Pioneers established the village of Pitchin in the 1840s. It was one of the earliest settlements in what is now Elm Grove Township. The name Pitchin most likely came from the Allen, Marshall and Morrow families who arrived from and returned to Clark County, Ohio where they had earlier lived near the Village of Pitchin, Ohio.

    Pitchin evolved in the late 1840s around the old Central School. The old Central Pitchin School served as a church until the Pitchin Church, now known as Spring Run United Methodist Church was built in 1872 at site three-quarters of a mile southwest of Pitchin.

     The school was a meeting place for early settlers of what is now known as the Spring Run Community.

     Pitchin had a general store, five homes, a blacksmith shop operated by Michael Buzzard (also spelled Bussard) and later by John Rutt.

     Pitchin was home to John Paxton, the village stone mason responsible for many early foundations and hand-dug wells, a skill that few possessed. Benjamin Jennings settled one half mile to the east in 1854. His brothers Henry Jennings and Elijah Jennings settled just east of Benjamin's farm. Benjamin Jennings had at least seven hand-dug wells. One of those still exists and is still functional on his farm. It is 27-feet deep and 8-feet wide. The original 1854 stone foundation for Benjamin's house still remains under the present house built by Alvin Jennings in 1904 and is still sound.

     The Spring Run Cemetery is just south of where the village was located. The Pitchin School was established in 1865 and was located about one-half mile north of the village, while Buffington Cemetery is located about one-quarter mile north of the Pitchin School site. The Pitchin School burned about 1906 and was replaced in 1907.

     At one time there were five families living in Pitchin and many more in the surrounding community which extended several miles in each direction. The last remaining house burned in the early 1900.

     Some family names in the area 1896 to 1929 are Fletcher, Aringdale, Jennings, Chamberlain, Patten, Bush, Jones, Hall, Bucher, Olinger, Buffington, Lane, Roland, Metzger, Crossley, McKee, Wood, Gipple, Huffman, Richard, Whicher, Hill, Gabriel, Thomas, Strauss, Wagner, Bozman, Pearson, Jamison, Pittard, Holmes, Thomas, Cook, Rees, North, and Peiffer.

     The following information is from an article written by C.E. Jones for The Winfield Beacon in 1931. The Spring Run or Pitchin Community, received the latter name from the early settlers, the majority of whom were from Pennsylvania, who pitched in together when encountering the pioneer difficulties.

     The Auracher family came to this vicinity in 1867 and purchased from a Mr. Charleston. The Rev. Joseph Buzzard, Barton Jones, the Brubakers, the Schochs, and the Utts had already settled here.

     The Buzzards had as a residence a home constructed by John Brewer. This carpenter also built the house where the Aurachers lived and the Isbon Metzgar house.

     Previous to 1872, when the Pitchin Church was erected, religious services were held in the old Pitchin School House. A small village had sprung up near the school house, comprised of a blacksmith shop operated by John Rutt, a general store and the home of a stonemason John Paxton. Even by the year 1879, there were few buggies, only a few being able to afford this luxury.

     Most of the visiting and traveling at that time was accomplished by horseback, on foot, or in a farm wagon with spring seats or just plain boards to ride on. Instead of telephoning, when you saw a lady coming down the path with her knitting on her arm, you knew you were going to have company for the afternoon. The social activities of the early days included singing schools, literaries, writing schools, quilting bees and other such forms of entertainment.

     When flour was needed by the family, it was necessary to take a wagon trip to the mill, by going across the prairie to the mill at Mount Pleasant.

     In 1872, the Spring Run Church was built after a revival held several months previously under the pastorate of the Rev. Obed Long. The church was remodeled in 1908 at a cost of $2,600. This church was of Evangelical origin until the 1920s when it became a Community Church. It may be of interest to note that six Evangelical preachers have gone out from the Spring Run Church: Joseph Buzzard, Aaron Buzzard, E. B. Utt, J. H. Johnston, J. Auracher, and L. A. Knoll. In 1923, a basement was added and used for Sunday School classes and for social gatherings.