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church increased in numbers and power, and extensive improvements were again made to the building.  In the fall of 1881, Rev. Mr. Wilson resigned, much to the regret of his flock, who had become warmly attached to him, and who rejoiced in his success as a minister in this, his first field of labor.
     Rev. George J. E. Richards, the present pastor, was called Feb. 8th, 1882, and continues to labor for this church that was founded in the wilderness and has outlived all its early adherents except Elder Solomon Hayward, whose name appears among its trustees as far back as 1825, and who is still to be seen reverently engaged in worship, nearly every Sabbath morning, his bowed head and silver locks ripening for the glorious harvest, for which he patiently waits.
     The church now (July, 1882), has a membership of two hundred.  The present trustees are W. G. Fuller, Dr. W. S. Newton, E. L. Menager, Martin Brown and John L. Guy.  The elders are Solomon Hayward, W. G. Fuller, H. A. McGonagle, D. S. Ford and W. T. Minturn.  The prospects of the church are the best they have ever been, with flourishing Sabbath-school and prayer meeting and excellent harmony among the members and officers.  The present enrollment of the Sabbath-school is two hundred and twenty-five.

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

     An historical memoir of this society is given in the following extract from their committee's report, read before them at their jubilee held May 28th, 1882:
     The first Methodist preaching in this vicinity was by the Rev. Henry Baker, about the year 1817, at the residence of Ahaz S. Morehouse - a log house located at the mouth of Mill creek, then outside the corporation.  The reception of the Methodist itinerant was through the instrumentality of his wife, Lucinda Sisson Morehouse, the sister of Stephen Sisson, who is not living at Gallipolis, in the eighty-eighth year of his age.  A letter from Luther Shepard informs us that the rowdies were so troublesome that the minister stated that Mr. M. could not have services there any longer, and unless some one else would open their house he could not come again.  Calvin Shepard was present, and although not then a member, gave them an invitation to hold services at his house, and from that time they continued to hold regular services.  The persecutions of those times were infamous, and many of the incidents are too foul and revolting to find a place in this record.  The perpetrators were not all rowdies, and Satan himself seemed to control public sentiment form those high in religious as well as in civil authority, down to the lowest in society, against the despised Methodists.  It was considered fatal to every good to become a Methodist, and these opinions were enforced by stones and eggs and filth.  Vehicles were thrown over the river bank, harness and saddles cut and smeared, and persons passing to and from the meetings were subjected to every annoyance.  There are men and women living that, when children, were dubbed with the execrable title of "little Methodists."  When Mr. Calvin Shepard opened his house to methodism he invited annoyances and abuse, and he deserves an everlasting monument for the firmness with which he braved the storm, and stuck to the ship.  The largest memorial window in the church is deservedly decorated to his memory.  His house was not only the home of Methodism for many years, but a welcome rest for God's embassadors.  His name is found conspicuously in all the old records, and it is said that at one time he mortgaged his house to pay urgent claims against the church.  The original class consisted of "John Knapp and wife, Calvin Shepard, Mahala Shepard, Chris. Randall and wife, Stephen Sisson, Mary Varian, and her two daughters, Abigail and Matilda;" and of these only one is living, viz: Stephen Sisson.  The society was speedily strengthened by the addition of James Hanson, Sarah Drouillard, Father Smithers of precious memory, and others.  In 1820, under the labors of John and William Kent, a revival added twenty-five or thirty more.  When the growing congregation could not be accommodated in the house, he applied for the school house, but a leading spirit in one of the churches opposed his petition, and it was denied.  He then applied for the courthouse, but a leading official of the State stood up against him and that was denied.  He then turned his attention to his barn, and hauled plank from his brick yard and made seats, and with plenty of room and a pure gospel, the little church prayed and prospered.  At that time there was but one Methodist church in the county, a log house at Bethel.  Now there are forty-six.
     The circuit, of which this was but one appointment, extended from Letart Falls, thirty-six miles above us, to Wheelersburg, eight miles below, embracing large territory on both sides of the river.  Just what was its boundary, if it had any, we are unable to determine.
     In 1821 the first church was built.  It stood on ground now occupied by the parsonage, and the deed for the lot dates from May 7, 1793, from George Washington by Thomas Jefferson to Rufus Putnam, Rev. Manassah Cutler, Robert Oliver, and Griffin Green, for Ohio Company.  Rufus Putnam and others to Return Jonathan Meigs, in trust for French inhabitants; Dec. 26, 1796, Fearing and Meigs to Lewis Le Clercq; July 30, 1811, Lewis Le Clercq and wife to Anthony Maguet; June 2, 1821, Anthony Maguet and wife to trustees of Methodist Episcopal church, viz:
Calvin Shepard, Daniel Cowls, Christopher Randall, Moses Brown and John Knapp.  For which was paid a consideration of $150 in specie.
     Beginning with Jan. 18, 821, we have the record of the trustees carefully written up to July, 1849.  The first entry contains a list of the members and adherents of the Methodist church, and a list comprises fifty-one names.  The second entry is a copy of notice given for a meeting of the members of the church, "on Monday, the 5th day of February, at 9 o'clock A. M., then and there to elect trustees for said society."  Rev. James Gilruth presided, and Calvin Shepard was elected secretary.  His minutes, both in penmanship, neatness and care show that he made a good one.  The trustees elected were Calvin Shepard, John Knapp, Moses Brown, Daniel Cowls and Christopher Randall. 
     The first church edifice, built in 1821, was 44 by 50 feet, one story, brick, and ceiling 12 feet high.  After occupying this building about twenty-eight years, a storm blew the roof off, and otherwise damaged the property.  The trustees resolved to repair, but it was found that it would cost $350 to make the necessary repairs, and the idea was abandoned.  At a meeting held Apr. 16, 1849, it was resolved to build a new church, and after canvassing the community the soliciting committee reported $1,398.50 subscribed.  A committee of ladies was appointed, and at a subsequent meeting "it was found," says the record, "that they had enlarged our subscription over $200."  The record contains a list of the subscribers, with the several amounts marked as in modern times, paid or not paid, as the case was.  The building was of brick, 40 by 60 feet, inside measurement, two stories high, basement 9 feet high, upper story 16 feet, vestibule 8 feet wide; 4 class-rooms 12 feet square; lecture room 23 by 40 feet.  The cost of this building, as near as we can ascertain, was $1,675.  The pastor was Rev. W. T. Hand.  The presiding elder was Rev. John Stewart.

LIST OF MINISTERS FROM 1817 TO 1882 - LETART FALLS CIRCUIT

NAMES OF PRESIDING ELDERS FROM 1816 TO 1882

     The new church which is now occupied was begun in the summer of 1875, under the pastorate of Rev. C. D. Battelle, with Rev. J. W. Dillon presiding elder.  The building committee was D. Y. Smithers, John T. Halliday, and J. W. Gardner.  The records of the time are accessible, and will give full information concerning members of the official board. and of the church, subscribers to the church, and all the items necessary to be preserved.  During the interim between the destruction of the old church and the occupancy of the new, the congregation worshipped in the court-house, which was secured from the commissioners by the clerk of the court, W. H. H. Sisson.
     Jan. 1, 1876, the membership and friends of the church, headed by the board and the pastor, marched into the completed basement of the new church, Brother Battelle leading the congregation, with the long metre doxology.  The audience room was completed, and June 25, 1876, the church was dedicated by Bishop R. S. Foster.
     The measurement of the church is 70x86 feet, with a lecture room 45x50, six class rooms and a vestibule below.  The upper room is equal to about 70 feet square; comfortable seating capacity, 700, with a gallery seating 150.  Steeple, 150 feet high, an the bell hangs 80 feet from the pavement.  The church speaks for itself.  Brother T. S. Ford was the architect.  Its value is estimated at about $25,000.  In April, 1882, the society was free from debt.

THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

     In 1840-41, Rev. James B Goodwin, a missionary of the Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Virginia, held occasional services in the Court

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