- - - WILL SCHOOL - - -

Sharon Twp., Richland Co., School District # 5

Original school built in 1855, last school built ca. 1877

(currently a residence)

 

 

 

School built abt. 1877 - photo Fall 2000

 

 

 

School Location and Early Neighboring Landowners

1873 Map <------           1896 Map ------>

Location: South Side of Stein Road, West of State Route 314.

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WILL SCHOOL

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The Will school was named for the family of Valentine Will, who was born

February 02, 1802 in Baden, Germany. Valentine married Elizabeth

(Koch) Cook, born January 15, 1805 in Baden, Germany.

 

Valentine and Elizabeth immigrated to this county and settled in Bedford

County, PA. where they started their family. In May of 1833, two months after

the birth of their son Peter, they continued their westward movement and settled

in Sharon Twp. Richland County.

 

The Will homestead was located in the East 1/2, of the Northeast 1/4 of

Section 31, in Sharon Township. Their log dwelling was constructed just

west of where the Will School is now located. The 1873 map (above) shows

the approximate location of the log dwelling and it's postion on the land

then owned by Henry Weidner where the Will School is located. The

structure (probably log) shown on the 1873 map, was replaced by the

current brick School House in about 1877.

 

The land for the Will School was originally donated to the "Sharron"

Township Board of Education in April, 1855, when Wendel Widener leased

1/4 acre for a public school lot for the purpose of "maintaining a common

school". This lease was made at the time of construction of the first school

on this site. This 1/4 acre lot was part of the 80 acres that Vanderlin Widner

purchased from David Jordan in 1836. Jordan was the original land

purchaser in 1833. In 1877, Wendel Wiedner's son Henry, increased the

amount of land leased to the Sharon Township Board of Education to 1 acre.

This was probably in preparation for the construction of the brick structure

currently occupying the site.

 

Valentine and Elizabeth Will, were the parents of nine children, three sons

and six daughters. At least two of the children taught at the Will School,

Peter in 1858, and Margaret in 1863. Valentine Will was elected a

School Director for 3 years in District # 5 in 1854. He was a director,

when in March of 1855, a certificate was issued for the construction of a

new school house in School District # 5 for the amount of $287.37.

This school house was probably the one shown on the 1873 map, above.

 

Valentine Will died on July 04, 1855 and is buried in the Nazor - Schwartz

Cemetery. Elizabeth died on December 08, 1893 and is buried beside her

husband.

 

Peter Will, born March 19, 1833 in Bedford County, PA. married Matilda

Humphrey in January of 1857. On May 2, 1864, Peter enlisted in Co. F, 163rd

Regt. O. V. I. and served until mustered out in September, 1864 when he

returned home. Peter and his family spent about 4 years in the late 1860s in

Indiana, before moving back to Sharon Twp. He purchased land beside

John Myers (East 1/2 of the Northwest 1/4 of section 11), next to the Myers

Church and school.

 

Peter and his wife were the parents of six children, four sons and two daughters.

One of their sons, Irvin E. Will, taught at the Will School during the school year

1880 - 1881.

 

Will School Pictures & Souvneirs

 

 

Will School Class 1920 - 1921

 

1921 Souvenir & photo - courtesy of Margaret Molder / Crays and Helen Weaver / Crall

 

 

Will School - Classmates of 1920 -1921

 

#1 Carl Hoover, #2 Kenneth Smith, #3 Victor Weaver, #4 Ross Gantzler,

#5 Sylva Hoover, #6 Frances Fry, #7 Curtis Hoover, #8 Irvin Smith

#9 Ray Weaver, #10 Helen Weaver, #11 Pearl Gantzler, #12 Hazel Gantzler

#13 Ruth Wolf - Teacher, #14 Esther Feik, #15 Rhea Belle Klinkle

#16 Florence Feik, #17 Margaret Molder

 

 

Will School Class 1927 - 1928

 

Photo May 1928 - courtesy of Harley Barber & Maude Barber / Lybarger

 

1927 - 1928 Class Members

 

Front Row (L - R): Fern Clabaugh, Harold Hoover, - - ale Pack,

Gladys Clabaugh, Agnes Sutter, Opal Moore

 

Back Row (L - R): Mary Sutter, Margaret Hoover, Mary Pack,

Claude Barber, Maude Barber

 

This and the following pictures were contributed by Harley Barber, who was

given the pictures by Maude Barber / Lybarger. Some of the markings on the

pictures are not clear and for this reason the names are not complete. If you

can identify any of the people in these three pictures, please contact us or

Harley Barber HayBarber@aol.com

 

	" Little Friends"

Photo - courtesy of Harley Barber & Maude Barber / Lybarger

 

The photo on the left may be more of the 1927 - 1928 Class. The picture on the right

was labeled "Little Friends" and could possibly mean that these are the younger

brothers and sisters of the class members and were just visiting for this occasion.

 

 

 

Will School Class 1931 - 1932

 

Photo courtesy of Ken Johnson

 

April, 2017: Ken Johnson provided this super sharp Devito photo of the 1931-1932 Will School Class.

The teacher was Ken's grandmother Martha Garnhart (right), oldest daughter of Guy Morton Garnhart

and Chloe Light Garnhart.

 

Martha and sister Lola can be seen in their One Room School years in the Morton School Class pictures.

(Martha in the 1921-1922 class and Lola in the 1922-1923 class.)

 

Can someone identify other class members in this picture?

 

Thank you Ken for sharing your grandmother's class photo!!

 

 

Will School Class 1940 - 1941

 

Photo courtesy of Donald Swanger

 

1940 -1941 Class Members:

 

Front Row (L - R): Robert Schunuerer, Carol Pfleiderer, Donald Swanger,

Virginia Patton, Delores Stults, Lloyd Furr

 

Second Row: Bill Swanger, Robert Pfleidner, Wilbert Furr, Doyel Cutnaw,

Jeannie Thompson, Mildred Snavely

 

Third Row: Leroy Stone, Richard Swindel, Richard Pfleiderer, Lowell Cutnaw,

James Furr, Delores Glower, Patricia Dell

 

Back Row: Joe Clabaugh, Glenn Swanger, Mervin Glower, Ardeth Hartman,

Mildred Swanger, Katie Rudd, Edna Furr, Faye Stults

 

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Teachers: Leon Lantz & Mrs Barnhouse

Bus drivers: Glenn Hartman & Harry Chew

Will School Teachers:

 

1853 - 1854	.
1854 - 1855	Henry Wiggins
1855 - 1856	.
1856 - 1857	Emeline Wagner / Benton D. Michele /George W. Moore
1857 - 1858	Peter Will
1858 - 1859	L. Nunnamaker
1859 - 1860	John Yenner
1860 - 1861	Frances Kerr / W. H. Shepherd
1861 - 1862
1862 - 1863	Margaret J. Woods
1863 - 1864	Martha P. Woods / Margaret Will
1864 - 1865	William McAlvaine
1865 - 1866	Isabelle McDonald
1876 - 1877	Mattie Palmer
1877 - 1878	.
1878 - 1879	G. D. Wheeler / Franklin J. Laser
1879 - 1880	Franklin J. Laser
1880 - 1881	Sarah M. Roberts / Irwin E. Will
1881 - 1882	Alice Crall / D. B. Sipes / B. D. Sipes
1882 - 1883	J. J. McKnight / Oliver C. Marriott
1883 - 1884	R. Elmer Kerr
1884 - 1885	R. Elmer Kerr
1885 - 1886	C. H. Stone
1886 - 1887	J. C. Kerr / Ella H. Stone
1887 - 1888	J. C. Kerr / Ella H. Stone
1888 - 1889	J. C. Kerr (John) / Ella H. Stone
1889 - 1890	L. H. Neville / Anna Crall - d/o David & Mary
1890 - 1891	B. F. Williams / Luella Hawk
1891 - 1892	Luella Hawk / R. Elmer Kerr
1892 - 1893	R. Elmer Kerr / Ida E. Sipe
1893 - 1894	R. Elmer Kerr / Ida E. Sipe
1894 - 1895	L. H. Beam
1895 - 1896	L. H. Beam
1896 - 1897	M. M. Hunter
1897 - 1898	R. P. Bricker / Musi Crown?
1898 - 1899	R. P. Bricker / Duey Wise
1899 - 1900	Duey Wise
1900 - 1901	George W. Coble
1901 - 1902
1902 - 1903
1903 - 1904	Margaret Smith / Bessie Post
1904 - 1905	Rena Finnegan - d/o Richard & Sarah
1905 - 1906	Rena Finnegan
1906 - 1907	Mary G. Rogers - d/o Andrew J. & Mary
1907 - 1908	Gertrude Ruse / Rachel Brubaker
1908 - 1909	Rachel Brubaker - d/o Burton & Sarah
1909 - 1910	Edith McBride / Helen Boone
1910 - 1911	Meusie Crouse
1911 - 1912	Bertha Ritchie
1912 - 1913	Bertha Ritchie
1913 - 1914	Meusie Crouse
1914 - 1915	Aug. 17, 1914 - School Suspended (small enrollment) *
1915 - 1916	School Suspended (small enrollment) *
1916 - 1917	School Suspended (small enrollment) *
1917 - 1918	?
1918 - 1919	Iva Creveling / Bonita Lykins
1919 - 1920	Esther Scherer / Ruth Wolf
1920 - 1921	Ruth Wolfe / Rhoda V. Walters
1921 - 1922	Rhoda V. Walters * *
1922 - 1923	Catherine Sprague
1923 - 1924	Catherine Sprague
1924 - 1925	LaVerne Rose
1925 - 1926	LaVerne Rose
1926 - 1927
1927 - 1928
1928 - 1929
1929 - 1930
1930 - 1931	.
1931 - 1932	Martha Garnhart
1932 - 1933	.
1933 - 1934	.
1934 - 1935	.
1935 - 1936	Cathryn (Sprague) McKinney
1936 - 1937	Cathryn (Sprague) McKinney
1937 - 1938	.
1938 - 1939	.
1939 - 1940	.
1940 - 1941	Leon Lantz & Mrs Barnhouse
1941 - 1942	H. R. Cutnaw
1942 - 1943	Ray Fauber / Gertrude Majors
1943 - 1944	Gertrude Majors
1944 - 1945	Gertrude Majors
1945 - 1946	Gertrude Majors
1946 - 1947	Gertrude Majors
1947 - 1948	?
1948 - 1949	?
1949 - 1950	?
1950 - 1951	Cathryn McKinney
1951 - 1952	Cathryn McKinney / Berdena Ervin

 

* Students were transferred to Gamble and Finnegan Schools.

 

* * In the 1921 - 1922 school year, a surrey was purchased from Mrs. John H. Frank

(Margaret Klinkle / Frank) to be used as a school wagon in Will School district.

 

If you have additional information that you would like to add to this page, we

would be happy to hear from you. Please email us!!

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