The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-06-01
cAAPrNR rwssryoNE.
History o. the Townships Of Mahssks
County.


$3.50 ~ 49,
west half Of oskaloosa township and
has been closely associated In 80 his,
tory with thu life OF the city. In that
year Spring Creek and Garfield town.
ships were created and oBkaloosa
township was confined 20 the city lin
itR. Garfield township was named In
honor OF James A. Garfield, tho bril-.
liant statesman, who wal elected
president OF our Republic Of states in
1880. Robert Sewers. n of is pho.
neer farmers, waB tho flrst man 20
Introduce Merino gheep and also 20
bring n herd OF Short.Horn cattle 10
the county. Henry Prime, 8. l.. Pom.
eroy and w. r. Smith OF this town.
ship wero among tho progressive
stock men OF tho county. Garfield
has for years had large coal mining
interests. The township has two hun.
dred and thirty.nye farms whose value
with its town lots is s236,565. The
value OF It's personal property IL $751;
14o. II has a population Of 1900 per.
sons.
Beacon.
Beacon In a village located on sec
tion ~, two and one-balf miles south.
west OF oskaIoosa, in Garfield town.
chip. II was laid out In 1864 under
the name OF Enterprise. On tho com.
piction Of tho X. a. ID. railroad II was
called Ogkalooga Station. About the
year 1863 when Hiram Ethrldge vas
pogtmaster nj Giyin, he opened q coal
shaft Mt Beacon and quite n cOmmun.
ity gprang up. They applied for a
~pogtofice but we're denied one because
OF their Dearness 10 OWN and Oska,
iooga. Az Mr.. Ethridge's interests
were mostly at Beacon md II had tho
prospect Of growing o rapidly, no
decided 20 use HIS authority as post.
master and without any consultation
or petition he went down 10 Giyin ono
Sunday on q hand car and took the
p~ostoflco effects from the home OF
Hurry Brewer, where II was kept, and
brought II up 10 Beacon. The diyin
community reported the matter 10 the
poBtofice department and ina short
time ecciyed q. second commission
which deprived Beacon Of an once.
A second application 70 the depart.
ment from Beacon brought q reply
that their petition would DO granted,
but not under the name OF Beacon,
because there was at that time an.
otter once by that name in the state.
This brings ug 10 me year 1864 when
the village and Dostoficc were found.
cd under tho name Of Enterprise,
which was changed some years after.
ward 20 is present name, E J. Nv.
n was the first postmaster. Beacon
has been quite a business center In
the past. Since the mines have been
worked out adjoining II, It's popula.
ton hos decreased. u has three
churches, several general stores and
good schools, with a population Of
rood school, with a population OF
about six hundred.
Evans.
Evans IL located on Section H.
Muchal4nock creek. H. was first call
"a Elida, being the name Of the coal
company which first began opera
lions there, When the postofice was %
tabgghed II was named for u. JI
Evans, whose land was anon the
first 70 be mined. Mr.. r. J. Evans was
the first postmaster. The railroad
men called II Knoxville Junction
because Of ia being located NJ the
crossing Of the two rOadg leading
north and west. Evans has been for
years tho center Of the operations Of
tho American Coal Company, which,
until recently, was owned and ODcr.
atcd by w. A. Mcneil. The DOpu.
lation d the place has Guctuatcd with
the coal Development,
Bolton a new mining town on Sec,
lions 20 and ~, has a population Of
several hundred wOrkmen and bids
fair 20 become quite q village. It
took rs name from Mr.. j. u, Bolton,
the originator Of tho enterprise.
Harrison.
Harrison IL one Of the four town.
ships in the southern tier OF the
county. II was laid out by Alvin and
VIM. A. Burt In June and August,
1845, and fts section lines were run
by Government Surveyor Geo Will
son In the winter Of tho following
year. II wGg named for General
William n Harrison, who was elect
ed president Of tho United States In
1916 By the Wings. He had lived
among the pioneers Of the west for
more than forty years and was loved
BY tho western people. His party
adopted the Icg cabin az their sym.
Dol. II was an extremely exciting
campaign and quite dcmoralizing on
account Of the large quantities Of
cider and other liquors which we're
drank Al the rallies. This drinkinRI
was intended 20 symbolic the pio
neer hospitality Of the old hero, but
many a young man dated the begin
ming Of his Incorporate life 10 the
haYd cider reyels ~ that campaign
This township has but little tim
Der. ~ rich soil consisting mostly
Of rolling prairie. The b~0undafies
on the township fired IN 1874 have
been unchanged. The first elections
we're held AZ ne home o. gamuei
Tibets. Tbs first white mans cabin
ever built In tho county was located
10 mo south part Of HarriHon