History

This division of the county is bounded on the west by Adair county, on the east by Lincoln township, on the north by Jefferson, and on the south by Grand River.

The surface of this township is rough and broken, and abounds in fine stone. In places there are splendid forty and eighty acre farming tracts. Some day when land is more valuable and farms smaller, it will be one of the most beautiful and attractive portions of the county. There is a fine growth of timber and the supply of stone along Middle river is almost inexhaustible. This stream crosses the township almost diagonally from the northwest corner.

The first settler, John H. Baugh, came here in 1850. Then followed Theodore Wight, L. D. Skidmore, Dexter Howard, James Harman, Patrick Lorge, John Vancil, Otho Davis, J. R. Drake and A. M. Hart.

The present officers are: Justices - Otho Davis; Trustees - F. M. Walker, B. F. Orvis, Peter Welty; Constable - Charles Dinsmore; Assessor - Ed. Baker; Clerk - J. B. Wilkinson.

The Pleasant View M. E. Church is located on section 23. It was organized in 1856, at the house of J. Richmond, with the following members: Jerub and Susan Richmond, W. S. Milligan and wife, W. S. and George R. Richmond, Ann, Nathaniel, Sarah A., Mary, Charles, Lydia and Orrin Richmond, Anna Johnson, John Johnson and wife, John and Sarah Warnick and Oliver Haven. The church now occupies a school house which was purchased for religious uses. The membership is about twenty five.

The Fairview Cumberland Presbyterian Church was organized May 22, 1869, with the following members: John B. and Martha Knowles, William, Margaret, Joseph and Sarah Steele, Jane Stone, S. S. and Sarah Propst, M. I. and E. J. Wood and Nancy Henderson. The pastors have been S. Anderson, J. Knowles and J. T. Mumford. The present building was erected in 1878, and is a frame, costing $900. M. Kurtzweil is superintendent of the Sabbath-school.