Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

Raglan Township was constituted in 1857. It was named for Lord Raglan of Crimean War fame, then a conspicuous person and greatly admired by Capt. John A. Danielson, who named the township. This township is bounded on the North by Jackson Twp, on the East by Magnolia, on the South by Taylor and on the West by Morgan and a portion of Little Sioux Townships. It is a diversified territory, having streams, prairie and forest. Here one finds about 2,000 acres of timberland. The Soldier River courses its way through the western tier of sections while Steer Creek runs through the central- eastern part. The largest body of timber is found in the southeastern portion and is known as Raglan Grove.

EARLY SETTLEMENT

Orvil M. ALLEN became a settler in 1849. He came from Pottawattamie County, Iowa, took his cliam and returned to Pottawattamie County andlived there until the early spring of 1849. This claim was located near Magnolia (village) on what was afterward named Allen Creek in honor of him. He remained in the township until 1851 and then went to Salt Lake City, Utah. His family consisted of a wife and seven children.

A family named ATWOOD was perhaps the next to effect a settlement. They lived where Frank GARNER now(1891) lives. The old cabin in which ATWOOD sold whisky to any and all, still stands. He was a Vermonter. He went to Salt Lake and there died. His sons were Dwight, Seeley, and Danforth.

In 1851 came the following: Artemus W. LOCKLING, who remained a year and then moved to Magnolia Township and died there June 13, 1889. Charles GILMORE, who came to the county in 1850, located in Magnolia Twp, remained one year and the moved to section 27, Raglan, where he still resides. Morton STREETER, of section 23, came from Vermont in 1851; he died in the township in 1886. Lorenzo and Rudolph PATE were among the pioneers of the county. James GAMET came in 1851 and claimed land on the northeast of section 1, where he made improvements and sold prior to the War, to speculators from Ohio, and they sold to Donald MAULE. L.A. NILES came early in the 50's and claimed land now occupied by T. MCCABE. "Spanky" CHASE settled near GARNER's in 1851. Men named COOPER and BOWMAN came at the same time, remained a short time and then left the county. Bonaparte ALEXANDER settled on section 12 early in the 50's; he came from Vermont and remained here until his death in 1877.

An ALLEN family (no connection to O.M. ALLEN) settled near GARNER's in the Grove about 1856. The father froze his feet severely. The familyrmoved to Nebraska. John FORSYTHE settled on section 22 in 1854, remained 5 years and sold to H. LAWRENCE and moved to Crescent City, where he came from. Lloyd JENKINS was among the pioneers of the township; he located on section 22. Donald MAULE purchased his land in 1876.

Donald MAULE of section 22, came to the county in 1851 and settled on Allen Creek in Taylor Township. He remained there three years and then removed to Raglan, where he now lives. He and his family saw as much of pioneer hardship, sickness and Indian annoyances as any other settler in Raglan.

Jacob MINTUN came in 1854 and is still a resident. He settled in section 25.

Anster PATE settled on section 23, in 1854. He died after the Civil War closed. Jacob PATE came at the same time and finally moved to "Sandy Point," where he died in the '80s.

Nelson FOLLETT came to section 14 in 1853. He subsequently died in the insane asylum.

E.W. LAMB came in from Indiana in 1854 and located on section 25. Jacob MINTUN married his daughter. He remained until 1860 and went to Ohio and died. The family returned to Raglan Township. The mother died at Grinnell, Iowa, and the son, Charles W., still lives in the township.

John INGERSON and father with the family were among the pioneers of the early '50s. They settled on section 35. He was frozen to death during the hard winter of 1856-57.

Capt. Chester HAMILTON came to the county in 1852 and helped establish the county seat. He located in Raglan in 1854. He was the first Sheriff of the county. He settled where Jacob MINTUN later lived on section 25. He now lives in Taylor Township.

William MORROW and his father, Patrick MORROW, came in 1856. The son lives on section 16 and the father on section 20.

"Old Mr. WILCOX" settled on section 14 in 1860. He finally sold to T. McCABE. John T. COFFMAN came in 1865 and located on section 9. He met with an accident from a corn sheller in February, 1890, and had to have his hand amputated. Blood poisoning set in and caused his death. He son, Don B., now a resident of the township, came with his parents.

Terrence McCABE settled on section 14, in 1866 on one hundred and twenty acres of partly improved land. He was born in Ireland and came to America when two years of age.

Edward COLLINS came to the county in 1857, worked by the month until 1866 and then bought land on section 16. He now has two hundred acres.

Samuel D. JOHNSON, of section 29, came to the county with is parents in 1848 or 1849. He moved to his present home in 1868.

Joseph ERIXON, of section 23, came to section 14 in 1876.

David MORROW, son of Patrick MORROW, came to the county in company with his parents in the spring of 1856. In the autumn of that year James McCAULEY came to the county and located in Little Sioux Township. His possessions at that time were $9.75, twenty-five cents of which soon paid for the "Cure All" Pain Killer.

Joseph W. NILES also became a resident in the fall of 1856. He was not so fortunate as McCAULEY for he did not possess one dollar, and the first morning went without his breakfast, being too proud to ask for it.

In 1858, George F. TUFLY came to the county, locating in Clay Township where his parents settled, and remained at home until he became of age.

William MAULE dates his settlement from April 27, 1860, at which time he was born. He is the son of Donald MAULE, a pionerr of 1851.

William F. GARNER came with his parents in the spring of 1861. His father, Henry GARNER, is one of the prosperous farmers of the county and resides on section 34.

Pleasant COFFMANN and family located in the county in the autumn of 1856. His son, George W., now a practical farmer, was then seven years of age.

In the spring of 1869, Thomas D. TOVEY became identified with the history of the county. He accompanied his parents to the county. His father was a blacksmith and located at Magnolia.

George W. SMALL, who located here in the autumn of 1879, is one of the many men who have seen the ups and downs of pioneer life.

In the spring of 1881 Cantine R. WILLIAMS became a resident of the county, first renting land near Logan for two years, after which he purchased his present farm.

William R. SIMMONS, of section 10, Raglan, came to the county in the spring of 1884.

Harvey H. CHAMPNEY located on section 35 in Raglan in April, 1867. In January, 1868, he moved to Magnolia, where he has lived ever since.

Pleasant B. COFFMAN located on section 10, Raglan, in the autumn of 1866.

Jacob MINTUN found his way to Harrison county on New Year's Day 1854, coming from Pottawattamie County. He had come from Salt Lake to that county in 1852.

Oliver F. NELSON came to the county in the fall of 1869 and a few years later bought eighty acres of land on section 33, where he still lives.

William H. COLLINS, of section 9, came to the county in the fall of 1878, settled near Woodbine, rented land four years and then purchased his present farm.

RAGLAN POST-OFICE

In 1864, a post-office with the above name was established on section 25, with Jacob MINTUN as postmaster. It continued for three years and on account of better mail facilities throughout the county, the building of railroads, etc., this office was abolished. It was on a route from Magnolia to Little Sioux.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES

The first schoolhouse was built about 1858. It was of logs and stood on section 23, west of where Mr. BARNES now lives. Early teachers were: Paulina HILLIS, Miss RILEY (now Mrs. ARBAUGH). Anna PATE (now the wife of Henry ALEXANDER,) probably taught the first term of school in Raglan Township. Other teachers were: Mrs. John PRATT, Mrs. YIESLEY (then Eva SCOFIELD), Amanda HETHERINGTON (now the wife of George MUSGRAVE, of Logan) and Mary McWILLIAMS (now Mrs. Eugene SCOFIELD. At present the township is provided with four schoolhouses. The total average attendance is about 144.

The ealiest religious services were held by the Mormons or Latter Day Saints in 1851-52. There are no regular organized churches that have buildings in Raglan Township. The Roman Catholic people attend Magnolia and the Christian (Disciples) hold services at the school house on Steer Creek.

GENERAL

The wife of Chester HAMILTON was the first adult to die in Raglan Township.

A saw mill was in operation near where Jacob MINTUN now resides just before the Civil War. It was run by a Mr. WALLACE.