USA > Iowa > Hamilton County > History of Hamilton County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 37
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ROSE GROVE TOWNSHIP was organized March 27, 1865. It was taken from Boone township and originally comprised township 88 and the south one-twelfth of township 89 in range 23, and the east two-thirds of township 88, and the south one-half of sections 35 and 36 in the township 89, range 24.
BLAIRSBURG TOWNSHIP was organized Sept. 3, 1867. It received from Rose Grove, sections 1 to 12 inclusive of township 88, range 23, and sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11 and 12 in township 88, range 24, and the south one-half of sections 31 to 36 in township 89-23, and the south one-half of sections 35 and 36 in township 89, range 24. It received from Cass township the north one-half of sections 31 to 36, sections 25 to 30 and the south one-half of sections 19 to 24 in township 89, range 23.
November 10, 1868, the remainder of township 89, range 23 was transferred from Cass to Blairsburg as was also the north eleven-twelfths of the cast one- third of township 89, range 24.
The name CLEAR LAKE was revived June 3, 1868, when that township was organized, taking from Marion all of township 86, range 25.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP was organized June 7. 1875. It was taken from Lyon and reecived all of township 87. range 23. On the same day all that part of Hamilton township located in township 87, range 24, was transferred to Lyon.
WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP was organized Sept. 6, 1876. It received from Blairs- burg township all of township 89, range 23, that was not then a part of Rose
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Grove township. On the same day Blairsburg township received from Boone township the south one-half of sections 33 and 34. township 89, range 24, and sections 5. 6, 7 and 8. township 88, range 24: and from Cass, the remainder of the middle third of township 89. range 24.
LIBERTY TOWNSHIP was organized Sept. 6, 1882, and at the same time the township lines of several townships were readjusted to conform to congressional lines, and to do this, the board of supervisors passed the following resolution :
"Whereas, several petitions have been presented to this board asking that the boundary lines of the civil township boundaries in the north and east part of the county be changed so as to conform more nearly to congressional town- ship lines, and in order to carry out the wishes of the petitioners as nearly as possible, and make the townships uniform in size and shape, be and it is ordered by this board that sections one (1), two (2). three (3). four (4), five (5), six (6), seven (7), eight (8), nine (9), ten (10), eleven ( 11) and twelve (12), being from one (1) to twelve (12) inclusive, in township eighty-eight (88), north of range twenty-three (23), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, be severed from the civil township of Williams, and attached to the township of Rose Grove.
"It is further ordered that sections six (6), seven (7). eighteen (18), nine- teen (19), thirty (30) and thirty-one (31), in township eighty-nine (89), north of range twenty-three (23), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, be severed from the civil township of Blairsburg and attached to the township of Williams.
"It is further ordered that sections five (5). six (6), seven (7), eight (8), seventeen (17), eighteen (18), nineteen, (19). twenty (20), twenty-nine (29) and thirty (30), and the north one-half ( 1/2) of sections thirty-one (31) and thirty-two (32). in township eighty-nine (89), north of range twenty-four (24). west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, be severed from the civil township of Cass, and attached to the township of Blairsburg.
"It is further ordered that sections: north one-half (1/2) of sections thirty- one (31) and thirty-two (32). in township eighty-nine (89), north of range twenty-four (24), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, be severed from the civil township of Boone and attached to the township of Blairsburg.
"It is further ordered that sections one (1). two (2), three (3), four (4), five (5). six (6), seven (7). eight (8), nine (9). ten ( 10), eleven (II) and twelve (12). in township eighty-eight (88), north of range twenty-four (24), west of the fifth principal meridian, lowa, be severed from the civil township of Blairsburg, and sections thirteen (13), fourteen ( 14), fifteen (15), sixteen (16), twenty-one (21), twenty-two (22). twenty-three (23), twenty-four (24). twenty-five (25), twenty-six (26), twenty-seven (27), twenty-eight (28), thirty- three (33), thirty-four (34), thirty-five (35), thirty-six (36), township eighty- eight (88), north of range twenty-four (24), west of the fifth principal meri- dian, Iowa, from the civil township of Rose Grove, and sections seventeen ( 17). eighteen (18), nineteen (19), twenty (20), twenty-nine (29), thirty (30). thirty-one (31) and thirty-two (32). in township eighty-eight (88). north of range twenty-four (24), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, from the civil township of Boone, which together constitute the congressional township eighty-eight (88), north of range twenty-four (24), west of the fifth principal
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meridian, Iowa, is hereby created a new civil township of Hamilton county, Iowa, to be known by the name of LIBERTY.
"It is further ordered that the southeast quarter of section thirty (30), all of section thirty-one (31), except the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter and all of sections thirty-two (32), thirty-three (33), thirty-four (34), thirty- five (35) and thirty-six (36), in township eighty-eight (88), north of range twenty-five (25), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, be severed from the township of Hamilton and attached to the civil township of Boone.
"It is further ordered that the southwest quarter of section thirty-one (31) and the south half of sections thirty-four (34), thirty-five (35) and thirty-six (36), in township eighty-nine (89), north of range twenty-five (25), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, be severed from the civil township of Boone and attached to the township of Cass.
"It is further ordered that sections six (6), seven (7), eighteen (18), nine- teen (19) and thirty (30), and the north half of thirty-one (31), be severed from the civil township of Fremont and attached to the township of Cass.
"It is further ordered that the south one-half of sections thirty-three (33), thirty-four (34), thirty-five (35) and thirty-six (36), be severed from the civil township of Boone and attached to the township of Fremont.
"It being the intention that the civil township of Rose Grove shall constitute the congressional township eighty-eight (88), range twenty-three (23), that the civil township of Williams shall constitute the congressional township eighty- nine (89), range twenty-three (23) ; that the civil township of Blairsburg shall constitute the congressional township eighty-nine (89), range twenty-four (24). that the civil township of Liberty shall constitute the congressional township eighty-eight (88), range twenty-four (24); that the civil township of Cass shall constitute the congressional township eighty-nine (89), range twenty-five (25), excepting so much as is within the incorporation of Webster City; that the civil township of Fremont shall constitute township eighty-nine (89), range twenty-six (26), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, and that the boundary line of Boone and Hamilton townships shall conform to the congressional township line of eighty-seven (87) and eighty-eight (88).
"It is further ordered that the new civil township of Liberty shall hold its first election at the schoolhouse situated on the southeast quarter of section sixteen (16) in said township, said election to be held on the seventh day of November, A. D., 1882, being the Tuesday next after the first Monday of said month, at which election there shall be elected as officers of said township of Liberty, three trustees, one clerk, one assessor, two justices of the peace and two constables, and the following named persons shall act as officers of said election : James L. Dunn, George Castner and Jacob Brinkema shall act as judges ; and D. M. Kelly and M. L. Root shall act as clerks."
INDEPENDENCE TOWNSHIP was organized Jan. 4, 1883, and was taken from Boone, Webster and Hamilton townships. It contained all of the congressional township of 88, range 25, except section 6 and the north one-half of section 7, which remained a part of Boone township.
FREEDOM TOWNSHIP was organized Jan. 11, 1884. The resolution of the Board of supervisors organizing this township and readjusting the lines of Boone, Webster and Hamilton townships is as follows:
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"Whereas, A petition has been filed in the office of the county auditor pur- porting to be signed by a majority of the legal voters residing in the congres- sional township eighty-eight (88), north of range twenty-six (26), west of the fifth principal meridian, lowa, exclusive of the corporation of Webster City, Iowa, asking that a new civil township be organized in Hamilton county, Iowa, to consist of the above described territory; and whereas said petition has been sworn to by A. A. Wicks, Morris Smith and Wm. A. Powell, to the effect that all the signers thereto were bona fide residents of the territory above described at the time said signatures were attached; and
"Whereas, Notice has been given by publication in the Hamilton Freeman for two consecutive weeks previous to a date ten days prior to the day set for final hearing before the board of supervisors; and whereas, it is the opinion of this board of supervisors that all the legal requirements in the premises have been fulfilled. It is hereby ordered that said petitions be granted, and that sections three (3), four (4), five (5), six (6), seven (7), eight (8), nine (9), ten (10), the south half of fourteen (14), all of fifteen ( 15), sixteen ( 16). seventeen (17) and eighteen (18), in township eighty-eight (88), north of range twenty-six (26) west, be severed from the civil township of Boone, and sections nineteen (19) to thirty-six (36) inclusive, in township eighty-eight (88), north of range twenty-six '(26), west of the fifth principal meridian, Iowa, be severed from the civil township of Webster and together organized into a new civil township of Hamilton county, to be known by the name of Freedom.
"It is further ordered that said township shall hold its first election at the residence of Morris Smith, situated on the southeast quarter of section sixteen ( 16), in said township, said election to be held on the 4th day of November. A. D., 1884, being the Tuesday next succeeding the first Monday of said month ; at which election there shall be elected as officers of said township, three trustees. one clerk, one assessor, two justices of the peace, and two constables. The following named persons shall act as officers of said election : William Beerman, Clement Robbins and Emery Gordon shall act as judges; and Geo. Il. Daniels and W. A. Powell shall act as clerks.
"It is further ordered that sections five (5), south half of seven (7), all of eight (8), the north half of seventeen (17), and the north half of north half of southwest quarter of section eighteen ( 18), in township eighty-eight (88). north of range twenty-five (25) west, be severed from the civil township of Independence, and the southwest quarter of section thirty-one (31), and the south half of thirty-four (34), in township eighty-nine (89). north of range twenty-five (25). from the civil township of Cass, and the east half of the southeast quarter of section thirty-six (36), in township eighty-nine (80), north of range twenty-six (26), west of the fifth principal meridian, from the civil township of Fremont, and together attached to the civil township of Boone.
"It is further ordered that the southeast quarter of section 1, the southeast quarter of section 11, all of sections 12, 13, 14, 23, 24, 25. 20. 35. 36, in township 87, north of range 26 west. he severed from the civil township of Hamilton ; and that the south half of the northeast quarter, the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter and the southeast quarter of section 15, the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of section to, the south half of the southeast of sec-
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tion 17, the east half of section 20, the west half of the northeast quarter, the west half of the northwest quarter, the southeast quarter of the northwest quarter and the south one-half of section 21, the northeast quarter, the east half of the northwest quarter and the south half of section 22, all of sections 27, 28 and 29, the south half of the northeast quarter, the southwest quarter and the east half of the southeast quarter of section 30, and all of sections 31, 32, 33 and 34, in township 87, north of range 26, be severed from the civil township of Marion, and together attached to the civil township of Webster, thereby making the said township of Webster comprise the congressional township 87, range 26, west of the fifth principal meridian."
Thus in the end, Hamilton county has seventeen townships, viz .: Boone, which is coextensive with the city of Webster City in area; Fremont, Cass, Blairsburg, Williams, Rose Grove, Liberty, Independence, Freedom, Webster, Hamilton, Lyon, Lincoln, Scott, Ellsworth, Clear Lake and Marion, each, with the exception of the township surrounding Webster City, corresponding in ex- tent with the congressional township lines.
FREMONT TOWNSHIP
FREMONT TOWNSHIP now includes congressional township 89, range 26, with an area of 36 square miles. The surface of the earth is uniformly level, and the soil is a rich black loam. Formerly it contained much swamp land, but in recent years the great Brietenkamp-Gannon Drain, with its laterals-has furnished an outlet for drainage and the swamp land has been nearly all reclaimed.
The earliest settlements in this township were in its eastern and northern portions. The first settler in Fremont township was undoubtedly Jacob W. Paine, who opened up and improved the farm now occupied by C. A. IIowd on Boone river in 1854. Ile was followed closely by W. W. Boak. Later in 1856 came the Mclaughlins, and in 1857 N. H. Hellen opened a large farm in the northern part of the township. No doubt N. H. Hellen was one of the most picturesque and dashing of pioneer characters. He dressed the part of the pioneer according to the most approved literary ideals. He is described as rid- ing horseback into Webster City, dressed in black trousers, riding boots that reached his knees, red shirt, with pistol and bowieknife strapped at his belt and wearing a broad brimmed white hat that covered a head of thick, long, coal- black hair.
In 1863 Fremont township had a population of 74 people. This steadily increased until 1880, when she supported 685 souls, and in 1910 the population had increased to much higher figures.
The only postoffice in Fremont township is Highview. This little village consists of a depot, an elevator and a store.
CASS TOWNSHIP
CASS TOWNSHIP included congressional township 89, range 25 and is the home of the oldest settlers in the northern part of the county. The first settlers were Peter Lyon, the Stanly family and Patrick Frakes and family. Soon after
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the Frakes came, Horace and Benjamin Segar, L. B. Hill, Zera Hayden, A. Haswell, John W. Lee, Reuben Bennett and W. D. McFerren and many others and in several cases the descendants of these pioneers own and manage the farms their fathers or grandfathers settled upon.
The surface of Cass township is broken by Boone river through the western tier of sections, and by White Fox creek through its center, so the land is more rolling and was naturally better drained than the townships on either side of it. The river and the creek were both skirted with timber and this feature, too, encouraged the early settler to stop in this locality where he could have a nat- ural grove to protect his buildings and still have rich prairie land upon which to raise his crops.
In 1856 the population of Cass township is given at 254, but it must be re- membered that at that time Cass township had not been legally organized and it is almost impossible to tell what territory was included by the census taker. The population in 1880 after the township had been reduced almost to its present size was 592. There are no towns in Cass township, its nearest trading points are Woolstock, in Wright county, and Webster City. The population of the township in 1905 was 707, composed almost entirely of thrifty and prosperous farmers.
BLAIRSBURG TOWNSHIP
BLAIRSBURG TOWNSHIP, after hovering around in a rather unstable manner over the eastern part of the county, finally settled in congressional township 89, range 24. Its surface was from level to gently rolling and quite liberally sup- plied with small ponds or sloughs. As there were no streams of consequence through the township, it was comparatively slow in its development and did not make any great progress until after the building of the Great Farley Drainage ditch, which is its main outlet for drainage. In later years, Blairsburg township has been entirely covered with a network of drainage systems and now no town- ship in the county can show a greater percentage of tillable land.
Blairsburg township was the home of the great Lemert Percheron horse farm that was established in 1883 and was conducted with success for several years. Business interests finally called Col. Lemert back to Ohio and the horse busi- ness was abandoned.
The principal postoffice in Blairsburg township is in Blairsburg. It was platted by John I. Blair, Nov. 11, 1869. For years the town made little progress, it being simply a trading point for the surrounding farming country. In 1892 R. J. MeVicker and H. C. Tuttle platted the McVicker and Tuttle addition and a year later laid out a second addition and in 1907 the Varick C. Crosley addition was added.
For many years the business of the town was conducted largely by Sol. Morrison, J. C. McNec, - Brown, W. F. Powers, G. A. Walrath and Wilse McNee.
The population of the town of Blairsburg in 1880 was 44, and in 1910 241. Blairsburg was incorporated December 21, 1900. C. M. Powers was the first mayor, and since his term expired the following citizens have served: C. P. McVicker, G. E. Conoway. P. E. Saxie, O. A. Kellogg. A. B. MeNabb, and G. W. Cooper, who is mayor at the present time.
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HISTORY OF HAMILTON COUNTY
WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP
WILLIAMS TOWNSHIP occupies township 89, range 23. The first settler in the township was Henry Draper, who took up a homestead on section 18, in the spring of 1868, and during that year there settled in the township Isaiah Jay- cox, Tom Duffy. Mike McDonald, Geo. Mann, Pete Laford, Calvin Wheeler, Wm. Pabboldt, E. S. Searls, James Francis, James Conley and a Mr. Wilcox. The Illinois Central Railroad was built through the township in 1868. Early in the spring other settlers began to arrive, among them being E. Crabtree, H. S. Orris, I. H. Brown, Samuel H. Robbins, J. E. Frost, Mrs. C. A. Wyatt and her sons, S. D. and J. K. Wyatt, P. Doyle, Steve Clayton and Michael Cunningham. During the winter of 1869 the building of the present railroad depot was com- menced, and nearly completed by Taylor Brothers of Alden, but it was not finally completed and opened for business until in August or September, 1869. I. H. Brown became the station agent and soon afterwards a postoffice was estab- lished and Mr. Brown became the first postmaster.
Among the first settlers that took up a residence within the township were S. M. Shaeffer, family and mother, E. Wetsler. Henry Frank, B. Haijsman, Frank Leigh -and father and Geo. Frost, Albert Spena, Jas. Drizhal, Zimmons, Robeck. Sooboby and J. M. Houghtaling.
In the years thereafter settlers came into the township and opened up farms or started business in the village until now all of the lands in the township are taken up and improved.
The town of Williams was laid out in 1869 by John I. Blair, and Pete La- ford has the distinction of being the first resident within the limits of the town. His was the only house in the town at the time of the building of the depot. In the spring of 1870 Geo. Frost settled in the town and opened the first store. It was a general store, carrying in its line not a large, but a varied stock, includ- ing almost everything that was called for by the settlers. He also opened a lumber yard and bought grain, and sold coal and wood. He held the field alone for about two years. In the fall of 1871 or the winter of 1872 the Grangers built a warehouse and were making arrangements to buy grain. Prior to that time the grain purchased had been stored in the ware rooms of the depot. In 1872 O. J. Dutton settled in Williams and opened a general store and purchased the Grange warehouse and began to deal in grain. In 1874 L. L. Cady came and opened the first blacksmith and repair shop.
In 1875 the firm of Smelser & Martin bought out the Dutton stock and build- ing and moved the building to Main street. This was the first building located on Main street, where almost all the business is now transacted.
During the winter of 1874-5 C. M. Mattice built the large elevator on the railroad grounds at the north end of Main street, east side, and also opened a larger lumber yard and began an extensive business in grain and lumber in the summer of 1875.
During the spring and shortly after Smelser & Martin had moved to Main street, T. D. Willson, and W. A. Carns came and built the second business building on Main street and opened a general store. These buildings were on the west side of the street. A little later J. W. Thompson came and built upon the east side of Main street, the first building on that side, and opened a hardware store.
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Fenton & Stone put up the next building on the west side of the street and opened a drug store and following him closely came J. G. Volenweider, building a house and opening in it a furniture store. During this year (1875) O. N. Silvernail built the first hotel, a very much needed and welcome improvement, and J. E. Frost built a store building on the east side of Main street. Elias Clay built a restaurant building on the west side and it was opened and run by James Lamp- son. John Bennetto also built a wagon shop on the west side. This is practically all the business buildings erected during the year, and they presented quite a village, where in the beginning only three or four houses were to be seen. In the meantime several residences had been put up and the citizens looked forward to a lively business the next year.
The first building for 1876 was put up by Henry Franks, who left his farm and opened a carpenter shop, which at a later period he converted into an agri- cultural warehouse and embarked in that business.
From this time forward the work of building up the town went on more slowly than formerly, but none the less steady, and all of a more permanent and substantial kind. The boom in building business houses had subsided, but residences were being put up. In January, 1877, H. H. Johnson attracted by the location and bright prospects in view, located in the town and began the publi- cation of a newspaper, the Williams Standard. It was a live paper, and in the beginning received fair support, but the future growth of the town had been overestimated, and there was not patronage enough to support a paper and the project had to be abandoned after about two years' trial. All classes of business were represented in the town; the country round about was settling up with a thrifty and industrious class of farmers, and business settled down to a perma- nent, but growing basis, and the affairs of town and township went along in an ordinary way until February, 1882, when a disastrous fire occurred, sweeping out of existence at once more than half of the business part of the town, taking all of the business buildings on the west side of Main street except two. The fire started in Pat Maloy's saloon. In about an hour's time the town was in ruins. The principal losers were the Martin estate, S. S. Morrison, Pat Maloy, Mrs. Ann Carus, Fred Volenweider, J. M. George, . Rawhorter, J. M. Iloughtaling. Chas. Draper, Frost & Co., Willis Orres and J. W. Thompson.
After the fire a public meeting was held protesting against the reopening of any saloon or place where intoxicating liquors should be sold and the protest bore the names of over one hundred persons. Williams was incorporated October 22. 1883. October 22, 1883, Williams held its first town election and elected for mayor, B. F. Corbin ; recorder, L. N. Gerber ; and trustees, J. E. Frost, Fred Bies- ner. E. Crabtree, Il. N. Johnson and Wm. Wilke.
There being some doubt as to the legality of the incorporation in the spring of 1884, the legislature passed an " Vet to legalize the incorporation of the town of Williams in Hamilton county, Iowa."
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