Editing Stafford, Ohio (section)

==History==
[[File:Stafford overview.jpg|thumb|left|Overview from State Route 145]]
Originally named Bethel, the town was laid out by John Jones in 1838.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Monroe County, Ohio: A History|last=Maienknecht|first=Stanley and Theresa|publisher=Windmill Publications Inc.|year=1989|oclc=22402089|location=Mt. Vernon IN|pages=244}}</ref> William Steel, a Scottish-born abolitionist, is credited with changing the name of the village from Bethel to Stafford. He was the father of [[William Gladstone Steel]]. He is credited with establishing a good educational system that was also integrated.

Stafford has a rich history as a station on the Underground Railroad. It was known as a "free black" settlement because of the number of African Americans living there, but its population included both black and white ardent abolitionists.  It is said that almost everyone in the village was involved in the protection of slaves fleeing to freedom.  The most frequented route ran from [[Marietta, Ohio|Marietta]] in [[Washington County, Ohio]], through Stafford and on to [[Summerfield, Ohio]]. These lines continued into [[Ontario]], [[Canada]].