The Oskaloosa herald., 1905-05-18

The TO~nships Of Mahsska County.
Adams.

lbeH were mAue nN William ana ~"
YIN Dart ia July and August, iSi3.
IL originally formed a part OF Monroe
township but was r~e-surveyed by
Deputy Surveyor stiles s. Carpenter
In October, 1s47, and made an indie.
pendent township.
The FIRST justice Of the peace In
the township wal Matthew p. Grow.
~der.father Of w. l.. Crowder OF os.
kaloosa. The first school was taught
by A. N. Atwood In a cabin belong
ing TO Squire Crowder.
Among the old settlers we're Gid.
con Daugherty, William vermilyea,
A. Ruby. Adm McDonough, Joel Bri.
ney, Adam Victor. Elijah Busby and
the McLansborougn family.
The first church in the township
was a Methodist organization form
ed in the house Of John Ruby in
1876.
The village OF Lacey, located on
the Iowa Central railroad in the
western border OF the township, has
an NJ. r. church, post Office, general
store, a grain elevator, and forms
the center OF an e%nterprising COM
munity.
The South Skunk river forms its
southern boundary and Middle Creek
flows diagonally across the township
toward the southeast. These two
streams have favored quite an abun-
dant growth Of timber and given the
township an abundant supply OF wa.
ter. The township has one hundred
and forty-nine farms. whose lands
are valued at s233,O66, with value Of
personal property at s39,340, and a
population OF 1000 persons.
Black Oak.
Black Oak township was partly
surveyed in 1s43 by u. s. Surveyor
w. A. Burt and completed in 1S43 by
w Il. ID. Ewing, who afterwards be-
came governor OF the state OF I'LL
nois. At an early day there Is said
TO have been a black oak grove on
sections 8, 3, and 16, from which the
township took its name. II Is water.
ed by Muchakinock creek and Skunk
Ifvef. FAiiv township originally be-
1cnged TO Jackson township, which
extended at n time as far north
as Poweshiek county.
@. Chapman taught the first school
in the township and DIR. James II.
Warren held the first religious ser
vices at his own home. Or. Warren
emigrated 10 Iowa from Ohio and
settled in Lee county in 1s41. Com.
ing 10 this county in 1s43. he settled
in Black Oak township, being n OF
it's earliest settlers. Those who
came with him up from Lee county
were John y Hamilton, Robert Ham
ilton, Harry Miller, Green T. Clark
and Henry Mcpherson. This com
pany seem TO nave been "sooners,"
or early corners, as the dragons
would not allow them 10 pass Liber.
tyyille,the border OF the New Purchase,
with their teams until May first.
They therefore left their wagons and
families and packed their horses
with what they supposed was enough
provisions to last them until May
first. On the 26th Of April they
reached the prairie on which Pella
Is now located. Here they camped
for a time, intending to stake OF
claims on that inviting highway, but
after contemplating the subject for
awhile they concluded, Just like al
most all Of the early corners, that II
was too far from timber TO be set
tied in many years, so they selected
claims three miles TO the southeast,
nearer the timber lands. Their sup
plies running short, they sent Green
r.. Clark back to bring up the wag'
ons. Before ne had time to arrive
they we're entirely out OF atables
and resorted to hunting in earnest.
to supply their wants. One OF two
things they must do. find something
10 eat or starve. Robert Hamilton
concluded ne could best succeed in
finding a turkey and Henry Miller
thought HIS quickest returns would
be in locating a bee tree. Botn
were successful. Added TO this
piece OF good fortune their wagons
and supplies came the next day.
DIR. Warren returned to Mahaska
county in 1S47. He was among the
FIRST ministers Of the M. =. church
IN the county and ne eve tired In
ministering to the spiritual and me
dicinal wants OF his large practice.
He was especially successful in the
management OF miasmatic diseases.
Those who were with him and shar'
ed the privations Of his pioneer life
loved him best. It is an %enviable
record for a man 10 make when mis-
faurts are completely hidden by his
virtues. Such is tho record OF DR..
warren as II has IN down TO us
Among the early settlers 10 Black
Oak township were John Gillespie,
VIM, Jacob and John Majors, Aaron
FOX. Richard Q6inton. VIM Owens,
Henry Groves. John Randall, Field
ing Betz. John shosmake, Wesley
xrorol.uA and Jacob Miller. J