This river flows through sections 6, 5, 19, 16, 21, 27 and 34, touching sections four and 22.
Ballard's branch enters the township a very short distance south of the northwest corner of section 19, passing through the north part of section 19, touching section 18, and crossing through the south half of section 17, cuts off the southwest corner of section 16, and empties into Skunk River in section 21, just above Cambridge.
There is a stream running through the southeast quarter of section 19 and the northwest quarter of section 20, passing into Ballard branch in the southeast quarter of section 17, just north or northwesterly from the Cambridge cemetery.
There are two small creeks passing through Centre Grove and empty into the Skunk flats.
There is yet another stream running from section 31 through sections 32 and 33 and crosses the county line east of the southeast corner of section 33.
See index for " Groves" and " Cemeteries."
Cambridge was laid out November, 1856, and incorporated December, 1881, and recorded April, 1882. It was laid out in the interior center of section 21, but the streets are not north and south nor east and west.
The Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul railway runs through its southern part. This road was engaged in shipping stock and other freighting in 1881, and passenger trains run in the forepart of 1882.
Cambridge is a place of considerable business. It is situated on nice table-lands above high water at all times, and immediately on the west bank of Skunk River. For its business men see "Directory" in the index. See index for " Mills."
The Cambridge Herald is a weekly newspaper published by Charles D. Parks. The Herald makes a fair appearance in both type and paper.
Elwell is a town on the C., M. & St. Paul railway, situated on the southeast quarter of section 25; surveyed in 1882; plat filed for record December 28, 1886. It is nicely situated, and has some nice prairie near it, farms, rather. It has a post-office, express office, and, of course, a ticket office. It is, on a straight line, about three miles from Cambridge. The immortal Skunk (Chicaqua) rolls between it and Cambridge. Smith Paine is its postmaster, and M. L. Smith the Station Agent for Elwell. It has a steam-power elevator. A variety store at Elwell, kept by Robert Richardson & R. Paine, is doing considerable business, I believe.
Some of the early settlers of Union Township were as follows: W. H. GRAFTON, M. D., Josiah Chandler, J. C. Sladden, Mr. Harris, U. Chamberlin, Thomas Lowe, John Warren, John Grosclose, B. Netterfield, Kenly Dobyns, Amos Kelley, Daniel Finch, Robert Richardson, John Richardson, Wm. H. Jones, L. Nellis, Mr. Rubar,