Washington Township Baptist Church

The Washington Baptist church was formed in 1842 when members of the Salem Baptist church in Salem township found it inconvenient to travel all that way to attend services. A number of the members from Washington township petitioned the Salem church for permission to organize a new church in Washngton township. The petition was granted and a year later a new church was built in the township. It was dedicated under the pastorage of Rev. William Sedgwick. Soon afterward a Sunday school class was formed. The original signers of the petition were considered the founders of the new church. They were as follows:

The church stood until 1932 when it was destroyed by fire. The new building was erected in 1934 and still stands.

Washington Township Methodist Church aka Pleasant Grove M. E. Church

In the early days of the Muskingum Valley, there were many circuit preachers and although the first Methodist church was organized by Rober Manlry, it is unclear how far up the Muskingum it was. James Quina and Jesse Stoneman were two of the curcuit preachers to administer the Muskingum circuit. The early records of these early Methodists are incomplete. Many of the staunch Methodists, met in private homes in the township. The first class was organized in 1808 and held their meetings at the homes of Isaac Beatty, John and Joseph Bowers and John Vernon. The first permanent structure, a log hewn building, was erected in 1823 and was dedicated the same year. The church was located on the a farm owned by John Bowers Sr. In 1846 a new building was erected in Perry township on the farm of George Borders and served the Washington township community.

A new class was formed in 1842 and met in a school house on the farm of John Orr. The first memebrs were Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Bishop, Lecretia Brown, Nellie Hart, Patsy Shiflet, James and Margaret Smith, James and Margaret Walwork and John and Amanda Wall. The class leader was Stephen Schafer.

After a few months, the class was moved to the tobacco barn of William Brown until a permanent structure could be built. A new meeting house was finished and dedicated in 1843. A Sunday school class was also begun. Some class leaders wers as follows:

(From The History of Muskingum County, Ohio, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Pioneers. By J. F Everhart and Co.)

Pleasant Grove M. E. Church.

The church was organized at the brick school house (on John Orr's farm), in 1842. A class was formed at that time, consisting of John Wall, Amanda Wall, James Walwork, Margaret Walwork, Lucretia Brown, Patsy Shiflet, Lloyd Bishop, Mrs. Bishop, James Smith, Margaret Smith, and Nellie Hart. Stephen Schafer was class leader. The meetings were held in the school house about three months, and then moved to the tobacco barn of Wm. Brown, and were continued there about fifteen months, when the present meeting house was finished. This edifice was the result of contribution of material, labor, or money, according to the ability of the donor. It was dedicated in the fall of 1843, by Rev. John Waterman.

The following persons served as class leaders from the beginning :

A Sabbath-school was organized soon after the class, and numbered thirty scholars enrolled. The superintendents have been, Stephen Schafer, James Smith, John Wall, Robert Bailey, Turner Wolf, Washington Reed, and James Wall, the present incumbent. The present enrollment is fifty.

Wesley Chapel M. E. Church

(From The History of Muskingum County, Ohio, With Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Men and Pioneers. By J. F Everhart and Co.O.

This organization first appears on the minutes of this circuit, January 1st, 1816. The first class, however, was organized about 1808. The early meetings were held in private houses and in groves. The homes of John Bowers, Joseph Bowers, Isaac Beatty and John Vernon, were among the places of meeting. The society continued to worship in this migratory manner until 1823, when a hewed log building was erected for this purpose, and dedicated in the fall of that year. The building was built by the male members, who plied their own skill and teams, and raised the building. A few nails and a small quantity of glass added, and they had a meeting house free from debt. It was located on the farm owned by John Bowers, Sr., near the Perry township line, and was sometimes called "Bowers' Church." It was used as a place of worship until 1846, when a new house was erected on George Border's farm, in Perry township. This building cost about one thousand and sixty dollars. It is a frame structure, 40x58 feet.

The following persons have served as ministers, from 1816 to 1877 :