ent membership is about 150. The Sabbath-school has about one hundred scholars. The present pastor is Rev. W. L. Wells.

It is believed that the earliest Sabbath school in the county was organized in the Hoskinsville neigh borhood. About 1825 a school was opened under the superintendency of Colonel Erastus Hoskins. It was then under the Methodist Episcopal denomination.

The Methodist Episcopal class mentioned in connection with the history of Regan's chapel was organized in the fall of 1818, by Rev. Abel Robinson, missionary. Francis and Mary Scott, Erastus and. Lydia Hoskins, and an unmarried lady whose name is not recalled, were the original members. Erastus Hoskins was the first leader. Joseph Reed, Benjamin Thorla, Sylvester Westcott, William Willey, Lambert Newton and their wives joined soon after the organization.

Abel Robinson, Archer McElroy, John Graham, John Coleman, William Tipton, Thomas McCleary, Isaac Rannells, Cornelius Springer and two others were the preachers prior to 1828.

Valley Chapel Methodist Protestant Church. The Methodist Protestant church at Belle Valley was organized in 1883, and the house of worship erected in the spring and summer of the same year, at a cost of about $1,500. The congregation was at first composed of about fifteen members, partly from Union church. The membership is now nearly one hundred. Rev. W. L. Wells is the present pastor.

Cumberland Presbyterian Church. -The Cumberland Presbyterians have maintained an organization in Hiramsburg and vicinity for several years. They met for a few years in the Methodist Episcopal church, and about 1870 purchased the old Baptist church, where they still continue to worship. The congregation is small. The Baptist church was built about 1850, principally through the means and influence of the Lippitt family. Its membership diminished to such an extent that the congregation was no longer able to support regular preaching and the church was given up.

THE M'KEE FAMILY.

No name is more conspicuous in the annals of Noble County than that of McKee. The family were not only among the first in the county in point of settlement, but were also pioneers in almost every important public enterprise ever undertaken in the county.

The McKees were of Irish descent, and came to Ohio in the latter part of the last century, from Lycoming County, Pa. The family consisted of David McKee, his wife and several children. They remained a number of years in Washington County, in the vicinity of Marietta, and in 1809 came up the West Fork of Duck Creek, settling on the farm near Caldwell, now owned by Alexander McKee. They were among the very earliest families in the valley, and for several years had but few neighbors and no trading point nearer than Marietta. The father died in

1815, and the widow and her children were left to get along as best they could in the arduous labor of pioneer farming. Mrs. McKee died in 1848. There were nine children in the family, most of whom were born in Pennsylvania. Their names John, Robert, William, David, James, Alexander, Annie (Caldwell), Margaret (Caldwell) and Ezra.

were

John was a farmer, a prominent citizen, and passed his life in Noble County. He died in 1873, at the age of eighty-five. Robert was the pioneer salt-maker at Olive, and was a leading business man in this section for many years. He was born in He was born in Lycoming County, Pa., December 8, 1791, and came with the family to Duck Creek in 1809. He stamped his name on all the prominent events in the early history of what is now Noble County. He was the discoverer and pioneer salt-maker of the valley, a business which he continued until the competition of the various salt works on the Muskingum reduced the price to fifty cents per barrel. While drilling some of the first wells, he was obliged to go to Marietta to get his tools repaired. After the salt business became unremunerative he built a log structure in Olive, where for many years he did a successful business as a merchant; his was the first store within the present limits of Noble County, his nearest competitor being at Barnesville. His first stock of goods was packed in on a horse from Baltimore over the mountains. He was also He was also the first to handle tobacco, in which he engaged quite extensively for

many years. He was a man of deep religious convictions, and built the first church in the county; in this enterprise he evidenced his accustomed liberality. After deciding to build a church, he deputized a man by the name of Peter Lady to solicit subscriptions. After several weeks, Lady reported $45 as the sum collected. McKee, disappointed by the lack of interest in the matter, said to him that if he would return the money he would build the church himself, which he did. The date of erection, as near as can now be ascertained, was 1828. tained, was 1828. About 1855 he began to feel the weight of advancing years and retired from active. business, and devoted his attention to his farm, and loaning the accumulations of former years. He died of Bright's disease September, 1863. He was married in 1813 to Miss Ruth Thorla. She died in 1830, and in November of the same year he was again married to Elizabeth Willey, who died in 1887. By the first marriage there were six children: Mary A., Margaret (Morse), Susannah (Ogle), David, Rhoda (Rownd) and Martha (Ogle). By the second, seven: Columbus, Leonard, William, Robert, Ruth E. (Caldwell), Jasper and Worthington. Robert McKee was a man of great foresight, enterprise and industry, and his name, where known, was a synonym for integrity and honor. No man was more prominent in the early history of Noble than he, and no one is held in more grateful remembrance by the people.

William removed to New York

State when a young man, and spent the greater part of his life there. He died in Indiana. David was engaged as a boatman on the Mississippi River and died of cholera at Little Rock, Ark., when a young man. James

was a farmer and resided near Hos

kinsville. He died at the age of eighty-seven. Alexander is still liv ing on the old homestead. He was born in Marietta in 1798. He married Rhoda Thorla and reared a family of six sons. Annie became the wife of John Caldwell and lived and died in Noble County. Margaret married Joseph Caldwell and is still living.

Hon. Ezra McKee was one of the best and most influential citizens of Noble County, the establishment of which he was among the foremost in securing. He was born in Washington County in 1802, and came to the county with his parents. His educational advantages were limited to four months' schooling, but a good mind, sound judgment and keenness of observation made up for this deficiency. In 1825 he married Abbie Westcott and purchased the farm adjoining the old homestead. His children by this union were Delia (Davis), Martha (Polling), David and Sylvester, all living. His wife died in 1836 and he married Almay Westcott, a cousin of his first wife. She was one of the early school-teachers of the county. To them were born four children-Manly, who died when one year old; Mary (Newton), deceased; Christopher and Manly. In 1837 Mr. McKee was elected to the legislature from Morgan County,

in which his township was then included; and again in 1850 he was chosen to fill the same position. During the succeeding session of the legislature, the project of the erection of Noble County, which had been constantly agitated for five or six years preceding, was brought to a successful consummation. He was not only instrumental in securing the organization of the county, but he was also among the foremost of those who sought and finally succeeded in making Caldwell the county seat. He erected the first building in Caldwell, which was used as a temporary court house. He served about twenty years as justice of the peace. Both in public and private life he was regarded as an able, honest, honorable man. He died April 4, 1876. His widow resides with her son Christopher.

David E. McKee is the oldest son of Hon. Ezra McKee. of Hon. Ezra McKee. He was born in Noble Township, August 15, 1833. He is a quiet, unassuming man, and sustains an excellent reputation for probity and intelligence. Mr. McKee has contributed to the press some poetical effusions of more than ordinary merit. He was principally engaged in farming until 1862, when he went with his brother Christopher to the Pacific coast, where they remained for three years, engaged in mining and ranching, in which they were quite successful. In 1867 he married Margaret Powell, of Wisconsin, whose paternal great-grandfather was a Revolutionary soldier. Her great-grandmother on her father's side lived to be one hundred and four