The points at which the first settlements in this township were made cannot now be ascertained, at least the writer has not been able to obtain the necessary information to locate them with certainty.  The first settlement is believed to have been made by John Baker on Sunfish creek on the farm so long owned, afterward, by Isaac Barrett, and now owned by Hayes Burkhead.  Several improvements were made between the years 1805 and 1812 - perhaps none before 1805.  Between those years John Baker, John Winland, Levin Okey, Peter Palmer and others settled and made improvements.  John Baker, as above stated; John Winland, on Sunfish creek, where his son Henry now lives; Levin Okey on the farm now owned by his grandson; Woodman Okey and Peter Palmer on the Patterson, or Pope place.   Levin Okey was accompanied, it is believed, by some of his sons, and all of them soon became residents of the township.  They were, Cornelius, Arthur, Woodman, James and Henry, none of whom now survive.  By reference to the history of the town of Woodsfield, many of the names of the first settlers will be found.  In addition to those already named, the names of Elias and Joseph Jeffries, Jesse and Abraham Jackson, William Griffith, Martin Baker and others might be added.  The descendants of Levin Okey have had, and still have, a prominent place in the social and political history of the county as well as the township; he, himself, was for many years a justice of the peace in Belmont county, and was a member of the first board of commissioners for that county under the constitution of 1802.  After his removal to this county his daughter Sarah died, about the year 1812, and was buried in the present cemetery at Woodsfield, being the first interment there, and probably the first in the township.  So few were then the inhabitants that but seven persons were at the funeral, apart from the immediate family.  In marked contrast was the funeral of her father, Levin Okey who died June 21, 1829, at which there were over two hundred persons.  Elizabeth Okey, mother of Levin Okey, died Feb. 7, 1824, in the 103d year of her age, and his wife on the 7th of February, 1829.  These were amongst the first deaths in the township.  There are other graves in the cemetery, evidently of early date, but the lettering on the stones that mark them is so corroded by time as to be illegible.  Cornelius Okey, (father of Judge William Okey and Judge John W. Okey), and Hannah Wier were married in Belmont county, Feb. 6, 1805, by David Ruble, justice of the peace, and moved to this township about the year 1812.
     On account of the burning of the court house, in 1867, there are no records in the probate office of early marriages.  Amongst the first were those of Joseph Gadd one of the first auditors of the county, and a Miss Henthorn; Daniel O'Connor and Rebecca Carrothers, and Elijah Patterson and Sarah Minor.  Probably the first child born in the township was Sarah Jeffries, a daughter of Elias and Deborah (Jackson) Jeffries, Sept. 25, 1816.  These are given from the best information now obtainable, but not very reliable.
     Centre township contains nearly forty-two square miles or sections, and embraces parts of original township 4 and 5 of range 5, and parts of townships 5 and 6, of range 6.  Sunfish creek flows through its northern part, and branches of the Little Muskingum drain the southern portion.  Baker, Grassy and Death forks empty into Sunfish on the north, and Standing Stone run on the south.  Professor Andrews says:  "The iron ore found in the red shales west of Woodsfield is very pure and excellent, and the iron made from it would be admirably adapted to the manufacture of Bessemer steel.
     The township is central in the county, and his bounded on the north by Malaga and Sunsbury townships, on the east by Adams and Greene, on the south by Greene, Perry and Wayne, and on the west by Wayne and Summit.
     Probably the first grist mill erected in the township was built by Jacob Winland, and afterward known as Minor's mill, now gone to decay.  Winland afterwards built a mill on the site where the Clingan mill now stands, and also one where is now the Pfalzcraft mill.  The Cisne mill, now gone, built by Stephen Cisne, was a short distance below the Minor Mill, and still further down the creek John Winland erected the first saw mill, to which he attached a grist ill some time afterward.  These mills were all on Sunfish creek.  Prior to 1820 a grist mill was built by Jesse Jackson on Crane's Nest Creek, where Steed's mill is now situated.  A fulling mill attached to the Minor mill at an early date.  Jeremiah Hollister had a horse-power carding machine in operation, in Woodsfield, about the year 1830, or before.
     As has already been said, in the history of the county seat, the town of Woodsfield was laid out in 1812.  Much of its history has already been given, but some corrections, or rather additions, should be here made.  Mrs. Clarinda Ford, wife of Thomas Ford, Mrs. Eliza Craig, relict of James Guthrie, and a daughter of Robert Naylor, were residents of Woodsfield prior to 1826.  They are still living within the corporation, but not within the original plat of the town.  The first school teachers in the town were Mrs. Hunter, Joseph Gadd, a Mr. Miles, Seneca S. Salisbury, a Mr. Thomas, Philip Darby, Robert F. Naylor, William Craig and Edward Salisbury, but in what order of time they taught cannot now be given.  Jeremiah Hollister is believed to have taught one of the first schools, if not the first, in the township, on the Levin or Arthur Okey farm north of town.  A school was taught on Crane's Nest creek, about 1819, by a Mr.  Crosbay, and afterwards by Evan Rodgers.  The early schools in Woodsfield were almost all taught in the first court house, where was also used as a place for religious services by all denominations, as well as for public meetings of all kinds.  A brick school house was built on lot No. 104, in Woodsfield, in 1831, and Robert F. Naylor taught school in it the succeeding winter, and Edward Salisbury the following winter.  Some of the schools were taught at the residences of the teachers, and some in buildings that stood on lots Nos. 13 and 19.
     Who were first in the trades usually carried on in villages are not certainly known, but it is known that the following were among the first:  A Mr. Umphrey was the first blacksmith, followed by Joseph Driggs; John Coll, cabinet-maker, who about ruined himself and business trying to invent a perpetual motion; Abner Powell, stone-mason; John King, Wm. Mason and James Shaw, hatters, in the order named; John Heskett, wheelwright, followed by Henry Mason; Daniel O'Connor tailor; James

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Cunningham, saddler; Patrick Adams, brick-maker; Messer Sayres and Reuben Thomas, shoemakers; Elam Patterson, Anson Brewster, David Pierson and John Smyth kept the first stores in the town, but in what order of time the older citizens do not remember.  James Carrothers was the first carpenter.
     Of the church history of the town and township but little reliable information has been obtained.  Prior to the building of the M. E. church in the town, in 1824-5, classes of that denomination were formed, and meetings held in private houses, and of the first members  there were:  Levin Okey and wife, James Cree and wife, Arthur Okey and wife, Wm. Moffitt and wife, Susan Kean and others.  A camp meeting was held about the year 1825, north of town, probably on what is now the infirmary farm.  The  M. E. Church above referred to stood in the northeast corner of the cemetery lot.  It was a fair-sized frame building for those early days.  Revs. Isaac Reynolds and Andrew Coleman were the first ministers.  The Presbyterians had started preaching about that time, and, at an early day, erected a church about four miles west of town, and known as the Buchanan Church.  Sabbath schools were organized by the Presbyterians and Methodists about 1825-6, in Woodsfield.  The Methodists, in 1836 or 1837, built a brick church on lot No. 10, which, some years ago, was torn down, and the present building erected.  The Methodist Protestants erected a church in Woodsfield about 1842-3, now owned by the Presbyterians.  The Christian Church was erected in 1856-7; the German Lutheran Church in 1859 and the Roman Catholic Church about the year 1868.  In the township there are the M. E. Church, the M. P. Church and the Christian Church, on Jackson's Ridge, south of the town; on the west, the Potts M. E. Church; on the north, the Hope Ridge Church, and in the extreme eastern part of the township, the Mt. Carrich M. E. Church.
     The first agricultural fair of the Monroe County Agricultural Society, was held at Woodsfield, in 1851.  President Benjamin Hughes; Secretary, James R. Morris  The present President James Watson, and the present Secretary, William  H. Simmons.
     The town of Woodsfield was incorporated in 1834, but no proceedings of the council can be found until 1836, when Henry Johnson, (of the Indian story hereinbefore narrated), was elected mayor, Jacob Headlee, recorder, and Wm. F. Hunter, Giles Brooks, Henry Mason, Joel F. Randolph and John M. Lacey, members of the council.  David Kirkbride was appointed treasurer, and Wm. Morris, marshal.  The subsequent mayors, in the order of time were, Wm. Steel, Edward Archbold, Jacob Headlee, James Cunningham, Thos. West, J. G. Fleming, W. G. Perry, James R. Morris, R. A. Rutter, Lewis Shipley, James Mitchell, John Davenport, John A. Davenport, S. P. Jones, Wm. F. Hunter, W. T. Sinclair, M. Morrow, H. B. Hill, S. Grimshaw, H. B. Hill, W. T. Sinclair, S. Grimshaw, E. Salisbury, H. R. Mason, and J. W. Doherty, present incumbent.  The recorders for the same time were:  Jacob Headlee, F. Gale, Wm. Craig, James Smith, Reuben Powell, H. M. Boggess, Isaac Yoho, J. A. Davenport, H. M. Boggess, H. A. Rutter, M. Morrow, Jas. R. Morris, J. B. Noll, Daniel Waiton, J. D. Stauver, J. O. Amos, W. H. Simmons, M. Hoeffler, T. O. Little and Geo. P. Dorr, present incumbent.  The other present officers of the town are as follows:  Council, Robert Pope, Geo. Ketterer, J. P. Spriggs, J. P. Farquar, A. J. Pearson and Fritz Buckio; treasurer, Fritz Reef; marshal, Wm. Lang; street commissioner, Andrew Deiter.
     Woodsfield is in latitude 39° 44' 45", and longitude 4°  12 west from Washington.  The first mail to arrive at the town was on teh 25th of September, 1815.  Amos B. Jones was the first postmaster, and was succeeded, in 1818, by Anson Brewster and then David Kirkbride, Wm. Steel, J. G. Fleming, Mrs. Catharine McMahon, Mrs. Hannah Fleming, Miss Virginia F. Randolph, and Miss N. E. Sinclair, the present incumbent.  The only other postoffice in the township is Mt. Carrick, on its extreme eastern side.
     An unintentional error has been committed in not giving the name of Judge Benjamin Ruggles, of St. Clairsville, as one of hte original proprietors of Woodsfield.  He was eighteen years United States Senator from this State, and his sister, Mrs. Mary Driggs, with her husband, Ezra Driggs, and family, were among the first residents of the town, having settled there in 1817.  She lived in the county until her death at an advanced age.
     According to the census of 1880, the population of Woodsfield was 861, and of the township, including the town, 2,779.  The school statistics for the year ending Aug. 31, 1881, for the township, are as follows:  Total amount of school moneys received within the year, $3,989.84; amount paid teachers, $2,641.75; paid for sites and buildings, $319.56; paid for interest on redemption of bonds, $13.99; fuel, etc., $390.80; balance on hand, September 1, 1881, $623.74; No. of sub-districts and sub-divisions of separate districts, 15; No. of school houses, 15; value of school property, $7,5,00; No. of teachers necessary, 15; average wages of teachers per month, gentlemen, $26.00, ladies, $17.00.  Total number of pupils enrolled, 637.
     School statistics for Woodsfield:  Amount of school moneys received within the year, $12,206.48; amount paid teachers, primary, $1,-040.00;  high, $800.00; building repairs, $20.40; paid for interest and redemption of bonds; $8,183.97; fuel, etc., $281.62; balance on hand Sept. 1, 1881, $1,880. 49; No. of school houses, 1; No. of rooms, primary, 5; high, 1; value of school property, $12,000; No. of teachers, primary, ladies, 5; high, gentlemen, 1; average wages of teachers per month, ladies, primary, $26.00; gentlemen, high, $100.00; total No. of pupils enrolled, 220.
     It is to be regretted that there are no records to show who were the first officers of the township.  They have been either lost or destroyed.  The present board of trustees are:  Milton Reddin, Michael Lang and Cornelius Belt; clerk, George P. Dorr; treasurer, Fred'k Diehl; justices of the peace, F. M. Beard and Joseph Brown.

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