Minerva Township History

This township is near the Story line, and tucks its green prairies under it, with here a grove, there a farm house, presenting charming landscapes in the beauty of midsummer. We always fancied this township was named after some good woman, who dispensed her hospitalities upon some intelligent wayfarer--hence the name, for it has creeks of Little and Big Minerva--an improvement on the endless repetition of Washington, Jefferson, etc., to the plague of letter writers and postmasters in the country. Mr. Elder has the honor of being the first settler in the place, having entered his land in 1851. He owned the grove that bears his name, and opened up a good farm at a very early day. He afterwards went to Liberty, and is held in high estimation in this section. Mr. Daniel Stevens, near "Liberty line," was also a pioneer the same year, and Mr. Weatherly, our busy real estate agent now, broke the green award for his garden and cornfield soon after his arrival. Mr. Weatherly was one of his nearest neighbors, living in Bangor, twelve miles distant.

Mr. Patterson--of military presence, both in Mexico and at Marietta--was one of the old settlers. He identified himself with the new township by naming a pretty grove, "Patterson." He is now living in Davenport, and is quite wealthy.

Mr. John Anselme, a Frenchman, was also a pioneer, and soon after there came quite a number of la belle countrymen and settled at the little groves and in the best portions of the township. Entering their land, and being careful and industrious, they have become as wealthy farmers as there are in the0 county2. At the time of the Marietta war, French Grove was a good deal excited in favor of the existing capital, and hearing that Dr. Taylor, of Marshalltown, had been connected with the Know Nothing movement, he came very near being lynched by the wrathful citizens as he came into town on business.

There are a few Germans also, who are quite intelligent, and have taken great pains to obtain good school teachers for the past few years.

Mr. Patterson, in 1864, sold his farm and beautiful home to Mr. S. Burkholder, who was an efficient member of the board of supervisors. His house was a great summer resort for the elite of Marshalltown, having pic-nics on his grounds--all being pleasantly entertained by the agreeable hostess and her sister.

The Protestant Methodists have a little church here, which is attended by the community generally. Among the wealthy farmers, are Mr. George Wantz and Oscar Elliott. But we have not space for a further source of this township, with the exception of

Clemens' Corners,

Near the Liberty line, a point well known since 1856, where the first store was built west of Marietta for a good many miles. Mr. Clemens entered the grove which bears his name, and kept a good hotel, whose gleaming fires welcomed  the half frozen traveler  in the dreadful winter of 1856-7. The mercury fell on the 18th of December, to thirty-six degrees below zero. There is no store now at the "Corners," we believe. The ladies shop in Bangor, Eldora, and in Marshalltown, or around a peddler's wagon.

--pg 123-125, History of Marshall County, Iowa, by N. Sanford, 1867.