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106
HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
and Christian spirit. The late W. B. Shirley, of Huron, was a son of
this pioneer couple.
D. Curtis settled on the lake shore very soon after Flemond came here.
His son, Harvey Curtis, who was born on the old homestead, in 1807, Avas
probably the first white child born in the township. Mr. Curtis remembered
hearing the guns at Perry's battle on Lake Erie. Minor Curtis,
senior member of the firm of Al. Curtis & Son, dealers in threshers and
engines at Alilan, is a relative of Harvey Curtis.
Huron's first religious organization Avas the Presbyterian Church,
which began in 1835, though occasional services were conducted by Revs.
E. Judson, A. Newton and others from 1829 to this year. Air. Newton
was called to Nonvalk in 1835, where he remained for thirty-five years.
At the preliminary meeting Reverend Conger preached from Proverbs
11:30, '' He that winneth souls is wise;'' and the following persons joined
the society and adjourned to the schoolhouse, where an evening meeting
was held: J. T. Roberts, Jerusha Jenkins, Clarissa Roman, L. NeAvkirk,
Mary Jones, A. Sheffield, Dorothy Sheffield, R. Alorril, Jane Alorril,
Eli Ilolliday, Katherine Holliday, 0. A. Beecher, Josiah Tracy and
Cynthia AVadsAvorth. R. Alorril and E. Ilolliday AA'ere elected deacons
and elders, and Avere duly installed at this meeting. Revs. E. Conger,
Zeiiophon Betts and E. Judson conducted the proceedings.
Regular meetings Avere held in the schoolhouse until 1840, Avhen A.
Sprague, J. Wright, J. Sly and J. Tracy built the house afterwards
occupied by Air. Alvord, and leased it to the church at a nominal rental
for a number of years.
Arrangements Avert* begun in 1850 for the erection of a church building,
Avhich was completed and occupied in January, 1854. Rev. E. Cole
made the dedicatory prayer, and Rev. C. II. Taylor preached the sermon.
The latter was installed as pastor the same day. The parsonage Avas not
built until 1884.
A Baplist Church was organized at Grangers', or Haley's Corners,
in 1833, and services held in the schoolhouse for many years.
The Episcopal society Avas started in 1837, by Rev. F. AL Levemvorth.
He Avas succeeded in 1839 by Rev. Samuel Alarks, a man of "sterling
qualities, fine education and affable disposition," who AVIIS ordained by
Bishop Mcllvaine, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This gentleman AA'as
held in unusually high esteem by his neighbors and parishioners. His
name has been commemorated by both the Alasonic and Odd FelloAvs
societies, of each of Avhich he was a member.
The German Lutheran Church was erected in 1868, the Alethodist in
1871, the German Evangelical in 1875.
Air. John Graham, AVIIO was of Scotch-Irish descent, erected a church
for the Methodists of the Avestern part of the toAA'iiship, in "West Huron."
Gustavus Graham and John Graham, Jr., are descendants of the founder
of this church.
The first school in this section is said to have been taught by Alvin
Coe, in 1810, who was succeeded by Aliss T. Ruggles.
In 1815 William Chapman opened a school on lot 25, section 3, and