when he sold out to Jacob Cooley. The latter had settled on the creek half a mile above the mill, and in 1803 built a distillery at that point, which he carried on about seven years. In this period one of his children was drowned in the creek, and another was scalded to death in the still. After having bought the mill he built a dam of poles and took up his residence in the mill building, operating the mill until 1811. He then rented the place two years to D. Lampson, and went to Canada. At the end of that time he returned and built a house on the site of the Edgar Bolles residence, and again left. This house, it is said, was destroyed by the neighbors, who suspected that Cooley was guilty of passing spurious money, and who wanted to free themselves of his presence in the community. After his family had left it was reported that Cooley had met with a violent deatlı for an offence similar to the one he was accused of in Jessup. From him the mill passed into the hands of Jesse Ross, thence to his son, Isaac H., and from him to his brother Perrin. Since that time the owners have been in the order named : Asa and Adolphus Olmstead, Mason Dennison, Samuel Bertholf, Benjamin Depue, Timothy Depue, T. J. Depue, Alanson H. Bolles, and since 1882, J. G. Snow. The property consists
Henry Young.
James D. Allen.
Bartlett Griffis. Mahlon Griffis.
Cbas. Avery.
John Bedell.
John Gerry.
David C. Sberman.
Benj. Van Ess.
Christopher Sherman.
James Vail.
Abel Sbermau.
Jas. Waldie.
Horace Smith.
Samuel Walbridge.
Mathias Smith.
Samuel Walker.
Henry E. Smith.
James Young.
Zeuos Smith.
John Young.
Lucius Smitb.
Jobn Jolinson.
Andrew Bissell. John Bissell.
Sheldon Meachem.
Elijah Mott.
N. P. Cornwell.
Robt. M. Caswell. Corydon Caswell. Jonatban Caswell.
Richard Otis.
David Patterson.
Eben Pickett.
David S. Robertson.
Isaac B. Fessenden. John Fessenden.
Jolin Reynolds (2d). Wm. Smith. Zenos Smith.
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HISTORY OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA.
of eight acres of land, grist-mill with three runs of stones, saw-mills with circular saws, and a cider-mill. The mill is one of the oldest land-marks in the township.
In 1817 Thomas H. Doyle was a cloth- dresser, six miles from Montrose, on the Wyalu- sing road, and in 1818 Isaac H. Ross and Jonathan C. Sherman took the same stand -- the house is now a part of the above mills.
Later, wool-fulling machinery was operated near here by Alonzo P. Kinney, Joseph W. Smith, and last, by John S. Ward. The build- ing which stood on the S. McKeeby place has been removed. Robinson Bolles, the elder, had a small tannery on his farm, and also carried on boot and shoe-making. The business was closed up after his death, in 1842. In the southwestern part of the township W. V. Bedell has for many years carried on an under- taker shop and also manufactured wagons. Lower down the Wyalusing John Bennett had mechanic shops fifteen years, which have not been occupied continuously to carry on wagon- making and blacksmithing.
Near the Bridgewater line were the woolen- mills of John Reynolds,1 which passed away many years ago; then came a saw-mill which, when operated by a man named Gregory, caused his death by his being caught by the machinery. The death of Ethan Russell was also caused by this mill. It is now the property of W. Barron. The Foster saw-mill, lower down the stream, has passed away. It was last used as a wagon-shop by Ralph Birch- ard. Small saw-mills on South Creek, and the Smith mill, on Forest Lake Creek, have also been abandoned. High up the latter stream a small saw-mill, with feed-grinder attached, is operated by N. Andrews.
Porter Ridge post-office was established at the honse of Pliny Birchard, who was the post- master in - Thence it was moved to the house of Austin Lathrop, farther down the road, Robert Griffis being the postmaster. It was discontinued in -.
FAIRDALE, the ouly hamlet in the township, is pleasantly located on the left bank of the
Wyalusing, on "Turrell's Flat," a little above the mouth of South Creek. It contains a church, two stores, post-office, shops, and had in 1880 seventy-five inhabitants. Matthias Smith was one of the settlers whose continuous residence was longest at this place. He lived on the Dimon farm, and for a time had a small distillery. His sons, Zenas and Lncius, also now aged men, are still citizens of Fair- dale. David Olmstead and Richard Otis are also old citizens near the hamlet. '
Dr. Nathaniel P. Cornwell was the first located physician, coming here more than forty years ago. He lived on the corner of the old Colonel Turrell farm until his death, in August, 1883. In the last years of his life he was in- firm and not in active practice. Other practi- tioners have been Drs. G. M. Harrison and A. B. Sherman.
Fairdale post-office was established in 1829, with Asa Olmstead as postmaster, who kept it at his public-house, half a mile below the present hamlet. In 1842 it was re-established, and Daniel Hoff was the postmaster, keeping it at his public-house, higher up the road. Next it was at the store of John Jackson, who was suc- ceeded by Jacob H. Rosencrans, the office having been kept in that building abont twenty years. Since October, 1885, the postmaster has been Oscar C. Downer, merchant and public- house keeper. The building he occupies was erected for tavern purposes, after the Civil War, by Jacob Decker, and was kept by him nntil his death. It was then changed to a store by John and Edward Granger, who traded a few years, Among other merchants was James Martin, who was in business a long time, and also traded at Snow's Mills. The building oc- cupied there was burned down while owned by J. W. Throckmorton. After the Hoff tavern was discontinued, before 1860, the building was used as a chair-factory, and at present a cooper- shop is carried on near this place. Henry Slawson, James Vail and L. E. White have had mechanic shops.
RELIGIOUS .- The Rush Baptist Church was organized in Jessnp in 1831, and for a time the meetings were held in Bolles' school house. This building stood opposite the present school-
1See account of his settlement.
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JESSUP.
house, near the grave-yard, which is one of the oldest in this part of the county. It is said that Nelson Bolles was the first person interred there, when one acre of ground was set aside for burial purposes, and placed in care of trustees Simeon A. Bolles and Daniel Pickett. The grounds have been enlarged by the addi- tion of half an acre, and the cemetery is well kept. In 1886 the trustces were Charles B. Bolles, Peter D. Roe and E. W. Bolles.
The first church building in the township was a small frame meeting-house, which was built about 1841 on the Hall farm, in the northern part of the township, and was used by the Wesleyan Methodists and other denomina- tions. Owing to the changes in the ownership of lands, which brought in a new class of people, the use of the building as a place of worship was soon abandoned, but the house stood until after 1857, and was sometimes used to hold secular meetings.
In the neighborhood of Fairdale the Meth- odist Episcopal Church had a number of ad- herents many years before a regular organiza- tion was effected. After a class was formed, among the members were Marvin Hall, Benja- min Shay, Truman Walker, Diadame Walker, Charity Hall, David Olmstead and wife, Doras Shay and wife. A small meeting-house was built in the hamlet, which was replaced by the present edifice in 1868. It is an attractive structure, with about three hundred sittings, and cost three thousand four hundred dollars. The committee under whose direction it was erccted was composed of Truman Walker, David Olm- stead, Zenas Smith, Marvin Hall and Benjamin Shay. It was formally dedicated in November, 1868, and has since been repaired. The lot has also been supplied with a number of good sheds. In 1886 the trustees of the property were David Olmstead, William R. Walker, Thomas Beanmont and Marvin Hall. In the fall of 1886 a new parsonage was erected oppo- site the church, at a cost of one thousand dol- lars, which is the property of the Fairfield Circuit, formed in 1868, to which these Meth- odists belong. Rev. J. S. Lewis is the present pastor. The membership of the church at Fairdale is one hundred, constituting a class
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