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George Conrad came to Cass county in 1854, and located near the site of Grove City. In 1860, he opened the first regular store in the embryoic city, on the very small capital of thirty-five dollars. His counter was a walnut slab, and the first sale was that of a paper saleratus, for which he received the sum of fifteen cents. During the year, his stock slowly increased, and in later years, he added dry goods and notions to his grocery stock. He removed to Atlantic on the founding of that city, in 1868, where he entered into the dry goods business. In this he achieved a competency, and has now retired from the active pursuits of life, and lives in retirement, employing his time in looking after his large property. He is a native of Dauphin county, Pennsylvania, and was born September 16, 1829, near the village of Middletown, not far from Harrisburg. He is the son of George and Mary (Singer) Conrad, who were both natives of the "Keystone State," of Dutch descent. In early life, Mr. Conrad removed with his parents to Wooster county, Ohio, where he was reared. He, while there, engaged in nearly all kinds of business, principally staging and running on the cars. He was married in Cass county, on the 20th of June, 1858, to Elizabeth Donner, a daughter of one of the early settlers of Pymosa township, by whom he has two children.

Robert M. Kirk located on section 13, in June, 1854. He is a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, but came here from Indiana. He made a few improvements and built a cabin, of the usual pattern in all new countries. He remained in this township about two years, when he removed out of the county, but is now a resident of Noble township.

Henry Michaels came in the summer of 1855, and located on the northeast quarter of section 1, on the Kanawyer farm. He built a house, which was afterward occupied by Clark Byrd. Mr. Michaels left the county, going to Nebraska, where he still resides.

D. A. Barnett came in 1855, and entered land in various portions of the township. He lived in the township until his death, before which event, he was honored with high official positions by his fellow-citizens.

Philip Berg came in 1855, and located on Section 12, where he now resides.

Jeremiah Balding came in the fall of 1855, and entered land on section 2 and 10. He did not build there, but purchased a home in Grove City, where he lived. He died in the State. His widow, Mrs. Lucy Balding, is now living on section 10, this township.

Jeremiah Balding was born in Connecticut, in 1820, and a son of Jeremiah and Martha Balding. He went to Illinois when quite young, and a part of his boyhood days were spent in Warren county, that State. He afterward went to Cayuga county, New York, and there August 21, 1855, was married to Lucy Bell, daughter of Samuel and Mary Bell. They had two children---Finley, who is now married to Della Conover and living two miles from his mother's home; and Emma. Mr. Balding died September 19, 1876, at the age of sixty-six years. Mr. and Mrs. Balding came to this county in 1855, when there was but one house between their place and Lewis. They were obliged to obtain their provisions in Council Bluffs. They returned to Illinois in 1857. From there they went to California, where they remained three years, returning by the Isthmus of Panama to Illinois. They lived in that State until they came back to Iowa, in 1872. Mrs. Balding owns one hundred and twenty acres of good land, all under cultivation, and is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church. Her parents are now living in California, also two brothers and two sisters. Her father, Samuel Bell, was for several terms a member of the New York Legislature, representing Cayuga county. He is a native of New York State.

Charles McGee came in the fall of 1855, and settled at Grove City. He came from Ohio, where he had been engaged in farming. He remained about two years, then went to Franklin's township and erected a cabin near the present site of Wiota. He also improved a farm. He afterward left the county, going to Kansas.

Thomas Sprall, a young man from Ohio, took up a claim on section 28, in 1855, where Casper Beekman now lives. He afterward went West, since which no tidings have been heard from him in this vicinity.

Lewis Beason's first settlement in Cass county was made in the spring of 1856, on section 21. He rented of J. R. Kirk one year and then entered land on section 21. He remained about two years and then removed to Grant township. At present he is a resident of Benton township, and is noticed at length in the chapter of that sub-division.

William McQueen, a brother of Alexander McQueen, came in the spring of 1857, from Ohio, and located near Grove City. He remained about two years and then returned to the East. While there, being a patriotic young man, he entered the service of the United States in the civil war, and served valiantly in the cause.

William H. Strater located in Atlantic township, on section 12, in 1856. He was a native of Germany, born in January, 1833. He was the son of J. P. and Margaret Strater, and came to this county in early life and located in Richland county, Ohio. He was united in marriage with Catherine Humerick, in the month of February, 1854, at Mansfield, in that county. She was, like himself, a native of Germany. He and his family came to Cass county and located as above, where he resided until April 12, 1880, when he died. His widow still resides upon the old homestead.

Frederick Both came in the winter of 1856, from Ohio, and settled at Grove City. His wife died a couple of years after their arrival. He has lived in the divers [sic diverse] and various places in the county, and is now a resident of Lewis.

Transcribed by Deb Lightcap-Wagner, April, 2014 from: "History of Cass County, Together with Sketches of Its Towns, Villages and Townships, Educational, Civil, Military and Political History: Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Old Settlers and Representative Citizens", published in 1884, Springfield, Ill: Continental Historical Co., pp. 838-839.