The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1876-07-27
LOUDEN, CEDAR CO., IOWA.
An Historical Sketch Read nj
the Centennial Celebration
Held In said Town On the 9Th
day Of July, A. ID. ls76.

Not until at the end of the eigh-
teenth century white mans foot
had touched the virgin soil of the
present State of Iowa. Perhaps
Louis Honori, who in the year 1899
was authorized by the Spanish gov
eminent to trade with the Indians on
the Des Moines river, was the first
white man in the said part of our
continent, but it was not prior to the
year 1880 that real settlement took
place.
The territory on which our town
now stands belonged to an Indian
tribe called the ''Second Foxes" and
was ceded to the federal government.
in 1882 by q treaty negotiated at
Rock Island between General Scott
and the Indian chief, Black Hawk.
This was the so called Black Hawk
treaty. At that time Iowa was a
part Of the Missouri territory, until
in 1884 it was made part of the
Michigan territory, and two years
later it formed part of the territory
of Wisconsin. In 1888 the territory
Of Iowa was organized and divided
into nine counties, one of which was
our Cedar county, with population
of about fifty white inhabitants, apd
small locality, named Rochester, for
a county seat. The latter, however,
was conferred to Upton in the year
1889.
By that time a small number of
settlers from the eastern States, and
especially from Ohio, had located in
our district, among whom were the
following: WIN. Denny, James Van
Horn, VIM. Mcclellan, VIM. and
Calvin Parr, L. Drake, j. Worley, J.
B. Huff, A. l.. Parker, Martin and
Robert Henry. James Van Horn
donated Z acres of his land and Thos.
Shearer gave ) acres to the Iowa
land company for town site. Hor-
ace Williams and Milo Smith, lin be-
half of the said company, caused
these lands to be laid out into build
ing lots in October, 1857, by Sur
veyor S. M. Mute. The dedication
was confirmed May 18th, 1858, by
George Smith, then County Judge.
The plat of the original town COM
prised the northeast ! Of northwest !
Of Section 2, Township 81, north of
Range /, west of the 9Th P. NJ. BY
Thomas Shesrer, who had formerly
lived a: Loudenville, Ohio, the new
place was called "Iouden."
In the course of time several addi
tions have been made to the original
town in the following order: Reeds
addition, December Sd, 1860; Thom-
as Shearer's 1st addition, May 2sth,
1862; Thomas Sheerer's I'd addition,
April 31st, 1866; John Walkers ad-
dition, February 18th, 1867; John D..
Shearer's addition, July I'd, 1867; NJ.
L. Banks addition, October goth,
1869; A. S. Benson's addition, No
vember 18th, 1869; Petersen's addi-
ton, March 22st, 1870; VIM. f.
Hahn's addition, August sth, 1871.
The present town of Louden extends
over the south half of Section 35,
Township 81, north Of Range l, west
Of the 9Th P. NJ, covering a part of
the two townships of Massilon and
Springfield respectively.
On the sth day Of February, 1869, a
petition of citizens was filed at the
Circuit Court for the purpose of in
corporation, and on the Gath day Of
the same month warrant was issued
by the Clerk of said court to five
commissioners to call special elec-
tion for the above stated purpose.
This election took place on March
18th, 1869, with the following result:
In favor Of incorporation, 20 votes;
against incorporation, s votes.
The first municipal election was
held May Goth, 1869. There were to
be chosen Mayor, Recorder and
FIVE Trustees. The result of said
election was as follows: Mayor
VIM. McGary; Recorder. NJ.
Alexander; Trustees-Wm. F. Hahn,
A. s. Benson, w. p. Hills, J. S.
Burwell, Herman Petersen, E. B.
Town. There being "tie" between
the last named three gentlemen, each
one of them having received Al votes,
a special election was held June 10Th,
1860, at which J. S. Burwell and
Herman Petersen were elected trus.
tees.
At present the following officers
have charge of the various branches
of the municipality, viz: VIM. F,
Hahn, Mayor; Herman Petersen,
Frank Riseley, M. L. Banks, V. A.
Bennett and David Kimball, Trus.
tees; julius Petersen, Recorder;
Emil Petersen, Treasurer; John Kel
so, Marshal and Street Commissioner
N. D. Henry, Weighmaster.
Owing to q judicious management
of the financial affairs, the town il
free of debt. 1t owns tho south ! O.
lots No. Z and 8 in block No. 3 il
the original town, with q Mayor
office, calaboose and stock pound
thereon, and also owns 10 ton Fair
banks scale.
The increase oe the population o
Louden has not kept pace with tha
Of the State in general, but her busi
ness and commercial conditions ar,