Editing Bellville, Ohio (section)

==History==
The first settlers, James McCluer, and Jonathan Oldfield, came to Bellville in 1808. They made their way from what it now known as Fredericktown by a path made from a tornado.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net">{{cite web|url=http://www.bellvilleohio.net/history.htm |title=Brief History of Bellville, Ohio |accessdate=October 22, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022022557/http://www.bellvilleohio.net/history.htm |archivedate=October 22, 2013 }}</ref> McCluer gained ownership of the land and along with Oldfield he built the first cabin in Bellville on what is now known as Ankneytown Road.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/> Even though they were the first settlers to the town and McCluer owned the land, Robert Bell was the actual founder of the village. Other early settlers included Thomas and Bridget O'Leary.<ref>http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ohrichla/Hist-Bellville1903.htm {{User-generated source|certain=yes|date=June 2022}}</ref>

McCluer sold the land to Robert Bell in 1815, and Bell began to shape the village of Bellville.<ref>{{cite book|last=Overman|first=William Daniel|title=Ohio Town Names|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015015361465;view=1up;seq=27|year=1958|publisher=Atlantic Press|location=Akron, OH|page=11}}</ref> The development of Main Street, Ogle Street and Durbin Road began. There were 48 lots in Bellville and a tavern was among the first businesses to be constructed. The first post office came to Bellville in 1824, further helping to put its name on the map.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/> 
Before the post office was built, those who lived in the village had to travel a long distance just to send a letter. The first church was constructed in Bellville map in 1834, though church services had taken place since 1814. Up to this point, people’s homes were being used for church and school. The church was The Methodist Episcopal Church and was organized by Bell and preacher William Oldfield.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/>

The first school started in Bellville shortly after McCluer settled on the land in his own cabin in 1818.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/> At this time school was still limited to boys who had to travel long distances just to get there. Girls had to stay home and tend to household chores. By 1857 a working school started where the Clear Fork Elementary buildings are now.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/> Those buildings are no longer used for school related purposes today.
[[File:Bellville Bandstand.jpg|thumb|left|Bellville Bandstand]]
Commerce in the village began to rise in the 1870s. An electric plant started near the current bike trail and flour mill on route 97. The B&O railroad operated through the path of the bike trail as well. Two hotels started called Hotel Lefevre and Hotel Norris. The year 1877 marked the construction of the town hall and was a place for meetings and those who needed to be jailed.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/> The popular bandstand which is in the middle of Bellville was built in 1879. A doctor's office was even developed for tuberculosis patients.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/> Eventually, there were two blacksmith shops, hardware stores, a bakery, four grocery stores, two harness shops, two barber shops, multiple dentists and the Exchange bank in 1872.<ref name="bellvilleohio.net"/>

Bellville was also well known for being a part of the gold rush. The first gold was panned on Dead Man’s Run, which caused people from all over to come pan for gold.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.roadmuseum.org/9_04_bellville,_ohio.htm |title=9/04: Bellville, Ohio |access-date=October 22, 2013 |archive-date=October 23, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023004905/http://www.roadmuseum.org/9_04_bellville,_ohio.htm |url-status=usurped }}</ref> The gold was discovered by James C. Lee. Even though the gold that was found was almost pure, little more was discovered.