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60 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
drew. Eldad Barber was tlf^first preacher. Reverend Messrs. Goodell
and Carlisle followed him, and he in turn succeeded them. The next
preacher AVIIS C. C. Creegan, of Wakeman; after a time services Avere
abandoned, and the building taken over by the Methodist, Episcopal
Society.
The Methodists first held their meetings in the old log schoolhouse
one mile south of Florence Corners as early as 1816 or 1817, at Avhich
Rev. Nathan Smith usually officiated; This denomination has groAvn in
the toAvnship, and another of their churches has been organized.
A Baptist Church was organized in 1818 by Rev. John Rigdon, from
Richland County. At the same time another Baptist Church Avas organized
in Lorain County, and meetings were held in the schoolhouse about
a mile east of Birmingham. The Baptists from Florence finally united
with these, and in July, 1837, by resolution of the church of Henrietta,
a branch Avas organized at Birmingham consisting of nine members.
The society Avas called the Henrietta and Birmingham Baptist Church.
Tn May, 1840, this branch organized into an independent church.
For many years a Second Advcntist Church existed at Birmingham
but. no services of that denomination have been held for many years.
The Church of the Disciples Avas organized at Birmingham with
forty members in 1845. It prospered and increased its membership to
about seventy Avhen one of its preachers became a convert to Mormonism,
and drew aAvay with him about half of the number. The same year in
which the society was organized a building was erected costing $1,200.
For many years services haA'e been discontinued.
The Evangelical Church Avas organized about 1849, with a membership
of about twenty. In 1866 a house of worship costing $900 was built.
In the summer of 1809 the Ruggles brothers, in fulfillment of a contract
Avith the proprietors of the township, erected a grist mill on flic
Vermillion River, near the south toAvnship line. The mill Avas no sooner
put in operation than a sudden freshet SA\ r ept mill, dam and ewrything
aAvay. Tn 1811 the brothers erected another mill on Chapelle Creek,
near the north line, which Avas completed the next year. They subsequently
added a sawmill. A number of years aftei'Avard the mills Avere
bought, by Harley Mason, AVIIO also built another sawmill on the same
stream, a short distance above. The first saAvmill in the township Av'as
built by Eli S. Barnum, on Chapelle Creek, in the summer of 1810.
.Another sinvmill was built on this creek at an early date by Job Smith.
The first postmaster was Eli S. Barnum, Avith the postoffice in his
residence at, Florence Corners. Cyrus Butler AVIIS the first postmaster
at, Birmingham. The first store AA'as opened at Birmingham by Erastus
Butler, and in 1826 he Avas the only trader mentioned in the tax reports.
His capital at that time Avas $1,800. " TAVO years later he was joined by
Cyrus Butler, with a capital of $500. Cyrus Butler, also, while OAVIKT
of the old mills at Birmingham, manufactured bar iron for several years.
The ore was obtained from Vermillion. The mills, AA'ere carried aAvay by
a freshet. In 1829 Ferris & Wood, of Florence Corners, were assessed on
$750, J. V. Vredenburg in 1830 on $6Q0, J. L. Wood on $600. and
Charles P. Judson on $700. An ax factory was also located at Birmingham
a short time.