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         This village is one of recent growth, but it is rapidly becoming one of the best towns in the county. For many years after Rochester had become a village, the site of West Branch was yet a wild prairie. Its first settlement was not made until 1850-51, when several families entered that portion of the township; among them were Joseph K. Quaintance, Isaiah Morris and David Tatum.

         In October, 1852, William Townsend came with his family from Knox County, Ohio, having purchased his land the year before. At that time, says Mr. Townsend, the only settlers between Hickory Grove and the Iowa timber were those above named. Samuel Abbott came from Indiana, in the same Fall, and settled on the William Oliphant farm. About the same time, also, Samuel King settled within the village site, and Phineas Cowgill, since deceased, moved to the farm, two miles west, now occupied by Henry Cowgill.

         Soon after, came Eli Hoover, James Townsend (1853), Thomas Barrington, Joseph Steer and Michael King.

         The first post office and grocery were kept by Samuel King, in his house, which was located on the south side of Main street, in the west part of the town, and is now occupied by George Bean.

         The land on which William Townsend built his house, in 1852, was afterward included in the town plat. That house has been replaced by the one in which his son, Charles Townsend, now resides.

         Mr. Abbott’s house was built on Oliphant street, near Main, and is now owned by William Oliphant. The next one was built by Joseph Steer, in 1853, on Main street, nearly opposite Oliphant street, now the residence of Thomas Penrose.

         Mr. King moved away, after several years, and no other store was opened until 1860, when Mr. Steer started a general store, in his house, just west of the town corporation, on the north side of Main street, now occupied by Charles Grewell.

         Timothy Kirk took the post office after Mr. King. Then it was removed to the house of James Townsend, who kept the “Traveler’s Rest”, where many a weary traveler found repose and refreshment. After Mr. Steer’s store was opened, the post office was removed to that place.

         After one and a half years, Mr. Steer built the first storehouse in town, on Main street, near Poplar street, on the site of the present warehouse of Benjamin Miles. The building was removed to the southeast corner of Downey and Main streets and is occupied by Miles & Townsend and Edmundson & Yetter. Mr. Steer sold to Townsend & Gill, and removed to Kansas. The firm afterward became Gill & Bingham, and is now continued by Miles & Townsend.

         Mr. Henry A. Jepsen has been in general business and Postmaster for many years.

         In 1867, the only stores in the village were those of Gill & Townsend and Henry A. Jepsen.

         In 1869, there was but a small settlement at West Branch. There were two houses, one store, one shop and a school house.

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         May 29, 1869, the village was laid out by Joseph Steer, attorney, for John M. Wetherel. Mr. Steer made an addition on the west side March 1, 1872, and J. W. Witler afterward made another addition; but the great growth occurred after the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad was built through it.

CAMERON.

         A separate village was laid off on the east of West Branch, on the land of William Wright, William H. Oliphant, Benjamin Miles, William Boggie, Joseph Broadhead, John Y. Hoover, Thomas Townsend, John Deane, P. W. Hollingsworth, William Townsend and James Cook. It was surveyed several times by William W. Lamborn, and the plat was concluded Nov. 26, 1869. This village was named Cameron, in honor of John S. Cameron, Chief Engineer of the railroad, now a member of the Railroad Commission of Iowa. The entire village has, however, reverted to the old name, West Branch.

         William H. Oliphant made an addition to the west side of the town plat, January 7, 1870.

         The building of the railroad will be noticed in another chapter, as will also be the newspaper history.

         In 1873, the West Branch Mills, on the west side of the railroad and north side of Main street, were built by Heacock & Burden, at a cost of about $7,000. It is a two-story frame steam grist-mill, 24x54 feet in size, with a shed, 16x40 feet, having two runs of stone, of fifty to 100 bushels per day capacity. The mills were afterward operated by Burden, Reeves & Son, then by Burden, Brown & Hawley, and are now continued by Burden, Hawley & Pennock.