The people of this township were visited at quite an early day by ministers of the Gospel, and appointments made at the private houses for preaching and services long before there were any churches or even schoolhouses to any extent. One among the earliest of these preachers was Rev. Joseph Morris, from Clark County, Ohio, of the Baptist faith, who held services through this neighborhood at a very early day. But this township has been very limited in its number of church organizations, having no town or village within its limits, or any natural causes to concentrate the people, so as to tend to the organization of societies or churches. We find but two church organizations in the township, with one church edifice. We will first give a history of the organization known as
Fair Plain Christian Church. — In 1872, under the auspices of several persons of the Christian faith, a Sunday school was organized at the Finley Schoolhouse, and from that time commenced to have occasional preaching at the said schoolhouse, by various volunteer ministers, till, on December 13, 1875, under Rev. William Webb, a church organization was effected, consisting of the following thirteen members, viz.: R. Nagley, J. W. Prugh, W. A. Finley, D. W. Finley, John Armentrout, J. M. Bradley, S. M. Prugh, A> Nagley, R. J. Finley, N. Armentrout, C. E. Prugh, R. Finley and S. Bradley, with J. W. Prugh chosen as Deacon. They had preaching regularly once a month, and during the year 1876 several members were added to the church. Since the organization of the church, they have had a minister employed who preached for them regularly once a month, with the exception of the year 1880, during which they had no minister employed. At the present time, the membership is small, the church having been considerably reduced in numbers by death and by members moving away. They now have enrolled on the church book twenty-one names. Their present pastor is Rev. S. A. Caris.
Methodist Episcopal Church (Wilson Chapel). — In the spring of 1873, a subscription was started and money was raised to erect a church edifice, which was built the same summer on land donated for that purpose by Washington Wilson, located on the Wilson & Winget pike, east of Little Darby about one-half mile, and the house was dedicated to service in the fall of the same year (1873), the dedicatory sermon being delivered by Elder I. F. King. The house was dedicated to service free of all debt and incumbrance. Rev. R. D. Anderson was appointed to administer to this church, and preached every two weeks the first year. In the spring of 1874, a series of meetings were held and several additions made to the church, and a class was organized consisting of the following persons: Mrs. Jennie Taylor, Daniel Anderson and wife, Isabel Woods and Mrs. Margaret Bradley, with Daniel Anderson as class leader. He was succeeded by Martin Huddle, and he by Hiram Anderson, who has continued as leader to the present time. Rev. Anderson was succeeded as minister by Rev. S. S. Sears, and he by Rev. Rudisil; then came to the charge Rev. Tressenrider, then Rev. Carter, adn during the pase year Rev. Lewis has been their minister. The church at one time reached in membership as high as sixty; but by death and moving away and other causes the membership has been reduced till at the present time the membership is about fifteen. The church has a good Sunday school, with an average attendance of sixty, with Hiram Anderson as Superintendent.