The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Years ago when Margie Barber and I were discussing early history of this township, she gave me this history of the area commemoration of the town of Media s 125th birthday, these articles written by Faree Mathers are being shared.--Virginia Ross
Part VI
Among the early settlers was a young man who came here with his belongings tied in a large red handkerchief. He was Nathan Wever, a school teacher who received $16 a month which he saved most of his meager little salary. He was a very kind and peculiar person who would bring harm to nothing. He was part Indian and could come upon an individual without his being aware of it. Especially was this true in the woods. One would be unable to find him and yet he would be very close by. He was very generous and gave liberally. He built three lakes now known as Wever Lake. He kept two of them stocked with fish and fed them with corn meal. The third pond was reserved for spawning.
Soon after the early Scotch and Irish Presbyterian settlers came in 1839, the pious folks erected a house of worship a short distance west of the Walnut Grove Cemetery known as the Ellison United Presbyterian Church. The church was a frame building made from lumber sawed by William Rankin at his little sawmill on Ellison Creek. Rev. John Treatley preached here. He gave ¼ of his time to the Ellison Congregation and the remaining ¾ to the South Henderson group. He received a salary from both congregations of $400 a year for preaching two sermons on the Sabbath and care of the flocks.
The Thursday before the communion was observed as a fast day when two meals were eaten. All work was stopped and members attended divine worship. Two sermons were preached. As the church had no organ, a choir director used a tuning fork to get the pitch for the songs. The songs were the Psalms set to music which was written in Long Meter, Short Meter or Common Meter. When they did bring an organ into the church, it caused so much hard feeling that it almost caused a split in the congregation as some said the Devil was in the organ.