Beaver Center, the only hamlet and post office within the township,
is located at the crossing of two roads, a short distance south of the
township center, and contains two churches, a schoolhouse, one
physician, one dry goods store, one grocery, one drug store, two
saw-mills, a manufactory of hand rakes, bent felloes, spokes and
wagon poles, a cheese factory near by, a blacksmith-shop, a shoe-
shop and about twenty dwellings. The first store was kept here by
Lester Griswold. Mr. Barber and Francis Oliver were also early
merchants.
A. 0. Barber, brother of the merchant, was a pioneer tailor. A Methodist
Episcopal Class was organized at Beaver Center in 1839, and meetings
were held in the schoolhouse until 1870, when a neat, well-finished,
frame church with steeple and belfry was completed, at a cost of about
$1,500. The Gates, Hacketts and DeWolfs were early members. The
class formerly belonged to Conneautville Circuit, but has since been
attached to Spring, of which it is now a part.
The Christian Church at Beaver Center was organized with twenty
members, by Rev. I. R. Spencer in 1870. Meetings were held in the
schoolhouse until the erection of the present handsome church edifice
in 1871, at a cost of $2,400. Rev. J. J. Summerbell, J. G. Bishop and
E. M. Harris have been pastors. The last named, a resident of Springboro,
now officiates. The congregation is prosperous.
A Christian Congregation was organized here about 1840, and continued
for about ten years, with Elder J. E. Church as pastor. At Reed's Corners,
in the southwest part of Beaver, is a United Brethren Meeting-house, which
was erected in 1861 at a cost of $800. The society was organized in 1850,
with ten members, by Rev. Willis Lamson, who was a resident in this locality.
The Reeds and Halsteads were early members. The membership is small
and at present not supplied with a pastor.
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