Rock Grove Village is located in Section 31, a place of quiet, unpretentious beauty, one of the lovely villages of the plain, containing upward of a hundred inhabitants and every feature that would contribute in any degree to satisfy modest ambition. C. W. Cummings originally owned the land upon which the village is located, which he sold to Peter D. Fisher in early days. Fisher also owned the east half of the southwest quarter of Section 31, 9, 29, and Samuel Guyer the west half of the same quarter and section. Guyer laid off the village about 1850, but in July, 1855, Benjamin Dornblazer resurveyed and replatted what was then known as Guyer's Addition, about the center of the town.

On the 29th of August, 1856, J. D. Schmeltzer set apart nine acres in the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 31, 9, 29, caused it to be surveyed and set apart in lots for village purposes, under the name of Schmeltzer's Addition. It should be stated that in the winter of 1852, the addition of Peter G. Fisher was sold to Solomon Hoy, and abandoned for village purposes, but on April 22, 1869, Samuel H. Fisher laid off four acres south of Schmeltzer's Addition, for village lots, in use for that purpose. The village is not thicky settled, each resident having breathing and living room sufficient, without encroaching upon his neighbor's comforts or privileges. It is supplied with a handsome church edifice, schoolhouse, etc..

Evangelical Church. — Previous to 1878, the members of this society held services in the Lutheran Church, near the village, put up in 1856. In 1878, the increase in membership induced the congregation to build a church of their own, which was completed the same year, under the direction of a building committee, consisting of George Meyers, Jere Swartz, Jacob Sullivan, William Alexander and A. Bolender, at a total cost of ^2,300, raised by subscription in the township. The church was formally dedicated on the 27th of November, 1878, and has been constantly occupied since. At present, services are held in English on alternate Sundays, under the pastorship of the Rev. W. W. Shuler, and in German, alternate Sundays, the Rev. J. Shafle, officiating.

The German Reformed and Lutheran congregations own a church about one mile from the village, in which services are held occasionally, under the auspices of either sect, circuit riders attending to the pastoral duties.

Schools. — Institutions of learning, of course of the most primitive character, were first rendered available about 1841, when Paul Chandler, or some other equally venturesome pedagogue, wielded the birch and educated the callow idea into a complete familiarity with the rudiments of learning. To-day the school system that is in force throughout the county, is regarded as equal to the requirements. In the township, there are schools at every cross-road, and one of more than ordinary importance at Rock grove Village. Here, the attendance averages seventy-five daily, during the winter term, and $600 per annum are expended in its support. The cause of education, like that of morals, is extended a generous and sincere support throughout the township. fertility, productiveness and natural resources, has in the past twenty-four years fully realized unto the inhabitants gathered within its limits, the fullest fruition of promises held out to them nearly half a century ago, as inducements to remain.