CHAPTER XVII.
VICTORIA TOWNSHIP.

Technically known as township 74, range 34, Victoria township was set off from the old township of Edna on the 11th of June, 1870. It assumed civil form at the election held in October, of that year, at the Tate school house, under the direction of Thomas Tate, Jr., organizer, when the following officers were chosen: William E. Johnson, Thomas Tate, J. C. Sholes, trustees; Royal Hudspeth, clerk; Joshua Devoire, assessor.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Victoria township lies in the southeast corner of Cass county, and is bounded on the north by Massena township, on the east by Adair county, on the south by the county of Adams and on the west by Edna township. It is a full Congressional sub-division and comprises about 23,000 acres of rich and productive land. The surface is generally rolling. The township is quite well watered by numerous small creeks and branches of the West Nodaway, which flow through sections 6 and 7, in its northwest corner. There is but very little timber of natural growth within the limits of Victoria, but a large number of artificial groves have been developed by the settlers.

THE TOWNSHIP'S PIONEER.

William E. Johnson, a native of New York, but since early boyhood a resident of Trumbull county, Ohio, came to Victoria township in the spring of 1857, and settled on section 6. He remained there several years, when he disposed of his property and spent his later years in Cloud county, Kans. Although he was not on the ground at the creation of the township, he was the first settler within the territory now included within its limits. The first birth in the township was that of his son, William E. Johnson, born May 10, 1858.

Rev. Asa Walden, the father-in-law of William E. Johnson, arrived soon after the latter, and also settled on section 6. When a young man he had joined the Methodist Church, and later became a minister of the Gospel of that denomination. In 1847 he removed from Trumbull to Ashtabula county, where he engaged in farming and preaching and remained, with the exception of a short residence in Wisconsin, until he settled in Victoria township. Here he united with the Christian Church, and preached for that denomination until his death, August 7, 1861.

FIRST DEATH AND FIRST MARRIAGE.

Mr. Walden's death was the first to occur within the present limits of the township, and during the same year his son, Asa Walden, Jr., contracted the first marriage with a Miss Gardner.

The next and third settlement within the borders of the township was by Frank H. Whitney, who, in these days, seemed almost omnipresent. Mr. Whitney appeared in this locality in January, 1858, and began the erection of a log cabin, which, after its completion, was occupied for some time by his father, John. In March of that year he broke some land, and raised quite a fine crop of corn from the sod--undoubtedly the first grown in the township.

Thomas Tate, an Englishman from Adams county, Wis., settled on section 1, during the year 1859, and was a pioneer of the pioneers. At that time his market place was Council Bluffs. He had a family of seven children, stood high in the community, and his third son (by the same name) was the official organizer of Massena township.

Other early settlers of the township, but of a considerably later date, were Mathew Symons, also an Englishman, on section 36; Joshua Devore, a Pennsylvanian brought up in Ohio, who was the first assessor of the township and held other offices; Robert Ball, a Scotchman, on section 25; J. G. Sholes, a native of Vermont, who entered a homestead on section 35; H. P. Sweet, from New Hampshire, who located on section 27, and Lemuel Jones, who settled on section 8.

POSTOFFICES, PAST AND PRESENT.

The M'Dill postoffice was established in 1877, at the residence of Enos Sayers, on section 21, with that gentleman as postmaster. He held the office until 1879, when it was removed to the residence of John Coddington, on section 15, who was also commissioned postmaster. In 1880 Mr. Coddington removed from the township and the office was then discontinued. The postoffice was on the mail route from Anita to Mount Etna.

SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES.

Victoria township is divided into nine school districts, and the first school within its present limits was taught at the house of John Tate, by that gentleman himself, during the winter of 1863-4. It was located on section 1, and, in 1867, when the first district school was erected it was placed on the southwest corner of the same section. Eliza Tate, a sister of John, and both children of Thomas Tate, the third settler of the territory now included in Victoria township, was the first teacher in this, the first regular district school building. Consequently the Tate family have especial claims to be classed as pioneers of this section of the county.

District No. 2 includes sections 3, 4, 9 and 10, and its school house, erected on the southwest corner of section 3, was built in 1876. Alice Hill has the credit of being the first teacher in this district.

District No. 3, embracing sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, has a school house on the southwest corner of section 5, the original of which was erected in 1884. Mrs. Eliza McDiarmid was the first teacher in the building. Prior to its erection school was held in the district at a house on section 7, which was built about the year 1868. The pioneer teacher in this house was Mrs. Royal Hudspeth.

District No. 4 is composed of sections 17, 18, 19 and 20, and in 1878 a school house was erected on the southwest corner of section 17, Alice Hill being the teacher. Mrs. George N. Morse conducted a school shortly before this at her home on section 20, but was obliged to discontinue it on account of sickness.

District No. 5 is formed of sections 15, 16, 21 and 22, and its original school house was erected on the northwest corner of section 22, in 1877. Abbie Skellinger was the first teacher.

District No. 6 includes sections 13, 14, 23 and 24. It was organized in 1871, and the first school was taught by H. S. Smeleer, at his house located on section 14. In 1872 the district erected a house on the northwest corner of section 24, and Alice Hill taught the first term of school within it.

District No. 7 embraces sections 25, 26, 35 and 36, and the first school was held at the residence of Mathew Symonds on section 36, in the year 1871. During the summer of that year Francis Symonds taught a two-months' term. In 1872 a school was erected by the district on the southwest corner of section 25, Alice Webb being the first to teach in it.

District No. 8 includes the territory embraced in sections 27, 28, 33 and 34, the first school house being built, in 1872, on the northwest corner of the section last named. Mary Sweet taught the first term of school in this building during the winter of 1872-3. It numbered but six pupils, all children of Joshua Devore.

District No. 9, embracing sections 29, 30, 31 and 32, has a school house on the northeast corner of section 31, the original of which was erected in 1875. James Watters taught the first term of school in this building.

The Victoria Methodist Episcopal Church, the oldest in the township, was organized at the school house, on the northwest corner of section 24, by Rev. William Stamp, in the year 1873. The first members of the organization were J. A. Hill and wife, J. M. Laing and wife, Rev. William Stamp and wife, J. D. DeTar and wife, George Davis and wife, and James Bell. Mr. Laing was appointed class leader and Mr. Hill, steward.

The German Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. Peter's) was organized at the residence of William Holste, Sr., on the first of August, 1882, and its first meeting was held at the Center school house, which continued to be its place of worship for some years. Rev. Millbrook was its first pastor, and among the original members of the society were William Holste, Sr., and wife, Edward Redihardt, George Holste, John Stieken, Hanry Patze, Henry Kirkman, William Holste, Jr., and wife, John Johanus and wife, Frederick Kirkman and wife, Ernest Kahn, Carl Vetterick and T. Barnhardt. William Holste was eleced president, and John Johanus and T. Barnhardt, deacons; Frederick Kirkman, secretary and treasurer.

"Compendium and History of Cass County, Iowa." Chicago: Henry and Taylor & Co., 1906, pg. 197-200.
Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, September, 2017.