The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-15
savaa

system with unhealthy ylgor, pushed
II rapidly forward. In 1870 tho pros
pect for the early completion OF the
Central railroad of iowa through the
town was 80 fatterlng that the at
tentlon Of enterprismg men In yari
GUS parts Of the country was direct
cd thereto, and as a result the popu'
la,ion OF the town increased by hun.
dreds. Like all other towns, New
Sharon reached q point when a too
rapid growth necessarily received a
check. Between the years OF '72 and
'76 she added more than 400 10 her
population through emigration alone
and could boast Of about 300 inhab.
itants."
New Sharon was incorporated In
1871, the first election being held on
October 9TH OF that year. II. NJ. For.
ney was elected mayor. A Prohibl.
tion ordinance was the first act pass.
ed by the council, and the cir has
always maintained a clean record on
the liquor question.
The city has had two geyefs h.os
In its history, one April, %, 1876, in
which the damage amounted 10 $3G..
900, and another Dec. =, 1880, re-
suited In loss OF $4,000.
II Is a good trading point, being
we'll represented in the various lines
Of business. II has an oIeStrlc light
plant, a good system Of water works
substantial business buIldG.gs and
elegant homes.
It's present population is 1900, and
a large per cent Of them are church.
going people. The denominations
represented are Friends, Methodist,
Episcopal. Christian, Presbyterian
and Baptist.
They have a fine school building
and employ the best talent In their
teaching force.
RiehIand Township.
RIchland is in the northwest cor.
ner Of the county. The name was
suggested by VIM. Lauranceo who
came ia 1S43. because Of the product
iveness Of It's soil It's section lines
wrre run In 1916 by James Grant
who afterwa'.iJ OcCame u leading at.
tOrney, district fGdb1 and a maJ
Of wealth In the draft Of his sur
veyB among the county records are
found located the claim OF George
Buckley, VINO was the first settler In
the township, and built the first
cabin about one mile west Of the
town Of Peoria.
J. 70. Godby, J.. Miller, J. Jnn9J,
Thomas Baldwin, Moses WassOn, l..
Osborn, FOweii Bush and VIM. Laur.
ance are among the first settlers.
Moses rJssCn w2s nc FIRST Jus'
tlce Of the township, haVing pgCn
elected in 1876,
The dibL school in the township
Uay taught by Miss Mary Westlak3
in 18f7 In q log cabin belonging 10
r. Baldwin The second was CON
Quoted by Warren Lathr0p.
The NJ. Il. church in Peoria, sbuilt
in 1856, was the first church. The
first services, however, we're feld In
WestIakeg cabin some time prior to
the building Of the church.
The very early gettIers went TO
WhistIvrs mill, southeast Of SIsour'
ney, on North Skunk. A majority,
however, went 10 Duncan's mill,
where a register was kept Of each
grist and applications for grinding
were waited on in the order In
which their names appeared on the
record. II IL said that work was
thus engaged for two or more weeks
for constant run day and night.
This scarcity Of mills, however, was
only temporary. The Robert War
rem mill was built on South Skunk
in the southwest portion Of the
township and did Il good business In
its day.
Near the center Of the township
the village Of Peoria Is located. II
was laid out May Fl, 1853, by Theo'
dric Spain on land owned by him
self, George WestIake and Sanford
Haineg. The Hollanders have alb.
sorbed almost everything In that part
OF the township. There is Method
ist and Christian church, but they
have fallen into decay for want OF
support. Tho best farm lands are In
tho northern and eastern portions OF
the township. The southwestern por'
ton Is broken and covered with tim.
Der. There are excellent quarries Of
building stone near Peoria. From
these quarries some fifty years ago
Jasper county obtained stone 10 build
court house. Granville. located on
section !, was also laid out by Theo
drlc Spain. II served as a ncighbor.
hood trading place in tho carly years,
but the business has gone TO the rail.
roads. Richland township now has
ten schools. Az least half OF its pop.
ulatlon arc HoiIanders who are
among its begt citizens. II has two
hundred and twenty-five farms whose
value IL s21S,0G0, and personal prop
erty 10 the value Of 1891 IT'S last
reported population wag 1900.
Union.
rwyt.~.. 4t.fa k1..sa4.f. ..,x. 80