Alden Township:

Alden township was organized in 1856 by the county judge. Some of the early settlers were Dr. John Crawford in 1851, Pleasant Jones in 1852, William Myers in 1853, Philemon Plummer 1853, and in 1854 Sumner Kemp and Henry Alden, for who the township was named when it came to be fully organized.

The first birth in this township was Charlotte, daughter of Dr. John Crawford, in the winter of 1852-1853. The death of Mary Ann Myers, in July 28, 1853, daughter of William Myers, was the first recorded death in the township. The first marriage in the township was that uniting Charles Philo and Hannah E. Bloden on July 1, 1856. They were married by the first Justice of the Peace, Lott Clover. The earliest school in the township was taught by Martin Pritchard in the winter of 1856-1857. The first school was erected on section 18, township 89, range 21. In 1880 there were 400 students enrolled in eleven different schools. The first religious services in the township were held by a denomination of Christian or Disciples in the summer of 1853, by Philemon Plummer, who preached in a log house on section 18. The town of Alden was first settled by Henry Alden for whom the township and town are named.

Henry Alden made the settlement of Alden in June, 1854, driving from Naperville, Illinois with an ox team looking for a mill site. He was accompanied by Sumner Kemp, both originally from Mass. They journeyed north to near the Minnesota line after crossing the Mississippi River. Mr. Alden was told of the area of Alden for a good spot for his mill. A mill was established, and later became well known far and wide.

The first house in Alden was ereced by Lott Clover in 1855. The first store was opened in October 1856. The Alden post office was established in 1855, with Lott Clover being the first postmaster. Alden had on of the five GAR posts in Hardin County. The post was formed in 1888 by thirty three veterans.

Buckeye Township:

Buckeye was formally organized in 1865 by the county supervisors and the first township meeting was held at Kelloge school. It was first settled in 1853 by 2 brothers by the name of Pilgrim. They built a double wide cabin 16 feet square. This cabin was said to be the only house between Webster City and Cedar Falls. They served as station attendants for hte stage line until they sold out in 1855.

A Mr. John Snider bought some of the Pilgrim's land and lived there until his death in 1861. The first child born in the township was the infant of Mr. and Mrs. John Snider in 1855. The first marriage took place in July, 1857, between L.T. Beard and Mary E. White. The first school house was an early frame house in 1857 in the SW quarter of section 11. It was built by L.T. Beard at a cost of $750. Mary Ross taught the first term of school there in the summer of 1885 with 8 pupils. L.T. Beard taught the winter term. This township had no railroad until 1901.

Some of the early store owners were: Fred Nolte, G. Lutschwalker, hardware; George Lutterman, meats; E. Stringer, furniture; H. Wirenga, livery; Dr. C.S. Trimble, physician; Gehrke & Son, and W.W. Schedimidaka, livestock. On May 26, 1902, a post office was established in Buckye. The postmaster was Ed Kauffman, who served a short itme and was succeded by the incumbent George H. Bailey.

Buckeye was incorporated as a town under the laws of Iowa in May 25, 1903. The Congregational Church at Buckye had its beginning outside the present town of Buckeye. The first religious service held in the township was held at the house of John Snider on section 2, in May, 1856, by Deacon Fabian Beard of the Congregational Church. The Congregational Church of Buckeye was organized July 8, 1893 by 26 constituent members.

Clay Township:

Clay Township was first settled in October 1851. Some of the first settlers were Samuel W. Hoover, William Leverton, Henry Johns, Isaiah Frost, John Kelso, Nicholas Rice settling in 1851; S.A. Williamson, Bolivar Fail, John Williams, Mathais Jackson, Gideon Rathbone, Isaac N. Lesh, William Rainesbarger, George Hauden, Henry Isebrands, Granville Arnold, Benjamin F. Reed, Charles H. Rockwell, S.B. Cunningham, Porter Estabrook, Sidney Ellis, Daniel Bates, John Writhe, J.W. Higgenbotham, Ebenezer B. Wilcox, James D. Fuson, F.H. Sterns, L.E. Campbell, A.S. Root, S.E. Lathrop, Anthony Robertson, William Robertson, William Hayes, William Scott, James C. McConchie, John A. Moore, William Freeborn, settling in 1852; N.W. Doud, George Ranesbarger, Ezra Hungerford, Asher Park, Charles Boyle, Sanford Baldwin, Rev. E.C. Crippen, George Hayden, John Giles, Joseph Felkner, James Tucker and Ellis Parker, settling shortly after the others.

The hub of the township was a little hamlet of Lathopolis, later changed to Steamboat Rock. The original owners of the town site, Isaac N. Lesh, Charles Boyle, and John Royal named the town as a such because of large projecting rock on the Iowa river bluff at this point which at a distance resembled a number of steamboats lying at anchor. The town of Steamboat Rock was platted in May 1855 bty John Shepherd, the first county surveyor in Hardin county. The town was incorporated in 1875. Some of the first businesses to reside in Steamboat Rock were: Isaiah Frost, first blacksmith, I.M. Silverthorn, first wagon maker, E.G. Smith, first shoemaker, S.F. Lathrop establihsed the first grist mill which was three stories high in 1857, the first bank was the Farmer's Exchange Bank of Steamboat Rock which as organized in 1872 with capital of $15,000.

The first lumber yeard was established at the depot by Lathrop & Timson in 1868, later sold to D.W. Turner. Upon the completion of the railroad, they began the purchase of grain for shipment, about 1870. The first physician was Dr. O.G. Fisher. The first post office established in 1855 and know as Lathopolis, Later changed to Steamboat Rock was erected in the winter of 1856-1857, and the second school erected on the town plat was taught by Lizzie Kadoo. The first religious services were held by Rev. J.. Lawrance, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister and later by Rev. Ethan C. Crippen, a Methodist Episcopal minister. The first church was the Presbyterian church as was organized March 7, 1857.

Concord Township:

Concord township was the last township to settle, but it turned out to be one of the more populated and most fertile of the Hardin county townships. In 1905 the state census had 965 in the township. The first settler was Watson Dean who settled for 1 year - 1869 - and sold out the following year to William Paul. Another settler was Frank Coolidge who came to Steamboat Rock in 1866, then oved to Concord township in 1868 making it his permanent home.

The first birth in the township was Harry W. Paul, son of W.C. Hannah aul in October 17,, 1872. The earliest marriage was between David Giltner and Mary Biddick, wed August 13, 1879.

The first religious services were h eld in the home of F.D. Coolidge by Rev. S. Carhart of the Primitive Methodist Church in 1872. A Free Methodist Church was formed in 1876. A religious class was organized by Rev. Eli C. Mossman of Pleasant township and was also the first class of this denomination formed in Hardin County.

The first blacksmith in the township was Albert Thomspon in 1878. The first school was not well documented by some of the first teachers, Jane Hunter, Anna Hunter, and Alice Hunter - sisters. Garden City was the only town in the township. A post office was established there in 1903 with J.E. Johnson as the postmaster. The early businesses of Garden City wer established by the Norwegians. Some of the first merchants were Tungland Brothers, I.W Vallem, Nessa & Vallem, Hendrickson Lumber Company, Oscar Sampson, S.R. Bjelde, and S. Holland & Ole T. Olson. the churches in early Garden City were the United Evangelical and Norwegian Lutheran.