Mills County, Iowa

Lyons Township History

Sources:
The Illustrated Historical Atlas of Mills and Fremont Counties, Iowa 1910.
History of Mills County, 1881; History of Mills County Iowa, 1985

Lyons Township History

In about 1838 the Government built a double log cabin on the Waubonsie Creek for Chief Waubonsie and about 300 of his people who lived in the village. It was located in Rawles Township (now Lyons Township) where the Shabonnah Creek meets the Waubonsie Creek. After returning from a trip to Washington in 1848, Chief Waubonsie came to his death by the upsetting of a stage coach. For burial he was wrapped in a blanket, secured with rawhide straps and placed in a box made of hewn logs, which was the custom of his people. Several months later, the Chief was secretly buried.

In 1872, the Shenandoah Chapter of the D.A.R. marked the tree burial gravesite of the Chief by placing a red granite boulder on which was chiseled the inscription: "Chief Waubonsie, 1756 - 1848" Another granite marker was placed (by the D.A.R.) at the home of Amos Jensen, located near the road which leads to the burial spot. (Believed to be in Section 17).

In February of 1857, the townships of Mills County were reorganized, most of them being renamed with their boundaries described. It was at this time when Lyons Township was formed with its boundaries being described as Township No. 71 North and Range No. 43 West.


Early settlers to Lyons-Rawles Township during the 1840's and 1850's included:
H. P. Allison J. D. Allison Thomas Avery Hiram Britte
David M. Buckingham Jesse H. Buckingham Jackson Burdick John Burger
Thomas E. Burnes Adam Campbell Moses Campbell Bennett Creech
William Creech James Cummings Albert P. Davenport Lucas H. Dawson
William E. Dean Burrell Eccleston Charles L. Epperson William Estes
George S. Folden William Goode David Goodwin Daniel Harrington
Daniel B. Harrington Julia Ann Harrington Samuel Harrison Tolbert Hayes
John Haynie Richard Haynie Sarah Haynie James H. Hendrickson
Dennis Howarth Rev. James Hubbard Greenbury T. Jones Jonathan B. Karns (Kerns)
Michael Karns (Kerns) Ezekiel Lambert James Lambert John Lambert
William Lambert Arba L. Lambson Benjamin F. Merritt Rufus I. Merritt
Andrew Morrow George Morrow Benjamin McCord Charles McKnight
George R. McKnight James McKnight Thomas McKnight George Norrell
James O'Neil Rufus Pack Isaac Rains John Rains
Lawrence Rains Fred Rector William Reed Daniel Rhode (Rhodes)
James M. Roberts J. D. Rogers R. Shaw Riley V. Shaw
Joseph Sheppardson William Sheppardson John Sloane Perry Tarpenning
James A. Tipton George W. Troth John Troth Simon R. Troth
Charles Utterback Fielding Utterback Matilda Utterback Allen Watson
James Wolfe John Wolfe A. R. Wright and others

Ghost Towns of Lyons Township

RUSHVILLE

Source: Ghost Towns of Mills County Iowa, 1975 by Allen Wortman, used with permission.

"Opposition to the Mormons was so intense in Illinois that they were forced to begin their migration beore adequate preparation could be made. They left in mid-winter, crossing the Mississippi on the ice for the most part, some going in wagons drawn by oxen or horses, some riding horses, a great many on foot carrying their few possessions in push carts. As they traveled it was seen that some pauses would have to be made to plant and harvest crops for food and build up supplies and equipment. There were several places across southern Iowa where such pauses were made."

"In August 1846, two years after the start of this great migration, some thirty of the Mormons made a settlement on the banks of Keg Creek (in Lyons Township), establishing the town of Rushville. This was about four miles north of what later became the Fremont-Mills county line."

"At first they pitched their tents in this wilderness, later building a number of log cabins. Here occurred the first birth of a white child in the county, Andrew J. Stewart, in the fall of 1846. And Caroline L. Britain was born there January 12, 1847, the first-born of parents who became permanent residents of the county. There also occurred the first death of a white person and for many years a rough slab of limestone marked the grave, which carried the inscription, J. Eastman, died April 10, 1847, aged 60 years."

"In due course most of the group, after raising a crop and acquiring sufficient food, continued their migration. But several stayed on, most of them moving three or four miles north to the present site of Glenwood. Among them were Dr. Libeus T. Coons (who gave his name to the new community of Coonville (later Glenwood)/ William Britain, Silas and Ira Hillman, G.N. Clark, J. Everett and others."

Abandoned Post Offices, Lyons Township
NamePostmasterComments
AlpsArba L. LambsonEst. 10 Feb 1858; closed 2 May 1859
EgyptAlfred P. DavenportAbout 8 mi S of Pacific Jct. Est. 17 Aug 1865; moved and renamed Bartlett in Fremont Co., 3 Jun 1867
Haynie StationAlfred P. DavenportOn Council Bluffs & St. Joseph RR. Est. 31 July 1868; closed 25 Nov 1872

  • Lyons Township Schools
    • Burr Oak School - East edge of Section 21, NE of the Burr Oak Church
    • Egypt School - SE corner Section 29
    • Elm Grove - Near middle of east side of Section 11
    • Walnut Grove - West of Walnut Grove Church on Section 26.
    • Wright School - Middle of east side of Section 8 (directly west of Haynie Sta.)
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Page updated on August 22, 2019 by Karyn Techau