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         ELM GROVE TOWNSHIP. This township is in the southwestern part of the county, and is bounded on the east by Marshall and Columbus City Townships, on the north by Columbus City Township, on the south by . . .

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. . . Henry County, and on the west by Washington County. It is a fine township of prairie land, and is settled by a good class of people, those connected with the Covenanter Church predominating. Among the early settlers of the township were S. K. Helmick and H. Marsben. The Burlington & Northwestern Railroad runs through the northwestern part of this township, and on section 30 was laid out the village of Wyman, a small station which affords a good shipping point for the people of this neighborhood. There is but one general store in the place, and a large elevator for the storage of grain.

The Reformed Presbyterian Congregation of Rehoboth was largely composed of families of Covenanters who came from Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1854 they settled near the present town of Wyman, and on October 19 of the same year they were organized into a congregation of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, under the name of Rehoboth. They chose Thompson Graham, Sr., and Joseph Purvis to serve as Elders, and Thomas Garvin with a Mr. McElroy to act as Deacons. At the same time they extended a call to the Rev. Robert B. Cannon, to whose congregation in Pennsylvania many of them had belonged. This call Mr. Cannon accepted, and on Dec. 14, 1854, was installed as their pastor. For several years they met for worship in private houses, or wherever they could secure shelter, but the congregation growing quite rapidly, they became able in the fall of 1857 to erect a church. The site chosen for it was about two and a quarter miles east of Wyman, and the building erected was hexagonal in form. On account of this peculiarity it became a landmark for the whole of the surrounding country, being popularly known in every direction as “the Round Church.” In this building divine services continued to be held until the summer of 1885, when it was torn down, and a neat and commodious house of worship erected in Wyman. In the meantime, however, many changes had taken place, new members had moved in, and some of the old ones had gone farther West, or returned to their former places of residence in the East. Mr. Cannon, the first pastor, labored on until he had gathered quite a flourishing congregation, when he demitted his charge, Dec. 17, 1867, and at present is located in Muskingum County, Ohio, where he is still doing efficient work in the service of Christ. Rehoboth now continued a vacancy until Aug. 14, 1874, when the Rev. Edward G. Elsey was ordained and installed in charge. Mr. Elsey remained for a period of nearly seven years, or until April 12, 1881, when he was released, and the congregation again became vacant, but on the 9th of February, 1886, the Rev. James A. Black was installed in the pastorate, and at this writing is still in charge. The present officers of the congregation are: Elders—Thomas G. Dunn, James B. Dodds, Louis M. Samson, James H. Graham and Isaac R. McKenry. Deacons—William Carson, Thomas Martin, Owen M. Samson and John C. Cannon. The congregation has a flourishing Sabbath-school, an efficient Ladies’ Missionary Society, a Band of Hope, and a W. C. T. U. organization. The membership are spirited and liberal, and are found among the foremost workers in every good cause.