The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-15
cAAprsR rwHsrYrARsE.
.sls,ory of ,ne Townships oi Mshsska
County.
Pleasant Grove.

SHIPS cf the county. but not settled
until 1850
Amos Holloway. g. whitaker, Noah
Van Wrinkle, William 1Iambleton,
John wymore, John Wyatt, John
whitaker and BENJAMIN Murrey we're
among It's early settlers. These men,
with their families, camo from Ohio
and Indiana. After they had erected
cabins for themselves they proceed
ed 10 provide churches and schools
for the growing settlement. Tas frat
school was taught by Richard May
berry. This school was n private en-
tprprise, but two years later the lis.
tricts were organized under the law
and three school houses were built.
The township now has eight modern
school houses outside Of Barnes City.
The township was named from a
fine grove OF timber which It con-
tanned. Coal and limestone are It's
mineral products. The northern and
eastern portions Of the township. are
mostly prairie North Skunk river
runs across the southwest corner,
and by It's tributaries the lands are
well watered and drained.
DIR. Fisher is said to have conduct
ed tho first religious services In the
township, which resulted in the or.
ganization Of a Christian church In
1854.
AgrlcoIa, village near the center
Of the township, was laid out IN the
last named year by David Santee. II.
furnished n home market and trading
place for the community until in re.
cent years the coming Of the g., X.
I. e. p. railroad across the northeast
corner Of the township changed the
center OF business 10 Barnes City.
This village has an excellent school
building, which, with It's we'll ordered
schools. is the pride Of The place. u
contains about three hundred popu-
latjon and Is well represented witt
churches and commercial interests.
The township contains one nun.
dred and ninety farms, whose valGc
IL $223,5G0 and its personal property
value is $4,000. II has popuIo'
tiop Of about 1000 persons.
/. Prairie Township.
This township was originally part
OF Madison township and was not
separately organized until 1856. u
received IT'S name from the fact that
there was almost no timber at al on
itB rich, rolling prairies. For trat
reason IL was among the last town
gl,ips 10 be settled and organihe1.
Ils homes and farms are now amo b
the most valuable In the court.
Middle creek originates In FTair'e
township and drains almOot itS o.
tire surface. II har no "ock quafb"@
Or coal deposits,
The first settler was John HIls:. 81
hal, bloodcd negro, who settfC1 c1I
Section 3 IN 1914. A naL named
ys1Iace came next from rdi1na mi
fslg Alexander Stewart moved from
Pennsylyania In 1S47, living alone
fUr one year in his claim cabin be-
foie his family JOINED nm. A. &
Doze came in 1848. Other settlers
folowed, locating mostly in the
,s.Sthern sections.
nc first school house Td5 built In
1856 IN the center Of Section 3, and
jesse Ballinger taught the first
school. The first sermon ig said TO
have been preached in the same year
Al tho home Of Levi Stewart, by John
Curry, Baptist minister.
Az the demand for public lands
grew the township became the home
Of enterpsislng farmers who had
learned the value Of good prairie
lands.
The Village Of Taintor IL located
ON Section 9, on the Newton branch
Of the Iowa Central railroad, and af'
fords a trading point and market for
the farmers OF rich section of
country.
The twonshlp has 1914 farms, whose
valuation is S397,0i1. Personal prop
erty amounting 10 s152,190. The en-
tire population Is 1900.
New Sharon.
This town was plated July %, 1856
and IS located on Sections ~ and H.
After some searching for a suitable
name, IL was decided that tho name
Of the postofice Bhould be Sharon.
When II was found that Warren
county already had an ONCE BY thAs
name New Sharon was recommended
10 the post ofice department. and was
accepted by all as the name OF the
town.
Edward Quaintance erected the
first building in 1856 and James WIN.
der the second, In which he opened
The irst gtore for general merchan.
disc In 1851
Mr. II. j. Vail. the editor ami
founder Of the New Sharon Star hos
written quite complete history of
Prairie township, from which wc
quote:
"Tne gkowth OF the town was DO.
cIdedIy sloM until tho years Of spec.
uiatlon, as one Of the natural results
of the Civil AQr which was inaug
....,. .,11, -, Au,1S.a. .,ty4 -, ysa..s..,