The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-08-19
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Spring Greek and crystal Townships.

HISTORICAL SKETCHES
Spring Greek and crystal Townships.
The first SETTLER in ttiesc townships wa.
MIR. t.y~asers. at onion Grove, who
essfs'e from Ohio, and settled a, that poin;
IN 1854.
Mr.. Frede lex came the next year, and
became his neighbpr without sourd of
trumpet or noise of battle. These set
Tiers broke up the SD, and farrncd, tefore
there Vas another settler within ten n lies.
with the exception of the Dodsoa's a;
LeGrand
Mr.. Bvwater sold ont and went to Ran
sas in 1855, Mr. W. Ii. King, tie frs, JUS
sice in Spring Greek township becoming
she purchaser,
Jonas Wood, the county surveyor, and
Mr. Kitchener Gid not buaa their mill on
Wolf Greek until IS5s, so &aat the early
pioneers we're obliged TO haul all til, ir
humber and -four from Cedar Rapids and
Iowa City. II was GO miles to the former
place, aHi s. to the later. The first mill
in tie county was bull, at Indiantown,
Celian'iEe Gray the proprietor.
Mr.. Shu!tz and j. s. Bishop settled in
the TOW RshiP, the latter at Bishops Grove
Nelson Fel;cr settled on the south bank
of Wolf Greek in Crystal township about
miles from Traer. There were few
settlers at Buckingham, n. L. Osborn,
Woods, Kitchener. Baker, a. Bakers
ds=erc Barrighi, ard some others. This
family lived among the Indians and
wolves, without seeing 4 white woman for
six mouths
The first white child born. in Crystal
township was Lyman. Felter in 1855.
The first wedding hcreabouts was
Elizabeth Quinn who married Abram
Reeder. scalaws- that deserted her in
day ortwo for fsirer face
The next year. Miss Mary Mann we'd
ded John B. Smith.
The Indians were not often trouble
some, only in begging, ard Mrs. Felter
who has grea. kind heart used to give
them lots TO eat Mr. Felter built cabin
20xlS and lived quite comfortably.
Strsnsc;s going from VintOu to Marshall
County and westward would often come
in and cover the floor with beds.
4 Mrs Davis, who had a romantic MINI
named the township Crystal from the
beauty Of sky and water. J. G. Hull SET
TIED on Wolf Greek June 1854. Nr. Hull
piled mp some sods, drove down some
crntclIcs of wood, took off his wagon
cover, and after building a camp fire Oh
The outside. the family had Il home in the
Naykeve State
The Hulls Ike the FeIteTs wrought in
dusriously and wers very hospitable. Mr.
Huh now owns SO acres, Mr.. Feiter about
800 acres, which shows the energy Of the
pioneers in this section
OK teams were common, ladies as well
as men, rode behind the patient oxen
with the same grace that they look ont Of
railroad car
Brincker's family also moved into Carroll
township, IL miles south of Wolf Creek
about the same time.
The first election held in Lincoln. Car
roll and Spring Creek townships took
place al Anthony BriRcker's-the ballots
.drOppcd into glass box. This was in
.ArriI 1855. All the Dobson's voted.
Crystal township held her first election
at the house of Johnathan S. Bishop April
1856 There were sixteen voters present
among Them the Wilcy'S, Guilford, and
the Wilson's.
JoUN WILSON
the father Of HoU. Jas. Wilson, settled in
1865 over the line il Perry township and
was known among the most intelligent
of hLr people. Andrew Wilson the genial
wheat BUYER Of Traer was little lad who
drove the cows home at "dewy eve" and
learned those lessons at his fathers knee,
that marks the man to-day. Our Con
gresham studied his lessons BY the mid
night lamp at that time, and was laying
.creditable 10 himself anl the people of
Iowa.
WEST WILSON
Was the second Justice elected in Crystal
township, Office hesshas held for over
twelve years. Mr.. Wiley was the first
Rev Samuel Kerr was the first presby-
terrain clergyman in the reighborhood. A
Fourth of July celebration was held al
Union Froye i'll 1856, Ok teams poured
in nv the scoTe-tl;ere WIS basket din
ner, and Il few speeches. Flags were not
used TO any great extent until after the
war st country celebrations.
Before Mr.. Hun's family came to his
sod house on Wolf Creek. he lay sick five
DAYS with chill fever. TIE water in the
cup by his bedside gave out and he lay a
day or two without wafer, or anything to
seat, but some Mus4uakies came along
fortunately. when tie sqnaws with real
kindness waited on him as tcnderly as q
white woman. CT, lit To whom, credit is
due. The only murder ever committed in
this sectioa WAS Il at Of an Irishnlan who
KILLED iIss ..ei!e, Ii Jag il Crystal township.
.Orphetss King, WIN Merrill, Webster
sBo.FeI.fnl. as.I.r, named Knapp moved to
Union ,fi1,rae In 1856 The last two
named .i.sli-n,ru scry in full blast at an
,ea1ly re,tt.rs.e.
.Amurtiir- II {. marriages in Spring
Greek was TIEnIaih kiug, who married a
ryoung ulsn ssn,rgE as hudson Hall The
raeighbors wuessfl -f,resen; st the wedding
and Nr Orpheus King made the roof
vibra,e with his hearty welcomes to his
friends on ne sa,Qy day
One Of the fTst deaths recorded here,
WAS that of man named HaUweil from
arshaNtown, who started with q load
for G. ". Woodbury. to carry to Dubuque
Put Mr. H tripPed on some weeds fell
down. and the wagon passed over him.
He was two miles from any house, but
finding strength 10 crawl on his hands and
knees, he, finally, in a weak condition,
reached 4 cabin but died soon after.
Rev. DIR. Upton, a Congregational
preacher used to dispense gospel services
all through the pioneer settlements
The Presbyterian Church in the Wilson
-neiphborhood Was organized in 1860.
Mrs. Wilson, wife Of West Wilson, was
one Of the first deaths ia the church. The
eburct, building Was erected in 1863
The Wolf Creek valley is one Of The
fines. portions OF Iowa The country
which was raw prairie twenty years ago
nnw blooms like the rose.