This township, 93 north,
range 6 west, is the middle one of the western tier
of townships of Clayton County. It is a full-sized
township, well-watered, and contains good soil, but
he surface of the country is hilly. The Volga flows
through the southwestern corner of the township, and
the Turkey touches the northeastern corner, while
Pine Creek, Wolf Creek and other small streams drain
the country. The township was one of the last in the
county to be settled up. Its population is about 850.
Of the early settlers, Messrs. Mulenix, Holbrook,
Robbins, Moats, Pool, Dart and Harlow Barnum came in
1852; Levi Doty, Frederick Orr, High McKeller and
Mike Callaghan came in 1853.
The first birth in the township was John Robbins,
a son of Francis Robbins. The first marriage was that
of Frederic Orr to Ellen Callaghan, in 1855. The
first death was that of a child of John Pool, in
1854.
The first election was held at Francis Robbins'
house, in the spring of 1854, soon after the
organization of the township. John Pool and David
Moats were chosen Justices of the Peace; Francis
Robbins and Abraham Pool were elected Township
Trustees, and Levi Doty was elected Assessor.
The present officers are: Township Clerk, Thomas
Donoland: Trustees, William West, Martin Klingman and
Jerry Feany; Justices of the Peace, William West and
Mathew Ewing; Assessor, James Foran; Constables,
Thomas Boland and James McLaughlin.
The first school-house in the township was built
on the Nolan farm, on section 15, now owned by Mrs.
Doty; and one was built about the same time on
section 8. These were both built in 1854. There are
at present nine school-houses in the township, valued
at $3,150. There are no independent districts.
The first sermon was preached in the house
of Francis Robbins, in the fall of 1853, by John
Brown, of the United Brethren denomination, who came
from Delaware County at the invitation of Mr. Doty.
He held meetings every two weeks for two years. After
him came William Allbright, a Methodist Episcopal
minister. Then came Rev. Mr. Gifford, of the
Free-Will Baptist persuasion. He died in Pony Hollow,
in the summer of 1880. There is no church in the
township, but services are held in the school-house,
district No. 3, section 8, alternately, by ministers
of the United Brethren and Evangelic Congregation.
The Congregationalists hold meetings once every
four weeks at the school-house, in district 9,
section 29.
