CHAPTER XXXIV ATLANTIC TOWNSHIP(CONT'D)

EARLY ITEMS AND INCIDENTS

The first child born in Atlantic was a boy, and Mr. and Mrs. Clayborn Marion were his parents. That was in the fall of 1854.

In December of the same year, a child was born to Mr. and Mrs. George W. W. Wakefield. His name is Willis Wakefield, and he is now living in the township.

The third child born in the township was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. R. D. McGeehon. Her birthday was December 22, 1854. These three births occurred in the vicinity of Turkey Grove.

R. D. McGeehon erected the first house in the township, in the summer of 1852, on section 14, near Turkey Grove.

On the 5th day of July, 1858, the water in Turkey creek rose twenty-three feet in three hours, at Wakefield's mill, just below the month of Jim branch.

Jesse Marshall was the first person who died in the township. His demise occurred in January, 1854. He was buried on his own farm lot.

One afternoon in September, 1861, while J. B. Hardenbergh was living in Atlantic township, a drizzling rain commenced, which increased in intensity, so that at night the water was coming down almost in torrents. In the morning, Mr. Hardenbergh's brother, on looking out, exclaimed: "Why, we're all under water." The family hurried to the windows, and sure enough, the whole surrounding country was flooded. But one knoll was visible above the water, and on to this Mr. Hardenbergh's cattle were being crowded off into deep water, and then they all started to swim, and perseveredtill they found a place where they could stand without being lifted off their feet by the water. But one, a calf, was caught in a current and carried down the stream. It was given up for lost, and the matter had been forgotten when one day Mr. Byrd said there was a strange calf in his herd. On investigation it was found to be the identical calf which was supposed to have been drowned in the flood. It had lodged among the bushes, where it was held till the waters subsided, and then found its way to Mr. Byrd's place.

On the 9th day of July, 1880, a cyclone passed through the county, which some of the people of this township have good cause to remember. It came from the direction of Pottawattamie county, and passing through the township, its course was from southwest to northeast. The farms of A.N. Gaylord, L.N. Granger and Caspar Beekman were devastated and these gentlemen lost their houses, fences, stock, and even their trees. There has been o violent storm since that time through this district.

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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. 841-842.

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