ITS LOCATION AND EXTENT OF DOMAIN

     This township lies in the extreme northeast corner of Athens County, is six miles from north to south, and five miles from east County, is six miles from north to south, and five miles from east to west, and contains only thirty sections of land, or 19,200 acres, the eastern tier of sections having been set off to Washington County in 1807.  The general nature of the county is hilly and broken, yet a large portion of its land cannot be surpassed for fertility.  It is well watered by Federal Creek and Sharp's Fork, both of which traverse it from north to south, and their are several smaller creeks which flow into them.  Besides these there are innumerable springs all over the township.
     The township has been exclusively settled by farmers and stock-raisers, there being no town or village within its borders, and as yet it has no postoffice - probably accounted for by its ample accommodations through postoffices in its borders.

METES AND BOUNDS

     It is bounded on the north by Morgan County, on the east by Washington County, on the south by Rome Township, and on the west by Ames.  It was originally till 1828, consequently much of its early history will be found in connections with that township.

FROM THE RECORDS

     Bern was set off from Ames township by the county commissioners Mar. 3, 1828, and the electors were directed to meet at

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the house of John Henry on the first Monday of April to elect township officers.  The following is a list of its officers from its organization to the present date inclusive:

TRUSTEES.

     1828-'30, John Henry, James Dickey, John Wickham;
     1831-'3. John Henry, David James, Jeffrey Buchanan;
     1834, Dyar Selby, Sen., John Wickham, J. Dickey;
     1835, W. J. Brown, John Wickham, J. Dickey;
     1836, W. J. Brown, David James, J. Dickey;
     1837, Matthew Henry, David James, J. Dickey;
     1838, Matthew Henry, David James, Wm. J. Brownb;
     1839, Matthew Henry, James Dicket, Wm. J. Brown;
     1840, J. E. Vore, James Dickey, John Work;
     1841, David James, Thornton Swart, John Work;
     1842, David James, James Dickey, Dyar Selby, Jr.;
     1843, Joseph McCune, James Dickey, Dyar Selby, Jr.;
     1844, Joseph McCune, James Dickey, Reuben Hague;
     1845, David James, James Dickey, Reuben Hague;
     1846, Jesse Carr, Dyar Selby, John Work;
     1847, David Colvin, Robert Henry, Wm. Rardin;
     1848, David Colvin, Levi ellis, Wm. Rardin;
     1849, David Colvin, Edward Ginn, Calvin Tracy;
     1850, James Henry, Edward Ginn, J. E. Vore;
     1851, Lewis Dille, Reuben Hague, Calvin Tracy;
     1852, Lewis Dille, Edward Ginn, Calvin Tracy;
     1853, Andrew Ogg, P. W. Lampson, J. E. Vore;
     1854, Andrew Ogg, J. S. King, J. E. Vore;
     1855, H. C. Selby, J. S. King, John Whaley;
     1854, H. C. Selby, P. W. Lampson, David Gilchrist;
     1857, David James, Edward Ginn, David Gilchrist;
     1858, Levi Rardin, J. M. Smith, George Wyatt;
     1859, Clark Dodds, W. Endicott, George Wyatt;
     1860, Dyar Selby, W. Endicott, H. T. McCune;
     1861, H. C. Selby, W. Endicott, W. W. Wickham;
     1862, Dyar Selby, Thomas Dickson, W. W. Wickham;
     1863, E. Hanson, Thomas Dickson, W. W. Wickham;
     1864; O. Gifford, Thomas Dickson, W. Endicott;
     1865; Levi Rardin, Thomas Dickson, W. Endicott;
     1866, H. C. Selby, Thomas Dickson, W. Endicott;
     1867, H. C. Selby, L. Driggs, Elijah Hanson;
     1868, S. J. Wells, Elijah White, Elijah Hanson;
     1869, Elijah Hanson, D. W. Lambert, George E. Henry;
     1870, Elijah Hanson, W. M. Marquis, D. W. Lambert;
     1871, W. Endicott, D. W. Lambert, Wm. M. Marquis;
     1872, W. Endicott, H. T. McCune, Wm. M. Marquis;
     1873, Charles Henry, G. H. Moore, G. W. Armstrong;
     1874-'5, Henry Broadwell, George H. Moore, G. W. Armstrong;
     1876, Henry Broadwell, Wm. M. Marquis, G. W.

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Armstrong;
     1877, A. C. Smith, Wm. M. Marquis, Abner Lambert;
     1878, A. C. Smith, John Marquis, Abner Lambert;
     1879, A. C. Smith, Abner Lambert, H. Broadwell;
     1880, A. C. Smith, Charle Henery, Elijah Hanson;
     1881, Charles Henry, C. B. McCune, Elijah Hanson;
     1882, C. B. McCune, J. R. Wickham, Daniel Parkins, Jr.;
     1883, J. R. Wickham, Isaac Armstrong, J. A. Marquis.

JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.

EARLY SETTLERS.

     Among the early settlers of Bern Township were:  John Henry, a native of Ireland, who came here in 1817; John Wickham, a native of Vermont; David and Daniel James, and Philip W. Lampson settled here in 1820; James Dickey, of Pennsylvania, and of Irish descent, in 1821.  These with a few others, perhaps, formed the nucleus of what is now a prosperous and enterprising community, and by hard labor, undergoing trials which the present generation know nothing of, developed what was then a dense wilderness, turning it from its natural state into luxuriant fields of grain and grass, dotted over with pleasant residences and substantial farm buildings.

MINERAL DEPOSITS.

     There are valuable deposits of coal and iron in the township, and when properly developed will become a source of great wealth.

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A railroad by which the coal could be cheaply transported to the different markets is all that is needed to make Bern Township one of the busy coal fields of the Hocking Valley.  Such a road is in anticipation, and has been surveyed, running through the township from north to south along the valley of Federal Creek and Sharp's Fork of the same.  There also exists an excellent quality of salt water and in such quantities as would justify its being worked.

CHURCHES.

     Methodist Protestant Valley Church was organized in 1856 with seven charter members, to-wit:  John Whaley, Lucy Whaley, David Whaley, Sarah Whaley, Watson Harris, Nancy Harris and Sarah Vanzant.  At its organization the Rev. Henry Lawson became its first Pastor.  The house in which they worship was built the same year of their organization, and the church has been blessed with much good and a large membership, it numbering at one time eighty-six members.  Its present membership is twenty-one, and the pastorate is under the charge of Rev. Luman.

     The Methodist Episcopal Church

     United Brethren - Mt. Herman. - This

     Westland Church was organized

     Mt. Carmel Church was organized by Rev. Phillips its first Pastor, in 1881, with then members, as follows:  Lewis Dille and wife, Albert Brooks and wife, F. W. Taylor and wife, Wm. Wanless and

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wife, Joseph Harris and Clyde Harris.  Its present Pastor is Rev. Wm. Burnsworth.

     The Universalists organized a church in 1860, and among the first members were:  John Wickham and wife,T. Crippen and wife, Warner Wickham and wife, Mrs. Oldcraft and Mrs. Ogg.  Its first pastor was Rev. F. Jones, and the pulpit is now occasionally supplied by Rev. McMasters, of Marrietta.

SCHOOLS

BIOGRAPHICAL.

JAMES CARTER - 705
RICHARD EDGERTON - 705
RICHARD ELLIOTT - 706
LORENZO ELLIS - 706
WASHINGTON ENDICOTT - 706
EDWIN F. GLAZIER - 707
W. R. GODDARD - 707
CHARLES HENRY - 707
DAVID HENRY - 708
GEORGE E. HENRY - 708
CAPTAIN ROBERT HENRY - 709
MATHEW HENRY - 709
LORENZO LOVELL - 710
CHARLES B. McCUNE - 710
AARON OGG - 711
ANDREW J. OGG - 711
WARREN W. SELBY - 712
EZRA H. WOLFE - 712
JOSEPH H. WOLFE - 712
[PORTRAIT OF JEREMIAH ILES]
GEORGE WYATT - 713