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         The following is related by Asa Gregg, an old settler of West Liberty, Muscatine County, in his “Personal Reminiscences:”

         The courts were not what some of us had been accustomed to, but they were the best remedy and protection we had, unless we should resort to that unmerciful despot—Judge Lynch—which . . .

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. . . happily for us, we never did. We did not at that early time pay much attention to county lines, for we had but two counties in the territory—Dubuque and Des Moines—and we did not know or care where the line between them was. In the Summer of 1837, Wm. A. Clark and the writer were summoned to appear before his honor, Robert G. Roberts, Justice of the Peace, who lived near where John Lewis, of Iowa township, Cedar County, now lives, as jurors in a suit brought by a Mr. Hare against McConnell, to recover possession of a claim which he alleged the defendant had jumped; and the writer’s recollection of that case will serve to show the reader something of the kind of justice meted out at that day. After the calling of the case, we found we had two jurors from near where Tipton now is, one from the forks of the Iowa and Cedar Rivers, and one from east of Moscow—an attorney from near Dubuque, and one from Bloomington, now Muscatine. The formality of impaneling the jury was gone through with, the witnesses called and examined, and the case was argued by the counsel, and the court proceeded to charge the jury in something like the following speech:

          “Gentlemen of the Jury: You have heard the testimony in this case and argument of counsel. With the evidence the court has nothing to do, and as to questions of law you are as competent to judge as this court. I will, therefore, proceed to instruct you in your duty as jurors.” And the court stood up and said: “The jury will rise;” and we obeyed, feeling very much as if we were convicted of some crime and were to be sentenced. The court, with great dignity, proceeded: “You will go hence in a body, to the apartment prepared for you under the charge of a bailiff, and there remain without food or drink, and you are not to speak to any person nor allow any one to speak to you, except the officer in charge, and he only to ask if you have agreed upon a verdict, and you to answer yes or no; and when you have agreed upon a verdict, and not until then, you will return into court in a body where we will be happy to receive you. Gentlemen, you are now in the custody of the bailiff.” So, we were prisoners, and our keeper was Alexander Ross, the man who afterward so brutally murdered an Indian at Moscow, and is mentioned elsewhere in these pages. He marched us in single file along a cow path to a pen about 8x10, covered with prairie hay, with unmistakable evidence that its last occupant had been a horse. Ross being the brother-in-law of the defendant, and, no doubt, anxious to know how the jury stood, deposited himself inside by the door, saying: “Now, gentlemen, make up you minds _____ quick, for it is getting late, and who the ____ wants to stay here all night?” Our member from the forks of the river replied: “Yes, hurry up, men, by ____ I have made up my mind, and I’ll be ____ if I don’t lay here and rot before I’ll change it!” Some of us felt a little delicacy about expressing our opinion with Ross as an auditor, and remonstrated with him, but he swore that we were in his charge and by ____ he would do as he pleased. So we were forced to speak out, and soon found three for the plaintiff and one for the defendant, the two others saying they would go with the rest of us when we agreed. Ross and his friend from the forks arguing and swearing for their friend, the defendant, and the three arguing as earnestly the other side; thus it became dark and soon commenced raining and our roof began to leak. Until the rain drove them away our prison was surrounded by McConnell’s friends, and we were offered all the whisky we would drink, but three of us knowing from whence it came, indignantly refused it. Thus the time passed away, Ross and his friend covertly and openly abusing us for our stubbornness, until we were wet through, for it rained as hard inside as out, and we could not keep our tallow dip lit. At length, about 1 o’clock, it became intolerable, and we sent word to the court that there was no prospect of agreeing, and insisting upon returning into the court, which request was very reluctantly granted, and after a long parley we were discharged.

         The hardships and privations voluntarily borne by the early pioneers who, in much less time than they could have even imagined, have transformed the wild lands of savages into the peaceful, happy homes of to-day, are matters never to be forgotten. To give a full idea of the condition at that time would embrace much more space than can be devoted to it. The best of houses then consisted of mud-plastered logs; cold and hunger were their most frequent visitors.

         Stables were then made by setting posts in the ground, laying some poles and brush on them and covering them with prairie hay, which proved much better for shedding water than English grasses. Most of the farmers who began in this way now have commodious houses and barns and well tilled farms, as the result of their patient labor of years.

         Prairie breaking was then usually done by four or five yoke of oxen hitched to a plow which would turn a 2-foot furrow, and in this way about two acres were broken per day. Many settlers who could not afford both horses and oxen, used the latter for traveling as well as farm work. For several years after the Friends commenced holding religious meetings, there were more oxen than horses . . .

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. . . driven to the meeting places. There was a great deal of warm-hearted friendship, happiness and brotherly feeling in those early days, which is still largely retained.

         The first settlers were much annoyed by a gang of desperadoes who had members and abettors in this vicinity, who stole horses, made and passed counterfeit money, etc. Prominent among them were Arch and John Caruthers and Joseph Leverich, known as the old “Bogus Coon,” who lived near Moscow and boasted that they could make money that would pass in the Land Office. They were once arrested and their dies taken by the civil authorities. By a writ or replevin, they obtained them and left the country to try their skill in some other new locality.

         The settlers were not as fearful of the Indians as they were of these desperadoes.

         In the Winter of 1838-39, a young man left three yoke of oxen with Rev. Thomas Odle, in Muscatine County. Squires and the Stoutenburg brothers were believed to have stolen them and, on search, two were found, having been killed and dressed, while the others were recovered. The gang was arrested, examined before Esquire William Green and bound over to Court in the sum of $200 each. Squires soon after (1840) gave up his residence in that vicinity.

         In the Fall of 1839, the Stoutenburgs left, but James Stoutenburg alias James Case returned in the Spring of 1840, after a plow which had been stolen and hidden in the woods. After threatening personal injury to Samuel Tarr, who had bought their claim and had possession of the plow, “Case” left, but was followed by the settlers and overtaken at Conlogue’s house, north of Iowa City. They left him in the woods, tied to a tree, with John Dillon, one of their strongest and most determined citizens, and it is their firm opinion that “Case” received a thorough whipping. He was never afterward seen in that vicinity.

         The land sales for that part of the county on the west side of Cedar River occurred May 18, 1840, when there were about twenty families living there—all of them in what is now Iowa Township,.

         A claim regulation was enacted whereby settlers might claim a quarter section each of prairie and timber. Clement Squires ignored this “settler’s law,” and claimed more land than was allowed, eighty acres of which was claimed by John Dillon. E. A. Gray was appointed by the settlers to attend the land sales at Dubuque, in 1840, and bid in all the land selected and claimed by the settlers. Mr. Squires also attended the sales, armed with two pistols, a bowie knife and cane gun, and swore he would shoot any man who bid against him. Before the sale commenced, an athletic German remarked mysteriously to Mr. Gray, “Stranger, you ‘tend to your pizness, und ve’ll ‘tend to ours.” When the land which Squires unfairly claimed was offered, he and Mr. Gray both bid at the same time. The German, who was standing close behind Squires, immediately picked him up, threw him over his head, and the dense crowd kept him moving over their heads for several rods. When he landed in the rear, he was without weapons and was neither prepared nor inclined to shoot any one. The Sheriff then ended the controversy by taking Squires into custody and marching him away.

         In the Spring of 1840, Iowa Township was organized. At that time it embraced all of Cedar County west of the river. Robert G. Roberts, E. A. Gray and Thomas Lingle were appointed to hold an election, which was accordingly held at Mr. Lingle’s house. Only twenty-two votes were polled. E. A. Gray and A. G. Smith were elected Justices of the Peace. Robert G. Roberts . . .

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. . . was elected County Commissioner from this township. Mr. Roberts was quite prominent among the early pioneers, being the first Territorial Representative. He was born in Pennsylvania, in 1793, and died in January 1849. Mrs. Roberts now resides with her daughter, Mrs. Ziba Howard, in Gower Township.

         Dr. Elisha Henry moved from Rochester to Pedee in 1840.

         Among other early settlers, before 1846, were _____ Thompson, who lived on the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 4; Leonard Reed, who settled on the north part of Section 9, about 1841, where he lived until his death; George Billman lived on the east half of the southeast quarter of Section 32; he afterward moved to Lee County; William Hoch, who settled on the west half of the northwest quarter of Section 16, in 1840; Mr. Hoch was a Frenchman, educated at a naval academy, and was at one time an aid-de-camp to Napoleon Bonaparte; he spoke sixteen different languages, and wrote twelve; he was much respected by his neighbors; he died about fourteen years ago. Alex. Hines settled on the north part of Section 28, Township 79. In the Spring of 1846, William Lewis lived upon the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 8, and his son John lived on the west half of the southwest quarter of Section 4; the former died in the Fall of 1877. Elisha Schooley settled on the north part of Sections 5 and 6; he now lives at Holland, Iowa. Jesse Bowersock settled in the same township, and Moses V. Butler settled on the southeast quarter of Section 6; Mr. Butler afterward moved to Gower Township, and to Springdale Township in 1853, where he now resides. David Allen was also a resident of Iowa township at that time.

         The settlements then became so rapid that however gladly it would be made, a detailed account of them is beyond the limits of this work.

         In an early day, Mr. Gray did the gunsmithing for the surrounding country, and added to it blacksmithing until Charles Stutzman opened a shop at Rochester. A brother-in-law of Mr. Stutzman, Phillip Vance, afterward opened a blacksmith shop in Pedee. A shop was continued there by James Coleman and others.

         John Doty settled on his present farm in 1840.

         The first store was opened by Jesse Bowersock, but was transferred to Springdale after a few years.

         A post office was first established near the timber, with Elisha Henry as Postmaster, but on his moving to Oregon, the office was moved to its present location, in Pedee, with Stephen Toney as Postmaster. When the mail route was established between Davenport and Iowa City, the office was placed in charge of Mrs. Burnett.

         After Mr. Bowersock, stores were continued at Pedee by Amos Merrill, John Lewis, Alex. Moore, George Scott and the present merchants, James H. Robinson (also Postmaster there for many years) and Evan Bowersock.

         The early settlers handled but very little money. For many years dressed pork delivered in Muscatine would bring only from $1.25 to $2.50 per hundred pounds; wheat from 25 to 50 cents per bushel; corn from 8 to 15 center per bushel; milch cows from $8 to $10; work oxen from $20 to $30 per yoke.

         Prospecting for silver ore was indulged in to some extent in this township a few years since. Some assayists reported a slight trace of silver in the ore, while others reported $160 per ton.

         There is no mill or factory of any kind in the township.

         The cause of temperance has, from an early day, received the earnest attention of many prominent citizens of the township. In fact, the residents of the three townships on the west side of the river are deeply interested in this cause, . . .

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. . . and July 24, 1876, an organization was effected to prosecute all persons who might violate the liquor law within that territory, with Thomas James, President, Lawrie Tatum, Vice President and Caleb Wickersham, Secretary.

         In 1871 or 1872, an association was formed to operate against the spread of Free Masonry, by using every possible influence against that institution.

         There are eight independent School Districts in the township, each managing its own public school.