CHAPTER XV.
PLEASANT TOWNSHIP (CONT'D).

TOWNSHIP EDUCATION.

Pleasant township is divided into nine districts. The first school house in District No. 1 was built on the northeast corner of section 11, and Lavina Underwood was its first teacher.

The first building for educational purposes erected in District No. 2 was on the northeast corner of section 8, and George Macomber was the first teacher. The building was sold in 1881 to Caleb Marshall, for a granary, and a new school edifice was erected.

District No. 4 comprises sections 17, 18, 19 and 20, and its first school building, which was erected in 1873, was located on the southeast corner of the southwest quarter of section 17. Mattie Craig was the first taecher in this house. The location of the building was afterward changed to the southeast corner of section 18.

District No. 5, composed of sections 15, 16, 21 and 22, has a building on the northeast corner of section 21, erected in 1876. Mrs. Catherine Young taught the first term of school.

District No. 6, made up of sections 13, 14, 23 and 24, erected a school house in 1868, in section 23, and the first term was taught by Clara Warner. The building was thus used until 1882, when it was sold to W. J. Martin for a granary and a new house erected on the southeast corner of section 14.

District No. 7 is composed of sections 25, 26, 35 and 36, and its first school was built, in 1873, on the northwest corner of section 36, with Sarah Donohoe, of Milford, as teacher.

District No. 8 is formed of sections 27, 28, 33 and 34, and its school building stands on the southeast corner of section 28. It was erected in 1874, and the first teacher was Catherine Young, of Montgomery county.

District No. 9 is composed of sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, its school house was erected in 1868, and its first teacher, Mary Collins. In 1876 a larger building was erected on the northeast quarter of section 31.

RELIGIOUS.

Religious services were first regularly held in Pleasant township, at District school house No. 6, soon after its completion in 1868. They were conducted by Rev. William Fuson, a Baptist, and ministers of other denominations preached there at a later date.

In January, 1871, Rev. W. H. W. Rees effected an organization of the Methodists, which was the first regular religious society in the township. The following were among the early members: Frank Sherwood and wife, E. M. C. Mansfield and wife, Robert D. Adams and wife, Clark Ingraham and wife, Simon Proctor and wife, Bethany Printz and wife, and Jane Proctor. Its early ministers were Revs. W. H. W. Rees, J. W. Adair, William Abrahams, W. R. Douglas, J. P. Evans, J. W. Gibson, William Patterson, J. W. Coe and B. A. Fassett.

The second church to organize in Pleasant township was the Presbyterian, which was formed on the 11th of July, 1871, under the pastorate of Rev. James Andrews and in the school house of District No. 6. The place of meeting was soon changed to the school house of No. 1. Among the first members were S. L. Stetler and wife, Mrs. D. A. Miller, Mrs. Lydia Hughes, Charles Jarrett and wife, Alice Proctor and Henry McCullough, the last named being chosen elder. Revs. Kephardt, Hedges, R. H. Cunningham and T. K. Hunter were early pastors.

In 1870 John H. Lowman set apart grounds on the northeast quarter of section 34 for burial purposes, the tract having since been called the Lowman Cemetery. The first interment was that of the infant daughter of Eli A. and Sarah Guess, who was buried in January, 1871.

"Compendium and History of Cass County, Iowa." Chicago: Henry and Taylor & Co., 1906, pg. 176-177.
Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, August, 2018.