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SHANGHAI CITY.

Shanghai City is the only regularly platted town in Kelly Township, and the only one in Warren County that is off a railroad line. It was laid out August 12, 1858, before the north and south road was built, by County Surveyor J S. Steen.

The site was parts of the northwest quarter of Section 10 and the southwest quarter of Section 3, owned by Samuel Black and Calvin Routh. In April, 1852, the Ionia postoffice was established a short distance south of Shanghai, with Luther C. Hibbard as postmaster, and later removed to Shanghai, and the town has been known as much by the Ionia name as by the other

The postoffice was discontinued several years ago, and the only postoffice now in the township is at Utah (or Tylerville, as it is sometimes called), on Section 34. At one time there were stores in Shanghai, and a good trade was carried on, but when the railroad was built past the northwest corner of the township and the town of Alexis was started there, its busi ness was destroyed.

Shanghai was the scene of a very destructive storm on the evening of May 3, 1868. It was a Sabbath evening, and at the time the storm came up a number of people were assembled in the Advent church, where Elder George W. Hurd was preaching to a congregation of some two hundred persons.

This church, the Methodist church, the school house, and several residences were in ruins in a moment. George Venn and Harrison, son of Brander Wixson, were instantly killed, and among those severely injured were Alonzo Page, Mrs. J. M. "Wood, Lucy Tarde, and Mrs. West, who afterward died of their injuries; Mrs. Churchill, John Yarde, Truman Lord, William Risden, Mrs. Hitt, George Sellers, Joseph Pittard, Henry Holcomb and others.

The course of the storm was from southwest to the northeast, with a track about one-half mile wide. The property loss was about $23,000.

The Methodist churches of Shanghai and Tylerville were the outgrowth of several classes belonging to the old Henderson charge, which held their meetings in various school houses, notably the Brown school and Republican school. The Shanghai church was built in 1866 or 1867, but was destroyed by the tornado of May, 1868, and at once rebuilt. The second church was later thought to be unsafe and was torn down and rebuilt. A parsonage was also built by the society soon after the erection of the church, but was sold after it ceased to have a resident minister. The church now has about twenty-five members. The church at Tylerville, or Utah, on Section 34, was built in 1872 at a cost of about $2,300. It, as well as the Shanghai church, belongs to the North Henderson charge.

The church of the Second Adventists in Christ at Shanghai was organized by Rev. Guy Rathborn in 1857, with about a dozen members, among whom were Samuel Black and wife,A. N. Yarde and wife, H. Richardson and wife,
Spencer Ryner and wife, J. Pine and wife and B. Watson and wife. Meetings were held in school houses until 1867, when the church at Shanghai was built at a cost of $2,800. The building was destroyed by the tornado, May 3, 1868, but was rebuilt. The present pastor is Rev. Mr. Emery. The membership is small.

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