Pg 518

         Thursday evening, July 4, 1877, six boys, from the vicinity of Pedee, went swimming in Cedar River, one and a half miles above Rochester. Two of them, Justus Brown, aged 20 years, and Albert Worrall, aged 13 years, were drowned. The young men were highly esteemed in the vicinity by all acquaintances, and diligent search was made on Friday and Saturday for their bodies and the body of Worrall was found on Saturday. Among the two hundred present and engaged in the search, was Nathan E. Smith, a merchant of Springdale, who, in attempting to cross the river, although a good swimmer, became suddenly exhausted or stunned by the hot sun, and sank beneath the water. Efforts were made to rescue him by those near by, but without success, and a third life was lost. On Sunday, about one thousand people, from all parts of the county were at the river, and after searching all day, the body was found three-fourths of a mile below, on a sand bar. Justus Brown’s body was afterward found. Mr. Smith was a son of Gilbert Smith, was 40 years old, of which time twenty-five years had been passed in Springdale Township. He left a wife and two little boys. He was a partner of Mr. Elwood Macy, merchant at Springdale, and at the time of his death was Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors.

         Springdale Township was organized in 1853. Formerly, all of Cedar County on this side the Cedar River was called Iowa Township. Springdale Township, when organized, included two-thirds of what is now Gower Township and for some two years after, when Gower was organized. The first officers were, Justices of the Peace, Thos. James and Joseph Chase; Constable, Levi Coppic; Trustees, Moses Varney and Samuel Macy; Clerk, Emmer Rood; Assessor, J. H. Painter; Supervisors, A. B. Cornwall, John Heald, Jos. K. Quaintance, Jas. Frame and Wm. Thompson. This election was held in April, 1853, at the Springdale post office.

         There is not a saloon in the Township. The inhabitants are mostly from Ohio, with just enough of the Yankee interspersed to give variety. A strong temperance interest is manifest throughout the Township, and being the second township in the county, in point of population, its influence for the suppression of temperance is often effectual. The present population of the township is about 1,500.

         The first settlers of this township were noted for being strong Abolitionists, and many fugitives from bondage, fleeing from Missouri, made this a point on their way to freedom.