Cherokee Township, Cherokee County, Iowa

This name applied to the whole county from 1857, when it was organized, until October of 1865 when Pilot township was created from the southern half of the county. Cherokee township proper was organized in 1870. Early settlers included Thomas Twiford, who built a saw-mill in 1864. In 1870, shortly before the railroad was completed, New Cherokee was platted by George W. Lebourveau with Carlton Corbett and stands in its current location. N.T. Burrough and H.C. Kellogg bought interest in the new plat owned by Corbett. Old Cherokee, or Blair City, was abandoned.

Saloon: "Doc" Ward
Hotel: William Stoughton
Attorneys/Land agents: Burroughs, Kellogg and Lewis
Agricultural implement dealer: Charles Culver
Lumber: Ransome Luther
Shoemaker: Thomas Greer (also had a hotel)
Blacksmith: "Zeb" Herrick
Contractor/builder: Thomas Twifford; built many of the early buildings and bridges
Newspaper: Cherokee Chief, established by Mr. Ford in old town and was sold to Robert Buchanan and renamed The Times
General store: Fred Huxford
Doctor: Royal L. Cleaves
Livery/Stage: Smith & Kright
Blacksmith: Thomas Lewis

Store: H.A. Fife Houses built: James Archer, C.E.P. Hobart, H. Kennedy, E. Everts, H. C. Kellogg, Dr. Royal L. Cleaves, Eugene Cowles, C.F. Culver, E. Luther, H.D. Nye and Robert Buchanan.
Hotels: McLean and Iowa Houses
Post office: log house of Benjamin Holbrook in 1857 in Old Cherokee
Fire Department: established in 1872
Election of city officer: 1873

By 1872 the following business had become established in Cherokee:

Physicians: Drs. Cleaves and Butler
Attorneys: Kellogg & Lewis; Eugene Cowles
Lumber: James Archer; Hobart & Snyder; Burr & Co.
Grain: James Archer; Hobart & Snyder; C. Beckwith
Agricultural goods: D.P. Burr & Co.; R. Hall; Hold, Garrison & Co., C.A. Dow
Coal: same as the grain/lumber men
General stores: H.A. Fife; Kelley & Walrath; F.W. Huxford; M. Vandercook
Grocers: H.D. Nye; Z.A. Wellman
Groceries and Drugs: J.P. Howe; H. Kennedy
Furniture: W. Pelton
Hardware: Cornish Bros
Drugs: J.A. Cole; E.C. Herrick; Z.A. Wellman
Harness Shops: T. Hopkins; Andy meeker
Show shops: E. Lockwood; Thomas Green
Livery stables: W.H. Tiel; G.W. Hodgins
Blacksmith shops: J.W. Combs & Co.; A. Rollo; ____ Bostwick
Photograph studios: J.C. Wilson
Millinery: Mrs. Jones
Merchant tailor: W. Jones
Wagon shop: Jones Bros.
Restaurant: M. Ward
Boots and shoes: L.D. Carey; J.P. Howe
Gunsmith: Otto Peck
Meat shop: Issac Ellis
Land Office: Roe & Whitmore
Banks: Fulton & Scribner; Charles Goldsbury
Newspapers: Times; Leader
Jewelry: George Taylor

The Congregational Church, formed in 1870 and built a church in 1873
Children of Zion Church, founded in 1880
Roman Catholic Church, organized early and church built in 1873
Methodist Episcopal Church, formed in 1871 and church built in 1871 with an addition in 1878
First Presbyterian Church, organized 1870 and church built in 1871
First Baptist Church, organized in 1870 and church built in 1873

Memory Gardens Cemetery
Mental Health Institute Cemetery
Mount Calvary Institute Cemetery
Oak Hill Cemetery

The township history was excerpted from Biographical History of Cherokee County. W. S. Dunbar & Co., 1889.