In 1854, the year after was organized, Amos J. Lawson, bought a tract of land in what later became Scott Township.  He had left his birthplace in Columbus, Ohio, and after traveling to various points in the Midwest including Logan, Iowa, where he took a bride, he decide to make Montgomery county his home. Land was cheap, so he purchased 120 acres for $1.25 an acre. At the time there were few people living in the county and like many other settlers, a dugout became Lawson's home. When after 17 years, Mr. Lawson decided to build a house, the nearest place he could go to get siding was Council Bluffs.  He traveled by oxen and the trip took 13 days.  After 82 years this house still stands and makes up a part of the present farmhouse.  The Lawson's had 13 children, six of whom are now living. At the time of his death in 1895, Mr. Lawson had doubled the acreage of his farm. After 99 years this tract of land is still in the Lawson family. A son, Albert Lawson, owns the farm and resides there.

    Although the history of Scott township began almost as soon as the organization of the county, it was not until 1870 that it was made a township. It was the last of the nine townships to be organized.  It was during the previous year that the Rev. B. M. Halland started his efforts to interest Swedish people in securing land in this new Midwest.  The Rev. Mr. Halland was a native of Sweden and had come to Illinois as a boy in 1855.  He has studied at the University of Illinois at Springfield and also at Paxton, Illinois.  In 1864 he was ordained a Lutheran minister and his first charge was at Burlington, Iowa.

Rev. B. M. Halland Founder of Swedish Settlement in Montgomery and Page County

  The Burlington & Missouri River Railroad Co. (now C. B. & Q.) was anxious to attract settlers to southern and western Iowa to provide business for the railroad it was building. As the Rev. Mr. Halland was thinking of the growing number of Swedish immigrants. he approached the railroad company with the proposition of securing land. He selected the tract of land between the West Nodaway and East Nishnabotna Rivers in Montgomery and Page counties.  During 1869 the Rev. Mr. Halland made many trips to the Stanton vicinities on foot and on horseback.

     It was expected that the new railroad would be ready for business in in the fall of 1869.  The majority of settlers were expected to arrive after the railroad began its operation; however, a few arrived before its completion to seek employment. A man received a wage of $2.00 per day and $4.00 per day for a man and a team of horses. Among those who arrived before the railroad were the Samuel Anderson family, who traveled from their home in Illinois to Afton, Iowa, by railroad and from Afton to Villisca by covered Wagon.

    The town of Stanton was laid out in 1869 and the original plat of the town was filed Oct 24, 1870. The contracts for the sale of railroad land grants became available on April 1, 1870.

    It was never definitely established how Stanton received its name.  It is known that the Rev. Mr. Halland suggested that it be named "Holmstad" after a city in his native province in Sweden.  This was considered, but it was decided that it was too difficult for the railroad conductors to pronounce, so the name Stanton was chosen, possibly after Edwin Stanton,

The oldest known picture of Stanton, 18 years after founding of community.