CHICKASAW TOWNSHIP

Chickasaw Township was one of the three townships established when the county organization was effected.  The date of organization and establishing the boundaries of this township was at the first session of the County Court,  March 1855.

1855 - The boundaries established at that time and the territory included:   All of town 95,  range 13 and 14.

1857 - At the February term of court, 1857,  the township was divided, range 13 being organized as Dayton Township,  leaving Chickasaw Township to consist of range 14, west, of town 95,  which now comprises the area of the township.

Chickasaw Township contains 36 sections of as fine fertile lands as can be found in the county.  It is well watered by the Wapsipinicon River and the Little Cedar and it located in the central west part of Chickasaw County.  In the early days the western part of this township was covered by a fine growth of timber which afforded the material for the construction of houses, as a result Chickasaw Township was among the earliest of permanent settled portions of the county.  Fine houses and farm buildings, and fine farms were developed in the section of country where the early settler located in the forest and built log cabins.

The First Settlers in Chickasaw Township.

1850 - From the best information obtainable,  the first or at least among the first settlers in Chickasaw Township were: Jerome Watson,  Abram Cagley,  Russell Baldwin,  James Fee,  Joseph Fee,  William Bartlett,  Joel Bartlett,  A. M. Krell,  Samuel Monroe,  James Jarad,  the Hines,  Huffmans,  and Bishops.  The dates or order of coming of these cannot be stated with accuracy,  thought it is pretty well established that the first of these came about the year 1850,  and that all of those named came within the two years following.

1850 - First houses built in 1850 by:  Jerome Watson and  James and Joseph Fee.

1852 - Fall of 1852,  John Campbell  and  James L. Frazee arrived and settled section 5.  They came from Indiana,  settling first in Clinton, Iowa,  and then removing to this county.

1853 - Mr. Webber  and a Mr. Motry  located on a tract of land near where the town of Ionia is now situated.

1854 -  William Tucker moved his family from Wisconsin and settled in this township.

1854 - 1855 - Several additions were made to the population of Chickasaw Township by removals from Bradford Township.  William Starkey,  H. B. Short,  W.W. Hammond,  N. F. Lighthall,  John W. Johnson, and  G. W. Rowley.

The First Town Established

1854 - The town of Chickasaw, located on the Cedar River,  was surveyed and platted. William Tucker opened a store in this place and a post office was located here.  

1854 - Mr. Brink was the first postmaster, and the condition on which the office was granted,  and the postmaster appointed,  was that the people of  the village should arrange for carrying the mail from Cedar Falls, Black Hawk, County for the proceeds of the office,  leaving the postmaster to serve without salary. In no case was the Government to be liable for any expense. Mr. Tucker,  says he served as mail carrier part of the time,  and that he made seven trips,  in the winter of 1854, to Cedar Falls and return,  a distance of  40 miles,  requiring  four days.  He made the trip through snow and all kinds of weather, at his own expense,  and three times out seven he says that he found no mail had come through Dubuque, Iowa.

The splendid water power afforded by the Cedar River was an inducement for the establishment of mills and manufacturing enterprises,  and gave promise of making a prosperous town of Chickasaw,

1854 - Work on erection of a saw mill and grist mill was commenced,  to be operated by water and steam power.  The contractors for building were:  A. Albertson,  Russell Baldwin,  and Morris Waite.

1855 -  Mill completed and operated by  Mr. Garlinhouse.  New houses were built, stores, blacksmith shops, and other enterprises making Chickasaw a thrifty town with a prospect of becoming a commercial center.

Prospects were blasted when the Chicago, Milwaukee  & St. Paul Railroad surveyed its line  one mile north of the town,  leaving Chickasaw off the railroad map.  This was a death blow to the town and today only one store and a few houses remain.   The mill which was converted into a flour mill,  with modern equipment is doing a good business. A substantial concrete dam has been recently built across the Cedar River,  affording ample water power in addition to steam power with which the mill is provided.  This dam also affords excellent opportunities for fishing and the adjacent grove is a favorite place for picnic parties.

1915 - Census of township is 903.

1917 - Financial statement of Chickasaw township as of Jan 1, 1917 has balance overdrawn by the sum of $666.67.

1919 - Present township officers are: F. W. Tucker,  Nelson Huffman,  and N. L. Fritcher trustees;  C. E. Hughes,  clerk;  A. T.  Brookins,  justice of peace;  E. H. Huffman,  assessor.

Source:
History of Chickasaw and Howard Counties (1919) Vol. 1, Chapter 13, Pages 267-269
Transcribed by Lookup Person,  Leonard Granger jmclaw221@gmail.com

CHICKASAW COUNTY MAIN PAGE