SHARON

John READER came in 1836 and broke ground. Other early comers were: AUCHAMPAUGH, BELL, BEST, BILLINGS, BLAKE, CASE, CONDER, KIRBY, LANGDON, MASON, McCONDEY, REYNOLD, SOUTHARD, TOPPING, VAN NOSTRAND, VAN WINTER,and VAN WORMER.

South Grove at section 17 and 20 had a store and post office in 1845. A church was built and cemetery was laid out.

Allens Grove was first visited in 1844 by Pliny and Sidney ALLEN. The village was platted in 1852. An academy was built in 1856. By 1884, it was almost a deserted village with only a post office and store.

There was a Congregational church in 1845 and a church built in 1852. A small group of Methodists organized in 1858.

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Very Rev. Martin KUNDIG established St. Catherine's mission in 1846. Its services were supplied for more than sixty years by priests of other parishes - notably for twenty years or more from the church at Elkhorn. A chapel was built in 1896, and a church in 1910. Father HERMES came as resident priest, for a few weeks in 1910, and after him Rev. Thomas PIERCE in 1911.

Nineteen members constituted the Congregational society in 1868, and a church was built in that year. Rev. James G. SCHAEFER, with a few others of the Lutheran church, were among the organizers of this society. The pastors, as nearly as known, have been Isaac BARKER, 1870; Albert A. YOUNG, 1871; Albert M. CASE, 1875; Thomas A. WADSWORTH, 1878; Luther CLAPP, 1879; John Mitchell STRONG, 1882; John HARRIS, 1884; Arthur McCalla THOME, 1885; John SCHOLFIELD, 1887; John SABIN, 1890; Daniel R. GROVER, 1891; William MILLARD, 1893; Frederick M. HUBBELL, 1895; Carl D. THOMPSON, 1896; Thomas KENT, 1900; Robert J. LOCKE, 1902; H. Samuel FRITSCH, 1904. The society became too weak in number to continue long after 1904, and in 1911 their building was sold for conversion to other use.

Rev. George F. BRIGHAM, then a layman, assembled a little group of Episcopalians and acted as their reader. The first full service was in 1868 by Rev. William E. WRIGHT, then of Janesville. Before building their chapel, in 1879-80, the members met at a dance hall, at the railway station, at which Mr. BRIGHAM was for many years agent, and at the Lutheran church. Mr. BRIGHAM received deacon's orders June 11, 1876, and May 27, 1902, he was fully ordained as a priest, and is still in the service of the church, though full of years. From the beginning he has kept a minute account of parish affairs, and his well-stored memory preserves some unwritten record of many other things that might otherwise be lost to such as find interest in the men and events of nearly a half century. He was born in 1830, and might be regarded as fairly as Sharon's "grand old man."

A number of residents of the town met at Martin VAN ALSTYNE's house September 27, 1845, to organize the First Evangelic Lutheran church of Sharon. Its name was chosen, its synodical connection fixed upon, and officers elected. Its first yearly meeting was held at the same place, September 28, 1846, Rev. Marcus W. EMPIE presiding. He read his commission from the Lutheran board of missions of the Franckean synod, and was received as pastor. At a special meeting, October 9, 1849, it was resolved to build a chapel which should be opened freely for the use of other orthodox denominations. It was further determined to accept Mr. VAN ALSTYNE's gift of two acres of land and to build thereon at the line between sections 34 and 35, about eighty-five rods from the state line and a little more than one and one-half miles from the present village. The chapel was ready for its use in 1850. Between 1856 and 1861 it was moved to the village and remodeled, and has since been kept in excellent repair. Before 1866 its service was not continuous. Its pastors have been Mr. EMPIE, 1845-1852; Rufus SMITH, Jr., 1856-1861; Henry L. DOX, 1863. Continuity began with James G. SCHAEFER, 1866; Leander FORD, 1868; Mr. HAMMOND, 1875; Dr. David Harold SNOWDEN, 1878; Jacob W. THOMAS, 1881; J. H. WEBER, 1887; I. J. DELO, 1889; Luther L. LIPE, 1891; Leander FORD (again), 1897; William J. SPIRE, 1902; Thomas B. HERSCH, 1904; William F. BARNETT, 1906-1912. This is an English-speaking congregation.

A German-speaking Evangelic Lutheran society was formed about 1897, and its church was built in 1903. Its pastor list and dates of service are but partly known: H. R. ROEHR, Mr. SCHERT, Gerhardt F. KUEHNERT, Thomas B. HERSCH, 1905; Herman A. STEEGE, 1906; George F. HACK, 1907; Theodore BERGEN, now in charge. Each of these churches has its comfortable parsonage.

A Methodist Episcopal society was constituted in 1843 at South Grove and was for some time supplied by circuit riders. In 1856 it built a church at Sharon village and has since improved it and provided a good parsonage. Its clergy list begins with Hiram H. HERSEY about 1856, after whom Thomas WHITE, 1857; Stephen SMITH, 1860; Andrew J. MEAD, 1861; William Page STOWE, 1863; Daniel C. ADAMS, 1865; A. C. MANWELL, 1866; Clark SKINNER, 1868; William H. SAMPSON, 1869; Norvall J. APLIN, 1871; J. C. ROBBINS, 1873; Daniel Brown, 1874; A. J. BRILL, 1875; A. A. REED, 1877; Samuel C. THOMAS, 179; Samuel REYNOLDS, 1880; Charles B. WILCOX, 1881; Andrew J. BENJAMIN, 1883; Joseph ANDERSON, 1884; Frank A. PEASE, 1885; Stephen A. OLIN, 1888; Payson W. PETERSON, 1891; William A. PETERSON, 1893; Elvardo C. POTTER, 1896; Sabin HALSEY, 1898; William CLARK, 1899; J. Thomas MURRISH, 1902; Andrew PORTER, 1903; George W. WHITE, 1906-12. It may be seen that a few of these performed duty at Allen Grove.