Union Township

Doke's Lake in Union Township. Photo courtesy of Beth Marshall

One-room School Lake Branch - Union No. 4 in Union Township

Ivan Losey pointing in the direction of Noodletoozy from his home on Township Road 201

The Philadelphia Lutheran Church pictured in 1985 was founded in Union Township in 1870

The Stony Creek Church of the Brethren pictured in 1959. The church was established in 1827.

Photo from the 1950s of Dog Town in Union Township

Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Buchenroth and their son, Bob, standing in front of their Noodletoozy home

Herford cows on a farm near Doke's Lake in Union Township. Photo courtesy of Beth Marshall

Swans on Braden Lake in Union Township. Photo courtesy of Beth Marshall

Union Township barn and corn field. Photo courtesy of Beth Marshall

Silas Cox watching his father bale corn fodder on their Union Township farm. Beth Marshall photo

Braden Lake in Union Township. Photo courtesy of Beth Marshall

Making rye hay on a farm in Union Township. Photo courtesy of Beth Marshall

Sunset over a farm in Union Township. Photo courtesy of Beth Marshall

Union Township was established in 1820. It holds the distinction of being the only township in Logan County without a village. It did have some small early settlements that had unique names such as Noodletoozy, Dogtown and Pigeon Town.

Soon after the early settlers arrived, some began holding church services in their homes. In 1827, members of the Dunkard or Brethren Church, who had moved to Union Township from Virginia, organized the Stony Creek Church. The Lake Branch Methodist Church was started in 1835 on land owned by the Doke family. Members of an Amish Mennonite Church led by Peter Yoder arrived around 1845 from Wayne and Holmes counties in Ohio and Pennsylvania. They later moved to the West Liberty area.

The Philadelphia Lutheran Church was founded in February 1870. From 1921 to 1941 the church was affiliated with the Lake Branch Church congregation. They met at Lake Branch Church during the warmer six months of the year and the remainder of the year at the Philadelphia Lutheran Church where there was a furnace.

In 1903, the Philadelphia Lutheran Church was razed and a new 40’ x 60’ church building with a 58’ tower was constructed. By 1941, the Lake Branch building had fallen into despair. The church disorganized and the bell was given to the Stony Creek Church in 1944 where it was placed in storage. In 1959, Stony Creek erected a new church building and hung the bell in its tower.

Union Township had at least five one-room schools, Mohr/Moore, or Stony Creek, (Union No. 1), Dunkard’s (Union No. 2), Hayes (Union No. 3), Lake Branch (Union No. 4), and Walnut Grove (Union No. 5). One-room schools had one teacher who taught children of all ages (usually primary through 8^th grade). The townships had several schools, so the students did not have to travel too far from their homes.

Noodletoozy was founded sometime in the mid 1800s. It had two blacksmith shops, a candy store and one dwelling. It is believed that the village's unique name was given by a German immigrant from Pennsylvania. Noodletoozy was marked on the 1864 map in large letters but did not appear on a Logan County map again until 1942. Early settlers in the Noodletoozy area were David Culp, who owned the brick “business district”, Christian Yoder, Samuel Moore and his heirs, Joseph Kerr, and Henry Miller.

 In 1955, Noodletoozy had a population of five, the William E. Hoffman family. Mr. Hoffman was known as “the Mayor of Noodletoozy”. The lone residence occupied by the Hoffman family was owned by Paul Bissell. At that time, the “business district” was owned by the Elmer J. Buchenroth family. The Noodletoozy blacksmith shops and candy store are long gone but one dwelling still exists. The road leading to Noodletoozy is no longer visible and access to the lone Noodletoozy house is now from Township Road 201.

Dogtown was located on the “dog leg” of County Road 18 between Twin Lakes and Doke Lake. The small settlement was originally called Lakeview, but the name was changed to Dogtown when the village of Lakeview was founded in Stokes Township. A 1959 newspaper article listed the population of Dogtown as “eleven people, four cats and one dog named Pepper owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Parker and their three children.” Mr. Parker, a New York Central Railroad conductor, had an amateur radio station, W8LER. Mr. Parker reported he had contacted 48 states and 32 foreign nations with his equipment. Other Dogtown residents were, Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Nicholl, Miss Beatrice Krabill, Jesse Hartzler and daughter, and Mrs. Mollie Detrick. Until recently, three dogs could be seen frequently laying in the side yard of a home at the former Dogtown location.

Pigeon Town was located on the site of a former Shawnee village. It was named for a large, wild pigeon roost that was located near the settlement. The area was once heavily wooded with thousands of pigeons roosting in the trees. At certain times of the year, the pigeons would fly in large flocks darkening the skies in a continuous line about a mile long. The Pigeon Town area was also known as the “Old Dunn Farm” for James Dunn who lived there and had a grist mill.

Union Township has eight lakes with Braden Lake being the largest at 14 acres. The other lakes which are between 5 and 6 acres in size are Doke Lake, Ruby Lake, Newell Lake, Lemen Lake, McMillen Lake and Twin Lakes. Most of the lakes were named after the property owners. Doke or Doke’s Lake was named for Alexander Doke who moved to Union Township from Champaign County around 1830. Doke purchased 320 acres and had a blacksmith shop.

The Union Township lakes have been known for good fishing over the years. In June 1905, a fisherman reeled in a surprise. He pulled a set of deer antlers from Braden Lake measuring 7 feet from tip to tip. In October 1947, Harry L. Franz of Springfield caught a record breaking 24 ¾ inch long largemouth bass that weighed 7 lbs., 10 oz. and won the Reco Fishing Contest that year. The Union Township lakes are all located on private property. Union Township has always been, and continues to be, agriculturally dominated.