USA > Kansas > Anderson County > The history of Anderson County, Kansas, from its first settlement to the Fourth of July, 1876. > Part 16
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16
270
HISTORY OF
mill on a branch of the Pottowatomie, near the farm now owned by Joel T. Walker, which did good service.
On the 16th day of May, 1857, the Cresco town company was formed, with John S. Robinson, presi- dent ; Wm. C. Howard, treasurer ; and Solomon Kauffman, secretary ; and was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of February 11, 1858. The company claimed, under the pre-emption act, the southwest quarter of section 21, and the northwest quarter of section 28, township 20, range 18, as a townsite. The company filed a plat of the same in the district land office.
Several buildings were erected the following sum- mer. A blacksmith shop was established by Wm. C. Howard, and a wagon shop by James C. Kelso ; also a postoffice, with Wm. C. Howard as postmas- ter, which was the second postoffice established in the county. Not being on a regular mail route it was supplied by mail from Hyatt, by private con- veyance. James C. Kelso succeeded Mr. Howard as postmaster in the spring of 1859, and resigned in the autumn following. James R. Means was then appointed, and the office was moved to his house, some three miles north of Cresco.
The voting precinct for this part of the county was at Cresco, it being centrally located. In the spring of 1859 the inhabitants of the town, and many of the settlers in the neighborhood, caught the "Pike's Peak" gold fever, and the town was
271
ANDERSON COUNTY.
abandoned. The voting precinct was moved to Central City the same fall, where it still remains.
The first store in Central City was established by W. S. Eastwood and H. N. F. Reed, in the sum- mer of 1858. Stephen Marsh and his son Oliver erected a large two-story frame building at Central City, the same year, and established a good store, consisting of dry goods, groceries, hardware, boots and shoes, etc., and it was for several years the best mercantile establishment in the county. The Marshes opened a store in Humboldt in 1860, and J. S. Johnson succeeded them in Central City.
The first school district in the township was or- ganized in 1859, with James R. Eaton, director ; James R. Means, treasurer, and Solomon Kauffman, clerk. A school was taught the same year, with Jackson Means as teacher, using an abandoned log cabin, near where Samuel Earnest now resides, for a school house. This was the first school taught in the township, and was well attended. A school was taught in the same cabin the following winter by the same teacher, and in the spring of 1861 a permanent school house site for this district (No. 16) was selected one mile farther west, and a better building erected, which was soon after followed by a good substantial stone building, since known as the Moler school house, and, besides being used for school purposes, it has been used for religious ser- vices, Sabbath school and public meetings. The Reeder township fair, in the fall of 1871, was held
272
HISTORY OF
at this place, and was equal to our county fairs in former years.
Among the prominent men who settled in this township during 1859 were John L. Hill, Mathew Porter, H. Facklam, A. O. Cooper, H. R. Hall, Robert Burk, James R. Wood, John S. Wood and A. L. Osborn, who took claims and made valuable improvements. A. L. Osborn established a black- smith shop on the Humboldt road, south of where Cyrus H. Lowry now resides, and afterwards moved to Garnett, where he still carries on the same busi- ness.
John L. Hill took a claim on Cherry creek, and commenced improving it, with little or no means. Being a shoemaker by trade, he worked at the bench evenings, on wet days, and when he could spare the time from his plow. He now owns one of the best improved farms in the county, and has lo- cated several members of his family on good farms near him. Mathew Porter has improved a fine farm near Central City, and has been a very successful farmer. A. O. Cooper and his sons, William H. and Charles T. Cooper, improved fine farms in the same neighborhood.
Prominent among the settlers in 1860 were John Moler, Peter S. Patton, A. S. Blackstone, Michael Williams, Terance McGrath and A. V. Saunders. John Moler purchased the claim of 160 acres taken and improved by Dr. Messic, and has since pur- chased other land, and added to it, and has now one
273
ANDERSON COUNTY.
of the largest and best improved farms in the county, which he has stocked with a fine lot of thorough- bred and graded Durham cattle.
In 1857 a settlement was commenced on Ianthe creek, in the northwest part of the township. Prom- inent among the early settlers were Dr. D. B. Swal- low, Joseph Benedum, Daniel Doolin, William Fitz- gerald and Michael Glennen.
This is known as the Emerald (or Irish ) settle- ment ; it has a postoffice, and a fine church building, erected on an elevated point, where it can be seen for many miles. The congregation is Catholic, of good membership.
In 1865 C. H. Lowry established a steam saw mill on Pottowatomie creek, where he now resides, and continued to operate it for several years. S. W. Arrant built a small mill, run by water power, on his farm, west of Central City, but it never proved successful. A good steam saw mill was established in the spring of 1871, on the farm owned by Michael Williams ; was afterwards sold to Smith P. Cornell, who subsequently moved it to Cherry creek, where it is still operated.
TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS.
1858, Solomon Kauffman, chairman: T. W. Painter and Joseph Benedum : 1859, J. R. Eaton, chairman.
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
1860, H. N. F. Reed ; 1861, Jackson Means; 1862-3-4, S. W. Arrant ; 1865-6-7, Jolm S. Johnson ; 1868, John Moler ; 1869, Jackson Means; 1870, Robert Burk; 1871, Jacksou Means ; 1872-3. James Legg; 1874, H. C. Reppert ; 1875, Henry Facklam.
35
274
HISTORY OF
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1858, Asa J. Yoder ; 1859, - - -; 1868-9-70, Daniel Hitchcock ; 1871-2-3, John Aldridge ; 1874, S. A. Baird ; 1875, James McGahey.
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.
From 1868 to 1875. inclusive, M. Porter.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1858, S. W. Arrant, JJ. R. Eaton, Milan Grout and Ste- phen Marsh : 1860, S. W. Arrant and JJ. R. Eaton ; 1861, J. R. Eaton and M. Porter; 1863, H. R. Hall and A. V. Saun- ders ; 1865, M. Porter and Daniel Doolin ; 1867, M. Por- ter and Jas. McGahey ; 1869. M. Porter and Robert Burk ; 1871, M. Porter and John H. Keiser ; 1873, JJ. HI. Keiser and Benj. Bacon ; 1874, John Aldridge, to fill a vacancy ; 1875, Thomas McGrath and S. A. Baird.
CHAPTER XXIX.
Washington Township-Its Organization- Streams-Timber-Settlement-Successive Town- ship Officers.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP is situated in the geo- graphical center of the county, and contains fifty- six square miles. It is supplied with plenty of tim- ber on Cedar and South Pottowatomie creeks, which furnish abundance of stock water. The township was organized in October, 1857. Henry Williams and Francis A. Hart were appointed justices of the
275
ANDERSON COUNTY.
peace in November, and were the first officers in the township. H. M. Rumley and John B. Dilday were the first white settlers in the township ; they located on South Pottowatomie in July, 1855. Eph- raim Reynolds came to the settlement in the fall of 1855. None of these now live in the county. Rum- ley and Dilday removed to Missouri, and Reynolds died in the army, a brave and good soldier, in de- fense of his country. In the summer of 1856 a num- ber of settlers located in the township, among whom ' were Miles Morris and Patrick Tyler.
A colony was formed at Lawrence about the first of December, 1856, consisting principally of men who enlisted in the Free State cause in 1856. Thad- deus Hyatt, of New York, and W. F. M. Arny, of Bloomington, Ills., took an active part in organizing the colony, Hyatt furnishing the necessary provis- ions for the colony, numbering more than eighty persons, for the winter of 1856-7, which was unusu- ally severe, to induce them to settle in Anderson county. After John W. Geary, Governor, had es- tablished a more peaceable state of affairs, com- panies of militia were organized, by order of the War Department, to maintain the peace in the Ter- ritory. Two companies of militia, all Pro-Slavery men, were stationed at Lecompton ; and one com- pany, all Free State men, was to remain at Law- rence. These companies were armed with muskets and accoutrements, clothed and fed by the United States government. The company recruited at Law-
.
276
HISTORY OF
rence was organized about the first of October, 1856, with Samuel Walker, captain, James A. Harvey, first lieutenant, and J. W. Walker, second lieutenant, each of whom had seen some service in our border troubles ; and James A. Harvey had served through the war with Mexico. He was colonel of the Third Free State regiment during the troubles of 1856. This company numbered eighty-seven men. After camping out three weeks, and drilling every day, it was supplied with United States uniforms and Sibley tents, and went into camp in the timber west of Lawrence, near the camp of Maj. Wood's battalion of United States infantry, where they performed guard duty until the 30th day of November, 1856, when they were mustered out of the service by Maj. Wood, U. S. A. These eighty men, mostly unmar- ried, discharged at the beginning of winter, with no employment, and no means to support themselves, nor to return to their homes in the States, were or- ganized into a colony by Thaddeus Hyatt, as hereto- fore stated, and on the 15th day of December, 1856, proceeded to Anderson county ; and on the 18th of December selected the north half of the southeast quarter and the northeast quar- ter of section 10, and the south half of the south- east quarter of section 3, township 21, range 19 ; and in a few days thereafter moved their camp on to Cedar creek, just west of the townsite of Hyatt. The colony spent some ten days in se- lecting claims, there being no settlements on Cedar,
277
1
ANDERSON COUNTY.
and but three families in the west part of the county at that time. The most of the colonists selected claims on Cedar and South Pottowatomie creeks. The colony lived in tents. enduring many hardships, until April, 1857, when a majority of them went on their claims and commenced improvements. They prepared timbers for a hotel, store and blacksmith shop, which were erected during the winter on the townsite of Hyatt. In the spring of 1857 a saw mill was built-the first erected in the county-and in the fall a grist mill was attached, which did good work for the settlers of the county.
The Hyatt town company was organized in Feb- ruary, 1857, by electing W. F. M. Arny, president, and Cyrus J. Farley, secretary. A plat and survey of the townsite was duly filed in the district land office at Lecompton, April 21, 1858, claiming the land described for a townsite under the pre-emption law ; a plat was also filed in the office of the pro- bate judge of the county. This town was laid out with the view of making it the county seat.
The first religious services in the township were had at the house of H. M. Rumley, in the fall of 1856, Rev. Terrell officiating. The first birth was a son of Jackson Mason, in 1856; the next was a daughter of J. B. Dilday, in the fall of the same year. A cemetery was established near Hyatt in the summer of 1857.
A store was opened by B. F. Allen, at Hyatt, in the summer of 1857 ; he kept a general assortment
278
HISTORY OF
of dry goods and groceries. In June a postoffice was established, and W. F. M. Arny was appointed . postmaster.
School district No. 8 was organized in 1858, and Miss Josephine Ramsey taught the first school therein the next fall.
Dr. J. M. Overholts located at Hyatt in the spring of 1857. In July of that year there was much sick- ness on Cedar and South Pottowatomie creeks, and many deaths ensued, among whom was Col. James A. Harvey, the president of the town company of Hyatt, an honorable member of the colony. Soon thereafter the prospects of the town began to wane. Many left the Territory the same fall ; and when the gold excitement of Pike's Peak came, in 1859, many of the colony left for the new Eldorado ; and soon thereafter the town was abandoned, Garnett having become the county seat. All that remains of Hyatt now is the story of its rise and fall.
A postoffice was established at Springfield in Oc- tober, 1858, and A. W. Jones appointed postmaster.
Among the noted settlers that settled on the east side of South Pottowatomie in 1857, in the Spring- field neighborhood, were A. W. Jones, Richard Mills, W. M. Manlove, Wm. Whipps and John Horn.
Some of the more prominent men who still reside in the township are Zar Bennett, John Horn, R. H. Cunningham, J. Reynolds, J. M. Johnson, Thomas Thompson, J. W. Oney, John W. Paul, Dr. Broom- hall, A. W. Phillips, Thos. Wardell, J. Y. Alexan- der, Robert Moore, James S. Smith, T. J. Owens and Emery W. Wilson.
TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS.
1858, A. McArthur, chairman ; John B. Dilday and Rob-
279
.
ANDERSON COUNTY.
ert H. Moore : 1859, John B. Dilday, chairman : Robert H. Moore and
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
1860, A. W. Phillips ; 1861, Alexander McArthur ; 1862. William Agnew ; 1863-, John W. Paul ; 1866. (no record of election) ; 1867-8-9-70. John Horn : 1871, A. W. Phil- lips ; 1872, W. B. Hamilton ; 1873-4, Thomas Thompson ; 1875, A. W. Phillips.
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.
1858-9, John Horn: 1868, R. H. Cunningham ; 1869-70, Miles Morris ; 1871-2-3-4-5, J. Y. Alexander.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1868, Abner B. Glover : 1869-70-1-2-3-4-5, Jumius Reyn- olds.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1858, Henry Williams, Francis A. Hart, William Reyn- olds and A. W. JJones ; 1860, John Campbell and Henry Williams ; 1861, Henry Williams and William Reynolds: 1863-5. A. W. Phillips and Miles Morris ; 1867, Zach. Nor- ris and A. W. Phillips : 1869-71, Zach. Norris and R. Il. Cunningham ; 1873, R. H. Cunningham and II. J. Morgan ; 1874, John Campbell, to fill vacancy.
CHAPTER XXX.
Putnam Township-Organization-Prominent Settlers-First School District-First Church Building - Mount Carmel College- Successive Township Officers.
PUTNAM TOWNSHIP was formed by the county commissioners, April 7, 1870, and named in honor of Leander Putnam. The township is bounded as
280
HISTORY OF
follows : Commencing at the northwest corner of Walker township, on the north line of the county ; thence west to the line between ranges 18 and 19 ; thence south to the southwest corner of township 19; thence east to Ianthe creek : thence following the main channel of said creek to Pottowatomie creek ; thence down the main channel of Pottowat- omie creek to a point where it crosses the line of Walker township ; thence north to the place of be- ginning ; containing 30 square miles.
The principal part of the lands of Putnam town- ship are high, rolling prairie. It has, however, good valley lands, and timber along the streams forming its southern boundary. It contains some of the finest farms in the county.
The first settlement in this portion of the county was made by the Rocker family, in 1855, on the north side of the Pottowatomie, and during the sum- mer of 1856 several others came, among whom were Henry Feuerborn, Rezin Porter, Henry Ritter, Eli P. Bawgus, William Tull, Geo. W. Yandall, James McGue and Mrs. Totton.
In the spring of 1857 there was a large immigra- tion to the township. The Scipio colony, spoken of in another chapter, came in this year ; as well as many others, who are mentioned elsewhere. The Saint Boniface church is situated in this township ; also Mount Carmel college. The first school dis- trict in the county was organized in this township in December, 1858, with A. Garrett, James Farrah and M. Puett as a school board, who erected the first school house in the county. The Saint Boniface Catholic church was erected in 1858, and was the first church building in the county. In 1871 the Catholic church organized a college, known as
28I
ANDERSON COUNTY.
"Mount Carmel," and erected a fine building, and have since maintained a good school therein.
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
1870, J. J. Spencer : 1871-2-3-4-5, Leander Putnam. JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1870, G. W. Flint and J. M. Perrine ; 1872, G. W. Flint and J. J. Spencer ; 1874, G. W. Flint and F. Lichteig.
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.
1870. Leander Putnam; 1871-2-3-4, A. C. Messenger ; 1875, A. R. Smith.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1870-1-2. Melvin Cottle ; 1873-4, J. F. Ricketts ; 1875, J. Taylor.
CHAPTER XXXI.
Lincoln Township-Boundaries-Organization -Prominent Settlers-Elba Town Company-Suc- cessive Township Officers.
LINCOLN TOWNSHIP was formed and its bound- aries established October 3, 1870, as follows : Com- mencing on the east line of Anderson county, at the * northeast corner of section 3, township 21, range 21 ; thence west to the northwest corner of section 4, township 21, range 20; thence south to the line dividing ranges 21 and 22 ; thence east to the county line ; thence north to the place of beginning ; con- taining 48 square miles.
The first settlement in the township was in May, 1857, by Daniel Elsbury, on North Sugar creek, and 36
282
HISTORY OF
during the year the following persons also settled in the township : John Lawrence, Charles Vanguilder, Wm. Taylor, H. K. Robinson, Wesley Spindler, Mrs. Fry, Dr. J. W. Swank, M. E. Osborn, Ben- jamin Peoples, James D. Ridgeway, B. F. Ridgeway, S. B. Miller, Mrs. Ashburn. Among those of 1858 were R. H. P. Snodgrass, Riley Lawrence, Geo. Enoch, James Lowry, David Wright, A. W. Ross, Wm. Vess, Blaine A. Vess, Cyrus Morris, Presley Morris, Adison Morris, Samuel Morris, Anthony Holloman and Virgil Hollomon. Prominent settlers of 1859 were C. T. Chapin, Samuel McCollum. Daniel McCollum, Nelson Tusteson, James Houri- gan, Wm. Rebstock and Christian Rebstock.
The township is watered by . several streams, which supply an abundance of good water. Tim- ber is rather scarce. It contains numerous beauti- ful round mounds, and a great variety of valley land ; and the soil of the township is about an aver- age with other parts of the county.
The first death in the township was Mrs. Snod- grass, in July, 1858.
Elba town company was organized January 23, 1858, composed of Harvey Springer, B. F. Ridge- way, A. G. Poteet and William Springer. The company surveyed and laid out a town on the west half of section 8, township 21, range 21, and filed a plat thereof with the probate judge of the county, and asked that the land so platted be pre-empted as a townsite ; but this town never had any existence except on paper, and was never pre-empted, the company wisely concluding that it was useless to spend time and money in attempting to build a town on the site.
The first election in the township was held on the
283
ANDERSON COUNTY.
day of the general election in November, 1870. TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
1870-1-2. M. E. Osborn ; 1873, A. E. Rogers : 1874, Ed. Stein ; 1875, D. M. Osborn.
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.
1870-1-2-3-4. B. A. Vess ; 1875, M. E. Osborn. TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1870-1-2-3, Ed. Stein ; 1874, James Knight ; 1875, D. Mc- Collum.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1870, David Wright and M. Osborn ; 1871-3, D. M. Os- born and J. Brown : 1875, E. L. Peavey and G. W. Smith.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Ozark Township - Organization - Streams - First Election-Town of Colony-Ohio and In- diana Colony-Successive Township Officers.
ON the 10th day of May, 1859, Ozark township was established by the board of county supervisors, bounded as follows : All that portion of the county lying south of township 21, being nine miles wide and twenty-four miles long. There is a high eleva- tion of land running across the township, known as the Ozark ridge, which divides the waters of the Arkansas and Missouri rivers. Cedar and South Pottowatomie creeks head in this township, and flow toward the Missouri river, and Indian and Deer creeks rise in the same township, and flow toward the Arkansas river. The lands of this township
:
284
HISTORY OF
are principally high, undulating prairie, but it has some beautiful valley lands along the streams.
The first settlement was made in the township on Deer creek, by Giles Sater, in the fall of 1855. He brought two slaves with him, and kept them until 1860. Thos. J. Day settled on Deer creek in the same year. He was one of the first commissioners of Allen county. In 1857 he moved into Anderson county. Deer creek was thus named by Day, on account of the great number of deer on that stream. He also gave Indian creek its name, because of find- ing a new-made Indian grave on its banks, the grave being marked by a stone with a buck carved upon it.
Among the settlers of 1856-7, on Deer creek, were Alexander Martin, Hiram Cable, David Mar- tin, W. Stubblefield, J. P. Pitsford, James Buford, H. P. Lawrence, Henry Sater, John Williams, Mrs. Dorothy Jones. Among those who settled on In- dian creek about the same time were: Mrs. Mar- garet Wiggins, John Stiginwalt, J. P. Whicher, Wil- liam Denny and A. P. Clark. On the Osage, in this township, were A. G. West, John Hall and Joseph C. Mills.
In 1859 Joseph Price, Thos. J. Day and James A. Dorsey associated themselves together as a town company, and located and laid out Elizabethtown, on section 15, township 23, range 19. Soon there- after a little store was opened there by W. Stubble- field & Co. They procured a postoffice at that place in the same year.
The first election was held in the township June 7, 1859.
The territory originally included in Ozark town- ship has been divided into Ozark, Rich and Indian Creek townships.
1
285
ANDERSON COUNTY.
Among the settlers on Deer creek from 1859 to 1862 are John Jones, John McD. Martin, B. B. Rock- wood, Joseph Price. Dr. P. T. Mathews, S. L. Ful- lenwider, S. M. McCoon and G. W. Sands.
In 1870 the Leavenworth, Lawrence & Galveston railroad was completed to the south line of the county, and a station was located near the north line. of the township, called Welda ; another station was located on section 6, township 22, range 19. called Divide ; at which there has since been a town laid out, and the name changed to Colony. In the spring and summer of 1871 a colony was organized in Ohio and Indiana, under the leadership of some energetic men, such as Col. Henry Wilson, of Sid- ney. Ohio, Col. N. Bostwick, of Mt. Vernon, Ohio, J. J. Fairbanks, of Indianapolis, Ind., and J. G. Norton, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and, after examining the State of Kansas and Colorado Territory, they selected the present site in this township, and in March, 1872, the colonists began to arrive, and by the middle of May about one hundred persons had come. After their arrival the colonists elected Col. Henry Wilson, president ; J. J. Fairbanks, vice president : J. P. Ewing, secretary ; and D. W. Ream, treasurer. The colonists have improved some good farms in the vicinity of the town of Col-
ony. The town now numbers about eighty-five in- habitants, has one hotel, one store, one blacksmith shop, wagon shop, a real estate office and postoffice. It is a healthful and beautiful place, and has a class of good, energetic citizens. J. J. Fairbanks built the first dwelling house in the town in the winter of 1872. Dr. J. M. Ford has a first-class dry-goods and grocery store in the town, and does a good business, being also a good physician.
-
286
HISTORY OF
TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS.
1859. G. W. Sands, chairman : John Pitchford and Henry Sater.
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
1860. G. W. Sands ; 1861-2, JJohn Volk; 1863-4-5-6-7. A. (. West ; 1868, Joseph Price ; 1869, B. B. Rockwood ; 1870. Joseph Price : 1871, William Denny : 1872-3, Joseph Price : 1874. J. H. Campbell ; 1875, S. B. Gamble.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1859, H. P. Lawrence : 1868, Sylvester Durall ; 1870, S. W. Boring; 1871. A. B. Wandall : 1872, E. W. Pomeroy ; 1873. E. F. Ewing : 1874. Geo. Mathews ; 1875. F. C. Ewing.
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.
1859. Hiram Cable; 1868, P. T. Mathews: 1869. T. A. Wetherman : 1870. Joseph Walker: 1871. S. W. Boring; 1872. George West : 1873. Alfred Cook ; 1874-5, Thomas J. Day.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1859. John Williams ; 1860, Joseph Price and J. D. Hos- ley : 1863, JJoseph Price and F. R. Marsh ; 1864, A. G. West, to fill vacancy : 1865-6-7-8-9, A. G. West and Joseph Price : 1871, J. B. Rhodes and E. W. Pomeroy : 1873, J. B. Rhodes ; 1875. JJ. B. Rhodes and J. J. Fairbanks.
.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Rich Township-Boundarics-Soil-Streams- Timber-Coal-Early Settlers-First Election- Successive Township Officers.
RICH TOWNSHIP was formed by the county com- missioners July 29, 1870, bounded as follows : Commencing at the northwest corner of township 22, range 20 ; running south nine miles, to the south
287
ANDERSON COUNTY.
line of the county; thence east ten miles, to the southeast corner of the county ; thence north nine . miles ; thence west ten miles, to the place of be- ginning ; containing ninety square miles. The sur- face of the township is generally undulating prairie : soil, fertile. There is some good valley land along
the streams. The township is furnished with abun- dance of stock water by the Osage river. Sugar creek, Deer creek and their tributaries. There is but little timber, but an abundance of coal in the township. These coal beds furnish fuel for the sur- rounding country. The people have adopted the herd law, and many farms are cultivated without fences until hedges can be grown. The greater number of the settlers in the township were soldiers during the rebellion, and have settled here since the war, on homestead land. It contains many good farms and enterprising men.
The first settlement was on the Osage, in 1857, by A. G. West, John Hall, Joseph C. Mills, F. R. Marsh, J. D. Hosley, E. D. Hosley, S. F. West. and C. G. Ellis. The following are some of those who settled in the township in later years : Joseph Walker, Charles Reynolds, Morgan Ferguson. Alex. McNutt, R. C. Ploughe, D. C. Richner, S. Durall, J. Q. Bowdell, David Barton, Samuel Miller. Vincent Sisson, J. A. Bell, S. D. Anderson, John H. Shawver, Robt. Gray, Pha Tefft, Caleb Frazer and Adam Frazer.
The first election in the township was held at Mc- Nutt's school house, August 27, 1870.
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
1870, R. C. Ploughe ; 1871. Sylvester Durall ; 1872, James A. Bell; 1873. J. M. Shreves : 1874, J. B. Ferguson : 1875. J. R. McCoy.
288
HISTORY OF
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.
1870-1-2. D. (. Richner : 1873-4. W. C. Routzong : 1875, J. B. Ferguson.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1870. Sylvester Durall ; 1871, P. McNall ; 1872. J. Q. Bow- dell : 1873, JJ. B. Ferguson ; 1874. J. S. Hamilton ; 1875. B. F. Riber.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE.
1870. J. Q. Bowdell and James Rasbough; 1871, Morgan Ferguson and John Hall : 1873-5. Samuel Miller and John HI. Shawver.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
Indian Creek Township-Organization-First Settlement-Streams-Successive Township Offi- cers.
INDIAN CREEK TOWNSHIP was established by the board of county commissioners July 10, 1873, and its boundaries fixed as follows : Beginning at the south- west corner of the county ; running thence east along the south line of the county six miles, to the north- east corner of section 15, township 23, range 18 ; thence north nine miles, to the north line of Ozark township, at the northeast corner of section 3, town- ship 22, range 18 ; thence west along the south line of Reeder township, to the west line of the county, at the northwest corner of section 2, township 22, range 17 ; thence south along the west line of the county, to the place of beginning ; containing fifty-four square miles.
289
ANDERSON COUNTY.
The first election for township officers was at the general election in November, 1873.
The township is composed of high, undulating prairie land, of average soil. Cedar creek rises in this township and flows northward. Indian creek runs across the township, furnishing plenty of stock water. Martin's creek rises in the southeastern part of the township and flows southward. This township has but little timber. It lies near the Ne- osho river, from which it gets most of its timber. The township includes some of the finest grazing country in the county.
The first settlement in the township was made on Indian creek, in 1857, by Mrs. Margaret Wig- gins and family. Soon after her come. John Stigin- walt, F. P. Whicher, A. P. Clark, Thomas Stigin- walt, and William Denny.
Since the war the following gentlemen have set- tled in the township : Squire Worrell, E. W. Pome- roy. G. O. Howard, Allen W. Fox. C. C. Leach, Milton J. Boyd. Geo. W. McDaniel, M. N. Sinnott, A. L. Rogers, Richard Cave, Benj. Sharp, D. Morti- mer and C. W. Spencer.
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEES.
1873-4-5. M. N. Sinnott.
TOWNSHIP CLERKS.
1873. John A. Honse ; 1874. A. Babcock : 1875. A. L. Rogers.
TOWNSHIP TREASURERS.
1873-4. Richard Cave ; 1875. A. W. Fox.
JUSTICES OF THE PEACE. 1873. R. G. Ellsworth : 1874. Benjamin Sharp : 1875. C. (. Leach and C. W. Spencer.
37
F912
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.