Muhlenberg Township, Pickaway County, OH

Church History & Records

A Baptist Church was established here about 1820 or 1825, but it finally went into decay.

A branch of the Presbyterian Church was organized here about 1825. Services were held in private houses in the neighborhood during the winter season and in the summer, a pleasant grove was selected, logs being rolled together for seats for the congregation. For some years after the completion of the Darbyville schoolhouse, it was used for religious services. In 1842 a church was erected in Jackson township near the Muhlenberg township line, where the Presbyterians of this township had services for some time. A Presbyterian Church was finally established at Darbyville. Of late years the society has not been active and the building is not now in use.

Darbyville M. E. Church.--Services conducted by laymen of the Methodist denomination were held at an early day in the township. There was preaching at Mr. McKinley's as early as 1826 and afterward at a schoolhouse in Darbyville. It is not known just when the church was organized. It was at first a charge of the Scioto Circuit and then of the Franklinton Circuit. It is now included in the Darbyville Circuit, which has four appointments : Darbyville, Pherson, Hebron and King's. The membership of the circut is 370 and the church property of the four appointments is valued at $7,000. The number of Sunday-school. pupils in the entire circuit is 480. Rev. F. B. Davis, who is stationed at Darbyville, is in charge of the circuit. The attendance of the Darbyville M. E. Church is about 175. The Sunday-school at Darbyville has an average attendance of about 110; to; Charles W. Davis is superintendent. The church at Darbyville was begun in 1842 and completed in 1844. A parsonage was built here in 1898 at a cost of about $1,500.

The Pherson M. E. Church is one of the appointments of the Darbyville Circuit, with Rev. F. B. Davis as pastor. The church has a membership of 125. The average Sunday attendance is 200. The church building .was erected in 1891 at a cost of $1,200. The superintendent of the Sunday-school is Robert Pherson.

In the spring of 1878 a branch organization of the African M. E. Church was perfected at Darbyville. For a number of years services were held. at the schoolhouse in the village of Darbyville by John Dickinson. The pulpit was supplied for a time by Rev. R. H. Morris, of Circleville.

Source: HISTORY OF PICKAWAY COUNTY, OHIO AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS, EDITED AND COMPILED BY HON. AARON R. VAN CLEAF.  CIRCLEVILLE, OHIO