HISTORY OF HOCKING VALLEY

CHAPTER XLVIII.

The first school-teachers were: Thomas Johnson and Solomon Redfern, who were followed by Britton Stephen and John Dar- ley. The first preachers were: Solomon Redfern and ___ Harvey, of the Methodist Episcopal church, and Noah Clark, Jonathan Bryan and John Swim, of the Christian church. The Methodist Episcopal Church was built about the year 1848. The first members were: Solomon Redfern and wife, Archibald Drake and wife, and William Clark and wife. The Christian Church was built not long after the Methodist church. Before the erection of church buildings meetings were held in the school-house, and before that in private dwellings. Pleasant Chapel was organized in 1867 with fourteen members. They commenced the erection of a church the following year, which was completed about the close of the year. It cost $1,200 and was dedicated Feb. 22, 1869. Its first Pastor was the Rev. Sellers. The church is an off-shoot of the Methodist Episcopal church. The first and only mill in the township---a grist-mill with saw- mill attached---was built in 1843 or 1844 by Benjamin Rains. In the early days of Richland Township a military company was maintained, composed of members from Harrison and Richland townships. The company consisted of 100 men, with Nathan Graves as Captain. They had regular "training days," and many interesting reminiscences of those meetings were often recalled by the older residents. BIOGRAPHICAL---EAGLE. Erastus E. Bennett was born in Morgan County, Ohio, Feb. 21, 1838, the son of John and Sarah (Beaver) Bennett, his father a native of Pennsylvania and his mother of Ohio. He was reared on a farm, receiving his education in the common schools, and for the past sixteen years has taught during the winter. He enlisted Feb. 22, 1865, in Company D, Fifty-eighth Ohio Infantry, and served till September of the same year. He was married March 10, 1859, to Sarah M. Burgoon. They were the parents of five children, three now deceased. Mrs. Bennett died in 1866. May 30, 1868, Mr. Bennett married Mary Ellen Poling. They have had a family of four children. Mr. Bennett was elected Justice of the Peace Jan. 26, 1883. He has held the same office two terms 1338

in Hocking County. He owns three acres in this and seventy-five in Hocking County. He has a store of general merchandise and is postmaster at Pine Run. He and his wife are both members of the Methodist church at Mt. Carmel, Hocking County. Samuel G. Darby was born in Jackson Township, Vinton County, Sept. 9, 1851, a son of Steven and Margaret (Grams) Darby, natives of this county. He was reared a farmer and educated in the com- mon schools with the exception of one term spent at Wilmington College in Clinton County, Ohio. Sept. 21, 1873, he was married to Miss Eby E. Stevens, born Nov. 28, 1853, a daughter of John and Mary (Lonkester) Stevens. This union has been blessed with the following children---Ida May, born June 4, 1874; Delvan D., May 12, 1876; John S., Sept. 29, 1882. Mr. Darby was elected Township Clerk April 2, 1877, holding the office ever since with the exception of one year. He has ninety-seven acres of land on section 22 and is one of the prominent farmers of Eagle Township. He and his wife are members of the Christian church. Robert Kidnocker, merchant and Postmaster at Eagle Mills, was born Jan. 11, 1834, in Morgan County, Ohio, a son of Good- lief and Lucinda (Miller) Kidnocker. His father was a native of Germany and came to the United States when about twenty years old and has resided in Morgan and Hocking counties, Ohio, ever since. He died. April 16, 1883, aged over seventy-one years. Mrs. Lucinda Kidnocker was born in the State of Ohio in 1809. She is still living and quite active considering her age. Robert, our sub- ject, worked on a farm till sixteen years of age when he followed the business of steam-bolting till he was twenty-one years old. He then returned to his home in Hocking County remaining there one year, and was there married, April 23, 1856, to Sarah, daughter of Daniel and Louisa (Moody) Eveland. They have been blessed with five children, three of whom still survive---Claracie, Annie and Ellsworth. Those deceased are Belle and an infant. Mr. Kid- nocker has accumulated a large property. In 1876 he purchased the Eagle Mills on Salt Creek, Eagle Township, and also runs a large dry-goods and grocery store at this place. On March 11, 1883, he bought the Gamble's Grist-Mill, on Buck Creek, in Indi- ana. He also owns property in Adelphi, Ross County, and in Vinton County, and ten acres of land where he resides. Nelson Lee was born in Hocking County, Ohio, Sept. 10, 1826, a son of James and Hannah (Barttson) Lee, natives of Pennsylva- nia, who came to Ohio in 1814 and settled in Swan Township, then 1339

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