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         This village is an outgrowth of the Chicago & North-Western Railway, which was built to Louden July 5, 1858.

         The first settlers in this vicinity were John Calvin Parr, with sons Harvey, Reason, John C. and James; William Parr, with sons, Leonard, Luman, Asa, William, John, and others born after their settlement there; also John Parr, a brother of William Parr. Many of these still reside in the vicinity. They came in 1839. James Van Horn settled one mile south in 1839, and entered the village site. Among other early settlers were Porter McKinstry, William C. Hoskins, two miles south, now in Loudon; George Rone and sons, southwest; John D. Shearer, 1850, joining the village site on the north, Martin Henry, deceased, Robert Henry, now of Iowa county, who settled one mile southeast. Mr. Rone bought the McKinstry farm.

         From 1852 to 1855, a large number of settlements were made. Among them were Mrs. Ann H. Rice, who yet resides in Louden, and sons, Edward, John T., E. S., and W. F., who settled one mile west; William Cook, northwest one mile; Henry Arlington, Sr., about 1852, one and one-half miles southwest, where he still resides; John Worley, 1852, three-quarters of a mile east, who died about 1865; John B. Huff settled in the south part of Springfield Township about 1839, and moved to the village in 1858; J. S. Burwell, 1854, settled one-half mile north, where he still resides; Jacob Doty, a son-in-law of Mr. Van Horn, settled soon after, immediately south of the town site, he now resides in Wright County, Iowa; T. R. Johnson, 1856, one-half mile northwest; Thomas Shearer, 1856, east, one-half mile.

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MUNICIPAL MATTERS.

         When the Chicago & North-Western Railway was projected through this settlement, James Van Horn donated seven acres and Thomas Shearer five acres, to the Iowa Land Company for a town site. That Company afterward purchased for $1,600, the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 2, Township 81 north, of Range 1, west of the 5th P.M. This was laid out as a village by L. M. Nute, Surveyor, for Horace Williams and Milo Smith, acting for the Land Company, in October, 1857, and was named “Louden” by Thomas Shearer, after his Ohio home, Loudenville, Ohio.

         In the course of time, several additions have been made, in the following order: Reed’s Addition, December 3, 1860; Thomas Shearer’s first Addition, March, 1861; second Addition, April 30, 1866; John Walker’s Addition, January 24, 1867; John D. Shearer’s Addition, November 13, 1863; A. S. Benson’s Addition, October 29, 1869; M. L. Banks’ Addition, October 29, 1869; Petersen’s Addition, March 21, 1870; Wm. F. Hahn’s Addition, August 8, 1871.

         The present town of Louden extends over the south half of Section 35, Township 82. It is, consequently partly in Massillon and in Springfield Townships.

         January 14, 1868, sixty-one residents of Louden petitioned the County Court to appoint Commissioners to call an election for the purpose of voting upon the propriety of incorporating Louden as a town.

         After consideration, a warrant was issued by the Clerk of the Court to five commissioners to call an election, which was accordingly held March 12, 1869, resulting in a vote of seventy for and eight against incorporation. Louden was accordingly incorporated May 6, 1869, and the first municipal election was held May 20, with the following result: Mayor, Wm. McGarvey; Recorder, J. M. Alexander; Trustees, Wm. F. Hahn, A. S. Benson, W. P. Hills, J. S. Burwell, Herman Petersen. As Trustee, E. B. Town received an equal number of votes (41) with the two last named, and they were elected at a special election held June 15.

         J. D. Shearer was first Justice of the Peace, from 1857 to 1865. He was then made County Sheriff, an office which he held for ten years.

         The present officers of the village are: Mayor, J. W. Todd, Recorder, Kinzey Wiggins; Treasurer, D. W. Baird; Trustees, V. A. Bennett, W. F. Hahn, M. L. Banks, J. D. Allen and W. C. Hoskins; Marshal, B. McCabe; Street Commissioner, John Kelso.

         By judicious management in financial affairs, the town is free from debt and owns the south half of Lots 7 and 8, Block 3, with a Mayor’s office, calaboose and stock pound thereon, and owns also a ten-ton Fairbanks scale.