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Surnames:  Berkey, Bishop, Barr, Blunk, Brugman, Calderwood, Cohnan, Davidson, Emeis, Farber, Fellner, Greer, Hagerdorn, Hastings, Herbold, Kuhl, Kuntzen, Lamp, LeMarinel, Martin, Morrison, McCormick Meyer, Murrison, Mason, Morgan, Osborn, Pollock, Quinn, Rush, Rigg, Rogers, Sheridan, Saddoris, Sloper, Shnekloth, Seaman, Schmidt, Vogt, VanEps, Weis, Wicks and Youmans.

Sheridan Township was organized as late as 1866, and much of the early history of the settlement of its territory has been told in connection with the history of the townships, of which it originally formed a part.

At a session of the Board of Supervisors, in January, 1866, in accordance with a petition of its residents, township No. 79, range 3 east, was set apart and separately organized into a new township, to be known as "Phil Sheridan Township."  The north half, 18 sections, was taken from Winfield Township and the southern 18 sections from Davenport.  At the same session of the board the prefix "Phil" was omitted, and the township styled "Sheridan;" and its voters were notified to meet on the second Tuesday of October of that year, to elect three trustees, one clerk, two justices of the peace, two constables, one assessor and one supervisor.

Claus H. Kuhl's tavern was the first polling place, and though now a private residence, is still used for election purposes, as also for meeting of the Town Trustees, School Board and Board of Equalization.

H. H. Frye was the first Supervisor, James Quinn, Gilbert Wicks and Christ Vogt, Turstees; Anderson Martin, Assessor; B. F. Berkey, Clerk; Wm. Saddoris and Asmus H. Lamp, Justices of the Peace; Peter Weis and James Morrison, Constables.

There are two postoffices in the township, at Mount Joy, kept by Peter Wiese, and at Eldridge Junction, with J. D. McCormick as postmaster, although the business of the office is conducted by E. V. Van Eps, in connection with his general merchandise store.

EARLY SETTLERS

The first settler in the territory now comprising Sheridan Township was a Mr. Sloper, who settled on section 28, in 1840.  He was followed by Lyman Osborn, in 1841, who located on section 29.  Among others to brave the hardships of pioneer life and settle in this then desolate and uninhabited part of the county, were ex- Gov. Rush, Hans Shnekloth, Claus Hagerdorn, Joseph Seaman, W. Rigg, Dr. A. J. Emeis, Benj. Barr, Gilbert Wicks, Capt. LeMarinel, C. Meyer, John and Nathan Greer, Moses Farber, James and Joseph Quinn, Christ Vogt, Peter Blunk, Hans and Juergen Schmidt.  The first prairie broken was by Mr. Sloper, who settled on what is now section 28.  The first blacksmith shop was run by Henry Kuntzon, on section 25.  Dr. A. J. Emeis was the first resident physician in the township.

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There is but one village in Sheridan Township - Eldridge Junction, established in 1871 by J. M. Eldridge.  It is situated in the eastern part of the township, on section 11, at the junction of the Milwankee & St. Paul Railroad and the Maquoketa Branch.  Soon after the advent of the railroad, shops were located here by the company, giving employment to a large number of workmen.  This gave an impetus to the young village, and for a time the prospects were good for a large and thriving settlement; but the railroad magnates saw fit, some years since, to remove the shops, which was a death blow to the embryo "City of Eldridge."  Many of its business places, hotels,etc., were soon after closed, and a number of buildings have since been torn down and removed from the place.

At present the village contains but one store, in which a general line of goods is kept by Mr. Van Eps, who, however, does a good business.  There is a meat-market, a barbed-wire factory, shoe shop, church, school-house, hotel and postoffice in the village.

EDUCATIONAL

The first school election in the township was held in 1867, when the following board was chosen:  Alex. Murrison, James Calderwood, Albert Burgman, Henry Fillner, A. J. Emeis, Wm. Rogers.

There are nine sub-districts in the township, with a frame school-house in each, the total value of which is estimated at $10,700.  There are 483 pupils in the township, with an enrollment of 297.

CHURCHES AND SOCIETIES

Sheridan has but one church building and organization, that of the Presbyterian society of Eldridge Junction, which was built about the year 1874.  It numbers about 20 members.  James Mason was the first pastor, and was followed by the Revs. Bishop, Spinney, and Williams, the latter being the present pastor.  There is a Sabbath-school in connection with the church.

Eldridge Lodge, No. 132, A. O. U. W., was organized in 1877, with John Rogers, P. M. W.; E. T. Morgan, M. W., J. W. Davidson, G. F.; J. D. McCormick, O.; J. A. Pollock, Recorder; Jas. Youmans, Financier; G. A. Hastings, Receiver; P. Herbold, G; J. G. Quinn, I. W.; L. Cohnan, O. W.  It now has a membership of about 15, and at one time it had nearly 25.

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Page updated April 25, 2023 by Lynn McCleary

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