Adair County Iowa History

PRUSSIA TOWNSHIP

TOPOGRAPHY
Prussia Township is watered by the east branch of the Nodaway River which enters from the north on section 41 and running thence in a southerly direction through sections 9, 16, 15, 22, 27, 26, 35 and 36, leaving the township from the latter section. A small creek known as Rutt's Branch also waters the western tier of sections in the townsliip. There never has been much timber in the township.
EARLY SETTLEMENT
The pioneer settler of Prussia Township was James Hornback, who settled upon section 16. His house at that time consisted chiefly of a "dug-out," although there was a small shanty above. He came here from Madison County. The next to come to this township was Peter Hoffman, who located upon section 10 in 1868. He was a native of Germany. J. X. Bittner located a claim in the fall of 1868 on section 2, coming from Lee County, Ill. John G. Martin emigrated from Lee County, Ill., in the fall of 1868 and settled on a farm in the township on section 10. William and Fred Kiefer were also among the early settlers of the township, coming in September, 1868, from Lee County, Ill.
ORGANIZATION
Prussia Township was organized in 1870. A petition of the prominent citizens of the township was accepted and acted upon at the June meeting of the board of supervisors. Although it was the will of the petitioners to call the township Clark, the board gave the
name of Prussia. The first election was held in the fall of 1870, when the following officers were chosen: Charles Clark, clerk; Peter Hoffman, justice of the peace; John Vance, Charles Milner, Lee Tolen, trustees; Mr. Sager, constable; Peter Hoffman, road supervisor; Lee Tolen, assessor. There were only nine votes cast at this election, seven of the republican and two democratic. Charles Clark disposed of his property and left the township before the expiration of his office term and Jerome Vance was appointed by the trustees to fill the vacancy.
ITEMS
The first death was that of Mrs. J. G. Martin in December, 1868. She was buried on her own premises. The first child born was a son to Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Martin. The first marriage was that of Albert Kalkofen and Elizabeth Zornes. Peter Hoffman, justice of the peace, officiated. The first organization of the Methodist Episcopal Church occurred in 1879 at the schoolhouse in district No. 5. Reverend Wilburn was the first pastor. The first house which was erected in the township was destroyed by a prairie fire in 1873. At the time of its destruction it was occupied by George Coon and family, who barely escaped with their lives. Peter Hoffman built the second house in the township. A cemetery on Section 15 was laid out June 15, 1878, and contained one acre. The first person to be buried there was Margaret Emmons, wife of J. Emmons, who died October 1, 1878. The German cemetery on section 10 contained one acre and the first interment was that of Mrs. Fred Kiefer.

Taken from "History of Guthrie and Adair County Iowa, 1884", transcribed by Carlyss Noland