The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-22

l'Hu tell the story that the world ui today
viii be the better FOR its recitAl.nj
sssssssssssssssssssssssssst

changed Into rope ferry,
One Of tho clearest headed plo.
necrs we have consulted states that
the first appropriation for n highway
made Ia Mahaska county was made
by Judge Crookham IN tho early NJ.
ties for rope TO be used on the
5ellefountalne ferry.
The village Of Rochester, further
down the river, was laid out by John
Wright on October &c, 1850. About
this time there was a great air line
railroad route projected from Mus
catlne through Iowa, known as
the Mississippi q Missouri River
railroad. In It's survey through
Mahaska county 1t was TO cross
the Des Moines river at Ro-
chester. There was good boat
landing and quite a good country
trade at it's stores. In the late If
ties DR.. Boyer ran general store,
both at Rochester and Bellefouu-
tame. John II. Barnes, cashier OF
Mahaska County bank, had charge OF
both OF these stores at different
times. Marion White also had a
store, The village never attained
any prominence.
oliyet, a village located on Section
o., is station on the G. II. |. &c p.
railroad. The village took It's name
from the 0llvet Presbyterian church,
which had been organized several
years before. The village was laid
out In 1877. The first house was
erected by William Sumner, %4o also
opened the first store. Samuel Casey
was the first station agent and II. d.
Ross was the first postmaster. The
village never made much growth,
and now contains ten or q dozen
families. ...
Scott township has some rich coal
mines. II has seven school houses.
The county poor farm Is located on
Section "a in this township.
The township has 221 farms,
whose value Is $4,000 and personal
property to the value Of $33,407. Its
present population Is 1900.
0pTiND ITeek township
This township took It's name from
the creek flowing through II, which
In some part 10 sustained by mum.
Der Of springs along It's shores. Tn,
I'll 1882 what are now Spring Creek,
! Oskaloosa, Lincoln and Garfield town
ships, we're known as OskaIoosa
township.
Poultney Loughrldge, JOnn Meal.
lister, Edwin and Robert Mitchell
and Patterson Martin were among
torcblight May /, 1S43. Poultney
LOughridge was the founder OF the
United Presbyterian church In O8ka.
loCBa. IL was organized In the fret
school house built in the county, IN
about 1S47. For number Of year6
services were ncId during the winter
in his cabin and In the summer in
,..e open groves.
Thomas Stafford and family came o
few mOnths later. It Is said that ne
brought with him the sum Of $lS,,
900. Mr.. Stafford belonged to the
Society Of Friends and formed out
a nucleus for quite large settlement
Of those Of his own religious views.
The first Friends meeting house in
the county was built in that settle
ment. In later years a building was
erected and an academy established
which finally led 10 the establish.
ment Of Penn college. The first
Friends Yearly Meeting in Iowa was
held In Spring Creek grove In 1868.
Just how much Of all these beneG.
cent results iB traceable TO the life
and character Of Thomas Stafford IL
Is difficult to tell, but the influence
Of the life Of man with a conyic-
ton grows like leayen. Mr.. Stafford
refused to become member Of the
claim association because he was
consclentiously opposed TO It's con.
templated violent measures. The as.
sociatlon gave him the same prOtgc.
ton which they took TO themselves.
William stafford's marriage to Mi@
Eliza Stanley was the first marriage
in the township. The first birth waS
that OF John Mitchell In 1874.
The first school house In the
county was built and the first schhol
taught in this township In the fall
and winter OF 1874 by Miss Semlra A.
Hobbs. A more complete account OF
this school Is given in another chap.
ter. The township now has ten
schools.
In the summer Of 1862 there oc.
Cured a freak In the big bend Of
the Skunk river description OF
which Is worthy the pen OF John
James Audubon, the ornithologiyt.
We refer to an old time pigeon roost.
II Is the custom OF these birds to re-
pair In countless numbers 10 select
ed spot In the forest and make II a
rendezvous for sufficient length OF
time to hatch and rear their young.
This year they gathered on the
Skunk river about four miles east OF
oskaIoosa on the William X. Sopher
farm. Their roost covered between